Say ‘No’ to gadgets – Indoor activities for kids.

If you have a toddler, you KNOW they constantly keep you on your toes! We are tired moms. We are worn down and many days our energy cannot keep up with a toddler’s endless vitality. In my opinion, too much TV is bad news for the brain. So when you’re hitting the parenting wall and you aren’t sure how to keep your toddler entertained, try out these awesome indoor toddler activities.

As we know, this parenting calls for heady amounts of patience and resourcefulness. I’ve found that things get particularly messy when I’m in a kitchen. Early mornings are usually when I have fewer amounts of patience to deal with that action, I’m not a morning person to get up and finish everything before my toddler wakes up.

More frankly, I’m not an expert at toddler activities at all. I like to keep it creative yet incredibly simple and easy. There are the days when your kid keeps energy. You take them outside and keep them active–rain or shine. But then there are the days when you just can’t get outside and that’s when things start to get a bit tricky.

1. Mommy and Me Meal Preparations

Toddlers always want to help, especially when it comes to cooking. Encourage your toddler’s interest by allowing her to produce a real recipe, such as baking or as simple as making an Idly, and let her do as many steps as possible. She can pour in and help, while you handle the more dangerous work. Get a kitchen set and ask them to cook along with you, a small dough of Atta is enough to make them busy for an hour.  Buy kitchen set for kids on amazon here 

2. Play Dough –

Children love to play with dough. Play dough is great. I like to put it on a tray or cutting board to contain the mess. I love play dough because kids can be creative and it also builds strength in their hands for fine motor skills. I bought a fruits and vegetable shapes set along with chopping board.

buy Play dough set with fruits and vegetable shapes…

3. Craft and color –

This is a simple activity, have them color. Do not avoid any activity involving crayons and paints just for a mess. I realized you have to keep introducing arts and crafts and try to see what they respond to best. If the little ones don’t get much use out of crayons try washable markers to get the little artist in them a chance to shine. Getting creative can get messy, but they are so important for learning and development and can be made from simple things! Short on craft supplies? You can put together a craft activity using your toddler’s hands and feet. Lay a sheet of construction or printing paper on a table. Trace around your little one’s hand or foot using a crayon, washable marker or a pencil, and Have your toddler color them in to look like animals, flowers or people.

4. Cars or Train track kit –

Nowadays you have a number of automatic train n car track kits available in the market but I prefer manual which keeps my toddler busy. Create a race track using masking tape on the floor. Then let your little one play quietly with cars/train on the track. You go on one end, and your toddler goes on the other. You can roll the cars back and forth to each other on the long race track. This is especially fun for little boys and it usually only takes a few minutes to help them understand to stay at one end.

5. Magnets on Fridge

Simply have your toddler stick magnets on the fridge. We use alphabet letters and numbers. She keeps arranging all and fun part my little one gets confused between 1 and I, small g and 9. I love those confused expressions of hers. I really like these and it becomes a learning activity.

6. Build a Tower

Using cubes or blocks have them build a tower. Blocks are another way to see my child constructing Tower and making dinosaurs out of colorful blocks. And you see thoughts converted into own virtual figures. But make sure the blocks are big enough to avoid.

7. Books –

Sometimes all you have to do is take to another level. the board books, make sure you use all your quirkiest voices and skills to animate the characters and get your child into the story. I like the 12 piece set of board books which cover almost all toddler stuff. Next time you can check some wipe clean – learn to write books for your little munchkin.

Last but not least involve your little one in your household chores. My munchkin loves to help mommy. You already have your hands full and coming up with ideas for keeping them busy, do share with us. Help other moms to keep little munchkin busy.