I know some of you right now are thinking Routine? What routine?
Believe it or not, we all have routines.
Even if it’s as basic as breakfast, lunch, nap, dinner, bedtime.
That’s one daily routine. In fact, it’s mine!
And at first I felt like I had ZERO time (and zero energy!) to do any activities with my kids.
We had just added a new baby to our family, and Ben had gone back to work. I was struggling still with postpartum stuff and of course, newborns at night (oh, that just makes me shudder thinking about that time), but I was determined to start doing something to connect with my 2 year old and show her, hey, we have another kid, but we still love you.
Looking for an organized guide of fun, easy activities to do with your toddler that also encourages their growth and development?
I’ve created a 3-month activity planner just for busy parents like you! The plan includes 65 detailed, simple, and stress-free activities including: arts and crafts, sensory play, motor skills, and STEM–all using easy-to-find supplies.
Let me help make planning activities for your toddler easy, so you can skip the stress and get straight to the fun!
Doing activities with my toddler was important to me during that period of life, so I made it a priority. (At least for 10 minutes a day, twice a week, which believe me, felt like A LOT.)
Now, I use kid’s activities for three main purposes: 1) filling my kids’ love tanks, 2) keeping them busy, and 3) teaching something.
(What’s a love tank? More on that here.)
It also helps me feel less like a bad mom when I eventually plop them down in front of the TV.
No guilt!
Looking for an organized guide of fun, easy activities to do with your toddler that also encourages their growth and development?
I’ve created a 3-month activity planner just for busy parents like you! The plan includes 65 detailed, simple, and stress-free activities including: arts and crafts, sensory play, motor skills, and STEM–all using easy-to-find supplies.
Let me help make planning activities for your toddler easy, so you can skip the stress and get straight to the fun!
How to Get Started
I’ve got three easy steps for you to get started with adding activities to your daily routine.
Pick a time and try it out Twice a week.
When’s the best time for you to take a break and play with your kids?
For me, it’s when the littlest goes down for her morning nap. I can focus my attention on my oldest and we almost always have a blast together.
Sometimes the mornings get too chaotic, so after the afternoon nap is another good time for us to play.
I usually set something up at the kiddie table in the kitchen so I can supervise while I make dinner or drink my afternoon coffee. (You heard right… afternoon coffee… mmmm…)
The time is negotiable. You might have different times for different days/schedules/seasons. That’s totally fine.
Start with one time two days a week and adjust (or add more!) as you need to.
Keep basic supplies in a nearby bin or drawer.
I know myself. If I can’t find a supply, I won’t do the activity. If I don’t have all the supplies, I won’t do the activity.
Are you the same way?
What helped me was keeping all my craft stuff in a box in the closet. It wasn’t organized or pretty, but it was all there when I needed it.
What supplies do you need? Check out my most-used supplies post to get started. You could also shop for your kid’s favorite activity and then search for other activities using those same supplies.
We mostly rely on kitchen supplies (food coloring, cups, baking sheets, etc) unless we’re doing an art or craft, so you probably have more activity supplies than you realize!
Have the right mindset.
Do not expect Pinterest perfect.
Do not even expect kids to follow all the “rules” (i.e. coloring inside the lines).
Focus on having fun together. Laugh, be silly, be loud, and unleash your inner kid.
And always protect your floors with a giant shower curtain or old sheet.
Your Turn: Add activities to your Daily routine
If you’re the Cliff notes type, here are the three steps to adding activities to your daily routine:
- Pick a time and try it out twice a week.
- Keep basic supplies nearby.
- Have the right mindset.
You may be thinking, great, now what activities should I do?
I have three options for you.
ONE: Pick a category from EYT’s giant list of indoor activities. Work your way through each activity.
TWO: Sign up for the 5-day Activity Challenge. When you sign up, you’ll also be subscribed to EYT’s weekly newsletter, which will feature a new activity to try every week.
THREE: Try the Entertain Your Toddler Activity Playbook which will provide you with a detailed plan to keep your toddler entertained for up to three whole months.
That’s like 2.5 years in dog years 😂
Each activity in the Playbook was chosen because it was 1) easy to do, 2) entertaining, 3) helped kids learn something OR develop an important life skill.
Whatever you decide to do, I hope you are inspired to spend a little more time loving on your kids and investing in them.
I do this by doing fun activities with my kids, and I think you and your kids will enjoy doing them together, too!
Looking for an organized guide of fun, easy activities to do with your toddler that also encourages their growth and development?
I’ve created a 3-month activity planner just for busy parents like you! The plan includes 65 detailed, simple, and stress-free activities including: arts and crafts, sensory play, motor skills, and STEM–all using easy-to-find supplies.
Let me help make planning activities for your toddler easy, so you can skip the stress and get straight to the fun!