7 Fun Activities to Keep Your Toddler Busy

1. Snack Foods

Sit your toddler down in their high chair with plenty of snack food to eat, such as bananas, cheerios, and raisins which are enjoyed by toddlers everywhere. Snacking on the finger food will entertain your toddler for several minutes, long enough to possibly complete a math lesson with your older child.

2. Edible Finger Paint

Every toddler eats anything you put in front of them so I’m always hesitant to allow my toddlers to play with regular finger paint. However you can use edible finger paint for your little one to paint their high chair tray or the table. Simply add a touch of food coloring to vanilla pudding, rice cereal, or yogurt. Your toddler will have a blast smearing and painting their high chair tray. You’ll have the time you need to teach.

3. Special Toys

Keep a bin of special toys near your homeschool area. Pull these special toys out only when you’re homeschooling your older children. These toys can be electronic, puzzles, large beads, or board books. Your little one will adore having special school activities just like the older children, and you’ll have the quiet you need to focus on homeschooling.

4. Crayons

Find the large crayons for your toddler to color with while you’re working with your older children on handwriting. You may wish to tape the paper to the table so it doesn’t slide all over the place and frustrate your little one. The coloring will develop the fine motor skills your child will need to write in the future. Your toddler will also be delighted to join the big kids in their work.

5. Sensory Bins

Sensory bins are buckets of filler and objects for children to play with. These bins may be filled with birdseed, rice, water, pom-poms, or craft sand. Add some toys, measuring cups, and spoons then let your child explore and play. Just keep an eye on what your child is putting in their mouth or use an edible filler which your child can eat or drink. You can even create theme based sensory bins on topics such as penguins. These bins are so exciting even your older kids will want to join in the fun.

6. Pots, Pans, Spoons

If you don’t mind a bit of noise, let your toddler play with the pots, pans, and spoons. They’ll adore banging the pots like drums or stirring up a dinner for the family. The pots and pans will survive your toddler’s pretend play, and you’ll have a few minutes to focus on other children.

7. Collection of Large Boxes

Everyone knows how much toddlers adore boxes, so pick up boxes in a variety of sizes. Big refrigerator boxes can turn into play houses while smaller boxes can be filled with toys. Keep a variety of boxes in the house for your child to open, close, climb inside, and play with while you homeschool your big kids.

The trick to homeschooling with toddlers is to keep them busy in a location near you. Choose one of these activities, set your child up, and have some time to focus on the older children while your toddler plays happily.

How do you keep your toddler busy?

The post 7 Fun Activities to Keep Your Toddler Busy first appeared on True Aim.

This post contains affiliate and consultant links to my Usborne Book store.

Penguin Book for Toddlers

This book is perfect for children ages 9 months and up! It especially engages toddlers because it is filled with sensory experiences. Each page features a penguin with a different texture. Which Penguin is the right one?

That’s Not My Penguin

Penguin Learning Activities for Toddlers

These activities are meant to encourage learning, but if your child isn’t enjoying it, it might not be the right level for them. Try adjusting it to fit their interests and abilities.

Penguin Finger Print

Just like every finger print is different, so is every Penguin. Teach your toddler about their finger print or talk about how penguins can identify each other by the noise they make and every penguin has a different call.

Penguin Hand Print

It’s easy and fun to do hand print art and talk about the different parts of a penguin as you make it with your child.

Penguin Sensory Bin

Great idea for independent play and to talk about where Penguins live.

Blubber Science

How do penguins stay warm in the freezing cold water?

Simple Penguin Math Games

Here are some ideas for fun math games to play with these or any printable penguins.

Circle Penguin Craft

Just have the circles cut out and ready and this is the easiest craft! Your toddlers will learn what a circle is in one activity.

More Penguin Shapes

Teach your toddler all their shapes with these cute printable penguins and more.

Penguin Pompom Color Match

Use this for counting too!

Feed the Penguin

Like a fun flash card game, teach your toddler lots of things with this activity!

Penguin Counting

Another easy game about feeding the penguins!

Penguin Preschool Games App

The penguin videos are a blast!

Penguin Snack

If they get hungry during their learning activity, try this cute little snack

Penguin Treat

After all their hard ‘work’ reward them with a penguin ice cream treat!

The Story Corner!

Check out more book themed activities below!

Your hosts:

Dusty at To the Moon and Back

Karyn at Teach Beside Me

Nicole at Home with My Sons

Jodie at Growing Book by Book

The post Penguin Learning Activities for Toddlers first appeared on True Aim.

Soft, colorful, and endless opportunities for imaginary play; Pom poms are an essential item if you have a busy toddler in the house.  My son can play with them for a whole hour and even his older sisters like to join in on the fun.  As they happily play with their ‘feast’, ‘bugs’, or ‘jewels’, I can get a lot done around the house.  Who knew such a simple activity would captivate my children for so long.  But, I didn’t come up with the activity on my own.

I had a little help from a new app called Knoala.  This is the perfect app for parents of young children.  Wether you’re waiting in the doctors office, taking a road trip, or just want to connect with your kids, Knoala offers access to hundreds of activity prompts for parents that require little to no set up.

When I first gave the pom poms to my toddler I didn’t expect that the activity would turn into an educational one.  My children started sorting, counting, and acting out different rolls with the pompoms.  It was a joy to watch them get along and explore while creating their own little world.

Get the FULL play prompt instructions here:

Knoala isn’t just an app it is a community.  I love how the app allows you to participate in the creation of activity ideas.  You can submit your idea to be added to the app and all activities can be shared with your friends instantly.  I’m definitely using it to plan play dates and get birthday game ideas too!

What kinds of activities does your toddler like to do?  For more simple activity ideas for kids, like us on Facebook or follow on Pinterest.

P.S. If you liked this activity prompt, be sure to check out the app for yourself!

A little bit more about Knoala….

Knoala offers thousands of fun & development-boosting activities for parents to enjoy with infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Based on your child’s age and local weather conditions, Knoala finds activities that are most suitable for you and your family. Bond with your child over games and crafts that foster artistic, cognitive, emotional, motor, sensory and language skills. Connect with thousand of parents to exchange ideas on how to keep your child happy and busy. Follow the hottest mom and dad bloggers for their expert advice on keeping your little ones entertained. With Knoala in hand, you never have to worry about your child feeling bored again. All content on Knoala are free, and always will be.

Pin it:

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Simple Toddler Activity: Pom Pom Play first appeared on True Aim.

Do your kids need to get their wiggles out?

Put a new twist on an old game.  Help your children learn and burn off some energy by playing Flash Card Musical Chairs.  This game is so simple, but the kids love it.  I watch a 1st grader sometimes and he begs me to play this game.

Just like in the regular musical chairs I start the music and the kids run around the chairs. Sometimes I have them jump like a bunny or take big Goliath steps.  Occasionally I really get them going by reaching out and pretending to grab them.  When the music stops everyone sits down as fast as they can.  The first person who sits down gets to do a flash card first.  I like to give everyone a turn to do a card and then I reward them with a Popsicle Stick.

You could adjust play so whoever sits down last doesn’t get to do a card, but I like to give everyone a chance as long as they are playing the game right.  I don’t use one less chair and I don’t take away chairs.  Obviously, you can play any way you want.

I love this game because kids of all ages can play, but I can still challenge them individually by selecting flash cards according to their individual abilities.  Plus, the game helps the blood flow and makes it easier for them to remember the material.  I know that they will never forget playing this flash card game!

Next time your kids need to burn off some energy, don’t just make them drop and give you 20.  Wear them out and teach them something at the same time.

Have Fun!

And try my other great Flash Card Games

If you liked this post, Please Like us on Facebook. Thank you for your support!

Linking up Here

The post Flash Card Musical Chairs first appeared on True Aim.