Sunday, August 14, 2022

11 Clever Ways to Keep Your Toddler Productive

11 Clever Ways to Keep Your Toddler Productive 




 


11 clever ways to keep your toddler productive

 

The kids are growing so fast at this stage that it’s important to engage them in some activities. The activities shouldn’t be doing something but engaging them productively. So, it helps them to explore and learn new skills. The age from 1yrs to 4yrs is considered, the toddler is the most active stage. Here are a few suggestions for anyone who’s looking to get some tips and tricks to engage their toddler.



  1. Reading/Writing/Dancing/Singing
  2. Give them a box to decorate (Colors, crayons, tools)
  3. The activity binder/folder
  4. Washing vegetables
  5. Ask them to help you
  6. Give them some screen time
  7. Engage them in storytelling 
  8. Puzzles
  9. Give them options                                                                                                     
  10. Role Plays
  11. The most important- Reward Them

 

1.     Reading/Writing/Dancing/Singing:

 

These are the basic skills one must own. From the starting, we’re involving our kids in these activities. These skills play a crucial role in speech development, fine motor skills, listening skills, communication skills, etc. It becomes easy for the parents too if they involve their kids in reading a book before sleeping. And also asking them to express themselves in their diary or by maintaining a journal. Dancing to different songs helps in the overall physical development of the kids.

 

2.     Give them a box to decorate (Colors, crayons, tools)

 

Kids are more creative than adults. They learn to explore their creativity. Give them a lot of colors, crayons, and the right tools to figure out what they make out of it. Believe me! They’ll do it in the best possible way. You just need to provide them all the tools and the resources and a little guidance and then watch, what your little one comes out with. You can check out Toykraft Stone Rock Painting Kit for Kid here.

 

3.     The activity binder/folder

There are an unlimited number of activity boxes available in the market depending on the age of the kid. It depends on you which one to choose to accord to the theme and what interests the child. Recently, I came across this LilBrainNut activity book in an exhibition for my 3 years toddler. Undoubtedly, my daughter loves it and keeps herself engaged with this for a long period. She is happy when she takes out and pastes the velcro back. The book is available on different topics at an affordable price. It’s worth it.

 

4.     Washing vegetables/Fruits

It’s difficult to spend all the days with kids once they’re at home or back from school. Give them vegetables/fruit to wash. They find it so colorful and it's fun for them. It helps them to improve the sensory skills, shapes, and textures of vegetables and fruits. And as well. They get to know the difference between the two. My daughter helps me when I am preparing food and she enjoys this activity like anything. She cleans all the fruits and vegetables with a clean cloth and keeps them aside properly.

 

5.     Asking them to help you by placing the request (use words like Please etc.)

 

Once the toddler interacts and reacts to what their parents say, It’s fun to be with them. They’re more engaging and exploring themselves every time. When I am super tired, I ask my daughter to help me in setting up the dining table or cleaning the room, or keeping things in their proper place. Sometimes, when she is in the mood, she is ready to help. Otherwise, I ask her that Mumma would reward her if you help me with this. And, yes! She is there to help. It’s so much fun and teamwork.

 

6.     Give them some screen time

We always complain that our kids take a lot of screen time during their meals, etc. But, it depends on us how we’re engaging them. Screen time is good once they enter into their toddler life. The screen time can be given to a toddler as per their age is 2 to 3 years old: 1 hr to 2 hrs, for 3 to 4 years old: 2 to 3 hrs maximum. Screen time can be useful to your kids if we give only appropriate time for the same. You can watch movies with them like Cinderella, spider-man, and tangled,, etc. or cartoons, cocomelon, rhymes, and story sessions, etc. Make sure that you know what they’re watching and how much time they have to watch the screen. And also, they watch it on the tv, not on their mobile or tablet.

 

7.     Engage them in storytelling 

 

Many online sessions are happening in storytelling sessions. You can make your kid attend those classes online. Kids love to hear the stories. Either you can also try out wearing different costumes and engaging your child in listening to the story. Trust me! You’ll also enjoy this 10-15minsutes session with your kid. You can read out the stories from the book, or app, or make something on your own.

 

8.     Puzzles

I remember my childhood days when I used to surround myself with a lot of Jigsaw puzzles.

Puzzles are a great way to build up concentration and focus. A lot of jigsaw puzzles are available on different themes depending on the age of the child. Puzzles are helpful in many things, like improving mental speed, short-term memory, problem-solving skills, visual-spatial reasoning, etc.

It even engages the kid for a long period. 

 

9.     Give them options

By the age of 3, kids start understanding. It becomes the duty of a parent to help them in making decisions. The journey starts right here from childhood to make them self-dependent. Now, I have started giving 2 options to my little one to choose from and she chose one confidently even without regretting it. You can give them options like choosing clothes/shoes/meals/ activity/ shopping guides etc. It boosts their confidence like anything and they feel they have achieved something. Appreciate them for the choices they’ve made. Sometimes, if they don’t listen or choose, you can guide them depending on their mood or just take a deep breath and try again. It’ll take time for them to understand what we are trying to teach. Just a suggestion, don’t confuse them with many options. In starting, ask them to choose from 2 options.

 

10.  Role Plays

This is another interesting way to engage your child. You can provide them with a few things like a Doctor play set, police, dress-up set, kitchen set, and any community helper. It is a fun way of exploring new skills and new characters. 

 

There are an unlimited number of activities to engage your little one depending on the interests and the age. But a mother knows the best for her child and handles it more patiently. You can use all the above activities while you’re doing a 9 to 6 job or if you’re a stay-at-home mom.

 

11.  The most important- Reward Them

The best way to boost kid’s confidence is to reward them Being a parent, you need to identify, how are you going to do it and what will work for them. Like, you can cheer them up, making a card for them or Preparing a special dish for them. Also, you can take them out someday at their favourite place/restaurant. etc.

 

Let’s discuss all activities your little one is enjoying these days. Kindly share your valuable suggestions in the comment box below.

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15 comments:

  1. Toddlers are hyper active and it is a huge task to keep them engaged. You have listed very doable ideas and am sure young moms will find them very useful.

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  2. Keeping them busy indoors when the pollution is high and the weathre cold, calls for all the arsenal a Mom can afford. Thanks Radhika, this is of great help especially the Lilbrainnut activity book.

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  3. Your post has remind me the time when my girls were young . I had done most of these activities with them and had a great time . Very well written post .

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  4. You post has remind me the time when my girls were young. I had done most of these activities with my girls and had a great time. very informative and useful post for parents.

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  5. You shared a wonderful list of activities that can keep the toddlers active and engaged in a productive way. Being a young toddler's mom such posts are going to guide me well. Thanks for the suggestions

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  6. You shared a wonderful list of activities that can keep the toddlers active and engaged in a productive way. Being a young toddler's mom such posts are going to guide me well. Thanks for the suggestions

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  7. Keeping toddlers busy is a very difficult task and one tends to run out of ideas. These are some good ways to engage them creatively and let them explore their likings too.

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  8. Keeping little toddlers busy is a task, but even I agree that storytelling and role plays are just work fine with me. These are superb ideas you have shared.

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  9. Except 6, I think I'm managing to keep my toddler busy with the rest and more... Especially reading because only after reading he gets some screen time.

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  10. Its quite exhausting to think of the activities that would keep a hyper active toddler busy. these are some nice ideas that u have shared.

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  11. Ah! we just passed from that stage, keeping my son entertained productively was my biggest challenge, and we enjoyed most of these activities you have listed. This cohesive list would be really helpful for all toddler parents

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  12. This is such a wonderful list to try. And yes screen time should be reduced and more active work should be included. Lovely post.

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  13. Keeping toddler busy in a smart way is really an art and you have listed more than 10. I used to do role play activity and coloring when my kids were toddlers.

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