I have a 2.5 year old son. I also work full-time while keeping him home with me. I’m not going to lie, it’s…hard.
Like, really freaking hard.
We also decided to eliminate screens at the start of 2024. So for the last 4 months, I’ve been a full-time work from home stay at home mom to a toddler without the help of my trusty co-parent: Ms. Rachel.
SOS.
Like with anything, some days are better than others. But you can bet your bottom dollar that those tough days have inspired me to do just about all the research there is to do on how to keep this wild creature living in my house entertained (and off my keyboard).
Let my trial and error give you a leg up. These are tried and true favorites in this house (and they help me keep my sanity…and my job). These are the “big guns” I pull out when I really need to focus on what I’m doing. (You know, to like, write another book or figure out the merchant account services for my business. 🤪)
Toddler toys that actually keep them busy
This toolbox
We got this toolbox as a gift from his cousin who is about 6 months older than him for his second birthday. When I texted a few days after his party with my profuse gratitude (and praise for the life-saving toy), they replied that it was a well-loved toy in their house, too, so she knew it would be put to good use. I’ve since learned that they’ve gifted this same toolbox multiple times over, and I can see why.
This magnetic sorting game
This made its way under the tree for Christmas, and it was one of the first things that captivated his attention that day. That’s saying a lot because I mean…it was Christmas. But he really enjoys not just using it properly, but he also likes “resetting” the beads by pulling them from the cones & putting them back into the pull area.
Reusable sticker books (we like this one, this one and this one)
I mentioned this in a recent blog post where I shared how we eliminated screens for our toddler. These come in handy in so many different situations. I love them for when I’m on a meeting at home, but we’ve also brought them with us to restaurants and to relative’s houses that are…we’ll just say…not kid friendly.
This Leap Frog learning book
We live in a seriously remote area. Everywhere and anywhere we need to travel takes no less than 25 minutes. The kiddo has always done well in the car (thank God), but this book is his favorite thing to play with in the car. He’s also learned so much from it. He was borderline speech delayed, which is what prompted the purchase of the book in the first place. I now hear him repeating words and sounds from the backseat which is just a total bonus.
This sink
My water obsessed child would play all day in the dog’s water dish if I let him. So take this recommendation with a grain of salt — but this is functional sink came with so many things that getting bored is just not an option. I will say, prepare your space with towels if your child is as messy as mine — but I would buy this sink five times over if I could. He couldn’t believe the faucet worked the first time he turned it on.
This Playskool Weebles Smart House
Ok, this is a cheat because we don’t actually own it. But a friend does — and it’s on our wish list because any time we see these friends, the kiddo totally ignores all living creatures (which is saying a lot because he is dog and cat obsessed and they have both) for the entire duration of our visit.
He asks about this toy at least once a day.
This water table
I mean, this is probably a super obvious one if you’re a toddler parent. But if you’re a toddler parent that is like me, you might be resisting. The idea of a water table did not seem appealing to me for a few reasons — but honestly, all of those reasons went right out the window once I actually set it up.
Now, I couldn’t imagine getting through our day without it. I have had to learn to embrace mess and the fact that the toddler will likely have to change clothes a few times a day. But truthfully, I much prefer that to battling him all day long.
This train table
My mom bought this for the kiddo. Initially, she offered for us to take it to our house — but our home is small, and we try to visit my mom’s house a few times a week. We decided to keep it at her house, and it was absolutely the right move! Going to visit Grandma’s is even more exciting! He starts talking about his trains the second we pass a certain point in our journey. He knows exactly where we’re going and what he’s going to get to do.
The train table has also proven to be a big hit with his (much much older) cousins. When everyone was visiting for the holidays, I even spotted the cousins who are in their 20s playing with it.
Play kitchen (ours is discontinued, but this one is similar)
I feel like this one doesn’t require a lot of explanation because most everybody has a play kitchen of some sort. But as I mentioned before, our house is very small. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about giving up real estate to a play kitchen. If you’re also on the fence, do it. I promise, with the right accessories (we like this food cutting set and this pretend kitchen play set), it’ll keep the kiddo busy for quite a while. Bonus: as a sensation seeking kiddo (if you don’t know what that is, here’s an explanation), he likes to squeeze himself into the oven. I feel like any time I tell this story I have to over emphasize that it’s his play kitchen oven because I worry a bystander will overhear and think I allow my child to hang out in our oven. I do not.
This golf set
My sister-in-law (I’d say my brother, but we all know it was my SIL who sent the gift) gave this to the little sometime after he first started walking. He didn’t quite grasp the concept of the game, but he knew he liked the clubs and balls. Well, now he actually uses it as a golf set in the backyard and he can busy himself for hours setting it up and putting around. Bonus: he also uses the golf caddy bag as transport for many other things — and a lot of times even that will keep him busy — filling it with pinecones or rocks and relocating them around the yard.
Okay, that’s it for me for today! If you have a tried and true favorite toddler toy that isn’t shared here, drop it in the comments below! I know I and the other moms would appreciate any and all recommendations!
Until next time, friend! XOXO
0 Comments