Parenting Hacks For Toddlers

[koala]

Spoiler: Thread summary

Parenting young kids can be a challenge. Some parents shared their creative ways or 'hacks' to keep children engaged and entertained:
1. Create designated play areas for specific activities, like an art space, sensory play area or a reading nook to encourage independent and imaginative playtime
2. Use storytelling jars with visual objects inside - it helps kids tell stories and keeps them engaged
3. Make "busy bags" with simple activities that can be pulled out easily when needed, such as sticker books or small puzzles
4. Bring out occasional novelty items to keep children intrigued and entertained longer. Some examples include a tent for a camping theme or flashlights for a "dance party"
5. Present arts and crafts with a new twist occasionally, such as a fresh painting set or new stickers

Some days just getting through dinner feels like an accomplishment. Toddler tantrums, picky eating, and never ending requests can make parenting feel like a full contact sport!

Do you have any survival strategies that help keep your household sanity intact? Let's pool our collective wisdom and share our best toddler hacks together in one place!

What creative solutions have helped you survive - and thrive - during this fun (and chaotic) stage of parenthood?

 

[sunflower]

My go-to parenting hack is transforming mealtime into a game or competition. For example, I'll create a "food obstacle course" where my toddler has to navigate tiny treats through toy forks, spoons, or cups. It's amazing how much food they'll eat when they're focused on the fun and not the food!

Also, keeping a well-stocked art supply cabinet helps redirect melt downs. When my child starts to go rouge, I quickly pull out some new crayons, sticker books, or playdough and redirect that energy into a fun, creative activity.

 

[mamamia]

These are fantastic! Mealtime can often become a battle ground, so making it fun is a great way to keep the experience positive. I like the idea of an obstacle course - engaging their playful spirits!

The art supplies diversion is also genius - and probably saves a lot of potential meltdowns! Keeping toddlers occupied can be tricky, so having a cabinet full of resources at the ready is a great tip.

 

[happyfeet]

Making mealtime fun certainly helps! The obstacle course idea came from my partner's creative mind - and yes, it engages their playful spirits, especially when parents join in too!

The art supplies cabinet has been a real lifesaver on tricky days. It's amazing how quickly their moods can change when they're engaged with something fun and stimulating. You'd think having a go-to stash would lose its allure, but it's quite the opposite - every time they see that cabinet, it's like Christmas morning!

What other parenting hacks do you recommend to keep the little ones occupied? Always good to swap notes!

 

[eternity]

Mealtime is more fun when parents join their toddlers' imaginative play and creative meals become a family affair!

The excitement of having a dedicated art space with supplies never wears off, especially on challenging days. It's remarkable how engaging creative outlets can be for little ones.

Some other quick hacks that keep the fun going and keep toddlers occupied:

1. Indoor camping: Set up a small tent or a fort made with sheets & pillows! Kids love the idea of having a cozy space to themselves, especially when it involves 'secret' hideaways and stories.

2. Scavenger hunts - a great way to keep their senses active. Create a sensory scavenger hunt with things around the house that they can touch, smell and even taste!

3. 'Adventure' walks: Toddlers love exploring new places. Plan short walks in nature or around the neighborhood with interesting things to observe and discuss along the way. You can make it more engaging by creating a tick-list of things to spot!

4. DIY instruments and mini-concerts: Got some spare pots, pans and wooden spoons? Let them make some noise with a fun little band!

5. Freeze dance parties: Play their favorite songs, turn up the fun, and have a silly dance-off to break the monotony of the day!

6. Storytelling jars: Have them create their own stories using photos, drawings, or themed items in a jar - a cute way to encourage creative narratives.

7. Mess-free sensory play with cloud dough - it's like magic sand that feels like soft cloud fluff!

Parenting is fun when we're able to share these creative ideas and make each day an adventure. Would love to hear your go-to hacks too!

 

[bookworm]

Some great ideas here!

The storytelling jars sound like a wonderful way to encourage imaginative narratives, and I think I'll try the scavenger hunt for sure - especially now that the weather is nice.

One of my favorite hacks is turning household chores into a game. Toddlers love water, so I involve them in 'helping' me with washing cars or sprinkling vegetables/flowers in the garden. They feel like they're contributing and it's also fun for them.

Another one is having a dedicated 'treasure basket' - a low box filled with interesting, safe objects that my toddler can access independently. I rotate the items to keep it exciting, adding anything from kitchen utensils to different textured fabrics or natural objects from the garden. It buys me some time to prep meals or do some work and keeps them engaged.

I also love the idea of an art space, might have to implement that one ASAP!

 

[sunnydays]

Some great ideas you've implemented there!

I especially like the storytelling jars and scavenger hunt too - anything to encourage some creative, independent play.

The treasure basket is a fantastic idea; keeping it exciting with different items is a great tip. I might add that incorporating sensory play items like Kinetic sand, goop or even just bubbles can be a huge hit and very distracting!

An art space has been a lifesaver for me - especially with a dedicated area for messier projects. I've found that providing an inviting, designated space encourages more independent creating which is fantastic for when I need to get some work done.

 

[chickadee]

Those are some fun ideas you've added!

I totally agree about the benefits of having a designated art/messy play area - it's like having a built-in babysitter! I find that giving my toddler free rein with sensory toys/materials in a confined space buys me some much-needed time too.

I'll have to try out your recommendations - the storytelling jars especially sound like a great twist on the usual story time!

 

[joyful]

Happy to share! The storytelling jars are such an easy and fun way to switch up storytime - especially if your toddler has a short attention span like mine does! I've also found that having different areas set up for specific activities is a real lifesaver. It's amazing how much longer my toddler will happily play independently when the space is designated for a specific purpose - almost as if it sparks their imagination!

What other parenting 'hacks' do you guys swear by?

 

[sunnydays]

Storytelling jars are a genius idea! I love the idea of creating designated spaces too, will have to give that a go - anything to extend the amount of time they happily entertain themselves!
I've also found success with ' busy bags '. My toddler has a couple that live under the table, which she can pull out when we eat out or need to keep her occupied in a pinch. They're just simple activities like sticker books or small puzzles, but having them contained and easily accessible is so helpful!

 

[bananarama]

I've never heard of storytelling jars before - what a great idea! I'm all about creating independent play too, especially with busy bags - anything to help keep little ones occupied is a win in my books!
I've also found that having a few key activities that are only brought out occasionally helps too. It's amazing how something 'new' can keep their interest for so much longer than a regular toy, it's like they forget what they had previously!

 

[queenie]

Storytelling jars are a fabulous idea! They're especially great for encouraging kids to tell stories and keep them engaged and occupied. I totally agree with the novelty factor of bringing out 'new' activities occasionally - it's like having a fresh toy that captures their attention for longer! It's also a great tactic for buying parents some time!

The image you included is a brilliant visual example - love how vibrant and inviting it looks! What other 'new' activities have people found work well?

 

[bananarama]

Storytelling jars are a wonderful discovery! I recently learnt about them and created some for my little one. They're amazing for keeping the attention of shorter attention spans.

As for other novel activities, I find anything with lights and sounds to be a huge hit! We sometimes make 'dance parties' a theme, where we turn off the lights, have some fun disco lights, and just dance around. It's a great way to burn some of their endless energy, plus it's fun for us parents too - and a nice change from the standard toys and games.

Another activity that has worked well is a simple 'camping' theme. I set up a small tent in our living room, with a few 'outdoor' themed toys and a flashlight - my little one loved it! We even roasted some marshmallows over a make-believe campfire. It was so much fun and a great sensory experience too.

I also like to sometimes surprise her with a little arts and crafts that she's not seen before, especially if it's been a while since we've done any. A simple new painting set or stickers usually do the trick!

 

[techsavvy]

Storytelling jars are a great idea - visual and captivating for little ones!

Love the dance party theme, too; anything to encourage movement is a winner in my books, and a fun way to change up the normal routine.

The camping theme is such a cute and cozy idea! Bringing the outdoors inside with a tent and flashlight is an inventive way to create a whole new world for them to explore.

Arts and crafts are a fantastic surprise, especially with a simple, novel twist - like a new sticker collection! I find that toddler attention spans can be fairly brief, so having a few up my sleeve is always handy; the key is definitely in the variety! Keep the ideas coming!

 

[travelmum]

Storytelling jars are such a wonderful concept and provide a great avenue for imagination and visual stimulation - a fun way to engage those short attention spans!

I love the idea of switching up the normal routine too; it's amazing how something as simple as a theme can bring such excitement and intrigue.

The camping theme especially hits home - literally bringing the outdoors in, with some nature-inspired crafts or activities, is so appealing this time of year! And of course, arts and crafts with a twist are always a winner, I agree that keeping them novel and varied is key to maintaining their excitement.

What other fun, quick, and engaging ideas do we have for parenting hacks? Let's keep them coming - every idea is so valuable when it comes to keeping the little ones entertained!

 

[sunnybunny]

Some great ideas already!

I find that toddler-friendly cooking/baking sessions are a fantastic way to engage and capture their attention, especially with an increasing independence and curiosity about the world around them.

Making their very own mini pizzas or decorating cookies is not only fun and yummy but also allows for some educational elements too - measuring ingredients, counting, mixing, and of course, lots of sensory play with different textures!

Another simple one is the good old treasure/scavenger hunt. Could be indoors or out, with a twist of themes to suit whatever you're trying to teach or focus on. Hide some objects/pictures related to a particular color, shape, or even numbers and letters for some early learning fun - and of course, lots of praise and encouragement when they find them!

I also love the idea of a reusable sticker board - those little reusable sticky pictures are a lifesaver! You can draw/stick up a simple scene with some blank space, like a park, beach, or garden, and then give them free reign to stick on all manner of creatures and characters. Reusable stickers are a great way to keep the scene fresh and fun and provide hours of fun - my toddler loves these!

So many ideas to try!

 

[stargazer]

Some fantastic ideas you've laid out there! The scavenger hunt is a great way to keep them engaged and learning without even realising it - plenty of educational benefits packed into fun activities.

The reusable sticker idea is awesome too, a creative, mess-free way to keep little ones entertained. Plus, no sticky hands from stickers being peels off everything in the house! A win-win.

There's so many simple yet effective ways to keep toddlers entertained and stimulated; it's a great age to have some fun and interactive learning experiences!