Pushing prams and pushchairs around to find things for toddlers to do is a common hobby for mums. Finding activities for toddlers is not the problem, there are plenty for them. The real challenge is keeping them happy for more than just a few seconds.
I expect that you have noticed that they cannot concentrate on one thing for more than about 5 minutes.
It is difficult to know whether any particular activity will be appreciated by the little ones or not. When you find the right thing though it will give them lots of fun for hours.
The wrong one though will quickly make you wish that you had not even left home. They can very quickly turn to being upset or bored. So the best approach is to try as many things as possible.
One tip here is to try to think the same way that they do. The things that we think are normal and do all the time can be exciting to them when they do it for the first time. Just something simple like being pushed through the park in a pushchair can provide lots of entertainment for them.
You never see grown ups playing peekaboo together do you but the toddlers simply love it.
It amazes me sometimes that the easiest and cheapest activities somtimes give the most pleasure. One solitary balloon can privide hours of enjoyment sometimes.
It can be helpful if there are older siblings around. Have you noticed how much the slightly older ones love looking after the toddlers. I suppose it gives them a sense of importance. They can teach the little ones how much fun can be had just chasing balloons around the room. They will enjoy it as well, much more than us adults would.
That sort of activity can often keep them occupied for an hour or more. It is normally the older one who gets bored first too.
Kids love to repeat things over and over. I will never forget the cries of “more, more” when all I wanted to do was relax and watch TV.
The best way to come up with ideas is to remember what you liked doing when you were a child. These things can be genetic too.
What kept you happy for the longest time? What got you most excited? What calmed you down at bed time?
And, best of all, what do you think you learnt most from?
I reckon that a lot of you will have answered “reading” to that last question. Get them started as young as possible with books, they will thank you for ever. The starting picture books will teach them colours and recognising objects and animals. They can just progress from there.
A couple of hours reading to them every day will give them far more benefits than endlessley pushing around prams and pushchairs.
