As a mum of an almost three-year-old, I have to admit this covid-19 lockdown is hard. It’s hard explaining to our son why he can’t see and play with his friends. To go to the playground. To go to our local café and have a fluffy. To visit his grandmother. All of those things we previously took for granted.
So trying to keep him entertained and in a semi-routine is a challenge but each day we’re getting more into our groove and readjusting. And it’s all about trial and error!
I set up a WhatsApp group with some of the mummies from daycare so that it is a place where we can support each other (perhaps even have a virtual wine catch up too on House Party:-)), share pics and videos so our children can see their friends. The only problem is now Johnny’s missing his friends so much that he gets upset when he sees videos from his friends 😦
And, to those who are working from home and having to juggle looking after your children, I give you a big virtual hug. This is an incredibly hard job in itself.
How to entertain a toddler in this kind of surreal situation?
Sure, we are probably letting Johnny watch a bit too much TV, but we also make sure we mix it up with activities – like:
- Drawing, colouring in (I wish I’d had the foresight to have bought paint but didn’t!), using play dough
- Getting leaves and other nature items and tracing around them with crayons/put a piece of paper over them and rub the crayon over the paper
- Water play
- Story time
- Playing with blocks, Duplo, mega blocks
- Baking
- Putting small plastic toys (dinosaurs are Johnny’s fave) in water, freezing them and then smashing the ice to get the toys out
- Outdoor exploration/nature studies (we even found a native New Zealand grasshopper and looked at it for ages mesmerised)
- Climbing trees in our garden and playing in a camellia bush (aka Johnny’s kitchen)
- And going on bear hunts around the neighbourhood. If you haven’t been on a bear hunt yet, check out this site to see where bears are located (you can also register your bear(s) too). It’s a great initiative and it’s definitely something to make your walks a little more entertaining and exciting – and the joy you see on your child’s face is priceless.
In the coming days, we will also be:
- Doing dress ups
- Doing Cosmic yoga
- Making a fort with a sheet over the dining room table
- Using diluted food colouring, make stamps from leaves, potatoes etc
- Making a moss garden.
I’d love to hear your ideas for entertaining your children too so please share them below in the comments.
Stay strong mummas, keep your sanity and keep safe. And, as my wise mum used to say: ‘This, like those before it, will pass.’
x
For the love of... 