I have to say, I’m so excited for back to school because my two older kids are going to be gone all day.
No more complaining of being bored, no more in and out of the house with friends, no more popsicle wrappers all over the place!
They aren’t too enthused about going back to school but, whatever!
The only concern that I have right now is my toddler will be lonely now that they will be leaving for school every day.
During the Summer, my older kids help so much with the little one and keeping him entertained so times will be rough for me if I don’t have a plan in place.
I actually have some tips for you to help keep your toddler entertained when the older kids go back to school.
Duplo
Little kids need to use their imaginations. Duplo is like the large version of Lego and are the perfect tool for them to be able to explore and build things.
This would be a time for them to play quietly by themselves. Even if they aren’t building skyscrapers, the fact that they are building is enough to help them with developmental skills.
Whatever your toddler builds will be a huge accomplishment for them so act excited!
Letter Magnets
Get some of those letter magnets to stick on your fridge and your child will have such a blast. Remember to never give your child any small magnets because they can swallow them which is very bad! Buy the bigger letter magnets that they won’t be able to swallow.
This would be a fun way to start teaching them their letters! My kids always loved playing with the letter magnets. This is also a great activity while trying to cook dinner in the kitchen! Your child is having fun but also not in your way while cooking.
Cardboard Box Activity
Did you ever notice how children migrate toward cardboard boxes? They won’t play with the toys that came in the box but just want to play with the box itself? Take advantage of this and let them play.
Have them color inside the box. This should give them something to do for quite a while. My kids LOVE doing this activity! They pretend to be making spaceships out of the box all the time.
Not only are they keeping busy but they are also using their imagination which is so awesome!
Quiet Time
This is by far one of my favorite things and I believe everyone should implement this.
Quiet time can be a time frame after lunch where your child can go into their room for quiet play, nap time, or whatever. The only rule is they need to stay in their room and keep busy for just one hour.
During this time you can get some laundry folded or whatever you need to do. This one might take some getting used to but once they get it, you’ll love it and honestly, so will they. It is good for them to learn how to play on their own without being constantly entertained by someone.
Nature Walk
Going on a nature walk is always a great idea so your child can explore the outdoors.
Make it fun by having them find certain colors of plants or finding a stick to play with. My children love to explore and find bugs! I think its gross that they like bugs but they’re weirdos, so ya. I guess whatever keeps them busy, right?
Color
There are some awesome art materials including coloring you can grab when you’re out. Get your toddler a few coloring books and crayons like this one!
Some kids can spend hours doing this activity. Just a thought, place a towel or something underneath where they are coloring so they don’t get crayon all over your table.
Play-Doh
I actually think this is a fun one to do with your toddler because Play-Doh is awesome! Either make your own homemade DIY doh or buy the stuff from the store.
Use some cookie cutters and things around the house to make patterns on the doh. I have had lots of fun doing this with my kids because I enjoy making things out of Play-Doh too so it’s a win-win.
Good Old Television
Now, I know what you’re thinking. How dare you allow your child to watch television? Right?
Look, sometimes it is ok to let them watch some television. You get to keep your sanity and they get a bit of entertainment so you can get stuff done around the house.
I’m not telling you to park your kid in front of the tv all day long. I’m just saying, don’t feel bad if you do have your child watch tv occasionally. Your child will turn out just fine.
We’ve been working on things to get them ready for school. If you want to see what we’ve been doing to get ready for the school year, click here.
So there you have it, how to entertain your toddler with things you have around the house while sibling is at school!
Not too complicated but still all fun ideas for your child to keep busy and not be so sad about siblings being away all day.
The first week will definitely be an adjustment for sure but it will all work out for the best. Happy back to school season everyone!
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