Category: play with kids

How To Keep An Active Toddler Busy

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Taking care of toddlers is notoriously difficult. They’re called the “terrible twos” for a reason, right?

Between the ages of 1-3, children can be difficult, especially since they are still learning to speak and communicating with them effectively can prove to be a bit of a challenge. Kids are constantly on the move, and their overactive minds are alight with questions and general inquisitiveness that keeps their hands roaming, their feet moving, and their energy levels at full capacity. As a parent, it’s important that you encourage their inquisitive nature while also keeping them in line, making sure that they stay safe and that they are also preoccupied so you can get what you need done, too. Here are some ways you can keep active toddler’s busy when you cannot focus 100% of your attention on them.

Kinesthetic Activities

The more stimulation you can provide for your child, the better. Try giving them colored blocks, playdough and other similar items to keep them occupied but learning, too. Color matching games are great for teaching children colors, which seems obvious, but it can also teach them basic organizational and special skills as well. Same goes for shape matching games as well. Playdough is a unique substance, and similar goos and slimes can work just as well, but the texture and appearance of these types of toys can introduce kids to their innate sense of creativity while also providing them with a highly stimulating activity.

Finger-painting

Finger-painting seems like a cliché toddler activity but it is a great way to encourage kids to be creative and explore their own modes of expression and exploration. There are plenty of mess-proof finger-painting kits out there, too, and you can even make your own. Place different colored paints into freezer bags and lock them up tight while eliminating most of the air from the bag. Place them on a window or a white surface so kids can play around with the paint, creating images with the negative space without making a mess!

Puzzles

Puzzles provide great exercises in logic, allowing kids to solve problems while actively using their visual imagination at the same time. Personalized puzzles is an added benefit because not only will the puzzle itself provide many benefits to your child but they will also learn their letters and spelling of their name. You can find personalized puzzles for kids on our website. You can also create puzzles of your own by printing out pictures from movies or shows that your child loves, or even make a copy of a piece of work that your child has created themselves, and cut it into sections for them to rearrange and place back together.

Get Creative

When you’re out of toys, games, and are wary of turning to television or mobile games, there are plenty of DIY solutions that you can whip up within minutes to help keep your toddlers occupied and actively using their brains. Doing a search on Google on Toddler Activities can return a plethora of blog sites with creative and unique suggestions that can easily be implemented at home.

Don’t Just "Watch" Your Kids Spend "Time" With Them

Posted on | by KD Novelties

So many of us lead busy lives, especially those of us who are also raising families. Finding time for quality family activities can be difficult, and for parents who have endless chores, household tasks and other errands to run while also raising children, its even more difficult. Often, parents delegate the task of “watching the kids” between one another, and occasionally older children, so that everything can get done while the smaller kids are still looked after. But “watching” your kids is different than spending time with them, so how can you create a better balance with all of your responsibilities while also allotting for family time and making sure that the children are well-behaved and safe?

Finding time to spend with your family can be a struggle, but it is also one of those things that you will regret missing out on. As kids grow older, their interests change and sooner or later, they grow up fast and move out on their own. Sure, it is the responsibility of a parent to ensure that their kids and their family are provided for, but it is also important to spend time with them when you can as well.

It can be difficult to find time to spend together, but there are some ways in which you can incorporate your errands and life’s other tasks with spending quality time with your kids.

Cook together. Cooking together has shown to have many positive benefits for both parents and children alike. Asking your child to read off ingredients and instructions to you while you prepare a recipe can help to engage their reading and comprehension skills. When kids have a hand in the meals that they eat, they are more likely to try new foods, especially vegetables or healthier dishes, which kids are notorious for being reluctant to try. It also provides you and your child with a wealth of quality memories that you will share forever.

Eat together. Sharing meals is also important. Studies have shown that there are plenty of advantages to spending at least one meal with your entire family on a regular basis where everyone sits down together, talks, and spends time together. Not only does this allow you to spend some quality time together, but it provides you with a time in which you can discuss what’s going on in your lives, the neighborhood, or even the world, and it is a routine that can be incredibly beneficial to the overall foundation of your family, too.

Play! The idea that parents need to “watch” their children can oftentimes put a negative lens over the notion of parenting. “Watching” your kids makes your responsibility as a parent more akin to babysitting, which is not what a parent should do. Sure, there will be times where you need to complete a task or run errands while your children are around and you will need to keep an eye on them in order to make sure that they are okay, but labeling the act of being an active parent as “watching” kids can be detrimental. Try to take some time to get down on the floor next to your child and play with what they’re playing. Play a game, read a book, put on a play, or even watch their favorite show with them, while asking them questions about their favorite character or favorite part of the episode along the way.

There are ways in which you can be an active parent instead of being a passive one. When you can, try to incorporate your children into your tasks, such as cooking or cleaning, and make sure that you spend some time playing with them and learning about their interests. Even fleeting moments can be meaningful, and these moments can certainly add up and grow even more meaningful over time.