Entertaining a toddler can be an expensive undertaking. Toys, trips to the zoo, trips to the aquarium and play centres, special meals and treats, ponies, private jets… the list goes on.
But yesterday, I managed to entertain Ashleigh all afternoon by doing just one thing that she laughed about for hours.
Just one thing. And it didn’t cost a cent.
There are, of course, plenty of things you can do with your children that don’t cost a thing. So here goes: the incomplete, absolutely not all-inclusive, probably very obvious and entirely unimaginative (very short) list of things you can do for free to entertain your children.
- ‘Build’ a cubby house by throwing a sheet over your dining room table.
- Make a game of seeing which of you – you, your partner or your toddler – can make the baby laugh first.
- Play ‘The Tip-Toe Game’ – walk around on your tip-toes trying to be quiet for as long as you can (also provides much needed quiet time).
- Hang out the washing (hanging the bibs, handkerchiefs and socks on the clothes airer is one of Ashleigh’s favourite activities).
- Bake. Anything. Recipes that don’t need mixers or the stove are the best because your toddler can be responsible for everything except the oven.
- Make up new verses to existing songs like Old MacDonald and The Wheels on the Bus. See who can make the funniest or most ridiculous version (Ashleigh had me in stitches when she sang ‘the snakes on the bus go hiss hiss hiss’.)
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And, if those suggestions don’t work for you, you can always try what worked for us yesterday:
- Bang your shin on a chair and then jump around the room in pain, clutching it tightly. Your toddler will scream with laughter, then jump around copying you.
Enjoy your low-cost, fun(?) day with your children.
Any more (preferably pain-free) suggestions for an entertaining, low-cost day with the kids?
Give them an expensive train set and watch them use it as building blocks.
Exunkly!
OH yes done that before! Simple game for us is silly words. Make up a whole bunch of silly words and say them over and over again. Still works. And our youngest is 5. Laughter for hours and hours.
Ooh, I love the sound of that game! Keeping that in the memory banks for when they’re older.
LOL we have found the same thing with our kitty. No expensive toys required, she is just as happy with a piece of wool, a cotton reel, the washing that I’m folding (grrr), or shredding an (unused!!!) tissue!
Visiting from #TeamIBOT xxx
Or meow-laughing at you when you injure yourself?!
TOTALLY agree! Boxes to play in, take to the park where there are birds, for those wee ones, cups, boxes, containers, and things you can shake and make noise with x
Too easy! (So why does our playroom look like we own Fisher Price?!)
The fewer the toys, the greater the imagination. And if you’re ever wondering about buying them something, just give them your wallet and they’ll have way more fun taking out all your cards and money and hiding it all over the house.
Ah yes. Been there, done that! And not always at home!
I found a giant box today and Ava has had great fun with it. It has been a stove, a house, and most recently, a dog kennel. Best toy ever!
Great idea! We’ve just spent an afternoon making pasta jewellery.
Some great idea there. I will have to save them for when I get a toddler of my own. When I’ve looked after my nieces and nephews I’ve found a few containers filled with water are great entertainment. They have a great time emptying and filling the containers with water. Great game when it gets warmer. Might be too chilly at the moment brrrrrr.
Ooh, good one. Looking forward to more water play in summer. Mitchell will be just the right age, too.
I love the idea of the home-made cubby house, but my variation on it is that sometimes I want to be the one to crawl inside it and escape my 3 little ones!!! 🙂
And yes, entertaining toddlers can be expensive. But usually the activities they love the most (mud pies, play dough, nature trails) are the ones that don’t cost a cent!
Haha, yes, sometimes you just do need to escape.
My little ones loved helping hang out the washing at times, but sadly they out grew it when I needed it most, or at least the eldest did, there is still hope with the others once they can reach the big line I guess. Great list thanks for sharing
Oh, how I hope she continues to enjoy it!!
Great ideas, Emily. My Lottie was always big on the ‘cleaning fun’. It was her favourite activity, helping me do the cleaning. You don’t need expensive toys to entertain kids of any age… they just sort of want them. x
Yeah. The asking and begging and pleeeeeease…