Keeping our little ones entertained makes the day a lot less stressful & results in a happier child. However, when we start searching for inspiration on Pinterest or Instagram often the mum guilt hits looking at these extravagant set ups!
I am here to tell you don’t worry about what others are doing, instead take inspiration from your child. We don’t always need to keep thinking of new activities to entertain our little ones, they get just as much enjoyment, maybe even more when we extend their favourite activities/toys & add something different to jazz it up. I do this all the time with my 2 girls -2 & 6 years, so all you need to do is take your little one’s favourite activity & add 1 or 2 items to it, honestly it will reinvigorate their play & give you a few minutes peace.
To get you started here’s 3 easy ways to extend your play:
Small World Horse & Farm Play with Weetabix
My girls love playing with the horses and stables and they loved it when we added Weetabix as hay bales – simple, fun and kept them engaged for a long time.
Water Play - Lemonade Station
Isla loves water play, she loves to fill jugs up & transfer water between jugs, bowls & cups. To extend this I add lemon slices to the water & she scooped the lemon water into cups & jugs to serve lemonade.
Painting – Utensil Printing
Both my girls love painting but I can’t say I like the mess! However, when we do painting I try to find ways to spice it up & using kitchen utensils to make patterns & prints was loved by both of them & actually stopped it from ending in 1 brown splodge.
It does take a little bit of creativity to think of ways to offer activities and extend their play around their interests but it makes playtime a lot easier when you do. I absolutely love to create activities for children and it is one of the reasons I founded It’s Playtime Tots, if you need some help with activity ideas then check out my new Tot’s Playtime Survival Kit – which is jam-packed with ideas to keep your little one entertained
I would also love for you to join my Free Facebook community where we share our ideas for play – It’s Playtime Tots ~ Play Your Way Through Parenting.
To find out more about my monthly It’s Playtime Packs and the other services I offer, head over to my website. www.totsplaytimebox.co.uk
Written by Karen Sidell, a Play Expert, Parenting Mentor and Founder of It’s Playtime Tots
For more summer holiday tips check out Summer Holiday Survival Guide