How We’ve Been Entertaining our Two Year Old While Stuck at Home
How to entertain a toddler when you hate baking and can’t leave the house
No, you see, my child is 2-years-old. He has the attention span of a fruit fly. And almost all of the articles I’ve seen providing suggestions on how to entertain a toddler at home look a bit like this:
01. Baking
02. Crafting
03 – 100 Multiple variations on baking or crafting, I mean, FFS.
(Oh, and going for a walk, obviously. Actually, it seems like the answer to every lockdown dilemma at the moment is, “Are you going for your daily walk, though?” Walking, apparently, is the yoga of the coronavirus pandemic . And, unfortunately, that suggestion is absolutely no use to us either, because, as part of the shielded group , we can’t go out at all – no, not even for a walk. Which just leaves us with the crafting and the baking, and the daytime drinking, really.
Anyway, as I said, Max doesn’t really have the attention span or fine motor skills for things like baking and crafting yet – which I’m secretly relieved about, because I freaking HATE baking and crafting. Seriously, before I got pregnant, I said to Terry, “If we decide to have kids, I’m only doing it if you can guarantee I will never have to do any baking or crafting. Or build an obstacle course.” And Terry was just like, “It’s cool, your mum loves all that kind of stuff: she’ll do it!” Oh, the sweet innocence of people who didn’t know they were destined to have to live through a literal pandemic, without any childcare help, and with the internet constantly suggesting that baking is a good way to entertain a toddler for 12 straight hours every day. GAH. I mean, there aren’t enough recipes in the world, are there?
So, we’re not doing much baking or crafting, basically. Even more surprisingly, however, we’re not doing much in the way of playing with toys, either, because, a few weeks before lockdown started, Max decided he didn’t want to play with any of his toys ever again – he just wanted to play with things like scissors and magnets, and other super-dangerous things that definitively DO NOT appear on all of those 1001 Ways to Entertain Your Toddler Lists.
(Actually, I tell a lie: there are quite a few toys he’s still interested in playing with – and every single one of those toys is currently at his grandparents’ house. Which has made lockdown challenging, really.)
So: if we’re not crafting, baking, walking or playing with any of the 51,675 toys in the house, what ARE we doing in the way of toddler activities, I hear absolutely no one ask? Well, here you go: how to entertain a toddler at home, when the toddler in question resists all attempts at entertainment…
01. The Tuck-In Game
This involves taking every blanket in the house, piling them around the toddler, and “tucking him in”. Sometimes I am required to “tuck in” with him. Other times, my attempt to “Tuck In” will trigger a tantrum. Guessing which reaction I’ll get is part of the fun!
02. Tuck-In-With Towels
As above, only – PLOT TWIST – with TOWELS, rather than blankets. Didn’t see THAT coming, did ya? Max has enjoted this game since he was a baby, and shows no sign of losing interest, more’s the pity.
03. ‘Stuck Fort’
A ‘Stuck Fort’ is basically your standard cushion fort (So, take a bunch of cushions, and use them to create a half-assed ‘fort’…), with the main difference being that, once inside, your little one will pretend to be ‘stuck’ in said fort (Hence the name), before dramatically making his escape by throwing himself head-first over the top of the cushion wall. Then rinse and repeat. Until you die. These are the life skills you didn’t know you needed, guys. You can thank me for this later.
04. Sink or Float
Fill a bowl of water, then place various items in it, in a bid to establish whether they will sink or float. And also in a bid to establish how much water you can spill on the living room rug, apparently. Toddlers love games like this, which makes good ol’ Sink or Float an easy way to kill… ooh, at least five minutes, really.
05. It’s-The-Bath-But-It’s-Not-Bathtime
Fill the bath with water, place random objects in it, and … that’s pretty much it, really. If you need me to write a complete guide, let me know.
06. The Little Girl Who Goes Outside in the Nighttime
Inspired by the first few minutes of the movie Charlotte’s Web , in which a little girl wakes up in the middle of the night, and goes out to the barn, where she encounters a piglet named Wilbur. All of the animals in the movie can talk, but this is not nearly as interesting to Max as the fact that the little girl goes outside IN THE NIGHTTIME, so this game has the following basic rules:
01. Your two year old pretends to be a little girl.
02. He pretends to go outside during the night.
In related news, guess who regrets putting Charlotte’s Web on that one time?
07. Anna and Elsa Climb the North Mountain
This game requires two players: “Anna” and “Elsa”. Together, they pretend to climb the north mountain, while draped in blankets. (YES, AGAIN WITH THE FREAKING BLANKETS.) The north mountain, meanwhile, can be played by anything you like – the stairs, the couch, a chair, I honestly don’t care: I gave up the will to live three weeks ago.
08. Anna Slips on the Ice
For this one, meanwhile, you will take on the character of Anna, while your child is Elsa. You will pretend to slip on the ice. Elsa will tell you not to do that. You will do it again anyway. Elsa will tell you not to do it. You will do it. Elsa will tell you not to do it. You will wish you could slip on some ACTUAL ice, just to break the cycle. You will not.
09. Ruin Mummy’s Makeup
Watch helplessly as your toddler picks up that tube of £20 mascara and attempts to paint your dressing table with it. Allow it anyway, because you’ve been playing “Anna Slips on the Ice” for 42 hours straight at this point, and it’s not like you need much mascara on lockdown, is it?
10. Ransack a Drawer
Empty out a drawer together, allowing your little ones to enjoy exploring the various new wonders that lie within it, including pens, posh notebooks that he will now destroy with the pens, and, whoops, there’s those really sharp scissors again!
11. Scrape Slime Off the Rug
Slime is one of the few “toys”that Max is still interested in playing with for a few minutes at a time: I’m just not sure if the five minutes of peace and quiet it gives me is worth the two hours I then have to spend picking it off the rug, his clothes, and trying to get it out of my hair.
12. Throw The Guys
Max calls his collection of soft toys, “The Guys”. In this game, he climbs into his bed and remains there while I throw “the guys” into the bed with him, from across the room. Then he throws them back. Then I throw them again. Then time slows down, and, eventually, goes into reverse. Then I realise that I’ve been throwing these toys around for 17 hours, but somehow only 10 minutes have passed. Then Max abruptly leaves the room, and I have to tidy up all the toys. Fun for all the family, really.
How to entertain a toddler at home:
13. Scarves
Present your child with a box of scarves, then go back upstairs to collect the one scarf that’s missing from the box, which turns out to be the only scarf he actually wanted. Watch him parade around the room wearing the various scarves. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, ATTEMPT TO TOUCH THE SCARVES. They are HIS scarves. Even although they’re actually all YOUR scarves.
14. Cooking the Cat
The play kitchen is another toy that continues to see some – albeit limited – use during lockdown. It is used to make “dinner” for mummy, and also to stuff Miaow Miaow the toy cat into the microwave. Yes. (Please note: do NOT attempt this game with an ACTUAL CAT.)
15. Sidewalk Chalk
Fun for drawing on the patio in the back garden, but MORE fun for drawing on your clothes!
16. Hide and Seek: Now With Added Blankets, Because, Obviously.
In the words of Max himself, I bet you will NEVER, EVER find him in this photo:
This is case I’ll never crack, folks…
17. Stones and a Watering Can
Take a large number of tiny white pebbles, the kind you might find a suburban garden. Insert every single one of them into the spout of a watering can.
18. Find a Friendly Wolf
This is basically exactly the same as ‘Ascending the North Mountain’ except this time you’ll be searching for “a friendly wolf”, accompanied by Mr and Mrs Matey , the bath foam people.
19. The Gnome Show
Your child plays himself. You, on the other hand, must provide the voices for five garden gnomes, a fairy and a small ornamental telephone box. Good luck with that…
And that’s pretty much how we’ve been getting through our days on lockdown: veering wildly between being thankful that he’s not old enough to require home-schooling, or to be too badly affected by the change to his routine, and wishing he was maybe just a little bit older, so he could entertain himself for a few minutes, while I grabbed a coffee or something. I’m sure other toddler parents can relate: I mean, I can’t be the only one spending most of the answering to the name ‘Elsa’ right now… can I?
Got any bright ideas on how to entertain a toddler when you hate baking, crafting, and anything that involves the words, “let’s pretend…”? Answers on a piece of paper – or the comments box will do…
Laura
I feel a bit guilty about it but I found this hilarious, it had me howling! I’m so sorry, I’m sure it wasn’t half as funny IRL!
Amber
To be fair, his conversations with the garden gnomes are quite funny: mostly because he refers to them as ‘the grandads’ ????
Gai
You are one of the most genuinely funny blog writers I’ve come across. I know you’re in agony with the lockdown, and being the shielded group, and dealing with a 2 year old. BUT, you have the knack of making it all so damned funny! I imagine you don’t want to think this, but honestly, this pandemic diary would make a great book—maybe not all of it, but most of it—especially the sections dealing with Max.
I wish you well from the pandemic epicenter across the pond. I really do.
Amber
Thank you so much – you’ve really cheered me up!
Mandy
I thought I was the only one with a child like this!! Thank you for sharing this! You see on Facebook all these parents who have done baking and crafting alsorts with their darling little brats.
So we (I) made loo roll butterflies. That wasn’t much fun. We (I) tried to make some cakes. She decorated them but half ate 4. I let her. I didnt care. Tried salt dough. That was fun for 3 and half minutes.
Her latest favourite game is making a den with a massive blanket. Involves me holding one side, her dad holding the other and she runs in and out for 45 mins. Dog is allowed in. We arent. Not allowed to use a table or chairs to prop up the blanket either. Nope. That’s too easy.
Roll on freedom!!
amanda freakley
Well, i was searching as i do most days for some inspiration as to what to do with my children during lockdown….AGAIN. Head in hands trying to think of how I can entertain an 18 month old that likes hitting, and a 3 year old girl that hates being alone (or with her brother!) I came across your post and thought….Thank goodness its not just my kids!
I have tried and tested most of the suggestions. I made a box to post coloured lollipop sticks (that ended up with all the sticks just being thrown everywhere as a fun game, and after 2 mins of that the little one chewing them.
Then I tried the sort coloured objects onto coloured paper….paper shredded!!
Painting….OMG….boy did I have a whole clean up to do after 3 minutes of hand printing!!
I do not get it….why are all these suggestions so ridiculous? they don’t work. Even if they do play its for 3-4 mins at most and then its back to building a den and doing dangerous stuff. Where is the good suggestions, things that really work? surely someone somewhere has come up with some sort of interesting things to do that really keep their attention and are fun??? HEEELLLLPPPP!!!!
R. Thompson
This made me laugh out loud today, we have a 20 month old in a one bedroom apartment no balcony or outside space and it’s hard work.
Thank you
William McCormack
This all sounds like great fun . Can papa’s play when the restrictions are lifted??
Ruth
I needed to read this! I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and spend my (very long) days voicing various characters in a series of extraordinarily long and repetitive scenario games whilst simultaneously trying to work from home. My eldest played with the kinetic sand I bought him for 2 minutes and 8 seconds yesterday (yes I counted, don’t judge me) before demanding I resume my role as a buffalo. So no advice, just lots of empathy!
Amber
I’m glad it’s not just me! Max even wants inanimate objects like his bed or the fridge to talk to him – luckily he doesn’t seem to have noticed that they all have the same voice ????
Jennifer Kemberling
You guys are really having a rough time.
Do you have any crayons? (for independent play?) (Put him in his highchair so he can draw with out your supervision)
The game trouble? or a variant? The kids like to push the clicker and move the pawns around independently. (you have to deal w the clicker noise, however, its a hit for a while)
a felt story board game,
its almost easter, color eggs with him (highchair) its a one (or as many ties as you would like to thing) and its really fun at his age. Use solo cups and a spoon
buy a kids living room tent.
I can’t think of anything else – no coffee yet this morning – I hope some of these are up your alley.
Any know please, you are doing a great job. This is terribly hard.
Amber
Yes, as I said, he has lots of toys and games – he’s just more interested in pretend play or exploring the house/ garden, and doesn’t play independently at all, he always wants someone to interact with him. This post was really just supposed to be lighthearted, though – it was intended as entertainment, so please don’t worry about us ????
Jennifer Kemberling
I know you are ok, just trying to help find independent ideas. That’s so hard. Just getting them to do anything on their own so you can breathe.
and your post really made me laugh!
Kara
I have a 22 month old and am totally in the same boat!
We have “hide” where mama hides under a blanket with either a giraffe or bunny puppet on my hand. The puppet then pops out of the blanket at random points and says peek-a-boo! My toddler then runs around like a crazy either running from the puppet or trying to get the puppet.
This eventually devolves into mama-is-furniture. Where I’m still hiding and he then sits in my lap and climbs all over me. And I cannot come out from under the blanket. This is definitely one of those time warps where 5 minutes have gone by for him but an eternity for me.
Again with the giraffe puppet specifically we play “food.” Which involves the giraffe eating whatever pretend food he is offered and making commentary. Then when the pretend lettuce is offered the toddler grabs it and throws it across the room. To which the giraffe has to cry, “My lettuces!” And repeat. Forever.
Kylie
Always so relatable 😀
The ONLY game I’ve been allowed to play today has been to feed my 21 month old’s rocking horse every bit of bit of duplo he can find and then have to pretend to eat it too and go “yuck!”. It was adorable the first time he did it, but six hours later…
I keep getting sensory play suggestions on instagram, do these people have kids who do what THEY suggest? Is my kid broken? 😀
Kara
Not unless mine is broken too! Haha He never plays with anything how he’s “supposed to”
Amber
I know, I was watching some Instagram Stories this morning and an influencer who has a kid just two days younger than Max was talking about how he’d played for thirty minutes on his own with some crayons – I can’t even get Max to play on his own for 30 seconds!
Alice
I hate baking and crafting, you are not alone.
My 3 year old’s favourite game is to pretend that she is a mummy (or a swimming teacher or a football coach or a daddy) and that I’m the child, and give me instructions. She also likes me to pretend to cry then she gives me my milk and makes it better, and she likes to ask me if my nappy needs changing………
Amber
Ah, that’s so funny – Max has recently started doing that too, only I have to lie in his bed and pretend to cry, then he comes in and gives me a cuddle. It’s very sweet, if a bit repetitive 😉
Erin
This was an excellent & hysterical description of kid games and what I imagine (thank god, right now) parenting is like. I once told my best friend’s son a story about “the shoe eagle” because he kept sticking his foot out the window of her car and I told him that there was a giant eagle that snatched the shoes (and probably feet, because who knows what I said) off small children who put their feet out the window. Five years later this child still asks me about the shoe eagle and I cannot for the life of me remember what I told him originally. It’s honestly great how imaginative little kids are, but I cannot imagine trying to entertain one 24/7 right now. Hang in there. Hopefully this ends someday sooner rather than later <3
Amber
Haha, that’s exactly the kind of thing we do with Max… a few weeks ago he wouldn’t keep his socks on, so I told him his soft toys would be scared of his “monster feet” – now he not only takes his socks off all the time, he does it while shouting, “MONSTER FEET” at the top of his voice…
Erin
I feel like no matter what you tell a child and think the result will be there’s a 50% chance you have it wrong and a 90% chance you won’t get the result you think you will. Hang in there ;*
Sara Khan
Absolutely hilarious and so relatable. I’m currently 8 months pregnant so finding realistic activities to complete with my 20 month old has been really difficult. I like the scarves activity and will definitely give a few others a try. My toddler can’t even be left with crayons because he prefers to eat them instead of making marks! Thank you for all the suggestions!
Hannah
This mad me laugh so much! You’ve pretty much described my days at the moment with my not quite 2 year old.
Angie Silver
Oh this made me laugh! This is why yours is my favourite blog to actually read, not just flick through pictures. I do *try* to entertain my eight month old but by about 3pm he’s playing with some cups and watching Baby Tv while I text my friends. I do feel guilty about it though!
Melanie Mitchell
Really good to see a normal parent breakdown how different it is to entertain a young toddler.
I have a 19 month old Grandson who is typical for his age into everything !
I moved in temporarily with my daughter as I have a poor immune system so trying to entertain can get serious and sometimes Nanna just doesn’t cut it ????
Will try some of these to try keep him busy.
Thank you ????
Tessa
I 100% relate to this! My eldest is 2, youngest is 1… They don’t care what I’ve done to entertain them, how much time and effort went into preparing crafty activities or sensory games, literally no shits given from either of them. All they want to do is hang off me, warbling like absolute animals, and eat whatever they can find in cupboards or on the rug. Neither of them can talk coherently yet, so at least I don’t get called anything! We may not be bossing this at all, but atleast there is some laughter during all the madness xx
Ryan
Thank you! I enjoyed this read so much and it’s made me feel better knowing I’m not the only one parenting a 2 year old on lockdown that doesn’t like his toys (unless I touch them).. Was such an enjoyable read and totally relatable!
Currently dealing with my son constantly standing on top of the dining table and screaming until he runs out of breath ????????????????
Emerald
Very funny, although no 16 would irk me somewhat since I have enough trouble with snails setting up home in my watering can!
I had a couple of games I enjoyed in early 1970s Scotland that you’re free to try, although they’re probably variations on your themes. No 1 was Mary, Mungo and Midge inspired by a children’s programme of the same name (worth a wee look up on You Tube). I was Mary (the girl), Granddad was Mungo (the big labrador) and Granny got to be Midge (the mouse). Each player was required to stay in character which was fine at home. Until the day wee “Mary” shouted “Look, there’s Mungo!” in the middle of North Berwick High Street while we were out shopping (my granddad rather sheepishly snuck off to the amusement of his pals).
The other was “Poogy.” Poogy being a lovely fake-fur hat my granny bought for herself in Edinburgh. As soon as I saw it I decided it was a cat – and she never got it back!
Nina Fairbairn
Oh thank the Holy Mary mother of f***k for you! Finally a prenting style I relate to. I will steal all of the ideas you shared that my nearly 2 year old doesn’t already do. She loves scarves ????and the ones that don’t involve a garden because we don’t have one ????
Anyway thank you for being so genuinely, honestly you and being relatable to those of us who see crafty baking mum’s on Instagram and think “oh f***k off”
Leanne
After putting my 2 year old son down for his nap I was literally about to either smash my head against the living room wall I painted last night (as a last resort for something that can be seen as productive and therapeutic) or ugly cry into the sofa cushions so my teenage son doesn’t hear me, when I chose google instead and found this post. THANK YOU for making me laugh at you AND myself with this incredibly hilarious and relatable post! I have no one around me with a 2year old as I have a 12 year age gap between my sons (14 and 2). I am a single parent also and am a college teacher “working” from home through this pandemic which everyone around me seems to be finding silver linings for and I just want to scream.
Without going into detail, my days are very much like yours with my 2 year old and that’s combined with actually liking baking and crafts… (I’m also a trained ex nursery nurse, please don’t ban me!)
But I really didn’t remember what it felt like to laugh out loud, until I read this post… some days feel like torture and some of his “games” have me questioning the meaning of life.
So thank you for the keeping it very real and for sharing, you have made a difference!
Nina
This made me chuckle so much!
We’ve been playing ‘mummy hide’ repeatedly… Only works when they come and find you but it does give you 2 minutes of peace when they don’t…
Oh and let’s torment the pets… Fabulous
Mary McGuire
This has made me laugh so much and also feel so relieved that I’m not the only one wondering how these people on Instagram are getting their 2 year old to actually do crafts! ???????????? We’re big fans of Tuck In, Ransacking a Drawer and Throw the Stones in Any Recepticle with Water too right now! ????????????
Jessica Mannion
Hilarious thanks for bringing some joy
Jenny kell
Thankyou!!!!! Glad to hear its not just me!
I work in healthcare so have the mixed relief of still being in work (for as long as i can get childcare) but this sums up my days off beautifully just with less frozen and more paw patrol. Oh and in duplicate because i have 2 year old twins ????????????.
Jennifer Smith
Ah man! Someone relatively normal in the motherhood department! I have a feisty 21 month old girl – I’ve made playdoh (only to have her eat it). Got craft stuff out and she flings it all over the floor. Grandma’s button box (really thought I’d come up trumps there), she stuffs said-buttons in her ears. Water painting outside – she makes a puddle and so it goes on….
I’ve given up on strict screen-time viewing (this is the only time I can actually enjoy a hot cuppa!), and we can actually have that long-ish walk in the afternoon. Thank the Lord for creating Ducks that’s all I can say.
Vicki
Sounds like life with my 19 month old! Im just envious it took your little one so long to be obsessed with anything dangerous! I can’t remember a time when Alex wasn’t obsessed with anything dangerous!
I tried taking him for a walk -he would walk into the road, into someone’s property, or the other direction. He would NOT walk in the direction we were headed! I got a great workout, regularly squatting down to pick up, and carry an angry toddler, to put him down (his request) to repeat process!
Amber
I wish it had taken him this long, but nope – this has been our life for as long as I can remember! ????♀️
Duchess of blackheath
I can totally relate ????????????????????
Louise
I love it, thanks for sharing. My toddler is 2 and 4 months. Thankfully she has two older brothers and am so relieved that they help (mostly even if it results in screams) to give her some entertainment. Not so helpful during homeschooling though and then Peppa pig and Thomas dvds are our friends.. I feel your pain, it will be over soon… please
Chris
It was a good read while my 2 year old slide under our coffee table continuously until cracking his head of the table. You would think that would stop him but no 4 times over.
Catherine
I can totally empathise with you guys! I have a little boy about to turn 2 so far too young for structured crafts & frankly I suck at baking. I have no toddler entertainment tips, mine is watching way more TV than usual & gradually covering the entire house in crumbs and sticky handprints. Putting on grown up podcasts or audiobooks helps me get through the endless duplo building/destroying cycles!
Amy
Wow this is like reading about my little boy! He is 2, and our days are spent singing Happy birthday to his yellow car, his blue truck, his red car, his dump truck…you get the picture. The rest of the time is him asking “Mummy, what this called?” And pointing to every single object in the house/garden.
He is a joy but man it’s hard to keep him busy! Such a people person that he has to play with someone the majority of the time. Thank God he still naps!!
I’m with you sweetie, it’s hard. But also yay for not having to homeschool ????
Hilarious post, really enjoyed it! Xx
Tanya
This post is hauntingly familiar. My toddler’s favourite game is using every washcloth she can get her hands on as a “baby blanket”, and I discovered this morning she’s started wrapping the cat’s toys in blankets too…
Also she changes outfits every 2 hours or so throughout the day, unless she’s actually dirty and then she’ll scream to high heaven if someone tries to change her.
SOPHIA
This has had me in stitches, honestly my life too right now although we have the addiontal sea side game, feeling less guilty with our failed ‘crafts’ Thanks for sharing ????
Caroline
This is gold! The most honest piece I’ve read so far. I won’t be using any of your games on my 2 year old, because we have some similar mind numbing ones of our own. Mainly where she pretends to be me and I answer to her name. Good luck! Hopefully this will all be over soon.
Linda
I realised when reading this that all the things my daughter has been talking about for the past few weeks are true for other parents as well. She is constantly trying to find new ways to entertain her 18 month old son and most of them are similar to and with the same results as your story. It is funny and I laughed till I cried. Especially by the why in which you describe the events and the outcomes with just that touchn of sarcasm and despair as my daughter does. She had a tea party in the garden with the teddies the other day whilst said toddler popped inside for a drink and then got engrossed watching Mr Tumble and didn’t come back. She must have looked sweet out there with all the soft cuddly toys and a plastic tea set. Thanks for the laugh and good luck for the remainder of the lockdown.
Nikki
I was crying with laughter by number 10! We do baby sign classes and have just discovered Mr Tumble… My toddler will sit on the sofa, unattended, for a FULL TWENTY MINUTES, so long as she has all teddies/cuddly toys in sight, her blanket, and the TV remote with no batteries in it so she can’t turn it off. Amazing.
Sam
I came here for ideas for my 1 year old and wasn’t disappointed!
Actually glad he’s one now and not 2! We turn to spending and drop off deliveries for books he suddenly wants to read ALL THE TIME and clothes he’s popped out of. I made a makeshift sandpit out of a under bed storage and kiln dried sand that was ment for the patio and dump cars and bath toys in it.
I am NOT crafting or baking with him! Sounds like trouble and he won’t understand. Bought myself and my husband a frisbee and velcro lawn darts and he likes to watch/fetch with those.
Rachael
This is so good
Tamsin
I 100% needed this chuckle today just to get through the little storms of frustration I sometimes feel trying to keep my 1 and a half year old entertained through this period. So so relatable and real. Our play is similar to many of these, with age-appropriate variation but the common factor each time is that our daughter will not focus on an activity for more than 10 minutes, if we’re lucky. Except water play, but ONLY if she’s allowed to get soaking wet and then throw a tantrum when it’s time to get dry again. Ohhh we’ll get through this somehow!!!
Leanne
After putting my 2 year old son down for his nap I was literally about to either smash my head against the living room wall I painted last night (as a last resort for something that can be seen as productive and therapeutic) or ugly cry into the sofa cushions so my teenage son doesn’t hear me, when I chose google instead and found this post. THANK YOU for making me laugh at you AND myself with this incredibly hilarious and relatable post! I have no one around me with a 2year old as I have a 12 year age gap between my sons (14 and 2). I am a single parent also and am a college teacher “working” from home through this pandemic which everyone around me seems to be finding silver linings for and I just want to scream.
Without going into detail, my days are very much like yours with my 2 year old and that’s combined with actually liking baking and crafts… (I’m also a trained ex nursery nurse, please don’t ban me!)
But I really didn’t remember what it felt like to laugh out loud, until I read this post… some days feel like torture and some of his “games” have me questioning the meaning of life.
So thank you for the keeping it very real and for sharing, you have made a difference!
Erica
Thank you for being honest, my day sounds similar and I am so sick of looking for toddler activities and finding these Instagram perfect craft activities, who do these actually work for?!?
I needed to know that I am not the only who feels like time is reversing sometimes, that is hilarious! Today has been the end of a rough week with not much respite so thank you for cheering me up.
Bring on another day of play doh eating, screwdriver wielding and precarious chair climbing.
Lauren
At last! Someone who tells the truth about the mindnumbingly boring, repetitive routine of a Mummy of a toddler during lockdown. Love him to bits but I fantasise about my partner and him going out for the day (A WHOLE DAY!!!) and me not having to worry about feeding, cleaning up after, changing or entertaining him for just a few, glorious hours of freedom! In the meantime, thanks for the hilarious post and the most honest description of toddler play I’ve read anywhere 🙂
Lizzie
Thank you for bringing a smile to my face! I have a two year old and I have found lockdown difficult in the last few weeks. Its the constant mum guilt that is getting to me- am I doing the right things for her? Constantly overthinking and beating myself up. Its refreshing to read your blog and the comments and to not feel so alone in my feelings. Also I love the blankets and towels ideas, I’m bringing a pile down to the living room today. Thank you so much again!
Right! I’m doing OK! My daughter is OK! We will all be OK! This will all pass and I look forward to the good times ahead. Xx
Sobia
Finally, some ideas I can actually use during this lockdown! I’m also tired of all the crafts and baking ideas I keep finding online for my 2 year old. I feel relieved to see that other people are feeling the same as me. I’m pregnant and we are in the middle of moving houses, so I don’t have most of my son’s toys, or anything else for that matter. I could do with adding these activities into our schedule!
Katie
This has given me such a good laugh (sorry!) this morning. We are going through the exact same thing atm (shielding also with a 2 year old boy who I find very hard to entertain). It is such hard work, but thank you for cheering me up today and being so realistic at a time when I’m feeling so guilty incase I’m not entertaining enough! X
Simona
I think I understand your pain completely – aside from not being a parent, I mean: your post made me giggle a bit too much, the cat next to me did not appreciate it! – living myself with someone currently (still somehow) shielding here in London, it’s become quite difficult to entertain (even though she is a mere 29 years of age). I might give these a shot anyway, if it worked on a toddler, why not on my middle sister?!
Emma
Thank god for this, this could literally be my two year old, especially the blankets and pillows. After a hideous day where he has been downright naughty, absolutely would not play on his own and hand to have mummy for everything while playing the inside/outside game, where we pretend we want to go out to the garden then go in again. Him refusing to nap at lunch time while singing twinkle twinkle little star at the top of his lungs, and then him refusing to go to sleep at night. All while nearly 6months pregnant, I was literally on my last nerve and crying while he refused to sleep, I am so sick of the online suggestions that are useless for a two year old, so finding this article after he finally fell asleep, had my side splitting with laughter and totally cheered me up to know I am mot alone. Thanks
Helen
FIRST realistic article about entertaining a 2 year old I’ve read all day. Thank you! I was starting to get a complex that my child is the only 2 year old unable to find enjoyment in painting yoghurt pots, making leaf collages or glueing glitter to paper… cardboard… toilet rolls… the cat.
Needed this laugh! And in all seriously, I’m actually going to use some of these tomorrow haha 🙂
All the best with lockdown antics. If you’re looking for a new activity I highly recommend unpacking sharp objects from the dishwasher, clinging to mums legs crying for no apparent reason, and putting every small sized toy into every large size toy (ie pieces of LEGO/blocks/figurines/hair clips/dummies into the toy truck), to then need to be unloaded and sorted back out afterwards – all good fun.
All the best 🙂
Fiona Young
This made me LOL and LOL and LOL thank you so much for bringing some humour to a second lockdown !!!!!! It was just what I needed to read, I do not feel so alone anymore hahahaha!!!!
Jeff
Genius! I also have a version of throw the guys which is called “Catch the boys”. Same game but the onus is on me to perform impossible catches. Likewise we have invisibility blankets in our house.
Ella
I have just googled ‘how to entertain a 1 yr old in lockdown’ after having literally just had a full blown breakdown, for no apparent reason, from out of nowhere (apparently this is also part of the new normal). Your blog popped up and through my tears of stress, tiredness and worry came a great big smile, and actual laughter! Thank you for bringing some lightness to what was a very dark morning for me.
Emily
I’ve never related to anything more
Megan
Thank goodness, I’ve finally found a realistic list! ???? The Gnome show is all too real in this house…
Lauren
I needed this today after crying because I am struggling to entertain my daughter who is 2 tomorrow. She won’t concentrate on anything for more than a minute and I also have a 6 week old baby!
Here are some games to add to your list from Molly.
The boot game: take pair of boots/ shoes from the hallway and swing them round by the laces. Make sure to do this in every room of the house and/or with all the shoes or the game is not complete.
The book game: take every book off the shelf, pretend you want to read them until mam’s arse hits the floor to read them then change your mind. Mam puts them back then repeat every half hour.
Get in the box game: get in a box (laundry tub, doll’s pram, toy storage anything big enough to fit into). Stay there for a while. Get out of the box. (I like the ‘stay there for a while’ part.)
I could go on for days…