There are more times than not when I wish there was a genie who would appear and take care of the child while I quickly finished my work or the baby slept a little longer so that one last thing that I had to complete would get done. If you are a mom like me who works while the baby is away and asleep and sometimes needs to keep them busy while managing to meet those deadlines then this post is just for you.
Here are 8 things that help me get that 1 extra hour of work just when I really need it. These are good enough for independent preschoolers and should not be tried with infants or toddlers who need adult supervision and love to taste everything that comes their way. These are also addiction free like the idiot box or the gadgets and gizmoz that you don’t want to give in to just yet.
- Play doh: This one is universal and what’s nice is that it’s unisex, creative, great for motor skills and sets their imagination free.
- Bath: Leave them to play with their selection of toys and a bucket. Give them a step stool to sit on. Please do not leave them unguarded in a bath tub. Bath tub always requires supervision.
- Cutting with scissors: Give them baby scissors with a lock to develop those finger muscles.
- Sticking & tearing: Some Fevistick with old newspapers and an old diary. Try also an old magazine where they can tear pictures they like in the diary.
- Cooking: Baby kitchen sets work well with boys and girls. Ask them to cook their favourite dishes and lay the table for a warm dinner
- Colouring: Bring out those crayons and let them explore and give them some unstructured time.
- Books: This is one of my most favourite thing to do with the daughter. She loves reading her books by herself and enjoys telling stories to her make believe students
- Lego: This one I could spend hours on myself. Let them create something that they have seen or like and appreciate it.
I find these extremely useful so for next time try them.
Janani S Koushik
