Working at home as a mom is something that most people will not comprehend until they actually have to do it. It sounds like we are living the life, but the honest truth is: it’s not for the faint of heart.
Confessions of a Work-at-Home Mom
This week I was preparing for a big party I had coming up. I had to create things such as favors and centerpieces. In the morning while the girls slept, it was great. But the minute they woke up, I had to stop what I was doing to begin my morning routine with them. Once they finished, they walked over to the Florida room to watch TV. And there they stayed, for a couple of hours, while Mommy worked. By Wednesday the mommy guilt began to kick in. As they marched over to the living room, I quickly opened up my Pinterest app and began looking for ideas on how to have screen-free entertainment.
As I was scrolling, I learned that your home is equipped with fun and entertaining things that your kids will love. And no, I’m not talking about the hot mess of toys you have in your living room. Your home has many things that can keep your kids busy while you get some work done.
Here are some things we tried and some other ideas you can try with minimal supervision:
- Fill a large Tupperware with some water and throw random little toys in there
- Play with Play-Doh
- Give them a couple of pots and pans and a wooden stick so they can make music
- Make them clean! My girls love to wipe things down, so I just give them a damp paper towel and let them go to town!
- Make art using dried goods in your pantry such as macaroni, beans, etc.
- Have them decorate that empty Amazon box you have laying around.
- Painting (finger painting, canvas painting, etc.)
- Give your little one your strainer and some regular spaghetti and have them tune up their fine motor skills by inserting the spaghetti through the holes
- Have them build something with Legos or building blocks
- If your child is a reader, have them find a certain word in a book and count how many times that word is used in the story
- Little ones love playing with straws!
The Bottom Line
I’m sure you have realized by now that kids can find entertainment in almost anything. Have you ever bought your child a toy that came in a big box? And they ended up playing with the box more than with the toy itself? Having your kids embrace their imagination is crucial for their brain development. I feel like many children lack this natural trait because their face is glued to a screen for hours at a time.
What is your child’s favorite non-screen activity?
