Fun activities for kids 2-4 yrs, so I can clean the house!!!!?

Question

What do you do to keep the little ones entertained???

Answer 1

there is new stuff out called bath jelly my mom got me some. you add it to bath water and it turns the water to a jelly/slush it made for kids and is completely safe. when they have finished you just add something to the water and the jelly returns to clear water again it's amazing and the kids love it. if you didn't fancy putting them in the bath with it then put some into sink bowls and put the kids outside so that they can play with it. it keeps my house clean and children quiet. ill find out where my mom brought it from and let you know if you like.
also you can buy big canvases now for quite cheep b and M's
and pound lands. i brought 2 for my boys with some easy wash off paints put them outside in there dads shirts on some old sheeting and asked them to paint a picture for there bedrooms. again they loved it.
will try plate and mug painting next and see how i get on.
hope this helps
Deb

Answer 2

SLEEPING! J/k
If your not in to letting them veg in front of a TV with a movie, then you are in for a challenge.
Puzzles are good if you have a logical Child.
Color markers that only draw on the paper are very sweet. Wish they had those for my kids.
Grand Ma or a friends house Is what my wife did. She got a house wife friend with similar ages and attention span and watched the others kid for an hour or two a day.
If those are not working or you don't have those kind of resources then I suggest what did with my kids. I made them help me with the choirs. I used the reward system if they help me do the dishes or dust then they could have a cookie. That works so so but now that my kids are older they have no problem doing all the chores around the house. :) But mine are perfect.. LOL ;)

Answer 3

Have them do little chores with you. It is never to young to start a plan. Do like a little race. Spend some time with them cleaning the house do a little sticker chart and a prize at the end of the week. This will teach them discipline and a young work ethic. Don't just set your kids infront of the tv that is the easy way out.

Answer 4

Get them to help. Give them a duster, set them to work on a coffee table or something. Get them to do every thing you do. You'll have to re do the areas they've done but it will keep them occupied and happy. I get mine washing up and everything. I've got spare cloths so they can clean the bath with me. Or my favourite is getting them to dust things like skirting boards etc while I do the real work. I hate doing them which is rarely so they are normally terrible and at that age they just think its a fun game.
It can be a bit chaotic but their occupied, not up to mischief while your not looking and it all gets done eventually. Just allow more time.
Mine are 2 and 3.
Only job I wont do while they're around is ironing, that's for when they've gone to bed. They do load the washing machine for me though and press the buttons, help me peg out washing etc.

Answer 5

Sometimes getting them involved can be good but sometimes you can be so busy showing them what to do and how to clean and put things away, that you dont get anything done. give them their favourite film to watch with a promise that when you have finished the house work (make sure you dont do too much at a time) you will play with them at whatever game they want (or if this means they will want to play something that is not practical at the time give them a choice of three things) keep your promise and thank them for being ssoooooo good whilst you were doing your work.

Answer 6

When my boys were little it was so hard to keep them busy. Kids are such "hands-on" and they are just little busy bodies. This is what i did...... I would either get some playdough and cookie cutters and let them just make little shapes or get out some cookie sheets and give them some shaving cream. It is non toxic (most are anyway) and they would just smear & act like they were painting with there fingers on the cookie sheets. It washes right up and it won't stain their clothes or little hands.

Answer 7

I have a 1 yr. old/3 yr. old... I put music on and we make a game out of picking up the toys.. Put a laundry basket in the center of the room and I throw toys in and they pick them up and put them in the basket I take the basket and dump the toys in the toybox.... My 3 yr. old likes when I sweep the kitchen to help me by holding the dustpan... It took a couple tries, before he figured out that he just couldn't throw away the dustpan with the dirt. Also, I do much of my cleaning at night while my husband is getting the children ready for bed... I vacuum. clean the kitchen and mop...

Answer 8

I play fun kids songs like.. wheels on the bus.. BINGO.. Old MacDonald etc... she loves to dance & sing and it keeps her out of my way for the most part! Plus with the music going I can get the house done quicker, it just seems more fun. I also get her to help me alot. She is only 2 but she can hand me the sliverware out of the diswashwer once it has been ran and we count the forks.. spoons.. etc.. as she hands them over. It is a good opportunity to learn and you get some help. We do the same think with laundry.. we count socks & "daddy's dresses" (they are his work shirts.. he doesn't really wear dresses but she doesn't care)

Best of luck!!

Answer 9

If you have a patio, give them a shallow container of water and some paintbrushes and let them "paint" the patio, mine loves this......a spray gun of water turned on to "mist" and a clean cloth for cleaning things...

A bag of scraps of different cloth also seems to work well...make sure they are not so small as to be a choking risk...Good luck with your cleaning, I have given up a bit with mine! As long as the floors and bathrooms are clean and the cooking areas hygenic, I dont worry too much! Its too stressful to be perfect when toddlers are around

Answer 10

Well what I keep my baby brothers and sisters entertained and quiet is puting a funny cute movie like shrek 1 and 2. Disney movies also. Not the ones like cinderella, but the lion king. My baby brothers love those movies. Really hope your kids like them. ( :