How to Keep a Toddler Busy

Oy.  Toddlers.  Short attention spans and high demands makes an afternoon with a toddler exhausting.  One of my current favorite bloggers, author of Crappy Pictures, recently posted about what literally happens every single day in my house.  T wants yoyo (yogurt), so we give her a yogurt.  Three bites in, "I want waffles".  I was just about to sit down and enjoy some, but now they get cut up into bite sized pieces and are hers.  Four or five bites in, "I want rice."  "No you don't want rice."  "Momma, I want RICE!" Ugh, "OK, here's some rice." I put away the yogurt and eye the waffles, wondering if she'll notice some bites missing.  "Momma, I want yoyo."  An hour later, "I want waffles."

Her activity level is much like her appetite, changing from one activity to another just as quickly.  I try to come up with all sorts of elaborate schemes and projects such as home made salt dough, making cards to mail to family, decorating flower pots with foam stickers.  These activities last as long as it takes for me to turn my back and she's getting into something else.  My husband on the other hand?  This is how he keeps T busy.

One large plastic cup
One small plastic cup
One vase half full of marbles

Set these items in front of toddler and supervise as she transfers them back and forth, back and forth - FOR OVER AN HOUR!!!!

Don't believe me?  Here's the proof:



That was half an hour in already.  Half an hour later, she was still going strong. (I changer her clothes and did her hair while she sorted.  Girl wouldn't even take a break!)