So you can get work done, and meet those deadlines!

  1. Design a custom felt board. Use a large canvas and spray adhesive to wrap a large piece of felt around it. This will be the background. Next draw out some simple images on paper, cut it out, place on felt, and cut it out to shape. Can be as simple or as complex as you’d like.
  2. Help them build a boredom-busting art box. Include things that are age-appropriate. For toddlers pipe cleaners, wipe-clean books, stickers, and scrapbook paper could keep them occupied for hours.
  3. Find a small album with clear page protectors to fit 4×6 images. Print off pictures of the most important things in their life. Like their family, friends, bedroom, favorite toys, etc. Give the images and book to your kids and let them fill the pages!
  4. Scoot over and share your desk or office. When your child is in your space, and has a purpose, they won’t feel as big of a need to steal your attention.
  5. Let them connect with another tribe member’s kids. Don’t you love that we are all digital pen pals? Writing to similar-aged kids, and drawing adorable cards would be a fun way to give our kids a taste of what we do. #HOFKidsConnect
  6. Move your office outside for the day, and give your kids some paint! Open up a large trash bag, let your kids find the best rocks in the garden, and all the finger paint they can handle. On a hot day, all you have to do is hose them off, set the rocks to dry, and now you let them experience messy creativity with limited supervision.
  7. Give them random supplies like a hula hoop, box, dress-up outfit, and ask them to make a fun show for you to watch. That will give them purpose and feel more involved, and like you’re more invested in their performances.
  8. Give them age-appropriate scrapbook supplies, and let them make their own scrapbook. Paper, markers, stickers, scrapbook, printer, and 4×6’s are all you need to showcase their life and memories.
  9. Reward them for doing chores and making positive choices. When my toddler cleans up a ton without me asking her to, I give her a quarter. If she babysits my baby (in my room nearby) while I take a shower, I give her a dollar. She doesn’t have set chores, but if I can tell she is helping a lot, I like her to feel rewarded.
  10. Take them on a run to your local or school library. Library cards are easy to obtain, and many offer books, DVDs, games, and more that you can borrow. This might seem cheap or boring, but seriously… check out those DVDs, it’s basically like a free blockbuster.
  11. Use a breakfast-in-bed platter to contain Play-Doh or sand. No one loves those messes, but at least platters have rims to keep them all in one place.
  12. Give them a camera and teach them how to pose. One of the reasons why we purchased an iPad Mini 2 primarily for our toddler, was so she could have her own camera. Now she enjoys posing things, and I get to find adorable pictures that she takes. She is my best assistant! By age three she already knew how to set up all my lights and store props.
  13. Take them out, and wear them down! Get out of the house and go to the waterpark, or the zoo, or a playground. Take them on a bike ride, or a walk. Let them do what they want to do, then they’ll be more likely to wind down at home.
  14. Bring the outdoor exercise inside. Try getting a small indoor trampoline they can use while they watch a movie. Or you can even try a smaller basketball hoop with softer basketballs for indoor use.
  15. Reach out to another tribe member who has children; chances are they’re just as swamped as you are. Take turns babysitting while the other one works.
  16. Trade or borrow games or movies from another local parent. Then you are able to have access to twice as many without twice the price.
  17. Give them old magazines, not ours of course, to cut out and make a collage of pictures and items they like. Think ransom note style, kind of like a visual, do-it-yourself birthday wishlist or bucket list.
  18. And then of course there is bribery. Yes, if you let me work for twenty minutes, then I will give you an ice cream cone…. because who hasn’t been there, right?