The Mummy Diaries – Entertaining Little ones in Lockdown

Another Groundhog week! I’m not sure if it’s because it’s January, or maybe the weather, or maybe it’s because it’s not new anymore.

Is it just me or is everyone finding this lockdown tougher this time around?

I’m trying to come up with different things we can do at least once a week so they don’t get fed up with the same old toys and routines. As we are now in lockdown number three, by this stage I have now figured out which toys and games to play based on the length of time it holds their attention.

Now I know all kids are different and of course what one enjoys, the other usually doesn’t but I’m actually pretty lucky in the sense that both Jamie and Lily like to play together. It seems to be that whatever keeps Jamie attention, also keeps Lily entertained. So, the key for me is keeping Jamie busy and then Lily will follow.

We all know that toddlers have an attention span of a goldfish. So, it’s all about how much time I need for the stuff I need to get done.

Five minutes max:

• Balloons
• Dancing
• Tidying up
• Hide and seek

Twenty minutes max:

• Lego
• Pretend baking and cooking
• Playing shops
• Puzzles
• Jigsaws

Thirty minutes plus:

• Baking
• PlayDoh
• Playing outside
• Painting
• Crafts

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, why doesn’t she just do the stuff that keeps them busy for thirty minutes or more all of the time? Well yeah, but there’s a catch. The thirty minute stuff is all things that I need to be with them for. Oh, and you need to consider that for every thirty minutes you spend with them playing, you will also spend another thirty minutes cleaning up the devastation that bought you that thirty minutes of peace in the first place. Whereas the five minute games, yes, they only last five minutes but it’s a whole five minutes unoccupied peace and quiet.

It’s a hard one to call. Oh, and not only that, you have to keep rotating the games around so they don’t get fed up doing the same things all the time.

No one said this parenting thing would be easy but parenting in a lockdown is a whole different level.