I have been struggling to find ways to entertain my 11 month old son during this corona virus pandemic since we cannot do much outside. I thought there might be many parents experiencing the same thing. These activities are best suited for babies who can crawl up to 18 months and above. Some of these ideas are pretty basic and I came up with them on my own while others are some I found on Pinterest and linked for you! I hope this is helpful!
Ideas for entertaining your baby during shelter at home.
Ribbon tug box- Use an amazon or whatever cardboard box you have, poke holes and tie ribbons through the holes with knots at the ends. Ribbons lengthen and shorten as they are pulled. Instructions here.
Q tip push - Fun baby activity using things that you already have around the house. All you need is an egg carton and q-tips. Supervision required because these q-tips go straight to their mouths! Instructions here.
Put different toys in different rooms at home. Go room to room once they start getting bored, lol.
Tape pull- this tape pull fine motor activity is engaging, easy, and uses things you already have around the house. Put tape on the box and fold over on the other end. This allows baby to grab it. Instructions here.
Pom pom drop - This pom pom drop activity for toddlers is simple to set up and great for developing fine motor control and an understanding of cause and effect. You don’t have to use pom poms. Instructions here
Tape car track on floor - use masking tape to create a track for cars, trains, anything with wheels! Instructions here.
Sensory bins/bags- sensory play helps stimulate all of babies’ senses. Examples of bins can include, water and large smooth rocks, water and frozen peas, blue gelatin (or vegan jel) with sea creatures, grass and farm animal toys, dry oatmeal, and kitchen utensils. Sensory bags do the same, can be taped to the ground and are not as messy. Examples are pom poms and water mixed with good coloring and oil. Supervision is strongly recommended. Instructions for sensory bins and sensory bags.
Glitter bottle- this is something that’s calming and interesting to look at. Just use a plastic water bottle, baby oil, food coloring, and glitter. Or make it your own way, you can't go wrong.
Tape toys to cardboard- simply tape favorite small toys to board to entertain and help develop motor skills as they are removed
Identifying family on the Fridge - print pictures of family members on the fridge and play game to identify each one. " Ex: where's grandma? You can laminate photos or use clear packing tape so that photos can’t be torn.
Yogurt paint - mix any plain yogurt with your choice of food coloring and put small amount on high chair table and let them go at it. Instructions here
Hide ’n seek- have baby crawl behind you while you hide behind doors etc, switch roles and crawl behind baby. This also tires baby out :)
Crawl through boxes- put those amazon/diaper/wipes boxes to use. Tape top and bottom over to sides of box to make it more sturdy, encourage baby to crawl through it and have fun!
Dance party- play some hit songs and get up and dance!
Kids play parachute- lay baby on floor or have them sit while you move parachute up and down. I purchased ours on Amazon. There are a lot of other games you can play with a play parachute here.
Take a walk- just make sure you are physical distancing!
Blowing bubbles - an easy and fun activity for babies to see. Try in bath or balcony/yard.
Take a bath outside - As long as it’s not too cold, use baby's bath tub or any large container and splash around outside with some toys.
Make a reading nook- put some pillows on the floor against a couch or wall, grab a blanket and your favorite books!
Pillow fort - put some cushions/pillows on the floor, grab a few chairs and lay a blanket or sheet over them.
Look at family picture books/photo albums - babies like to see faces, especially if they're familiar ones!
Cardboard box “car”- push baby around the house while they sit in cardboard box/laundry basket.
Let me know if you try any of these ideas on Instagram and have fun!
