…or any age, really!
Lets face it, we love our little tykes, more than anything in this world, but when there is a layer of ice on the snow outside and you haven’t been able to get fresh air because of the frigid temps, everybody is going a little stir crazy!
On Saturday, our day started off wonderful. Alex slept in and when he woke up he drank some milk and snuggled with me on the couch for a good hour watching cartoons. It was blissful.
Then, I spilled my coffee all over the back of the couch and on my shirt. As I was upstairs (for 2 seconds) grabbing a new one, Alex pulled my phone off the shelf (still plugged in) dragging my coffee with it (still open) and pouring the contents into my yarn bin that I keep in the living room. Yeah.
So, I had a bunch of balls of yarn to wash. As I was doing that, Alex unraveled a whole one and wrapped it around the island in about 4.3 seconds.
I mean, bust my buffers (any others with Thomas enthusiast kids?). I was at my wits end and it was only 10 in the morning.
So, I packed Alex and myself up and went to Target where, thankfully, he was a gem the whole time that I walked just about every single home related aisle. Bless his heart.
From here stems my thought to post what we do in our house when Cabin Fever is starting to set in and drive mommy completely mad. Number 1 is by far Alex’s favorite and number 2 is a close second. The rest are in no particular order of favoritism.
1. Take a Bath
Seriously. Put this kid in water and he becomes uber calm and collected. He can dump water from one cup to another for an hour. It’s amazing. This is where I also bust out the shaving cream “paint”. Just a little shaving cream and food coloring and he is all set to create a masterpiece (that I can easily rinse away when we are done). This always gives me a little time to clean the bathroom, write a blog (he’s actually in the bath right now), or just sit and play with him.
2. Sensory Bin
We have a bucket full of dry beans and Christmas items that my girlfriend made Alex for Christmas last year. I usually lay a queen size sheet out in the living room and let him go to town with some measuring cups and buckets. Something about scooping and dumping really calms this kid down. I even find myself doing the same thing every once in a while when he is playing. Cheap therapy. We’ve even brought some snow inside!
3. Go to a Store
I have found that letting Alex run around Walmart, Kroger, TJ Maxx or even a mall is just as good (if not better) than a playground. There is so much for him to explore at these places and aisles make great runways for little ones. He’s also not yet old enough to ask me for things that he wants, so that’s a bonus!
4. Pudding/Yogurt Painting
This is another tried and true method for us. I usually do this one when he is asking me for a snack for the five millionth time in an hour. This way he gets to play and eat something all in one shot! Double win! I also use this one when I need to clean the kitchen or do dishes since he is sitting right there with me at the kitchen table.
5. Bubbles!
Need I say more? Bubbles are like gold to toddlers. The only limitation is how many I can blow before getting light headed. Time to invest in a bubble machine??
6. Playdate
I always find that even when Alex is running around causing trouble with another child, it’s not so bad when you have another adult there to talk to about it. Power in numbers I guess. Plus, this way, you aren’t their only source of entertainment anymore. In fact, I usually get ignored on playdates.
7. Watch Their Favorite Movie/Show
Hey. You can’t win them all. For the days where you really have no energy at all for coming up with or setting up activities (this 8 month preggo mama knows how you feel). Just load up some snacks and drinks (so you don’t have to get off the couch) and use that magical picture box to your advantage. Snuggle time is the bomb (even when your kid loves Caillou).
8. Give Them Something to Destroy
Okay, okay, you’re all like, she’s seriously lost her mind with all of this snow. But, I promise, I’m sane(ish). I found that when I give Alex an old magazine/paper/something similar he loves to tear it up. It does create a little bit of a mess for me, but that 15 minutes of joy he gets when he’s actually allowed to tear something to pieces is totally worth it. Obviously, you’ll have to set boundaries (No, you cannot tear up mommy’s BHG magazine when it first comes in the mail).
9. Go to the Aquarium
So.much.to.look.at. Alex stood at the shark tank for a good 20 minutes just watching. Then he sprinted through the tunnels. If you don’t have an aquarium, try a children’s museum, pool, or even just the library. Anywhere there are new things to see will stimulate their little brains and wipe them out.
10. Just Dance!
When everybody is getting a little feisty and snippity, throw on some music and let loose. Be super silly and you will all feel better. I can never get Alex to dance with me for more than a few songs, but it is just enough for him to get his wiggles out and for me to take a breath (and pretty much forget what I was about to lose my mind about).
It’s always a good time when it ends like this in the car.
Hope this helps! If not, I hope you enjoyed all of the pictures of Alex =]
I would love to hear what anybody else does when the weather won’t quit and you’re stuck inside with a toddler!
