Children need constant stimulation.

If they don’t have something to occupy their minds, they’ll make sure to pester you until you entertain them.

Playing with your kids or engaging in stimulating activities is a fantastic way to bond.

However, there’s a massive problem that always gets in the way…

You’re an adult, so you’re constantly busy. 

You’ll experience a time when you’re completely free.

Your schedule is packed with different tasks and things to do.

This could be simple chores like cleaning the house, ticking things off your shopping list or tending to the garden.

If you’re a working mum, your schedule is full of various work things to do as well.

It leaves you with little time to occupy your kids, so how do you ensure they’re stimulated while you’re busy? 

It’s every mum’s biggest dilemma, though the ideas below will bring you some much-needed relief! 

family doing puzzles

Give Them Some Independent Play Activities

The easiest way to occupy your kids while you’re busy is with some independent play activities.

As the name suggests, this involves things your kids can do by themselves.

They have to be easy enough not to require your input – yet entertaining enough so they don’t get bored. 

A long list of ideas springs to mind, though these three will be the best: 

  • Show them some puzzle games – This could be as simple as giving them a nice jigsaw puzzle to do! It occupies their mind and they get stimulation from trying to fit the pieces in the right places. Alternatively, consider letting them play games like solitaire or sudoku. Both can be done online, so they get a bit of computer/tablet time while you’re busy. Any puzzle-style game will do; as long as it keeps them happy and isn’t too complicated. 
  • Set up an arts & crafts station – Kids love getting creative with some arts & crafts. If you’ve got a Zoom meeting to attend, then set up a little station at home for your child to use. They can cut and stick things down, draw or paint, and let their creative brain get a great workout. Stuff like this can keep a child occupied for hours. They get lost in the activity as they adore trying to make fun little things. You can do whatever tasks you need to do, safe in the knowledge that your child is peacefully doing something productive. 
  • Provide some construction toys – Lego is the obvious one that springs to mind, but you can find other construction toys out there. These toys are all about letting your child build things. They can follow instructions or build whatever they want. It’s a bit of a noisy activity, so make sure they’re quite far from you if you’re calling people. Otherwise, it’s a brilliant thing for them to do while you wash the dishes or clean around the home. 

Encourage Them to do their Homework

Are your kids in school?

If so, they’ve probably got some homework to do, and you can make them work around your schedule.

Tell them to do their homework while you’re busy with your tasks after school.

It gives you some peace while you’re making dinner, and you have peace of mind knowing they’re actually doing homework and aren’t leaving it until the last minute. 

This is a good option if you’re busy but can still spare a few moments here and there.

Children can get stuck on their homework and they might ask for help, so if you can pop away from what you’re doing to provide minor assistance, then that’s great.

That’s why this is such a fantastic “dinner-making task” to set your kids.

They can do their homework at the kitchen table, so you can quickly lend a helping hand or shout your responses while you cook. 

family cooking together

Bring Them Along to Help with your Tasks

Obviously, this tip is irrelevant if you’re a working mother.

You shouldn’t bring your child to help with any work-related tasks – unless they’re a genius! Instead, this tip focuses on some of the daily tasks you might do as a mum. 

For instance, you need to clean the house.

You could do this alone and find another way to occupy your child, or you could encourage them to help. Don’t get them to do any crazily strenuous tasks, but they can assist by wiping dust off surfaces, helping you fold the towels or ripping up weeds in the garden. 

This idea works best when you’re cooking (again).

Get a little helper into the kitchen to assist you with the dinner.

Ensure they’re safely away from anything dangerous and get them to do simple tasks like mixing things, putting vegetable peels in the bin, etc.

The best thing about getting your child to help with tasks is that it teaches them to do things from a young age.

They learn how to cook and how to clean – but they also learn the importance of both. It fosters more independence when they’re older, so they’ll know to clean up after themselves or cook dinner! 

Put on Some Educational Videos

Many parents don’t like the idea of using videos to stimulate their kids, but you can’t deny it’s effective!

Pro tip: put on some educational videos instead of letting them watch whatever they want.

You can find these on Netflix, YouTube or various streaming platforms. 

They learn while you work.

Kid’s educational videos are very engaging these days, so they’ll enjoy watching them while learning valuable skills.

It’s a great choice if your children have either just started school or will be going in a year or two’s time.

These videos can help them learn key things like how to read, how to do simple maths tasks and much more. 

Final Thoughts

Being a busy mum is hard as you never get any respite.

These activities and ideas will ensure your kids stay occupied, and you have one less thing to worry about on your busy schedule.

Each day feels a little bit less hectic; you’re not as stressed when you go to bed, so you can sleep better at night and feel more energised the next day. 

 


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