Working at home can be a bit of a bear sometimes, especially with small children in the house. They don’t always cooperate, and finding ways to keep them entertained is vital.

  1. Let them play outside if you have a back yard.
    Telling my kids to go play outside gets me a lot of peace and quiet. They have a lot of fun and come running to me a lot less.
  2. Bubbles!
    Young children love bubbles. I recently found mini bubble tumblers at Target that help keep the kids from spilling the bubble solution, so even my 2 year old can enjoy himself without help.
  3. Have one of their friends over.
    Having someone over to play can be both more and less work. The kids play a lot more with a friend who isn’t always there to play with, but you may have to break up more disagreements.
  4. Have them go play with a friend.
    You can probably take turns with another parent so that sometimes you have their kids over and other times they have yours.
  5. Tire them out at the park.
    If naps are running short, a trip to the park can help to wear them down, giving you better odds of a longer nap.
  6. Crafts.
    Have age appropriate craft supplies in easy reach. Kids love being creative and they don’t always have to follow definite instructions to enjoy themselves.
  7. Art supplies.
    Similarly, paints, markers and crayons are loads of fun for children.
  8. Let them help you.
    If you have things your kids can help you with, they can often be enthusiastic. They get your attention as you work together, and you get things done.
  9. Television.
    Yes, within reason TV and movie watching aren’t that much of a problem.
  10. Play with them.
    Just like going to the park, playing with your kids for a time can help to tire them out. It also makes them feel that you are giving them the attention they want, so they may be more cooperative when you need to work.
  11. Chores.
    Even young children can do basic chores, such as cleaning up their own toys. They may also enjoy things like helping make a salad for dinner and other non-cooking parts of making dinner from a very young age.
  12. Special toys.
    At those times when you just can’t keep them busy any other way, have some special toys they can only play with when you really, really need the quiet.
  13. Encourage them to use their imaginations.
    Have dressup supplies for your children. Pretending to be a princess, fireman, etc. is loads of fun for children.

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