One of the harder parts of transitioning to two children, particularly since I’m dealing with 2 under 2, is needing to find ways to keep my toddler occupied while I’m taking care of the newborn. A lot of the day, the newborn is just doing all of the things right alongside us and my toddler can go about his day like he normally would. But there are times when I’m “unavailable” to him such as when I’m nursing the baby or changing a diaper or trying to get her down for a nap.

My toddler plays great independently but it sure does seem like it’s during these times that he all of a sudden needs me to focus on him 100%. So I’ve needed to find some things that are interesting to him that he can and will do by himself for a few minutes or that I can easily do with him while also doing something mentioned above. Here are some of my favorites!

Note: My toddler is just under 2 so 18m-3y is kind of the age range I think about for these items.

Reusable Sticker Books

I am loving these reusable stickers lately! I’ve used a few brands- these are my favorite for the age of my toddler. He can peel them with no trouble, they restick wonderfully and they don’t collect as much fuzz/hair etc when he attaches them to the couch or floor. They also have a matching activity as well as a “scene” for play which makes them more versatile than some others I’ve seen. They have loads of themes to choose from and are reasonably priced. I can grab a pack and give them to him while I feed his sister and he’s a happy camper.

Water Wow!

These Water Wow pads from Melissa and Doug are a bit hit. He can do them independently (although he does like me to do them while he watches and points to what he sees too). They are no mess since the color just comes from the water in the little pen. So even if he goes rogue and colors something else, it’s just a little water. They also have tons of different themes so there’s something for everyone’s interests.

Board Books

My little guy loves to read. But it can be tricky to read a book with regular pages to him when I’m nursing. AND I don’t like to leave him unattended with a regular book while I’m changing a diaper or putting baby down for nap because it will inevitably be torn to pieces. But board books are great! He can flip the pages himself and “read” on his own. Or I can manage them one handed because they don’t flop closed like a regular book. They’re also quiet- an important quality if you’re trying to settle a fussy baby or get them down for a nap. I’ve linked a post with some favorite board books for toddler if you need to expand your library.

Lacing Cards

These are a new thing I’m trying with my toddler. He is still a bit young for them to be truly successful but he still enjoys them and I think they’ll be a good one to have on hand as he gets older. I love them because they’re quiet, they work on fine motor skills and there are so many different ones to try so they can keep his interest over time. I’ve linked two different ones here- ones that are more of a wooden block with slightly bigger holes so may be better for younger toddlers and the other ones that are more of a heavy duty wooden card but with slightly smaller holes.

Screen Time

While it’s not my favorite thing to resort to, it is definitely something that can be hugely helpful when I need to cook dinner, or when I need to put baby down for a nap and my toddler just can’t manage to whisper or when I’m nursing the baby and my toddler is feeling extra jealous and therefore kind of melting down that I can’t hold him at that moment. I know screen time is controversial but I am very much team “use it as you need it”. I do try and stick with less stimulating shows when I can, or more educational options but whatever is needed in that moment is what we go for.

A few of our favorites that can be found on different streaming services are:

• Stinky and Dirty Show
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
• Trash Truck
• Llama Llama
• Daniel Tiger
• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
• Ms. Rachel

Learning how to manage our new normal has definitely been an adjustment but we’re figuring it out as we go! If you have any other tips for keeping a busy toddler occupied send them our way!