1) Baking soda and vinegar. Squeeze a few drops of food coloring into muffin tins, pour baking soda into a pile on top and give toddler syringes, spoons, medicine cups, etc. with a bowl of vinegar and let them experiment, mix, and pretend.

2) Washable paint and random object (empty tissue box, wooden cut-out from craft store, paper plate, plain old paper, or plastic cup, etc.) Something about painting an object is so fascinating to kids. Especially when they get control of their paint bottles and brush. I let Waverly have 2-3 colors and let her do her own self-expression without worrying about how much paint is lost. It is worth the couple dollars it costs me to keep her busy sometimes.

3) Technology is usually my last resort but I do appreciate the benefits it has to offer as well as the ability to entertain for a small amount of time. Fisher Price games downloaded onto my phone are awesome for when the car ride is just getting too long or we are stuck inside all day and my creative juices are drying up.

4) Leapfrog Leapstart. (Where you place the books inside and use the pen to click on words and pictures in the book.)

5) Rice or oatmeal with bowls and spoons and measuring cups. I often give this to Waverly when she is whiny around the time I’m trying to make supper. I sometimes give her spices that are almost out anyway like cinnamon or oregano so she can shake those into her creations. I let her do it right on the kitchen floor and sweep it up later. As with the paint I never get hung up on the cost or mess of it.

6) Giving random chores. My toddler loves to be given responsibilities so when something is making her crabby or we are just stuck in a mood I redirect her by asking if she can put my shoes away or to throw away a piece of trash or help me put wash in the dryer. Sometimes just having an idea of something to do and getting praised for it is enough to turn the mood around and inspire her to play.

7) If boredom creeps up on us outdoors a bucket of water and an old paintbrush to pretend she’s painting with can gain me a few extra minutes of creative play for her and peace and quiet for me.

8) New bath toys can turn 5 minute baths into 30 minute baths.

9) Healthy snacks are a good way to get Waverly out of a bad mood. Likely because she was crabby from being hungry anyway but also bc it takes her out of the “I’m so bored” mode into “ok now I have something to do” mode for a few minutes and gives her more energy to play when she’s finished.

10) Rotate toys. Kids play way better with a few good choices than too many good choices. Once a few good sets of toys are being used less and less switch them out for something new that you already own and switch them back in again when the new choices become boring. When something is put away for a while it becomes so exciting again and too many toys results in kids playing with nothing bc they a) can’t decide what to do and b) are not getting bored long enough to become creative with what they do have. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have enough toys to play with but there is a fine line between “enough” and “too much” and when you cross that line into having “too much” you end up with a lot of toys that go unplayed with.