How to get anything done with 2 year old

[scoolio]

Has anyone got any recommendations for toys or activities that a 2.5 year old can get on with on their own?

With naps happening less and less, I'm finding it impossible to get any chores done on the days when the toddler is at home. He has lots of toys but he wants/needs me to play with him all the time. The only thing that he seems to occupy him for long enough for me to do some cleaning etc is if I put him in front of the TV. Would rather avoid doing that too often, but I just can't afford the time to sit and play on the carpet with him all day.

Maybe sounds cheesy but kids love helping you and it’s just as valuable to them as you playing with their toys, as it’s time with you, which is what they want. They won’t do things perfectly of course but have them hand you washing as you hang it up, help you figure out which clothes belong to which person as you fold it, pull off the pillowcases and hand you different bits when you change beds, get all the non-breakable bits out when you empty the dishwasher, sit in the bath while you clean the bathroom, help you tidy up toys etc. And they love helping you cook. It takes an adjustment to how quickly or well something will get done but if you can tune into that pace it can be a great way of keeping a busy toddler who wants your attention occupied. My youngest is now 5 but if he’s getting grumpy towards the end of the day I’ll still take a minute to think about what I need to get done and how I can include him to help diffuse his mood. You can also think about things they can play alongside you, e.g. you line up all your cars while I do this, or set out a non messy activity you can hope they’re happy with while you do something else in the same room, like an aqua playmat or those reusable water painting books.

Thanks, I think you're probably right and he would like helping but there's no way I'd get anything done at all! I think that's probably the difference between a 5 year old and 2 year old - if he follows me into the room, he's causing havoc, pulling everything out of a cupboard etc. I just need him to stay put for a minute!

What I'm really after is a toy or activity that might hold his interest for 10-15 mins so I can hang the washing up or make a quick phone call.

See if he'll hand you the pegs whilst you do the washing. Both of mine have liked that – it's an important-feeling job. Putting washing in/out of the machine is similarly satisfying, apparently, as is cleaning the windows (I spray on some vinegar/water, they get a soft cloth). We have patio doors in the kitchen so it's a useful one for kitchen chores. Similarly, letting them put in an entire load of dirty washing by themselves can free you up to crack on with something else.

More independent play, my two year old (a couple months younger than yours) will scribble for a bit on her own (with me in the same room), also build with duplo or magnetic tiles or do a jigsaw – those I don't have to be in the same room, I could step into the hall to make a phone call or similar. She could also potter around the garden or ride her bike or scooter whilst I pegged up the washing (I'd keep an eye, of course), but being in charge of the peg bag is usually more tempting.

My two year old loved getting involved and helping where he could especially with the laundry.

I also got him a white board/chalk board which was a great distraction for him while I would clean the kitchen or hoover.

Don't stress too much about TV - it was a godsend for me some days when I just needed 20 minutes to get some quick jobs done and have a hot drink

Mine is 2.2 years old, so only a little younger than yours. He enjoys Duplo - will do imaginary play with cars and animals alongside it, so he'll build like a car park and spend ages moving cars around it, or build a zoo and put plastic animals in it.

He also enjoys shape based puzzles so we have some stacking toys, shape sorters, simple jigsaws that he can do himself.

He was really into Brio trains a couple of months ago and we could usually get 10-15 mins downtime with him playing with those.

But to be honest I think playing alone sometimes is a skill that has to be taught, you could have all the toys in the world but some kids will just want you to be there with them no matter what. Can you start small, just nip into the kitchen to grab something every few mins and soon DC will realise you come back and not be fussed about following you all the time?

But also like PP, if there is something I absolutely need to get done, then I have no hesitation in sticking the TV on for half an hour.

If your DC is like mine (and my eldest was even worse) - there is nothing! Except screens. I try to save the telly for times when Im cooking dinner or absolutely exhausted etc. To be fair my 2.5yo does sometimes play alone and does sometimes play with 6yo sibling, but it's only for short periods of time and it's totally unpredictable. It gets easier when they turn 3 though as their understanding improves then, there are more activities like arty things that they can do independently, and they can be more helpful with simple things like dusting and so on.

My 2 year old (2 last month) twins "help" with the chores. They will load/unload the unbreakable things from the dishwasher whilst I unload/load the breakables. I give them a clean duster and they "wipe" the surfaces dry after I've cleaned. They also have their own toddler broom and mop. They will also put the washing in the washing machine.

One at a time they also help with any cooking that doesn't involve anything hot. I.e. buttering bread, stiring a cold sauce.

In terms of activities that keep them occupied whilst independently. If Im cleaning and they are in the way I might send them to their playhouse with a damp cloth and broom for them to clean their house. They love colouring and books and will do this independently. Then duplo, brio trains, puzzles need some setting up but they are able to do themselves.

I can see the garden from the kitchen and they are more than happy in the garden with sand, mud kitchen and slide to play on

Big old fashioned wooden playpen. You can buy secondhand vintage ones.

For a two and a half year old?

OP, as everyone's said, they just want to be with you at that age so get them to "help". Mine will happily throw everything in and out of the whites laundry basket while I'm actually doing the darks. In the garden make a mini clothes line and let them muck about with dishcloths and pegs while you actually hang things up. Get a kitchen helper step and let them splash about in the sink with unbreakable things like wooden spoons etc while you cook dinner. They can push about a toy hoover while you hoover. And so on.

Following here for ideas!

I don't have much helpful to say, but find that buying a "learning tower" has been helpful for getting washing up done. My daughter stands up next to me at the sink "helping". There are downsides, though: you have go get sharp or fragile items out of the way and often I have to wipe up a lot of splashes of water afterwards.

I also try and get things done at the kitchen worktop while she stands in her tower eating snacks or meals (I'm afraid we don't manage to follow the parenting advice of sitting down and eating dinner at the same time).