So we have been watching a lot of TV lately. I'm not going to sugarcoat it...putting the TV on is easy and it has made me a lazy mom. My kids still get out everyday and go to the library, storytimes, playdates, museums, indoor playgrounds. Don't get me wrong they are socially and educationally stimulated on a daily basis but this TV thing has gotten out of control.
Don't ask me how much time they spend in front of the TV because I purposely try not to keep track. I am lucky, Kayleigh rarely just "sits and watches TV." Most of the time she will watch for a little bit and then go on playing with her toys. Riley just likes watching a few minutes of Mickey Mouse and then goes on playing. They aren't couch potatoes but I just don't like that it has become a crutch.
So when we were looking at houses I had one demand. A family room. This way all their toys would be in a separate room and that TV would be out in the living room. No TV in the family room. This means in a week I am going to have to step up my game. Or just become the mom I was before I had two kids. The two kids thing did it. I got lazy when I had Riley and had to nurse 24/7. I would put on a show for Kayleigh so I could attend to Riley. Well she is a year now and it is time to break the habit.
So I decided to write this post. Most of them are pretty common things to do with your kids but since a friend commented on a photo of mine with "why haven't I ever thought of that." I figure I would divulge all my secrets...or at least the first ten that came to mind.
1. Read. When Kayleigh was little we read a lot. I would read books to her for hours. I am not exaggerating. Riley has just started liking books and we spend some time each day reading as well. Kayleigh still gets read to for about twenty minutes each night but the day reading came to a crashing halt. It's about to make a comeback.
2. Have a dance party! If you need the background noise of a TV, just turn on a music channel. We have the pop hits on a lot and my child now knows who Taylor Swift is and screams her name when one of her songs comes on. If you don't fancy your child singing pop hits, there is also a toddler station (we currently don't get it) or go to your local library and rent out some CD's. If your son LOVES cars, rent the Cars soundtrack. During dinner I try to play classical music and Kayleigh thinks it is Fantasia. So she likes it. Also, the dance party will help you burn some calories...WIN!
3. Throw the kids in the tub and have bubble time. When Kayleigh was four months old we started going to the little gym. At the end of every class they blew bubbles and said it helped with eye coordination. I have no idea if that is true but Kayleigh loved bubbles so much that we blew them while she was in the tub every night. This way they don't make a big mess. It is also fun to paint in the tub and Crayola has those tub markers and paint. Also, if you are looking for an educational activity for the tub, run to Target and grab those foam letters and numbers. Kayleigh loved playing "what is this letter/number" in the tub, or spelling out her name.
4. Go for a walk. Seriously. Kids learn so much on walks. Kayleigh loves to ask what kind of flower, tree, dog that is when we go for a walk. If it is snowing out, read "The Snowy Day," by Ezra Jack Keats and then go out and make tracks in the snow, snow angels and then talk about the book and your day and how similar they were. Going for a walk also helps with colors and numbers since houses are a plethora of colors and they all have house numbers :)
5. Puzzles. My kids both love puzzles. We have every Melissa and Doug puzzle I am pretty sure and it keeps them busy for a while. Kayleigh loves the jigsaw puzzles now that require a little more help. Which means I am interacting and talking to her a lot...which they say expands their vocabulary.
6. Coloring. Do it. Kayleigh can color for an hour straight. Riley thinks she can color for an hour straight but usually ends up eating the crayons. Make sure you get non-toxic. :) This is also a great color recognition exercise.
7. Tracing. Kayleigh loves to trace letters, numbers and shapes. They have these preschool preparation books you can find at B&N or just print stuff offline.
8. Take your kids grocery shopping with you and make them help. Kayleigh puts all the food on the belt now and helps me "look for food." Food recognition!
9. Clean up the toys! If your kid is driving you crazy and you feel like twenty minutes of a show will calm both your nerves...make them clean up first. We have bins with pictures of princesses, balls, trains on each one so Kayleigh knows where everything goes. Organization!
10. Hide and Seek...have you tried playing this with your kid...they learn how to count and they can play it for hours. It is awesome.
So I hope I gave you some new ideas. I feel I will be referring to this a lot in about a week. I cannot wait for the spring/summer since we have a backyard now! I will write a whole separate post on things to do with your kids in the backyard instead of watching TV in a few months...keep your eyes peeled!
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