The warm summer days are rolling away and soon we will have colder weather & RAIN! As a mom of 4 (11-Zoey, 5-Lia , & 2 year old twins - Lincoln & Lucas), I have fallen into panic mode on rainy days! How do you entertain 2-year-olds indoors? As a seasoned parent, I have gathered a few tips to share with you!
It’s been 11 years of parenting trial and error, and thus 11 years of lessons learned that I am always happy to pass on! You truly never know how when your tips will help others, so here I am- ready to share!
Stock up on Toys That Grow With Your Kids
One of the MOST important things to me as a parent has been investing in toys that grow with my kids. This became even more important after having my twins because well, the increase in cost of living was VERY apparent. VTech® toys have always been a favorite in our home in HUGE part due to their multiple uses & wide age ranges.
These toys are ESPECIALLY good to bring out when you need to get creative with indoor play. A few of our favorites include the VTech® Count & Win Sports Center™, the VTech® Stroll & Discover Activity Walker™, the VTech® Pop-a-Balls Push & Pop Bulldozer™, and the VTech® Explore & Crawl Elephant™.
Keep Their Bodies Moving!
My kids have all been very active. Keeping their bodies moving is so important when it comes to using up all that energy and not going stir crazy. To help keep them moving while indoors, we bring out our VTech® Count & Win Sports Center™.
We switch off between exercising their legs with the soccer ball and using the basketball to exercise their hands and arms. They absolutely love the animated LED scoreboard & having the ability to push the buttons. And for those growing kiddos, parents, you can adjust the height to two different levels.
Keeping Lincoln active is especially important. That little guy NEEDS to move his whole body.
Playtime = Learning Time
My kids learn best while playing. This is something VTech® understands SO well & incorporates seamlessly into their toys. Although you can’t go wrong with any of them, one item we love is the VTech® Stroll & Discover Activity Walker™.
The Activity Walker is perfect for those learning to walk as well as for floor play. Floor play with the walker is one of Lucas’ favorite ways to learn and play. He loves being introduced to colors and numbers...AND THE PHONE! I love that he gets to role play with the fake phone as well.
Lincoln LOVES to bring out the Pop-a-Balls Push & Pop Bulldozer™ for some fun play. The four number buttons not only teach colors, but your kids can also learn numbers, construction objects and music!
Sensory Play
After our daughter Lia was diagnosed with a speech delay and sensory processing disorder, my husband and I placed a big emphasis on sensory play. Some days that means we play with dirt. But on rainy days, it means play time with the super soft VTech® Explore & Crawl Elephant™.
Lucas is a cuddler and loves anything soft. The Explore & Crawl Elephant™ has also been great for getting him exposed to multiple textures and bright patterns.
Bring On the Music
Music is a constant in our home. From the time we wake until the end of the night, you can find music playing throughout our day.
We love to play music and dance as well as learn to sing along with the twins. Lucas’ favorite, the Explore & Crawl Elephant™,, has 45+ songs, melodies, sounds and phrases! All the VTech® toys we own have a great variety of songs and melodies to keep my kids dancing, moving, and ALWAYS learning!
Have Fun & Grace
The biggest tip I could ever offer, whether it be for a rainy day or for a day full of sunshine, is to have fun & grace on yourself. Parenting is often full of challenges and something like the rain can seem like a hassle to deal with, trust me I know.
In those moments, I like to remind myself AND want to remind you, take a deep breath! You got this!
Karen Martinez is a mom of 2+twins and the face behind Mamma Bear Says, a family blog sprinkled with DIYs, crafts, & more. Her goal with Mamma Bear Says is to provide readers with stories about their lives, family life tips, & creative projects meant to inspire them to live their most genuine & creative lives.