Toddler Housekeeping Play

Create a toddler housekeeping play corner

Guidelines: (2-2-2+)

To help toddlers learn to work alongside you do their chores have fun together making these box appliances.

You will need: About 3 large boxes from appliances (TV, microwave etc), black white and red tempura paint, scissors and packaging tape.

Purchase: A kiddies set of brooms and mops, some plastic food and cutlery, pots and pans.

Set up a painting area outside or in a place where you can wash down the space once you are done. Mix up your paints and together with your toddler paint your boxes white. When they are dry decide together what each should be. You can make:

Arrange these “appliances” and purchases in a housekeeping corner and let your toddler enjoy some imaginary play. Encourage them to clean the area before moving onto another game.

Bible link for moms – Proverbs 31:17

Having toddlers in the home is an exhausting time. There were times when my children were little that I would flop onto the couch at 8 or 9 pm and be asleep in an instant. But during those days my prayer was always that God would make my arms strong for my tasks.

Very often the way we are about cleaning up and working in our homes is the same attitude our children eventually adopt. Therefore be sure to check you own attitude about housework. We also can choose to accept the season we are in when we have young children and have nice quiet days spent at home instead of cramming in lots of activities and ending up feeling rattled at the end of the day.

If you are feeling weary and your hurricane toddler is wearing you down there are 3 things I recommend:
1. Make sure you are taking time for yourself – this is another reason for doing as much of your housework when your little one is awake.
2. Make sure you are renewing your mind to this wonderful thing you are doing – the task of raising children is one of the hardest and most time consuming thing you will ever do – and the most important!
3. Set your cleaning up boundaries with your toddler from young – with gentleness and grace.