Colder Days with a Toddler...and Pregnant, Too?!

Surviving Toddler Parenting While Pregnant

All you pregnant moms with older children can surely relate...your eyes widen as you read the weather forecast and notice the quickly dropping temps – uh oh, the toddler won't be able to spend so much time outdoors. What about all that energy? Sitting in front of the TV all day doesn't sound like a great idea, but you need to spend more of your precious energy growing the little one in your womb.

I'm always looking for creative ways to keep the TV turned off, but don't always have the energy or money for elaborate games and crafts. This tired, pregnant doula has a few low-mess, low-maintenance, easy-prep tricks to buy a few hours of resting or reading on chilly afternoons. So far, they're 100% two-year-old approved, and best of all? Little to no cleanup involved.

Homemade play dough

I whipped up a homemade play dough recipe I found on Pinterest in about 5 minutes, and popped the toddler in his booster seat at the table with cookie cutters and various other kitchen tools. He enjoyed squishing, rolling and cutting for 2 whole TV-free hours while I relaxed and then prepared dinner. Yes!

Painting

I know this sounds super messy, but it doesn't have to be. Strip down to the diaper, sit at the table covered with a cheap dollar store plastic tablecloth and provide a small amount of paint – I usually only have to spend a couple minutes wiping up afterward.

Zero-Mess Painting

Really can't deal with any messes right now at all? This is great if your toddler is 2 or under and if you need ideas for being on bedrest. I simply squeezed a few different blobs of craft paints into a gallon-sized plastic storage bag, taped it securely to the door, and my toddler enjoyed “finger painting” on and off all day with zero cleanup needed.

Indoor Snow Play

We actually did this last year, but I know some areas of the country are already getting snow and we will too at some point. It takes a lot of time and energy to collect and put on the boots, snowsuits, hats, gloves and scarves needed to brave the cold, even when not pregnant! Filling up the bathtub with snow and providing a few scooping toys is one of my favorite ways to entertain a toddler while pregnant. By the way, the cleanup could not get any easier – it'll just melt down the drain!

What are some of your favorite tricks for surviving and thriving with toddlers while pregnant?

Source: New feed