POLL: how do you get creative?

rayskit10

as i was cleaning off the kitchen counter and singing a song with Mathis, i started to think about sigmundsgirl's post. i am wondering if you have anything fun/creative that you do to entertain and engage your kids while getting things done around the house at the same time?

rayskit10

i sing to/with the kids a lot while i am tidying up. i think it's great b/c we're engaging each other but i am getting things done as well.

also, if i am doing something like folding laundry, i usually have a bag of something or an extra basket with things like burp cloths or washcloths in it and i let mathis just go wild with that. he is learning texture, spacial relations and just generally exploring his world while i am accomplishing a task. at the same time, he is learning to play autonomously while i am still close by. 

LisaK2b

What we do with Ally is a lot less than what we did with Emmy at that age.  With Ally, if I'm doing chores, I pretty much leave her alone in her swing or bouncer.  But if it's play time, then I would sing to her and have her "dance" because she likes to stand and bounce a lot.  I also dance while I'm just randomly holding her because it makes her laugh.  When I'm folding laundry, I normally play peek a boo with her.  Or if I'm folding something large, I normally have it slowly fall down on her face as I'm folding.  She always laughs with that too. 

 

mom2ll

I actually get Luca to help me.  He loves to put the clothes into the washer/dryer and push the buttons.  He loves to stir anything I'm making.  He puts clothes in the hamper and throws away trash....  I just draw it out and give him 1 shirt or 1 piece of trash at a time.  It keeps him occupied...  Lila likes to sit and play with tuperware..  and snacks lot of snacks...  I also make up silly songs about what I am doing.

kat.in.the.hat

Like Brandi - I put her to work!  She loves the feather duster and runs around the house declaring everything "a mess!"  She's actually a big help with the laundry and I love her ability to put things in the trash can and kitchen sink.

michellebelle

Singing is big in our house.

Also asking, "Hey Maddie - do you want to do what Mommy is doing?"  She likes wiping things down, so I give her a rag and some green-friendly cleanser and let her go to town, or I spray a dust rag and let her run it over the furniture in the living room. (but I have to be careful - she broke my brand new "it's finally safe to have a table lamp up in the living room" table lamp when dusting).

As a last resort, I have her dress in a raggedy torn pink princess dress and tell her she is Cinderella and once she does X, Y, and Z her fairy godmother will put her in a beautiful new dress and take her to the ball.  Once she finishes the 3 things she puts on her Cinderella costume dress and we put on the music channel on the TV and dance around a bit.

 

BritanyV

I'm not very creative.  I usually try to do most things while ds is taking a nap during the day or sleeping at night. Otherwise, he is usually entertained with a toy while I do stuff.

The only thing I can't do when ds is sleeping is vacuum.   He used to cry for me to let him vacuum when I was vacuuming, unfortunately when he "vacuums" because the handle it too tall  and he HAS to hold it by the handle the vacuum never hits the floor!  lol   So what I have come up with is I give him the broom and he "sweeps" the carpet while I vacuum.  It keeps him happy and gets the floors cleaned! 

KelleyA

I let DD help with just about anything I do.  She helps bring in groceries and unpack them.  She has a feather duster and a vacuum...she likes to go along with me.  She clears out our recycling every Wednesday evening with us and gets so excited...it's her chore.  We empty the dishwasher together and teach her where something new goes each time.  We of course clean up and sing a song together.

I let DD put makeup/jewelry on when I put it on for a special occasion and most nights in between stirring/prepping dinner she sit at her easel (which is in the kitchen) and we draw.  She always wants me to write her name and she now recognizes her name any time she sees it. 

We bake together...DH and I always pull a chair over for her to help put the ingredients in the mixer/roll out dough and prep things for baking.  It's fun, educational and gets it done!