What to do with Hyper toddlers in the smoke?

I just returned from Portland Oregon where I’ve been sheltering from the smoke. And now it’s just as smoky in Portland. And I’m wondering:

 for parents of toddlers in small residences (I live in a second floor apartment)

 what are you doing to keep them occupied and out of trouble? Given that the outdoor air is unsafe and public indoor spaces are closed due to COVID?

 Thanks, Emily

Parent Replies

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When our kid was little, we got a jogging trampoline. It was a great way for her to burn off some energy, and grown-ups can use them too.  The quality of bounce is better in larger models.

1. Dance parties!: Baby shark, Wheels on the Bus, Outkast, Prince etc. It's been good for my mental health as well to join in. Follow-the-leader dance parties are especially fun

2. Water table: we set up the baby bath tub in the real tub, with multiple bottles cups etc. that allows our toddler to have a makeshift water table and play with as much water as she likes.

3. Art: crayons, paint markers, stickers

4. Baking, cooking: Use a rotary egg beater. "Overknead" the pizza dough. My toddler also loves the salad spinner. 

5. Housework: put away (non-breakable) dishes in lower drawers, dry tupperware with towels, sweep up, put dirty laundry in the machine, transfer wet laundry to the dryer, pull clean clothes out.

6. Hide and seek (seriously, at that age, you can just lie in bed with a blanket over your head and they can take 10 minutes to figure it out) 

7. FaceTime with relatives in other places.

8. Books, books and more books. The libraries are open again, so we have been stocking up regularly.

9. Bounce balloons back and forth.

Hi Emily!

its Ava, who you met today with 3yr old Elliot. One thing that helped us was/is an online prerecorded gymnastics class that we did with Elliot every day...Getting some active but safe movement inside was super helpful — but I had to do it with him, so it wasn’t going to help me get any work done. 
it was so nice to meet you :)

My son is 16 months, so not a full-blown toddler yet, but we have been going to Target, sometimes even twice/day to let him run around in the toy and ball aisles. I see other families doing this too. We just go to a different aisle if there's a family already in a specific aisle. It's not perfect, but it lets him explore and get some energy out. Petco is another place we've taken him to look at the animals.

I'm so relieved we can go outside again right now, but I know the smoke will come back. It's so incredibly hard dealing with this on top of the pandemic. I'm not sure if you are podded with anyone, but that helps too so you can go to their house for a change of scenery.

Thanks, these are great ideas! And whether it’s smoke or cold rain that makes outdoors less appealing, it’s nice to have some options up my sleeve. The Pikler triangle was another suggestion I heard that looks worth pursuing.

 Great to meet you Ava and Elliot!