https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 26 May 2026 07:27:58 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2804034 Tue, 13 Feb 2018 16:29:48 +0000 Becky 2804034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do have a white board/easel. I could refresh the supplies for that. And we used to have those reusable Melissa and Doug stickers! I’ll get them for DD2’s bday because those are definitely a hit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803986 Tue, 13 Feb 2018 14:19:22 +0000 looch 2803986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Becky: Do you have a whiteboard? You can get dry erase crayons. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803971 Tue, 13 Feb 2018 13:53:26 +0000 Silva 2803971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Becky: maybe they could paint at an easel, to keep it off the table? The only reason free range access to art supplies works is because i don't have to look at it! its so hard.<br /> I also have really embraced the idea that its not my job to entertain my kids 24/7. So they can be bored and its not my problem. I mean, they try to make it my problem. But after enough ignoring they usually figure something out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803820 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 23:09:55 +0000 PinkElephant 2803820@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: Ditto the box idea. My kids (older and younger than the OP's , but still) LOVE LOVE LOVE messing around with big boxes. It lasts HOURS.</p> <p>If the four year old is solid on number recognition, these are fun - my 5 year old will do these alone, and my 3.5 year old is close to being able to:<br /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A7L3B2A/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&#038;psc=1" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A7L3B2A/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&#038;psc=1</a></p> <p>(If you can get to a michaels, there are cuter designs all at the same price - the amazon price fluctuates a lot)</p> <p>For the younger one - maybe Melissa &amp; Doug restickable stickers? We've had better luck with the "puffy" ones than the big flat books. Or the Melissa &amp; Doug coloring books that only work with their specific markers - mess free! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803799 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 21:49:31 +0000 Becky 2803799@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: “invitations to play” work pretty well for us too. The past few days have been surprisingly easier but it seems to go in cycles. </p> <p>How do you get your kids to use watercolors? We usually just use those crayola washable paints or finger paints that come in those squat bottles. My kids give up in water colors after no time because they can’t seem to get the hang of dipping the brush in water and then paint and squishing it around long enough to get color on there. We always end up with soggy paper and spilled water. </p> <p>Our living area is the kitchen and dining room (one space), then the living room which is a step down. There is no other living area and it drives me crazy to have a mess all over the table! I clean it up after they go to bed every night. DD1 uses up so many supplies at once so maybe if I ration them that would help. They do have access to everything but I’m also not super crafty so don’t know what the best art supplies formkids are. We have crayons, markers, craypas, paints, and stamps. Other ideas? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803757 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 17:18:49 +0000 Mama Bird 2803757@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@AB810: @Silva: oh, that's a good idea! Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803755 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 17:12:36 +0000 Silva 2803755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mama Bird: we subscribe to sparkle stories and I play them on the (ipad) which is locked. Sparkle Stories has a free podcast, with a free story each week. Its kind of an expensive subscription (15.00 / month) but its been totally worth it for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803752 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 16:55:54 +0000 AB810 2803752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mama Bird: I have an old iPhone or I use the iPad. I just put them up high so they can’t change it. Or use the lock function. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803734 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:47:20 +0000 Mama Bird 2803734@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@AB810: what do the audio books play on? I can find some online, but the kids would probably listen for ten minutes, then jump on the computer and start pushing all the buttons... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803706 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 14:48:52 +0000 looch 2803706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@AB810: on the watercolor painting, we have a set of water brushes that I let my son use with paints in the little pans. You don't need a separate cup of water and the water doesn't gush out!</p> <p>I keep all art supplies in the kitchen. We have a bench seating arrangement and I have 4 open canvas bins there loaded with supplies and my son can use any of them at any time. I made my peace with an ancient formica table, vinyl bench and basically, just wipe it down. It helps that we also have a separate dining area because I will let stuff that's been painted or glue just hang out on the table to dry. It's not beautiful, but it's extremely functional. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803700 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 14:38:15 +0000 AB810 2803700@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do a lot of watercolor painting because it makes limited mess. My kids are both great at playing together and get deep into imaginative play, so that helps (they are 2 and 4). I have recently went completely screen free and we have been using books on tape everyday for some chill time. Audible has a ton of great books, as does our library. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803691 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 14:13:36 +0000 Silva 2803691@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter is almost 5, and she gets to watch t.v. on Friday afternoons only. She watches about 1 1/2 hours on that day. The rest of the time no screens.<br /> She does listen to about 40 minutes of audio stories each day (usually while I'm getting dinner)- she will often do art/color, or set up small world play while she listens to stories.</p> <p>My house is WRECKED every day, but my kids do go to bed between 6:30 and 7:00 so I end up cleaning after that.</p> <p>My daughter loves making art, and I have made all of her art stuff accessible to her. Its in our den, which is gated so that my younger child can't get in there. She has coloring sheets, paper, stickers, millions of markers/crayons, tape, hole punches, and random wrapping paper/tissue paper/etc.<br /> That room is a disaster. It can be really challenging, honestly- I get her to clean it by telling her that if she doesn't pick stuff up I will do it, and I don't know whats trash/stuff to save so I'm liberal with the trash category. But she doesn't organize it and it looks like shit. Its not part of the main house, so I don't feel totally embarrassed if people come over. That said- she works on her art for probably at least two hours a day.</p> <p>I get some mileage out of "invitations to play." There are some ideas on pinterest- but simply getting out our toy barn, setting up the animals, maybe stacking a few blocks and putting out a playsilk- it makes the toys look new, and can spark some imaginative play. </p> <p>i keep a large, low-sided (like under the bed storage) container in a closet in our mudroom. its filled with bird seed, and scooping toys/trucks, etc. It also makes a mess, because birdseed is everywhere- but its easy enough to sweep up off the stone tile, and the kids like that.</p> <p>We got a box big enough for my younger child (18 months) to sit in the other day- i gave the kids crayons and he decorated the inside while she did the outside. It lasted 45 minutes! They played peekaboo, etc.</p> <p>On weekends- we go outside a lot. My daughter does a quiet time alone in her room for about an hour after lunch while the 18 month old naps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2803677 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 13:49:38 +0000 Mommy Finger 2803677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've learned to let go during the week. They've been at school all day playing and learning. If they need to chill out and watch a show while I make dinner, so be it. Sometimes I'm tired and just want to veg for 20 minutes to decompress. The weekends is where I try to make sure that we have other activities to keep us busy. And yes, there's the toy room mess. I just make sure they help clean it up. The 2 yo isn't the best at this lately. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802920 Thu, 08 Feb 2018 10:43:05 +0000 Becky 2802920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kiddosc: Okay, glad I’m not the only one in this place right now. Allll of the mess. Sometimes I’m better at letting it go than others. I also keep getting sick, so last night I did throw in the towel and we watched a show together and didn't feel guilty about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802908 Thu, 08 Feb 2018 10:20:53 +0000 Anagram 2802908@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Becky: I got through periods of "no screens" with my kids and it's just a given that they will find a way to make a gigantic mess. It's a tradeoff. Either I pick zombie-in-front-of-the-tv, or I pick no tv and they will find a way to make a mess. The thing is, they aren't just making a mess to be mean, they're playing and getting really into it. But they're playing is pretending their plastic play food are airplanes, and they start throwing them across the room. Or they find my husband's poker chips somehow and decide it will be so FUN to scatter them all around the living room, in the couch cushions, under the couch, under the entertainment center. It's like really fun, tactile stuff for them and a giant mess for me. I kind of just have to decide which it's going to be--because my kids are only 2.5 and 4.5, so their play that isn't parent-attended (like when I'm busy cooking) is going to involve scattering things during play.</p> <p>When I've had a long day at work and am not up to the extra cleaning, I pick TV. And when I have more energy or am feeling more zen or have noticed a bad effect from TV, I steel myself and let them have at it, then seat them for dinner and let them start eating while I turn on some music and quickly clean up the mess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802900 Thu, 08 Feb 2018 10:06:06 +0000 kiddosc 2802900@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a 23 month old and a 5 year old and they play pretty well alongside each other. The old can build a magnatile tower while the younger just stacks them. Mega blocks are also a big hit for both. We have a hot wheels car launcher that the older one launches cars and the younger one chases them and retrieves them. They will also sit together and color, and the older one can shout to me if little sister goes rouge with a crayon. </p> <p>I've also totally lowered my standards for the winter. The toys are everywhere constantly and the dishes are piled up in the sink. I'm going to spend the hour of non-eating awake time I have with my kids in the evening interacting rather than bother with cleaning up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802892 Thu, 08 Feb 2018 09:36:06 +0000 snowjewelz 2802892@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Water play at the sink. My 3 year old has loved it ever since she could reach the sink on a step stool. It does get messy but it's just water. For my 1 year old, just give her anything that's not a toy and she'll be happy. I usually let her play with all my make up/jewelry/nail polish stuff (of course nothing that opens easily, no nice jewelry, etc).</p> <p>Oh and they got an indoor trampoline for Christmas so that helps a ton. The older one jumps while the younger one just climbs up and down and fake jumps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802849 Thu, 08 Feb 2018 07:40:32 +0000 Becky 2802849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess what I’m having trouble with is thinking of things that won’t cause a huge mess! The water and pasta are pretty good ones that I could do more (pretty easy to clean up). The toys are everrrrrrywhere right now and I feel like all I’m doing is cleaning up so I don’t have time to hang out with them ☹️ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802840 Thu, 08 Feb 2018 06:24:51 +0000 ElbieKay 2802840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 4yo son loves to play "monster". This basically consists of chasing him around the house while yelling "RAAAWRRR!!!". Then once he is caught he gets tickled. He usually enjoys this so much that he asks for more tickles.</p> <p>This is a game that would probably appeal to a 21mo as well. My husband has played it with multiple children at play dates. It usually results in children climbing all over him and shrieking with glee.</p> <p>However it is pretty exhausting for the adult! And it is definitely not independent play.</p> <p>How about duplos? By 21mo my son was able to build a simple tower. Magnatiles might work too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802771 Wed, 07 Feb 2018 19:36:28 +0000 hellobeeboston 2802771@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@caitcat: I also forgot about Easter eggs. Great idea for both kids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802770 Wed, 07 Feb 2018 19:35:49 +0000 hellobeeboston 2802770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Becky: we struggle with this too. Our kids are 5 and almost 2.5. We use tv/device time getting ready in the morning and at night too... mainly when we need to do other things, and a little more on weekends.</p> <p>For my 2 yo, I can do the following and it will keep him busy alone for a good 20 min:</p> <p>Big pot, pour one or two boxes of elbow macaroni (or beans) out and give cups and stirrers and a few toys. That sensory play is great to bring out once in a while and keeps them busy!</p> <p>Also a big hit, but a big mess, water play. I lay out a towel and a thick rimmed baking sheet, give a few cups of water (hot &amp; cold with color change cars) and other cups and toys. Looooves this. Again, messy.</p> <p>My 5yo is terrible at independent play, i have a few workbooks that he will work on if I give him a few pages and set a timer. We have a time timer so he can see how much time is left. I can also give him simple legos to build with minimal supervision. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802768 Wed, 07 Feb 2018 19:26:44 +0000 Becky 2802768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@caitcat: I completely forgot about hiding Easter eggs! We used to do that all the time. I feel like my 21 month old would enjoy it and they could probably play with them together too. Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802765 Wed, 07 Feb 2018 19:07:37 +0000 caitcat 2802765@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Winter is so much harder with not being able to go outside! I’ve had luck recently with my three year old playing pretty independently with a manga doodle, and those Melissa and Doug water wow coloring books. Both are the kind of thing she can move away from my ten month old pretty easily on her own and aren’t messy (which I like!). I can also keep her busy for a while by setting up egg hunts with empty Easter eggs around the house. It’s not great as a spur of the moment filler, but she loves searching for the eggs and it gives her a mission. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-free-morning-tips#post-2802679 Wed, 07 Feb 2018 12:36:23 +0000 Becky 2802679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I want to cut down on my girls’ screen time, but I’m having trouble figuring out activities/things for them to do in the morning when I am getting ready for work, throughout the day on weekends, and in the evenings when I am prepping dinner or cleaning it up (I only do a very basic clean up after dinner to get food off the floor and things into the fridge, and finish everything else after they are in bed). A lot of screen time during weekends and evenings seems to also stem from them being sleepy (4 y/o just dropped most naps), and at other times it’s often because they are 21 months and 4, and not necessarily doing a lot together. I’d love to sit down and do a craft or build a magnatile creation with DD1, but I constantly have to step away to attend to DD2. DD1 often thinks of creative games to play (last night she created a beach in our living room) but has a melt down if DD2 wrecks part of it. I feel like I am constantly telling DD1, “just a minute, DD2 is [going potty, wants something, doesn’t want to play].” DD1 is a very, very good kid and it’s rrally hard to put her off because DD2 is more difficult. </p> <p>Does anyone have tips for independent activities the kids can do? I’d be very open to any “kits” I could arrange ahead of time and pull out. </p> <p>Also, this is only a winter time issue for us. After school/daycare in nicer weather they just play outside. The weather has been particularly harsh where we live this winter. </p>