Easy Ways to Entertain Little Kids with Kelsey Cook

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If you have kids under the age of 7, you’re going to love this episode! I’ve invited Kelsey Cook, founder of Learning with Kelsey, to share easy ways to entertain little kids. We’re talking about how to get into a playful mentality as a parent and how to entertain your kids in a way that feels easy and good to you.

These are the kinds of activities you want to have in your toolbox to keep your kids occupied (and happy!) when you’re taking care of a baby, getting up early, making lunches - or when you just need a break.

Kelsey Cook is a certified teacher, entrepreneur, mom, and advocate for early childhood learning. With a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, she spent six years teaching before launching Learning with Kelsey, a subscription box company designed to help parents engage their young children in meaningful, hands-on learning. 

As a mother of four, Kelsey understands the challenges of early education at home and created her boxes to simplify the process while strengthening parent-child connections. Kelsey says, “The years before kindergarten are so hard and so special because you are your kid's teacher. You're with them. But then also you feel this pressure of, ‘how can I get them ready [to start school], because there's nobody else getting them ready?’”

What started as a small passion project has grown into a nationwide resource, helping families in all 50 states prepare their children for lifelong learning.

Easy Ways to Entertain Little Kids 

These activities are super fast and easy, and they’re created for KIDS, so it’s not totally necessary for you to be right there doing it with them. As much as they are about engagement and learning for your child, they’re also a coping strategy for you. Parenting little kids is exhausting. It’s very physical and takes a ton of energy.

Think about one of those mornings when your kid wakes up early. You still just want a little time to get dressed and have a cup of coffee, but your kiddo needs engagement. They are ready to go! 

As moms, it’s easy to feel guilt about pretty much everything. Simple activities like the ones Kelsey creates allow your kids to learn while being entertained (without screens), so you don’t have to feel guilty about taking a moment for yourself. It’s a total win-win!

One of my favorite ideas Kelsey shared is creating “morning starts” for her kids. These are simple activities that she sets up the night before (in just a couple of minutes) so that they have something to do when they get up in the morning. She recommends using an activity that kids have done before so they can do it independently. 

Of course, these activities also provide an opportunity to connect with your child when you want to. And connection breeds compliance. Spending that one-on-one time and giving them your attention leads to better behavior. Your kid behaves better when they feel really loved, seen, and supported by you.

Plus, they get a little dopamine kick when they succeed at a challenge or solve a problem.

Kelsey and I agree that any activity Mom can lead from the couch is a winner! Here are some of our favorites:

• Freeze Dance - Put on some music and let your kid show off their moves. When the music stops, they freeze in place!
• Statue - Challenge your kid to pose like statue of different animals or objects that you call out
• Easter egg hunt (or other objects) - This one does require you to move around for a minute - Hide the eggs and ask your child to find them and bring them back to you one at a time
• Sing a song, like “head, shoulders, knees, and toes”

Set the Stage for Play

In the world of on-demand entertainment, kids figuring out how to entertain themselves has become a lost art. Kelsey’s activities and boxes teach kids to engage their own brain, creativity, and problem solving. These are activities they can come back to over and over and put their own variations on them. 

Include movement

We both hear moms all the time say, “My kid won’t sit still to do an activity.” And it’s not a problem.

Kelsey loves including gross motor skills in her monthly activity boxes and calls them “brain breaks”. Some examples for springtime include rolling an Easter egg or hopping like a bunny. For kids who need to move, it can help to do these activities before they sit down for something calmer.

She also shares that a 5-10 minute attention span is pretty normal for preschool-age kids. So planning for short activities with movement in between is a great way to keep them engaged. 

You’ve got to figure out what works for your child and family, so get creative! When Kelsey’s boys were young, instead of sitting at a table to do a sticker activity, they would get the sticker, hop over to a paper that was hanging on the wall and stick it up. Then, hop back over for the next sticker. It allowed them to move their bodies and made the activity last longer.

Create a dedicated space

As I watched Kelsey’s Instagram videos, I noticed that she seemed to have a wall in her home that was used for certain activities. Even if you don’t have a full playroom in your home, look for a space where kids can move and get a little messy (within limits). 

Kelsey shares that even though her family does have a play room, that’s often not where her kids want to play. They want to be in the kitchen, because that’s where she is. So now, that’s where the “play wall” is, too.

Set expectations

Letting kids know what to expect and what is expected of them before you start a new activity is helpful in so many ways. 

First, it trains you to think ahead for any obstacles that might come up. Then, you can prepare your child and set them up for success.

Kelsey shares the example of going to Target. A lot of times, parents get frustrated when they’re shopping, wondering why their kid is being so annoying and grabbing everything. Instead she says to her kids, “When we go into the store today, we’re not buying any toys. But if you see something you want for your birthday, I’ll take a picture of it.”

This is an example of letting your child know what to expect, understanding their needs and desires, and setting clear limits.

Keep it simple

When kids are little, we often assume they know how to do certain things…when maybe they don’t. Or it’s just not as easy for them as we think.

Kelsey says, “Go all the way back to the simplest thing you're trying to tell them to do. For instance, when my kids are going to get in the car, I say, ‘Okay. We're gonna go, and I need you to go and put your hand on the car.’” One super simple step at a time.

Kelsey’s other favorite tool from her years as a teacher? Whispering. She says kids tune in immediately because they have to if they want to hear what you’re saying.

Get Playful as a Parent

My goal for being a mom was to make it fun for myself. I want my family energy to be light and connected. And when we get off track, I want to bring that playfulness back in. 

Our kids don't want the Instagram or Pinterest mom. They want the mom they have, and they want us to be happy.

Kelsey shares one idea that changed her approach to motherhood - You can make motherhood what you want it to be. 

She loved reading books to her kids, so creating a daily story time built that connection and filled her cup at the same time. “It’s not all about what your kids want,” she says. “Think about what you love as a mom and what brings you joy. Then, do more of it.” 

You’ll Learn:

• Why you don’t have to be involved in everything your kid does
• How to feel more playful and fun as a mom 
• 4 ways to encourage play (and make it easy)
• My hide-and-seek hack for when you need a quiet moment🤫

Connect with Kelsey:

• Grab your free download of Toddler Activity Ideas
• Find printables, and tons of free resources at learningwithkelsey.com 
• Follow Kelsey on Instagram and TikTok @learningwithkelsey
• Kelsey’s monthly activity boxes include 20 done-for-you ideas and only the supplies you actually need (no more hours of scrolling Pinterest or ordering giant Amazon bags of 1000 pom poms). Plus, they’re quick to set up and don’t require a ton of parent involvement (you can choose how much you want to engage). Check out the different options online at learningwithkelsey.com