Working from home with young kids can feel like trying to juggle while cooking a three-course meal—complicated, to say the least. Your children, bless their hearts, require constant attention and stimulation, which can be a significant challenge when you have deadlines to meet and Zoom calls to attend. However, with some strategic planning and a bit of creativity, it’s entirely possible to keep your kids entertained and focused on activities that allow you to concentrate on your work. Here’s how to achieve that delicate balance, without spending extra money.
Kids thrive on routine because it gives them a sense of security and helps them understand what to expect next. Create a daily schedule that includes time for play, learning, snacks, and naps (if applicable). When children know what to expect, they’re less likely to interrupt your work. Schedule your most demanding work tasks during their nap or quiet time.
Create specific areas in your home where your kids can play independently. These zones should be safe and stocked with age-appropriate toys and materials that don’t require constant supervision. Rotate toys and activities out regularly to keep things fresh and engaging for them.
Set up various activity stations that your children can move between throughout the day. Each station can be dedicated to different types of play or learning, such as a reading nook, a puzzle corner, an art table, or a building block area. This variety will keep them entertained for longer periods, allowing you to focus on work tasks.
Leverage educational videos, apps, and online games that can engage your children in learning while having fun. Select high-quality, age-appropriate content that aligns with their interests and learning goals. Setting limits on screen time is essential, but a well-chosen educational program can be both a learning tool and a moment of respite for you.
Take short, interactive breaks with your kids throughout the day. Use this time for a quick game, a dance party, or a snack break together. These breaks are not only great for bonding but also help satisfy your kids’ need for attention, making them more likely to let you work uninterrupted for a while.
Offer your kids creative projects that they can work on independently. Simple craft projects, drawing, or even building a fort out of blankets can keep them occupied and stimulate their creativity. Provide the materials and a brief explanation, then let their imagination take over.
Implement a reward system to encourage good behavior and independent play. You can create a chart that tracks their progress in achieving daily or weekly goals, such as playing quietly while you’re on a call or completing a set of activities. Rewards can be simple pleasures like choosing the movie for movie night or a special snack.
Talk to your kids about the importance of your work and why you need uninterrupted time. Even young children can understand the concept of working from home if explained in simple terms. Set clear expectations and involve them in the process by asking for their ideas on how they can help you have a successful workday.
By integrating these strategies into your daily routine, you can create a more harmonious work-from-home environment. Keeping your kids entertained and engaged in meaningful activities allows you to focus on your work without the constant interruptions. Remember, flexibility and patience are key. Some days will be smoother than others, but with time and practice, you and your kids will find a rhythm that works for everyone.
To support you further in this journey of balancing work and childcare, I’ve gathered an incredible collection of resources from other mom bloggers. These generous creators have shared a variety of awesome printables that cater to every child’s interest and educational level. Whether you’re looking for intricate coloring pages, engaging puzzles, or interactive learning sheets, these resources are just a click away. By incorporating these printables into your child’s daily routine, you’ll not only enrich their playtime but also provide yourself with the much-needed focus time for your work. Be sure to explore these fantastic offerings, and remember, you’re not alone in this. The community of work-from-home parents is vast and supportive, ready to share strategies, resources, and encouragement to help you succeed both as a professional and a parent.
These coloring pages will keep your child creatively occupied while learning about the planets. Make sure you download and print these by clicking the button below.
Do your kids love going outside and exploring nature? I think this is such a fun activity to let your kids get creative. With this activity, they will not only be occupied for hours, but they also learn while exploring. This free activity will give you the opportunity to get some time to yourself, while your kids go outside and use their imagination!
Do your kids like to play make-believe? Print out these adorable masquerade masks for your kiddos, so they can decorate them and then play for hours, without interrupting mom. And once you’re done with work, you can hear all about their make-believe stories.
With this fun activity, you can put your kids’ brains to work. Give them any topic and let them come up with words related to that topic. This is such a fun game, that you might actually want to play with them and skip your work for today. I actually love this game myself!
The “Free Printable Shape Activities- Find, Trace, and Color” post on ReadWriteMom provides engaging printables that teach preschoolers about shapes through finding, tracing, and coloring exercises. These activities are designed as a fun and effective way for early learning
Here is a little tip from me: go to these pages now, download all the files, save them on your computer and pull them up and print them when you are actually in need. Your future self will thank you.
Now, of course, I am super curious to find out which activities your kids liked the best, and for how long your kids were entertained. And if you actually got some work done!? Let me know in the comments below!
Excellent and creative suggestions. I shall forward this article to friends with young children. Keep up the good work!!
What a lifesaver! These free printable activities are perfect for keeping my nieces entertained and learning. Thank you for sharing
These are all amazing art printables! I need to print some of these off for when my niece visits me on the weekends. 🙂
Yes Ma’am. This is exactly what I have been needing to keep my two-year-old occupied and off the screens for longer periods of time. Mother to mother you are out here saving lives.
Thank you for these printables. I always print some for my kids at the start of the week and I’m beginning to run out of ideas. These will come in handy.
These are amazing, thank you so much!
When I was younger, I would have loved these activities. I never had kids, but if I did, I would use these in a flash.
I love the planet colouring sheets. Kids absolutely love learning about space! It is a brilliant way to get them to think about the colours of planets, also why they are that colour 🙂
These are some great printables, I love having these on hand for the kids when I’m working. They really enjoy coloring the ones I’ve gotten for them. Thanks for sharing these!!
I love these printables, they are all beautiful and I am sure the kids will love them too!
This is very cool, love these steps and I’m sure my aunt would love to do these because we were just talking about this topic. She loves to get printables for her kids.
My kids love coloring pictures so I usually print them out for the kids to draw and paint instead of using the devices so much.