10 Ways To Keep Children Happy While You Work

Finding the time to work on your business at home is challenging, even more so if you have little ones around. Some work-at-home parents don’t even try to work while their children are awake, but discipline themselves to work either before or after the kids are in bed and/or during nap time. However, if you plan ahead, it’s not hard to keep them busy so you can get a few hours in during the day. In the 30+ years of working at home and homeschooling 4 children, here’s a few ideas I came up with that can suit a number of age groups:

1. A tape recorder, and books on tape

I guess they use CD’s now, but you get the point. The library is the place to find these. If you don’t have one of the Fisher Price versions ( Tuff Stuff Tape Recorder w/ Voice Warp) sometimes you can find an old tape recorder at Goodwill or a yard sale. Some kids will sing into a recorder or listen to fun music for hours. You might want to establish a volume number to stay under.

2. Scissors, paper and tape

A pack of construction paper, scissors and tape can keep most girls busy for hours. Some boys, too, but girls are more likely to sit and work at a table for hours. Old magazines they can cut up are fun, too. We like to use the tape in a desk dispenser. It may cost a little more, but in the long run it will cost you less. Have you ever seen a child pull a 3 foot piece of tape from a hand held dispenser accidentally? My point exactly. Also, I don’t advise using paste – it’s just too messy. You’ll end up spending too much time cleaning up the mess.

3. Set up a play office

My daughter would do this on her own when she was little. A play phone, a spiral notebook or clipboard with paper and something that simulates a laptop. We have had this toy that looks like a laptop for ages we found at a garage sale forever ago. It’s gotten a lot of mileage!

4. A snack area of their own

Set them up with a shelf or area in a cabinet that they can get their own snacks. Include a little stack of mini paper plates and napkins, too.  Put juice boxes or drinks in a covered cup in a special place in the refrigerator along with a bowl or plate of ready to eat fruits or veges. They will love the independence this imparts. It also lends itself to pretending to have their own restaurant. Suggest they write up a menu, etc.

5. Activity boxes

Make up 2-3 different boxes of toys that aren’t available except during your work time. Rotating the boxes will make them seem more interesting and give an element of surprise. The dollar store is a great place for inexpensive new items to put in the boxes to keep them ‘fresh’. If you have a child that thrives on scheduling like we do, make a Monday box, Tuesday box, etc. Take my word for it, they’ll love it.

6. Make a list of things to do while ‘mommy works’.

Let them cross off each activity as they do it. Give them a timer to use if they are old enough. For instance:

• 30 minutes playing ball outside
• 45 minutes on computer (designate a fun educational game – see the next tip)
• Make and eat your snack – clean up
• 10 minutes cleaning your room
• 1 hour playing with today’s activity box
• 30 minutes reading/looking at books
• 1 – 30 minute TV show or video
• Draw a picture of ________

7. Educational computer games

There are so many great educational websites out there now for children, you’ll have a hard time choosing just one. Granted, you’ll want to balance it with physical activities. One great website I recently found is CBN’s Superbook. Cool Math Games is another one. Jumpstart has online and software you can install for almost every age that we really like.

8.  Set up a library shelf

Once a week, go to the library and check out an assortment of magazines and books and place them on a special shelf. Ideally, if you can set up a cozy corner in the room you work where they can read, you’ll find they spend much more time with their noses in a book. They will like just being near you. Make sure to establish the rule that they have to be as quiet in your office library corner as they would be in the library.

9. Let them help you

I’m a firm believer in children having age-appropriate chores. It should never overwhelm their school or fun time, of course, but it’s a building block towards a healthy work ethic. My daughter’s chores when she was just 4 years old were emptying the bathroom and office garbages into the main garbage in the kitchen and shaking the bathroom rugs outside. She loved having ‘big people’ work. Ideally, if there are any tasks like folding, stapling, or jobs to help you in your work – it’s worth the extra time it takes. Remember, we’re training young entrepreneurs!

10. Legos and sidewalk chalk

I listed these together because obviously there will be days sidewalk chalk is not an option. Also, Tinkertoys are easily found at garage sales and are a big hit, especially for boys.

It’s always an ongoing challenge to carve out the time you need to work on your business. Hopefully this will stimulate your creative juices for you to come up with more ideas to suit your unique situation. Be sure to establish the “Clean Up Rule” at the very beginning. In addition to requiring one mess to be cleaned up before another project is started, you could make it a routine to take 10 minutes periodically to do the quick “clean up dance” – together.

Please share any ideas you may have, too. It helps everyone!

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