At home with a toddler? It can be hard to keep coming up with ideas to keep them (and you) from becoming bored. Never fear, as a mom of 5, I have tons of experience keeping toddlers happy. Here is a round-up of my favorite tips, tricks, and tools.
Keep in mind that you do not need everything on this list. I’m giving lots of suggestions but you pick what you think your kid will like and build your toy & supply selection over time. Shop consignment sales, Facebook marketplace, local mom pages, etc (when we are no longer in quarantine of course).
The best part: many of these suggestions are packed with learning and they won’t even know it. During the toddler years we want to focus on fine & gross motor skills, counting, colors, shapes, and some exposure to letter sounds all through play.
DIY Activity Ideas
You can do a TON with a toddler with things you already have around the house. A friend let me borrow her sweet 1 year to show off some activity ideas.
Tip: when setting up activities, try to put whatever they are transferring from on the left. This will help lay a foundation for, much later on, reading from left to right.
Pom Pom transfer with tongs. For a more advanced version, you can use construction paper to color the bottom of the muffin slots and they can sort pom poms by color.
(obviously monitor closely to keep them out of the mouth)
Cut up an empty paper towel tube & place it on the holder
Slice a banana with the peel on. Let them peel & eat. You can even talk about how a banana is a circle and count how many slices there are.
Here are the deals from the new Bi-Lo weekly ad that starts on 4/22. Get Smithfield bacon for $3.99, Hellmann’s mayo for $1.49, and more.
Note: Bi-Lo stores are currently open from 8:00AM to 8:00PM, though the first hour (8-9) is dedicated to seniors and high-risk individuals Monday through Friday. They are also offering a special hour of shopping for healthcare providers and first responders (Monday and Tuesdays from 8:00PM to 9:00PM).
Buy One Get Ones
- Dole Premium Classics, Blends or Kits, 5-13.2 oz, at $3.99 ($1.99)
- Gala or Red Delicious Apples, 3 lb, at $4.99 ($2.49)
-.25/1 Bananas or Apples, any fresh variety, limit 1, Checkout 51 mobile app
(use .25/1 eCoupon, makes it $2.24) - Bone-In or Boneless Pork Shoulder Steaks or Country Style Ribs, at $4.99 ($2.49) lb
- Boneless Ribeye Pork Chops, at $5.99 ($2.99) lb
- Fisherman’s Wharf Flounder, Cod, Whiting, Tilapia or Swai Fillets, 12-16 oz, at $10.99 ($5.49)
- Gwaltney Traditional Franks, 3 lb, at $7.49 ($3.74)
- Nathan’s Beef Franks, 10.5-14 oz, at $6.99 ($3.49)
- Seafood Salad, at $7.99 ($3.99) lb
- Smithfield Bacon, 16 oz, at $9.99 ($4.99)
-$1 off Smithfield Product, any, (sign up) printable
(makes it $3.99) Read More→
Here are the deals from the new Kroger weekly ad that starts on 4/22. Get Yoplait yogurt for 29¢, cream cheese for 99¢, and more.
Note: Right now Kroger is offering FREE pickup on groceries with no minimum (some stores are pretty backed up so go ahead and get your order in). Also, some stores have modified store hours, so check their website for more information.
Buy One Get Ones
- Real Good Stuffed Chicken, 12 oz, (price not listed)
Produce – Southeast
- Red Seedless Grapes, $1.59 lb
- Red, Orange or Yellow Bell Pepper, 99¢ ea.
- English Cucumbers, 99¢ ea.
-
Sweet Vidalia Onions, 59¢ lb - Sweet Corn, 4 ct., $2.99
- Strawberries, 16 oz, $2.50
- Raspberries or Blackberries, 6 oz, $2.50
- Kroger Stir-Fry Kits, 23-25 oz, $3.99
Meat – South East
- Boneless Flat Iron Steaks, $6.99 lb
- Smithfield Bacon, 10-16 oz, $3.50
-$1 off Smithfield Product, any, (sign up) printable
(makes it $2.50) Read More→
Is the extra handwashing making your hands a little more dry than usual? Don’t forget to add Jergens to your shopping list if you’re headed to Kroger this week. Use one of these coupons to bring it down to as low as $1.30.
Kroger Deal (ends 4/28):
- Jergens Ultra Healing Lotion, 10-12.5 oz, $3.30
-$1.50 off Jergens Base or Wet Skin Moisturizer, 5 oz+, SS 04/05
-$2 off Jergens moisturizer or body wash, 5 oz+ printable
(use $2 off, makes it $1.30)
Check out more great Kroger deals.
Today only, head to Target.com and get 30% off kids accessories, girls dresses, and shoes. The prices shown are after the sale.
You can also stack the sale with a 10% off Target Circle offer on Newborn Apparel.
Tip: Pay with a Target RedCard and get another 5% off and free shipping.
Here are some of the deals you can get:
Baby Girls Dress by Carters, $5.59 (reg. $7.99)
-10% off with Target Circle
-5% off with RedCard
makes it $4.77 shipped
Baby Girls Mary Jane Shoes, $5.59 (reg. $7.99)
-10% off with Target Circle
-5% off with RedCard
makes it $4.77 shipped
Cat & Jack Infant Body Suits, $4 (reg. $4.99)
-10% off with Target Circle
-5% off with RedCard
makes it $3.42 shipped
Toddler Flip Flops or Sunglasses, $3.49
-5% off with RedCard
makes it $3.31 shipped
Right now Zulily is offering a sale on Keen shoes for the whole family with prices starting at $17.99!
These popular shoes are generally pricey, so grab them at a better price. Choose from sandals, boots, and more.
Deal Ideas:
Women’s Sandal $46.99 (reg. $90)
Kids’ Hook & Loop Sandal $21.99 (reg. $50)
This sale is valid through 4/22. Shipping for me was $4.99.
Read More→
Get Selsun Blue for as low as $3.99 using a new $2 Ibotta mobile app rebate. If you’re picking it up at Kroger, add an eCoupon to get an extra $2 cashback. Tip: when you use Kroger Cashback and Ibotta rebates, you’ll buy the item and then get the money back after purchase. Kroger Cashback will be linked straight to your Kroger Card, and you’ll upload a photo of your receipt in the Ibotta app after you shop.
Selsun Blue Deals:
- Kroger (ends 4/26) – Selsun Blue Medicated Shampoo, 11 oz, $7.99 (reg. price)
-$2 off Selsun Blue Hair Care, limit 2, Kroger Cashback (exp 4/26) eCoupon
-$2 off Selsun Blue product, any, limit 2, Ibotta mobile app
(use both, makes it $3.99) - Publix (ends 5/1) – Selsun Blue Medicated Shampoo, 11 oz, $6.49
-$2 off Selsun Blue product, any, limit 2, Ibotta mobile app
(makes it $4.49)
Head over and get 9 free eBooks in honor of World Book Day! This Thursday, April 23rd, is World Book Day and Amazon is celebrating with a few new books for everyone to enjoy.
Here are the free titles you can choose from:
- Your Perfect Year: A Novel
- The Man Who Played with Fire: Stieg Larsson’s Lost Files and the Hunt for an Assassin
- The First Mrs. Rothschild: A Novel
- Hard Rain (Rogue Book 1)
- Out of the Silence: After the Crash
- The Price of Paradise
- The Girl in the Tree
- Life
- Along the Tapajós
To get the books, click on each title you want and “checkout”. You’ll pay nothing for each one of them and have them added permanently to your kindle library.
You can read Kindle eBooks on any device using the free Kindle app.
With every kid now on computers for school it’s a big possibility that you need headphones.
I spotted some great clearance deals this week at CVS on in-ear and over the ear headphones, all 75% off!!
While clearance deals vary by store, these are normally marked down from the corporate level so you should find them in your area while supplies last.
Note: these prices are only in stores, they are not on clearance online.
My high schoolers do school online regularly and can churn through headphones, so I was a tad excited to find the sale.
If you have any ExtraCare Bucks use it them!
See all the other CVS deals this week.
