We decided to give it a go and used this simple recipe.

• 2 cups of plain flour
• 1 cup of salt
• 3/4 cup of water

1. Mix the salt and flour together
2. Stir in water and mix well until it forms a doughy consistency
3. Tip it on to a board or work surface and knead it with your hands until it is smooth and combined
4. Roll it out and cut it in to shapes or sculpt in to creations. (We used cookie cutters to make animal shapes and also put some in to cupcake cases, so that we could paint cupcakes)
5. Place the salt dough creations into the oven at 180C. The amount of time needed to bake depends on the size and thickness of the creations. I saw recipes suggesting 20 mins and then recipes suggesting longer on a lower temp. We went with 20 minutes and it seemed to work. Salt dough can also be air dried instead of oven drying.
6. Paint your creations with acrylic paint

Keeping up with our little bundles of energy can be a struggle so we thought it’d be helpful to put together a list of fun things you can do at home to keep toddlers busy. Here are a few things we looked for:

• Easy to put together and to clean up after ✅
• Kids can do themselves, with supervision, rather than adult-led activities ✅
• Using things we all have at home. The last thing we need is expensive crafts supplies ✅

20 activities to keep toddlers busy at home

• Playdough: Making your own playdough at home is fun and super easy. Click here for a favourite playdough recipe. Add glitter, food colouring and baby oil (smells gorgeous) or even a couple of drops of lavender oil for a sensory experience.
• Practice colours with Twister game: Do you have a Twister game at home? Now you can use it for something different. Select a few small toys of different colours (red, blue, green, yellow) and ask your toddler to fill each circle with toys of the right colour.
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• Foam and more foam: Most supermarkets sell super cheap foam bath of different colours on the kids and baby aisle. Let them explore with it in the bath with a few Tupperware boxes of different sizes and plastic cups. Ideal if you have a Tuff Tray at home, but a large empty storage plastic box works just as well.

• ‘Washing-up’: Of course you’ll need to clean the items after. Allow them to explore different materials, like plastic Tupperware boxes, wooden spoons, a metal whisk, etc.
• Window stickers: These have worked a treat for us. You can get them in Amazon.
• Stamps: You can get a stamp set very cheaply in Amazon and most large supermarkets.
• ‘Paint on the window’: Do you have a whiteboard pen at home? Let them draw with it on a designated window. But make sure you explain that’s the only place they can do it!
• Potato painting: An old classic.
• Chores – ‘washing’ a wall, kitchen cupboard, etc: You could use a clean spray bottle and fill with water and add lots of small cloths in different colours to make it fun for the kids.
• Magic kitchen cupboard: Empty one of the low cupboards at home and fill it with old pans, Tupperware boxes, lids, etc. Let them empty and fill it which can be useful to occupy them whilst you try and get other things done
• Musical instruments from old bottles filled with uncooked rice: For see-through bottles, you can dye your rice first! Add some water and glitter and you have a sensory bottle. Make sure you seal the lid properly though.

• Decorating a plant pot and planting a seed: A classic!
• Small toy hunt with KIDS’ chopsticks: We’ve used tiny dinosaurs or plastic fish. Add some play foam for extra fun.
• Den with pillows and blankets: Snuggle up and read a story inside your den.
• Chopping vegetables with a kid-friendly knife: Cucumbers and peppers work best.
• Dance party: Play some fun kiddies music and dance like no one is watching.
• Puppet show from old socks: Do you have a kids table at home? Lay it on the side so the kids can have a stage. Or get creative with a blanket. Let them put the show on for you while you have a cuppa.
• ‘Gardening’: Designate a spot in the garden for each child and give them a few kid-friendly garden tools. Let them explore.
• Picnic in the garden. Or indoors when it’s raining: Who said lunch can only be eaten at the table?
• Baking: There are so many awesome recipes for kids online.