Follow these three Instagram accounts, all run by moms, for easy and useful toddler activities or for any age!
I am not an activities mom. We are not an activities home. Read: Most days, we’re just trying to get from wake-up to bedtime. (Also, I have anxiety, which can make prepping and doing activities extra stressful, depending on the season.)
But I’ve realized recently that my kid is not going to be young forever — and there are activities I’d like to do. Painting, carving pumpkins, making dirt sundaes — the days for these are flying by.
So I’m trying to embrace some of the activities offered by three of my favorite moms on Instagram. I hope they’ll inspire you, too.
1. @celenakinsey
Celena Kinsey’s account gives me life. I could watch her reels for hours, being lulled by the matter-of-fact way she talks about mom-ing. I’ve watched her video on learning how to clean more times than I should admit.
I love Celena’s activity journal mini-series, where she creates activities for her preschool-aged son. While I haven’t gone the extra mile (yet) to sketch out my own activities, I did get inspired to print some paint-by-number pages from the internet. (Hey, baby steps!) That activity lasted only 20 minutes, but it was a lot of fun — and it was calm — so we’re calling it a win.
I also love that @celenakinsey isn’t afraid to talk about the fact that parenting, and adulting, especially with a PMAD (perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder), can be hard. Not in a snarky, complaining, let’s drink way, but in a y’all-this-is-hard-I’m-just-getting-through-the-day way. Her honesty, humility and grace give me hope that we’ll eventually live in a kinder world.
2. @ot_mama_of_twins
Do you have a child who never seems to run out of energy? Then check out @ot_mama_of_twins, run by a pediatric occupational therapist.
Julia has taught me so much about the different types of “inputs” — i.e., activities — that kids need. (Hint: It’s not just running around.) She’s helped me to better understand my kid and, honestly, myself.
And y’all, she gets it. Having a kid or kids with truly boundless energy can be a lonely, tiring place. Does my kid fit a sensory bucket? I don’t know, but I do know Julia’s tips — from “heavy” work to crunchy carrots — have worked. So I stay tuned.
3. @busytoddler
Is any post about kid activities complete without @busytoddler? Susie Allison’s 2 million (!) Instagram followers would probably say, “No.”
I love Busy Toddler because her activities are easy and affordable, and most require little to no prep. See the Halloween spider web tape resist project or the Lego bath for examples. She also taught me how to do berry jars, for which I am grateful.
Busy Toddler also understands the concept of time ticking backward with children underfoot. Just having that sanity in my feed improves my day.
That’s it! Now go forth, be active and have fun.
