How To Entertain Small Children When You Work From Home

Working from home is challenging enough, what happens when you also have to entertain small children at the same time? It can be incredibly stressful if children become upset or bored but there are many ways you can provide stimulation to your children while you work.

Toys - regardless of the age of your child it is important to rotate toys to provide variety. If you have a play area in your home office ensure you rotate the toys regularly (each weekend is ideal). If you don't have a play area in your office provide a fun area for your child to play that is close to where you will be working. That way they can communicate with you easily and not feel left out. You don't have to spend a lot of money on toys, household items such as phones, paper rolls, containers filled with pasta and rice all provide hours of entertainment. Aquadraw mats are fantastic when you are working and provide a creative outlook for your child without the mess!

Computer games are also an option if your child is old enough. You can set up child safe games on an old laptop or PC or select a list of child friendly websites in your favourites. Childrens television stations like CBeebies have great websites with interactive games. It is a good idea to limit the time spent on this type of activity but when combined with other types of play it can be an effective way of keeping small children entertained.

Outdoor activities are also a fabulous option when the weather is warm. If you have a laptop and wireless connection why not set up office in the garden and let the children loose with some outdoor toys. Ideas include setting up some balls in an inflatable pool, a sand/water table, slide/climbing frame, ball games for older children and games of skill like skittles.

Television and videos can also interwoven with other activities but time spent on these should be restricted. It is a good idea to have a good selection of dvds for your child to watch and you should rotate what they watch as well as limiting viewing to under 30 minutes per day.

If your child is old enough to understand simple tasks ask them to help you around the house. Perhaps they can prepare a tea party for your coffee break or sweep the floor with their toy broom. Young children love to help their parents and it's a great way of getting them to 'muck in' from an early age.

Entertaining children while you work from home can be challenging however it doesn't need to be stressful. It takes some creativity and resourcefulness to enable your children to have a lot of fun while you work.

About The Author-- Versatile Assistant is a Virtual PA business providing secretarial support to busy professionals. Find out how a virtual PA can help you transform your business.

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