by Melissa Avery

Created on: June 07, 2009   Last Updated: June 08, 2009

I am a mother of three and I can say that keeping a toddler entertained on a budget is a lot simpler than it is for my twelve year old. I miss the days when she was as easily, and cheaply, entertained my two younger ones. Over the years I have utilized things I did as a child and some things I picked up along the way.

As a very young child, being new to toddling, my oldest daughter loved to take a spoon and a bowl and just dig in the dirt. She would "make" soup or whatever was her current favorite and this activity kept her entertained for quite a while. Later I found that, just like me as a child, the bigger the pile of dirt the happier she was. Old play clothes and a good bath takes care of the mess.

Along the lines of a bath, all of my children are water babies. For my oldest I used to take an empty tote and fill it halfway with water. After letting it warm in the sun for a while, I'd strip her down and stick her in. She'd giggle and splash and cool down all at the same time. My youngest two play in an improvised "pool". I took a turtle shaped plastic sandbox that we never use and filled it with water. It gets a whole lot of use now! A sprinkler or a water hose are also good water entertainment as long as there are no water restrictions in place in your area.

Dirt and water being the most entertaining aside, there are a lot of free and cheap things to do with a toddler. Try lying on the grass and pointing out shapes in the clouds. Walking around the yard at dusk to look for fire flies has always been a favorite in our house. We also like to water flowers and see how many dragonflies we see each day. My youngest daughter, who is three, can spend a good hour picking "Candylions", which can be any yellow flowering weed, not just Dandelions.

In the fall, there's always the good old pile of leaves to jump in. Sometimes, though, a single leaf does just as well. My youngest two have always enjoyed watching me try to blow a leaf up in the air. Leaves or bubbles, as long as it floats it is something to giggle at.

The Dollar Store is an excellent source for sidewalk chalk, crayons and coloring books. They also have little water guns, bubble bottles and noise makers. Kids don't care how expensive an item is or where it came from, as long as they can use it for something. If your children are as gleefully destructive as mine are, then the cheapie toys are definitely the way to go.

There are so many things to do with your toddler that don't involve a trip to the high priced toy store. All it takes is some imagination, which your toddler has in spades, and some time; which is not always so easy. My youngest daughters' favorite entertainment is her six year old brother, but not everyone has one of those. Luckily, children are flexible. Get them started, keep an eye on them, and then let them go. Give them a box and you'll see a rocket ship. Give them a couple of bowls and a spoon and you have a chef. You'll be amazed at what children can find inside their own minds that is entertaining. The best part is you'll probably have fun too. And, it won't cost you a dime.

Learn more about this author, Melissa Avery.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.