Waiting Games for Toddlers - 4 Ways to Keep Your Child Busy

Whether you are in a doctor's office or some other type of important appointment having a toddler with you can make the waiting seem 100 times longer. Toddlers have very short attention spans and cannot seem to sit still for more than a few minutes at a time. Playing some waiting games is a great way to keep them busy and prevent them from getting frustrated. Here is a look at 4 great waiting games to try when you are waiting with your toddler to make the time go quickly.

If you are dealing with a younger toddler you can try a classic game of peek a boo. You can use something such as a magazine, a purse or even just both of your hands to cover your face for a few seconds and then look up saying "Peek a boo!". Younger toddlers will delight as they see you peek over whatever you are covering your face with.

"I Spy" is another great game for toddlers when you are waiting. Pick out something and describe it if they do not yet know their colors. This is also a great opportunity to help them learn their colors as you show them special items in the room of one particular color. They will love the opportunity to join in and pick out their own objects or if in fact they do know their colors picking out a special color.

If you are carrying a diaper bag or purse one way to keep them occupied is to "hide" an object in them. Take a safe object such as a calculator and hide it somewhere. Have them close their eyes (or pretend to) and hide it close to you. You can even put it somewhere on your person such as in a coat or sweater pocket.

For those parents who are in a situation where they just did not come prepared with toys or other toddler friendly objects another great way to keep them occupied while they are waiting is to play singing games. You can try ones like the "ABC" song or the "Bingo" song. The Bingo song is very popular because it involves them actually getting to clap their hands. This may be the main focus of the game for them especially amongst younger toddlers.

By following these easy games you will find the waiting time to pass quickly not only for your toddler but for you as well.