Abby Barnes, M.S., CCC-SLP
Being the parent or caregiver of a toddler means nonstop movement. Whether you’re chasing them during a high-energy game, or keeping an eye on them while you try to make a meal or clean up, there’s hardly time for a break. So getting a minute to crash on the couch can feel like a hard-earned reward. You take a deep breath, start to relax, and… here comes your sweet toddler, smiling and wanting your attention.
Playing with your child is special time together. But there are still those moments when you feel tapped out. That’s why we’re sharing these ideas for entertaining your toddler right on the couch–without lots of toys or other items! Check out these 5 activities you can do to keep your toddler busy, build their communication skills, and enjoy some (relaxing) quality time together. Sitting up not required.
1. “Fall” on the couch
So you’d like to collapse on the couch at the end of a long day? Now you can turn it into an interactive game with your toddler. First, get their attention, then do something silly like falling down on the couch or covering your face with a throw pillow. See what funny looks and giggles you get from your child.
Chances are, they’re going to want to see you do it again! This time, try saying, “Ready, set…,” then pause. See if they’ll say, “Go!” or make some kind of vocalization or gesture showing what they want you to do.
Give your child a few seconds. If they haven’t said it themselves, you can say, “Go!” and fall onto the couch again.
Repeat this several times, or as long as your toddler is entertained. The more you practice, the more chances your child has to hear the phrase and potentially imitate your words or fill in the blank. Keep practicing!
2. Give lots of affection
Just like you need moments of peace and calm, so does your child. And what’s better than doing that together? Take some rest time to show your child lots of affection. You can scratch their back, give them lots of hugs, or rub their shoulders or feet.
This is a great time to simply talk to your child. You can talk about anything! What you’re going to eat for dinner, what you see out the window together, or something you did together earlier that day. Modeling language is important for language development and helping your toddler learn to talk. Kids learn new words and how to put phrases together by listening to the adults in their life talk to them.
Apart from that, spending time together and talking is a great way to build connection. Your child will feel relaxed just being with you.
3. Sing songs together
Nursery rhymes and finger play songs are easy ways to entertain your toddler. Let’s take the song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” as an example. Sing it together with your child several times. Then, try a fill-in-the-blank activity like in the falling on the couch game. You can say, “Twinkle, twinkle, little…” and pause for 5-10 seconds to see what your child does. If they don’t fill in the blank, sing it for them and keep going.
What’s special about finger play songs is that they focus on using gestures alongside the words. Songs like “Open, Shut Them,” “The Wheels on the Bus,” and “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” are all good examples. Did you know that learning to imitate gestures often comes before imitating sounds and words? Practicing gesture imitation can help prepare toddlers to imitate words.
4. Peek-a-boo
For younger toddlers, peek-a-boo is always a crowd pleaser. You can do this by hiding your face behind your hands, a pillow, or a blanket. You can say, “Where is Mommy?” Pause and see if your child tries to find you or makes any vocalizations. Pop out and say, “Peek-a-boo!”
Between each turn, pause and see if your child will say something like, “More!” or “Peek-a-boo!” to show that they want the game to keep going.
Watch for your child to initiate the game, as well. Do they start to hide? Put the pillow over them? If so, go with it! Say, “Where did you go?” Then act surprised when they pop out.
This is a great example of turn-taking and initiation of play. Many times, adults are the ones to prompt play and interactions with our kids. But when the child learns to take turns and start an interaction themselves, this is an important milestone. Just like play has turn-taking interactions, so does language. One person talks, then the other responds, and it goes back and forth. Understanding turn-taking is a major step for toddlers and their language skills!
5. Play “Airplane” or another movement activity
This one is a fun activity with movement your child will love. To do it, you may have to lie on the floor next to the couch, instead of on the couch.
First, have your child lie down with their tummy on your feet and their head facing you. Grab their hands, then raise your feet and pull them up, so they’re facing you and “flying” like an airplane. You can pretend to fly them up and down, or side to side.
For a less strenuous activity, sit on your couch and let them sit in your lap. Then bounce them up and down or side to side. While you do this, you can work on words like “up,” “down,” “go,” “stop,” “more,” or “please.”
We hope these activities give you some ideas to try with your child when you just need a moment to relax. Playing with your child and helping them with their language development doesn’t have to be fancy or involved. In fact, sometimes the simpler the game, the more engaged your toddler becomes. Watch for the activities that make their face light up, or make them vocalize more. But remember, at the end of the day, all they really want is your love and attention. You can never go wrong by choosing to spend quality time with your little one.
