With 12.1% of parents working from home full time¹, and many more jobs offering hybrid working, the new norm does seem to be looking after babies whilst also earning a living. This modern way of working offers many benefits for those looking to achieve a work-life balance but does come with its challenges.
At Kiddies Kingdom, the key is planning fun and engaging activities that will keep a baby entertained. Our selection of toys and gifts has been curated with this in mind, meaning parents can find a range of items ideal for keeping a baby happy while they are tapping at the keyboard. Whether you have a young baby aged between 1 and 3 months or an older child on the cusp of becoming a toddler, there are many activities you can plan that will provide hours of entertainment.
In this article, we will share our tips for working from home with a baby and the best activities to plan if you want to create a harmonious balance for all.
Tips For Balancing Working From Home With Looking After A Baby
If you are wondering if you can work from home with kids, the answer is yes, but only if you make some considerations before opening the laptop. Whilst the task is completely legal, it does require a balancing act between being a parent and an employee. 83% of parents who work from home admit to looking after their children during work hours².
If you are one of these busy parents, we recommend the following:
Create A Realistic Schedule
Before you can plan activities or accept meetings, you need to know what time you have to work. To do this, we think it’s effective to split the day into periods and plan activities accordingly. If you have a flexible working job, this is simple, but if not, you may need to do some thinking outside of the box to make things work for you.
Prepare In Advance For Workdays
One of the best time-saving hacks to make parenting easier is to be prepared. If you know you have a workday coming up and your baby is at home, get some activities ready so that you can set them off playing without much brain power needed from you. Being able to go into autopilot is essential for multi-tasking parents.
Account For Your Child’s Current Age And Growth Phase
A tip we also have for how to keep a child busy whilst you are working is to ensure their activities are engaging. By choosing toys that are suited to a child’s development stage, they will be less likely to get bored of them, meaning they have more time to focus on the task at hand. Getting your work done quicker means more time can be spent playing directly with your little one.
Split Shifts If Possible
Finally, if you have a partner or family member who also works at home, try to see if you can split up the childcare responsibilities. This could be something as simple as taking different breaks or staggering start and finish times.
What Activities Are Ideal For Keeping A Baby Entertained During A Working From Home Day?
Now you know how best to plan for success, you can decide which activities are ideal for keeping a baby entertained whilst you earn that vital money. These activities can be fun for play with a parent or for some solo experiences which are great for improving confidence.
Crafts
A great activity that a baby can be left to do alone is crafts. This is more suitable for slightly older babies, but the activity can still be adapted for younger kids. Anything from drawings to using our Classic World Multi Functional Easel offer a way for children to get creative whilst parents work. Crafts engage the mind and support cognitive development proving they also offer an educational benefit.
Sensory Play
Another ideal activity for keeping children busy is creating sensory experiences. This activity is vital for babies as it improves brain development, promotes problem-solving, and starts to strengthen hand-eye coordination.
For younger babies, a couple of great examples of products are the Ergobaby Evolve Toy Bar and the Taf Toys Tuli Flower Jitter. Another example are floor gyms as parents can simply lay these down next to their desks whilst they work. The Taf Toys Foldable Gym – Urban Garden is a fantastic example of this as it’s simple to move around and highly engaging for babies.
Physical Movement
If you are working in an open space or have the option to take a break for some playtime, incorporating physical movement toys is a great idea. Having periods of play that are more tiring will not only keep your baby engaged but also mean they should have some good naps while you are working.
Baby ride-on toys are ideal as they can be selected based on a child’s age, height and weight for safe play. Alternatively, you can choose a static you, which still encourages movement. The Hape Magic Touch Piano is an example which can be positioned close to a parent’s workforce for the ultimate multi-tasking experience.
Imagination-Enhancing Play
Another fun activity that is great for joint playtime between parents and babies is an activity that encourages a baby to use their imagination.
Toys like the Classic World Mini Kitchen and the Peg Perego Santa Fe Train are perfect for letting little ones use their minds. You can start a game with them and then leave a baby for some solo playtime so that you can get on with some work.
Learnings Experiences
Although all activities that a child takes part in can be considered educational, we think that taking time to focus on these is important. These forms of entertainment can be managed with hands-on care or through encouraging solo playtime whilst a parent gets on with some work.
Products like the Classic World Learning Walker or the Classic World Dream Activity Cube are brilliant for setting up in a home office. Alternatively, if you have an on-the-go work demand that means you need to take your baby with you, a lightweight product like the Tiny Love 2-in-1 Shape Sorter & Puzzle is a great investment.
What Additional Accessories Are Needed For Safe Activities At Home?
Although activities for a baby should always be supervised to reduce risks, there are a few products you can select which allow working parents to still pay plenty of attention to their task lists.
If you are working at a table where you want your baby seated, you can select one of our favourite baby high chairs, which then also helps children transition seamlessly from high chair to table seating as they get older. Stairs and safety gates are also important to consider as they ensure that if you get caught up on a call, your baby cannot get anywhere they are not allowed to be.
We also recommend selecting some home safety products to ensure that home offices are safe places for babies to be in. Something as simple as a draw connector could stop a baby from getting their tiny fingers trapped if they start exploring on their own. Finally, we recommend keeping a separate toy box for activities to be carried out while a parent works. By keeping some items only available for playtime during working hours, engagement with the items will be improved. Parents can also keep these items close to hand to mix up the activities when needed.
Signs To Look For That A Baby Needs A New Activity Routine Whilst You Are Working From Home
As babies start to get older, activities will need to be more varied to keep them engaged. For babies aged between 4 to 6 months and from 7 to 9 months, this can be slightly more challenging. However, with a nice balance of activities you should be able to keep your little ones happy.
If they are starting to fall behind in terms of development, cry excessively at night, regress with toilet training or just generally start behaving poorly, it may be a sign they are not being stimulated enough during the day. Also, if your baby is interrupting you regularly whilst you do try to work, it’s also a sign they need some more attention. Children do respond well to independent play so once you find the right activity for your little one, there should be no issues keeping them entertained even during busy workdays.
Choose Kiddies Kingdom For Educational And Fun Playtime Activities!
Hopefully after reading this article, you should feel motivated and empowered to plan entertaining activities for your baby whilst you work.
We have a broad collection of toys and gifts which can be used to keep children entertained. From art supplies to fun toys, we have something for every need. Explore our collection now to start planning the best activities for your little one!
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Sources
1 Office for National Statistics
2 Netmums