Toddler Tested, Mom Approved

Keeping Cool (and Sane)

 If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, it’s summer. That means it’s hot. Like, really hot. The park is a furnace, the yard feels like a desert, and the water bill? A little too spicy.

Does your toddler care? Absolutely not.

If you’re anything like me, you need low-effort ways to keep your little one busy without completely losing your cool. This list? It has quite literally saved me from a breakdown—and possibly jail time. So now I’m sharing it with you.

To make it even easier, I’ve added Amazon affiliate links to every product I mention. Click, buy, play. What could be easier?

Mess-Free Creative Play

Let them make “art” without the stress of them ruining your new thousand-dollar sectional.

• LCD Writing Tablet – These are toddler gold. Endless neon drawing, no cleanup.
  LCD Writing Tablet

• Water Wow! Books – Just add water (and not even that much).
  Melissa & Doug Water Wow!

• Dot Markers or Jumbo Crayons – Fun for them, wipeable for you.
  Do A Dot Art Markers

Independent Play = Peace & Quiet (Sort Of)

For when you need five uninterrupted minutes to enjoy your coffee.

• Busy Boards – It’s a toddler’s dream and your break.
  Montessori Wooden Busy Board

• Fire Tablet – Controversial, yes. Effective? Also yes.
  Amazon Fire 7 Kids  

• Cutting Fruit – Pretend play that doesn’t involve you pretending.
  Melissa & Doug Cutting Fruit Set

Burn Off the Wiggles

Because naps don’t happen unless energy burns first.

• Inflatable Bounce House – Super fun & surprisingly easy to set up.
  Inflatable Jump-O-Leen

• Tunnel + Tent Set – Instant obstacle course, & time-sucking miracle.
  Kids Play Tent

• Dance Party in the Living Room – Bonus points if you join in.
  JBL FLIP 5

Sensory Play (That Doesn’t Wreck the House)

Think textures, not chaos.

• Kinetic Sand – Contained mess (sort of), calming vibes, endless fun.
  Kinetic Sand Set

• Sensory Table – Infinite possibilities, water-friendly, & engaging.
  Wooden Sensory Table

• Bubble Machine – If you’re not already using this indoors… start.
  Automatic Bubble Machine

Bonus: My Favorite Toddler Hacks

• Rotate toys weekly—it’s like giving them brand-new stuff without spending a dime.

• Let them “help” around the house—toddlers love feeling like they’re in charge.

• Let them pick their own activity—A little independence = a little less whining (sometimes).

Final Thoughts

Toddlers are hard. Even if your living room looks like a toy tornado hit it, remember this: they’re playing, you’re surviving, and that’s enough. Bonus points if you did it in A/C.

Loved this list?

Save it for your next meltdown moment—or better yet, share it with a fellow hot-weather toddler wrangler.

P.S. — All links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a tiny commission (at no extra cost to you). Thanks for supporting my iced coffee habit!