10 Activities For Toddlers While Breastfeeding Baby

Use these activities for toddlers while breastfeeding to keep your toddler busy and you sane. These toddler activities require some but very little planning and will help entertain your toddler while you breastfeed the babe.

It's no secret that having two little ones around is crazy at the best of times. But when you have a two year old and are attempting to breastfeed around the clock, it pushes even further into crazy territory!

The truth is, I ended up feeling really guilty while I breastfed my newborn because it meant I was basically ignoring my toddler. This also meant that she pretty much rampaged around the house creating chaos in everything she touched. Either that or we had to resort to screen time.

It only took a few months to find our grove which is when I came up with these toddler activities for when I breastfed.

 

The Age Of Your Toddler Matters

Most of these toddler activities are geared towards a kid who is 2-3 years old. The older the easier. My daughter was just two and they worked well.

However, a toddler who is younger (like eighteen months) may not take as well to some of the activities as others.

 

Seasonal Ways To Entertain Your Toddler

While my second was born in September I was still breastfeeding by spring and summer. Thus, I found it so much easier when the days turned nice and I could feed outside.

Using outdoor spring activities or some of these fun summer activities made it was easier to entertain my toddler!

 

How To Entertain A Toddler While Breastfeeding: Planning Ahead

Some of these breastfeeding toddler activities require a bit of planning or specific organization. For example, the boxes and books she was only allowed to take out when I was breastfeeding. Meaning, I had to keep the box filled!

This way, the activities seemed special to her.

A couple of the activities I pre-made and just stored in jars beside the couch. This way I could grab them and give them (or multiple) when her sister was feeding.

Remember though: systems are great but kids are kids. Meaning, just because you have a system doesn't mean it doesn't easily go to shit 😉 There were times when my newborn got ripped off of me because my toddler got an automatic car stuck in her hair (with the wheels still turning). Or proceeded to pee on the floor. Or decided she needed something specific THAT INSTANT.

Just do your best mama.

Activities For Toddlers While Breastfeeding: Coloring

Baby bear had a special coloring book that was only brought out at feeding time. Obviously, she colored at other times but this was the only time she could use this specific book. 

I kept it close to the couch in a bin and later on even got glitter crayons to make it more special. Again, the only reason this worked was that she wasn't allowed to use them unless I was breastfeeding. Don't give access all day!

 

Puzzles

Again, we have specific puzzles only used during feeding time. We love puzzles in general so they make nice activities for toddlers while breastfeeding. Which puzzles you choose will depend on the age of your toddler.

Initially, I liked to use noise puzzles for this as she enjoyed them more. We also practiced making the noises together and I'd ask her questions while she did the puzzles. However, by 2.5 years old she could run through bigger puzzles by herself so we switched to those (like these Frozen puzzles).

 

Sensory Bags

This toddler activity is one that requires some planning. I actually made up three bags while I was pregnant (I was super nervous about activities for toddlers while breastfeeding!). However, you can make them anytime.

I'm not crafty or great at this kind of thing so I chose very simple sensory bags. The bags I made had a purpose: find a letter, move colored buttons etc

Activities For Toddlers While Breastfeeding: Stacking

My toddler loved to stack.. obsessively. So I got a few different kinds of stacking cups/blocks and I rotate which ones go in the breastfeeding bin.

These wooden ones are her favorite and we chat about colors while she does them.

 

 

Song Time

Sometimes if my baby was cluster-feeding, my toddler would obviously get bored with what she was doing. Songtime has always helped to calm her down. And so, song time began.

I'd sing the songs (wheels on the bus, itsy bitsy spider) and she would do the hand motions.

 

Noodle Craft 

This one was courtesy of my sister in law and I thanked her a million times for it! It requires some planning but I was lucky enough not to have to do that part!

Take big penne noodles and dye them. Then, give your toddler some pipe cleaner and have them thread the noodle onto the pipe cleaner to make bracelets. My daughter LOVED this one and proceeded to make everyone she knew a bracelet.

Activities For Toddlers While Breastfeeding: I Spy

This game has become a favorite in our house and saved my sanity in both breastfeeding as well as doctor visits where we had to wait! I didn't have to move and my toddler thought it was awesome to spy out things in the living room.

Simple game but a sanity saver.

 

Taking Care Of Dolly While Breastfeeding

My toddler is a mimicker. Meaning, she wants to do everything I'm doing. So, when in doubt I'd ask her to take care of her dolly. Truly, she is obsessed.

She has her own baby care bin with diapers, wipes, and clothes. Thus, she would proceed to dress her baby, tell me she's poopy, undress, change, and re-dress. This "activity" though is really done all the time and not just while I'm breastfeeding 😛

 

Reading

If my toddler was calm enough, I'd have her grab her favorite books and sit beside me. She turned the pages while I read. Reading is a great way to entertain your toddler while breastfeeding because it's naturally a good way to bond.

Some days, she just wanted to snuggle- and I loved it! Even better if you have a breastfeeding book for your toddler to read! Other days, she'd "read" to herself by telling me what was happening in the book.

 

Shape Sorting

A great toddler activity for breastfeeding! This shape sorter went into the breastfeeding box so it was only done when it was feeding time. Not only did she sort the shapes but I'd ask her what the shape was called, the color etc. Needless to say, my toddler was a master at shapes pretty early on!

 

Don't Forget To Pin These Activities For Toddlers While Breastfeeding!

Activities For Toddlers While Breastfeeding: Ages 3+

By this point in the game, entertaining a toddler while breastfeeding is a little bit easier. Most three and four-year-olds can self play a bit. However, the point can remain the same:

• have specific puzzles, coloring book, and markers for breastfeeding time
• make crafts in a jar that they can just pull out and do (dollar store is great for these)
• sticker charts work well (draw circles in the shape of something and have them place stickers on the circles)

It's easy to get sucked into the TV trap when you're breastfeeding- and with good reason. It keeps your toddler distracted and quiet. For me personally, if I relied on cartoons baby bear would be watching six hours of paw patrol every day 😛 This is why the feeding box was created.

Figuring out how to entertain your toddler while breastfeeding can seem overwhelming but with a little but of thought it can be done. These activities for toddlers while breastfeeding are simple, easy to implement, and effective. Likewise, they help make your life easier and stimulate your toddler while keeping them entertained while you feed.