7 Toys and Games That Are Getting My Preschoolers Through the Pandemic

Working from home with a preschooler? I hear you. I am one of these parents in the trenches, trying to work and operate some kind of quasi-preschool in my home during this crazy pandemic. It’s not pretty and it’s exhausting at times but there are a few golden moments where the kids (my two-year-old and four-year-old) play nicely together, I get some work done, and I utter a quiet thank you to a few genius toy manufacturers.

The shopping list game

This shopping list game is one of my kids’ favorites. Each player gets a shopping cart or basket and a shopping list with eight items. All the product cards are turned upside down and each player competes to find all the products the quickest. It’s essentially a memory card game. This is a U.K. toy so some of the items like washing powder and aubergines might sound funny to your kids, but we just think it’s a cool bonus to learn some new words and become a pro at shopping in England.

Paint without the mess

My kids love painting, but we all know a simple painting project can turn into a giant mess when you’re not looking. During these crazy COVID-19 days, I am very thankful for these nifty tempera paint sticks that create zero mess and keep my kids happy. This pack comes in a beautiful array of colors including sparkly gold, bronze and silver — great for unicorns! We’ve successfully used these mess-free paint sticks to paint on stones, cardboard and paper projects.

Music set

While we don’t have this exact set, we do have most of the components that we’ve amassed over the years. My kids like nothing more than setting up a band and playing along with their favorite Spotify kids’ play list and pretending to be musicians. Sometimes we shake things up and we bring in the bag of kiddie costumes and they have a “dress-up dance party” with bears shaking maracas and flamingos playing guitar. It keeps them amused and is a great way to zap some energy on a rainy day. 

The Ultimate Fort Builder

I have talked about this fort before, but it really is the toy that keeps on giving. My kids love making this fort building kit into a castle, an igloo, a house and all kinds of crazy constructions. Once built, they add a sheet on top and bunk out in their secluded den leaving us to get some work or catch up on endless chores or just stare at the wall for five minutes and wonder how we can sustain this madness! (Just kidding — kind of).

The muffin game

This fun and simple muffin game boosts color recognition, matching, sorting, counting and early math skills. The real bonus is that it comes with a kid-sized muffin tin, tongs and colorful muffins to play with. This game doesn’t even require two people, as it can be played alone with the dice or color-matching cards. It comes with a neat little pair of tongs which also help with fine motor skills. Tip: Tell your kid that the muffins are really hot to encourage them to use the tongs.  

All the art supplies you need

Preschool teachers know that sparkly gems, googly eyes, feathers and pom poms keep little hands busy. Get all your supplies in one large art pack and you’re ready to for your first “crafternoon.” Set out a big mat or a table cloth on the ground (nowhere for the mess fall), then arm the kids with paper and glue and let them make necklaces, cards, pipe cleaner people or just a big crazy mess. Whatever they choose, it will keep them entertained for a decent amount of time.

Aqua Magic Mat

This aqua mat is for young preschoolers who like to sprawl out on the floor and write and color on a big surface. It comes with a marker, pen and paintbrush that you fill with water. Kids can create letters, shapes or doodles to their heart’s content. In about five minutes the water dries, and they can start again. This cuts down on endless waste of paper and helps parents get some work done! 

Like me, you probably have lots of toys, but only certain toys are good enough to sustain the attention of a young preschooler. I am not suggesting you go out and buy a bunch of new toys, but if you are struggling and need something new, then perhaps one of these clever toys will help you and your kids get through another crazy week. Godspeed! 

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