Summer Kids Activities

94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent

This article is one of the most popular ever written on Sparkplugging. It then grew into it’s own blog, and now it has grown into a whole new network of kids activities websites here at Woo! Jr.:

Craft Jr.
Crafts for Kids, Paper Crafts, Easy Crafts & Craft Ideas

Animal Jr.
Animal Printables, Games and Teacher Worksheets

Fantasy Jr.
Mythical Creatures, Princess and Fairy Coloring Pages, Printables, Games and Puzzles

Space Jr.
Space facts, teacher resources, coloring pages, and science fiction for kids

I’ve had a couple of readers bemoan the fact that summer break is coming soon. I must admit that though I love my children dearly, I’m not exactly jumping for joy that I will have 3 rambunctious, screaming kids + a friend posse running around my house for the next three months.

But regardless, I have run a home business 3 times now from when my first daughter was 5 months old to today, when she is almost 13 and can do a little babysitting herself.

So here’s the good news:

You CAN run a business from home no matter what age your children are.

The bad news?

The smaller your children are, the smaller your business To Do list should be.

Plain and simple, until your kids are 3-4 years old, don’t expect yourself to be super-mom. Kids this young just need too much attention and the business will have to fit in between nap times and play dates – oh, and get used to starting your most productive work at 10:00pm. ;)

Home Business Productivity Tips for All Ages

  1. Get the kids their own computer – when you can get a new CPU and monitor
    for less than $500 total, it’s hard to say no – plus, they will need it for school eventually, anyway!
  2. Have high speed internet access – so you waste no time when you actually can get work done.
  3. Own a laptop with wireless internet – so that you can move around the house or yard as needed.
  4. Get a Blackberry or PDA – so you can stay connected even when you’re at the zoo.
  5. Use a Chore Chart – give the kids some structure and responsibility during the day.
  6. Schedule play time just like you do your work time – I try to stay off the computer on Fridays to ensure we get to enjoy the summer months together.
  7. Use the Future Post option (for bloggers) - you can maintain a regular publishing schedule by future-dating your posts(when you’re likely writing in the middle of the night!!)
  8. *Find other parents in the neighborhood and swap play dates* - critical to the sanity of both of you!
  9. Make it easy for your kids to be independent – set up an area for them to do their own thing, and keep it well stocked with projects and games.
  10. Buy grab food or make healthy snack packages – that way they can feed themselves when they get hungry
  11. Set up a schedule for ordering out – both you and the kids can look forward to it!
  12. Segment and schedule your days – the younger the kids, the more you want to ‘chunk’ you days into activities, downtime, work time and TV time, but it’s a great productivity tool no matter what the ages of your children.
  13. Load up on popsicles – it always keeps them quiet for a few minutes for an important phone call and there are plenty of healthy kinds to choose from (or make your own).
  14. Get cheap movie rentals – most older titles can be rented for way less than new releases.
  15. Buy a pool pass – you won’t get anything done at the pool, but you’ll wear your kids out and they will nap longer! ;)
  16. Download and print ’78 Parent Child Activites’ – formatted for 3×5 index cards!

Summer Activities for Children Age 1-4

If your kids are in this age bracket – I feel for you! Really, I had a hard time getting anything done without a part time sitter or a “mother’s helper”. If you really want to have a successful home business and you have very little kids, I would really recommend you consider hiring some help.

But for the days that you have to work and the little ones are right there with you, here’s a few ideas:

  1. Buy age appropriate computer games – my kids started at the age of 2
  2. Set up easy to find bookmarks for kid-friendly sites – I have my kids’ sites set up with the rest of my shortcuts right on my FireFox toolbars:
    Customize your FireFox Toolbars
  3. Stock up on workbooks and coloring books, along with crayons, markers, stencils, etc. and plenty of plain paper
  4. Create an activity ‘station’ where the kids can go to make a mess whenever they want
  5. Create a baby-proofed room and barricade yourselves in - baby plays while you answer emails!
  6. Rotate toys – kids get bored quickly, so once or twice a month, hide the old and bring in the new!
  7. Get a baby sling or baby backpack – my kids never made a peep when they could sit in their backpack and watch what mom or dad was doing

Summer Activities for Children Age 4-7

  1. Keep the kids moving and active (in my house, I have a harder time keeping them still!!)
  2. Take trips to the Library – and do business research while you’re there!
  3. Download fun worksheets and sneak in some learning.
  4. Make or buy a flower press and let the kids weed the garden for you.
  5. Get a sandbox – just make sure you also get a lid so that it doesn’t turn into the neighborhood litter box!
  6. Order cheap craft project kits from Oriental Trading (they have great stuff for older kids too)
  7. Teach your kids how to make a fortune teller.
  8. Buy a cheap digital camera for your budding photographer
    1. Let them create their own scrapbooks
    2. Teach them to create their own PowerPoint presentations
    3. Download a free screen saver maker and let them create their own slideshows
    4. Throw the images into Photoshop and create ink jet t-shirt transfers
  9. Keep on hand at ALL TIMES:
    1. Bubbles
    2. Sidewalk chalk
    3. Water balloons
    4. Board games (with all the pieces!!)
    5. Working sprinkler or kiddie pool (preferably both)
    6. Art supplies
  10. Bookmark these activity web sites:
    1. Printables4Kids
    2. Animal Printables & Jigsaw Puzzles at AnimalJr.
    3. StarFall Reading Games
    4. DLTK’s Summer Activities
    5. Kaboose.com
    6. KidSites.com
    7. TheKidzPage.com
    8. Kidscom.com
    9. U.S. Fire Administration for Kids
    10. PlayKidsGames.com
    11. Discovery.com School Resources
    12. Internet4Classrooms
    13. CBC Kids
  11. Lest I miss stating the obvious:
    1. CartoonNetwork.com
    2. Disney.com
    3. PBSKids.org
    4. Nick.com
    5. NickJr.com
    6. Noggin.com
    7. Yahoo! Kids
    8. Crayola.com
    9. FamilyFun Magazine online
    10. Scholastic.com

Summer Activities for Children Age 8-13

  1. Get a metal detector and let the kids explore the yard
  2. Cut up some wrapping paper and let your kids loose on this Origami site
  3. Keep common ingredients in your pantry for kid friendly cooking projects
  4. Bite the bullet and get them their own phone in their room
  5. For the brave parents, let the kids do science projects
  6. Buy a cheap sewing machine and make kid’s sewing projects
  7. Turn your junk mail into a recycled pulpy mess and make paper
  8. Bookmark these sites
    1. SingShot - online Karaoke
    2. Summer.About.com
    3. National Geographic Kids
    4. NASA Kids Activities
    5. DIY Network Kids Page
    6. The EPA (yes, the Environmental Protection Agency!) Kids Club
    7. Animal Planet
    8. Discovery Kids

Craft Project Resources for All Ages

  1. EnchantedLearning.com – extremely comprehensive list sorted by holiday, theme, materials, or topic
  2. AllCrafts.net – free crafts listing
  3. FamilyCrafts.About.com
  4. ChildParenting.About.com – Summer arts and crafts
  5. CraftForKids.com
  6. The Best Kids Book Site – also has a huge crafting section
  7. OneHourCraft – for older kids (and, erm, their moms!)

Craft Supplies

  1. Michaels | Store Locator
  2. Hobby Lobby | Store Locator
  3. JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts | Store Locator
  4. Flax Art & Design | Only one store location in SF

Find Local Family Activities

  1. ActivitiesForKids.com - National US
  2. KidsGuide.co.uk – UK
  3. Families with Purpose – National US
  4. GoCityKids – all major U.S. metropolitan areas
  5. Australia for Kids - For my friends down under ;)
  6. Scribbit on her hometown Anchorage, Alaska

Discussion

96 comments for “94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent”

  1. Its amazing what we expect from ourselves until someone else gives us permission to think otherwise. I have a 2 yr old and a 5 month old and have to remind myself that my ‘TO DO LIST’ needs to be small when they’re with me BUT i still harbor quiet guilt that I’m not achieving enough…
    I heard a great idea to keep kids busy – let them paint the driveway with water. Its a lONG project since it keeps drying:)

    Posted by Sue Olson | May 22, 2007, 6:19 pm
  2. Wendy – what an incredible resource! Thanks so much for putting it together.

    The kids that I have at home this summer are 13 and 17, so they are more independent, but the distraction is still there.

    We just had a family pow-wow last night to discuss it, and I think we set up some good best practices.

    One thing I would add to your list for people who have older children is the “closed door” rule. If the parent at home is behind a closed door in order to get some privacy, quite time, etc., no one comes through that door short of an emergency or an injury.

    It definitely helps minimize the interruptions!

    Posted by Aaron M. Potts | May 22, 2007, 6:23 pm
  3. Great list Wendy! I’ll add one more site to the list for online resources: FreeStuff4Kids

    I have a son who is almost 2, and I’m definitely considering some helpers this summer!

    Posted by Randa Clay | May 22, 2007, 7:31 pm
  4. [...] Wendy over at eMoms at home has put together an amazing guide on 94 ways to keep kids busy for the work at home parent. [...]

    Posted by   94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy by All for Women | May 22, 2007, 7:53 pm
  5. What a fantastic list Wendy, some really great ideas there and you even thought of us Aussies :)

    3mths on holidays, I do not envy you all one bit! Our longest school holiday here is about 6-7 weeks and that is certainly long enough for me LOL

    Posted by Leigh | May 22, 2007, 7:58 pm
  6. hi

    there is this page i found which tracks all the top blogs about personal development in just a single page
    http://www.netreputation.co.uk/directory/Personal%20Development
    you are on it too

    Posted by listr | May 22, 2007, 8:32 pm
  7. Wendy – this is such a great resource. Thank you for taking the time to pull it all together.

    When my kids were younger I had a younger teen as a mother’s helper three mornings a week. She took the kids outside to play on the swings, had picnics with them and basically kept them entertained while I did a few hours of work. I highly recommend it!

    Posted by Char | May 22, 2007, 8:52 pm
  8. Hi I am Mia of onehourcraft.com What a brilliant website. I will definitely be a regular reader. Great post and tips. Keep up the good work. And cheers to us moms who are trying to make a living at home while keeping some sort of sanity.

    Posted by Mia | May 22, 2007, 9:24 pm
  9. You are a saint! Thanks so much for all of the resources and you are definitely right that the most productive working time is after 10 PM (note when I am writing this!). I have an 8 month old son and a 2 year old daughter so this will come in handy. Thanks again!

    Posted by Web Design Minnesota | May 22, 2007, 9:24 pm
  10. wooo that’s my kind of a list! With 4 ranging from 3-11 I need some ideas! Thanks!

    Posted by Denise | May 22, 2007, 9:32 pm
  11. [...] Wendy Piersall of eMoms at Home writes 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent. [...]

    Posted by Keeping Kids Busy While You Work at Home | May 22, 2007, 10:00 pm
  12. Amazing list, Wendy! Starfall.com (which you linked to above) is our 2-year-old’s CrackBerry right now. Thanks for doing the legwork here – it will save this daddy-blogger a LOT of time!

    Posted by Easton Ellsworth | May 22, 2007, 10:58 pm
  13. Thank for the posting this wonderful list. You’ve made some excellent points. My favorite is the item that mentions how work is mostly done after 10pm. That’s very true. I also find that I can sometimes start early (5am) and work until the young ones wake up (around 7:00am). I’m definitely going to consider this list when I organize my summer schedules.

    Posted by Ben | May 23, 2007, 8:08 am
  14. Wow, I am impressed, yet again! Thanks so much for so many fabulous tips! Perhaps we can all survive the long (HOT) summer ahead after all…I REX’d this article on http://FetchRex.com (Digg for non-techies). Have a great summer — only 3 days of school left for us in Atlanta!

    Posted by Sherri Caldwell - The Rebel Housewife | May 23, 2007, 8:08 am
  15. Great list of links! My kids love the Disney, KidSites.com, and PBSKids.org links. Thanks a lot.

    Posted by Danielle | May 23, 2007, 8:31 am
  16. Last day of school is today.

    It’s going to be a long three months, thanks for some great suggestions and for the mention.

    Posted by Michelle | May 23, 2007, 8:58 am
  17. [...] site Emoms At Home has a list of 94 ways to keep the kids occupied and stay productive when your “office” (in my case, the couch) is suddenly bombarded [...]

    Posted by We Love Baby! » How to keep kids busy while you work from home | May 23, 2007, 9:08 am
  18. what a great list. I actually put together a similar list recently too. We must be on the same wavelength. I have activity cards formatted for printing out on index cards to make a kind of Recipe Box for Parent-Child Activities. Here’s the link:
    http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/05/20/78-parent-child-activities-free-download/

    Posted by AgentSully | May 23, 2007, 9:42 am
  19. Thank you, thank you, thank you. My 3 girls thank you as well. This will be my first attempt working at home while the children are home on school break. Once I book a couple more engagements they will be spending more time with the Grandmother but until then I will be pulling double duty. I have been able to squeeze out two blog posts this morning but it hasn’t been easy :) This list will be printed out and be used immediately.

    Thank you again :)

    Posted by Craig | May 23, 2007, 11:36 am
  20. Great post Wendy, lots of useful resources.

    And very timely with summer vacation starting this week for some of our little ones. They’re 6 and 8 on our end.

    Have an awesome day!

    Dan & Jennifer

    Posted by Dan and Jennifer | May 23, 2007, 11:36 am
  21. I’m the founder of a new website with downloadable mp3 stories for kids – iTales.com! (http://www.iTales.com) Yet another way for working moms (like me!) to keep their kids busy…entertained…and educated all at the same time!

    Posted by Mary OConnor | May 23, 2007, 8:00 pm
  22. [...] Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent Filed under: Uncategorized — recar @ 4:12 am 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent GREAT resource list for work at home parents who need to keep up their productivity over the summer [...]

    Posted by 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent « News Coctail | May 23, 2007, 10:12 pm
  23. [...] 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work At Home Parent by Wendy at eMoms at Home [...]

    Posted by 13 Summer Survival Strategies for the Work At Home Parent | May 23, 2007, 10:48 pm
  24. Great list. I have a preschooler and a toddler, so summer break isn’t too different for me yet. I also offer a ebook on my site about keeping younger kids busy. It can be pretty interesting balancing your work time and kid time.

    Posted by Stephanie | May 23, 2007, 11:13 pm
  25. [...] 94 ways to keep kids busy for the work at home parent – Plain and simple, until your kids are 3-4 years old, don’t expect yourself to be super-mom. Kids this young just need too much attention and the business will have to fit in between nap times and play dates – oh, and get used to starting your most productive work at 10:00pm. [...]

    Posted by TechMount » Archive » Daily Friction #246 | May 24, 2007, 1:34 am
  26. OK, I sent post before, but it looks there was some problem. Once again.
    I have a good tip for your children. I created site for my family and children and here I collected bunch of links on online fairytales video. Site is in Slovak language, but there is a lot of links on english animations. All these links are suitable for children.
    If you want look at bottom of page and choose one.

    http://sk.svajdlenka.com/

    Posted by Svajdlenka | May 24, 2007, 2:48 am
  27. [...] read more | digg story [...]

    Posted by 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent « Technology Spot | May 24, 2007, 4:55 am
  28. [...] at Home has a great article on ways to keep kids busy for the work at home parent.  This article is aimed more towards people who run a home-based business than those of us who [...]

    Posted by Blog That Outside » 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent - eMoms at Home | May 24, 2007, 6:35 am
  29. What a fantastic list, my son already keeps himself pretty busy, but there are moments! I’ll be sending this link to my little sister who is aspiring to work at home….

    Posted by Sabrina | May 24, 2007, 6:42 am
  30. Posted by School's out, Mom!: Keep Those Kids Busy « Galvanized | May 24, 2007, 8:41 am
  31. Huge post wendy! But Above all that. I still agree with no. 1 “Get the kids their own computer” It just feels so good to sit in a PC :D

    Posted by KidBlogger | May 24, 2007, 9:27 am
  32. [...] you’re in luck. I came across this post a emomsathome.com titled 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy For the Work at Home Parent that has some useful tips if you work at home. Hopefully this will make you dread summer vacation [...]

    Posted by FamFridge Blog » Blog Archive » Do You Work at Home? Dreading Summer Vacation? | May 24, 2007, 10:08 am
  33. Hi! I accidentally stumbled across this post at Digg today and was a work at home mom for a long time so I can really appreciate this post.. and am such an advocate for work at home moms. I’m actually an internet marketing business mentor for Joe Vitale (He’s one of the presenters in ‘The Secret’) and I help to coach mompreneurs. This post has some excellent coaching advice on how keep those kiddos busy while trying to get some work done. For any of the mom-entrepreneurs here we just put out some excellent free business success secrets coaching (about 4+ hours of vid) including some great stuff by Joe which we just put out today: http://scholarship.northstarthinktank.com

    I promise… not trying to spam the list… I just know, as a mom entrepreneur myself that there is some excellent, excellent free advice from some really world-class entrepreneurs.

    Posted by Darcy | May 24, 2007, 10:55 am
  34. [...] – and only had hopes of Digg success on very rare posts (as a mom blogger!). But when my post about Keeping Kids Busy on Summer Break got to the front page yesterday, I can only say that there is always another (extremely surprising) [...]

    Posted by An Introduction to Social Media Strategy and Socially Driven Content - eMoms at Home - Blogging and Internet Marketing for Home Based Entrepreneurs | May 24, 2007, 1:48 pm
  35. This list is like gold. We already do a few of these with my 4-year-old, but there are some others on there that are great. Getting them their own computer is a VERY GOOD idea.

    Thank goodness we also have Sea World and Fiesta Texas here in San Antonio. Season passes to those places are like gold too. :) Well, rhodium if you’re in the commodities business.

    Posted by Derrich | May 24, 2007, 1:53 pm
  36. [...] via emomsathome.com [...]

    Posted by 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent : BlogInvest | May 24, 2007, 2:21 pm
  37. Thank you for the link to my free download at my site. This is an awesome list. No wonder you’re cranking on Digg!

    Posted by AgentSully | May 24, 2007, 9:19 pm
  38. Wendy, put down the laptop and spend time with your kids instead of finding things for them to do without you. Some of these suggestions are great, but you need to be present, esp. for the younger ones.

    Posted by Ted | May 24, 2007, 10:14 pm
  39. Gee Ted. Great point. Sounds a lot like the point I made in paragraph 6:

    “The smaller your children are, the smaller your business To Do list should be. Young Kids just need too much attention and the business will have to fit in between nap times and play dates.”

    Damn – do you jerks read ANYTHING before you comment judge the hell out of moms?!

    Posted by Wendy Piersall | May 24, 2007, 10:29 pm
  40. If you are looking for a crafting/scrapbook store near your house for supplies, try http://www.thescrapbookstore.com (North America only) Lists over 2,500 stores with door-to-door driving directions.

    Posted by Sue | May 24, 2007, 11:04 pm
  41. [...] fantastic list of 94 Ways to work from home with little ones compiled by Wendy from emomsathome.com is a good reference for now and the [...]

    Posted by How to work at home while your kids are wee » RookieMoms Blog | May 25, 2007, 10:16 pm
  42. so, umm, I just checked out the digg comments! lol
    indication of their age, I guess…

    t’was a great and helpful list of ideas ;)

    Posted by shaz | May 25, 2007, 10:33 pm
  43. Just about every post I read, I say to myself, “There is no way Wendy can out do herself after publishing this post” and sure enough, you always do. This is exactly what I need. I am a stay at home dad and have three kids who are NOW home on summer break! I have lost more color in my hair in the last week than I have my entire life! :)

    Posted by Garry Conn | May 29, 2007, 12:55 am
  44. Once again, excellent post! I have a 17 month old and a newborn, so I am not getting an awful lot done on my business right now , lol. Good resources to have!

    Posted by At Home Mom | May 29, 2007, 12:25 pm
  45. Great list…Baby Diva’s a little young still…but I’ll bookmark this and come back to it soon!

    Posted by Mama Luxe | June 1, 2007, 10:31 pm
  46. [...] is the last day of school for my kids. I”m armed with my 94 activities for kids list as well as Char’s and Randa’s new Kid’s Printables books (which my kids [...]

    Posted by Monday Motivation :: Summer Kickoff! - eMoms at Home - Blogging and Internet Marketing for Home Based Entrepreneurs | June 4, 2007, 11:26 am
  47. [...] out Wendy´s 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent. She has some very useful ideas, all divided up by age. This list ought to keep your kids occupied [...]

    Posted by At Home Mom Blog » School Holiday Work Tips | June 6, 2007, 2:50 am
  48. This is a wonderful list of resources. Thank you!

    Posted by Ella | June 22, 2007, 2:25 pm
  49. Great, I’ve found this list just in time. I use the extra computer so junior can play on sites like nickjr. Two advantages, I can keep an eye on him and at the same time there a great educational games that help with counting and spelling.

    Posted by MomsFinance | June 22, 2007, 7:22 pm
  50. Hi Wendy, Saw your post the other day on the unbearable lightness of blogging.. I wish you luck on determining your direction. You’ve done a great job so far and I’m sure you’ll continue to do a great job!

    I’ve got another parenting one today at my site about involving kids in the household chores that might be helpful to your readers. I’ll include the link here:
    http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/06/23/involve-your-kids-in-housework-for-major-benefits/
    Best regards!

    Posted by AgentSully | June 23, 2007, 10:51 am
  51. [...] 94 ways to keep the kids busy for the work at home parent [...]

    Posted by List Extravaganza: 5000 tips on 100 lists : How to be an Original | June 23, 2007, 3:19 pm
  52. Thank you… thank you… thank you!!!

    Since school has let out I have been truly struggling to get everything done. The only way for me to get things done with my business is to do it once my 5 kids go to bed. But, then I am easily up until 3 or 3:30 in the morning just trying to get the business basics done. You’re ideas came just in time!!

    Thank you!!

    Shana Albert

    Posted by Shana Albert | June 29, 2007, 8:40 pm
  53. Hi there
    you’ve done an awesome job!! :) . I have been an early childhood educator for the last 5 years, and I believe that a lot of families are benefitting from this activity. I would love to personally share some extra ideas and tips for the families and children about various activities they can do in my personal blog over here.

    Posted by Ivonne Sobirin | July 2, 2007, 8:54 pm
  54. Hi,

    This is an amazing post. I did a googe search for keeping kids busy and your blog post came up. Thanks for all the tips. I have bookmarked a lot of the pages, because I really need help. I have 2 kids and I work 2 jobs from home. Thanks for the awesome post!

    Posted by April Smith | July 4, 2007, 1:21 pm
  55. [...] openly discuss working from home with kids and we share lots of strategies, tips and techniques for making it through summers and holidays. But, what about the balance of working from home and our [...]

    Posted by Balancing Work from Home and Your Marriage | July 5, 2007, 4:02 am
  56. [...] We then talked about keeping a tight niche – a very tight niche – but I made a point about some of my posts which have tended to seemingly stray off topic. I’ve found that as long as I tie it into home business, I not only pull it off, but they tend to be my most popular posts of all. [...]

    Posted by Live from BlogHer :: Branding and Blogging - eMoms at Home - The Internet Home Business Blog for Moms & Dads | July 27, 2007, 1:09 pm
  57. Wow what a huge resource thanks for taking the time to do something like this.

    Kudos

    Vic
    :)

    Posted by Vic | July 30, 2007, 8:59 pm
  58. In response to your stumbleupon review – Yes, I absolutely read your article but let’s be clear (and fair) – just because I don’t agree with nor like everything you wrote, doesn’t mean I didn’t read it.

    You raised many valid and interesting points but I really think you floated over a lot of things, places where perhaps you may consider expanding and explaining in more detail so it doesn’t come off as though you’re just shoving the kids aside so you can work.

    I appreciate you taking the time to stumble and comment on my post. We could likely learn a lot from each other. ;-)

    All the best,
    ~ Annie

    Posted by Annie Anderson | August 7, 2007, 6:05 pm
  59. [...] WAHD, there are times when you need to get things done.  Hope these tips will help.  Wendy from eMoms At Home has some tips and links [...]

    Posted by Top 10 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy While You’re Working | August 20, 2007, 11:48 am
  60. [...] that it’s summer. I don’t know how she does it. Maybe she’s read Wendy’s 94 sanity-retaining tips, or maybe stay-at-home moms simply have superpowers that I’ll never understand. All I know [...]

    Posted by Overheard While Working at Home - eMoms at Home - The Internet Home Business Blog for Moms & Dads | August 28, 2007, 6:25 am
  61. [...] of the most popular posts on this blog, 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent, is starting to fall off the [...]

    Posted by Do You Have a Seasonal Search Engine Optimization Strategy? - eMoms at Home - The Internet Home Business Blog for Moms & Dads | August 29, 2007, 1:16 pm
  62. [...] 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent – eMoms at Home – Blogging and Internet Market… [...]

    Posted by links for 2007-05-25 | After The Dot Net | September 18, 2007, 12:53 pm
  63. Thanks for the list. I’ve been going to create a box of activities that my youngest kid could do only when I’m on the phone. It seems that the time she wants my attention the most is when I’m in the middle of a conference call, or talking to a prospect.

    So I think I’ll incorporate some ideas of the list and actually create that box. Your posting inspired me to write about additional resources at http://creativevisionbooks.com/blog/2007/09/23/tips-for-wisemoms-keeping-kids-busy-while-you-work-at-home

    Thanks for the inspiration!

    Posted by LeisaWatkins | September 23, 2007, 2:50 pm
  64. [...] 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent – eMoms at Home – Blogging and Internet Market… [...]

    Posted by My Weight Loss Team « High Energy Life Plan | October 13, 2007, 3:51 pm
  65. [...] – 94 ways to Keep Kids busy for the work at home parent (I’d say every parent with kids at home NEEDS this post!); Top Ten Working from home [...]

    Posted by Fabulous links & books for your Craft Business | CraftBoom! | January 16, 2008, 5:35 am
  66. [...] Here is a great article i found for WAHM: 94 Ways To Keep Kid Busy For Work At Home Parent [...]

    Posted by A New Year… A New LOOK! « The Boobie Bib www.theboobiebib.com | January 16, 2008, 8:41 pm
  67. Yay! I started my business 18 months ago with a baby and a toddler as well as an 8 year old! I have done most of the list at some point…but it is great to know others are in the same position! There is so much I want to do business wise…but Ok I will try to keep the to do list short for a few years yet!
    ps I did win an award for “overcoming barriers” in business…must be all the breastfeeding at business meetings I did!lol

    Posted by amareke | January 19, 2008, 6:08 am
  68. [...] post I wrote at the beginning of last summer 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent is to this day one of the most visited posts on this blog. I wrote it to get me through the summer, [...]

    Posted by The Snow Day Toolbox for the Work at Home Parent | eMoms at Home | February 1, 2008, 9:40 am
  69. [...] 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent: Keeping your kids occupied while you work on projects can be tough, by eMoms at Home have combined 94 suggestions for keeping them busy. Check this out next time you’re swamped. [...]

    Posted by Bootstrapper » The WAHM’s Toolbox: 100 Links and Resources | February 13, 2008, 12:50 pm
  70. Great article! I’ll be taking some of these tips and applying them @ our home.

    Dayngr’s last blog post..Happy Valentine’s Day

    Posted by Dayngr | February 15, 2008, 9:41 am
  71. This site is great

    Posted by Emma Jenny Taylor | March 5, 2008, 11:51 am
  72. [...] 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent: Face it, if you have kids, there will be a day (or two) when you need to keep them busy while you work from home. They might be sick, or it may be a snow day. This is a great list from Wendy at emomsathome.com to help you out when it does happen! [...]

    Posted by The Home Office Organizer | Organize Your Home Office Day Link Love | March 11, 2008, 3:10 am
  73. I have just found this site and love it. I have recently made the change to work from home and be with my kids, Emma 4 and Ben 2. They are fantasic although it is definately a challege to be task oriented when they need so much from me. Which some days I love and some days not so much. Thank you for all the resources for activities.
    Make it a great day.
    Stacy
    dreambiglifestyle.blogspot.com

    Posted by Stacy Swatek | March 17, 2008, 5:53 pm
  74. Love this post! Thank you so much for the sites for kiddie projects. I have a 2 1/2 year old son and he’ll love some of these! You are absolutely correct about 10pm being your most productive hour – that, and nap time! :)

    Liz’s last blog post..PayPerPost

    Posted by Liz | April 29, 2008, 2:36 am
  75. Ah yes, getting to be that time of year again! Here’s another great site with kids activities. The activities are all sortable by grade and topic and were developed by teachers. So the kids might even learn a thing or two while they’re having fun :) Good luck this summer!

    Posted by Patrick | May 7, 2008, 3:10 pm
  76. [...] is fun, and it is possible to get through it and be productive too. Keeping the kids occupied (check out Wendy’s great post here) and doing a little multi-tasking can take you a long way (as in a little wireless and laptop [...]

    Posted by Summertime in the Home Office | Home Office Organizer | May 28, 2008, 1:34 am
  77. [...] 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy Over the Summer for Work at Home Parents [...]

    Posted by Raising A Healthy Family » Kicking Off A Healthy Summer | June 5, 2008, 7:47 am
  78. [...] 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy Over the Summer for Work at Home Parents [...]

    Posted by Keeping The Kids Busy This Summer | June 5, 2008, 7:55 am
  79. I so miss my childrens younger years. I loved every minute of it, and looked forward to the school holidays so we could spend lots of time together doing all different activities.
    The only difference then was I did not have a work from home business, I just did voluntary work when I could and fitted it around the children.
    The more interesting activities you can find for your children the happier and less stressful it will be.

    Barbs last blog post..Is Processing Rebates a Simple Way To Make Money?

    Posted by Barb | June 12, 2008, 9:30 am
  80. This is a great resource you are sharing here! Now that the kids are out of school, if mom’s use your resource, they will be able to keep the kids busy all summer.

    Posted by Monique Hawkins | June 18, 2008, 6:52 pm
  81. [...] researching this for all you parents, I came across this pretty popular article, “94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent.” The article, courtesy of Sparkplugging.com features tips such as chore charts, play date swaps, [...]

    Posted by School's Out for Summer! (Working from home with the kids) | I've Tried Telecommuting | June 20, 2008, 3:03 pm
  82. Wow…this is a great list! Thanks for the great info. It is certainly helpful.

    Posted by Tony | June 20, 2008, 8:49 pm
  83. [...] Piersall at Sparkplug CEO offers more ideas than you can shake a stick at, in 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent. It has age-appropriate resources and suggestions as [...]

    Posted by “But I’m Boooored, Grandma!!!” at From Mom To Grandma | June 24, 2008, 12:49 pm
  84. Thanks for the great list and insight. I struggle with this daily with my four year old and 16 month old at home. I find myself working late at night like you mentioned. Of course by morning I regret it but believe it will all pay off in the end. When my husband is home he is very helpful as well, so he will do a lot of the childcare so I can get some work done, including my new podcast support show for moms at http://mamastimeout.com. I did have to cut back to every other week because of the time involved in getting guests, preparing for the show, etc.

    Thanks again for the info and sharing your experiences with other moms who are striving to work at home and make it work with little ones under five.

    Pattys last blog post..A Place for Mom Bloggers to Socialize

    Posted by Patty | August 1, 2008, 2:24 am
  85. This is such a nice find. I am expecting my first child and I work at home. These suggestions are definitely going to come in handy! Thanks.

    Kim Sawyers last blog post..What is Really Going On?!!!!!!!!!!

    Posted by Kim Sawyer | August 7, 2008, 8:48 am
  86. I finally got my 11 year old to mow the lawn this summer – best time saver ever and gets him out of my hair for an hour!

    Peter Answerss last blog post..Why Doesn’t Peter Answer Me?

    Posted by Peter Answers | August 19, 2008, 5:30 pm
  87. This is such a great list you’ve got going! I love the idea of a separate computer! I also liked how you mentioned inexpensive ideas such as movie rentals, activity stations, and sidewalk chalk. There’s something for everyone to do!

    Jennas last blog post..Prescription Drug May Cause T.B.

    Posted by Jenna | September 15, 2008, 12:54 pm
  88. [...] This is a must read for any home business owner with children, or people who telecomute and have children:  http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/94-ways-to-keep-kids-busy-for-the-work-at-home-parent/ [...]

    Posted by Work at home.. With kids ???? It can be done « BSDGuyShawn - Is this thing on?? | December 11, 2008, 8:37 pm
  89. Those are a ton of fantastic suggestions! I like that you emphasized educational activities. It’s certainly better than sticking them in front of a tv.

    Here’s some weather-related science projects for children. Fun!

    Sheas last blog post..Fun Projects for Children and their Parents

    Posted by Shea | December 18, 2008, 11:37 pm
  90. [...] this list in your back pocket:  Wendy’s list of 94 ways to keep kids busy is something I turn to on a regular basis.  Bookmark it, Stumble it and keep it [...]

    Posted by Snowed In & Keeping the Kids Busy: 5 Tips | Home Office Organizer | December 24, 2008, 5:00 pm
  91. Excellent resource! I like the idea of having a laptop, this way you can work where ever you choose.

    Tom.L HomeBusinesss last blog post..The Importance Of Good Copywriting

    Posted by Tom.L HomeBusiness | January 28, 2009, 12:04 pm
  92. Great list.If you work at home you´d better have something to do for the kids while you are working if you are going to get anything done.

    Tommy – Work From Home Informations last blog post..Want To Work At Home? Become Self-Employed!

    Posted by Tommy - Work From Home Information | February 9, 2009, 4:19 am
  93. [...] Read Wendy’s post. Have you read Wendy’s post, “94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work At Home Parent”?  No?  Well, get on over there and read it!  She has more ideas than you can shake a popsicle stick at! [...]

    Posted by Spark An Idea: 8 Ideas to Keep the Kids Busy | Home Office Organizer | May 7, 2009, 4:05 am
  94. Thank you THANK you for the ideas! I have a laptop as well and couldn’t live without it.

    Super Moms last blog post..Rabbit Reno’s!

    Posted by Super Mom | May 17, 2009, 11:35 pm
  95. Great ideas! I’ll definitely be visiting some of the listed resource links.
    I just posted an article on keeping preschool kids busy while you work on Examiner. I’ll be sharing 80 ideas:

    http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-15855-Huntsville-Education-Activities-Examiner~y2009m7d15-Preschool-activities-101-TVfree-ways-to-keep-kids-busy-while-you-work-part-one

    Posted by Starr Weems de Graffenried | July 16, 2009, 12:50 am
  96. [...] Pages: 94 Summer Kids Activities, more Cartoon Coloring Pages Transformers 3 Chicago movie setup and filming by Kevin [...]

    Posted by Find Filming Locations and Watch Movies Being Made! | Cartoon Jr. | July 14, 2010, 1:25 pm

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