At Home Activity Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

Doll houses are great for both boys and girls. It teaches them to be gentle as they try to set things up and play without knocking things over.

This probably depends on the kid, but when my kids were little I would give them a task/goal such as "we can go to the park as soon as your shoes are on and I finish one quick chore" and then walk away to do my own chore somewhere close by, like emptying the dishwasher. I found that they would figure out how to do things for themselves when I wasn't standing over them and tempted to help or looking at the clock. Be sure to do this a looong time before you have to be out the door.

Sturdy stair guards at the top and bottom of the staircase are a must once baby starts moving around!

I discovered that a heavyweight hairband looped around both door handles was just as effective (if not more!) at keeping my cabinet doors shut than those cabinet latches made specifically for baby proofing. Plus, they were way easier (and less annoying) for me to take on and off, making it more likely that I'd always keep it on. This only works on certain handles, though, like pull bars and knobs.

Swing Low Sweet Chariot

Amazing Grace

I have a full set of cleaning supplies (sponges/cloths, gloves, cleaning solutions/products) - in each bathroom and the kitchen, so whenever I have five minutes I can quickly wipe down a sink, toilet, counter, etc without needing to hunt anything down.

For sorting mail and other papers, I follow the OHIO method - Only Handle It Once. It either gets filed, recycled, shredded or if it is something I need to deal with (a bill or a follow up), it goes in the file folder on my desk so I don't forget.