How do I find quality time with my toddler if I'm a working parent?

You’re a working parent of a young toddler, and although you enjoy what you do, you cannot help but feel guilty over not being around for them as much as you should. Balancing out your working life with being a loving parent is always a dance, and one that can make you question, “Am I doing enough?” “Am I there enough for my kids?” “How do I spend more quality time with my kids?”

It’s the last of these questions we’re most interested in exploring with you here. Because it’s not necessarily how much time you’re spending with your child, it’s about making sure that the time you do spend with your little one is quality time.

So let’s take a look, first of all, at what we mean when we say quality time.

What is quality time?

When you interact one-on-one with your child, and they have your full attention
It’s uninterrupted and undistracted
It allows you to connect with your children and get to know them better and ultimately deepen your relationship

Now let’s take a look at what ways you can spend quality time with your toddler when you’re a working parent.

How do I spend quality time with my child?

Instead of feeling guilty about working, commit to your decision to work and set time aside each day to engage fully with your toddler. That means no phone, no emails, no tidying, just complete attention on your child.
Be realistic with your time. Take small chunks of time you know you can fully dedicate to your child rather than hours of time you can’t be fully present for.
Be consistent and give your little one the same amount of time every day at the same time, rather than being sporadic and unpredictable.
A suggestion would be to carve out half an hour a day during the weekdays. Start building or creating something that you can work together to finish throughout the week. Or dedicate that half an hour to playing games. Be intentional and focused on what you want to do in that half an hour.
Let your hair down and be silly. Play a game of ‘tag’, organise activities in the garden, roll around on the floor pretending to be sea creatures, put on a puppet show, colour, and paint together.
Toddlers love repetition. When your toddler is particularly enjoying a certain game, you can play the same game over and over.
You don’t need to buy expensive toys; you can use what resources you have around you. You could use socks for a puppet show, old boxes to make a den or anything else you can find to stimulate your little one’s imagination.
Use your bedtime routine as quality time. A bedtime routine usually includes bathing, story time and snuggling. These are precious moments that provide an opportunity for a deeper connection with your child but also supports their literacy and social development.

What are some fun activities I can do with my toddler?

Here are some ideas for how to spend fun, quality time with your little one:

Inside fun:

Egg-decorating
Play dress up – let your little one have free rein of your wardrobe and/or the fancy dress box
Pirates and Princess: make castles and forts using household furniture
In house Safari: create animal masks and move around the house as your favourite animal
Blowing bubbles
Doing puzzles
Hand and feet printing using finger paints
Dancing to music and playing with musical instruments
King or Queen tea party: make a crown for your toddler to wear and create a tea party in a special part of the house

Outside fun:

Rolling down hills or doing roly-polies in the garden
Storytelling in libraries
Collecting pebbles at the beach, in the garden or in a forest to take home and paint
Collecting leaves to make pictures
Going to garden centres and watching the fish
Visiting castles, museums, and farms
Feeding the ducks at the local park
Making a sand fortress at the beach
Throwing and catching a ball

How do I find quality time with my toddler if I'm a working parent?

Quality time is extremely important in these formative years. Unii explains how to get it.