Keeping toddlers busy when you’re out and about

It’s an oldie but a goldie. Sing ‘The wheels on the bus’ together when they see one drive past. It’s brilliant for keeping them entertained as you walk, or you could sing it while you're on the bus.

Playing 'I-Spy with my little eye' is a simple game you can play on the bus, tram or train to keep little ones from getting bored. Why not try it in the supermarket too?

Collect something wherever you go to make a scrapbook when you get home. The park is a great place to gather leaves – you could paint on them and print their pattern on paper, too. It’s something to enjoy together both out and about and when you get home.

Get your little one’s imagination going by making up new stories about places you visit. Maybe a friendly monster lives in a tree you go past? The possibilities are endless. Maybe you could draw the characters from the story when you get home?

Visit your local library and enjoy free stories, songs and rhymes together at a Bookbug Session.

There are lots of people and cars and buses to count when you’re out and about. Next time you’re waiting in a queue, why not ask your little one to count how many people are waiting or how many are wearing red jackets?

Brighten up rainy days by jumping in puddles. Because it doesn’t have to be sunny to have fun. But don’t forget to wear wellies!

Wee ones enjoy spotting door numbers and counting them as you walk along the street. You can spot lots of different colours too. It’s a fun everyday game to enjoy together.

Point things out and about that start with each letter of the alphabet. It’s something they will love to play in the supermarket. A is for apple. B is for banana. C is for carrot, or maybe even cucumber.

This is a fun game to play together wherever you are. The best part is, you don’t need to carry anything around with you to enjoy it, and it’s an instant distraction from tantrums in any situation. You can find instructions for playing on WikiHow if you're not sure.

If you’re waiting for a bus or standing in a queue, make a rule that nobody can smile or laugh for a minute and see who lasts the longest. It won’t be long before one of you giggles – especially if you both start making silly faces.

Have a go at making animal noises together. Can you make the noise of animals you spot out and about? Can you tweet like a bird or bark like a dog? For extra laughs, make the wrong sound for the animal. It’s always funny when a cat goes ‘moo’.

Whether you’re on the way to the shops or the bus stop or just moving round the house, it’s always a hoot to waddle like penguins together. Who can be the waddliest penguin?

It’s always good to carry a banana in case of hunger pangs, but did you know a banana can also be a useful distraction tool. Dring dring – what’s that noise? It’s a banana phone, of course. Now, why not try and get your little one to phone Granny on it?