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Tabies are not the easiest group to entertain. I know that. I'm a three-time taby veteran and I've learned a few things: they lick everything, they aren't actually naughty on purpose, and they love tape... which is why tape rescue is perfect for them!

That's why I made a quick tape rescue for my 22-month-old - something fun and easy to keep him entertained.
RELATED: Looking for more taby activities? Check out my list of 30+ easy activities for one-year-olds.
But what's a taby?

A taby is my silly little word for "nor quite a toddler," but definitely not a baby. I call them "tabies" and boy are they a fun group to hang around with!

You need to make a Tape Rescue for your taby!

I first heard about tape rescue or rescue-the-toy type activities from Laughing Kids Learn and Mama.Papa.Bubba (two of my all time favorite blogs).

The idea is simple - use tape as an activity base. The tape alone or the tape with toys makes for one awesome way to get tabies (aka young toddlers) working, focused, and sitting still for half a second.

How do you set it up?
Materials
(this list contains affiliate links. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.)

Animals (we used these ones because we're obsessed)

Cookie sheet or other spot to attach them

I quickly ripped off a bunch of pieces of tape, flipped my cookie sheet upside down, and started hooking animals to it.

But what's the goal here?

The goal is for my taby to remove all the animals and the tape. It's a hard job and a tall order for little fingers to do that kind of work!

Getting the tape pulled up, getting the animal off the tape, and getting the tape off their fingers - it's a lot of steps for a little one!

Try this on an airplane!

This is a GREAT activity for babies AND tabies for airplane rides. Set up the activity on the tray table - just pack some tape and animals with you.

My taby is learning so much here!

It looks like such a simple activity - it's tape and toys! - but it's so much more. Here's everything my taby is working on with this activity:

Hand eye coordination

Find motor skills

Vocabulary

Planning and decision making

Problem solving

Just because an activity doesn't look like much, doesn't mean it isn't full of great learning opportunities!

Make a Tape Rescue Mission today!

This is such a low commitment activity and one that's so easy make. It's a classic activity that gives our sweet tabies something to do, and something they can be successful at!

When will you make a tape rescue?

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Animal Tape Rescue Activity - Busy Toddler

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Tabies are not the easiest group to entertain. I know that. I'm a three-time taby veteran and I've learned a few things: they lick everything, they aren't actually naughty on purpose, and they love tape... which is why tape rescue is perfect for them!

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boxes are so much fun! our friends really enjoy exploring the boxes; we will sometimes place the child in a box with some markers and let them create some art.

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Our friends have really been enjoying emptying anything they can! We usually fill up a basket or a bin with whatever we can find and they enjoy emptying it and putting the items back in a repeating the process all over again!

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All you need for this fun and messy activity is cornstarch and water; the more cornstarch you add the thicker it will be! You can also add food coloring to make it colorful!

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to make cheerio sand all you need is cheerios! to get the consistency of sand you could either smash the cheerios up or put them in a blender. This is a great sensory experiment; it lets you baby feel a different texture. To expand, you could add some vehicles for your child to drive through the sand or some kitchen utensils such as measuring cups or spoons.

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for some cause and effect, we have been rolling balls and cars up and down the ramp that is on our loft; this is a fun activity that you could also do at home! gather some household items and see what happens!

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Our friends have really enjoy playing with musical instruments; these are easy to make right at home! All you need is a empty container (water bottle is what they prefer) and dried beans or rice! put them together and let your baby share their song with you!

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One of our favorite things to do in the spring as well as in the fall, is to go on neighborhood walks. Our friends love watching their surroundings and seeing all the trees come to life. We like to listen to the different sounds and talk about what we are seeing. Our friends just love getting outside!

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always a hit!

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I love making homemade bubble solution because you can mix up BIG batches and it stores well for a long time. It's also cost-effective for families, teachers, and camp directors who can go through it quickly!

There are a lot of recipes for homemade bubble solution but I like this one because it's really easy to make and uses no specialty ingredients. I have tried solutions with harder to find ingredients but I haven't really found them to be any better than this simple recipe I have used for years.

Homemade Bubble Solution Ratios

If you'd like to mix up a large batch of solution use the following ratios:

1 Gallon Distilled Water

2 2/3 Cup Dish Soap

2 1/2 Tablespoons Clear Corn Syrup

And if you'd like to mix up a HUGE batch of solution use the following ratios:

2 Gallons Distilled Water

5 Cups Dish Soap

1/3 Cup Clear Corn Syrup

When I mix up homemade bubble solution for camp I use a large painter's bucket with a lid. That way I can mix it and transport it easily. It's also great to use the bucket for dipping in large bubble wands or the amazing square bubble wands.

The Science of Bubbles

Bubbles are made from a soapy membrane that has air trapped inside. The membrane is actually a sandwich consisting of an inner and outer layer of soap with a layer of water between them. When you blow a bubble you are trapping air inside the soap-water sandwich and it grows larger and larger.

Bubbles illustrate surface tension. Surface tension is a force that holds molecules together on the surface of a liquid. Molecules on the surface of a liquid hold tightly together in a thin membrane that is flexible but fragile. This tension holds liquid molecules together even seeming to defy gravity at times! Think about when you pour water into a glass. As it reaches the top of the glass you can continue adding water carefully and it will not spill over at first. It will actually rise above the edge of the glass and bulge like elastic until the force it too great and eventually the water spills over.

Bubbles pop for several reasons. The bubble membrane is fragile and when it comes into contact with a gust of wind, a finger, or another object it breaks. Bubbles also pop because eventually the water in the soap-water membrane evaporates as it comes into contact with dry air. This means that bubbles blown on a cold day should last longer than those blown on a hot day when evaporation occurs faster. For more science behind bubbles go here.

More

Now that you have mixed up homemade bubble solution why not try making more DIY art supplies? This is a great way to save money and teach your kids how to be resourceful makers! Here are more DIY art materials to try making:

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I love making homemade bubble solution because you can mix up BIG batches and it stores well for a long time. It's also cost-effective for families, teachers, and camp directors who can go through it quickly! There are a lot of recipes for homemade bubble solution but I like this one because it's really easy to make and uses no specialty ingredients.

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Our babies sure do love to color! weather they be sitting at the table, on the floor or even in a box, they love to get creative with their markings!

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Stacking has also been a huge hit in the infant room! our friends have been enjoying stacking cups or blocks and knocking them over.

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Our friends have been very into taking care of baby dolls at the moment; they like to rock, feed and shoosh the babies. This is great to help develop their self-help skills.

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As more families face social distancing, self-quarantine, and school and work closings as a result of COVID-19, it's possible to feel stressed-not only about health issues, but also with the reality of suddenly being at home for many days with energetic little ones. By planning early for this possibility and having some activities and experiences ready, you can feel less stressed and more prepared!

Start with a Toy Rotation

If you have a variety of toys, try a toy rotation. Pick a few toys to leave out for your child to play with and put the rest away out of sight. After a week or so, switch out the toys they've been using for the ones stored away, and boom, it feels like they have new toys!

We know their toys will only entertain for so long...and then boredom can set in. Boredom for infants and toddlers may not look the same as it does for us. Signs your little one is bored:

Fussing or whining

Struggling to focus or engage in play

Becoming more aggressive

Parent-Child Play Ideas

As you look for activities to do with your child, consider offering different types of play to meet their needs and keep the fun going. Independent play (when children play by themselves with you nearby) is also an important type of play-and parents shouldn't feel guilty about giving their babies and toddlers a chance to play on their own.

Here are some different ideas for play that you can try with your young child:

Outside time: Getting outside will probably be refreshing and a great change of scenery for all of you. Though to maintain social distancing, playdates are a no-go. Avoid touching playground equipment. Instead, run, roll down hills, jump like kangaroos, or lie back and look at the clouds. Wash hands thoroughly after returning home from any outdoor play.

For infants:

Bring their stroller outside for a walk or a story.

Lay a blanket on the grass for tummy time.

Enjoy bubbles, listen to music and sing together, talk about what you see outside.

Park the stroller or hold your baby so they can watch an older sibling or other children play.

For toddlers:

Play 'I spy' (keep it simple, "I spy something blue", "I spy something that moves").

Collect rocks or leaves, then sort them by size, color, and shape.

Kick, roll, or toss a ball back and forth.

Dig in the dirt (don't forget buckets, bowls, measuring cups, spoons, gardening tools, whatever you have!).

Play with sidewalk chalk: draw pictures, trace one another's outline, and more.

Paint with water. Fill a cup with water and give your child a brush to "paint" the sidewalk, door, etc.

Blow bubbles.

Play "I'm going to catch you."

Pretend to be the different animals you might see in your neighborhood: Birds, squirrels, rabbits, deer, etc.

Most play that happens inside the house can also happen outside, so if the weather allows, bring some blocks outside, read together outdoors, color, or paint a cardboard box in the yard.

Physical Play: Little ones need to move and work their bodies...and voices. They will need opportunities to be loud, run, climb, and jump. This may happen outside or inside. Here are some ideas:

Turn on some music and have a dance party.

Put couch cushions on the floor and crawl, walk, or jump from one to the next (don't touch the floor, it's hot lava!).

Use a bedsheet as a parachute (open it wide and raise it up above your heads, then bring it down to the floor). For infants, raise and lower a light blanket over them while playing peek-a-boo.

Build a fort with sheets, blankets, couch cushions, pillows, chairs, and more. You can even "camp-out" indoors!

Create an obstacle course using furniture, pillows, and toys.

Quiet Play: Children (and you) will also need some quiet time each day. This is great for relaxing, recharging, and maybe even allowing you to get some work done.

Read together or independently (toddlers can flip through books and talk about what they see in the illustrations)

Coloring

Puzzles

Block building

Sorting objects

Pretend play with stuffed animals, dolls, trains, cars, or kitchen items for "playing house"

Stickers on paper - you can draw large shapes, letters, or numbers on paper and your child can line the shape with stickers

Tape on paper - you can cut short pieces of masking tape and your child can stick it to a piece of paper (sounds boring, but little ones love it).

Remember that one of the most favorite types of play for children is helping you with "real" work. Think about whether your toddler can help with meal preparation, setting the table, sorting or putting away laundry, cleaning up (for example, putting shoes in the closet) or putting new toilet paper rolls in a basket in the bathroom. These tasks may take a bit longer with our toddlers, but it's fun for them and also teaches the value of cooperation.

Thinking About Your Daily Routine

Try to keep daily routines as stable as possible during this break. As much as possible, try to stick to daily routines, with wake-up times, meals, naps, and bedtimes as usual. Children thrive on predictability, and it's good for their caregivers, too. (It's much easier to deal with a long day with little ones if it's divided into smaller, more manageable pieces.)

For a deeper dive into activities to do at home with your infants and toddlers to promote their development, and keep them (and you) from feeling trapped in the house, check out A Year of Play and Play With Me!.
Looking for more information? Visit zerotothree.org/coronavirus for our latest resources and updates for families.
This article was featured in Baby Steps, a ZERO TO THREE newsletter for parents and caregivers. Each issue offers science-based information on a topic of interest to parents and caregivers of young children-from sleep to challenging behaviors, and everything in between. Become a subscriber:

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As more families face social distancing, self-quarantine, and school and work closings as a result of COVID-19, it's possible to feel stressed-not only about health issues, but also with the reality of suddenly being at home for many days with energetic little ones.

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This is via COR Advantage, the assessment tool we use every day!