I constantly find myself over-thinking toys. Am I giving my child too many or too few toys? Is she bored? When do I say no in the toy aisle at Target? You see, I want Emerson to be stimulated, but not too stimulated; entertained, but using her imagination instead of relying on flashing lights and electronic voices; excited, but enriched. Easy, right?

And so, I stocked the house (sparingly) with wooden toys, blocks and natural rubber play things when Emerson was a few months old. But, toys were, and still are, just a passing interest. They are outgrown, making them an expensive (non) investment. Likewise, some are just never a hit. And at the end of the day, Emerson is just as likely, if not more, to spend her time playing with regular old household items than toys.

So, why spend the money? Sure, we buy toys here and there (or inherit them), but these days I find myself on the lookout for cheap ways to entertain my toddler and her ever-changing interests. Here are ten of my favorite simple ways to banish boredom with a toddler (at least temporarily):

1. Cap and pom pom drop. I cut a slot into the lid of an empty cereal tub and then saved a bunch of water bottle tops. Emerson loves to put the caps (and pom poms) into the “bank” and hear the loud noise they make as they hit the bottom. Pour them out. Do it again. [Free or $4.99 for a 300-count Pom pom combo pack at Target]

2. Sensory table or bin. While an actual sensory table can be rather expensive, you can easily set up a sensory experience with an empty bin/tote or large bowl (which is what I did previous to inheriting ours). Fill with dried beans, water (which is fun outdoors in the summer and as an unexpected, albeit slightly messy, surprise in the winter), uncooked pasta, rice…the list goes on. Throw in toys, shovels, measuring cups, etc. [8 bags of beans, $1.20 a piece at Target]

3. Pipe cleaners and a strainer. To keep little ones busy while preparing a meal, hand them a strainer and a pile of pipe cleaners. Show them how to thread the pipe cleaners into the holes and then let them have at it. [Pipe cleaner and pom pom combo pack, $4.99 at Target]

4. Finger painting bags. Finger painting with a toddler is fun, but I find that a lot of the time it’s easier to say no to doing it because it requires changing clothes, setting up in a secured location, supervision, and inevitably a whole lot of cleanup. By squeezing the paint into gallon-sized baggies, which are then sealed off with packing tape (don’t forget this step!), you can let your child “paint” with minimal supervision and effort. Either tape the bag(s) to a window/door or hand them the bag at a table/highchair. [4-pack of finger paints, $6.98 at yoyo.com]

5. Stickers. Stickers are excellent distractions. Toddlers are still a bit too young to care too much what’s on the stickers, which is why I picked up a package of 330 stickers (meant for teachers, which actually have great pictures on them) and empty price tag labels for $1 at Target. So many stickers and so cheap. Emerson loves to stick them all over herself, on paper, her parents, her car seat, her toys…you name it. [330-pack of stickers, $1 at Target]

If you don’t have any stickers on hand, toddlers also love tape! Emerson loves some good packing tape.

6. Magnets. As with the stickers, what’s on the magnet isn’t really important. They are just fun to experiment with. I either hand them to Emerson with a clean cookie sheet, or let her explore the kitchen and find things that they will stick to. [4 packs of magnets, $1 at Target]

**Small magnets require supervision, because they can be very harmful to a child’s inside if swallowed!

7. Toddler crayons. Emerson is just starting to enjoy coloring. But, markers and regular crayons are hard to clean up (those marks end up everywhere!). Also, with regular crayons, Emerson tends to snap them in half and eat them rather than use them to color. Toddler crayons are easy for little hands to hold, can’t be broken or eaten and contain the mess. They are also washable. [2-pack, $5.99 at Target]

8. Baby bath. (Or animal, car, toy, etc wash). Toddlers have spent much of their lives being cleaned up so why not let them give it a try? Emerson will sit quietly and give her baby doll a “bath” for quite a while. I hand her some wet wipes or a wash cloth, a soft hair brush, and a towel and she is content. [Free]

9. Clean house. Toddlers have also spent a lot of time watching grownups clean up after them. Emerson has always loved to help me with this. She will “dust” with a duster for hours if I let her, she loves to spray things (with water!) and wipe them up with a rag, she will clean the floors with a Swiffer (I take out two pieces to make it her height) or help “wash” dishes. Kids love to mimic. [Free]

Yes, she is dusting with my underwear (clean!) on her head and my sports bra on her chest.

10. Watch the ____. There are so many things that toddlers love to watch. Emerson enjoys watching cars and trucks drive by while shouting “hi!” and “beep!” at them. Others things she loves to watch: ducks, any body of water, dogs playing, people mowing the lawn, and construction work. [Free]

There you have it. Some really simple, inexpensive ways to entertain your little human! Have fun!