How do you entertain LO's when cleaning ?

My two entertain themselves when I'm cleaning. I do a bit every day so I keep on top of it and Sandy is quite happy playing with his toys while I do it. When I go upstairs I take them with me and they play in their room.

Very rarely Sandy will come and see what I'm doing and if he does I get him to "help" by giving him a duster or something harmless. Could you let Pearl "help"?

This is us as well, i never have to entertain G she just potters and entertains herself, i do give her a duster and let her help me hoover or sometime we get her toy dyson down and she helps that way. Like Morags she helps with the washing as well x

I just dont do much really, my house is pretty messy So most of it izzy helps with it takes longer and everythign has to be doen her way but its all good. Washing is easy she will help with that, washing up she has the wash up bowl with her things in there(althoguh i have already washed them) and i do washing up in sink. cooking is our time anyway so she will help with that. Dusting she does after i have done, hoovering she isnt that fond of but she will help with sweeping. I have a steam mop so she doesnt do that and i dont iron full stop.

Tidying is a bit more challenging so we have to make a game of it, ususally involves couting

If all else fails cbeebies

If all else fails cbeebies

Gotta love CBeebies
It's the only thing that keeps Erin quiet while I'm hoovering... & even then I have to shut the lounge door, she hates the hoover Then when hoovering the lounge, she goes outside & plays with pegs on the patio, where I can keep an eye on her, through the shut door
Everything else she's fine with as long as she's in the same room as me & has a few things to play with
Floor mopping I do do when she naps. Otherwise there'd been bum shuffling trails everywhere

Our house is tiny and a bit higgidly ( steps down to bathroom and steps down to utilty ) .
We have a dish washer so I don't need to worry about dishes . Our kitchen is so tiny, her highchair does fit ( just and then i can't move) but doesn't reach the work surface.

Today I put her in her highchair and gave her some dried pasta and lentils to "cook" while I made soup for lunch. She then got bored so I gave her a snack while I did the cheese scones. So that was ok, although the snack was a big too close to lunch tbh.
How do they help with cooking? I'm mainly copping , boiling and putting in the oven. I did get pearl to paint a bit of milk on the scones but had to hold the tray and help her do it. Also how do they reach the work surface ?

Cleaning upstairs is the most difficult as we have stairs down to the bathroom and the big stairs. She wouldn't stay in her room playing , would much rather come out and find me or try and climb down the steep stairs. So do you close them in their rooms? She is only 18months not sure if she would be that safe?

If she is in our room she literally goes round the entire room pulling everything out . So that makes it really difficult to try and put clothes away ect.

I never managed to, DD either wants to help (and by that I mean she wants to hold whatever I have got - not a toy version of it, or one similar - it has to be the exact thing ) which makes it take 3 times as long, or makes a mess elsewhere which takes longer to tidy up.

This is Pearl exactly she doesn't want the toy version you wants the real thing.

I have been thinking about getting a cleaner but feel a bit as I don't work.

India used to be a nightmare too, hence the cleaner. I dont feel about it in the slightest, its the best money I spend in the week. Now DH is home too, he agrees as he sees all the day to day stuff I do anyway like laundry and such like.

if you can afford to pay soemone to do some cleaning do it I have doen it a few times although not just now as we are skint.

Cooking izzy sits on the floor on a blanket with her own stuff when cooking she likes the pestle and mortar lots She loves anything with flour of course so if i really cant find her anything to really help with she can just pretend with flour she likes to mix so any mixing and izzy is in charge!

She sits on the work surface but suppose pearl is a bit young for now ? I dunno Izzy was about 20 months i think but actually on the floor is good coz you dont have to keep a hand and/or eyes on them

Scarlet we are thinking about getting a cleaner again I want one to do the deep clean stuff as well as the general cleaning lady things x

When Rhys was tiny I used to put him in the playpen and just get on with it. More recently he's helped out, things like cleaning the cupboard fronts in the kitchen whilst I do the counter tops, or helping fill the dishwasher and washing machine. A lot of the time now though he just plays by himself in his bedroom, living room or the garden.
I also find it handy to do some cleaning in the kitchen whilst he's eating, so that he's occupied at the table.