Honestly, working from home with kids around is a special kind of chaos.

One minute you’re on a Teams call trying to sound professional, and the next you’re being asked for a snack, a missing sock, or help finding the one toy they suddenly must have right now, despite not having touched it in six months. Or—true story—my son once started sniping me with a Nerf gun mid-meeting like he was on a secret mission and I was the villain. I’m over here presenting a quarterly update, and he’s behind the couch whispering, “Target acquired.”

You’re toggling between tabs and tantrums, deadlines and snack refills. Your brain is juggling a project timeline while simultaneously calculating how many minutes are left in Bluey before someone needs you again.

Some days, it feels like you’re living in a sitcom, except there’s no laugh track, and the coffee is always cold.

It’s a constant balancing act between being present for your kids and productive for your work, and honestly? It’s exhausting. But it’s also the reality for so many of us. That’s why having a few go-to activities in your back pocket, ones that don’t require a screen or tons of prep, can make all the difference.

And while we love them dearly, sometimes… we just need a solid stretch of time without the constant “Maammaaa?"

If you’re staring down a workday with little ones at home and zero energy to plan Pinterest-worthy activities, this post is for you. These are low-prep, low-mess, and mostly screen-free ways to keep your kids busy, so you can actually get some work done (or just drink your coffee while it’s still hot).

15 No-Fuss Activities to Keep Kids Busy While You Work

These ideas are broken down by vibe—whether you need something creative, quiet, or energy-burning. Feel free to adapt based on your child’s age!

1. Sticker Story Time

Give your kid a blank notebook and a sheet of stickers. Their mission? Use the stickers to build a story, complete with drawings and dialogue. Bonus: they’re writing and imagining while you answer emails.

2. Toy Car Wash

Fill a bin with soapy water, give them toy cars and old toothbrushes or sponges, and let them scrub away. Add a towel on the floor to contain the mess and call it a win. This one’s especially great if, like my son, you somehow have over 100 Hot Wheels scattered across your house, car, and probably your purse. I swear they multiply when I’m not looking.

3. Painter’s Tape Road Map

Use painter’s or masking tape to create roads, parking lots, and cities across the floor. Toss in toy cars, and they’ll be busy making traffic jams in no time.

4. Color Sorting Challenge

Set out a tray of LEGO, pom-poms, or beads. Ask them to sort by color, shape, or size. Make it a timed game if they love a little competition.

5. Fort Building Kit

Hand them sheets, clothespins, couch cushions, and flashlights. Then tell them to build the “coolest fort ever” and enjoy the silence.

6. Storytime Podcast + Drawing Prompt

Put on a kid-friendly podcast like Circle Round or Brains On, and give them paper and markers. Ask them to draw what they hear. It’s storytelling and art all in one.

7. Snack Shop Setup

Let them run their own pretend store using empty food containers, real snacks, and play money. You might even get a break and your snacks organized.

8. Backyard Nature Scavenger Hunt

Create a checklist: something green, something round, a flower, a stick, a bug… then send them out with a bucket or bag or a notebook to draw. Great for solo time and getting out the wiggles.

9. Frozen Toy Rescue

Freeze small toys in a bowl of water overnight. The next day, give them tools like spoons, warm water, and salt to free their frozen friends. Hours of (mostly quiet) fun.

10. Reusable Water Painting

All you need: a cup of water, a paintbrush, and some concrete or a fence. Let them “paint” outside—the best part is that it dries and disappears so they keep going.

11. Paper Towel Roll Marble Run

Tape cardboard tubes to a wall or door and let them figure out how to drop marbles or pom-poms from the top to the bottom. Great for problem-solving and creativity.

12. Quiet Reading Picnic

Lay out a blanket, give them a stack of books or magazines, and call it a “reading picnic.” Throw in a juice box or snack for bonus peace.

13. Mystery Box Game

Put random safe objects in a box or pillowcase. Have your child reach in and guess what they’re feeling. Simple, sensory, and fun.

14. Animal Movement Race

Write down different animal movements (hop like a frog, crawl like a crab, waddle like a duck). They can race against a timer or their sibling across the living room.

15. “Create a Show” Challenge

Set a timer and let them make up a skit, puppet show, or dance performance. Tell them you’ll watch the show after your meeting—it gives them a goal and you a break.

Pro Tip: Give Choices, Not Free Reign

Instead of saying, “Go play,” offer 2–3 clear options from this list. Kids feel more in control, and you avoid the “but I don’t know what to do” spiral.

You’re Allowed to Need Space

Needing time to work—or just breathe—isn’t selfish. It’s necessary. You’re not a robot. You’re a human with thoughts, goals, deadlines, and the radical right to sit down for five minutes without being touched, needed, or asked where someone’s shoes are.

These activities aren’t about keeping your kids entertained every second of the day (because let’s be honest, that’s not realistic—and it’s not your job).They’re about buying yourself a few sacred pockets of peace—whether it’s to finish a report, catch your breath, or simply exist in silence for a moment.

You don’t have to be the cruise director of your home, constantly orchestrating the next game, snack, or craft. You just need a few solid, go-to tricks up your sleeve that give you space without guilt and now you’ve got 15.

So next time the chaos starts creeping in and you feel your patience thinning by the second, pull out this list, take a deep breath, and remember: You’re not alone. You’re not failing. You’re just doing the work of three people in one body and that deserves both support and snacks.

Want More Ideas Like This?

Check out my Summer Survival Guide for Working Moms for sanity-saving tips, routines, and reminders that you’re doing more than enough.

Got a no-fuss kid activity that saves your day? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to add it to the list!