What do you do with your toddler while getting the baby to sleep?

[beckoes]

Just wondering how everyone entertains their toddlers when trying to get their baby to sleep?

DD1 is 2 yrs 3 months and DD2 is 3 months. I have to rock DD2 to sleep. Sometimes I put her down but she only sleeps for about half an hour so I have time with DD1 to do things then. But after that she needs a longer sleep so I just put her in the HAB. Then I feel though that I still can't do things with DD1 because she wakes up if I'm too loud or bend down, etc. And I'm also not sure what to do with DD1 when I'm getting DD2 to sleep. It's much easier if I go away from her into another room and bounce on the fitball. She goes to sleep faster and I'm free to go back out with DD1. But I feel bad like I'm always just leaving her to entertain herself! Luckily she's good at it.

So any tips or ideas would be good?

i could have writen that word for word, including the fit ball, wish id thought of using one with dd1, hours of rocking/bouncing/walking with her ruined my knees!
....i normally get a few things out for her to play with, some puzzles and pens etc, if dd2 is taking to long to go to sleep and dd1 is getting bored i put the tv on. but thats the extent of my tricks!!

[onthefly]

My DS is a year older so it's a bit easier. I can set him up with something interesting - sometimes even tv if he's very scratchy - and I talk to him about not interrupting and being helpful so we can do something after DD is asleep.

[MrsB26]

I try to set ds up with some food and tv. Works most of the time, i can leave him for up to 10mins that way, especially if there's something on tv he really likes. I talk to him about being quiet etc etc but he forgets after 2 mins so food and tv work best for us. Atleast too i know he is safe and in the next room and i can hear everything he does.