I stayed at home with my kids when they were small, and here is my been there done that, although your mileage may very:
1. Enforced Quiet Time: my kids stopped napping long before I did, but it didn't change the fact that I needed a break from the constant demands and they needed quiet time to recharge their batteries and not get over-stimulated. They didn't have to sleep, but they could choose 5 quiet things to take to bed with them. It usually bought me an hour of respite.
2. Used Toys: garage sales or thrift stores were my friend. I would turn in toys the kids no longer played with and bought new ones every couple of months - especially small characters, cars, etc. The kids were encouraged to find new ways to use them, and they would build new worlds in our living room. The toys were rarely used for their originally intended purpose. Their favorites were wooden train tracks, hot wheels tracks, etc.
3. No. I used no a lot to draw boundaries on how accessible I was. I did not hop to their beck and call when it was out of boredom or something they could solve. You'll have to wait five minutes while I finish this. Not right now; Mommy is working in the kitchen. Later. Find something else to do. These phrases were my friend. After they quit begging and letting me know how I'd ruined their lives, they usually went off and solved their own problem or found something else to do.
