Ideas to keep toddler entertained in the home

[Lochie]

I was hoping I might be able to get some ideas on how people keep toddlers entertained in the home/garden for free/not much money? Since having a second baby 3 months ago I've preferred to stay at home each day (or at least no further than local park), as I've found it a bit of a mission to get both toddler and baby out.

Toddler (2 year 9 month old boy) is starting to get so bored and we seem to be doing the same three things on loop (building towers with Duplo, cooking gingerbread men, watching Junglebook over and over). This has also coincided with potty training and the RUBBISH weather, which has made staying at home even more pertinent!

Has anyone got any creative ideas to share (even if its just 20 mins of entertainment!). I am sure there must be loads of ideas unique to each parents which actually every child would love to do. Arts and crafts, in the kitchen, mucky garden stuff, educational....I don't mind what we do but would just love some inspiration (I'm sure I'm not the only one). I'd be eternally grateful ;-)

[Polly D]

At the PO on Forest Hill Road, opp the GP, they have a load of cheap crafty things: packs of googly eyes, feathers, coloured sticks, coloured shapes. Pack of those, with some coloured card and a glue stick can entertain my son for a good hour or so, making cards and crowns. Bit messy but good indoor stuff.

[pebbles]

Hi, just a few things that are a huge hit in our house

playdoh

filling up sink with water and plastics and let him wash up - put towel on floor for any spillages

sandpit in garden

play kitchen (more of a hit with my daughter than son at that age)

cbeebies website

apps on your phone

stickers - this is a HUGE hit with both

I'll get back to you when I can think of more things

[Ole]

Our top indoor games are:

1. jumbo watercolours and plain white paper, and is less messy than poster or finger paints, will keep him busy for 20-30 minutes minutes.

2. playdough will keep him entertained for about 20 minutes.

3. He also loves those books which have felt bits which you stick in relevant pages which are good because they can be used over and over again and he also has a book with magnetic bits so it can be re-used (about 10-15 minutes per book).

4. We bought him a board game called 'animal bingo' (can't remember exact name and I am at work so can't look up) which he loves and we play over and over again (he is 2 and a half) (depending on how enthusiastically you play it can take up to 30 minutes to play in total if you each play each board),

5. jigsaw puzzles will keep him entertained for a good hour on a good day

6. when it is not pouring I fill a small shallow paddling pool and throw in his plastic tea set and he pours me tea

[Polly D]

Build him a tent/den in the lounge or his bedroom, let him have a picnic lunch or tea in it, plop in his books, fave toys etc.

[bluesuperted]

Check out the fantastic imagination tree blog online and on Facebook (local mum, think she's on here too, with loads of play-based ideas and a big following). She does a great series called 'invitation to play' where she sets up inviting but simple play ideas for her little ones. I've started doing my own version for my 22mo where I assemble a few bits and bobs every day before bed so there is something new for him to explore when he comes downstairs. For example I might put a playmobil man on a horse on top of a saucepan or pull out some wooden animals he hasn't looked at for a while and put them on his table or in the middle of the carpet. Or set up his teddies with his tea set and some cutlery... I find it engages him better than a big load of toys first thing.

I also do this on Friday and Saturday evenings when I know my husband is getting up with him! Oh and if I'm full of energy after naps (not that my ideas are labour intensive anyway but you know what I mean!).

[susyp]

that blog is AMAZING. Thank you for posting about it. It could change my life!

susypx

[bluesuperted]

Wow glad to change lives! Especially as I forgot the link, here 'tis:

http://www.theimaginationtree.com/?m=1

[Fuschia]

Day time bath

Big towel on the floor with bowl, jug with some water and kitchen implements

Gardening - bag of compost and flower pots to fill with soil

Cars/garage

Put on a cd and dance

Story cd

[apenn]

Bubbles! At 22 months they'll probably have trouble blowing them, but get a bubble machine. They LOVE bubbles!

[anna_r]

- Fill a saucepan with water and paint patio

- Teach him how to pick up snails carefully then get him to find snails in garden and create a little snail farm (then put back after)

- Hide things around the house for him to find

- Make playdo (I'll post an excellent recipe) and check out imagination tree for lots of different ideas for how to use it

- Plant sunflower seeds (cover with cling film until shoots start to appear)

- yoga and other exercises together

- thread pasta onto a necklace (can paint first)

- is he interested in letters at all yet? Isabel loves me writing out words in dots then she goes over them. Might be a girl thing though!

[missmack1981]

Try this web site for educational play activities

http://handsonaswegrow.com/2012/04/50-toddler-activities.html

[anna_r]

Play do recipe

1 Minute Playdough recipe:

Your will need:

1/2 cup of salt

1 cup of flour

1 tablespoon of?cream of tartar?(Cream of Tartar is a natural powdered raising agent for use in scones,drop scones,soda bread and a wide range of other recipes)

1 tablespoon of oil

I cup of boiling water (from the kettle) mixed with

some food colouring (OR a the contents of three blackcurrant dazzler fruit tea bags for lovely fruity rich purple)

What to do:

Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and then mix vigourously with the hot water.

[anna_r]

Also - go round the house and find everything you can that is a certain colour or that begins with a certain letter

[anna_r]

- weird one but sitting in the front seat of the car and pretending to drive. My two seem to love this

- blow up a balloon then stick strips of newspaper all over with pva glue mixed with water to make a head. Let dry then paint or stick things on

- cut the front off a cardboard box and make a picture inside with things hanging from the top. We did a fishtank.

[womanofdulwich]

Pillow fights.Those boys have got to get it out of their system.

[Lochie]

Wow this is amazing thanks, I feel like a child myself!

Anna_r we used to do car thing but resulted in flat bat and call to AA after indicator left on (seems to be problem with hyrids!)

Just spent half an hour with upside down open umbrella in hall on floor trying to throw balls into it, that was quite fun ;-)

[Yak]

Create a den with sheets etc over through back of chairs / sofa - make an obstacle race round the house

Boil up loads of value spaghetti, plonk said spaghetti and child in bath for seriously messy exploratory play

Snail racing on windows, water and cornflour play ( might not work with energetic children who need to burn off energy!)

[darlin']

@bluesuperted THANK YOU!! for linking to my blog. And yes please come and join me on my Facebook page too as I post daily play ideas over there too. I have 3 girls age 3, 2 and 18 weeks and I verge on the edge of insanity most of the time, so these things are to keep me going too!

xxx

[scareyt]

Second daytime bath - with blue food colouring in the bath water and bath crayons to draw waves etc round the edge. So much fun. (And the blue water is diluted enough it doesn't stain everything blue!)

[edanna]

Get some red lentils, containers/scoops/funnels etc and have lots of fun pouring them. They make a very satisfying sound. Naturally they go everywhere but if it's indoors I'd rather clean them up than sand or water. Thanks so much for all the tips on this thread - I learn a lot in the family room!

[Countjc]

Thought I would re-read this thread as the weather is keeping us in more often.

Loads of great ideas on here.

My friend is also writing a fantastic blog all about her stir crazy toddler check it out for more fab ideas

http://stircrazytoddler.wordpress.com/about/

[esme]

Local mum has started a business called Little Genius Crafts which has packs of non-messy activities - e.g. christmas craft pack, under the sea theme etc. They are lovely...

Would also say no need to stay in just because of potty training, just buy a travel potty and brave the not so great outdoors, what's the worst that could happen!?!