Entertaining a stay-at-home toddler

[sethsmom]

I'm a new stay-at-home mom, and I've run out of things to do to entertain my toddler! So far, we've:
-cut up a washing machine box to make a house
-covered table in a sheet to make a fort
-emptied the tupperware cabinet, putting lids on, taking lids off, filling tupperware with random contents, etc.
-pulled out the pots & pans to make a drum set
-bubbles
-put DS in the swing AND have DS push the swing with a teddy bear in it
-dumped all the Cheerios on the floor and pick them up with spoons (not all of these were MY idea!)

I don't want to resort to the TV babysitter, but I'm already out of ideas, and today is my FIRST day! I can't afford to go out and buy a lot of new things. I'm sure you all have some good, fun ideas!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Errands, play dates, picnics, playgrounds, run through a sprinkler, sand box, read, bake something... There is also a really cool book called "Toddler Play" by Gymboree. It is packed with age appropriate games and activities to do with your toddler.
http://www.amazon.com/Toddler-Play-Gymboree-Wendy-Masi/dp/0865734356/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-8267131-1629500?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183063601&sr=8-2

You can find a smaller version at Barnes and Noble for around $7.

FamilyFun.com might have some ideas but I usually think it is for slightly older kids.

There is nothing wrong with just pulling out some toys and just kicking back while he plays. Learning through play is great! Unstructured time to just let them do what comes to mind works perfectly. :)

Have fun!!

Beth

[Momof3Labs]

Neighborhood walks! They can be treasure hunts with him walking beside you, or you can load them in the stroller and move more quickly.

Play outside in the sprinkler or with a garden hose watering flowers and plants. Plant flowers or veggies for him to water. Dig outside in the dirt with some trucks (we have some garage sale trucks set aside for outside play).

Reading books - both of my boys can kill an hour or more doing this.

Visit local farmers' markets. Visit local parks - drive to a different one in your area each week.

Build train track setups or block towers/cities. Play doctor with stuffed animals. Play peek-a-boo with playsilks or scarves from your drawers. Stacking cups. Puzzles (floor puzzles are great fun for the nearly 2yo set). Crayons or stickers with heavy supervision.

ETA: Occasionally (especially very hot or rainy days - or even in the winter) I tell him that the bathtub has turned into a pool and put him in his swimsuit, throw in some toys and let him play for as long as he wants.

[LarsMal]

WOW! You've got some grea ideas! I've been home for almost 2 years and haven't done some of that stuff!

Our days usually include things like:
playing with puzzles, coloring, drawing on his little Doodle Pro, building with Mega Blocks, Mr. Potato Head, stacking cups are still a hit, sometimes we go outside and I just fill a big bucket with water and he pours water into other cups and buckets, reading books, sand box, baby pool or hose, neighborhood walks (not so much these days), park, library, the play area at the mall (yeah, it's a germ pit, but it's entertaining!), errands (he loves walking free in stores).

Just a few I can think of.

Have fun!

[shilo]

my DS is a little older than yours, but here's the stuff we do most around the house from about 18mos to now (25mos) besides many of the great ideas you and others have already posted.

free things too keep on hand and recycle:
- empty toilet paper, paper towel and wrapping paper tubes. they become musical instuments, airplanes, rolling pins, tunnels, you name it.
- plastic water bottles - i fill them with rice, dried beans, or unpopped corn for rattles, bowling pins for a quick game of bowling and they're fun to float or fill/dump in water play.
- not free but VERY cheap - fill various tupper wares/rubbermaids/shoeboxes with dried beans or corn and 'hide' things in it for him to find (non choking hazzards obviously). also, you can fill one with rice and throw in 20 or so dried pinto beans and ask him to fish out all the 'red' ones.
- a large dishpan outside or on the kitchen floor (i put ours on a big, inexpensive plastic table cloth) along with whatever measuring cups/spoons, scoops, funnels, etc. you have around makes for easy and fun waterplay.

free things to do:
- mommy's little helper. can't emphasize that one enough. DS 'helps' me wash dishes (step stool), sort laundry - dirty and clean (basket ball with the laundry basket and folded socks is popular around here), empty the trash, feed the cats (he fills the water dish), water the plants, deadhead/weed (he 'collects' the dead stuff for me and then empty's it into a bigger bucket/dumptruck/trash, etc).
- tidy up. we sing the clean up song we learned at the little gym and pick up before moving on to the next room/thing. (to the tune of london bridge is falling down) "time to put the toys (or blocks, puzzles, socks, shovels, whatever) away, toys away, toys away, it's time to put the toys away at sam and mommy's house (or grams and grampa's house, or wherever we are). this can kill 5 mintues between things and he actually really gets into it sometimes.
- play with the cat. ok, not free, but our youngest cat only came into our home b/c she was so willing and eager to play with DS. my neighbor fosters for the local humane society and so we really got a chance to see her personality and test drive to make sure we were a good match for e/o. i'd highly suggest finding a rescue animal that will let you do an extended 'test' drive if you are thinking about a pet that will be good companion entertainment for your whole family. our other 2 cats have wanted NOTHING to do with DS since he was born, but this one will run and play fetch and chase a toy for him for a solid 15 minutes, with DS laughing all the while.

relatively inexpensive toys that get used alot around here, over and over again:
- duplo blocks
- puzzles/shape sorter stacks/peg boards, etc.
- wooden building blocks
- fridge magnets
- playdoh set with roller/cutter/etc
- mr. potato head set
- inexpensive ($9.99 variety, or craigslist would be even better!) doll stroller/shopping cart.
- i really like the crayola color wonder stuff, but some people don't like it b/c it might stiffle their creativity (coloring 'in' the lines). YMMV. we do plenty of plain white paper with crayons or finger paints too, but i don't have to supervise quite as closely with the color wonder stuff if i'm trying to get something done at the same time.

the next time a big birthday or holiday comes around, consider investing in a larger set for some pretend play like trains/train table or a play kitchen. the train table gets a ton of milage around here and has since around 20-21 months. i initially tried to keep it up against a wall, but honestly, it quickly became my coffee table in our main family/living room b/c he has so much more fun being able to run trains all the way around it.

hth, lori
Sam 5/19/05 How lucky I am that you chose me.

[blueeyedb]

You might look into a local play group. I belong to a very active group (we meet at least 3 times a week) and it has saved my sanity. Even if it's just a trip to the park, DS seems to enjoy it much more if there are other kiddos to play with.

I also try to buy toys that he and I can play with together, but which he is also happy to play with alone, for example, a kitchen, a tool bench, a climber. I really try to follow his lead when we play. I'm available if he wants to play with me (I usually hang out with a book or project in the room he is playing in), but I let him play by himself if that's what he wants to do. Often, he is perfectly happy to entertain himself for 45 minutes or more.

Craft supplies are pretty darn inexpensive. We try to do at least one craft type activity every day. Usually this means getting out the paints, markers, glue, ect, covering the table and floor with a vinyl cloth and letting him go at it. I use color wonder markers, but I don't use their coloring books, just the plain white paper. It's hard to find, but it's out there and it means he can be creative, but it's much harder to make a huge mess.

Good luck!! Hopefully you find some things you love to do and really enjoy the experience!

[anamika]

Sounds like you had a fun day :)
What really works for me is having one outing (no matter how small) scheduled for each day. A trip to the museum, even a grocery store or post-office, a park, a walk - anything that gets us both out of the house. Toddlers are not very picky and will take their fun wherever they can get it. My DD gets as excited about going to the post-office as she does about the aquarium!
I would check out story hours, sing-alongs etc in the local libraries and bookstores - great free activities.
We also do playdates with moms we met through playgroups and at the park. The park is a great place to meet other SAHMs.
I also try to get DD to 'help' with laundry and cleaning. I got her a spray bottle (best non-toy we have) so she pretends to spray and clean. And if I really want a break, I put some water in it and she's happy until the water runs out (I just have to remember to mop up all the water after).
HTH

[jhrabosk]

ITA with the pps about finding playgroups/other kids and getting out of the house. I'm sure it's not easy with two, but it's the way I get through the day!

Now that the weather is nice, we rarely stay in. I'm only home one day a week, but in the morning, we walk with daddy to the train and then go to the free summer toddler art program before morning nap. Then, we go out and have lunch with a friend and play at the park all afternoon.

My friend and I are in total agreement that our kids are better behaved (less clingy and whiny) when they're together. Even if they don't play "together' so much, they definitely entertain each other.

[tarabenet]

Don't forget: they learn through repetition. Just like you can read the same book a hundred times and he'll beg you to read it again before you even close the cover, games and toys don't get old for him the way they do for you. All the things you listed will be fun for him all over again, many, many times.

Add in a learning element to all the games! Count how many Cheerios fit on a spoon. Identify the colors and shapes of all the Tupperware. Use the rhythm of the swing to recite ABCs or nursery rhymes or silly songs.

Also, he needs to start learning ways to entertain himself and he needs some freedom to explore for himself. Of course you want to keep an eye on him, but you don't have to be in the middle of all of his activities all day long. Now *that* is a sanity saver!

Have fun!

[August Mom]

Wow! You have some really great ideas yourself. I got this deck of cards called Bright Ideas for Mommy & Me that I found really helpful. http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Ideas-Mommy-Me-Age/dp/0972617027 (They are available for different age groups). There were lots of cool ideas in there.

Some that I can remember:

Shaving cream painting

Nature rubbings (rub over leaves or other such things with crayons)

Nature collage

Pasta collage (I actually did this one myself, but it's in the cards too)

Make binoculars out of toilet paper rolls

Stand on a blanket and play elevator - make up stories about things on the different floors where you stop

Color sorting - cover large containers with different colors of construction paper and then have your child gather things (toys) from around the house and put them in the container of the same color

Salt art - put salt in a jelly roll pan and let your child make designs with his fingers

Masking tape shapes - make shapes with masking tape on the floor and then instruct your child what to do - hop to the square, walk to the circle, etc.

[SummerBaby]

I"m impressed by everyone's creativity. DD has fun with very basic things.

DD's indoor play staples are:

Play-doh
Finger Paint
Playing in the bathroom sink (she stands on a step stool).

Her outside favorites are:
sandbox
bubbles
just running around like a maniac

Playing in the sink is probably her favorite. All her figurines (plastic) get bathed, go swimming, etc. I just put a big beach towel on the floor to collect the water.

Good luck!

Val
DD 2.5 years old
another summer baby coming in 2007!

[smzapalac]

Not sure if any of these are repeats, but you could try these:

1) Storytime at your local public library
2) Toddler classes (swimming, music, tumbling, etc) through your local park district
3) A little TV is ok. Noggin and PBS are commercial free.
4) Fun games on the internet (Nickjr.com, Noggin.com, PBS.com)
5) Bake a cake, cookies, muffins. Prepare yourself for a mess, but let him help clean up
6) Wrap a present (real or fake) and let him put the tape on
7) Visit your local fire or police dept. for a tour
8) Visit a zoo or museum. Most have a free day once a week.
9) Go to the park or out for a walk
10) Visit craigslist.com to find some inexpensive used, but new to you, outdoor toys like ride ons
11) Sidewalk chalk, washable paints, crayons, etc.
12) Do a puppet show
13) Go to a mall play area, just bring your Purell
14) Have him help you with lawn work
15) Fill up a bucket or tub with water, give him some cups and let him play with this in the sink, bathtub, or outside
16) Walmart sells inexpensive toddler pools as well as $1.00 sprinklers in the home and garden section
17) Independent play -- Don't feel like you have to entertain your toddler every single second
18) Make the bed with him and use the sheets as a parachute
19) Find a mother's day out program at a local area church so you can get a break from your little one once or twice a week. Usually very inexpensive
20) Find a playgroup in your neighborhood to join or look into MOMS or MOPS in your town.

Good luck!