Best gift aka bribe for child before new baby?

[ExcitedMamma]

I'm miserable with pregnancy related pain in my leg that is much worse after walking, even normal errands or going to the park, so I need to really limit activities with DS and spend our time at home. I imagine this and other end of pregnancy ills will only get worse before the new baby arrives. Any advice on what to do with DS or new toys to keep him occupied? Unfortunately he's not really into art yet and so drawing doesn't last long at all. I'm thinking of getting him a train table and wooden train set and maybe even a play kitchen but I'm very worried if I get the big toy presents now he might not be as interested in them after the baby arrives and I really need to keep him happily occupied. Any BTDT ideas?

[rin]

Play doh fun factory! We just got this for DD (she's born May 2010) and she adores it. We can easily spend 45 minutes to an hour sitting at the table just rolling out the playdoh, using the cutters, using the little string extruder, etc. It's been great because I'm hugely pregnant (37 weeks tomorrow) and can't really chase her or do any of the other active games she loves, but we can still have fun together while I'm sitting.

Other things I've been getting a lot of mileage out of while I sit (either participating or not): water table, sandbox, setting up the sprinkler & letting her run around in it while I watch from a chair, endless games of "hiding" under a blanket, story reading.

[misshollygolightly]

Playdoh might be worth a shot, so long as he can keep it somewhat contained while playing with it.

Around that age, DS started to really enjoy books/stories on CD...he still listens to one every morning by himself while the rest of us are getting ready.

ETA: I see I cross-posted with you, Rin! I was also going to suggest sand/water table...or even make your own "sensory table" by filling a shallow rubbermaid bin with rice, beans, pebbles, etc. That's usually good for some lasting entertainment.

[mikala]

Do you have outdoor space? If so, maybe a sandbox, water table or other outdoor toy would be good for now and then you can do a train table or other indoor toy if you need something inside after baby comes and you can't be outside as much.

[Seitvonzu]

don't underestimate the shallow rubbermaid container filled with beans/rice/small "treasures" -- i did this when my child was older than yours, but all the kids that come over LOVE it. and they are constantly finding ways to expand their play in it. AND it's not that messy. our base material is black beans (dried---about 6 normal sized bags? maybe more)) and i've very rarely had to clean up too much of it (even when younger kids were over)

it's very satisfying even for mommy to play in :)

(and way more indoor friendly than say, sand ;))

[musicalgrl]

I'd love to hear more about the Rubbermaid bin...do the kids just play and dig in it? I would only just now consider something like that for DD who is 3. In the past she would have gotten great pleasure from throwing the contents around the room by the handful. And even now she'd need some pretty close supervision.

[BDKmom]

Before my DD was born, we got DS a water sprinkler thingy to run around in and an outdoor basketball hoop, both of which he could play with while I pretty much plopped in a chair and watched. As a gift from DD, we got the Melissa and Doug large wooden blocks. He really just started getting into building a few weeks before she was born, and those have been a huge source of entertainment.

[Still-in-Shock]

musicalgrl - I was curious about the tubs also, and I found this:
http://pinterest.com/minnimokey/sensory-tubs/
The other posters may have done other things, but I figured this was good for getting ideas.