Another round of "What do you do w/your toddler during the day?"

[ourbabygirl]

DD is getting over the flu and is kind of 'crunchy' often throughout the day. It's still a bit cold to spend time outside, and I'm running out of stuff to do with her inside during the day (when there's no library story time, etc.). She's only 18 months so she can't do many artsy or project-y things, though I do have markers, crayons, Play-doh, a Magnadoodle, & stickers, and she'll use those occasionally. She's not too into the Megablox or regular wooden blocks, and her other toys are just boring (to her and me). She's not too interested in her play kitchen or her musical tables and stuff, either. I do take her up with me to get groceries or return something to Target (once in a while). And we'll go to the zoo or on a walk when she's feeling well.
I try 'cooking' with her a few times a week... she stands on the LT and helps me make pancakes, pizza, dye Easter eggs... yesterday we made some finger paint and she liked squirting the dye into the bowls.
She loves books but wants me to read the same ones over and over (I'll do it to a point, but we can't spend all day doing that), and she likes playing the different songs on her kid cd (we have a cd alarm clock that she knows how to push the buttons on). Those are about the only two things that she really *likes* doing (other than playing w/her sand & water table & going on her swing outside).

Could you please share what you do with your kids during the day? I'm running out of ideas... I have a couple of books with ideas, but the ones I haven't tried all seem either way too simple for her or too difficult (make an obstacle course, etc.- she wouldn't quite 'get it' yet).

Thanks so much!

[egoldber]

We always signed up for a couple classes, like a music/art class and a gym/swim class. That helped to break up the week and give us something focused to do otu of the house.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Music class
errands
library story time
gym for me, nursery for him about 3 morning/ week
walks
playdates
gardens
museums
~we like to get out of the house in the morning until naptime. After naptime we are usually in for the day.

eta- around the house I just follow his lead. Often he plays on his own. We do play catch, read, play with his toys...nothing very exciting. He does love to color, paint and use stickers so we do that too.

Beth

[TwinFoxes]

Honestly, going outside has been the BEST thing! It really burns off their energy. Even on days where it's not that warm out, I put them in lined pants long sleeve tops and fleeces, and they play, either in our yard, or at the park. I'm sooo glad there's no more snow on the ground!

We also do museums, and some museums even have spaces for kids to play. There's always the mall, and some have play areas (go during the day when the big kids are in school) we always have a class a week to break things up.

In the house, it seems like my DDs like things yours doesn't (kitchen, music table, blocks) so I don't think I can be of much help. I do spend a LOT of time reading stories, over and over and over. My girls do like the bead maze we got from Ikea (which is really cheap), but they won't play with it for hours or anything. Oh, one thing they REALLY like is standing on the learning tower and playing in the kitchen sink full of bubbles. They can do that for a long time. Be prepared to mop up after.