11.29.2008
Toddler Activities?
We are on day 5 of non-stop rain. NON-STOP. So we're all going a bit stir crazy! Normally we get out for walks to the "park" once or twice a day, but we haven't gone out at all this week. And it's caused me to start thinking that I need to provide Anna with more creative ways to play. (Even when the rain stops!). Can you suggest any fun & engaging activities for a toddler (17 months) that we can try indoors? Thanks!
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I'm not real creative :-) but here are some things that Kathryn has fun with... coloring, painting (yes, it's a mess, but worth it!), playing with play-doh (though I'm not sure Anna's quite old enough for it?), reading books, playing with blocks... I'm not sure if she's old enough for this either, but Kathryn loves "making rice" when I'm cooking. I give her some uncooked rice, a bowl, pitcher, spoons, measuring cups (whatever) and let her play. She loves it and though it makes a mess, it's easy to clean up. That's all I can come up with right now... I guess I need more ideas too. :-)
Thanks Sarah! Yeah, the problem is that EVERYTHING still goes in her mouth... crayons, paint, everything! So that's why I feel kind of limited... I've tried and tried with crayons... but I look away for one second and she's got a blue mouth full of crayon!
Yeah, after I wrote that, I actually was thinking back to when she was 17 months old and she wasn't coloring or painting yet either. Oops! But she's never put things in her mouth much either. Anna now, EVERYTHING goes in there. :-) Hope you get more ideas!
Hey, You can use play-doh if it's home made from food ingredients, I did this with my daughter till she was 3, also with the paint problems LOL I use to let her paint with 2 different Jellos it was a little messy, but at least I knew she wont be poisoned by it.
You can get her those giant puzzles for kids 12 to 24 months.
It's hard for me to think of more ideas for that age since my daughter didn't really play with toys much till she hit 2. And with dolls the obsession came at 3. But she always loved painting and drawing. (At some point our walls were very much her huge drawing boards LOL)
If I think of anything else I'll stop by to let you know :)
Playdough is fantastic in this situation. You can get the recipe if you google it. It's as much fun to make together as it is to actually play with it. I've mentioned you in a post I did this morning. Hope you don't find that too intrusive, but I just wanted to say thanks!
Hi Lindsey,
I've been following your blog a little bit, but haven't commented as of yet. I too live in Panama, (we're from Canada), and have a 2 yr old and 5 yr old. Suffice it to say the rainy season is TOUGH!! We've spent much of the last week looking at eachother and saying, "okay so now what??". Here's something that works in my house though, fill up a big tub of water (baby bathtub, shallow washing pan, etc) and put it in the bottom of the shower stall. Thrown in some plastic cups, spoons, dollies, dinosaurs, etc. Then throw said children in. Watch them play contentedly. It helps to have a good cup of tea handy, b/c then you can happily sit on the floor next to them and have a quiet moment too.
A really good website, written by an uber creative mom is www.magicalchildhood.com . She's got some great ideas.
Keep up the great blogging.
Mara
www.monkeysjumpingonthebed.blogspot.com
Hey Lindsey,
I am so sorry for the rain! I am sure it can be beautiful too, but I know how it must be hard to be INSIDE all the time! It is so funny, because the last several times I have read your blog, I am like, "wow, that is totally what I have been working on too!" The teeth brushing issue, the need for Toddlerwise (and how is that going by the way?) and then needing toddler activities. The boys roam around the living room from one toy to the next... I need some ideas too! Miss ya!!!
Love,
Em
He is adorable! Wish I could run around the house like that.
We bought Riley a Doodle Pro the other day and she takes it everywhere with her. Riley is a little older than Anna but I still think she would like it if she likes to color. This way she can travel around the house and draw different items instead of always sitting at the kitchen table to color. It's really helped her creativity a ton! Good Luck!
Yes, like Kim said... we got Kathryn something like that when she was about 19 months old and she LOVED it! Took it everywhere we went. Only problem would be... could you get one in Panama? That wouldn't cost eleven billion dollars? Wish I could give you Kathryn's because she doesn't use it as much anymore.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Toddlers-Busy-Book/dp/B000BUQNKU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1228425894&sr=8-4
I bought this for Kaitlyn for snowy days...they have some easy fun ideas that work for a little while!
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