What to do with a 1 year old

[Tdunahoo]

With the weather now too cold : to go outside I find that DS and I are bored stuck inside.We only have one car and DH needs it for work (traveling to different locations throughout the day) so I can't run to the library or play place in the mall to break up the day and keep us busy. Can you give me a run down of a typical day with your baby? What things do you do to keep you busy?

[heidirk]

I would designate a play room, and set aside some space for some serious large motor (and LOUD) play. We would read a lot of books, simple puzzles, blocks, songs, wrestling, dancing, etc.

we'd do, eat, play, nap, lunch, play, read, nap, snack, play, Daddy's home.

It really helped to have a schedule. Monday was laundry day, etc. He got to know what to expect.

HTH

[AliceGeorge]

I'm in the same boat as you. (I have a car, but we're in the middle of nowhere, so going out is a big production) My little guy's about 11.5 months. He LOVES walking up and down stairs, so if he's antsy we'll do that. I keep toys in different rooms, so when he gest board of the toys in one, we go to another. If he gets really antsy, usually in the evening, I put him in the carrier and just do stuff around the house and he's fairly happy. sometimes I still go nuts, but it's better than it was.
I'm still working on it too!
We have to outside a bit in the morning to take the dog to his run and check on the chickens, so I bundle him up and put him in the baby backpack. Then we have breakfast, then play, sometimes a nap, lunch, if there wasn't a nap before lunch there's on after, then play, snack, nap now if there was one in the morning (but not after lunch), then we play til Daddy comes home, or I start dinner. Daddy's usually late so we often have to start dinner earlier. I often have him in the carrier to make dinner. I'm still working on getting everyday stuff done. It's been a long road getting into normalcy. I had to pump for the first... um... 8 months?
(I just noticed your lo's a day older than mine!)

Alice

[Mom2Ian]

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[principii]

Hey there!...

DD loves stairs too, so we do do those a lot! She has recently discovered books and how to turn the pages, so that is fun too ... she also likes to play with spatulas and measuring cups in the dishwasher (clean of course)... we don't use our dishwasher but I open it for her while I wash by hand Let's see, what else do we do in this horridly cold weather... hide'n'go seek (or a version of it)... play with the kitty; she sits with me while I spend time with the dogs... plays in the dryer (well, leaning into it) while I do laundry; we dance to music (up and down and up and down), build block towers (I build, she razes) , play peek-a-boo...

Her day goes something like this:

Up ~730
bottle in bed with Mom & Dad
Watch Mom try to get the dogs outdoors (one goes, the other is afraid of linoleum. Long drawn out process every morning)
Eat breakfast (oatmeal, bananas, the like)
Play in kitchen (or laundry room, etc) while Mom does chores, until
Nap ~1030
Lunch when up (1230-1p)
Play in living room with Mom and the dogs; help Mom pay bills (stamps are yummy) or try and grab the phone while she's talking...
Run errands with Mom (if we absolutely have to go out, this is when I do it)
Snack ~4
Nap ~430
Dinner when up ~7
Play with DADDY !!! Bathe (if it's the day for it), get dressed for bed, unwind (no music, or calm-ish quiet tunes if any; everybody in one room, just talking etc)...
Bed ~9

Does he walk yet? Chloe just started on a daily basis about two weeks ago. Makes life a little more interesting!

Sometimes, if we are really bored, I give her a bath. 1) She loves it; 2) It is a nice warm place, the bathroom! 3) I figure it can't hurt to have a bath more frequently than not; 4) It takes up time, while educating, entertaining, and enlivening (WARMING!) the body and the mind!

Little things Chloe just LOVES to see/do:
Popcorn popping on the stove
The kitten
The dogs
Watch Mommy go to the bathroom (yeah, I know. But heck, maybe one of these days it'll help her potty-train!)
Dance w/ Mommy to music (she LOVES Andre Rieu and the Polar Express soundtrack especially)
She loves when I clip coupons or read a magazine (though I have to be very patient with her, so it can be very trying at times)...

HTH!

[Violet2]

Definitely rotate toys and keep some toys for special occasions to avoid boredom.

And get really creative about things to do. 1yo are hard to entertain so they take extra thought.

When you do have the car, go to the library and stock up for the week.

We have two play areas in the house which allows for a change in location when the doldrums set in. Each area has different toys. One room is bigger and allows for more running around.

Bring in a bowl of snow and let them play with it. Squirt in food coloring to make it even more interesting. Or put them in the tub and let them do the coloring.

Music is good. Any music. Kid music. Adult music. Classical. It all helps.

Finger plays and rhymes. (Eensy weensy spider, three little monkeys, happy and you know it clap your hands,head shoulders knees and toes are the basics.)

This might be a good time to do a signing DVD everyday.

Go outside for 10 minutes. Yes it's a ton of prep for a short payoff, but I'm finding babies like to visit winter where it lives.

Can you invite people over for playdates? Can you hire a mother's helper? We have two girls that come and entertain the baby 2x a week for $10 total.

V

[AliceGeorge]

I haven't fully read all the responses after my own, but I thought of something that I forgot. My little guy LOVES emptying drawers. He empties towels/dishcloths/aprons, etc from their drawer. I also have a couple drawers that I've emptied and filled with toys. He likes emptying those too. He loves emptying while I fill, too. I make a game of it. While he's taking something out I put something in really quickly with sound effects. He gets into giggling fits over it. VERY cute!
You could try drawer games like this if you have cushy things to put in them.

Alice

[Tdunahoo]

Thanks for all the ideas ladies! I think what I need to do is make a general schedule of what we're doing when to break up the day. It seems like thats what is helping most of you just to have an idea of what to do.

I love the idea of bringing snow inside and letting him play with it, I never even thought of that! AND STAIRS! He loves the stairs I don't know why I haven't thought about just letting him climb to burn off energy. THANK YOU LADIES!

Principii- yes he is walking, it makes life a lot more fun and a lot more busy, no one tells you once they walk they can run! My DS also enjoys watching me go to the bathroom for some reason.

[mags]

Why not invite other moms and their babies over for a playdate?

[Bluegoat]

My girls both loved playing with water at that age. I put it in a dishpan, maybe with bubbles, and some safe kitchen utensils. Put down a tarp or tray under the bucket or put it in the tub.

[jillmamma]

Here are some ideas I had:

• Make up some edible playdough for him to play with and some cookie cutters.
• Let him fingerpaint with pudding, or cornstarch/water/food coloring.
• Get a toy he can push (lawn mower, shopping cart, doll stroller, etc.) and run around the house with him, occasionally stopping and turning and saying "Boo!". (my kids STILL love this at ages 6 and 3)
• Get one of those tunnels for him to crawl through and make an obstacle course with that and cushions and maybe an indoor slide.
• Put on music and dance with him.
• Watch movies if you are just beat.
• Read lots of books.
• Let him "help" with housework.
• Blow bubbles in the house.
• Teach him songs.
• Invite friends over to hang out and play.
• Build block towers and let him knock them over.
• Do puzzles together.
• Take a nap together.

Enjoy these nice quiet days! WAY to fast they grow and are in school all day and busy, busy, busy after school. Give him lots of hugs and kisses and loves.

[apple_juice]

Originally Posted by Violet2

Bring in a bowl of snow and let them play with it. Squirt in food coloring to make it even more interesting. Or put them in the tub and let them do the coloring. V

Brilliant!

Going to go get a bowl right now!

[principii]

I LOVE the snow idea!!!

This may be a bit OT, but golly, you ladies have me beat! I *HATE* messiness, messes, dirty fingers, faces, hands, etc... Chloe would LOVE to play with play-doh I'm sure, and the colored snow, how COOL, but I can't help myself... thinking: wouldn't that stain?! And what if she gets cold?

Heh. My hubby tells me I've got a lot to learn. (though I think - or thought! - I did pretty well, considering...)