Fun ideas?

[AFWife]

DS and I need something to do during the day at home. He's almost 17mo. He's not really verbal yet but has great understanding. He LOVES to help out around the house (unloading the dishwasher, wiping surfaces, putting up laundry, etc...) There isn't much room to run because we live in an apartment (no yard...and it's too hot usually atm)

Ideas? If it's an easy mess to clean up I'm all for it. We run out of things to do so quickly and he gets bored after a few hours.

[blessedmama59]

We live in a townhouse with limited outdoor space, so I know how you feel. I am relieved the temp has been lower lately, so we've been going out a lot more! I'm sure it is still scorching in TX compared to here though. My DD LOVES to play ball and read books..so we spend a lot of our day doing that lol I pull the cushions out of the couch and place them in the floor in front of the couch and she will climb up and down. She loves that. I remember when I was little, I would always build "forts" with blankets draped over tables, the bed, etc. I've been wanting to do that with DD bc she loves to sit under our kitchen table and crawl around. Have you let your son use crayons yet? If so, get an old newspaper or poster board, tape it to the wall, and let him go at it. If you're really brave, I suppose you could even get some finger paints. Hmm..play chase or hide-and-seek. Dance!

[laurilj]

Our baby is the same age... lately stacking blocks and knocking them over entertains him for hours.

[laurilj]

I mean, our toddler. haha

still not used to that word.

[kcstar]

Get to know where the parks are in the area, for when the weather does cool down.

Plan a music time. It might be as simple as shaking a container of rice or beans, hitting two sticks together, singing, clapping hands, etc. Anything with rhythm.

We have a large dry erase board that we leave on a table / desk for DS to draw on.

Can you afford a membership at a local children's museum or science center? That's the nice big air conditioned place where DS can run around and explore during the hot summer days. Our science center has a water table, bubbles, etc.

[NewMoonMum]

One of the best things I have done is stock up a pretty big tupperware with craft supplies. I have construction paper, paper bags, paper plates, crayons, glue, glitter, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks,stickers, colored foam, ribbon, scissors, a ruler, a pencil, stamps, craft paints, etc. I have a few cereal/kleenex type boxes and old toilet paper tubes on hand as well. I either google "toddler crafts" or just let him pick a theme and wing it. He asks to make a craft every day!
We also do simple chemistry experiments in the kitchen-again I turn to google for "toddler chemistry experiments". Just stuff like making different kinds of slime, mixing vinegar and baking soda, using food coloring and comparing densities of different liquids, homemade play dough, etc.
We also like looking up recipes he can help with(especially if it's full of veggies since DS does not like them, but he always wants to eat it after!)

[CinCanada]

We're all for the crafts, paints, crayons, stickers & play dough around here too. DD is now 24 mos but even a few mos ago loved her crafts & helping in the kitchen. I found I was able to get more cooking done if I let her just play with water & tupperware in the sink, rip lettuce/kale with me or husk corn. I swear she could be happily occupied for hours with a pile of corn to husk & then cleaning it all up after.

[weasleyx]

May I suggest the Toddler Busy Book?

http://www.amazon.com/Toddlers-Busy-...4116245&sr=8-1

He may be a little young for some of the activities, but there are so many great ideas in there. Another idea, what about some sort of sand/rice/water table? Kids can spend a shocking amount of time just digging in rice or pouring water back and forth in containers! I am also a big fan of crafts and letting them go to town with paper, glue, ribbon, markers, scissors, stickers, etc. At that age, he's a little young for an organized 'project' per say but he can have fun with it anyways.

[elleystar]

Is he into trucks? Around that age I took a big shallow plastic tray, put a few cups of dried garbanzos in it, and told my DS they were rocks for his tractors. He'd spend crazy amounts of time with his loaders and dump trucks and what not, imagining out scenarios with those darn rocks. But then, my kid is pretty tractor-insane.
Music & dance time is another great idea. A fun time with mommy, being loud and crazy and running around on purpose!

[Pavlovs]

Does he like to pour? I used to put my son at that age into his high chair with some uncooked rice and some spoons and cups. That was at least 30 minutes of entertainment, and the mess was simply sweeping up the floor. Fingerpaints were a big hit too. I'd tape some butcher paper onto the sliding glass door and put paints in a bowl for him.

[Violet2]

This is a tough age to entertain.

I've written a lot about it over here. Here's an example of a Halloween craft we did last year that tied into a book--DD loved it.

We did bubbles a lot, inside even. I did a sensory box with bird seed for DD.

Pop him in the tub with a mixing bowl of warm water, make some bubbles, add in measuring cups and spoons, you won't hear a peep for over an hour.

We did a lot of simple crafts--here are some ideas.

If your toddler is coordinated, McDonald playlands are good places to go. DD gets a serious workout playing there.

Running at the mall is good if you go on off hours. We would do the quarter rides a lot.

A zoo membership is good at this age. Or any museum with good kid areas.

If you have the $$$ Gymboree is good for younger toddlers. Or Little Gym.

V