activites for 2 year old

[MrsBone]

So, I stay at home all day with our 2 year old. Pregnant with number 2 currently. My question is, what activities have you found keep your 2 year old entertained? Either to do with him, or to let him do by himself. As he's gotten older, it's gotten harder to keep him busy, especially on the days when we don't go anywhere. I tend to go out with him just because a change of scenery keeps him entertained. I go to playdates, but the past two days have been really cold outside(I live in texas, this is rare!!), like in the 20's and 30's. If I just give it a few days, it will be back in the 50's and 60's and we'll be outside a bunch, but I don't feel bad about keeping us cooped up inside for the very rare cold days we have:) The only  thing about being inside all day is that we both get bored. Yesterday I made him cornstarch playdough and he loved that, and I let him play with cups and water in the kitchen. I just need more ideas to rotate out so he doesn't get bored with things! Thanks!

[starling&diesel]

• forts!  (We're all about forts right now)
• bubble baths
• "washing" things (dd washes her little animal figures at her seat at the table with a bowl of sudsy water and a little cloth ... results in a wet floor that needs wiping, that she does too)
• lining things up in rows (lego, animals, stuffies, rocks)
• play kitchen with cups of beans or rocks or cereal to pour
• colouring
• playdough
• stories
• stretching, or yoga
• audio books
• laundry
• big box play (amazing how long a big ol' cardboard box will entertain dd, colouring it, driving it around, putting her stuffies in it)
• tea party
• bowling with soft ball and soft 'pins' (we use plastic cups)

[newbiemama09]

my almost 2 year old loves to draw (esp when i let her lay out all over the floor), play with her doll house, play with her babies, play with her kitchen or in our kitchen cupboards, and puzzles. all these keep her entertained for a while so i can either have a minute to myself, or play with her. we also go to story time at the library, which she LOVES!

[cparkly]

DS loves to do his "water science". He sits at the table with a shallow tub of food-coloring tinted water and small lidded containers (old spice jars, old vanilla bottles, etc...) containing other colors. He uses a medicine dropper and drops color into the water. He loves this and can easily spend an hour experimenting contentedly.

He also has started a sticker book. He loves to pick out stickers or get stickers in the mail from friends and family. He makes patterns or scenes with them in his book and loves to show off the special textured ones, or a collection of one kind of animal or train.

We have also discovered that he is great with ink stamps. He has a selection of non-toxic washable inkpads and stamps. He makes cards to send to loved ones.

We have a lot of great childrens books and they are all accessible to him to take out and look at on his own. We go to the library every Wednesday evening and he really, really looks forward to that. He picks out 7 books and then plays with the Lego table until it is time to go. Library Legos are far superior to his own. :)

[Courtney-Ostaff]

Right now my 38 month old is playing in the dirt of our indoor, potted ficus tree.  She gets hours of entertainment out of this. Other entertainment: books, crayons, markers, ink pads (all washable, of course!), blocks, magnatiles, doll house, stuffed animals, word puzzles (like where you fit in the letters to the word), iPad games, magnetic clothing on dolls, tanagrams, cooking (she loves to bake).....

I bought these, and they're great:

The Encyclopedia of Infant and Toddler Activities: Written by Teachers for Teachers
Kathy Charner, et al

The Complete Resource Book for Preschoolers: An Early Childhood Curriculum With Over 2000 Activities and Ideas
Pam Schiller, Kay Hastings

The Toddlers Busy Book: 365 Creative Games and Activities to Keep Your 1 1/2- to 3-Year-Old Busy
Trish Kuffner

Toddler Play (Gymboree)
Wendy S. Masi

Also, here are some other options.

1) I live in a University town, so the local university has baby classes, like Mommy and Me, but not.  I sign my daughter up for Baby Swimming & Baby Gym, and I'm not fooling myself that they're for her.  Check with your local University's phys ed department, the local YMCA, etc.

2) I started a laid-back MeetUp.com group for local moms. We now have about 50 members, and a weekly meeting at the local germ pit at the mall. Sometimes only 1 or 2 moms shows up, but hey, at least we're trying, right?

3) I visit the local public library frequently, and sign my daughter up for Story Time every opportunity.  She loves hanging out there, and I can grab a book for my sanity.  Plus, they host a really cool book club--last year it was Jane Austen and this year it's Virginia Woolf.  

4) I signed her up for music classes.  We started with Kindermusik, but a) it was expensive and b) it was way too structured for her.  Our local University's music department has a community arts program that does Infant and Toddler music classes. It's mostly nursery rhymes and music games, but since I'm pretty sure I'm tone-deaf, it's great fun for her -- and again, I get out of the house.

5) I visit the local Barnes & Noble for the day-time story time.  In fact, my daughter learned to pull up on the train table in the kid's section! :)  Your local bookstore should have something similar.  It's a great way to meet other moms and find a book club.

6) I audit a one-credit hour class at the University so I can take her to the Very Nice Rec Center (AKA gym) and splash in the pool.  Great way to meet other moms!  Check your local educational institution/gym for such an opportunity.

7) I joined a local Holistic Mom's Network group (and promptly got myself kicked out at the national level, but that's another story), and when the local leader agreed with me, she turned it into a local crunchy mommy group.  Check Yahoo Groups, Craigslist, etc. for local mommy groups.

8) I keep track of activities in town with a Sunday subscription to the local paper, periodic checking of the local tourist bureau, state park websites, etc.  There are a shocking number of family friendly activities.

When all else fails, in good weather, we just go to the local park and hang out.  In bad weather, we go shopping. My daughter has no expectation that we will ever buy anything, but the mall and Target have become places I just let her stretch her legs a little. And me stretch out of the house!!

I checked out MOPS locally, but they're really religious here (AKA fundamentalist Baptist), and I am Not.  The Mom's Club here is very active, but they're also only mothers. They wouldn't even let my husband come to one of the monthly meetings to pick up some literature for me!  The local childcare co-op (it is a university town, which tends to attract liberals like flies ;) is nice, but it's oddly enough, very pricey.  (I calculated it out to $11.65/hr last year)

Finally, I hired a babysitter. I don't leave the house, usually, but having an hour or two to myself 2 or 3 times a week has made all the difference in the world for my sanity!!  I tried to go some place at least once a day, just to get out of the house.

Is there a Children's Museum near you?  They're often great fun, too.  

[meetoo]

I blog about some of the things we do. You can PM me if your interested in the link. :) 

[redvlagrl]

all of the above or if I am really desperate I get some dried chick peas in a stainless bowl and give her a second one plus a scooping tools. Works for about an hour! I do lay a blanket down first.