Games without "toys"

[BellyBean]

I like to keep things minimal and educational...but my mom (babysits DD - 21 months - twice/week) says they are getting bored with our toys during the day.  I went out on a shopping mission to find more toys, but couldn't find anything that I thought would be used for more than a week!  It just seems so wasteful to buy toys like that. 

We keep lots of books, puzzles, play doh, crayons, musical instruments around.  We also have a play kitchen, tea set, balance bike, basketball hoop, water table, slide, and a few dolls.

I guess I am looking for games you can play without "fixed" toys.  Do you have any "go to" activities for outside or inside?  Favorite blogs where you get ideas?  I would also be interested in open ended toys that your little ones love and have played with for many months :)

Thanks for your help!

[tooraloora]

We have a big toy box filled with wooden blocks my roommate's dad made from scrap lumber for my DD (6 yo), DS (12 mo), and roommate's DS (2 yo). When I pull that out, it keeps all 3 entertained for very long periods of time. I get it out about once a week so they get really excited when it comes out. I have another box of a large family of little dolls. They also really love play dough and side walk chalk, which we also do about once a week. Any more than that and the novelty wears off. I also occasionally set out large cardboard box or two, which they go nuts over. They also like having a couple pillows and a big blanket. The older two play pretend, and at some point the youngest gets a ride around the kitchen on the blanket. I usually pick out a set of things for them to play with in the morning and that's what they've got to work with for most of the day. As long as it isn't always the same stuff, they're happy.

[FrugalGranolaMom]

For outside DS loves bubbles, sidewalk chalk and he has his own shovel & rake so he can "help" me with yard work.

I'm starting to rotate toys like the PP mentioned so he doesn't have so many options all at once. It is helping to bring the novelty back to the toys when they are on brought back out and he focuses longer when there are only a few things to chose from.

Also, since he likes to help with whatever I'm doing, I usually give him a clean rag or duster so he can help when I'm trying to clean and that keeps him busy for a while.

[MamatobabyA]

I stumbled across this blog the other day http://www.mydeliciousambiguity.com/2010/06/toddler-busy-bag-resource.html

She has 139 ideas for toddler activity bags.  You bag up what they need to do each activity and then pull them out one at a time for boredom, church, whatever.  Obviously, not all the ideas a great, but several are really good ideas. 

Are you finding she is bored at home with you, or just with your mom 2x a week?  Maybe special acitivites for just them?  Like baking cookies, a special doll or a handful of the toys you already own in a bag just to come out at grandma time?

[grethel]

I can't think of any actual toy-type items other than what's been listed here, with the exception of more/different building materials (dd played with these at her grandma's house recently and loved them: http://justb-byou.com/toys/sculptural/bristle-block-spinaroos/), sensory tubs, a felt board or cloth barn/dollhouse. My dd also loves her beanbags and playsilks.

Here are a few more links with tons of fun toddler activities - maybe she could pick one or two per day to try out?

Playopedia | Childhood 101

No Time For Flash Cards

Productive Parenting - Preschool Activities, Toddler Activities, Baby Development

[neonalee]

Wow, that sounds like a lot of toys to me!  I wish we had that many.  Sorta   I like the rotating idea.  That's something we keep meaning to do as well.  I'm going to have to check out some of the other ideas posted as well.  I'm not very creative in this area.  My DS seems to like the non-toys.  Vacuum cleaner, cardboard boxes, you know what I mean.

[Terrilein]

We've got the good old German fall-back "ich sehe etwas, was du nicht siehst" - "I see something you can't see and it's <color>" followed my numerous yes/no questions. The guesser gets to pick out the next object, obviously.

[meetoo]

I bought a nice set of unit blocks when my oldest was about 1 and they are still in use 7 years later. They are also in awesome shape still and will be able to be passed down/saved for grandchildren. She also got a small wooden table and a set of little people for that birthday. We still have all items and they are all still being used (I have younger children too).

A few other ideas that have gotten a lot of use pop up play tents, duplo/lego (love lego!!!), little people/play mobil, cars, train set, peg board,  square wood abc blocks. 

As far as blogs I was googling a lot lately and i can't find any I really love. it seems a lot of them are busy promoting products or very focused on "teaching".  A few things we have enjoyed though is nature walks taken at the child's pace/with them leading, simple cooking, going to the play ground/spray grounds, setting up the kiddie pool in the backyard, doing art projects (I like opened art for littles, this book is cool http://www.amazon.com/Preschool-Art-Its-Process-Product/dp/0876591683/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312896107&sr=1-1) I personally believe in the power of boredom! Boredom breeds creativity, ingenuity, problem solving, and kids that can play on their own!  

[anjsmama]

This productive parenting link ROCKS!  Thanks for lots of new ideas 
 

Originally Posted by grethel 

I can't think of any actual toy-type items other than what's been listed here, with the exception of more/different building materials (dd played with these at her grandma's house recently and loved them: http://justb-byou.com/toys/sculptural/bristle-block-spinaroos/), sensory tubs, a felt board or cloth barn/dollhouse. My dd also loves her beanbags and playsilks.

Here are a few more links with tons of fun toddler activities - maybe she could pick one or two per day to try out?

Playopedia | Childhood 101

No Time For Flash Cards

Productive Parenting - Preschool Activities, Toddler Activities, Baby Development

[texmati]

subbing! Outside we look at all the stuff in our backyard. Inside, we get a lot of play from kitchen items, playing tag etc. And you can always have another baby, they are great for toddler entertainment! lol!

[BellyBean]

Thanks for all the great ideas/links everyone!  I think my mom is the one that is bored, so I will get a couple easy things put together for her :)

[JudiAU]

My kids actually play with toys almost all the time so having a few new things is fine. We only have open ended toys. Some things that have gotten the most include

duplo blocks with some animals and a building plate, they aren't cheap buy you can buy them on ebay in bulk and resell them

little animals, wooden or Schliech,

these large size four elements for ever possible variety of play http://www.novanatural.com/toys/building

playsilks and other dress up

small kitchen expansions like tea set or cake

water and sand, aka toddler just sits in a bucket for a long time

structured art, like watercolors where part of the fun is set up