Not sure how to entertain my almost 1 year old.

2015 Views 16 Replies 11 Participants Last post by KayCSmommy, Jun 21, 2007

Ophelia

Discussion Starter · Jun 20, 2007

I don't know if a similar question has been posted recently. Sometimes I am at a loss on what to do with him. He is very into exploring right now, crawling, on/off, open/close, dump things in the dog's water bowl (it used to be tip-the-bowl-over until I got a no-tip bowl!).
Since this is my first, I don't know what type of things they really like at this age or what keeps them interested. Sometimes he does what someone else just posted about, he wants to be picked up but then wants to get down. I think he is bored, and I feel guilty that I am not providing enough stimulation for him. Sometimes I just wander around the house with him not knowing what to do. The house is not fully babyproofed yet either so that limits us too.

Since it is nice outside I would like some outdoor ideas, other than just crawling around in the grass. We have a toddler swing on the playset, and sometimes we go for walks. We got a little pool for him but only used it once so far, I think it has cooled off too much now and the water is too cold. At this age would he like a sandbox? Is there a specific toy he would be interested in based on the first paragraph description?

The places I can take him to seem to be more for toddlers who are walking (parks, etc). He won't sit still to let me read to him. There are no ECFE (early childhood family ed) classes here in the summer and I didn't make it to any over the winter.

Basically I would like some ideas on things I can do at home, we don't have a lot of time on weeknights by the time I get home from work. On the weekends I can take him more places.
Thanks!

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

Hoopin' Mama

· #2 · Jun 20, 2007

I don't think he is too young for a playground. Can you find one around you that seems popular with the infant/toddler crowd? One with a large sandbox.

Do you have anything around you that offers classes like Little Movers & Shakers?

Sand box is an excellent idea at this age. Also, a large bowl of water for the baby (not the dog), to sit on the grass and play with.

Do you have small rocks in your yard? Ds loves to make rock piles.

Just look around your house and yard with new eyes, and you might be amazed at how many things can be interesting to your babe.

Hoopin' Mama

· #3 · Jun 20, 2007

Do you have any kind of riding toy yet, that can also be a push-toy?
Ds got one for his first birthday. It was not something I would have thought to choose for him. He looooooved it. At first he just pushed it around a lot, and then he started to ride it. He was only "cruising", not walking, on his first birthday.

Baby doll strollers are good like that too.

Ophelia

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 20, 2007

Thanks! We just started swimming classes, but that is only once a week for a short period of time. I'm thinking of doing Kindermusik but the classes are farther away from my house than I thought they would be.
We belong to a gym that has a great pool, but that is tough to do on weeknights.

We have a small playground almost right next to our house but most of the equip is for older kids (monkey bars, etc), no sandbox there. I can check around the other parks in our area but I'm looking more for things I can do at home with him most nights and not have to drive anywhere.

I really should just give him stuff out of the cupboards to play with like pots and pans I don't use. he likes banging on things and throwing things. No daycare for the next two days, so we have a 4 day weekend and I will have to brainstorm!

organic-momma

· #5 · Jun 20, 2007

The sandbox was a BAD idea for us (DS just wants to eat the sand)... he got a water table for his birthday though and loves that, we also found him a small playground at a garage sale that he enjoys, a little push car that he can walk around with. Another big hit is his ball pit, he loves jumping in there and throwing the balls around.

Good luck!

lil_stinkyfeet

· #6 · Jun 20, 2007

I would personally be leary of a playground sandbox. My ds is 9.5mos and he just eats the sand, which really grosses me out since neighborhood cats and such tend to use sandboxes as litter boxes.

Ophelia

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 20, 2007

thanks! He has a zebra riding toy but only pushes backwards so far. He just got one of those "walking toys", he is not real good with it yet, he starts going too fast and it gets away from him and he falls (I'm afraid of him falling on his face but I suppose that is going to happen sooner or later), but it's good for practice. I've seen the water tables for sale, those are cool.

I didnt' think of bringing a big bowl of water outside, great idea! And I'll give him measuring cups to go along with it.

Great ideas, thanks! Gives us something to do the next few days.

Ophelia

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 20, 2007

2

Quote:

Originally Posted by lil_stinkyfeet

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I would personally be leary of a playground sandbox. My ds is 9.5mos and he just eats the sand, which really grosses me out since neighborhood cats and such tend to use sandboxes as litter boxes.

If I do get him a sandbox it would be a smaller one with a cover. I know what you mean, we have a big Rainbow playset in the backyard and DH wants to remove all the grass from underneath it (a large area!) and put sand there. Great idea, but I keep telling him the neighbors cats will find it and I don't want my kid playing in cat poop. He doesn't seem to think it's a big deal if DS gets a hold of cat poop

: Plus we have dogs that would go in there if we didnt' fence it off.
The playground by our house doesn't have a sandbox.

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Decca

· #9 · Jun 20, 2007

Do you have a library nearby. Baby Storytime has been a real godsend around here lately. The baby enjoys the stories and rhymes, he can crawl around this huge space with other babies afterward and blow off steam, and I can talk to adults.

Ophelia

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 20, 2007

2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decca

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Do you have a library nearby. Baby Storytime has been a real godsend around here lately. The baby enjoys the stories and rhymes, he can crawl around this huge space with other babies afterward and blow off steam, and I can talk to adults.

I just checked, they only have baby storytime on weekdays, not very WOHM friendly

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BetsyS

· #11 · Jun 20, 2007

3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ophelia

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I just checked, they only have baby storytime on weekdays, not very WOHM friendly

We'll trade locations, cause our baby storytimes are on Saturdays and at like 7 at night. (which boggles my mind that anyone's babies stay up that late

)

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ashtree

· #12 · Jun 21, 2007

2

:

I have an almost 11 month DS and he seems to get pretty bored sometimes, so I'm eager to read some more responses!

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BellinghamCrunchie

· #13 · Jun 21, 2007

When DD was that age I would take a bag or big purse and fill it with various household items (an empty toilet paper roll, an egg wisk, a spatula, spices with the caps tightly on, a hair net, an egg crate, a candle, a hardboiled egg that she could peel the shell off - basically things she hadn't really seen before) and she would enjoy taking each thing out of the bag and exploring the items.

Toys didn't really interest her much until she was about 2. Although the sand box was a big hit (and still is) - if you're not too worried about them tasting sand.

lovesea

· #14 · Jun 21, 2007

I put the baby bath in the garden, fill it with toys or other objects and let him play away. That keeps him busy for a while.

nicelady

· #15 · Jun 21, 2007

The phrase "getting into everything" isn't just a phrase, is it!

I have noticed with my children at this age (I have a 10 mo currently) that when they are tired, they tend to do the "I want up, I want down" thing more.

Sometimes parks can be annoying at that age, too, because they want to crawl around and eat wood chips.

I suggest just having an area where you can be close to him and let him explore, and work on his new skills.

I believe that most chiildren play to learn the new things that are next for them to do developmentally. Work is the play of childhood.

Good Luck with this new adventure!

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Decca

· #16 · Jun 21, 2007

Quote:

I just checked, they only have baby storytime on weekdays, not very WOHM friendly

Check for a family storytime on Saturdays. Not baby-specific, but at least it's something.

I'm at home now, but I hear you on the frustration of finding things that aren't on weekday mornings. The dumbest thing I've seen yet is a Tuesday morning knitting group for new moms at my local yarn shop....except that you aren't allowed to bring the babies! Who in the world who is at home with a baby on a weekday morning has access to childcare at that time?

KayCSmommy

· #17 · Jun 21, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ophelia

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I don't know if a similar question has been posted recently. Sometimes I am at a loss on what to do with him. He is very into exploring right now, crawling, on/off, open/close, dump things in the dog's water bowl (it used to be tip-the-bowl-over until I got a no-tip bowl!).
Since this is my first, I don't know what type of things they really like at this age or what keeps them interested. Sometimes he does what someone else just posted about, he wants to be picked up but then wants to get down. I think he is bored, and I feel guilty that I am not providing enough stimulation for him. Sometimes I just wander around the house with him not knowing what to do. The house is not fully babyproofed yet either so that limits us too.

Since it is nice outside I would like some outdoor ideas, other than just crawling around in the grass. We have a toddler swing on the playset, and sometimes we go for walks. We got a little pool for him but only used it once so far, I think it has cooled off too much now and the water is too cold. At this age would he like a sandbox? Is there a specific toy he would be interested in based on the first paragraph description?

The places I can take him to seem to be more for toddlers who are walking (parks, etc). He won't sit still to let me read to him. There are no ECFE (early childhood family ed) classes here in the summer and I didn't make it to any over the winter.

Basically I would like some ideas on things I can do at home, we don't have a lot of time on weeknights by the time I get home from work. On the weekends I can take him more places.
Thanks!

It sounds like are babies are very similar, lol. My son is very spoiled being an only child and Grandchild on dad's side. Only Boy on my side of the family. So he has a swing set with baby swing, pool, sand box, and a ball pit. He loves to be outside and I build the sand castle and he destroys them. He loves me to lightly toss him into his ball pit, and we play catch with the balls. If your not objective to plastic, then both the pall pit and (we have a plastic Sand Box), he also has a few ride ons that he loves.
In side we pile his blankets up and we roll around in them and play peek a boo and and I crawl around on the floor with him and play a sorta baby tag. He loves balls so we will roll or bounce one of the big bouncy balls on the kitchen floor, or pull all the pans outta the kitchen and bang the pans together. He also loves cars so, we push cars around and play with his toys on the floor. If that gives you any Ideas.
We have books but when I try and read to him he just gets pissed, but he loves to look at them on his own and open and close the books.

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