2 Yr Old Boy Needs Something to Do

Hi Deanna. My little boy is almost 2 1/2 and he loves it when we go to http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/index/load.htm?f . It's a great indoor activity and he has learned a ton from it. Best wishes!

Give that boy a rag and set him to dusting! It's never too early to start teaching them, especially if your house needs it. Include him in the housecleaning, he will not do a good job, and he will not stay on task long. Who cares? It's a start, and you'll get your house clean again. Other idea's: when out for a walk and you get to some stairs count you climb up and down. Go to the nature preserve on Parker - west of the tollway, and let him run wild for a while. Final idea: you do not want to "entertain" your little guy all the time by yourself. Look into playgroups so he gets time with other children, go to the playground and bring something for you to do,so that he plays on his own. Get, or build a small sandbox - hours of fun there! Stick him in the tub with anything plastic you have, he'll build cities, play in the water and just have fun! Go to Barnes and Noble at the mall, they have a train table he can play at and books out you can read to him, they also do a story time. By the way, the library does a story time too. Want to see some animals? Go to Owen's farm, its east of 75, south of Plano parkway - I know how to get there, but can't remember the address. They have horses, a petting zoo, and usually a dog running around (Hot Links was the old dog, but I imagine he's in heaven now). It'll worth the trip to go there! Turn on the hose and let him splash! Make some finger paint, get a recipe off the internet or just whip up a recipe of your own with food coloring and let him finger paint (or as my son liked to do) strip him and let him body paint! Hope a few of these idea's help!

Have you gone to the library and checked out Toddler Activity books? You can do a search on amazon.com for Toddler activities and it pulls up a ton of great books full of fun things to do with your toddler. And that would give you a starting point of books to look for at the library or Half-Price Books and other book stores.

I was given several toddler activity books, and there are so many wonderful ideas in there! They have things for rainy days, things to do at parks, things to do in a garden or yard, arts and crafts, and so much more! Most of them use items you already have around the house, so it's cheap and easy!

Have fun!

Deanna....I had to smile when I saw your note about having TONS:) of house cleaning to do.....my children are all grown up now but when I was a young Mom like you someone shared with me that my kids had no idea that housecleaing wasn't fun or educational!!:) Give them the gift of enjoying what they do in life so they never have to feel like it is drudgery like you are feeling like housecleaning is today.....obviously your 7 month old won't be cleaning but your daughter could enjoy music you have playing while you clean and you and your son singing along to the music:)....your son can enjoy helping you carry the clothes to the washer...sure he can only carry a couple of things but he is helping....he can help you put silverware in the dishwasher....it takes longer but he will enjoy it....imagine doing this together as he continues to grow...these are good times to talk to one another as they begin to grow up....so often times we are talking "at" our children from the time they are little till teenagers.....we need to teach them to dialogue and we can be their "dialogue partner" while we do our tasks together....it is very frustrating to be around children who don't learn to talk and be able to communicate as they get older...in fact, how many adults do you know who aren't very good at holding conversations....start young and enjoy a clean house in the process and they will enjoy the "game"!:) You are much more creative than you give yourself credit for....coloring will come in time....but in the meantime let him help you with the silverware!:) Hugs to you!!:)

It is hard trying to keep them busy. My 3 year old loves to play with flour and measuring spoons and cups. Or in the sink with water and measuring spoons and cups. She likes to wash dishes or her toys in the sink with soapy water. It can get messy but that is good fun right :) Warm weather is so much easier since it can all be done out back.... She also loves to finger paint or paint rocks that we find on our walks. In the summer we finger paint out back and end up painting her then i fill the kiddie pool with water and dish soap so there are bubbles and it washes off the paint! We also do measuring cups and spoons in the sand box. Play doh and cookie cutters, plastic knives and rolling pins is great fun. Oh and glitter....she loves glue and glitter! Messy but fun!

www.kinderkorner.com is one of my favorites, she is a kdg. teacher however it is a VERY extensive site and most activities can be adapted for younger children. Click on thematic units and you will find some great ideas :)
I have a 2 yr. old and a 4 yr. old and they love to make tents in the living room and pretend to be camping :)
Here are some other favorites: torn paper collages with glue,
playdough ball mountains, unifix cube pattern towers, ...
I know what you mean about good old fashioned fun! Good for you, you sound like a wonderful mom. Have fun!

Hi Deanna. I feel your "pain", on both sides. I too look around at all the cleaning I need to do. Some days I feel like involving my son who is also 2 1/2, and others its easier not to clean. He loves change and challenge, so some days can be a challenge for me. He LOVES to help me clean when I do. So, here are some ideas on that end...he helps sort laundry (dark and light), he carries it to the washer, throws it in, dumps in the detergent, and pushes the buttons. He helps me wipe down tabletops with windex, dust with rags, pretends to use my husband's window washer, loves to help push the vaccuumand broom (even if it annoys me), and lately he loves to use a small squirt bottle and a rag to clean the floors with me. He also helps empty the dishwaser on top since most of it is his plastic plates, cups, etc. and dumps his own plate, etc. after eating. Oh, and he LOVES to help me cook.
As for activities in play, there are so many...mine loves his sand and water table on nice days, mixing the two is fascinating to him. We also bring it in and use rice or mix cornstarch and water (it has a weird consistency). Beans are another idea if he doesn't mouth things. He also loved making colored ice cubes with dye and then mixing them in water to make different colors. Shaving cream and powdered paint is fun. My son now loves gluing and he just started on kid safe scissors. He too doesn't like coloring much, but there are several ways to change that up - chalk on paper, wet chalk on paper, color/marker on different textures (foil, waz paper, etc.). As for painting, you can have him use eye droppers, q-tips, cotton balls, anything to paint with. If you can make some or find some cheap, flannel stories are a twist on reading time. Storytime at the libraries can be great. Check out www.aroundtownkids.com depending on where you live. They have kids activities and I think you can check your area to get into some playgroups. Hide and seek, jumping on bubble wrap, hiding toys, chasing each other, dancing to music with instruments, streamers, pot and pans, acting like animals around the house, and ball play are all great. There are so many, and now you've even reminded me of some I haven't done with my own son in awhile. Good luck and I hope some of this helps!

I definately understand your plight, we have a 3 year old and have the same struggles. There is a very helpful book called "The Toddler's Busy Book" - 365 Creative Games and Activities to keep your 1 1/2 to 3 year old busy. Try Barnes and Noble or Amazon. Good luck.

Hi! I own a childrens art studio, and all of the projects we do you can do at home. Some ideas are: Dancing & stretching to Kindermusik or the like with instruments, I know you said he doesnt like coloring, but try finger painting...a really fun one is to use shaving cream and water colors-so fun (and messy) and creates great swirl like pictures, picture recognition games are fun (try one of my favourite websites-dltk, they have AWESOME projects and games!). Good luck and most importantly-have fun!!

There are so many things to do - play-doh, puzzles, swing, balls - indoor & outdoor - sit on floor and roll to each other - bounce to each other etc., cars - any kind at this age, use empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls to make a candle stick and play jack jumped over the candlestick or a rocket ship or binoculars. There are some really grat sites that you can google for all kinds of ideas. I have two boys, 5 and almost 3, they don't care too much for coloring either - just use your imagination and they will learn to use theirs. On cold or rainy days we love to build forts/caves and read books inside with flashlights or if you have a big box around you can turn it into a car, space ship, house, etc. Hope this helps.

I just had to tell you about a favorite activity that I accidentally happened upon!! My kids have little dinosaur figures, and I mean little, not like the little people ones, like the cheap ones that come in a $5 package at walmart. So, one day they wanted to dig for dinosaur bones outside (by hididng the dinosaurs and finding them) but it was raining. So, I hid them in a big bow, filled it with dry white rice, and then gave them a pair of tweezers from their doctor kid (another $5 purchase at walmart). I kid you not all of the kids from ages 2-7 played with that all day. They kept finding new things to hide in there, created a time limit to see how many they could get etc. So, the rice was saved in a bag and it is now only used for that purpose. Also, be sure to break out the play doh and some plastic knives and play kitchen toys...he will make you lots of cookies, but it is a great way to keep him occupied while you are doing something in the kitchen. Or, if you are feeling a little like getting wet, put him at the kitchen sink, on a stool or something, fill the sink with bubbly water, and let him wash some dishes, or his plastic toys, that could get a little messy, but hey, maybe you could just mop your floor with the water all over the floor. If I think of anything else, I will let you know!! ~A.~

* Make your own playdoh
* Build a fort
* Make a valentines box and let him decorate
* Make something with his foot and handprints
* make a bird feeder out of a pinecone, cover in peanut butter, and roll in birdseed, then hang from a tree

That's all I could think of for now!

I say involve him in the chores that need to be done. Soon he will be able to help you with some of the cleaning.

My niece cleans house with my sister. It is really cute to see her dust and sweep with her little broom.

When my daughter was about 4 we used to set a timer and have a "towel folding race." The towels weren't folded perfectly, but we sure got alot of laughs doing this!

One of the classes I help with at church is about your sons age.They love the toy kitchen! If you have room in your kitcen maybe allow your son to store some old cool whip tubs, trays, big spoons, etc in a lower cabinet. Let him drag then out and "cook" while you are cooking.

Finally, blowing bubbles can keep kiddos busy for a long time. I buy those cheap jars of bubbles with a wand from the Dollar Store. When my niece is over we take turns blowing bubbles. We see whos is bigger, goes further, has a bubble in a bubble...just kid stuff.