Keeping a Toddler Busy

Now that it's warm outside I would spend as much time outside as possible. Going to the park. Do you like to go for walks? I used to put my kids in the stroller and allow them to take their morning nap while I got excersice. Do you have a little blow up pool? They have bubble machines that you just turn on and let the machine do all the blowing. That keeps them busy. If she doesn't eat it a sand box always keep them busy. Give her stuff that aren't actually toys but stuff that you use that you don't mind her having. For example, I used to keep a big basket in the kitchen filled with old pots and pans, tupperware bowls, spoons and wisks that they could play with while I cooked dinner. My friend collected plastic water bottles and bought different types of beads, bells, beans and put them inside. She glued the caps so they never came off and she would get them out when she needed her to keep busy for a little bit. (I don't know what kind of glue she used. I think there is a strong glue that is non-toxic at Michaels.) About anything that she could get messy with will be a big hit, like finger paint (again as long as she doesn't eat it). My mom always said I needed to put half the toys in storage and then switch them out every so often so they don't get bored with the same toys just laying around. I don't have the storage space but rotating toys may work, worth a try. Good luck!

After reading some posts on here about crafts and things I decided to do the same for my daughter and I made a box of crafts... I put EVERYTHING In there! I have playdoh, paint, glue, old frames from garage sales, buttons, tubes, paper, you name it I probably have it in there!

Right now her favorite thing for the last about 5 months is painting! I put an outdoor table cloth on the table (you can even get a disposable one) and let her go to town with it! It is sooooooooo fun to watch her make designs and see her work in progress! She thinks she is the next Picasso! She also loves wearing Daddys old tshirt to do this in- although lately I just let her do it in her diaper- less mess!

With the frames we have glued feathers, buttons, foam pieces and other things on. She did not really take to doing this until about 2 months ago though. But stock up whenever you see things on sale!

Another fav of hers and has been for what seems like forever is paper bags and socks.... we color faces or she just scribble on them and glue eyeballs on them too. I then put it on my hand and tickle her with it or she puts it on her WHOLE arm and chases me our 2 beagles around! It is goofy fun and she gets the idea that it is a puppet... even though shhhhhhhhhhhhh, hers does not quite look like one! lol

FYI- I still have to keep most of our doors closed in our house. I have had to rearrange some of our cabinets also so this way she does not get hurt. I left the pots and pans- except for the glass lids- all where she can reach them and a few spoons in lower drawers as well... she loves making "music" with them... stock up on Excederin! lol

I rarely have seen my daughter play with HER toys until about a month ago. She has a few favs that she has had since about 6 months old but other than that I have wasted money on them until just recently! She is finally grabbing the concept of playing with them on her own. She loves her books though and I make sure they are accessible to her. She pulls about 20 down and "reads" them and brings me a few also and we read them together. Her book shelf is a mess but- it is hers!!!!

When all else fails and you need a MUCH deserved break... PBS or Animal Planet on tv! lol I hate using the TV as a babysitter but occasionally we all need a break and she has actually learned quite a bit from it! We do also keep the TV on all day to a music channel (not MTV or those- this is all music no videos or commercials, basically radio on tv!?!?!?) she loves dancing around the house and we even dance together! She is learning some goofy moves over the last few months!

Good luck finding things to entertain her! It does get better! I just wish I could tell you when! lol
Many blessings to you both!

Do more baby proofing
Play with your daughter
Go to the park
Go to the water parks
Go to playgroups (tots love OTHER peoples toys)
If you have a backyard play in the sprinkler/baby pool
Show her how to play with certain toys (sometimes they don't understand how to do it alone)
Pull out toys (sometimes they just don't initiate)
Take classes (gymboree, wiggleworms, park districts)
Go to the free museum days

I am giving all the suggestions I do because my little guy is awful about playing by himself too. We both do better if we are just not home.

Give her something that she CAN play with - for example if she bugs you while you're in the kitchen, make sure you have a cupboard that she can open with pots and pans or tupperwear or some play foot and a wooden spoon for her to cook herself.

Also, do more babyproofing so you don't have to keep telling her no.
Get out of the house. Draw with sidewalk chalk. Go to the park. Make some music by drummning on pots and pans. Sing some songs. Find a play group. Give her a "project" (like "helping" you stir some cookie sprinkles into a container with a little water, or something else harmless but interesting - putting cheerios into an empty egg carton etc).

Try and get some sort of routine with her if you don't have one already. She's old enough for some big crayons and drawing. Try reading a book with her and then drawing something from the book with her. (Or, for example, one of our books talks abobut making paper chains, and then we made a paper chain).