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Covid

Toddler bored indoors

10 replies

Thewheelsonthebus23 · 05/06/2020 11:27

I’ve got a 20 month old DS who seems bored playing indoors. Obviously the weather isn’t so great at the moment. We still try to get out once a day, even if it’s raining. But once we’re back at home he just wants to watch CBeebies. When we turn the TV off and try to play with him he just isn’t interested. He plays for possibly a very short time.
He’s got lots of toys and puzzles,musical instruments, building bricks, books etc. We just bought him a collapsible tunnel for indoors but he only went through that a couple of times and got instantly bored after that.
We have a tuff tray and I sometimes set activities up for him in there.

I don’t know what else to do with him!

OP posts:
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Thewheelsonthebus23 · 05/06/2020 11:28

Usually we would go to playgrounds, playgroups, soft play etc, even the local farm, but all that is gone for now.

OP posts:
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Angeldust747 · 05/06/2020 11:31

There's a group called tuff tray ideas on Facebook that might give you a few ideas for setting that up for him. I think you generally need to leave stuff set up for them for a day or so to give them a chance to really get into it, and also demonstrate what to do and the different ways to play with something. My DD loves water play with different food colourings in and either cups to pour or putting her toys in there for a bath.
20 months is a tough age, not quite old enough for independent play and their attention span isn't quite there yet - hang in there!

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Puddingmum · 05/06/2020 11:33

I have the same issue with my 19 month old bought loads if stuff while we are in lock down and she maybe plays with each thing for 5 minutes. I've started to turn stuff into a obstacle course and then there is a treat at the end, got to chuck balls into the ball pit, read the books that are laid out crawl through the tunnel, play a musical tune. I've also been rotating her toys so that way she gets something new every week. Pinterest has been amazing for ideas when I get really stuck

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Mustardbay · 05/06/2020 11:52

Things that keep my 22month old amused the longest:
Kinetic sand
Play doh
Playing in the bath
Duplo
Tea set
Play kitchen
Dollies/teddies and blankets/bottles
Ball pit with baskets to sort colours

Have you got a garden?

I put music groups on you tube and we can sing and dance together so she's not just staring at the screen.

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Smithtylater · 05/06/2020 12:38

I feel your pain OP. I have a 22 month old and its becoming really hard now! Cant believe we have been in lockdown for nearly 3 months!
What has kept my little one semi interested for more than 2 minutes:

  • bubbles
  • 'washing up'
  • sand
  • making cakes
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mam0918 · 11/06/2020 19:28

I feel guilty because lockdown has been so much of my DS life and he is so increadibly happy the few times we have gone out but we dont get out much.

DH is a key worker (so we cant just go out anytime as he drives) and we have no garden but right outside our house is a popular walk/cycle path that has been SWARMING with people since lockdown (and dog walkers have stopped picking up which is gross) so we barely get out.

We went to a park the other week to walk by the river but he saw the playground and got so upset that he couldnt play.

hopefully we will be able to get out more soon.

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CKBJ · 11/06/2020 19:43

Hear are a few ideas of what I did with mine...wish they were that age again!
Potato printing
Hand/feet painting.
Chalk
Musical play with upturned saucepans and wooden spoon,
Splashing in puddles
Dusting, hoovering (mine had a mini Henry Hoover they loved it!)
Sorting activities (colour, shape)
Threading pasta to make necklace could even paint it.
Ripping toys (Or anything) out of a catalogue (Argos) and sticking them
onto paper to make a picture
Play dough (A variety of home made recipes online)
Have fun!!

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Redolent · 11/06/2020 19:53

Too many toys can induce boredom in a cold and have the opposite effect. I find that stripping everything down to the bare minimum and rotating toys makes for a far more entertaining experience.

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userabcname · 11/06/2020 20:06

Bubbles! My 3yo loved bubbles at that age (he still does actually).
Washing up bowl full of water and some plastic cups or bath time - he would spend all day in the bath if we let him.
Stickers- didn't realise until we went on holiday and bought him a sticker book for the flight. I thought it would occupy him for maybe 10 minutes tops but he did that book for nearly the entire 2 hour flight and so began his love of stickers!

I agree with not too much choice. It can be overwhelming! Also if he doesn't seem interested just carry on playing with it yourself and he will probably wander back over in due course.

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TorysSuckRevokeArticle50 · 11/06/2020 20:07

My DDs favourite was moving stuff from one container to another.

So
-very super extra bubbly bath so she could scoop the bubbles

  • big plastic storage tub with dirt cheap rice crispies in and a drop cloth underneath
  • if you can stand the mess and it's dry enough pop them into a muddy patch of garden and give them a little spade
  • sandpit
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