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what do 16 month olds like doing? HELP!

36 replies

plasticinemachine · 23/07/2015 20:15

Its over 10 years since I had a 16 month old & I can't remember what I used to do everyday. My sis is coming to stay for 2 weeks & I'm not sure what to plan? She's told me not to worry, we'll make it up as we go along but if someone could tell me the kind of things their 16 month old likes doing as in day trips but also what they do at home play wise, that would be very helpful.
Thanks:)

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sleeplessbunny · 23/07/2015 20:23

My 16 month old's favourite activities:
Eating cat food
Emptying the cat food all over the kitchen floor
Opening and closing doors
Pulling my hair
Pulling his sister's hair
Shrieking
Using everything and anything as a hammer
Spreading food across anything within a 1m radius
Emptying cupboards
Chewing up bits of paper and shoving them in the DVD player

Are you sure you can't remember? Wink

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sleeplessbunny · 23/07/2015 20:24

He also has 2 x 2hr naps a day, THANK HEAVENS

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VeryEarlyDays · 23/07/2015 20:27

2 x 2hrs naps!!! what is your secret? quick write a pretentious book and sell for millions!
Mine loves:
pointing and things and saying Gah
blowing raspberries
kicking things - leaves, lampposts, cats he's not fussy
walking and falling over
running and falling over
standing still and falling over
repeat
slides and swings would be a good fail safe

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mrsmeerkat · 23/07/2015 20:30

riding around on a scuttlebug and playing in a sandpit mainly

Or saucepans and tubberware and spoons

Music

Softplay, visit to a farm are winners or to the pool

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Roseformeplease · 23/07/2015 20:34

Sucking gravel was a particular favourite, that and eating grass or shouting at cars.

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sleeplessbunny · 23/07/2015 20:34

If you haven't got a stair gate, maybe ask your sister to bring one with her?

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sleeplessbunny · 23/07/2015 20:36

Ah yes eating stones is a current fave, how could I forget?

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plasticinemachine · 23/07/2015 20:37

OMG what have I done!!!! 2 weeks of that! Actually it is all coming back to me now!
I don't suppose they do any art/craft things like play doh at that age (asks hopefully)?
I had thought sandpit/paddling pool.
What about wooden bricks or giant lego?
Ooooh scuttlebug, of course a ride on thing...........(off to check ebay)

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PinkParsnips · 23/07/2015 20:43

At 16 months old my DD used to have hours of fun with a plastic box full of kitchen items - tupperware boxes with kids, empty jugs, wooden spoon etc etc

Also stickers! Sticking them on paper but mainly on herself, my face, the sofa, eating them ....

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PinkParsnips · 23/07/2015 20:43

lids not kids!

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sleeplessbunny · 23/07/2015 20:44

DS has no interest in giant lego yet, still too young I think. Wooden blocks however, make great hammers.... and missiles.
DS loves stacking cups, toy cars, my phone and the TV remote. But he would happily amuse himself with any random household object (just keep the breakables out of reach)
I wouldn't bother with special trips out except maybe the park, feeding the ducks or whatever.

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gointothewoods · 23/07/2015 20:48

Art and Crafts? Laughs loud and long.

Mine liked things like:
Licking the windows
Running into walls
Climbing on random things and falling off them
Pulling everything out of presses
Riding the cat like a horse
Banging things off each other

You could do soft play or a park or a playground.. Activities don't really work with 16 mth olds (unless walking around until they fall asleep in the buggy then going for coffee and cake - or a pint - counts as an activity?).

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Littlef00t · 23/07/2015 21:02

Dd loves books, putting things in boxes and jars, zig zag car track, making me carry her around pointing where she wants me to take her, emptying cupboards, duplo zoo, demanding to get lifted up on furniture.

She loooves swimming, planning on taking her to soft play, possibly old enough for the zoo, loves the play park, exploring the woods, pottering in the garden.

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eaiand2 · 23/07/2015 21:09

My 14 month old likes: posting random things behind the sofa, eating the dog's lead, eating the dog's tail, trying to eat the dog's food, tipping out the dog's water, and bashing all the buttons on the activity table and walker at the same time. She also really likes to eat food. Everything I eat gets heavily taxed by her. The yogurt tax is especially high, about 40%.

She loves going to the local playground, though, just playing in the little wooden playhouse there doing nothing really. Also, picking grass. And eating it. The other day we went to a fake beach and I built castles that she then tore down/tried to eat.

I assume a 16 month old may enjoy the same things, I can't imagine she'll be that much different in 6 weeks ????

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eaiand2 · 23/07/2015 21:10

Oh, and 2x 2 hour naps here, too! I assume it's very tiring being her.

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purplemurple1 · 23/07/2015 21:22

Mine was napping 90min every third day by 16 months and just 9 to 10hrs at night so don't count on those long naps.
He liked mostly blocks, watching his little sister, pestering the dog, copying us and helping with jobs.

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bobajob · 23/07/2015 21:26

Mostly running around and climbing on things
A bit of playing with cars and duple
Playdoh and paints are interesting for about 30 seconds at a time
He likes the sandpit and water
Can play with the hoover for about an hour
Pushing things around (buggies, trolleys)
Emptying cupboards
Carrying bags
Putting shoes on and taking them off
Books
Eating things
Chasing animals/squashing insects

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plasticinemachine · 23/07/2015 21:26

Well 2x2 hour naps sounds great! The one thing I do remember is that my DD gave up all day time naps at 13 months, now that was a shock!

Ok I'm getting the picture, and yes I do count long walks in a buggy till they fall asleep & then going for coffee (or pint) as an activity 'gointothewoods', certainly beats the zoo:)

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MinetteFalters · 23/07/2015 21:34

Putting things into other things. Taking them out again.

Anything I have said not to do.

Water in pans with a spoon to mix / bang on pans.

Climbing onto anything, the higher the better.

Trying to jump, can last a while. Love watching her trying to get both feet off the ground at the same time.

Oh, and once you have a wine in hand, 'cheers' with her sippy cup can last long enough to finish it.

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FraterculaArctica · 23/07/2015 21:40

Climbing on furniture, the higher the better.
Drawing with crayons or chalks ('We draw on paper, not on the floor' I say hopefully over and over again...)
Going to the swings and slides.
Standing up next to a bike or the wheels of our car and playing with the wheels - getting very dirty in the process.
Turning lamps on and off, over and over again.
Getting the hoover out of the cupboard and demanding that I hoover (my enthusiasm for hoovering is much less than his).

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Highlove · 23/07/2015 21:43

A handful of super cheap toys might help - a £1 set of stacking cups have long been a favourite here. A few books, too. £10 in your local charity shop might be money well spent.

Alternatively get a car. My 16mo likes nothing more than shouting at ours. In between trying to get it to hold her ball. The little bigger just won't join in Grin

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Highlove · 23/07/2015 21:44

*cat. Get a cat.

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FraterculaArctica · 23/07/2015 21:45

DS' granny has just visited with a tub of bubbles from Poundland - that kept them both entertained for quite a long time!

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stressbucket1 · 23/07/2015 21:56

I have a 17 month old stacking cups are a great idea they also make good bath toys!

Days out to anywhere they can walk or run around freely

Garden centres are usually good for a trip out especially if they have fish and small animals to look at and a nice coffee shop

Duplo and mega blocks are popular too

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ch1134 · 23/07/2015 22:12

Mine loves reading, drawing, watering plants, dancing, nursery rhymes, going to the park, farm, swimming, going for walks, to the supermarket, toy cars, bubbles...

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