Ideas for something to do with 2 year old?

[Purplepricklesalloverhisback]

DS is a pain at the minute, very clingy and lots of tantrums. I’m 35 weeks pregnant and have SPD so struggling and have ran out of ideas to entertain grumpy toddler.

Ideas please for something to do with him tomorrow?

Do you have a garden OP?

My SIL used to do this great activity where she wrote on a sheet of paper 'leaf' 'tree' 'flower' etc and her son had to go around the garden to find them and tick them on the sheet. He got a treat when he found them all. Could be adapted for indoors too I guess?

A fun/ sensory bath? Plenty warm water, some random pots/ sieves/ spoons/ whisks/ jugs.
Stick some music on, toys to wash.
Get yourself something comfy to sit on, let him play.
A scavenger hunt- sir somewere nice and comfy, give him a special bag, send him to find random stuff- a shoe, something blue, something that smells etc.... just tailor to language / interests.
Reward with treasure- preferably some choc in wrapper that takes forever to open.

Ha great minds

Get a big basin, put it on a tiled floor and chuck in cornflour. Add water until it is 'gloopy'. Let him play with it and run cars through it etc to see the tracks. When he's finished (and messy!) put him in the bath with loads of bubbles and kitchen utensils - jugs, measuring spoons, plastic cups etc. I found this always killed a good hour or more and saved me a doing a night-time bath when I was exhausted. Good luck for the next few weeks 🙂

Cross-posted!!

Play dough
Baking (buns from a packet always goes well without the faff)
Painting
Park (if not too much)
Play tea parties
Indoor picnic for lunch
Get him to help with jobs
Threading beads
Looking at books/ library visit
Jigsaws

I discovered earlier that if you google ‘animal sounds’ it brings up loads that you can play on a phone. Dd (2) spent ages playing a guessing game this afternoon.

If all else fails- Peppa pig

Yes, peppa, paw patrol, whatever bits you some peace.

Play hairdressers.

Gather all clips, bands, plant spray bottles and a mirror.

You sit on the floor on a cushion reading a magazine.
You get your hair done.

That’s it.

Thanks everyone!

Unfortunately he absolutely hates baths at the minute (loves swimming though weirdly!).

We do have a garden so will get out in that for a bit, if it isn’t too cold I can set his water table up.

Dd loves hairdressers too.
It can be quite Painful though

When DS was a toddler he loved pans, jugs, large spoons, bowls, cups etc from the kitchen. Give either dry pasta to pour or a small amount of water at a time. Kept my son busy for ages- it was bliss!

Could he do some gardening for you. Give him a few digging implements, a sieve and some gloves. Get him to help pull up weeds.

Could you make play dough? Lots of recipes online. You can make a big batch for pennies so he can keep rolling, cutting, kneading to his hearts content, just let him use kitchen utensils. If he enjoys that progress to making crispy cakes. Even let him stand on a stool at the sink and "wash-up". Lavish him with praise for being such a big helper. Get some tunes on & have a kitchen disco, your moves might be restricted but encourage himto tire himself out. Keep the mess in one place and let him guddle with cooked pasta, jelly, cornflour & water. Use masking tape to turn the who kitchen floor into a road system for him to push cars around. Just make sure he parks them out of the way after. Cover the whole table with paper (anything - newspaper, ends of leftover wallpaper) and let him scribble.
Would you manage a library trip, get him signed up, look at books there, choose some to take home?

My two year old is a particular fan of a colander, Wooden spoon and dried pasta. It does give me a headache though!

We go to the library quite a lot. He isn’t interested in books other than The Gruffalo but likes to
play with the few toys they have there.

He is such hard work at the minute and difficult to get into an activity. Things like baking or play dough he gets fed up with after 2 minutes.

Could try a treasure basket. They're normally aimed at younger children, but I've found toddlers and preschoolers like them too.

I find a rucksack type bag with loads of pockets to open and explore or a box/basket with lots of smaller containers in works best. It's more interesting to explore and makes it last longer as they have to open each bit!

Things that have proved popular:

Calculator (or anything with buttons)
Sellotape dispenser (and tape to dispense)
Selection of coins in a purse (not if they're still in the eating everything phase obviously)
Hat
Compact mirror
Empty perfume bottle, especially if it's shiny.
Packet of wipes (a bit wasteful that one, but if you're desperate!)
Small snack (hide a box of raisens in there).
Length of material (maybe a silky/glittery scarf/something with sequins)
Cardboard tube
A few of their small toys, something they haven't played with for a while or some new party bag type bits.
Something noisy party blower, clackers, shaker, bells etc.
Something that fastens with Velcro or a long length of velcro for them to pull and stick.
Photos of people they know/things they like.
Bunch of keys (or just keyrings if you're worried about them eating the keys).
Bubbles.

If you're going in the garden, wrap him up with Mac and wellies, put some water in a bucket, get a large paint brush/paste brush and he can 'paint' the wall, fence, patio etc.

This works best in the summer obviously, but you sound desperate!
He might like blowing bubbles? Or digging a deep hole?
Any nearby ducks that you could go to feed?

Play doh.
Sticking/drawing/crafts
Singing songs
Educational videos
Reading books say next to you (he has to guess what happens next?)
Find the teddy or other toy
Soft play that is in an enclosed area so not constantly chasing him about
Animal sounds game
He sings/tells a story to bump?
He 'helps' you tidy up/fold up etc
Play kitchens - Mummy wants chicken for dinner please

My eldest was 2 whilst pregnant.

Oh and yes to water and sand/mud play outside. Hours of fun mess

Thank you! Soft play is usually a winner as there is a good one that he can access on his own but with it being half term it will be packed.

Will try some of those ideas today and might pop to the library in the afternoon.

I usually work 3 days and then we do activities on our other 2 but have been off work for 3 weeks already and have 5 more before baby arrives so trying to fill our days!