Running out of toddler ideas

[LolaLollypop]

Anyone else just reached the end of the line with entertaining a toddler during lockdown? I feel like I've exhausted every option and have no motivation to entertain her. We usually go out for a long walk every day - which we will do later once the rain had eased a bit.
DD is 2yr 9 months and has a short attention span. We just tried baking some cookies but she just throws the dough everywhere (which I now have to clean up). I keep seeing Insta stories of mum's doing such creative things with their toddlers and feel like I'm failing! Im not the most creative person anyway. If I ask her if she wants to do puzzles or painting she just says no. I'm just out of ideas but really don't want the TV on all day!

I'm also carting around 4 month old DS at the same time...

do you think you would find it helpful to do a couple of online classes with her? I will link a few below, some are live and some are pre recorded x

www.tappytoes.com/ -live dance classes

- pre recorded music classes

www.facebook.com/pg/CenterforPuppetryArts/videos/?ref=page_internal - scroll down to the 'king raisin' video puppet series. Gives you a chance to get a few things done whilst your dd watches

Do you have an enclosed space with a hard floor (I.e. not carpet)? Add toddler, ping pong balls, maybe a bouncy ball or two and sit and watch

If you have a garden try a bucket of water to give her toys a bath. Then give her an old paintbrush and get her to ‘paint’ any outdoor furniture or stuff you have with the water.

I kept mine outside as much as humanly possible for they were filthy little beasts.

Make some sand by mixing any flour with any kind of oil (including baby oil)
You can then put it on a big tray on the kitchen floor with plastic playdough cut-outs or make sandcastles.

Aquadoodle mats were fab - well used in our house.

Chunky chalks for outdoor drawing on stones/slabs in dry weather.

Make a load of jelly in a big bowl & let DC play with that.

Put an old sheet over a table with the sides hanging down, throw in some cushions and make a camp, read some stories.

My DD is a similar age, and I’m the same not very creative, and I feel at a loss of what to do to not have her be bored.

Personally I feel that there should be more effort towards re opening playgrounds & “petting” farms.

Some things I’ve set up are - baby bath with her dolls/plastic toys.

Printed sheets to colour of her current favourite (Numberblocks, Frozen etc)

Painting with water - on fence, patio

I found a Facebook group - Tuff Tray Ideas which is good for themes and to get ideas.

My go to at that age was a big plastic storage tub, some of her small plastic toys and something to bury them in.

That could be sand, cheap Aldi rice crispies, that kind of thing. And some plastic measuring cups. She would spend ages moving stuff from cup to cup and unearthing her toys.

Same thing works in a really bubbly bath, and for added entertainment you can freeze plastic toys in cups of water or ice cube trays so that they can melt them free.

Thanks all. I will try some of these. It's tough as during lockdown she's also discovered the word "boring".. so when I ask if she wants to do some colouring I just get "no that's borrriiinngg". She's 2 going on 12!!

I feel your pain!

I bought 5 minute mum book which has good ideas with minimal prep. Golden rule is to set up idea and let your kid find it - don't say 'do you want to do this', let her discover for herself.

Pinterest is full of this stuff, google it and have some ideas up your sleeve. I make a list in the evening for the next day, even if it's 'cut up magazine' etc. You don't have to be that creative, cheat by copying other people!