Indoor activities for 22 mo?

[MeeWhoo]

I am looking for ideas on what to do with ds while we are inside the house (no garden). I take him out in his push chair in the morning -sometimes he will get down and walk/play for a bit, sometimes not- and he goes out to the park with DH for around 2 hours each evening.

In the house he likes to play with his cars (sooo boring for me), and he can be entertained for quite a while playing with plasticine or drawing, but other things he used to love, such as Lego, will only amuse him for a very short while.

I am a bit stuck for ideas and he is asking for TV too much (my fault, I let him watch a bit much because of my MS and then he was poorly for a week, so he has gotten used to it...)

Any suggestions that don't involve buying new toys?

My 22mo DS is OBSESSED with his train track, most of which came from IKEA so pretty cheap.

Will he sit and be read to? Library books are free!

Dancing/doing actions to nursery rhymes is a current favourite here as well now they can actually properly copy movements.

Building dens? Get some blankets draped over giant cardboard boxes/back of the sofa etc?

Hide and seek using toys. Hiding teddy while he has his eyes closed, start off pretty easy then finder harder places.

Decanting, sorting, sieving stuff. Basically whatever you have lying around. Pasta, lentils, dried peas, rice, water (if you can 'waterproof' the place).

Threading - this could be beads on a shoelace, big buttons on a pipe leaner etc.

Pots and pans band using wooden spoons (can get noisy). You could make a shaker using rice and an old bottle.

Make a camp using sheets and cushions, ad a torch and teddies too.

Obstacle course, over the cushions, round the table, bounce the ball three times, etc etc

Balloons are great fun and if you can find a big cardboard box this can provide hours of fun.

There's loads of stuff, it just depends on how much room you have and what you have lying around the place. Let us know how you get on.

Water play, standing on a chair at the sink.

Very messy, but if you clean up straight after most kitchens can take it.

Get a variety of non-breakable cups/containers that water can be poured into, then either fill the sink or leave the tap running slowly or both. Have no rules about how the child plays, whether they pour water from one thing into another or just empty filled cups down the sink in glee. Try not to get stressed about the vast quantities of water that go beyond the sink and drainer and onto the floor/chair/child.

Be ready to change all clothes including nappy after.

Kept my DC entertained from 18 months for periods of about 30 minutes at a time, up to five times a day. She may have a bath every evening but this was MUCH more exciting. And she has brilliant skills now with her drinks, can fairly reliably drink from adult sized glasses and mugs.

My DH cooks cupcakes with DD, (sometimes at her request!). We have a low table which makes this easier, but it does get messy sometimes.

Drawing, reading (looking at the pictures/being read to), singing, stacking cups/blocks etc. Sometimes plays with bubbles, shape sorter, play tea set. Occasionally they do some painting - again messy but it does entertain.

Try putting the lego away for a while, then bringing it out again. DD seems to be occupied for longer this way.

Sorry I disappeared and thank you everyone for your suggestions. So far bubbles and hide and seek have been a hit.

I am also sure he would love playing with water in the sink, but he is a climber and very active so i am scared that if I am more than half an inch away he might tip the chair on climb into the sink itself!

I will try some more of your suggestions in the next few days, thanks again.