Seriously, how do you occupy toddler boys without TV on rainy days?

[rosalux]

Just that really. DS1!is 2 3/4, DS2 is 4mths. The weather is awful and it's half term so play groups are shut. DS1 has just dropped naps but DS2 obviously still needs his (and long may this continue) so we need to be at home for at least a couple of hours every day. We only have a small (death trap of a) town garden so that's not really an option, any ideas (that won't destroy my house?)

Owlcapone - I remember Lego wars!

I love passing all these games on to my kids because I secretly still love playing them!

Trying to learn them "duck duck goose" and "what time is it mr wolf"

All of the above - mine also enjoyed a pretend zoo. I'd get all the cuddly and plastic toy animals and dot them around the house in makeshift "cages" (upside-down plastic baskets and suchlike). Then we'd go and visit them all, children not knowing who they'd find next. Then have an ice-cream and a "camel ride" (me being the camel, or elephant, obv).

Personally speaking, my daughter was always higher maintenance than her brother. He was often happy to amuse himself (actually preferred it at times and would get a bit cross if I tried to join in with what he was doing). DD HAD to be amused constantly

Another thing I thought of which was very popular with mine - get some old wallpaper, get child to lie down on it and trace their shape. Then child paints him/herself, matching colours of eyes, clothes. Cut it out when dry. They loved doing that (if you can stand the mess of paints, of course)!

The list of what to do is endless, really.
And baby can still nap whilst doing an outside activity with older child. Sling or pushchair . . .

EvansOvalPiesYumYum - I'm not allowed to do animal rides in our house because apparently mama doesn't do the noises right...

We do crime scene sketches and pretend to solve crimes (DH usually hides clues before work and leaves me a note with the answers!) but the painting themselves is good, I'll have to try that!

Mama

Crime scene sounds brilliant - I'll keep that one in mind for my future grandchildren!

Treasure hunts too, were fun

Mama your house sounds great fun! :)

Throwing lego at each other? Not something I would encourage.

Clearly it wasn't encouraged. We were just very careful not to be noticed. We used to hold the wars with one team on each side of the stairs so Lego was confined to the upstairs areas whilst our parents were downstairs. The bricks had to be tidied up or you ran out of ammo :o

Funnily enough I never told my children about this game...

We also used to slide down the stairs on metal trays. Again, not a game I taught my children! I can't believe my parents never spotted us doing that one. They grew up in the war though so were used to playing on bombsites and other such dangerous stuff - I guess their safety radar was a little skewed :)

But none of those are appropriate for the OP's toddler!!

Make an indoor den with your table upside down
or a ship with a sail.
Play pirates, have your tea in the den.
Make a castle out of junk, paint and create a masterpiece.
Water play in the sink or bath.
Build with bricks, play with cars, role play with costumes.
Dance to music and sing songs, make simple musical instruments.

Large cardboard boxes are always a big hit! If you can get hold of some from a local white-goods outlet (they'll be glad to get rid of them) you can do all sorts with them. A ship, a house, a castle, a fort, spaceship - even better if you can get hold of a couple and join them all together.

My kids love to build rockets and paint it, then they meaning me would make moons and planets with paper mache (good ol' balloon trick), and then I'd push them around the house going on missions, I'd even help make them cardboard helmets and tinfoil suits... I'm more of a kid than my children!

It's amazing how simple things can entertain children! :)

My 2.3 DD will spend at least a happy half an hour "washing-up". Yes is makes a mess but only water. She also likes to help, as per pp, so help cook dinner, help clean etc.

I'd forgotten about drawing round yourself on wallpaper, can't wait for the next rainy day to do that!

Washing your toys in the bath can take HOURS!