Amusing a 20 month old

[mildew]

Has anyone got any good ideas for amusing a 20 month old at home? DS1 is very lively and is happiest when let loose in an open space but on rainy and cold days like today he has to be amused at home. I also have a 9 week old to look after and it is driving me potty.

dd likes it when I put bits of newspaper on the floor and play "crocodiles" (she couldn't do it properly at 20 months, but liked jumping on newspaper).

dancing? play dough? train set?

it's difficult isn't it. My 18mth old goes loopy inside and DW has to take him to the park everyday or you would think he'd explode.

DW did fingerpainting with him last week which was a success but she's still cleaning up bits of dried paint in the corners of the kitchen.

We also bought a big nylon tent thing with tubes and doors and stuff from Tescos for about £10. It folds into a little package but when let loose, it's massive. DS loves running, crawling in and out of it and hiding toys etc.

Cardboard boxes seem to suit most ages - big ones to climb in and smaller ones to put inside the big ones.
May be too young yet - but a mini trampoline with a bar to hold onto was very popular with my dd when she turned 2. Also - how about asking him to do things like dust or sweep up (toy dustpan and brush really cheap!) Mine always liked helping and would clean for ages!

buy lining paper to draw on.

standing at the sink playing with water

my ds2 is 20 months and his favourite things are:
1.washing up bowl of water with lots of cups/jugs
2.hosepipe
3.russian dolls
4.boxes
5.large buttons (i bought 50 from a charity shop) and putting them in various jars with lids
6.playdoh
7.wooden marble run - bought from a company called 'pinolino' on ebay from a member in germany after seeing one at a friends house. they have large wooden marbles (so no choking risk) and a brass bell that rings at the end when all the marbles reach the tray at the botttom !
8.anything musical - maracas, drums, glockenspiel
9. just getting interested in his big brothers train set

afew i've tried are jigsaws, make a den out of an old sheet and 2 chairs, music tape, looking at magazines,saucepans and wooden spoons to play with, hide and seek, crayons, guessing animal noises............