What to do with older baby/ toddler all day?

[mrsflux]

Ok I'm going to admit that I have the tv on in the background most of the day. I've read sone if the recent threads here and feel a bit guilty so want to cut down.
Ds is 10mo and tunes in and out of tvdeprnding on what's on- even if it's cbeebies so I know he's not a couch potato yet...
What do you do with yours all day?

We do baby and toddler group one day a week, food shopping, maybe trip to shopping centre.

He's cruising confidently so is reluctant to be in buggy lots but not walking so can't take him to park etc.

Yes I am clueless!

bunny that is it! It's a funny in between age isn't it. At least it won't last too long.

Mine is nearly 10mo and has started to enjoy organising/disorganising things, so pulling books off a low shelf, putting her toys into a basket (we use her old moses basket) and climbing in it, climbing out again and taking the toys out...although tbh she seems very happy just cruising around atm, I think she is still thrilled that she can stand! We spend most of our time (when at home) in a room where it's pretty baby-proof, so she can just get on with it, and I sometimes play with her and sometimes sit at the computer and chat to her from across the room.

I've just got some BBC cds with nursery rhymes, songs, tongue twisters etc on them, which are quite good as background burble (she doesn't like the tv) and every so often you can join in with a song which she seems to find very funny.

And we're about to start going swimming, although I have a feeling that will be lots and lots of hassle enjoyable preparation surrounding not very much actual time in the pool.

I don't think there's any reason to feel guilty. You obviously care about what your child's doing or you wouldn't have posted!

IMO there's a lot of pressure on parents to feel like they should be doing loads of organised things with their babies and toddlers when often the child is happiest doing the things you describe - playing with plastic tubs while Mummy chats to them, helping out with daily things in the house, having a go and trying to make something artistic.
Often when I take dcs out in the morning (ds3 is now 2) it's just for a nice walk somewhere child-friendly to stretch his legs, get fresh air and work off some energy with a bit of a runaround. I get too tired and not get anything done in the house going here and there and everywhere to non-stop toddler groups and by the time ds3 arrived, I'd become wiser and didn't do that more than once a week

I agree that it can be a funny in-between age - not yet walking but wanting to do more active stuff, still wanting to put everything in their mouths but yet also wanting to try new things.

Try not to beat yourself up about it. Perhaps try doing a couple of things per day, maybe about 1hrs worth of really interactive telly off time with mummy.

Then chill out for rest of day knowing you have done your bit for his 'education'.

This is what I try to do, however, I am super obsessed with being wonder mum and beat myself up far too much. I just need to remember perspective.

I found a fantastic book called 'The Toddlers Busy Book - here
Although it is recommended for 1 and half yr olds + , but it will come in handy for later and most importantly gives you ideas.

I heard 'baby days' is also a good book (and might be more appropriate age group for your little one) that gives simple ideas but sometimes we all need a little inspiration!

Mine used to enjoy playing hiding the raisin under the cups (like the old favourite magic trick). Also taking tops off things.

It is hard trying to think up how to fill the day with new ideas rather that doing same ones again and again. I agree that going out once a day def helps.

Have you tried just sitting and looking out of the window? Sounds dull, but DS (10 months) is fascinated by watching people and cars go by. If he hears anyone say 'lorry' he'll point to the window and start making an excited noise- he loves the binmen and the flashing light on their lorry!

You can talk about what you can see, point out birds, cats etc, and make up stories about the people walking past. My DS is like yours and won't sit still, but when we're perched up at the window he will happily sit on my lap.

We also dance quite a lot too- I have the radio on a lot so he gets to hear a variety of music, and we bounce about whenever anything he likes comes on. Elvis seems to be a favourite at the moment.

We had a treasure basket full of stuff that wasn't toys but just household objects and things that are different textures. I got the idea at a baby group: all toys are basically plastic and they really enjoy investigating different things like feathers, pine cone, fabrics, wooden spoon, potato masher. Obviously you need to sort of risk assess what you put in but without being too anal or it defeats the point. That would keep DD going for a long time at that age.

Otherwise nursery rhymes with actions, music and things to bash/shake along, stacking cups she was really big on just sorting those, building towers for her to knock down.

I disagree that they need to be walking before a playground/park is okay for them. I've been taking my daughter since she was about 6 months, and she's almost 15 mo now and still not walking properly. We sit in the woodchips and play with them, or I slide her down the baby slide (holding her, I mean, not sliding with her), or swing her gently in the baby swing. Mostly she's happy to sit/stand around and watch the bigger kids. The other week, she and a 2 year old sat on a platform together and handed each other rocks back and forth, it was lovely.

I know weather is a problem, but if it's a nice day, I think parks are great. Also, even if there's no play equipment, take a picnic rug and some bits of food and have a picnic.

Displayuntilbest, some of the things you're describing, my daughter is only just able to really enjoy doing now. If I give her a bowl to pour flour in, she'll like as not tip it upside down and flour all over the floor. Which is fine, but not conducive to followthrough activities! And she'd just eat chocolate sprinkles, probably.

"Displayuntilbest, some of the things you're describing, my daughter is only just able to really enjoy doing now. If I give her a bowl to pour flour in, she'll like as not tip it upside down and flour all over the floor. Which is fine, but not conducive to followthrough activities! And she'd just eat chocolate sprinkles, probably."

Not sure I see your point, tortoise - what's wrong with a bit of mess? If flour goes on the floor then just sweep it up or make that into a game and let DC touch it to see what it feels like.
As for eating chocolate sprinkles, again, what's the problem, they are there to be eaten!

I didn't expect my ideas for things to do with older babies/toddlers to be met with resistance TBH - I just thought this thread would be people listing their own ideas!
Don't let a bit of mess put you off trying new things though!

I don't mind mess, but it's not really 'baking together' if the entire activity goes:

1. Pour flour into bowl
2. Sweep flour off floor
3. Pour flour into bowl
4. Sweep flour off floor

I am actually appreciating the ideas, just feeling maybe my child isn't as advanced as yours. But if my description of how it'd go sounds about right, maybe its just semantics?

Also, I'm uptight about chocolate and the like; I think she's too young.

One more activity to add to those above is bouncing on the bed! I think this was 'game of the week' on babycentre once (a good site to look for ideas) and I have kept it as a regular activity, my DS squeals with delight and is old enough to try to stand and bounce on his own now.

I think at this age it's about finding your inner child and trying to enjoy time together.

Went to a nice course and got loads of good ideas. Here are some: bounce the baby (gebtly) on a swiss ball, singing: Row, row, row the boat...or anything else. My dd loves bouncing!

Paint with finger colours in the kitchen or somewhere easy to clean, great fun!

Sing nursery rhymes and play one-on-one with him: Pat a cake, etc

Read books with him, start with big pictures and then small stories. If you want them to take an interest in book, you have to start them early!

Take pictures of your family, one by one and put them in a box, go through these pictures and talk about who you see and say there names, tell your LO what they're doing or wearing. You will enhance his vocab.

Having the TV on all the while is just sad because there are so many good things you can do and he loves your voice more than anything else he hears. Plus: children learn to speak less clear and have less vocab if there's always a TV on in the background.

Also, you can take a picture of an orange or a banana, then next to that place the actual fruit. It will help your ds to recognize the same thing in 2D, 3D. Good fun!

PS: Also good for hand eye coord is: put some spelt or cornflakes into a plastic cup and pour it into another. The 'pouring' move (twisting his hand joint) is not that easy but good fun. Even better with water in the bathtub!

sorry, 'their' names, not there.

I totally sympathise MrsFlux - I really like to know what I'm doing with ds, and he loves being in different places and seeing people, so although it sounds a bit military, we have a timetable of week's activities, with TumbleTots, local school's playgroup, swimming and library rhymetime all taking place in the mornings, and then fit fun activities like supermarket shopping (really, he adores going round supermarkets in the trolley, brasher the better, ie. Asda), coffee afternoons with baby friends, park if it is better weather. If we're not doing these things, and I haven't got load of dishes for him to help unload, then ds gravitates towards the telly, and I do find it a bit guilt-inducing. I say try a fixed regime for the week and see if it helps.

displayuntil All the things you mentioned on your first post are exactly the same things I do with my 11 month old and have been doing for a while.

Honestly, It may not sound like something they can do but it is so much fun. Ds will sit in his highchair and I will pass him a cup of flour (measured out) and let him tip it into a bowl. Same with whatever other ingredients are in the cake/biscuit.

I got some washable paints and when it's a nice day, I sit Ds outside on the decking in an old sleepsuit and let him mess around with the paints and large sheets of paper.

Also a BIG favourite of Ds's is sitting on a big plastic sheet with a packet of cooked noodles and just playing with them. I got an idea of here to pour some jelly onto some cooked pasta and when set, allow Ds to play with it. Pushing the jelly through the tubes of pasta.

Going to the park is good even if they are not walking. Ds would spend all day on the swings if I let him, He loves it.

There's some really good idea's here so I'm sure you'll find something that you both like but don't feel bad. It took me a while to "get the hang" of playing with my Ds. I just didn't know what to do with him.

lifeas3plus1
I was sure I couldn't be the only one who did this sort of thing with my DCs!
Your idea of the jelly and pasta sounds great fun - ds3 is 2yrs now but he would really enjoy sticking his chubby hands into two of his favourite foodstuffs

Oh, good, this thread is still going. I wanted to come back and proffer displayuntilbest a sincere apology for doubting her, and also profuse thanks.

My daughter helped me bake double chocolate raspberry muffins this afternoon, and we had So. Much. Fun. I'm really glad you convinced me it was doable!

How grateful are you then, really, tortoise - is it worth a couple of those delicious sounding muffins?

Glad you had fun!

They might be a bit stale by the time they reach Britain, is the only thing.