cheap & stimulating toys for a 15 month old

[poppy2133]

Any ideas how to stimulate a 15 month old. He's bored with his old toys but to buy new ones costs money which I don't have a lot of unfortunately. Any home made ideas would be gratefully received. He can walk, can't talk yet but seems to understand some things I say to him. Thank you.

how about things like jelly and cornflour mixed with water to splash around with?
Children this age tend to like exploring so anything like cups in a washing up bowl, that type of thing.

ds at this age liked:

sitting in the bath with loads of tubs, and kitchen stuff (ie. sieve)
sticking things on a paper plate (under your supervision) you could get some dried pasta, stciks, leaves

How about going to a car boot sale and having a look arond for new toys? You can get really good things for next to nothing and if you have a dishwasher put them through there to clean and they are as good as new!

I'm afraid I may be a bit of a freak!!

Used to put 18mth old in bath with baked beans/ spaghetti/ jelly etc to play with or try grated carrot, turnip etc(bath is much easier to clean than kitchen floor and walls IMO)

Also loved finding pictures in magazines etc - used to make collages of colour blue/ cars etc.

would play with plastic xmas baubles

made shakers out of old tubes etc

loved (and still loves at 5.5) making (and distroying) tents and dens to hide in

made posting boxes from old formula tins (or something similar) and gave cardboard shapes or pictures to post (old cardboard books are great for this)

Loved different brushes ie old toothbrushes/soft hairbrushes/ shaving brushes.

Can paint/draw with water on pavement outside

for actual toys as opposed to activities we had a "toy bus" near us where we could hire them out like a library, charity shops and car boot sales are also great.

Have fun