Need indoor activities for my 2 yo son

[dixia]

My son is 2 yrs 4 months. I need indoor, rainy day activites for him to do. He is really into running around and causing havoc and playing with things he shouldn't play with. I'm trying to extend his concentration span and provide him with a wider variety of things to do.

We did some cutting and sticking today - which was good, although it took me a lot longer to prepare than the time he played with it for.

Any ideas?

Hi,
Got a step daughter the same,seems to like messy things such as painting paper plates, making cakes,hand painting/printing,colouring and sticking things together such as boxes, egg boxes and yoghert pots.

how about roll of wallpaper and big fat felt tips? (doesn't take long to prepare) My ds loves cooking cakes, I give him a bowl with flour and butter and he mixes it with his hands (actually calms him down) Need a good apron though!
Water play standing at the sink, (jug, bubbles, saucepan, bit of hosepipe)

Message withdrawn

I love playdoh but have to put dummies in my 2yr olds mouths as they eat it! cutting is their favourite, £1 plastic scissors from ELC

have you ever played round with cornflour? my dd loves it... if you mix cornflour with water it makes a kind of gloop... you can draw in it and push it round and make shapes etc... but if you hit it or slap it it behaves in a different way!

big bucket of water outside and a decorating paintbrush.. get him to draw on any concrete/patio areas... admittedly only for better weather.

gardening/growing stuff, like mustard and cress... great if you do it in empty egg shells and have faces on them, as it looks like hair growing

picnics? indoors and invite teddies etc? then he can help making food, cake etc

ok the paintbrush thing isnt indoors... but its great for a sunny day...

British bulldog?

Uses up loads of energy and teaches vital tactics for escaping school bullies.

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Washing up is my 22month olds new favourite game. Painting, dancing and gluing are other favourites. COuld you try baking?

Message withdrawn

My 2.5 year old does a bit of colouring and sticking but only briefly. Her fave thing is to sort the washing and load the machine - she has to go through the washing picking out her things and put them in the machine - takes her AGES and then I pretend to put the machine on and tell her how clever she is (really I empty it and do it properly while she isnt looking ).

She has lots of little people/happyland stuff and will play setting those up for eons.

Also take all the pots out and tell them to put them back - she's into being helpful at the moment.

Make sure he gets plenty of exercise every day, swimming as cod has said is brilliant.

And if you want to get "out" but still be indoors there's storytime for littlies at most libraries or most ELC shops have one morning per week when you can go in and play and do crafty things with their supplies.