keeping toddler amused when it's raining - what do you do?

[titferbrains]

we did some baking last week but it's no good for my waistline! I am a lazy mummy and tend to just take her to playground for activity, we only go to playgroup once a week otherwise and she's starting gymboree tmw. I am getting a bit anxious about letting her watch too much tv but she is not really up for playing with toys much, just in fits and starts. I am trying to declutter house atm and be more tidy and she is just getting on my nerves because she needs entertaining, despite being surrounded by lots of stuff!

So will try her on homemade playdough this aft I think. Any other suggestions? I let her "wash up" last week and ended up having to mop the entire kitchen. Cooking was fun but again required a LOT of cleaning...

I stick her wellies and rain coat on and let her go and play in the puddles in the yard or take her to the park to stomp in the mud.

There is no rule that says you have to stay inside when it's raining you know

Get some wellies and a raincoat on and go and jump in the puddles or look for conkers or something.

x post!

Puzzles, drawing, sticking, painting? Do you have friends with children of a similar age? Invite them over and maybe get a regular moving afternoon session going for the winter - other people's toys are very exciting.

Also get out in the rain, even if it's just a walk to the shops for a pint of milk.

THanks, obv will go out as much as we can but am looking for ideas for being inside to distract her from telly.

my dd will "wash up" all day long if I let her...

Pair of child safe scissors, glue stick, old magazines/wrapping paper/flyers, old tissue box to stick it all on. Currently keeping my DD (3.5) very happy .

Dressing up?

Make a silly hat?

Hunt the thimble?

DD is 2, I will try making some shapes for her and seeing if she likes the sticking onto a box idea Alfabetty.

Am way too anal to try making anything without having a breakdown but will get her some hats as she likes playing with them.

must get to primark to get more hair things, she likes playing hair dresser.

puddle jumping always good fun.....

(my kids used to love "washing up" as well...)

As we're out and about so much during the week dc2.11 is usually very happy to play with his own toys however wet days we;

• do bath time during the day - he likes splashing in the bath so it fills some time
• do painting - free painting, monopainting, toy printing, hand prints etc
• invite friends over to play or go over to a friends
• set up an elaborate town with the train set, cars, small world people/buildings
• Play hide and seek
• Dressing up
• Do a photo shoot - take lots of photos on a big white sheet.
• Build a den under the kitchen table
• Do washing up
• Play with playdough, play foam, sand, gloop,

Out and about we go on train rides, bus rides, go on a bear hunt, collect conkers, go puddle splashing etc.

DD waking from nap v soon. Have compiled a list of wet weather distractions to purchase! Hope I can find some wellies to fit her tiny feet!

Thanks everyone.

If sticking is popular, get some Christmassy stuff and cards and get her making your Christmas cards. My DS did this last year when he was just over 2. Hoping to get him to do it again this year!

make the dinner table in a hut by putting a sheet over it. Then have a tea party with soft toys or dolls

make the living room in an ocean with pillows as islands and hop from island to island

make things as suggested by Mr Maker (BBC???)

drawing, painting

listening to stories on CDs or songs

making things with papier mache

play games like snakes and ladders

play shop

cbeebies.

marking place for idea

If you're trying the declutter the house let her help! On Sun when it was raining and they both had colds so we couldn't go out we cleaned the house. They loved emptying the cupboards (pirate hunt - i hid a few treats at the back of cupboards :-) ) and then let DD1 play with a sprayer and cloth. The day flew past and I have a clean house for the first time in months

Sticking is a winner in our house, give DD1 some paper, glue and bits of tissue paper/cut-out pictures/shapes etc and she will stick for ages! Much less messy than painting.

I got this recently and she loves it, lots and lots of crafty things to do. We made pompom puppets the other day.

And when it makes a mess on the floor, she loves sweeping up with her little dustpan and brush

At two, my son would play for hours with rice/dried chickpeas/pasta etc and a funnel, sieve, pots of various sizes, cake cases, all on a big tray to prevent them going everywhere.

not entirely trusting of my daughter's ability to contain her activities but I guess I shouldn't knock her till I've tried it...

About to make playdough, will purchase some kiddy glue this aft, will try to think of ways she can help with decluttering.

Think she is a bit young for papier mache. I can just see her going why are we using all these slimy bits of paper when I just want to play with the balloon...

oh yes, note to self to get a balloon. I remember having a helium balloon in our flat as a student and it became like a pet

My DD, 2.3, loves helping me clean the house. Give her a baby wet wipe and she's busy cleaning windows or floors for ages.
Or I just empty a low kitchen cupboard which holds only non breakable, non sharp things and ask her if she could please help me and put it all back. Keeps her out of my way for a while and she is really happy to be such a good little helper.