Playing at home: activities for a 13 month old

[squiggleywiggler]

Just wondered if we could share what we do to keep our 13 month (ish) old's entertained in the house.

My favourites are:

• pretend cooking with dry pasta, random stuff, plastic bowls, wooden spoons etc
• music time: singing along, banging stuff, shakers
• just started with crayons and paints

-board books: she can do this for hours but I get bored

• digging the gravel in the garden
• tormenting the cats
• taking everything out of my bag
• taking everything out of the toy box and putting back in

I need a new repertoire though...

Washing naked dollies in a bowl of bubbles

blimey, my 19m DS can't do crayons yet - he just eats them. Stickers? Water and sand? PLaydough? An activity table? Bear in mind that you don't have to be "doing" stuff with her all the time. She can look at her books by herself for instance.

posting boxes
toy buggy - my 13 month loves to push one about
bubbles - facinated
and cupboard/or a draw is a very good one
toy cars and a ramp for them to go down - he has an older brother so we have lots
there is a book called the toddlers busy book which is worth a look
and there are some lovely ideas here
www.theimaginationtree.com/

then watching mummy do the hoovering - he really loves the hoover
and watching mummy hang the washing on the airer -and sometimes pulling them off it
funnily enough watching mummy on MN is not popular

we also have some toys in his room which always seems v exciting
then obvious ones - other children
and going out for a walk - even 10 mins can get us out of a grump/bored

Watching the washing machine - really fascinating!
And hanging stuff on the surer (then taking it off immediately)
Riding buzz lightyear
Chasing a ball

I'm very impressed at what some of you do!

Here with a 14 m.o. it's:

Ball pit balls - throw down the stairs, into boxes, take out of boxes ad nauseam
Watch washing machine
Open / bang / empty cupboards
Empty / refill the washing basket
Empty / refill the baby walker with bricks
Cruise around and practice walking
Read books
Er... that's about it. :)

Occasionally I join in with throwing balls back up the stairs to him, but most of the rest he gets on with while I get on with stuff round the house.

I'd not dare try pretend cooking, and our first attempt at felt tips fell flat, but he's still at the trying to chew everything stage.

A treasure basket is always good too - google 'heuristic play' for ideas.