Things to do at home with a 9 month old

[Albrecht]

The weather is still pretty bad here and I don't drive (yet). We've moved to the country and don't really know anyone. So we are at home a lot. Suggestions please?

Hey hun... I have a few up my sleeve.....
Painting,
Colouring/drawing/scribbling ;)
Pasta play - raw on a tray makes fab noises.

- cooked is great to feel and squish
Spaghetti - cooked is also great to feel.
Jelly play, sand, water, water with bubbles.
Blowing bubbles.

Home made shakers - plastic bottles filled with marbles, rice, pasta, lentils, sugar... anything really all makes great noises.

Flour and water mixed makes a great short term cheap (and edible if they decide to have a chew) play dough - great for just manipulating and pulling

Cornflour play.

LOL just realised they are mainly food related, but it is all quick simple and cheap things to do that chances are you will already gave then in the house which makes it even easier :)

Singing - music channels/cds, having a little dance/ head bang plus you singing away will make your LO listen and take in the rhythm etc.
- nursery rhymes, with actions

HTH i'll have a think and see if I can think of some more

Colouring water with food colouring can be fun and interesting ... infants love mirrors too and it's helpful for them to learn that their reflection is theirs, so mirror play has a positive effect on development.

Look at

www.theimaginationtree.com/

• it has lovely ideas and a recipie 4 edible paint!

SugarPeaSnap, thanks so much for that link, there's so much lovely stuff on there!! I can't wait to make some edible paint...

Albrecht, I have a nine month old, she's a poor neglected 3rd child so I can't say I do a huge amount in all honesty. She loves nursery rhymes and will jig up and down attempting to dance when I put them on! We sing and clap and dance etc. She also loves stories. I make impromptu 'treasure baskets' for her from whatever I can lay my hands on, balls of wool, a mirror, wooden spoon, clothes pegs etc etc. She loves playing 'catch' with a soft ball and also loves 'peepo'. She's just been on the swing for the first time and really enjoyed that so you could have short trips to the park.

Yes, DS loved the swings at that age.

SugarPeaSnap, have you made the finger paint from the Imagination Tree? I've tried it twice and ended up with skimmed milk consistency. Lovely blog though and some great ideas.

A box of fabrics keeps my happy for 20 mins sometimes. She loves pulling the out and feeling the textures.

Peek a boo.

Box of Tupperware. Great again for emptying.

Have you a bird feeder outside a window? My dd likes looking at the action on that but not for long mind you.

Oh Im loving that link Sugarsnap. Getting some great ideas now for this afternoon.

I'm going to try giving her the muffin tin, cut some toilet roll insides in half and see if dd enjoys putting them in and out. Great ideas on that site. Maybe throw in a wooden spoon too so she can give the tin a belt.

Angeldog, same thing happened to me so I put it in the microwave for bursts of 20 seconds on high power until it thickened to the right consistency.

Ah brill - thanks, MrsGravy, I'll give that a go. :)