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Playing with you 1 year old

20 replies

NoTeaForMe · 08/11/2011 15:28

Hi,

Just wondered what you all do with your one year olds now the weather is turning?!

When can I start painting, if now is there a non-toxic, washable paint you'd recommend? Crayons etc? Cornflour etc. I have lots of ideas but I guess I'm thinking she's still too young for most things?!

Help!!!

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Octaviapink · 08/11/2011 20:13

IME they're pretty much just happy to chat to you and practise waving at themselves in the mirror at this age. A bit young for crayons and structured activity like that (will eat the crayons). Banging things is usually popular too - anything that makes a noise will be fascinating. You could paint with her, but it would be you doing most of the painting. Books are quite good for quiet moments - you can point things out and name them. But mostly banging things.

NoTeaForMe · 08/11/2011 21:16

Octavia they're the things I'm doing with her. She absolutely loves reading books and will point at things in them, not on cue obviously! I guess I was just wondering about doing more crafty things! I live near a hobbycraft and clearly I've got over excited!! I'm sure the novelty of arts and crafts will wear off soon!!

Thanks

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prioneyes · 08/11/2011 21:24

DD is 13 months and likes to draw with a crayon on anything of any value or significance paper. She also loves peekaboo, tickles, being "chased" and games with actions like round and round the garden or pat a cake.

Anything truly crafty usually presents a hazard to her health or my sanity. DS is 4 and I can now give him playdough without needing diazepam. Her time will come ... and then you'll be sorry Grin

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NoTeaForMe · 08/11/2011 21:29

prion what crayons do you have?!

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prioneyes · 08/11/2011 21:40

Er, no idea - my house is strewn with random crayons of various heritage. Isn't a crayon a crayon? They're all equally tasty according to DD.

prioneyes · 08/11/2011 21:41

Also, when I say "draw", I mean for about 7 seconds at a time before moving on to wreak further havoc elsewhere.

pigleychez · 08/11/2011 21:43

Your DD is not too young.
My DD's have been painting since about 6mths old. Yes its messy but its fun!
DD2 was joining in her sister doing Cornflour play at just 4mths.

Crayons are fine just watch for eating them. Also the small pencils are good.

I am actually in the middle of doing a Blog about Toddler activities. If you fancy a look I can message you the link.
:)

TheRepublicOfDreams · 08/11/2011 21:47

We (DD is 18mths) draw with crayons, try (badly) to do puzzles (but she is getting there!), play lots of peeka boo, read books together, mess around with playdough (make it REALLY salty so they dont like the taste and they wont consume as much) , chase and tickles, we are attempting duplo and she has almost got it! We also stack and push over towers of block. I love this age!

prioneyes · 08/11/2011 21:52

Great suggestions here, but also don't worry if she's not bothered. DS at this age had zero interest in any of this sort of stuff. None whatsoever.

NoTeaForMe · 08/11/2011 21:52

Thankyou pigley , I didn't think it was too weird to be thinking about painting etc. I'd love the link!

Is there a good type of paint that's non-toxic or whatever? Maybe I'll hung out the cornflour for tomorrow!!!

Thanks

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bail · 08/11/2011 23:20

My DS is 15 months. We spend most of our time outside in the park, playgrounds or play groups, or in the car (him in driver's seat, me reading my book in the passenger seat. 40 mins we spent there this afternoon and he still got upset when I took him out!).

Anyway, with winter coming I am looking into more indoors stuff.

What is this cornflour activity you speak of??

allagory · 08/11/2011 23:37

Homemade softplay. All the duvets, all the cushions on the floor, lots of jumping and rolling. It always lifts the mood. Dancing to music / musical statues (OK she won't always stop but she'll enjoy it). Taking everything out of the larder. Cooking. Swimming. Soft Play. Play groups. Blowing Bubbles. Dressing Up. Crawling through big boxes.

tigerlillyd02 · 08/11/2011 23:46

Crayola do some crayons and paints for 18 months +.

They're around £5 per pack but are nice and chunky for younger ones, are nicely shaped and are a "no mess" type of thing.

I still use them now with my 2 yr old as they're less messy!

I think they're called Crayola beginnings Tadoodles. Toys r us have them :)

In terms of other activities, I've just started going to more 'groups' with my little one. There's things like Jungle Jingles (singing / drama), a baby / toddler gym which they can attend once walking, tots on ice which again is for when they're walking. Even though everything only lasts about an hour or so, I try to do about 3-4 outside activities with him each week to give us a break from the home scene.

Even though it's cold, we also do spur of the moment things when he's looking a bit bored like putting on wellies and just going for a splash in the puddles right outside the house. In the summer we went barefoot in the rain which was fun! I also bring the outdoors indoors - the water / sand table comes inside and I set it up occasionally. A spur of the moment bath which lasts until they're bored of it.

Otherwise, lots of singing (especially action songs), dancing, cuddles, tickles, crawling around acting silly. Someone will shoot me but Mr Tumble is very educational. I think my ds loved teletubbies at 12 months though (although not really educational).

You can also encourage physical exercise in the home. I taught mine to do roly polys (obviously with me supporting him), running on the spot, reacting to commands such as "stand up, sit down, turn around, nod your head" which is still a favourite game.

Now my minds gone blank... hope that gives some ideas anyway :)

MrsDobalina · 09/11/2011 11:55

Grin I share your desperation for craft!! DS at 2.6 has only just developed a love of glitter and I rejoiced!

You could try Aquadraw (sorry can't work out how to link on my phone!). No mess and no hazard. A bit pricey but amazon sometimes do them cheap. Or one of those megasketchers things.

Or maybe balloon play or balloons with cars in or glow sticks in the dark (we love putting things in balloons!). Instead of painting, how about in a highchair with a tray of cornflour and water or milk and food colouring to mix into it.

We bought a massive roll of paper (but something like an old roll of wallpaper would do) and spread it out to cover the whole floor to draw on/round hands/draw roads on for cars etc. I like the crayola first beginnings felt tips cos they actually do wash out/off walls and are ok from 12 months.

Cosmosis · 09/11/2011 13:02

ds is 14 m and he's been finger painting at the cms for ages now. He's also started with crayons and pens, and has just about got to the stage of actually puting them to paper rather than eating them! Other things he likes are rolling balls to you, playing hide behind his hands, reading books (espeically ones with flaps) and chasing our cats.

pleasethanks · 09/11/2011 14:33

Yep, my DD is coming up for 14 months and loves 'drawing'. I thought she was maybe a bit young but when I saw the stuff she was getting up to at nursery I thought I had better up my game! Crayloa do markers for 12 months + and now she has the hang of them she is getting normal felt pens and I just keep an eye on her.

Collecting autumn leaves is another good and you can use them to make mobile, glue them onto paper and allow her to draw on them etc.

Duplo is a great one and can keep my DD occupied for ages. As can putting flashcards in and out of a box. She also like 'helping' me hang up washing on the clothes horse.

Making animal noises is another good and she likes to try and copy.

if I am cooking I let her have a sniff of the various ingredients and that produces some fab faces!

I also bring out my broom and sweep the floor as for some reason she goes nuts for that.

Hope some of that helps.

beela · 09/11/2011 19:56

Dried pasta and a couple of tupperware boxes can keep DS (13 months) occupied for - ooh, as much as 5 or 10 minutes. Also emptying the washing machine. Both good activities if you are trying to get something done in the kitchen!

I've tried the drawing / painting kind of thing too, which he enjoyed, but only for 5-10 minutes before he crawled off to wreak havoc elsewhere do something else.

When does their concentration span get longer??

NoTeaForMe · 17/11/2011 13:41

Thanks for all of that!

We're putting an arts and crafts box together for her as a present. Any must haves? Can I get the normal elc paint, is that washable and non-toxic (guessing she'll eat a bit?! It says suitable from 36 months due to small parts but I'm guessing that's the lid?! Also everything seems to say that! One of her books (no flaps or anything) says not suitable for under 36 months due to small parts!!

If not whats the best paint? Shall i get felt tips, wax crayons too?

Thanks

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pigleychez · 17/11/2011 17:55

Id probably leave felt tips for now as I find they tend to stamp with them and it will just ruin all the nibs. Crayons are fine, paint is ok as long as its not toxic (most paints are)

Ive recently started a blog about Toddler activities that might give you some inspiration.

gourd · 17/11/2011 20:47

I gave wax crayons to my daughter around 8 MO. We use chunky baby friendly ones from Wilkinson's- think they cost about 89p or something. She chewed them a bit to start with but was scribbling by 10 months, now at 14 months she is getting reasonable lines and squiggles out of them (think she has worked out how hard she needs to press to make decent marks) and she does not chew them anymore. She paints with fingers and does painty hand/foot prints and can use chunky brushes (old make up brushes are good) and really enjoys it. Best to use bib with sleeves and just have them wear nappy and vest or just nappy so you don't get any paint on clothes though if it's water soluble it does wipe/wash off very well. Also best to use the high chair and tray, esp if doing hand prints as you need a flat surface. Any water soluble non toxic paint is fine - just have wet sponge to hand for quickly wiping hands before baby can put painty hands in mouth!

Other things to try - mixing cake, or kneading bread or pastry (let her have a little bit out of your main bowl so she can mix it with her hands), obviously the result isn't really edible but that's not the point.

Collecting things - ask LO to hep you fill the bag/tin/box with blocks, or books, or crayons etc. In fact taking things out of and putting things back into containers provides hours of fun. Throwing or rolling a ball to each other seems to provide endless fun too - ours will do it for ages, especially if teddy or another stuffed animal throws the ball to her. She's not daft enough to throw it back to them though - only to me! Same with rolling toy cars or trucks to each other - ours loves that game too. It may involve teddy riding on the truck and/or her chasing the truck or it chasing her etc....

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