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Days in. What do you do with toddlers?

13 replies

littleraysofsunshine · 16/07/2013 08:17

What activities do you like? (In this heat!)

I have a 2.5 yo and 13mo

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BeanoNoir · 16/07/2013 08:18

Paddling pool
Sand play
Play dough
Watering the flowers
Picnic lunch

BeanoNoir · 16/07/2013 08:21

We've got a sand and water table ready for dd's birthday in early Aug and I'm resisting the urge to give it her now. She'd have hours of fun with a waist high tub of water and some pots and watering cans etc.

Oh and bubbles too are good fun.
Chalks on the patio
'Painting' with water on the patio

niffernaffer · 16/07/2013 08:30

We have raised up a piece of old plastic gutter (about 3m long) on DS' (2.2) playslide (but any old cardboard box would do) and he spends hours at a time sending his toy cars down it. We have adapted the bottom end so they can fly into the paddling pool.
We also do pretend picnics and tea parties and chalking around number shapes on the patio too.

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boomboomfirepower · 16/07/2013 08:34

Paddling pool is a winner. I had one for ds's birthday in August but I gave it to him early. Been a God send he spends all day in it!

ItsQuiteHardtocomeupwithaname · 16/07/2013 08:41

Slide, paddling pool, ride on bike/ scooter / trike, play gardening toys- wheelbarrow- tools-lawn mower. Jigsaws, 'Aqua play'- boats and canel system (expensive but lots of but for all ages!). Water plants, clean and feed guinea pigs. Footballs, trampoline. Picnics. Sandpit.

Sparklingbrook · 16/07/2013 08:42

It's been years but my two loved their Pop up Tent it was like this. Sand pit, and YY to painting with water on everything Beano.

Not forgetting the bubble blowing too.

Aww. those were the days.

OddFrog · 16/07/2013 08:55

Ice play. Freeze a few small toys in a tub, maybe add some food colouring, pebbles, whatever. I used a cake ring mold that worked well. When frozen, let them at it with sticks, spoons, salt shaker, jug of warm water, etc and let them excavate their toys. If you do it in a plastic tub or basin, the toys can be washed afterwards for double fun.

I also liked shaving foam on a tray with ice cubes (some coloured is nice).

If you do bubbles, try making a bubble snake: cut the bottom off a little juice bottle, cover with an odd sock and dip the flat sock end in the bubble mix. Blow slowly through the drinking end. Bubbly snake will grow.

Treasure hunt, try to find as many different leaves, stones, twigs as you can then glue them to a cereal box for a collage type thing. Works well outside as you can hose them off afterwards!

Have fun.

Good idea with the toy car slide niffernaffer, I'm going to do that today.

BackforGood · 16/07/2013 09:00

tbh, even if you haven't got a paddling pool, they can still have hours of fun with a bucket or washing up bowl of water and some containers.

abuhamzamouse · 16/07/2013 09:14

My two had a great time on Sunday having a teaparty with lots of water, paddling pool and "painting" the patio with water. Need to get a tent though that looks like fun.

littleraysofsunshine · 16/07/2013 12:11

So far (in this summer) we've done play dough, chalks, paddling pool under umbrella (as dd says its too hot!) watering flowers everyday, picking our home grown strawberries (daddies time with them Smile)
Bubbles, we go out to playgroups three times a week but its such an effort to leave the house in this heat isn't it?

Half the time they want to stay home too, but it the afternoons when they've decided not to nap and be at my ankles. Then I just let them loose with pots and pans, wooden spoons, water.

I do want a waist high water tray though, seen a good one on amazon but its like £60. They use the paddling pool or trailer.

What about indoor activities if they don't want to be out in the heat?

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Cherryoats · 16/07/2013 13:44

Ideas for inside: baking/ make ice cream , Skype family, play with toys, dress up, play make believe games.
Just a few off the top of my head :)

littleraysofsunshine · 30/07/2013 09:34

Best ideas for 2 1/2yo and 14mold. ( putting things in mouth stage)

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oscarwilde · 30/07/2013 09:44

Water painting for the 2.5. Any old paintbrush from B&Q with a little pot of water to draw on the ground/wall outside. Toddlers love drawing snails! Mine spent two weeks just positing the decking and starting all over again when it was dry Grin

14mo is trickier. Ball pit, tricycle with a push handle on the back, pop into large cardboard box and sing row row. They are more high maintenance at that age, unlikely to amuse themselves unless its emptying a kitchen cupboard of Tupperware and banging on saucepans. I kept a cupboard specially for my toddler.

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