How are you entertaining your toddlers during this wet and windy winter? Inspire me...

[TheBitchesOfWeestick]

I seem to have forgotten what to do

DD is 2.5, very bright, very mischievous, lots of fun but has different needs than DS at this age. She is much more sociable and seems to need the company of friends much more e.g. she often gets bored at soft play if there is no one she knows there, whereas he would hurl himself around for hours regardless. The weather sucks and we haven't got much money, so need ways to entertain her during school hours that don't involve the television.

She is incredibly imaginative. I fear she wants to Do Imaginative Play all day. She likes reading, baking etc but is quite dictatorial about things - she will just get up and bugger off or close the book if it isn't the particular one she wants over and over again.

DS is in Reception and I know she misses him a lot (this is usually expressed through the medium of brawling when he comes home).

Tell me all the wholesome, nurturing stuff you're doing as I slump in front of Peppa Pig we're fine out of the house, it's just being indoors that falls a bit flat.

Ones deployed recently in our house: make dens out of sheets, cut up the Christmas cards so they can be used for crafts next year (although for my toddler this was cut random shapes) or stick the trees, stars etc on some card to make a new picture, potato print painting, 'clean' the house (small amount of water in spray bottle and a cloth means I can usually get the skirting boards cleaned although there is occasionally a soaking given to the same part), get outside to jump in puddles the moment there's sun for 10 minutes, sort out the toy cupboard and rediscover puzzles and games not played for ages.

Every so often I give them some pots and pans and raid the kitchen for safe but interesting utensils. Whisks, rubber spatulas and good old wooden spoons.
I also give them different sized pots/measuring cups and some dried pasta or rice and let them get on with it. The occasional empty box or herb jar. It's a bit boring really but they seem to enjoy it. It gives me ten minutes or so though.
Sometimes anything helps when you have two toddlers and nothing to do!

We are following the simple play month on the Nurture store website which so far has been really good motivation for thinking about new things to do. There is a different theme each day. Today was den building, the other day it was playing with ice. Some have been more successful than others but it's certainly getting me out of a rut. Can't link on my phone but just Google it.

We used to play skittles with toilet roll insides and scrunched up newspaper.

Also, fish racing. Cut fish shapes out of newspaper or mag, then flap another newspaper or mag at them to make them swim across the floor.

Rolling potatoes across the floor and throwing satsumas about.

Well that was today anyway!

I have been quite fortunate today as DS got really into pretending to read his new books to himself.

I togged him up and did a few laps around the block jumping in all the puddles that went down very well.

And I have been doing mini discos and dancing that kills an hour and is quite amusing.

Tumble tots DVD I use as well to try and wear him out.

Hard though isn't it.

waterproofs outside i'm afraid...puddle jumping, post letters, walk to shop - pick up twigs and leaves at put in a bag.

bubble baths in afternoon- cups/tupperware/jugs for pouring

play doh

puzzles

go to a cafe for a babycinno (50p!) and use their colouring in or bring your own sticker book.

waste time at the supernarket/m and s is good

torches in garden early evening looking for treaaure

Playdough, stickers and lots of dressing up!

awful typos - crap phone!

Swimming - wears him out!

All of the above and don't feel bad about a little bit of TV

Wow, thanks everyone. Love the fish racing!