beig at home day with young toddler

[slightlyconfused85]

Help me out mnetters! It is pouring with rain and I am the mother of a 21mo dd. She hates staying in all day and for various reasons we can't get out today. We have jigsaws, books, toys that we do but this won't take all day. She's not a huge tv watcher, 5 minutes of peppa here and there, and she isn't yet interested in colouring or drawing despite my best efforts. She loves to be outside and I am slightly panicking about how we are going to make it to the end of the day! Ideas greatly appreciated....!

• get a large tray/ bath bath etc and fill with a layer of couscous/ rice/ lentils or whatever similar you have. Can use in kitchen as indoor sandpit ( she can sit at side as add spoons/ small cars/ animals to play with)

Make a den out of chairs and a table cloth.

Do role play games eg play restaurants - make a menu, have her toys been guests and serve them play food or whatever.

Make a drum set out of saucepans.

Make some crispie cakes.

Do an indoor treasure hunt with hidden picture clues.

Paint butterflies, cut them out and decorate the house with them.

Play dress up - dressing up teddies in old clothes

Invite a friend over with children
Go for a wet walk in wellys
Pull all your safe crockery out and put interesting things in like lentils, pasta etc
Change her bedroom around so she has something new to look at/explore
Do some baking with her
Open the back door and watch the rain
Call someone patient that she can blabber too on the phone grandma/auntie etc
Ask someone to rescue you in a car (if you can't drive/get out) or ask someone to collect her for an hour (family/friend)
Turn music on and dance with her
Give her a bath with lots of toys in or play bubbles in the water

Thanks for all your great ideas. I find Sunday's not a good day for inviting people over as tend to be busy although we would do this on any week day. Dd is going for her nap shortly but after that we will have a go at some of these. I find crafty things a bit of a waste with her at the moment as she just isn't bothered, but will def try some others.

Wellies and waterproofs on and go puddle stomping! Put her in tatty lightweight clothes and let her get as messy as possible. Putting sticks in the rubbish bin occupies ds for ages. Come home just in time for tea and get changed into dry stuff pyjamas immediately and stick the kettle on for hot chocolate.

Luckily it's cleared up a bit down here or I'd be doing the same with mine, same sort of age. He doesn't sleep unless he gets fresh air twice a day and even then it can be hit and miss.

Crafty stuff - which generally involves crayons and stickers here - lasts all of 10 minutes. I would do crafty stuff for a short while then put it in an envelope and get togged up to take it to the post box, either post to yourself of Grandparents - ds loves putting the letter in the box, and our nearest is about 5 minutes walk away so takes a good chunk of afternoon especially if we stop at the shop for urgent supplies wine for Mummy for after bedtime