Ideas to entertain one year old

[Violet1988]

I have a fifteen month old son an work two days a week. We have recently moved house to a new area an while it's lovely here, i don't know anyone who lives here except our ILs and I feel we have got stuck in a rut doing the same few activities every day. I'm sure DS is getting bored an would appreciate some more variety.

So right now the things we do include: going to the park an playing on swings/ kicking a football around on the grass, playing inside with toys like shape sorters, megablocks, ride-ons that kind of thing. We usually go for a walk on the beach each day I'm off, but DS spends this time napping in his pram, so it's not really an activity for him. And occasionally we see friends or family, but that's an hour an a half drive each way, and I don't really like taking him that far on my own, in case of meltdows on the motorway. We also go to a toddler group for an hour an a half once a week.

I would love some ideas of things we could do to help us both feel a bit less bored an more settled in our new place. Things I've thought of so far include: swimming (we used to do this where we used to live), playing music an dancing (clapping, stamping feet etc) at home, blowing bubbles, maybe getting a slide for the garden. Hes a bit young for stuff like colouring, painting, playdough etc but do want to do that when he's older and would like to read more with him, but again he's not to interested in books just yet an doesn't like to stay still.

Would be really interested to hear what you all do with your kids when you have days off together. X

When my daughter was that age we did Sing and sign and swimming classes, playground everyday, visiting friends, soft play at a gymnastics gym, zoo (we have membership). Can you go digging on the beach when he's awake?

Definitely not too young for painting! It is more about the sensation of paint and very messy but also fun.
Mine loved a water play table (in the garden....)
Collect a number of different sized boxes and do stacking playing hiding and generally messing with them.
Music is good but also story tapes for quiet moments.
I used to get cheap stickers and a massive bit of paper and just let them sticker away
Toy garage with cars that roll down is fun to do together. Or rolling a ball down a long tube a good game.
Collect sticks and leaves from the garden in a tray, then add plastic dinosaurs. Or at 15m probably just the collection of sticks will be an interesting enough toy.
A treasure basket is fun to put together and explore? (Basket of fascinating real world objects like little boxes with lids, bristle brush, pine cones, a sponge, wooden spoon etc)

Just thinking too, can you do shell collecting on the beach.....

Wow! You're already doing a lot of things.

DD2 is only 9 months, but she's just started playing with playdough and finger paints under close supervision although it does say 2+ on the packaging.

Does your local library have a story time? That might be a different way to get him interested in books.

Our local soft play has a special session for under 2s. Even if yours doesn't, school time during term time might be quiet enough for you to give it a go.

Download the Hoop app and it gives you local listings for activities near you.

There's a brilliant app called hoop which has daily lists of activities in your area. We've found loads of things to do that way!

Great minds teachesofpeaches!

Is that the only toddler group? Luckily where I am we have the option everyday and usually do that. Is there a rhyme time at the local library? Have you checked out the children's centre? They do stay and play sessions and messy play Saturdays here. Try netmums for local toddler groups, that's where I found most of mine.

Do you have a garden? My youngest DD is 14 months and I just shut the gate and open the door. She wanders in and out by herself and gets plenty of fresh air like that too. Have you got a water table, sand pit etc? Can use in most weathers.

I think you're doing plenty anyway. They don''t need much at that age. We tend to go out in the mornings and chill in the afternoons. I don't do craft at home with her yet but do at toddler groups. I know you can but their attention span is pretty brief so it's a lot of effort and mess for you with little joy for them tbh. They get a bit better at it from around 2.5 I find. Water is probably the most fun for this age. You can also make up a treasure basket, heres some ideas:
Feathers
stones
loofah
sponge
hairbrush
toothbrush
foil
shells
pine cones
sensory items
flashing balls and similar

Also I have little routines which help pass the day. Eg at 3pm my little ones sit on the carpet in the dining room (playroom) and have fruit time and story (fruit on a big plate which they share) then we might do treasure baskets or go outside

HTH

OOh just read up thread about the hoop app. I haven't heard of it but I do use wherecanwego.com which will tell you whats going on in your area. It's really handy