What do you do with your toddler all day?!

[booklover164]

I need some inspiration for some activities with my 16 month old. I'm getting quite bored of the same old with him. Apart from groups, soft play, park and swimming, what sort of activities do you do with your toddlers? How do you spend your day? Anyone got any good ideas for activities at home? He has lots of toys, we sing, read books, watch the occasional tv program but I need some fresh and interesting ideas to help his development and language. He's just about starting walking! Thank you

at that age I used to take mine out to feed the birds (we hung up bird feeders and they would help me tip some more seed into them). I used to point out the different colours of the birds from the window, and count them too. I also did a lot of water activities, things like filling the sink with water and then putting funnels, corks etc in. sensory bins also seem popular now, and if you make them in a tub with a lid then you can get them out when you want rather than having to make them again from scratch x

I liked CBeebies

Just survive!

There are loads of ideas online google
Activities for toddlers
Crafts baking emptying pan cupboard anx making saucepan drums....
Also remember it s boring for you but he doesn't mind the same walk to same park every day. you can point out new or same things each time. Find the red pole . look at the fallen leaf . count the cars .
If he is developing normally you just need to give him chance to explore. And some path to same park will still have plenty of change through the seasons to explore.....help him notice those changes pick up leaves find snails etc

If he needs more help with his development get the Sarah Newman book
Small Steps Forward: Using Games and Activities to Help Your Pre-School Child with Special Needs

A bucket of water, a sponge, and some things to wash (toy cars, little Tupperware pots etc)

We used to get up and get out of the house by 10 every single day regardless of the weather. Park or play group,meeting up with friends,swimming. We used to go to a One O'clock club which saved my sanity tbh as that was open every day except Sunday. Home after a picnic lunch and nap time.

If there is one visiting the local pet shop to look at the birds and fish is good.
At home 'helping' with whatever you're doing? Give him some tasks, probably holding things or wiping with a cloth at that age, sweeping and mopping when he's a bit older.
Pretend cooking/playing shop/camping.

Things DS1 enjoyed:
Emptying the toy box and filling it again
Feeding ducks
Talking to the ducks- like a duck
Going to the park
We walked for miles with him in his pushchair- every day unless it was tipping it down.
Playing in the sink with water and plastic cups and things that floated
Painting with his hands- big sheet of lining paper and saucers with coloured paints that I painted on his hands.
Going to a cafe- he loved watching people
Swimming
Baby club
Meeting friends
Going up to town (Newcastle) and being pushed around Eldon Square- he loved that and watched everything. We would go for a coffee in Fenwicks and he would have half a scone.
He went to nursery two mornings
Washing the bathroom floor with a squeezed out sponge - loved that but didn't make a very good job of it
He had little plastic pots and tubes with screw tops and lentils and beans and things in and did lots of dancing, shaking and throwing to my singing.
I used to let him help me to bake- give him a bowl with a little bit of dough in and a wooden spoon and let him mix and squeeze it. Then pretend it was one of my scones when they came out of the oven.
Picnic lunches in the garden or on the conservatory floor
He was good at getting engrossed in things.
Listening to a story and looking at the pictures in the book.

Then DD came along and changed his world.

Sessions at the library or just going to look at the books
Park & playground - this was much better when he could walk because it took longer!
Supermarket
Going for a "coffee" - DS loves a cafe!
Meet friends/visit grandparents
We do 2-3 groups or classes a week
Run errands

In the house he helps me with chores (loves filing the washing machine), play with toys, play doh, bang the pots & pans, big box with lentils for scooping and pouring.

My DD is around the same age and I struggle some days too!

Things we do:

• Go to the library and pick out some books, let her play with the toys (something different to what we have at home) or listen to a story
• NT visits - if you have a pass it makes for a cheap day out. Usually lots of outdoor space, playground and a cafe
• Visit the local farm/petting zoo
• Visit a big garden centre and let her look at the tat (lights and decorations at Christmas)
• Get her to help with chores like putting the washing away, cleaning or loading the washing machine
• Finger painting, colouring with chalk or crayons. Sticker books.
• Sensory bins (look up ideas on Pinterest)
• Posting coloured lolly pop sticks through a slot cut into a box. Loved this and kept her entertained for ages.
• Finding things (dice, buttons, etc) hidden in a container of rice
• Going to a cafe for a coffee (she loves people watching and a babycino - they're free at our local Sainsbury's cafe)
• Walking in the woods and going to the park
• Meeting friends/grandparents
• Going to the local supermarket, even for something mundane, and chatting about all the things you can see/you need to find off your shopping list
• Water play (saving this for when it's a bit nicer out to avoid the mess inside!)
• Soft play