How to entertain a one year old

[janjas]

Advice wanted on how to entertain a one year old - either in the house or ideas for a day out! We do the usual park outings which she enjoys, but just likes to run around, not particularly go on anything. Her attention span isn't great and she doesn't really play with toys. Thanks!

try this thread on heuristic play

When DS was about this age I used to put water on the tray of his highchair and let him splash in in. Other things that they like getting messy with are cold spaghetti and jelly. Can you tell I'm not particulary house proud?

Big cardboard box with a door and windows cut in - this is DS favourite, loves going in/out and posting things through the window. We also had a fun few hours "painting" it and then cleaning up in the paddling pool.

Basket full of lots of different containers and bottles some filled with coloured water/rice/pasta whatever you can raid.

Water play.

Peg and hammer bench.

Local leisure centre does soft play specifically for pre-schoolers, it's fab, much better than soft play centres.

Garden centre's pet corner.

Swimming.

We have a 'house' too (big box that the car seat came in) DS loves it. Also likes opening cupboards and pulling everything out onto the floor - put unbreakable stuff like plastic boxes, baking trays, wooden spoons etc into unchildproofed kitchen cupboard and voila!

DD is one and loves:

Music groups aimed at under twos. They do songs with movements which she loves (although she rarely does the movements).

Swimming or coming into the bath with me and lots of toys (a bath with me will amuse her for about 45 mins and all I do is lay there).

Reading books with me.

Going to cafes/parks/playgrounds where older kids are running about and then running about near them while watching them with total reverence.

Playing with a bucket and spade in the sandpit.

Emtying out her large toy basket toy by toy (not actually playing with them, just flinging them out).

Emptying out my handbag (after I have weeded it for dangers).

For DD all activities are more interesting when out of the house and in a crowded area with people to watch.

Thanks everybody, some good ideas there!

My dd not that struck on many toys either. She likes emptying and putting things back in again tho, so I've filled all my empty handbags with little toys and general bits of "stuff" (wooden spoons, home made rattles, socks etc etc) and left them round the house for her to empty/fill up.

Same goes for drawers (make safe by sellotaping a sock to the edge so fingers don't get trapped)

Swimming good,

Anything outside, especially playing "crawlchase" on the grass!!

ooo like all the ideas on this thread! i need to buy something big to get a big box!!

my dd is also one and also loves emptying drawers and cupboards and ALL dh's dvds off the bottom shelves!!

i give my dd a bowl of water, some plastic containers and a cloth and she plays for ages 'washing up'. does make a mess though so i sit her in her empty paddling pool.

she also loves playing with the coasters, and i find she plays for longer if i put everything on a small coffee table for her to stand up against

I have a 1-year-old DD too.
Favourite things to do at the mo are

Blowing bubbles - just through my fingers with a bit of fairy liquid.

Swimming (this is my favourite too as she sleeps for a good 2 hours afterwards!)

Gardening - she has a flowerpot full of earth and likes to take it out one handful at a time and distribute it about the garden. Makes a dreadful mess. Lovely.

Dressing up - I give her a few hats, necklaces, bangles, scarves, a little skirt etc.

Boxes - putting things (anything) in a box (any box, bucket, basket etc)

Have an indoor picnic with all her toys. Put bibs on some of the toys. Then take them off and put bibs on other toys. Then take them off and put them on other toys.

Then pour juice from a tea set. Then get more juice. Then pour more juice. Then get more juice.

SIng a song and dance in a circle with some toys. Then sing another song and dance in a circle. Then sing a so.....

God, I remember playing with a 1 yr old.