Filling the hours - 18 mo please supply me with some ideas!

[LegoLeia]

Hi! I have a 18 mo DS and he seems happy but I feel like he has to content himself a lot, I have a few things that I do with him but am fast running out of ideas!

Please add to my list!

At the moment we read, paint, play cooking, go to the library, dance in the kitchen. TIA!

Swings and slides at the park? DD (16 months) loves going down the slide on her own and on the swings! She now cries when we leave the park

On the other hand - I've not been brave enough for painting yet.

I have a 2.5 and a 14 month old and we go to mum and toddler groups, go to the park, beech, sandpit, fill the washing up bowl and water play (in the garden), play with cotton reels, glue and stick, go swimming, singing, read books, talk, clean up together, cook together - DS2 gets the pastry and plays with it in high chair, play dough and on and on

we generally have fun and do lots of outdoor stuff if the weather is good

thanks! some fab ideas and I probably do more of them than I think - hope you don't think I'm a terrible parent!

LRWG I recommend "magic" painting - i.e. you dip your brush in water and the colour magically appears in the book. Saves my walls!

nothing wrong with leaving him to get on with stuff imo, so long as he's happy!

at this age,
staying in - ds loved "washing up" - still does at nearly 3, duplo - do it together and try to see if you can use up all the blocks, lots of baking - pastry and mixing, playdough though they do have a tendency to eat it at this stage, making dens, dancing about to music, a few montessori activities - very simple and fun for a bit of quit focussed "work" together.

going out - playgroups, baby signing, library, park, beach, cinema, lots of trips to art galleries and museums, lunch in cafes, swimming.

play football or cricket - I'm not joking my boy is 18m/o too and nuts about cricket. Make a den and curl up in it , he may come and see what your up to , blow bubbles - both of you. Weed the garden, boys more enthusiastic than carefull but he can pull plants up. go blackberry picking. Make a scrap book - you do the cutting up , he "choses" where on the page you glue what picture.
lego- I suspect you already do that tho looking at your name.
Mums and tots... if you live nearish one you might want to try it.
An 18m/o who is self amusing is a wonderfull thing tho, try not to lose him.

mazzystar - i hope this isnt a stpid question but what are montessori activites?