Entertaining 15 month old

[Cait73]

I can't seem to keep my grandson engaged in one specific activity for terribly long, he lives for our going out time which (for him) is never enough especially now the playpark is closed!

Any ideas what I can do with him please, it's just the 2 of us - thank you 🙏🏼

Sorry meant to add we don't have a garden but we're lucky enough to have a small balcony and he loves moving the stones around and "mixing" them in cups with spoons

I think that's just his age tbh! Attention span is so short.

I think just lots of five minute activities is the way to go.

Could try him with a treasure basket or bag.

Will he mill around if left to his own devices? I find the only time they do anything for longer than five minutes is when they're exploring.

My 17mo is enjoying books, Lego (duplo), drawing squiggles, playing with oats and lots of horseplay. Don’t get me wrong I also run out of steam for about 7 hours each day.

Pots,pans and spoons. Babies and teddies, wooden blocks, dancing to music, singing, filling and empting. Pot of water and paint brush on balcony. Cornflour and water play. Shredded paper play. Balls. books.
Cars.

Yes he's quite happy pottering about but I can't leave him for 5 seconds; he's only been here 3.5 months so I'm not 100% child proofed and no one can come and do anything major right now

Don't get me wrong he's an absolute pleasure and I'm deeply happy he's here, I just want to keep him happy we were going to playgroups 3 times a week and he loved all that

Maybe I should get all the cushions and blankets out and make a fort or something 🤔

@june2007 oooooooo I love the idea of water painting THANK YOU 😊

Any other ideas?

Hi Cait, it's such a difficult age for this situation isn't it, they just want to be out absorbing new people and places and things- nothing else grabs their attention the same way! I've recently been learning why (even more than usual) everyone says making sure you get out to toddler groups is a lifeline- hey ho. We've discovered the five minute mum website (I think someone on here recommended it) and it has a few really good suggestions for 1-2 year olds. We tried the sensory box yesterday and my 16 month old loved it. Pinterest is also good for ideas. Hope that helps and fingers crossed we can get our tiny prisoners out soon!

Mine is very much into sensory books - have you got some of the ‘That’s not my...’ books?

Other things:
Hide and seek
Bath crayons
Any kind of ‘sorting’ game - we e got a lot of plastic fish that she sorts into a box and then does all over again
Building blocks, as someone else said
Magnatiles, if you can get them on Amazon
Ball throwing - we’ve got a soft ball that she chased like a dog!
Last resort, or for 5 minutes’ peace, the Little Baby Bum channel on Youtube!

Is there anyone below your balcony? My 2 year old has loved a basin of water and some measuring cups/ spoons/ saucepan... Has kept him busy for a decent length of time 🙂

He does get very very wet mind u 😂

Not quite the same as baby groups, but there's a CBeebies show called The Baby Club which runs in the same format as a baby group. Songs and stories. My little one loves watching it!

Oooh yes TV baby club is very popular here! We've also had some success with replicating baby clubs at home as much as possible- e.g. pushing the living room furniture out of the way, putting a throw on the floor with a selection of shakers/bells etc. and then putting on a playlist of action nursery rhymes, trying to create a mini version of rhymetime at the library. My daughter just loves walking into a room and seeing that it looks different and has things for her to explore - I think anything to get a bit of variety/novelty in their day while they're trapped in the house. Sand tray in the garden with toys has been great, could do on the balcony if you have any sand or even any replacement- I used out of date polenta the other day!!

@LikeSilentRaindrops I can't STAND Little Baby Bum it's all he'd watch when he was first here even the music sets me off 😂 but yes, they do love it

@Jennyz123 I'll rearrange everything when he goes to bed, excellent idea 🙌🏼

@smurf123 no one below us it's car parking lol we're going to try water painting funny enough I've got a lot of make up brushes I was going to throw out I'm just washing them now 👍🏼

Try super simple songs if he likes little baby bum... Similar idea but at least it gives you variety

That's good there is no one below you 😂we use the kitchen basin and just whatever saucepans or plastic tubs etc I can find in the kitchen... My little one also loves to fill a plastic bottle with stones and give it a shake
Or for more of a challenge we have taped smoothie straw onto a bottle and he puts penne pasta down through it into the bottle (this was before the pasta shortage!)
Cornflour mixed with water makes a kind of slime substance for sensory play.. Can mould it etc if you are applying pressure but will drip through your hands if let sit

Ah hope the little one enjoys these ideas, let us know how you get on or if you discover anything else!