Help me with whining toddler!

[LemonLemonLemon]

This is a new phase for my almost 18m old and it’s mental torture.

He’s constantly eating/snacking, sleeps 12h at night and 90 min during the day.

Mostly okay if we’re out and about, but I can’t be out constantly. He’s never been content in the house, but has plenty of toys and things to play with. We interact with him almost all of the time.

What can we do? I know it’s a phase, but there must be something to stop the constant low level grizzle and whine. This morning he started from when he woke up, stopped only for nap and food. Please help!

Is he in pain? Teeth or sore throat or something? Going through a leap/more clingy than usual?

Ours gets real whiney if any of the above happen, he’s 14.5m and sometimes it drives me nuts then the next day he has a new molar or cough and I’m like ‘awwww that’s what it was’.

That's not a massive amount of sleep - could he have a power nap in the morning? DS is 2 and needs at least 2 hours nap at lunch otherwise we get the moaning too

Duplo and interactive books hold DS’ interest for about 5 or 10 minutes otherwise he’s just not interested in toys - the whining is at its worst if we are in the house ‘playing’. He’d rather be destroying exploring the house, which is not ideal. I tend to just be outside all day with him on my off days as, even though it requires more effort, is actually easier. Nothing fancy though - quite often it’s just exploring the (quiet) car park right outside where we live or going the shop at the end of our road or playing at the swings near or house. For us, days of low level all day moaning are usually synonymous with frustration at something. Even if it is pain/teeth/leap and not just Babies Being Babies…being out the house usually is better distraction.

Thanks all. No signs of teething or illness at the moment.
I can’t get him to sleep more, if he has two naps in the day then he’s up at 5am or earlier.