Indoor ideas for entertaining my wild toddler

[HenrysHome]

I have a wild just turned 2 year old who watches far too much Julia Donaldson adaptations on iPlayer than I would like. He's not really into toys as such, prefers waddling around destroying my house - can I have some engaging indoor activity ideas that will mean I can actually look at my 2 month old more than once in a blue moon? I saw an idea of getting them to wash their toy pots and pans in the sink - that sort of vibe. He's not into drawing or playdough or any of the 'traditonal' activities, or messy play!

you might not have the space but could you consider an indoor climbing frame like a pikler? Can be cheaper second hand.

Same age gap here. Albeit mine are a year on now. Last winter was tough.

I know you say indoor but my sanity was walking. Pram or sling, a bucket, toddler, snow suit, off we go. They carry the bucket, collect stuff, whatever there is. Leaves, cones, apples, etc etc. every single morning.

Tire them out. Lunch then nap.

Afternoons, a little telly time, another big walk, washing stuff like you say.

Things like

Water pens and mat or books were popular.

Books

Emptying a cupboard all over the floor.

Helping with jobs. So give them a baby wipe, clean stuff. Carry some washing for you.

It yes, essentially I walked them until they were able to play more!

Buy a puddlesuit and go out. Cook together (I know… it’s harder work than just cooking by yourself but mine loves ‘helping’… and then helping to clean up). Failing that a bath always entertains mine… she loves playing with water.

All the cushions etc off the sofa onto the floor for "at home soft play", maybe add duvets and pillows as well if you have space

Toy trolley and let him move the unbreakable food out of the cupboards (and back if you're lucky)

These might be quite fun but you need to be active too unfortunately

www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/activities/10-minute-shake-up/

I have the same age gap.

One the days DS wasn't at nursery I'd get them out in the morning. We'd either go to a toddler group or to the park. Then in the afternoon we'd have nap / quiet time where we'd watch a film or CBeebies.

IMO if you've got a new baby and a toddler there is NOTHING wrong with using nanny CBeebies as much as you need.

@DuneFan
Floor is lava!!

@CucumberCool my 4yo still doesn't "get" floor is lava! I don't understand what he doesn't understand but he just stares at me in confusion.

A toy hoover might be fun too? They're often in charity shops round us.

Torch, magnifying glass, get him to look for stuff

But honestly a 2 year old needs 24 /7 supervision so i get your problem!

Is he still in a cot? Put some toys in there with him

Thanks everyone some good ideas here! He's got a little tykes frame and slide which does occupy him for a bit, just tried the washing pots and he was totally uninterested! Unfortunately he doesn't nap any more and we already do all the local toddler groups! We do spend a lot of time outside in the woods etc but obviously he needs constant supervision and with the baby as well I find it so tiring! We've done stuff like coloured rice and bang the saucepan which lasts all of two minutes ha. I need to get more creative!

Does he like posting stuff? I saw a good idea on fb which was sellotaping lol roll tubes to the kitchen cupboards and then giving them things to post through them (Pom poms etc).

Put splodges of paint inside a plastic bag sellotaped onto the high chair tray. They can squidge it around without getting it everywhere!

Freeze toys in ice (or jelly) and then play set the toys free......

Look for Tuff tray ideas on Pinterest - although I think half the time they take too long to set up/clear away 😂

Ooh he might like posting things, will try that tomorrow! He's in a toddler bed so cant contain him in there for some respite, he will sit on his bed and listen to audiobooks on YouTube so that's something!

My 2 yo recently discovered the concept of scissors and loves chopping stuff up (obviously this does require close supervision but she‘ll sit cutting up paper or string for ages)

We’ve got a pikler triangle with a slide that gets good use

she likes pushing the hoover around (Not the whole thing sadly as it’s too heavy but just the floor bit)

sweeping with a brush

emptying kitchen cupboards (as long as there’s nothing sharp in there)

” helping “ with the baby (getting nappies, singing him songs, deciding what he should wear)

for the garden a bowl of water and a paint brush kept her occupied for ages “painting” the patio

You can’t spend all day every day outside so ignore the ‘just get a puddlesuit and freeze your tits off’ brigade.

However if you have a garden mine loves watering it. Filling up the watering can and drowning the grass. I do not know why.

Toddler trampoline!
i have one that flips over to convert into a ball pit.

gymnastics classes!
swimming.

i used to take the cushions off the sofa and let them jump from the base on to the cushions. Hours of fun.

Five-minute mum on Instagram!

Metal backed alphabet and numbers to put on fridge
Tupperware and plastic bowls on a bottom shelf in the kitchen
Cloths to help you clean
YouTube kids exercise class

Er why not ? I did when I had an active pre-schooler. I took sandwiches everywhere. Soft play ? Swimming ? ( get a baby seat so you have your hands).

I had a toddler like this - loved large scale play (still does and he's 8 now!)

If washing pots and pans doesn't work (was a life saver for me) what about washing toys (cars, dolls etc)?

As someone else mentioned cushions on floor for fort building, den building etc or also 'crocodiles' - bit like floor is lava but you're the croc and 'get' them if they tread on the floor - can make it as easy or hard as your energy levels and doable with baby in sling!

Mine loved 'putting me in jail' (generally made of cushions or kitchen chairs) then I'd 'escape'.

Making a shop by emptying a cupboard then selling the stuff - we put all our Tupperware in a low cupboard for this purpose.

Saucepan drumming (when you can bear it) although we did break a few wooden spoons!

@babyyodaxmas i spend a lot of time outdoors. It is my preference. But I cannot do it all day, literally, apart from anything else while my DS may think he has the energy he doesn’t.

So our day tomorrow will be something like this

wake at 6, milk, cbeebies
breakfast at 7
wash, teeth, dressed
play
leave house at 9, group 930-1030
walk and play in the park 1030-1130
home, lunch 12
sleep 1215-2 (approx)
2-230 play, probably a bit of TV
230-330 library (including travel)
330-430 park
430-5 play
5-530 dinner
530-615 tv
630-7 bath stories and bed

so we have a variety of activities, we aren’t in loads and I try to limit screen time

but

that’s very different from tramping through fields from dawn till dusk.

Car wash.
Get out towels on the table. Loads of toy cars. Basin of bubbley water. Paintbrushes. Keeps them busy forever.

Thanks everyone! He likes 'painting' and chalking on the fence thank goodness. He spent ages poking at a Tupperware filled with dry animal pasta too (attempts were made at vaguely educational sorting into their types etc) and he spent a little while using his birthday animal stamps on an old envelope, although he needs me to help him put the lids on so not completely input free. Any ideas for how to make his play with his animals a bit more engaging? They seem to hold his attention the longest. He doesnt like washing them or stamping them in cereal etc....

Playing musical bumps is brilliant,you DJ and he has to jump onto a cushion or whatever when the music stops,wears them out well.and defo sofa cushion soft play,have him do roleypoley etc,we also love toddler yoga,can use cosmic yoga on YouTube for this.
You could play hide the animal.and another good sitting down game for you is scavenge hunt,you say what he has to find and he runs to get it and gets a high five say.also works for helping learn colours etc and would work great with animals .

Tuff tray and home made rainbow rice for the animals. Also works well for dinosaurs, cars, digging ;)