How do you entertain your toddler at home?

[Lolarosemama]

I’m finding being pregnant and keeping my 2yo entertained so exhausting at the moment. I feel like such a terrible mum coz ds gets ratty regularly and I think he’s bored!

There’s not a lot to do where we live at all, and I don’t drive, so I need some inspiration for home play that won’t drain my wallet! He loves water play but that doesn’t take up a whole day.

Any and all inspiration and solidarity appreciated xxxx

Finger painting
simple jigsaws
reading books
cooking with you

Endless repetitive playing with whatever they're interested in. Endless! In my case I think DS was happiest when we were pushing trains round his train track for hours.

The things I enjoyed more were: reading together, cooking together (he has a learning tower which I've found great), teaching him action songs

Stickers
magic sand
play doh
teddy bear picnic/ tea set

Congratulations! It is totally exhausting so go easy on yourself. My daughter is now 15 but these are some things I did when she was 2 and I was pregnant with her sister:

Take the seat cushions off the couch and put them on the floor. It kept my two year old entertained for ages jumping on them, stacking them, putting her toys on them.

Get a basin of warm water and some plastic toys or cups and plates (also plastic obviously!) and let dc wash them/get them wet. This was generally the only time my kitchen floor got cleaned at that point in my life.

Put music on and have a dance party

Drawing and stickers

“Baking”. Sometimes we did proper baking but quite often I’d just get some digestive biscuits and make up some icing for her to put on the biscuits and choc buttons or sprinkles to decorate.

Reading books in my bed. More exciting than reading them on the couch apparently.

Go for a walk everyday. Feels like very hard work to get out of the door at this time of year but it’s always worth it in the end.

I'm in the exact same boat as you OP. We go out every morning for a walk, a play cafe or activity once a week if we can, somewhere where I dont spend the whole time carrying him around.
Fortunately I have a few friends on mat leave so I go to see them and our toddlers play.
My toddler is quite good at playing on his own with his toys, for a little while at home, but we have to go out for a walk every day or he gets cabin fever!

Magic sand and play doh, going to the park, going for a scooter/bike ride, swimming pool, playing cars/trains, going to a nearby field/farm to feed the donkeys, playing duplo

Stick a load of spegetti sticks in to some thing soft so it resembles a massive hedgehog.

Then get them to put Cheerios on each stick.

Fantastic pincer grip and hand eye coordination activity

Kinetic sand keeps them busy for hours, as does playdough... you could even make your own to fill even more time. There are some really simple recipes online.
Leaf painting, go for a walk and collect some, come home and paint them or print with them.
Icing a a biscuit and decorating with strawberry laces and smarties, we usually make a face.
Role play -set up a shop using what's already in your kitchen.
building blocks -build a tower and knock it down!
There are some good websites and Instagram pages full of ideas such as 'play hooray' or my personal favourite 'five minute mum'.

I used to do "Treasure Hunt"/ Pirates. Id draw a rough picture of "Treasure" she had to collect from around the house and bring back to "the boat" which was heavily pregnant me laying on couch. Used to get a good half hour rest out of this.

Dark days of lockdown I was stuck at home with a 3 year old and 1 year old.

CBeebies is fantastic! As you're pregnant there is no shame in using it if it helps you rest and entertains them.

Personal favs are
Bluey
Let's go for a walk (great ideas for going for a walk)
The baby or toddler club (we'd play along with the baby club every day)
My first .... learn loads about other cultures and religions

Have you got a little people/playmobil set? We do that alot

sofa cushions on the floor

drawing / painting / stamping with duggee ink stamps

using the water play table in the garden to make a witches brew (I.e find and put leaves in the water)

dance to the dancing pineapple music on YouTube

cooking

water play in the bath

play with Dollies

watch the TV

pretend to be a cat

read a story

let them empty the contents out of my handbag (this seems to be a big treat)

use the kitchen helper to pretend to do washing up in sink

play doh

pop up pirate / crocodile dentist / lucky ducks

ask nana to come and play

have a hot chocolate and watch frozen

Stickers
Colouring in
Play doh
Drawing
Cooking
Baking
Jigsaws
Reading
Building blocks
Hide toys around the room and he has to find them
TV!

Also mum and toddler groups. You have a cup of tea and DS goes off and plays for a couple of hours!