Tips for entertaining 18mth dd please!!

[jennymac]

Have a new ds (6 wks) and an 18mth dd who just finished nursery last week and will be at home with me full-time for the next 7mths. Can anyone please give me some ideas for activities to do with her so she doesn't get cabin fever! I take them both out in the buggy for an hour or two each day, weather permitting, but would be grateful for a few ideas on how to keep her occupied the rest of the time.

Hide some of her toys away and rotate them every few days, they will seem much more new and exciting. And make sure she can get to toys herself so you don't have to fetch and carry all the time!

Maybe a colouring book and pencil crayons? Obviously she is a bit small to actually colour but my DS liked to make marks on paper from that age, pencil doesn't stain so easily and I found DS always preferred to draw on something already written/drawn on (my post, books etc...) It also helps you to be able to say "you can only draw in this special book".

Pop up play tent where she can snuggle in with books, teddies, or just hide and seek with you?

Picnics on a blanket, indoors or outdoors, every now and then to make meal times more exciting.

A few big cushins she can climb/jump on?

Hope some of that is useful!

*cushions.

And you could try chalk and black paper if she struggles with the pencils, my DS found them a bit difficult at first.

Make some playdough? That keeps my dd occupied for ages. I will find the recipe for you (or of course you could buy some

here you go:

2 CUPS FLOUR
1 CUP SALT
2 CUPS WATER
2 TBSPS OIL
4 TSPS CREAM OF TARTER
FOOD COLOURING

Combine all ingredients in a big pan
Heat stirring constantly until it turns into a solid dough. Leave to cool then knead. Keeps for ages in the fridge. I have put black food colouring and glitter in mine and it looks great.

Other ideas:
Dressing up box, just hats, scarves, bags etc - she may be a bit young at the moment but my dd started to really get into it at about 20 months and loves it.

Washable felt tips were great for dd at this age rather than crayons.

Pretend games (play food and a tea set will keep them going for ages). My dd loves to get all her teddies out and have a "picnic" with her tea set. She also goes to the shops with her play food. She can keep going for ages with me saying "can you go and buy me a banana/tin of beans/loaf of bread/grapes" etc

And failing all that, there is always a bit of chill out time with cbeebies (sshhh, don't tell the MN TV police

at this age ds liked "washing up" [still does at 3.5 actually] - warm water and plastic crockery at the sink, standing on a chair or in a basin on plastic sheet on the floor

began to help out with baking and cooking [though not so easy wiht a newborn also in tow] and loved wiping up and sweeping

definitely play food/kitchen. ds also loved duplo with a passivn at this stage and could amuse himself for ooh minutes on end

and we also got out as much as poss to playgroups/friends/museums etc