How to keep 2 year old entertained all day

[Karma1387]

Just looking for some useful ideas and suggestions. Sorry for the long post.

Prior to getting pregnant with DC2 I never let my DC1 watch tv besides the occasional Miss rachel when he first woke up. Unfortunately when I got pregnant between sickness, pain and exhaustion we basically live off the TV currently.

DC2 is due in a few weeks and I would really like to try to cut back down on the TV. He loves watching a film but I don't want to continue with all day having it on.

Thankfully he goes to nursery 3 days a week so he gets a break then and we try to go to my dads once a week but it does mean hes having at least 3 days with an insane amount of TV.

But I find it very hard to know what to do for 10 hours a day with him. Hes not big enough to go around soft play yet on his own and we don't have a lot of groups etc around us that aren't pricey (and honestly I hate them). Hes extremely energetic and its become very noticeable that his behaviour is getting bad when we are just spending whole days inside.

So any suggestions on how to keep a very energetic 2 year old entertained (whilst having a newborn) would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry if I missed this but do you have a garden? Toddlers will run about a garden for hours with minimal things. Again a bunch of spoons and tubs and access to mud. And so good for them. If you don't, we also got a tuff tray, which is big for a toddler, and enables more messy play without too much mess out with the edges of the tray!

We dont have a huge amount around us. Not really in the countryside type middle of nowhere but middle of nowhere in the sense its a reasonable drive to get anywhere. But we do have country parks and national trust places about 30 min-1hr away so I do need to get a grip and brave driving places I don't know.

I'll be honest the babys naps dont worry me. If hes anything like my first he wont nap without me anyway. Its my first whos naps i find sacred. The afternoons after nursery are hell where hes not had a long nap. So at home I let him sleep as long as he likes but I guess I will have to maybe sacrifice the naps and work out a new routine.

Get a non-slip mat. Plastic cups/slotted spoon/ducks You need to be in there with him (drowning is silent) but you dont have to get in with him

My DS sounds like yours - staying in and doing a craft activity meant about 5mins of concentration then back to wanting to wrestle/run/climb. He likes painting a bit more but that’s not the most newborn friendly option in terms of clean up!

As you are having a second soon, I would be kind to yourself. Any structure you attempt now might fall by the wayside when you have two. And not because you’ve failed! It’s just hard to anticipate how you’ll want to organise your day with two kids until they’re both around!

I don’t want to leave you without any ideas so here are a few. I definitely agree that finding any playgroups nearby would be great - try churches/community centres as they tend to be cheap but v good. It means an hour of new things to look at. I found at that sort of age, my son also liked doing stuff like helping me cook lunch or chuck stuff in the laundry. We ended up eating a lot of pancakes but he was so happy making them! He also liked other baking so worth trying some activities that aren’t as toy based. I’d usually make a big batch of biscuit dough with him and then only use a third so he just cut out a couple of cookies and was done. No point trying to get them to do the whole batch and the dough can stay in the fridge. Softplay is a good one - now may be a good time to encourage more solo play in one so find one with good visibility/no tricky parts. This might sound crazy but I also took my son to toddler bounce sessions at the trampoline park a lot pregnant as I could just watch him bounce! For park trips, I’d always take the buggy so he could have a snack as I sped home - the tired leg/pregnancy combo is tough! My son really liked diggers at that age so I got him a sand pit and loads of digger toys to ‘build’ stuff with. Finally, I found the last stretch of the day particularly tricky so would always have a ‘dance party’ - I am no dancer but boy did it tire him out and help me feel less crazy! Oh and the bath! Bath bombs, squirty toys, those water activated boat/fish toys that whizz around… we went through a window cleaner phase (foam soap and the screen wiper thing on the shower screen). We also have a marble race type thing from Amazon but with ducks for the bath - you set up a track and then they just do it over and over. Post park that could be another 45mins of activity!

As I said though - be kind to yourself. It sounds like you’re doing a lot of solo parenting and those days can be long, especially if you’re pregnant! We all know the tv isn’t ideal but it’s certainly better than your mental health dropping off a cliff!

I do have a lovely reasonably large garden but we have the same issue we have with the parks. He runs around like crazy for maybe 15 mins and then he walks back to the house.

We havent been able to play out there in the winter as its too wet and muddy but I will be trying again once it dries out.

We have a messy play tray just not much stays in it. But I'm going to remove the carpet and change to lino so we dont have to worry about it as much and ready for potty training!

I feel your pain! I also have a 2 year old (not in nursery) and am 5 months pregnant, he’s went from pretty much zero screen time to lots in the first trimester but we’ve just about got it back to 30 mins or so while I cook dinner (most days that is, sometimes I’m still totally wiped out by pregnancy fatigue and he watches a couple of hours in the afternoon)

We get outside every day and that is what saves our sanity! Rain suit and wellies. If it’s absolutely chucking it down we do something indoors but out the house but like you I am avoiding the big soft plays at the moment partly for the sickness bugs but also as he wants me to go on the slides etc so might go to a small softplay cafe where I can easily follow him around/watch him play or we go to town to run errands and go buy a little toy and get a hot chocolate somewhere. If it’s just a bit drizzly we still go out for a walk.

We go to a playgroup once a week too where he can run around and play with different toys and I can have a drink and some cake with the other mums! They have lots around me so might be worth looking in your area to see if it suits a day you are home with him. Normally run at the local churches but they aren’t religious just a lovely community thing.

Ive also always tried to prioritise some independent play while I either sit with a book/do laundry/catch up on messages depending on what room we are in. It doesn’t always last long but I think it will be very helpful when the baby is here and I need to feed.

Hes not really into crafts but does like baking so we do that once or twice a week too. And we have some softplay blocks which he loves to jump on and off and that often kills 30 mins

really looking forward to the nicer weather when we can spend all afternoon playing in the garden. Our decking is so slippy at the moment and I also don’t fancy sitting in the damp, doesn’t seem so bad when it’s a dog walk or the park!

pre pregnancy I would do two trips out so maybe playgroup in the morning, home for lunch and out to the park in the afternoon, back home at 3 and a couple of hours of playing at home before dinner and bathtime starting at 5:30ish but now we generally only do one trip out as I’m too tired and have longer playing at home

I love the trampoline park idea I just wasnt sure if it was too grown up for him yet. (Hes not quite 2)

Thank you for such a nice reply though!

I’d try capping his nap to an hour, 12-1 and then you will get a lighter afternoon and can get outside! My just turned 2 year old only has 30 mins, otherwise she is up until 9pm!

My 2 year old loves, colouring, reading stories, kinetic sand, painting (especially in the bath) and chalking in the playground. She will play magna tiles and trains independently for about 10 mins and for 30 mins with me. We live rurally and go for a 2 hour walk almost everyday and go swimming on the days we don’t (which really works well to tire children out!)

Thank you for the reply and congrats on the pregnancy. Its bloody hard work being pregnant with a toddler!

I 100% need to get him out the house and probably me too! I'll have to sort out some wellys for him!

My worry with capping his nap is 1- him going to bed at 6pm. 2- he currently sleeps 2-4 hours for naps and then 10-12 hours for nighttime. If I cap the nap at an hour is there a guarantee he will extend his night time sleep so he isn't missing out on the sleel his little body clearly needs?

My partner takes him swimming 1 day a week. Obviously with baby 2 coming I can't take them both on my own especially as DC1 clings like a koala in the pool.

I think the general concensus is I need to get him out and about as much as possible.

Kids don’t have a long attention span at this age.

At this age My dc loved:

Trip out to the supermarket

Balance bike (but only if you have somewhere safe and enclosed as you don’t want to be chasing him down a path/pavement!)

Playing with uncooked pasta shapes and bowls/ saucepans /wooden spoons. Ds2 would play cooking for ages

Duplo

Crayons and a big piece of paper

cardboard boxes!

making a little den in the lounge with a few chairs and some spare sheets /pegs

Organising his sock drawer (try to match up the socks!)

”washing” the bathroom with a cloth and a small bowl of water.

a long bath with loads of toys

looking at books together

singing nursery rhymes

If you’re saying your house isn’t safe I think that would be a priority, you can let him be free then. If activities only last 15 minutes that’s ok. He can help get himself dressed and learn about that, then you can get in the car or walk to the park, try push him to 20 minutes, then a sit on the bench and eat a snack. Then back home, wash hands, take coats off and hang them up sit down and read a book together. That’s at least an hour even if you were only playing at the park for 20minutes.
At the park we do try to find different things to look at and touch, spot birds and ducks, talk about the colours we see etc just to make it a bit more interesting.
I try to pick a route in the park that goes past the swings and slides, an open bit of grass to run and kick a ball on, or a woodland bit. Obviously it depends what’s near you though.
sounds like he wants to be quite active as well.
have a look at his toys, so they meet how he wants to play, eg could you get something for him to climb. Or a tool kit if he likes bashing or a ball and bet if he likes throwing. Also I put all the toys away, mine only has access to 4-5 toys at absolute most on any one day. They concentrate a bit more then rather than just running activity to activity smashing stuff up

Go out every day. I would aim to head out by 10am, pack a lunch for us all, head home mid afternoon. We did exciting things like doing the food shopping and going to the post office. Going to the park and playground. Wandering around town and going to the library. Botanical gardens.

I had a year membership to a children’s farm sort of place that was probably £60 for the year but we used it nearly weekly. They had an indoor play barn, so ideal even in horrible weather. Walks on nearby foot paths. Any sort of public transport. Sometimes we’d get on the train, go two stops, get off to go to the playground and I’d have a coffee and we’d eat snacks, then catch the train back home two stops (I could have driven, but the train was a bit more exciting).

Why are you trying to amuse him all the time? He can 'help' put saucepans, lids out and away, put stuff in the washing machine for you, give him time just to be himself. Don't try and keep him occupied all the time he will find his own things to do. Just stop feeling guilty about yourself not playing with him. He will find his own way with toys, leave him to it otherwise you will always be stressed about what is happening. Turn tv off, say it isn't working at the moment and just talk or sing to him as you are going about doing housework or if you are reading your book read it aloud, Just be your more relaxed self (not constant on the go after him Mum).

Fair enough about the nap, i didnt realised he was still sleeping so long at night! He must be at the other end of the sleep needs scale to my 2 year old.

Check with your pool but lots of pools do allow you to take 2 children swimming by yourself. I’ve taken both of mine swimming by myself since my youngest was born. Oldest in a swim vest, baby in a swim float ring. It was perfectly safe and a good activity for everyone. And my eldest was a totally clinger too! But the baby was very happy in the ring so don’t rule it out.

Why can't he play in the mud?

Build dens and obstacle courses. Balls in a paddling pool. That wooden train track stuff kept mine occupied for ages. Electronic play mats that are like keyboards or similar, massive drawing water mats.

He doesn't like to play in the mud. If we go outside and its wet and squelchy he just says no and walks back inside. Plus his sandpit had to be out away for the winter so it didnt rot and his swing set he got too big for. So he isnt keen on playing in an empty garden thats muddy.

Oh yes he loves his sleep so he still has a full night sleep even with a 3-4 hour nap he just goes to bed later.

Our pool has no issue with me taking both on my own but my dc1 is scared of the water and he koalas us (proper arms and legs wrapped around us) we have tried various floaties for him but none have made a difference. I'm hoping with time with his dad taking him every week he will get more confident and willing to wear the floaties and play.

If your DS is still not quire 2, this behaviour is all very normal! It’ll get easier over the next year as his attention span increases. But also his nap will shorten/drop so more time to fill.
You’ve had some great ideas here of things to do but what I’m going to add is that you need some friends. Lots of things are boring alone but fun with company. Baby groups and playgroups are how I met most of my friends. Try out as many as you can until you find your tribe.

I do let him entertain himself but he gets bored so he then starts climbing and jumping on me wanting to be thrown around or me chase him which I haven't been able to do whilst pregnant and isnt going to be very doable with a baby in the room.

My kitchen is in a renovation state at the moment so I don't let him in a lot and he doesn't really do 'helping' if he gets hold of saucepans or lids or anything he just throws things so we have to be careful.

Generally because the kitchen isn't the safest he cant just follow me around so hes stuck in the living room so I tend to leave housework either first thing or during his nap.

I tried quiet a few but I'm a very anxious not social person so I couldnt ever make friends or connect with people there.

I don't have general friends so I'm not sure if ill ever be able to do that. But I will try some more groups once things have settled with the baby at least so he can play.

I think a lot of my resistance is because of his naps. If we went out at 10. We would have to be back by 12-1 in order to get him down for his nap. With most places being 30min-1hr away ive never bothered besides trying to get him to go to the local park which he isnt fond of.

Perhaps I will have to just accept sacrificing the nap and deal with the overtiredness but at least he would have got out.

I think you’re not making life easy on yourself. He can’t go in the garden because there’s nothing to do and he can’t go in the kitchen because it’s not safe. He can’t climb on things in the living room and he can’t go out in bad weather. You can’t go to the supermarket or other shops because you don’t like it, You can’t run around after him because you’re pregnant. There’s a lot of limits! Obviously some will be non negotiable but some might be a bit flexible?
I would prioritise making the garden a bit more fun. Lots of toddlers love ‘washing’ things with a spray bottle. Or you can often get free or cheap garden toys on Facebook marketplace. Give him a paint brush and a bucket of water to paint the fence? Once he’s run around would he play a game with you like passing a ball? Or singing action songs?
My 12m old loves splashing in muddy puddles, if you get dressed up and ready for wet weather with wellies on will he still not be interested?
if he likes ripping things and putting them in the bin give him some toddler scissors and some old recycling to cut up or rip up and put in the bin? Just do what he likes.
would he ‘help’ in the kitchen from his high chair? My toddler loves a (toddler) knife and chopping things for example. it’s all loads more effort than watching the tv though and if you’re exhausted and pregnant and mid renovation, it’s ok to just accept this is a phase

But why do you have to get out for 10? What time does he get up? Can’t you get out for 8 or 9? That would give you about 4 hours And you could still get back for his nap?