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.

I second Duplo and Magnatiles. Also colouring books. After baby 2 arrived I had a basket of cheap new things (like those Bluey colouring books with no mess pens, or some play doh, or a few tiny dinos) and brought one out each day during a hiatus.

My DD was 3.5 when I was feeding a baby so a bit older, but I also downloaded some of the CBeebies learning apps eg Numberblocks which is screen time but at least not mindless.

Also agree with having a structure and a plan. Build tv into it, but make it intentional. Also if you can go up to 4 days or nursery once baby arrives - even if only for a couple of months - it would be well worth it!

I hate to say it but if he never gets to go anywhere he’ll never learn how to behave in different places. You kind of have to get through the trying to put everything in the basket stage. I found that easier in a small shop like a greengrocer. Mine only did it once or twice and is much keener on carrying or pulling the basket or pushing a trolley. Some supermarkets have mini trolleys!

If you’re not near the countryside or any libraries or leisure centres or museums I’m struggling with what might be nearby. Shopping centre? River? Model railway?

Unfortunately we are already using all of our funded hours otherwise I would consider it although I would miss him. We used to have great fun before I got pregnant.

Can you pay for extra sessions temporarily?

Its not so much him putting it in the basket as it would be him just throwing it across the shop! But yeah I know he wont learn if I don't get him out and about.

We have a library but their storytimes etc are on nursery days annoyingly! But I hadnt really thought about just going there as somewhere different to read. Wont they mind a loud toddler though?

Be out all day, you can take newborn in the pram
or the sling. If you tell your area people will help. But if you don’t like mum and toddler groups which are things that are literally designed for what you’re wanting then it will be harder!
I’ve enjoyed all day with my son out at-
botanical gardens
wetlands centre
theme park toddler tickets - cheap in term time
swimming
soft play
minigolf
boa trip up the Thames
zoo
pet shop looking at fish
aquarium
tube and bus journeys
museums

We can't afford to unfortunately it would eat more than a 3rd of my maternity pay.

Walking comes with practice, so the more you do it the longer he will be able to walk for. We always aim for the next tree/bench/corner etc. usually some kind of treat involved, so down to the shop to pick up cake for the afternoon etc.
best way to keep him busy at home is jobs - so I’ll give him a sponge and foamy water and he has to squeeze bubbles on the floor and I follow him around with a mop. He loves hoovering so I just let him push the hoover around and point to bits he’s missed. Similarly he gets the dogs breakfast and dinner (with help) and helps empty the dishwasher. I fill the sink with water and washing up liquid and let him splash about when I’m doing bits he can’t help with. Lots of cooking together - he can do scrambled eggs and pasta and tomato with lots of support but he’s learning the steps, and I get him to help me put together marinades or make cakes etc which he absolutely loves. He’s 2yrs 4month, can work the toaster etc with surveillance. He’ll put stuff in the washing machine and he’ll get it out, though I do have to watch for rogue items being added.

I’ve asked this earlier but you haven’t answered. Are you ok @Karma1387 ? You’ve had some great advice on here but you’ve put objections up to most of them and you sound very defeated.

My library is unstaffed on Mondays but you can access it with your library card. I take my toddler then because it’s always quiet or empty, so I don’t have to worry about noise! Perhaps yours has something similar? If not, then going to a bigger library with a large children’s section may mean you don’t have to be so worried about noise.

The mum and toddler groups were always difficult. I would always be so on edge about either him playing too rough or throwing things or that people would try to have a conversation with me they just felt more stress than they were worth. I cant begin to imagine how hard it will be to try to keep him calm and not break anything whilst also holding the baby but I think I will at least have to give it another try.

What do you do at the all day places if your toddler doesnt nap in the pram anymore?

We will do some driving to some of the country parks and National trust places. He loves the zoo I just need to be brave and drive there.

Sorry I have been trying to keep up but I am amazed by the amount of replies.

I am okay. I love my little boy more than anything in the world and hes my best little friend. But doing things is super hard for me but I want to try as hes so active and sociable I want to encourage that. The last thing I want is for him to end up like me!

Playgroups !

I’m in a similar boat atm, 2 under 2 my eldest will be 2 in April and my youngest is just 3 months old. Honestly my advice echoes everybody else- you have to get out!

And it doesn’t have to be expensive! It rained where we are overnight so this morning we got wrapped up and went “hunting for worms” (as in just looking for them on the path, not touching them or anything), that put in 2 hours and she found it hilarious😂 we had a dry day last week so went for a walk to the park with a little basket from Christmas for her to collect some leaves, took them home and painted them, once they dried we stuck them to some card- they look terrible but that literally put in an entire day and cost me nothing as we already had the paint etc.

We do baking, crafts, reading, cleaning, library, lots of softplays do toddler mornings through the week so for £4 ish you get 2 hours play toast & juice, I just take baby in a carrier and go in with my toddler. Have a look at any local church halls, lots do playgroups for free or £1 just to put a couple hours in.

We have a NT membership which I think is £11 a month and that means we can go to any of their sites for £0, if you have some local that’s a great shout and lots of fun days out!

We go to the Pets At Home to pick a treat for our dog and look at the rabbits, guinea pigs, fish in the tanks etc.

Also a tuff tray and setting up messy play at home is always a winner here & cheap. You’d be shocked how long some broken up Weetabix and pasta with food colouring on can keep a toddler entertained😂

Wow you make me feel like a really crappy mum who hasn't managed to get her son to do anything constructive. Id love to let him help with dishwashers and washing and hoovering but he just can't focus. If he grabs something he throws it or washing machine he will just spin the dial. I would love to let him hoover (he has a toy one) its just too heavy for him bless him.

At the moment I'm working on his tidying his toys and thats very unsuccessful! I cant even get his napoy or clothes changed without a fight.

What’s wrong with someone talking to you at a group- that’s why most mums go to get some adult conversation. You might meet someone nice there. And the mums there are used to kids being kids

He could have a nap on the way to somewhere like the local farm park or national trust, local woods. The meltdowns will reduce in time (or you just accept them and help him through them, I say this one of my kids doesn’t sleep and the other is so high sleep needs he is still napping at 5) or if he’s that tired, he needs to be at home in bed anyway and going out is pointless.

Make the park different by taking paper aeroplanes or very cheap cars for the slide to put down, accepting he’s a child learning the correct amount of force to use and they might get damaged.
Glow sticks, animals, watering cans, makeshift ramps to plop stuff down into the bath, scoops / spoons and crazy foam soap, any toy in the bath that’s not actually a ‘bath toy’. Does it matter what he does with them? Show him ideas, if he copies, great, if not, he’s thinking for himself.
Sensory play - mud kitchen, build sandcastles for him to knock down, dig the garden come rain or shine, look for worms, build mud castles for him to stomp on, diggers for little pebbles, oats and scoops/jugs, water play, potions, hopscotch, smash up ice with toys hidden inside (nothing takes me longer than 2 mins to prepare). If they really don’t like mess or mud, then they’ll find a way to stay clean, or get your own hands muddy and show them it’s safe (my DS2 has sensory processing and never had a spec of dirt on him, but I’m always getting muddy in the hope one day he will learn).
If he is very active, lean into his interests and play active games - skittles, jumping games, Simon says, obstacle courses, treasure hunts (ie post it notes or stickers!), musical statues, put action songs on like superman or agadoo!

Sometimes I ask myself ‘is this A problem, or is it a problem for ME?’ i.e. do I not like the mess, do I not like that he’s not playing the game in the ‘right’ way, do I not like that he’s emptying the cupboards out but actually it’s not a problem, it’s all learning and play. I’ve found I’ve chilled out loads by following that mindset!

Strong boundaries - pouring water out the bath, one warning and straight out. They’ll survive one day without a proper wash, does it even matter?

Hope there’s something there that helps!

Does he have any animals to play with or little people. What about puzzles. He could be learning about colours shapes. Play pairs. If he is active put some music on so he can have a dance around. Songs with actions nothing wrong with a bit if TV mine at that age loved Barney lots of singing and learning. Percy the park keeper. Nursery rhymes

He might enjoy toddler football or gymnastics or something active. My ds always preferred structured groups to the church hall types but either way, I do think group settings are important for both.

Our soft play about 20 mins away does toddler sessions during school hours everyday but hes just too small to do it without me but once hes a bit bigger we know we can go there (hopefully by next winter) and its super cheap!

We are going to sign him up for toddler football once baby is born and I'm recovered a bit as I think he will love it and it shouldnt involve any chit chat for me.

I have a toddler the same age and also in my third trimester carrying twins. It’s hard, before pregnancy I never allowed her any TV, now she does have some every day.

This is what we did today:
read books/played upstairs before breakfast.
she watched some tv whilst I tried to do some DIY.
I turned off the TV and asked her to help match socks/put our washing into piles of who it belonged to.
she put all the wet washing into the tumble dryer and ‘helped’ with washing some plastic cups in the sink.
I watched some TV laying on the sofa whilst she played around/on me - me asking her to find the sheep/tractor etc as I felt too sick to move.
Went for a walk to see the squirrels in the grave yard and went via the train line to see any trains pass on our way to pick up our vinted order.
home for nap.
text a few people to see if anyone was around. Went over to our friends house for a play date.
home to make dinner. She ‘helped’ with peeling potatoes and chopping veg.
dinner.
bath either DH (I usually do bath but I told DH I’m unbelievably exhausted).

We go to a lot of church toddler groups as they fill a couple of hours. I’d actually go insane if I just stayed in the house all day and DD would be climbing the walls. You don’t need to be best friends with the other mums, it’s usually just surface level chitchat for around two minutes before the kids run off.

Why can’t you go in with him? My daughter is 2 in April so also not big enough to go in on her own, I just go in with her still and wear my baby in a carrier

We have dogs but they dont like him at all so I keep them separated. We have been trying puzzles although so far he has his mothers level of patience so they usually get thrown if he cant get it right away.

We do lots of music and dancing just not as much as my pregnancy has gone on! I look forward to getting back to our mummy and son dance parties.