deluded mothers ... any top tips on what to actually DO with your children?

[greenandpleasant]

DS is 15months, can crawl and stand but not walk. It is raining a lot and when we are inside I am just hopeless at playing with him, it is boring and tedious. The Motherhood Delusion thread has made me feel so much better about that fact - BUT any tips on things to do with him gratefully received - PLEASE???

Tried colouring - he waves the pens around, eats them (all washable of course), puts one pen to paper, makes one scribble. End of activity. Took less than 5 mins. Ditto playdough, ditto ANYTHING that the books suggest would be a good activity. He is either behind or they are suggesting things much more suitable for 18 / 20 /24 months.

He can potter round by himself fairly happily for a while but then really wants me to be with him and I have NO IDEA what to do with him that could be interesting, fun, whatever. Or am I being too ambitious?! Shall I just sit on the floor so I am near him and let him play round me?

When they get older they do concentrate better and you can do more stuff - honestly. I think it's the hardest stage actually. It's bloody bliss when they can colour in/stick stuff/get their own swing going/read. You get your life back! (and they are much more fun, if slightly less cute to look at )

At this age, DD's favourite was a washing-up bowl full of water and bubbles on the kitchen floor, and some stacking cups, spoons to play with in it- she wasn't crawling though, so containable.
She also liked cars and bricks. (mostly destroying, not building, towers).

Of course you could try the patented Xenia approach....

Go back to work and get someone else to entertain them all day