Play ideas for 19 month old boy?

[Dalrymps]

I am a SAHM. I have a ds 19 months. A lot of the time we got out in the afternoon for a walk and occaionally to a local soft play place. He plays with his cousin who is 2.5 quite a lot through the week too.

My problem is, when we're stuck in and it's raining I find it difficult to think of play ideas. I need things I can do with him that are fun. He has a paddling pool and sand pit but obviously they're for outside use. I read him books when he brings them to me and play with some of his toys with him. To be honest he has too many toys (not just bought by us but family too) and I feel it kind of stunts my imagination a bit. I'm wanting activities I can do with him when er have a spare hour in the day, creative things, fun games, things where I can really interact with him.

Sometimes I find I am sat on the sofa at a loose end and he's playing on the floor with a toy and I want to get down and play with him but I can't think of what to do iyswim?

I know it sounds a bit silly, I just need some good ideas to start me off I think...

put on a Peppa Pig DVD!!!

OK how about playing make believe games? Get him to make you a cup or tea, get him a little ironing board and let him help you with some items of clothing.

Messy play-like drawing, painting, sticking, maybe baking.

let him plant some seeds, sunflower seeds are usually quite good for little ones.

My friend has some picture cards for her lo, and sends her to find different ones, ie, the apple, dog etc( I need to get some of them too, it looks quite good)

will let you know if i think of any more x

Make some gloop (cornflour and a bit of water) Really strange stuff, protect your floor though.
Make a tent in the house, using a clothes horse or just sit under the table!
Put some music on and dance around.
Play with bricks together and see who can make the tallest tower.
Have fun!

Thanks for the ideas, some good ones

I do do the dancing and playing with his mega blocks with him...

Ah I used to play with that cornflour stuff, weird!

He has picture card books iyswim, we go throught them a lot and he points the animals etc out.

Guess i'm not doing too bad.

I guess sometimes I feel that what i'm doing isn't that interesting as he likes playing alone a lot too and when I go to join in he loses interest and goes back to what he was doing. Maybe that's it, maybe I just need to try and join in with whatever it is he's doing sometimes?

The thing he loves most of all is spinning wheels, he's actually obsessed with it. If you give him any toy vehicle he'll immediately turn it over and spin the wheels over and over again for ages. We did wonder if this was a bit strange as he does it an awful lot but I don't know, he just seems to like it

Don't feel that you have to spend every spare minute stimulating and entertaining your DS; especially as you say that he is quite happy playing by himself! He may not necessarily need you to join in on every occasion.

You obviously do a lot with him, and remember that children also need some quiet 'down time' - constant stimulation is not necessary or desirable. I think you sound as though you have a good balance.

The ability to entertain themselves is a valuable thing - as you will see if you look at some of the threads about DCs who cannot play by themselves.

A favorite game of DS was animal hospital, but I think he was about 2 when that started - so a bit older

I used to put a bit of water in the sink with some palstic cups n stuff....need to fully supervise though or risk a flooded kitchen.
OR i would put some water in the bath with pots n pans n stuff...even in the day, he used to love this and play for ages.

Some days out of desperation we would just go around the block, walking, we examined EVERY minute dog turd and old bit of chewing gum, but this killed an hour at a time!

Agree you sound like you're trying a bit too hard. unless he's attention-seeking, I would just let him have a pootle on he own.

a big box full of empty boxes and tubs keeps DS2 (13mo) busy for ages. I make sure a new tub appears every day.

Other games...

throwing a soft ball - DS2 loves looking for it and bringing it back.

Hoovering (DS1 hated this, but DS2 loves standing in front of the hoover like a mini suffragete).

putting things in a bucket and throwing them around the place

listening cd's of anything really, not just children's stuff (DS2 loves the Grieg piano concerto, which is a shame because I can't stand it)

kitchen equipment. Both my DS's (DS1 is 3.10), fought over played with a sieve for ages yesterday. DS2 loves rifling through the cupboards

hope that helps! I have had to get a bit more creative with DS2, because unlike DS1, he hates telly

Thanks for all the ideas ladies.

I know what you mean about trying too hard. I don't 'try' to play with him all the time or anything like that but on a few occasions i've gotten down to play with him and he's not been too bothered.

I do let him play by himself a lot and he's always been good at this. Someone mentioned 'attention seeking', I think this shoud be my trigger to play with him. for instance, sometimes when he seems bored he presses all the buttons on the tv/dvd player/sky box or standing on the dogs tail , anything to get a reaction really. So, maybe when he does this i'll try and play with him/ distract him etc

I feel a bit more reassured i'm not doing too badly really, just needed some good ideas

Hi Dal!

I collect all sorts of stuff we use to play with...

1. Bottle tops and lids -milk tops, plastic bottle tops, pringle tops, washing up liquid tops. All shapes, all sizes and all colours. Ds 2 loves to play with these, sort them out and build with them.

1. Cardboard tubes. Toilet ones, kitchen ones and wrapping paper ones. If you can get hold of any carpet inners or material bolt inners these are fab to put cars in and roll them down. You can make them go faster/slower by altering the angle of the tube.

1. Cardboard boxes. Get a very large one and turn it into a car, spaceship or just let lo have a marvelous time getting in it out of it etc.

1. ds2's really loves the 'random box' where we have a collection of really the most random things you can get. He loves seeing what's inside pulling it out, putting it away.

1. Let lo have a go with pens/pencils. Masking tape a piece of paper to the table ( so it doesn't move) and then draw away.

1. Playdough. Can find a recipe online to make it yourself. Put glitter in it, rice to add texture. Add food colouring in and you can even add oils to make it smell.

1. Washing up bowl with water put plastic cups/forks/spoons and use outside but you can do it inside on a towel.

1. Build a den out of a sheet and 2 chairs?

1. Shaving foam is fab and fun to mess about with, as is porridge oats, pasta.

Peppa pig dvd?!?!?!?! (teehee NC x)

Great ideas Muppet . Love the idea of making my own playdough...

You're joking about Pepper pig but he loves it

Cars... Cars... Cars... at least that is how it is with a child I nanny who is a few months younger. He loves cars. Fisher Price garage, car mat.

Drawing - cover something in paper (we use a painting easel) and give him crayons, so he can make marks on the paper. Covering a table also works well.

Washing up - loves that... I put bowl on kitchen floor on top of a plastic sheet, to help catch some of the water!

Baking - they like to help, though don't expect too much. Can often help with stiring things.

As soon as the rain lets off a bit - Splashing in Puddles. Great fun.

Play Kitchen - this has become popular with the little one I care for recently. Likes playing with tea set type objects.

Visit children's centre groups... storytime at library, any other thing local that is either free or low cost.

Rolling a ball between you and him.
Pushing a car between him and you, you and him.
Duplo or other stacking bricks.

Ah yes, he does love cars, he has a car mat in his bedroom, maybe should bring it down during the day. I've done a bit of drawing with him, would love to get him an easel

There is a story group at the library, might look in to that... thanks!

Ah yes, we do the ball thing, he loves that, has loads of balls of all sizes

He's just started working out the mega blocks, gets a bit annoyed when they won't do what he wants them to do though

Ohhh I am glad I found this am stuck for ideas with Zachary!! Thanks Dal!!!

Don't think I can add much to the list - I do similar things with Anya.

Lego's good for building towers and little houses for animals.

We read a lot - she now points at the words for me to read.

She loves talking on the telephone - real ones, toy ones, or anything with buttons that looks vaguely like one (calculator ).

We draw animals and faces and make animal noises.

We sing loads of songs, especially action songs.

We go for long walks when it's not raining - she loves picking daisies or even waving branches on trees.

She also 'helps' with the housework - she's very good at dusting/wiping/sweeping.

If I'm upstairs she's quite happy with bangles or belts - she tries to buckle belts and puts bangles over her feet like rather large ankle bracelets.

I think the important thing is to be guided by them - if Anya's happy muttering away to herself then I think she's probably thinking about things she's learnt so I leave her to it. If she wants some attention she'll let me know and I let her choose what she wants to do and show her things or make suggestions. At this age they can be fascinated by really simple things.