Small, fun toys to occupy bored 2.6 yr old while baby brother is being fed!

[Pannacotta]

Want to get a few fun bits for DS1 for when I am feeding his baby brother (who is a slow feeder...) Was thinking maybe some threading beads/lacing animals perhaps?
Have some vouchers for ELC so any suggestions for there would be great!
Thanks

IMHO, that's exactlywhat DVDs are for.

Mix cornflour and water on a tray and swirl in lots of food colouring, then let him drive his cars through it.

God,don't pander to him.
Yes,bang telly on.

We have some DVDs for him, but he was getting really obsessed with them watching them all the time and no one could ever get near the TV so I have hidden them away for now.
Like your suggestion cornsilk but not sure I am brave enough, he's a bit of a terror at the best of times and I can picture food colouring mush smeared all over the house!
Was hoping to find sth to keep him out of mischief

It's good for them to find and make their own entertainment.

Telly

Suppose its not so much that he is bored, more that he has a tendency to wreak havoc when not occupied or when I am not paying him attention so its damage limitation really...

Apart from that, when the little one is feeding himself, you can have a lie in whilst they fight over who is the biggest tellytubbie or poweranger

i know its not small but the happy land train keeps them amused for hours and you can leave it out all day.

Have you not got a child friendly house then. Get some stair gates all around or put a lock on your bedroom door on the inside, make sure you have your dvd/tv on the wall on a bracket, and bobs your uncle. Sorry that was for lie in.

Right you wanted how to entertain your other one whilst feeding your little one.

Again put a lock on a door on the outside this time, lock him in with a drink and some sandwiches.

I would honestly bring the DVDs out for feeding time only. If he has favourites that would keep his attention for long enough.

Aquadraw mat is a good idea. AT 2.6 it is difficult to see him entertained for 30 mins+ without giving him stuff which needs close supervision.

He has an Aquadraw and a train set but these are a bit old hat for him now.
Wanted to get some new things just to distract him until the days of incessant breast feeding DS2 are over (I can really see why he thinks its boring while I sit on the sofa feeding DS2 for ages...)
Hence wanting small, fun things to keep him amused/engrossed.
The house is not 100% toddler proof - we have 2 stair gates but I don't want to put up any more at this late stage.

Last time I got out the Aquadraw he emptied the pens everywhere...
With the DVDs, it was hard to limit them as he had a hissy fit when I tried to put them away after a certain time - he has a very strong will - so am avoiding these at the mo as cannot face his tantrums...

Get mobile, travel gates. They need no brackets on the wall and are great for taking away
I have one between sitting room and kitchen - my ds can't then go anywhere
Give him a biscuit tin with stuff in - nothing new just what he hasn't seen in there before
Or, open a cupboard and let him rummage (obv. make sure there's nothing in there he can't have)
They love a bit of mystery these kids don't they?

What about their plastic animals? My DD loved them at that age

Books - he can sit next to you and you can read to him wth him turning the pages.

dd also enjoyed being sent to get things - I would tip all the blocks out and ask her to build me a tower with a yellow brick, then a red one etc.
IME you can't expect a 2 year old to amuse themsleves, but you can amuse them in a way that requires only your voice

Sorry to be a tad unsupportive but re "the hissy fit" - you're his mum and the grown up - if he has a hissy fit just let him get on with it
If you're afraid of doing stuff because of the outcome then you WILL spoil him
x

Thanks for the suggestions.

Am hoping that reading while feeding will happen, at the mo he is a bit pissed off with me for having the baby I think but am sure this will pass as he loves his stories.

Also the biscuit tin full of wondrous things and plastic animals would appeal to him.

Will also look into travel stairgates, hadnt thought of that.

Pannacotta, hope it does the trick

x

Stressteddy know what you mean, but with very broken nights with DS2 who is only 5 weeks I cant face his tantrums which are very loud and can go on for 20-30 mins at the mo.
My parenting style at the mo is about just getting through the day (and night), nothing more than that right now....

Are you feeding DS2 in an enclosed area, like a kitchen diner. If you are I second the cupboard full of tupperware, tins, spoons etc.

The other thing is to let him have a washing up bowl of water on the floor (on top of a towel of course, they love this.

Or outside if weather permitting.

Are you breastfeeding? I always found it easiest to use a breastfeeding cushion which meant I had most hands free - I also used to feed in the armchair so my toddler would perch on the arm of the chair and I had hands free to read books. I know what you mean about not wanting to just put a dvd, and over the course of a day of feeding a newborn that's a lot of telly! one slightly weird thing my dd loves are a box of wooden curtain rings (left over from hideous curtain pole thing of previous owners) , and a wooden spoon. spends ages threading the rings onto the spoon which can then be used as shaker. The other thing is her bubble bottle (empty plastic bottle half filled with water, bit of food colouring and squirt of washing up liquid, lid on, sellotape over so they can't open it). and her waves bottle - (plastic bottle 1/3 cooking oil, 1/3 coloured water). sounds weird but very useful in those early days of having a newborn and toddler - scary times!

Go to a jumble sale / car boot sale and buy a load of small McDonalds type toys. Store them in a bag next to your feeding chair and let him do a lucky dip, one out at a time.