Activities for an 18 Month Old - Santa Ana,CA

A child/baby does NOT have to be "entertained" every second/minute of the day. So you don't "have to" turn on the TV, to "entertain" a child. Although I know sometimes we Moms do that, when we are busy and to keep our child occupied.

Just leave the TV off.. .and it gives the child a chance to amuse themselves... which is a very valuable thing for a child. "Play" is important for them... which also includes them exploring without being told how to play. At this age... just keep safety in mind... but let her just hang-out and learn self-motivation/self-reliance and just "knowing" that its okay. Lots of child experts say that over-stimulation can also be not good... and letting a child just play without being told 'how to' play, is just as important. And it doesn't make you a "boring" Mom.

Even just a pile of crumpled up newspapers, with toys hidden in it, it TONS of fun for a baby this age. LET them make a mess and tear up the paper and rummage through it.
"Play" things does not have to be store bought. Let her play with empty boxes, or wooden kitchen utensils, or a Kleenex box and her pulling out the tissue one after another (my kids loved that). Or, just lay out in the yard on a blanket and stare up at the sky... and just talk to her about what you see, describing it. My kids loved that too. Or we'd just lay out on the yard and I'd read a magazine while they hung out and amused themselves by pulling at the grass, or touching leaves, or exploring textures of nature, or "smelling" flowers and leaves. Get finger-paints and put her in the tub and let her go at it. If its messy so what- she's in the tub and you just rinse her off after. That is what I did with my kids when they were 1 years old. They LOVED that. Or, give her paper to paint on. Its good for them and for their fine-motor skills too. And than talk about the colors to her. Turn on some music and hold her and rock/hop to the beat... or thump your hands on a box to the tempo... teaching her rhythm and music appreciation and fun etc.

Anything really, amuses them at this age. Or as you go about your own routines/chores, just talk to her about what you're doing, and let her "help" you. Kids LOVE that. Or roll balls around back and forth.

Really, you do NOT "have to" fill up the whole 8 hours for things for her to "do." And, it is really stressful upon a Mom to see those hours as having to be filled up with activities every waking moment. (wink). Some days, I just hang out with my kids and THEY invent things to do themselves, too. Which is a good developmental thing for them to do, too. And you will then "see" what your child's OWN interests are... and talents.

All the best,
Susan

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my 19 month old loves this one - get a pillowcase and fill it with new stuff - a couple of spoons, little toys she has not seen in a while, a little food treat etc - and she will go through it, dump it out, refill it, put it over her head!
put a beach towel on the floor, fill a bowl with about an inch of water and let her do dishes, with a little sponge
i have this book called unplugged play its really good

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OH, I remember that age and having the same issues. But we never turned on the TV. Children under 2 should have no exposure to TV; that's according to experts and American Pediatrics Assoc. Get involved in some moms groups, let her play with kitchen bowls, spoons, etc. and try the book "The Unplugged Play Book." Really, I don't want to sound condescending, but you are doing a disservice to your child by having that TV on for two hours a day. Best of luck, L.!

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I agree that your child does not need to be entertained every minute of the day. It is good for them to have quiet time and learn to amuse themselves. I agree with connecting with a mom's group. Check them out on meetup.com and join a couple of groups if one doesn't have enough activities. It will be great to meet other moms and have your daughter interact with other kids her age. Other ideas are blocks (we have mega blocks) and my son loved playing with tupperware (stacking, knocking them over, etc). We also had "dance" time. We turned on the radio or played a particular CD and just danced, rolled around, waved arms, clapped for 5-25 minutes. If I was folding clean laundry, I would let him explore and pull things out of the basket, I would pick up clothing and explain him what they were. We would run errands, go to the grocery store and walk/talk through aisles of produce.
Take walks around the neighborhood, local park, lake with her in a stroller....good way for you to get some fresh air and exercise.

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There are some very good books explaining why TV is not a healthy choice for young minds:

Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think And What We Can Do About It

http://www.amazon.com/Endangered-Minds-Children-Think-Abo...

Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television

http://www.amazon.com/Arguments-Elimination-Television-Je...

The Plug-In Drug: Television, Computers, and Family Life

http://www.amazon.com/Plug-Drug-Television-Computers-Fami...

It may even be problematic as background noise:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/tv-background-no...

I agree with the those who stated that you should take those 2 hours and allow free-play. Sometimes just rearranging the position of toys and books in a room is enough to make them interesting again. Measuring bowls and spoons from the kitchen are always interesting. A box of tissues or q-tips can be an hour of good fun to a baby. Everything is new and exciting to them, if you let go a little and let them explore something in their own way, in their own time.

Hope this helps.

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18 month old activities, I would recommend Legos, not the tiny one's, but the big legos that they start off with. They are such a good thing for their hand/eye coordination as well as their imagination. If she seems to enjoy TV time, you can spark that up with the V-Smile, my son really enjoyed that when he was younger, and I know they have more games out for that system now. You might have to help her understand in the beginning, but once she gets it, it is TV time plus learning. As my son got older I switched that out for the V-Tech Motorcycle that connects to the TV, he gets a little bit of exercise because he pedals, and it taught him numbers and colors. I live in Apartment so outside play does not happen too often on the weekdays especially when it's cold. I am a working Mom, so by the time we get home at night indoor activities is a big part of our life. Hope this helps.

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Hi L.,
I don't think 2 hours of tv a day is too much - some days it's your only option. As long as you are doing other things and it's not the only thing she's doing I wouldn't worry about it. Nick Jr is good and Noggin and Disney kids are also good channels to watch. Maybe invest in some Disney movies or some of the Educational Kids Videos (Baby Einstein, etc.) to watch as an alternative to TV shows. You can also play music with her and sing and dance. Or let her have quiet time to color or play with blocks or puzzles. Or let her "help" you in the kitchen - she can play with plastic containers and pots and pans while you cook. You could even get some computer programs for toddlers to get her started using a computer. Bird Rock Family Software online has lots of educational computer games that are inexpensive and for all ages.

Hope this help! Good luck!

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I'm sure you will get a lot of responses stating that 2 hours is way to much, but I don't see anything wrong with it as long as your daughter is passing all of her milestones. My 2 1/2 year old watches more then that. I also work with her as far as her alphabet goes (she knows about 65% of the letters, and sings the ABC song perfectly). She can also count to 20 and can read 7 words. I read as many books as she brings to me, unless it just too many in a row. My daughter can also say a bunch of spanish words taught by Dora herself! I think at your daughters age, she should watch mostly Sprout. I also let my daughter watch DVD's that are educational in some form.
Yes, it can be a babysitter for a little while, but the TV is way cheaper then a real babysitter!
Don't worry about it, sounds like you are doing a great job!
Take care!

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Like you, I have mixed feelings about the TV, however I think that if your child has a well-rounded day, she should be fine. As far as indoor activities, when my daughter was 18 months old, we played with blocks a lot, visited the library, played with kitchen toys, did puzzles, and read books, books, and more books! She also loved (still loves) musical instruments - we have a box full - and would play with those for a good long stretch.

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L.,
What a bright little girl you have! She sounds absolutely adorable...and you sound like you've bent over backward to give her every minute of time during your day!

Honestly, I haven't read any of the responses but really do feel that you need to cut down on the amount of time your little one is spending in front of the t.v. Do you have a room that is baby-proofed just for her. Someplace that she can play and you won't worry about what she's getting into while you are in another room would be best. Give her some of her books and toys (I actually bought my twins a set of tents for their first birthday and set them up in their play room) or some other toys and let her "have at it."
I am a mom and a pediatric physical therapist (10 years plus) and cannot tell you how often I am encouraging parents to let their kids do some exploring on their own. This will give her a sense of independence and won't make you feel as though you have to be the "entertainer" 24/7! (=
I hope this helps!
A.

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The main reason they recommend not letting children under two watch tv is because often then they don't get the one-on-one interaction they need for development. There is also some thought that it may lead to risk of ADHD, but that is only in cases where the child is already at risk - family history, etc. My daughter is 4 now and I have never restricted the amount of TV she watched. She got a huge amount of interaction from adults everyday, lots of play groups, play dates, story time, etc, so I was not concerned. She has exceeded all milestones. As long as your daughter is meeting her milestones, and you have plenty of other activities - which it sounds like you do - she will be fine. My daughter likes to have the tv on for noise while she is playing. We often put on musicals, or disney cartoons with lots of songs, then she sings and dances with them. You are doing a wonderful amount with your daughter, don't worry about the tv.

L.,

Argh, I remember that stage of my daugther's life and having the same issues exactly. I can only sing the ABC song so many times a day! Have you been able to connect with anyone at MOMS Club? Can you arrange some sort of play date with someone? Even though my daughter didn't really play with kids at that age (more like independent play), it was still nice to sit with our kids, play in the sand, and have another adult to talk to. You may also want to check into your local community and see if they have any mommy and me or parent and me classes. Although they were only weekly classes here in Fullerton, they were very cheap and I met some wonderful friends there. Finally check to see if your local library has a story hour. There is one here in Fullerton, if you are near to this area. Again, a great way to meet up with other parents as well as an inexpensive way to spend the afternoon.

After a few more months, it got easier for me because communication skills improved for my daughter and she was able to imagine and pretend play, which really opened the door for more things to do.

Good luck with your beautiful baby girl!

L.

Sometimes a child needs a break from having stimulation EVERY minute that they're up...so playing on her own and letting her imagination wonder is a good thing too.

Plus you need a break as well...so don't feel bad about the cartoons. I am going through the same thing with my son, whose the same age and it lets me get dinner done or cleaning of the house.

His grandmother also made him a board that has keys, locks, stitches, handles, a telephone keypad to keep him busy when he's on his own.

Hey L.,
How about a mommy/baby exercise program such as Mom and Toddler Fitness (by Parents Magazine)? This allows both of you to get some exercise while offering entertainment for you DD. Some other great activities are play-dough, finger painting, building with blocks, puzzles, a child's plastic bowling set, rolling balls back and forth, drawing with crayons, etc. There are a number of great books that help encourage intellectual development such as Baby Brain Games that help to stimulate your child and providing ideas for your to implement at home.

wow, that is a lot of time for a little one. I have a 17 month old and a 4 year old- the older one does get 2 hours of TV time but the baby doesn't really pay any attention to it. I like to stay busy everyday because just staying at home is no fun and she gets winey (?). We are also in the moms club but like to go to story time at the library and then get books. We go to the park frequently as well but usually spend at least 2 hours there. Do you have playgroups? I totally recommend checking out the new children's museum Pretend City in Irvine. We have a membership and go practically every week for at least 3 hours a time (it'd be longer if I didn't have a nap time to worry about!)
I also agree with another poster about letting her have some time to play on her own. You probably won't be able to designate a certain time right now but just keep a look out for times when she might be interested.
I would suggest not having the TV on at all since shes already asking for it! Let her forget about it and introduce a little tv time when she's closer to 2. Good luck!

I just want to say thank you for asking this question = ) I have a 18 month old son and I feel the same exact way. Maybe if you are in the same area as me we could let our kids play, I am in San Dimas. If you want to write here's my email ____@____.com
Good Luck to you and your lil doll = )

play-doh, little people toys from fisher price, making forts, eating snacks :)

sometimes I fell like the only one that ever does this but have you ever played hide and seek with her? just run away from her and make sure you have her attention so she follows. poke around the coner and whe you hear her coming pop and and make a funny boo or laugh or something. I can play with my girls for hours. (we take turns chasing each other around). we hide in closets under blankets, under tables and stuff. places where it is safe. I started with my kids when they could walk. it is soo fun. (and gets them tired for naps) =0)

Here a few things we do:

Go to the library - one of our favorites!
Attend a story time (library or book store)
Play music and have a dance party
Build with Mega Blocks or Duplos
Play Dough
Use instruments to create a band
Enroll in My Gym or Music Class
"Cook" in a play kitchen
Ride on toys
Play Catch (or roll the ball)
Build a fort
Visit an indoor playground
Visit the Discovery Science Center or California Science Center

I noticed that you mentioned that mom's club isn't a consistent thing yet.. so I would suggest some other mommy & me classes or art & gym classes. I recently started my daughter on Chinese mandarin class too (she is also half & half). If the weather is good, we usually stay at the park for longer than an hour.

I have nothing against TV, and my kids do watch TV. I would say, however, 1.5 to 2 hours is probably the maximum a kid this age should do.. Over 2 hours is just a bit much, wouldn't you say? I also agree with some moms here that said that kids do not need to be entertained all the time. I dont think that letting her watch a little TV so you can get a break is bad at all, but watching TV does take away the opportunity of doing some creative play and thinking. For me it's not about whether they are developmentally behind or not, or if they will become ADD. It's about choices, and long period of TV takes away the opportunity of making choices for kids this age.

Good luck.