Activity Suggestions for 2 & 1/2 Year Old

HI L.,

I have a 3 year old son. He loves playing with playdough or this stuff called Moon Sand. Both are pretty inexpensive. I let him loose with a big cookie sheet (Keeps mess contained)and a bunch of cookie cutters and plastic utensils. This can usually keep him occupied for awhile. The playdough tends to get all over, but the moon sand sticks together when it is compressed and then easily comes apart. It is kind of neat actually!
Hope this idea helps.

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Well Here goes again...LOL Good Morning L., I had a whole post typed up with ideas and things we do here with our gr son's. Went to get another site and wouldn't ya know it opened on my Mama-source reply page. Grrrrrrrrrrr
Anyway I picked up a magnetic puzzle of the US and we have fun with that. Also they received a talking book with a special pen for Christmas. The pen i think is like 12.00 and the books are around 10.00. Corbin (4 in mar) will sit with Zane (17 mo) and read those books to him. Loves the dinosaurs, jungle animals, pirates, etc..

Both boys will listen to children stories on CD's and children's songs. I found some really good ones at Wal-Mart.

I also found a dry erase board that is made like a flip top notebook. One page is Letters, Numbers, objects and a doodle page. Even though your little guy has basically mastered abc's numbers colors etc. it is always good to reinforce these thing in different modes.

If he likes the computer(with your help of course) you can go to the site below.
www.noggin.com

This site is for teachers & parents, you can print off activities for your little ones age. There are games and other things listed.
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/?WT.mc_id=GS_2009-02-23_...

God Bless and hope you find some great things to entertain your little guy while learning at the same time.

K. Nana of 5

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http://www.essortment.com/family/indooractivitie_sumz.htm

if that dont help you can always google online activities for toddlers. You can give him a papertowel and tell him to wipe the tables and if you have stairs in your house, have him wipe the banister. My son loves to help me clean. He helps me empty the dishwasher. You can always give him a coloring book, some playdoh, while your working.

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Get several large sized tubs that have tight fitting lids.
Get a large tablecloth(the felt backed plastic kind works as well as a cloth one )
Get an assortment of measuring spoons and funnles and maybe even a seive if you can find one with big enough holes)
Fill one large tub with dry rolled oats
Fill one large tub with dry rice ( you can add food color to this to dye it although it takes a while to dry and can transfer color to sweaty hands so plain white works too)
Fill one large tub with dry beans

Now you have 3 different sensory buckets....have him play with them on top of the table cloth for quick and easy clean up. Kids love it, its like an indoor sandbox. And with just your child playing in it, you won't have to even toss them out that frequently.

Set him up to the table with a 13x9 cookie sheet, squirt some shave cream on the cookie sheet ( or for edible fun you can use either cool whip or pudding) and let him spread it on the cookie sheet and sculpt...

Make a craft box and put several easy to assemble ready to go craft projects in individual zip lock bags...make sure there are lots of fun things to decorate with like glue stix, stickers...etc....make it accesible so he can help himself

Make a cozy reading corner with a few pillows and some stuffed animals and his favorite books.

Kids Love big boxes if you can score an oversized box you have a best loved toy for a long time.

Give him brown paper bags, cut a spot for his arms, and one for his head...decorate...you now have a robot costume, a cowboy vest the only limit is your and his imagination.

And not original but have a special movie on hand that he loves that he gets to watch when you need to grab a few minutes = )

Good Luck!!!
B.

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Here are some things we've done:

Get out blankets or sheets and build a fort (if you have an extra table or card table that's a great base!) Toss in a flashlight for extra fun.

Fill the kitchen sink with bubbles, arm your kiddo with measuring cups, spoons, strainers, etc.

Pour dry beans in a big bowl with spoons and measuring cups. It's like a mini-sandbox.

Get him to help you with some of your tasks. My little boy loves to help me carry dirty laundry and toss it into the washer! (even if it's just a t-shirt)

He loves to use the swiffer... he might just be moving the dirt around, but some of it sticks!

Make paper airplanes.

Put photos in a little photo book (they don't have to be cropped or decorated) and let him look at them. He'll probably be excited to see all the people who love him and the places he knows and will tell you all about what he's seeing!

Use toys in odd new surroundings. Play with the bath toys in the livingroom. Take the toy dinosaurs into the bath. It makes them new again.

Clean out some space in the garage (or back the car out) and let him ride his trike in the open space.

Rotate toys - one night, after he's asleep - sort thru his toys and remove 1/2 of them! After a few weeks, swap the toys! He'll act like they're all brand-new again!! (really)

Free outing... the indoor playroom at Cedar Ridge Christian Church in Lenexa. There's a coffee shop attached, so you could buy a drink. But it's free. Free entry, free Wi-Fi. Very cool. Often busy, and kinda loud - but free and lots of fun for your little one. Great way to beat cabin fever!

Hope those ideas help you!

T.

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Hi L.,
I have these books called Toddler's Busy books and they are FULL of things to do with items that you would already have in your house. You can get them at any bookstore. I think it was about $5 - best five dollars you will spend! Good luck!

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L.,
I'm a Discovery Toys rep. Our toys have a lifetime guarantee and grow with the child. Just because they can play with for example the Measure Up Cups now by stacking them inside and out, later on you can use them to teach math, time, size association, colors, patterns...this is just an example of one toy. Check my website out at www.discoverytoyslink.com/boyoachum
March 1st is the new catalog launch. Lots of new toys and books to choose from!

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My son (also 2 1/2) likes to look at books on his own, especially ones he has chosen for himself at the library. Also, he likes to get on playhousedisney.com. They have kid computer games that he can pretty much do himself, and it keeps him busy for awhile. Stay close by though, sometimes he manages to do some pretty funky things to my computer.

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Cheap shaving cream and either in a high chair where he can smear it everywhere on the tray, or at the kitchen table with a cookie sheet. This is a nice activity right before bath time. Just make sure to stay away from harsh scents and menthol that could be irratating.

magnets and a cookie sheet, let him play and re-arrange.

Shoe strings and bing holed buttons - teach him to lace them together

pringles can with lid, coffe can with lid, or even a shoebox with lid. Slit a hole or different shaped holes in the lid and have him find things that will fit into the hole.

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Hi L.,

You didn't say which area of Missouri you are from, but I have friend who's daughter in law is involved with Parents as Teachers. They come out to her house and evaluate the children to see "where" they are compared to others in their age group and they offer up activity ideas. They also sponsor "free" play groups for your children to attend so they can socialize with other children. I don't know all that it entails to use their service but she really loves it. http://www.parentsasteachers.org/site/pp.asp?c=ekIRLcMZJx...

Try copying the link above to their website for more information.

Also you did mention you have a computer -we recently picked up a computer keyboard for our granddaughter made by Fisher Price it's called Computer Cool School. It hooks up to your computer and locks your keyboard so the child can only use theirs - it has all kinds of activities with it and she LOVES it.

Maddi also always loved her FisherPrice fun to learn Laughtop. It made her feel like she had a computer of her own and it works with letters, numbers, music and there are a couple of simple games on it. We bought her that one when she was two. He would be able to sit with you while he worked with "his" computer while you are on yours. I think I picked hers up at Kohls for 50.00 and we have more then got our money out of it - she is now 4 and she still uses it.

Good luck!

N.

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My just turned 3 year old loves to cut and scotch tape. She'll tape anything. Go to the dollar tree, pick up tape, construction paper, glue and let him make a mess. I also put her in the high chair and let her paint with washable paints. Tape the paper to the tray.
Music and dancing.
She LOVES puzzles
I just took her to the public library and in Derby they have puzzles. You can read or do homework and let him play for free if there is a library or book store close.
I just bought my kids a leapster Caroline picked it up immediately. She likes to draw on it and you don't have to buy an extra game for that.
Balloons if you can trust him not to bite them (choking hazard)
I used to put my twins in the bathtub dressed with bathtub crayons. They were contained (I'm happy) and they had fun.
Bubbles in the bathtub.
Caroline loves to "wash dishes". She gets wet and the floor gets wet but she's happy for a while.
Cooking. Anytime i get a bowl out of the cabinet she drags over the kitchen chair. Or, decorating cookies. Sit him at the table with a bowl of frosting and a plastic knife.

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Hi L., I don't have much for you in the area of keeping the little guy happy when it's just the 2 of you. But as far as a play date, have you checked with your school district for Parents as Teachers groups? Our school district did parents as teachers and they would put together play groups for kids and didn't charge for them. They actually did a lot. It would also give you a chance to get out and meat some other moms in your area with kids the same age (great for when they get in school also). Good luck!

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It sounds like it's more that he's bored with the things he has to play with rather than you. Play-Doh is a fun and inexpensive thing that kids love. If you can't buy it, you can look up a recipe to make it on the internet. Clay is fun for kids too, but doesn't stay pliable as long. My kids like to play in the sink, standing on a step stool pouring water from one container to another. You might also try to give him specific things to build with his blocks (i.e. Can you build a road for Mommy?) Get a large cardboard box and cut windows and doors in it for him and have him decorate his 'playhouse'. Instead of coloring in books, give him sheets of scrap paper (we use the back sides of my kids' old school papers) to draw pictures on. He might feel that's more interesting than just coloring in someone else's picture in a book. He's also old enough to start helping you with some simpler chores. Sorting laundry (my son LOVES to help me put the clothes in the washer), putting away silverware, etc. Give him lots of praise for being such a good help to mommy. It will keep him occupied and feeling like a big boy and you can get some of your housework finished.

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Try your local library when you have transportation. Ours (Wichita) has seasonal activity tubs you can check out with all sorts of great things. The same is true at the Parents as Teachers Resource center. (Both are free.) I would definatly talk to your Parents as Teachers coordinators, sometimes they will even come to your house. Goos luck keeping him busy.

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I hear you! I feel awful on the days when my son (almost 3) is bored out of his head! I tell my husband about it and some days when I'm telling hin it almost makes me cry! I think it just happens sometimes b/c even though you are home with him you Do have other things you need to do, and so I try not to guilt myself out too much for not spending every second of my day entertaining him! :o) We do go places when he gets way too bored, like we go to the mall and walk around, he loves that, I pack a lunch and don't spend any money. I know you said you can't go anywhere, but if you have the opportunity, thats a great place to go for free in any type of weather. At home I look on th einternet at preschool lessons, etc. and try to do them with him, I have a book called Little Visits for Toddlers, its a religious type book but it gives a daily activity to with your little one that is fast and easy. Sometimes its just a song, sometimes its a easy to create project, etc. My son loves playdough and I let him play it the table (only) while i'm nearby, he works puzzles, I do let him watch a movie if its one of those days where I just can't get to him for awhile and he's already going crazy. We've bundled up and gone for walks outside, the cold seems to bother me more than him! I let him clear out my pots and pans in the kitchen and play away an hour or two with them, same with my plastic tupperware. I also go to Once Upon a Child once in awhile and buy books and games for very cheap and I hide them in my closet and I bring out one every so often and its a new thing for him and it keeps him entertained for awhile. If you don't mind the mess there is lots of stuff he can do. We have a water table I filled with flour and put in the kitchen for him, it was like sand for the indoors. He likes to stand on a stool and play at the bathroom sink with small trucks and toys (a little water in the sink). We dance to music on the radio. I've even play chase with him in our house before. Anyway, I hope all of that helps somehow. I do know what you are going through though. Good Luck!

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If you lack transportation, you'll looking for somethng to keep him occupied while you do you homework besides the tv, right? I am in a similar situation ever since I decided to take online math in 8 weeks. Yuck, I've never spent somuch time infront of a computer. You can put some of the toys in a tub and put them up then when he gets bored with the toys that are out, switch them out. Music intruments always keep them busy but that will depend on what you're studing. Children love to mimic and would probably love a little computer like yours. You don't have to buy anything, you could make one with a box and get a fake or unused mouse if you use a desk top. If you use a lap top, I have heard you can by the shells, for repairs, off ebay for cheap and use let it be a toy. I use a canculator alot so I let my litle one play with one and she sets with me. Hope this helps

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I can relate. My little guy, who is also 2½, is at home with me all the time. I'm a FT student studying at home and don't have a lot of time to sit and play with him. I let my little guy play on my computer. He's gotten really good at it. I've bookmarked all his favorite sites
playhousedisney.com
noggin.com
sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/
nickjr.com
sproutonline.com/sprout/games
pbskids.org
All of these sites have games that are ok for his age. You might want to let him try them out and see how he does.

Good luck!

Get him into a moms-day-out program at a nearby church. It will give you 4 hr to get things done and he will learn so much by playing and interacting w/ the other kids. It will really be beneficial for you both.

I really just wanted to respond to say that I wish you would reconsider your options and try to pay more attention to your son as well as find ways to get him out to play with other kids. There is always a way, especially now that it is going to be warmer. Kids his age, particularly boys, need an outlet and need to socialize or they have trouble with it later on. I know it is hard, but often we have to put our own interests (school, housework) on hold to spend time with our children.

I used to take my little one to McDonalds with a playplace. You can eat or just get cokes and let him run wild.

Go to the library and check out a book called "Games to Play with Two Year Olds" - it's a great book to help you with those rainy, indoor days. It also has great ideas for when you go outside, too.

I actually bought my own copy because I liked this book that much! Good luck!