Bored Toddler

Hi there mom.I have a 3 year old and I went out and got him these games that he loves Lucky Ducks,Whac-A-Mole,Crocodile Dentist and Dora Candy Land and he loves them!They teach him somethings and their easy for them to play.

What about puzzles??? My daughter (now 4 1/2) loved puzzles at that age, she still does! Board games like Candy Land and chutes and ladders and memory. There are also some good kids web sites that he could get on and play a few games.... here are a couple that my kiddos like.

http://www.poissonrouge.com/

http://www.thisisdanielcook.com/

http://www.thisisemilyyeung.com/

http://www.thomasandfriends.com/usa/thomas_the_tank_engin...

and there are tons more if you do a search!

HTH

S.

My 25 month old is currently in her high chair painting. I got Crayola brand paints, so they're washable... a few interesting sized paintbrushes, and I have her paint, when that paper's pretty much covered, I take it away to dry and put a little more paint in her tray (she has a paint tray with dents in it for different colors, bought for about a buck at a art supply store) and give her a new paper... someone recently gave me this GREAT idea: get a roll of streamers... and tie one end to a doorknob anywhere in the house, and let her go around the house with the streamer unrolling, going from room to room, covering things and going around things, going under and over the streamer as she goes thru the house, loads of fun, believe it or not! And how much is streamers, a buck or two? It spends time, they enjoy it, and it's easy and even fun to clean up afterwards, going from room to room crumpling it up! Great idea. My daughter loves it. I also take her to a nearby mall (in Milford Connecticut) where there's an indoor playground for kids, she can play with other kids there in a safe environment where it's NOT cold! McDonald's often have play areas, it's a great place to meet and play with other kids, we do that a lot. Well, good luck!

Hi Crystal!
I totally hear what you mean ;) My 3 year old is currently obsessed with playing games on the comp (nick. jr.com) but it doesn't sit entirely well with me when he seems to perfer that over actual game-playing lately.

Instead, I allow him up to 2 hours a day (total) on the comp, I'll let him watch a couple of his fav cartoons after breakfast, and then we do something crafty/artsy like painting picture frames (inexpensive and great as gifts to the grandparents and other inlaws!), painting those unfinished cereamic figurines, cutting/pasting foam shapes onto construction paper, or we just practice drawing, 'writing letters' to friends and family.

All these activities don't break the bank, plus they seem to reinforce things I'm teaching him anyway (colors and shapes, developing fine motor skills, who his friends and relatives are, and just the love of being creative without all the techy gadgets). Hope I gave you one new idea to try out - best of luck!

I also have a two-year-old toddler, a daughter named Sami. She loves to read books and will bring a stack and ask me, "Read to me please" many times during the day. If your son doesn't like to sit still for books, try getting some action books where you and he (and eventually your daughter) can act out the stories and rhymes.

Find activities such as wood puzzles to do together. Coloring books and crayons are a fun outlet, as is cookie dough. Mix up some sugar cookie dough and allow your son to knead it with his hands, roll it out, cut out shapes. You don't have to make the cookies after he's played in the dough, but playing in the dough is fun (and edible) and helps strengthen his hands.

Make cards together. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate. Cut out a heart or other shape from cardstock and let him glue little bits of colored tissue paper on the heart and then let him give it to someone special.

Sing silly songs with him and watch as he comes up with hands movements to go with them. Songs like "I'm A Little Teapot" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes" get my kids moving and silly at the same time. They also love action games like "Simon Says," "Mother May I?" "Twister," and any game where they can imitate movements. You can also get a jump rope and lay it flat on the floor and encourage him to jump over the rope. He may need help from you if he's not jumping independently, but he'll enjoy the time with you and the activities.

Hi Crystal,
Here are some ideas cut out pictures from a magazine and do a collage you do that also with foam cut outs. Also you can do sponge painting's. There amazing things you can do with those fuzzy balls you can get at a craft store. The fuzzt balls and foam cut outs you can get at a craft store and are not expensive. The best place to go is either the rag shop or my faveroite AC Moore... I'm a pre-school teacher so these are the things I have done with kids your son's age

Good luck
N.

I love the Brighter Vision book club that my son belongs too. Every month a new book comes with and activity book (with stickers), a cd and a craft type object. Some months it's big buttons with string, or what comes next in this series. Each month is a different theme and a little note about what your child should learn this month. The books are typically hard bound books and everything is very nice. The cost $17.95 including shipping. My son is 2 1/2 and he loves getting a new book every month.

www.brightervision.com

Hi Crystal,
I think this is the hardest time of the year. We are all sick of being cooped up! Here are some ideas for you.
Playdough!!!! My son has loved it since he was 2. Give him one color and some plastic cookie cutters.It is great for his fine motor skils too. Show him how to rool a snake, make a ball. Good for some time.
Also, have you painted with pudding? Put a piece of paper in a cookie sheet and let him go to town. You can do the same thing with regular paints too, but roll different objects on the paint and make "tracks" or prints with them...ie plactic toys, cars, balls...etc. Things you can easily wash off.
Food prints are fun too. cut apples, oranges, potatoes celery in half...let him put in paint and then place on paper. messy, but fun.
Make a cotton ball snowman. Draw three circles on paper to make the outline of a snowman. Glue cotton balls inside the circles. Add a paper had and snowman details when done.
There is a great website for "pre school" type stuff...
www.firstschool.com and www.dltk.com
both sites have things you can create as well as print off. My son is in preschool and I do things from those sites to extend his preschool activities at home.
Hope this helps. Hang in there.

hi I have a few ideas coffe filters markers pipe cleaners or twist ties let your son color on the filter than spray w/ water the color runs then let dry scrunch use the pipe claener as a stem & you guys made a flower. or if it's not to cold u can put food colaring & water in spray bottle & have snow paint. or walmart sells good kid crafts like foamy stickers& papper.or decorate mug kits. also the markers or paints 4 tshirts are great my kids love that have fun if you need any more ideas let me know. I wish I could find a place to work & bring my kids to do this stuff. Have Fun!! Jayme
P.S i always use news papper as a work space less clean up

Hi Crystal! I'm a mom of a 2 yr old son and a 4 month old daughter as well! I'm kind of having the same problem. We do watch TV or a movie but I try to limit that as much as possible. Some of our favorite activities are wooden puzzles, playing w/ weebles, cars, and magnetix. He loves books -anything with animals and he is learning to count and the alphabet so we do baby einstien giant flashcards. Sometimes he loves it and sometimes he's just not interested. I'd love to see what other moms have to say too -crafts sound fun b/c I love crafting (I'm huge scrapbooker) but not sure what to do with a 2 yr old that wouldn't just be a big mess. lol!

go to familyfun.com they have lots of crafts, seasonal, sorted by age, and fun family recipes. My son has been bouncing off the walls too so I feel for you. Good luck

hi again crystal :) i could make a list a mile long of activities, you can email me if you like, but the short answer is to go to the craft store - ac moore, michaels. check out the childrens section, they will also have books with lots of ideas. you can also check out oriental trading company online, lots of cheap, easy activities, many are pre-set up too...those foam things are great for his age.

I just got the first book that's listed (The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions) from the Library and i LOVE it!! There are some great things in there... who knew you could do so much with cornstarch!! :)

http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-###-###-####-###-###...

You could see if the library is an option. my son loved to go there to color and do the puzzles. it was very laid back and no one cared if he was loud. :)

My daughter is 3 & is all go. She has been getting cabin fever herself lately too. On the warmer days we ent out & went sledding - this hard, frozen snow is perfect & fast! Inside she likes wooden puzzles, her dolls, & Lego. We have a small table for the Duplo size Lego blocks & she makes towers, walls, houses, etc. The also have themed Lego sets that don't break the bank - Thomas the Tank engine, Dora & Diego, etc. Also check with your local library about story time or go to a near by Barnes & Noble, they have a story hour everyday & it usually includes a craft. Our local Recreation Department offers great mommy & tot classes. You could also let him help you around the house. My daughter matches the socks when I'm folding laundry, she helps me make beds, she hands the clean plates out of the dishwasher & I put them in the cabinet, she gets a turn using the vaccum - simple tasks that she loves doing (take advantage of the eagerness while it still lasts!) :)

You can mix flour and water to make like a runny glue, take newspapers and crinckle them in to shapes using masking tape if needed to "make" something, then put the flour glue all over it with your hands or paint brushes depending on your messiness meter, and when they are dry you can paint them. :) Bunnies make nice easy Easter items. :)

I can't remember the author, but try The Toddler's Busy Book, my mom bought it for me as a baby shower gift with my first one and it is wonderful!!! All sorts of recipies, activities, crafts and things to keep them BUSY and creative. Also, AC Moore and JoAnns has the craft foam kits to make things with and everything you need is in them and they are inexpensive, like $5 I think, I got a fishy one for my 3 and 4 year old and they loved it. Another thing my ex husband did for my oldest was he saved all fo the big juice cans (the Juicy Juice ones like you get with WIC) and he spray painted them all sorts of bright colors and they played with them like blocks. My boys love cars too, I got them a rug from Valu that has roads and stuff on it for only $5 and with their Matchbox cars, it keeps them busy for hours...But really that book is amazing, you should definately check it out, I swear by it!

Do you have coloring books and crayons? There's also the wonder color paper from Caryola, and that is fun. Don't forget story, dancing time, and other little games. Make a tent with the kitchen chairs and have a pretend campout. Another activity they may like is scrapebooking. Get a bunch of magiznes (to cut up), ribbon, scrape booking supplies, stickers, etc. and have a daily project where they make a page or artwork using the supplies or cutting out from magazines. May need help with the cutting. I great product to use for smaller childern is a tape runner, from Creative Memories. I use it all the time, because its hassle free, easy to use, and no mess. I hope these ideas help and if you wanna chat just email me.

-S.
____@____.com

Crystal,

check out perpetualpreschool.com. Great stuff from pre-school teacher, sorted by type of activity. You can look at music & movement ideas, or art ideas, etc., and get all kinds of things to do.

Do you have a playgroup? Maybe a tumblebees or bymboree class? I know I'd go nuts if I didn't get out of the house with him, and a class or play date seems to settle my son down. Once we get home, he's missed his toys, and plays independently very well.

try blocks,puzzles or coloring books.