I have a 19 month old son who gets bored very quickly; does anyone have advice on how to keep him engaged? We have a play yard w/a sand box and sliding board, but he does not have any interest in them at this time. Thanks, W.
Ball activities - we had a basket ball hoop (a small one made by Little Tykes, I think) that they enjoyed playing with
Drawing with sidewalk chalk
Blowing/chasing bubbles
Building blocks - my kids really like mega blocks and bristle blocks
How about a toy to push around the yard - like a bubble mower?
Kitchen set - we've had one for 2 years and my kids still find it entertaining
Musical instruments
Playdoh
W.,
I enrolled my son in Gymboree play and music classes and they have open gym 3x a week. You can go online and check if there is one in your area! They are clean and the moms and staff are very friendly!
Good luck
Chris
Hi W.,
My son could always amuse himself for HOURS if there was water involved. Not a pool, but buckets, puts, cups, strainer, etc. Set him up in the yard or patio/deck and let him go to it.
Also, does he like to finger paint? I had an old plastic table that I would tape paper to the top and let him paint with brushes or finger paint--outside! He really liked that. Play Doh is good outside too.
I love the Toddlers Busy Book!! I picked it up from the library and found so many awesome activities...that I am ordering the book through Amazon!! Good Luck!
Hi W.. My daughter seems to be the same way and really enjoys puzzles. She does not put them together properly, but has endless fun moving the pieces around. She enjoys playgrounds too, however she is very tactile and likes doing more with her hands. She loves everything outdoors: finger painting, sidewalk chalk, watering plants, blowing bubbles, and running. Around 18mos she really enjoyed taking walks and exploring our neighborhood while her sister was in school. Good luck.
I second the water activites response. My LO can spend a lot of time "painting" everything outside with a cup of water and a clean paintbrush from the garage! And if he dumps it, it doesn't matter outside, we just get more.
I also have the Toddler Busy Book and it does have a variety of fun ideas (indoor/outdoor/simple-more complicated/rainy days/arts and crafts and more). My daughter is a little younger but I try to rotate her toys and the activities we do to prevent both of us from getting bored. She is also a fan of chalk, bubbles, and the pool. We live near the city so we try out different parks and playgrounds that aren't too far. I have a few magnetic toys on the refrigerator that keep her entertained when I am cooking/cleaning up (leap frog makes some great ones). We try arts and crafts (crayons, markers, foam stickers in animal shapes) but she doesn't get into that as much yet. Board books with pictures, lift the flap books, bouncy balls, baby dolls, and small animal toys are also favorites. She also enjoys the Baby Einstein videos (they are all about 20-30 minutes) and teach things like colors, body parts, words, and sign language. I hope this helps a little! :)
