What do you do with your One Year Old during the day?

[Jaycee]

Hi everyone
Just wondering, those of you with one year olds, what do you do with them during the day to keep them occupied?
Do you think it's too young to be doing the whole playdough etc thing?
It's going to be 43 deg here tomorrow so I don't think we'll be going out anywhere and I'm struggling to think of things to do to keep us both occupied for the day. There's only so many books to read, cars to play and as our place doesn't have a lot of shade we'll only be outside in the blow up pool for a few minutes at a time
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks!!

[childondaway]

Hi Adkins,

Try some of the following:

Water play: put some toys in a bucket of water, sand, soap bubbles (non harmful of cource), shaving cream, etc

If you have paint for children, you can do finger panting, they are never too young for sensory and motor dev't.

Give him some pencils and paper, again never too early for fine motor dev't.
Try getting some disney colour in pictures from website and print them out if you can

Music is always good (Needs to be childrens songs though) Wiggles, Nursery Rhymes etc

Cartoon DVD'S

I work in childcare so I know and understand how hard it can be.

Best of luck!

Regards,

Childondaway

[Macca79]

Use the bath tub or shower for water play.

A local library for the aircon or even a park that has lots of shade.

[maz]

get the blow up pool and bring it inside of a little fun...I often use it so we can paint and stuff in it with out making mess.

we also get blankets and make cubbie sunder the kitchen table to play under

use the time to put a bed sheet up, put a white singlet on and let take some home made profession pics

Play dough...hmm would probably eat it so would stear clear on that still

get some old pics and make a book together were you can get him to draw on one side of the paper and the pic can go on the other

get some paint out and make a personal place mate by painting his hands and letting him stamp them on the paper. You can leave a virse like

Here are my hands so very small
for you to hang upon your wall
for you to watch as years go by
how we grow, my hands and I

You could also 'stamp' birthday cards out for relatives

Have fun and dont melt to much....Ive got 5 kids to entertain tomorrow at 42 degree's

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I would disagree that music has to be children's song: DS had my music for a long time and enjoys it! He also loves Strauss and a few other classical pieces, mostly for ballet.

I spent a lot of time in the park and with playgroups when DS was 1. He still is until next month and we still do that in nice weather.

DS hated the pool.

Colouring in was a favourite. Trains. You can never have enough trains. I've just found a Thomas in my handbag; letting DS play in there is always a mistake. Thomas instead of mascara. Great.

Tickle chases. This is a great way to build up walking confidence. You announce that you're going to chase and tickle. Figure out if it's more fun for your child to chase or to tickle and slowly chase him and tickle when you do decide to catch him.

Maz has a great idea re photo shoots - my DS always loves these! Such a poser. Can keep him occupied for up to an hour.

Messy play - cold cooked pasta and uncooked baked beans. Just to get the feel and the squidge and the mess (cover your house first though!). My DS hates messy play with a vengence (no finger painting, even) but he'll get his fingers in this. If only to eat the cold pasta and beans.

Get a few really fun bath toys, things that move around (we have a wind-up platypus that swims about) or things that slide or waterwheel or the like and play in a cool bath in the heat of the afternoon.

Good luck to you!

[Jaycee]

Thanks so much for your replies everyone, there are some fantastic ideas in here to keep us occupied that i would never of thought of!
Thanks again!

[Karina]

We do water play. I put some water into a baby bath and put in plastic cups, rubber ducks, other non-breakable things that float... and she just splashes around with it.

Drawing with crayons and pencils.

Trains. She is obsessed with trains, and we have those wooden train tracks and trains. She could play with it for ages. Also Duplo. She got it for her 1st birthday and has always loves playing with it.

Cubby house under her table. She likes hiding in it.

Peekaboo. She still loves peekaboo and thinks its the funniest thing ever.

Music. She loves music, particularly rock music and she loves dancing to it.