How do you entertain your crawler in winter?

[Kristin27]

I'm after some great new ideas on how to entertain my crawling 14 month old DD, it has been horrible and cold here lately, too cold and rainy for the backyard or park, so I'm after some ideas on how I can break up her day?

[Lolli]

Hi hun,
I'd higly recommend setting up a baby obstacle course using the cushions from the lounge, pillows, etc. Set them up on the floor, pop some toys around and let them crawl. Ds used to love it.

[satya]

Have a drawer or cupboard full of safe things for them to play with - plastic containers, teatowels, plastic kitchen items.

Have a walking toy handy (we have a walking wagon) so bub can cruise around the house with that.

My son spends ages getting his toys in and out of a thing that's kind of like a small laundry hamper . It's from Homemart & it's a wooden structure with cloth sides. It's just his height & he crawls over to it and leans against & to get things out & chucks them everywhere. It cost $5 & is also great storage.

Playing with mega blocks.

Put some music on or one of the toys that has music & dance around the room with bub in your arms or put bub on the ground and dance nearby. My son sits on his bum and goes around in circles on the wood floor to the sound of his Leap Frog maraccas. I just have to put it on & dance in circles & off he goes.

[melsa31]

My DS loves taking things out of containers. I put smaller things inside bowls and boxes and he sits and pulls them out and chucks them away. Then he plays with all the treasures he's found!
The obstacle course is also a good idea and I also have lots of books out. My DS spends ages trying to turn the pages and feeling the pictures (especially if they're textured).

[jamakin]

My DS is very active so its been very hard to keep him happy when its so cold out.
i have been taking him to the library a lot, my local one has a great kids section it has a big open space, we read some books and i can just let ds crawl around.
The toy library is also good, i try to go there once a week to get a few differant toys.
If the sun is out i rug him up really well ( like a couple of layers and a polarflecce coverall) and take him to the park and let him go wild, he loves it and always has a great sleep after.
At home i have one of those tunnel things which is always fun, pots and pans and plastic containers are good too.
Luckily it looks like the weather is getting better.
HTH