What do you do with your toddler during the day?

[BellyBelly]

For those that are stay at home mums, let's create a list of fun things to do during the day with your toddler. I love getting new ideas from others, Kelli always gives me lots of cool ideas don't ya Kel

I'll start:

1) Painting - with non toxic paints of course!

[Rouge]

2) I try to let her have as much interaction with other kids her age (which means alot of socialising with mums too which is good) And if we are visiting it means new toys, and new people.

NEXT!

*hugs*
Cailin

[Lilly-Pilly]

I'm not a stay at home mum, although i'd love to be. I work 4 days a week as a nanny, two of which Ashlea comes with me.

Our favourite things to do are:
*Cooking - cadboury have the best simple cake and muffin mixes and Ashlea LOVES it
*painting - anything from water and brushes on concrete to the whole poster paint mess (run a bubble bath BEFORE you start to throw them into at the end) I have some great paint and glue recipes too
*making cubby houses for all her dolls and teddies. We get little blankets and bottles and make beds for the 'babies' - throw a big sheet over the couches or table or something
*as crazy as it sounds, housework! Ashlea loves 'helping' with her broom, or putting clothes in the machine and esspecially unpacking the dishwasher. I give her a tea towel and pass her the things that go into the lower cupboard and she dries them and puts them away
*her latest activity is planting flower seeds in egg cartons. I got little spoons and she put the dirt in, then 'helped' put the seeds in. Now each day she loves getting out her watering can and watering her seeds
*dancing. turn the stereo up and we dance together. She loves "Obbie" at the moment (robbie Williams) and says "more Obbie please" Her teddies dance with us too
*on lazy days we shut the curtains, turn out the light, grab a doona and put a video on. Spirit the horse is her fav and you can't forget some yummy treats to eat
I think i've rambled on long enough now!

[Kelli D]

Well, Cairenn loves to do the housework as well. Puts washing in the dirty washing basket, puts toys away, likes to clean cupboards etc etc. Here's hoping she is so helpful in February! :?

We also like to paint (well, paint - eat - paint - eat) so it is always a bath event. She loves to watch Wiggles, Hooley Dooleys and Play School - can recite bits now!!

Today I am going to let her help me with some biscuits - got some cookie cutters that I reckon she will LOVE!

She also likes to stack things - latest objects are spices from my huge indian spice collection. She can stack them 5 hight (pretty clever I reckon) and even rearranges them if she tries to put a big container on top of a smaller one. Also uses dog food tins.

I can't remember what else at the moment - brain fried. :shock:

Bye for now

[EmilysMum]

Emily just loves to do anything I do so she does housework while I do, she has her pots and pans and cooks when I do etc.

She also loves drawing, paints, playdoh and outdoor activities.

[BellyBelly]

Anyone else?

[mouse_9_2001]

i used to put on some music and me and joshua would have a few dance together

[Rouge]

Paris loves the computer too! She also loves to help me with my housework, I let her unstack the plastics & cutlery (minus sharp knives ) and restack those things too! She also loves to dust, pretend to vaccum with her vaccum and help make the bed (even if I do have to redo it after her LOL). We love going for long walks to the park, craft, water play (I fill up the sink and let her play with some plastic cups and stuff).

I will think of some more as they come to me!

*hugs*
Cailin

[Astrolady]

Kam is a computer freak too (mabye a BellyBelly Moderator in 20years lmao)

We have a pile of educational games etc coming for him for christmas from Santa.

Love :smt049

[barbie-up]

gotta get into the cooking more with Caitlin ...

Does anyone here have or know someone who has one of those fisher price or leap frog reading thingies, with the changeable books ? I'm tossing up over to get one for Christmas - half of me thinks, well its only pointing at words and i can sit down with her and do that and the other half of me thinks it would be fun for her to learn things on her own.

watta ya recon ?

barb.

[beck.o]

our favourite thing to do at the moment is grab a stick each and go into the back yard and look for bugs and beetles. we usually dont find anything but spiders and neither of us wants to collect them, so we just end up looking at the dirt and find old pegs that the mower ate or bits of brick. we can look at dirt for almost an hour sometimes.

beck

[nic]

Barb - We got a Leap pad for our DD last year. She was 4 when she got it. i think they have a pre-school version and a school kids version. The pre-school leap pad books have the spiral running along the top and the older version has the spiral done the side and they are bigger books.

We got the pre-school version and I think it will be fine for DD for another 2 years. They can learn to read but also just play games with it. Sometimes Target have a sale on the books and you can buy 1 and get the 2nd for half price. Well worth it I think.

Ok games we play...

* Sometimes DD does the washing and I let her vaccum the house.
We bought her a swiffer to sweep her bedroom floor which she absolutely loves to do.
* We do some cooking
*Go to the park. Mummy really loves the swing!!!
* We planted bulbs a few months ago, so we go and check out the garden every day.
*LOUD music and dancing.
*Sometimes we go to the shops and sit at the cafe and pig out.
*Games on the computer.
*I know this is a not the best, but she loves EyeToy and knows how to work it out all herself.
*Sometimes we just sit and look at our fish tank (saltwater with corals) and talk about the crabs and other freaky things we can see.

Ok that's enough from me.

Nic

[nic]

Oooh just remembered another one. Kind of a girly thing, but of a morning after we have our baths/showers etc.. DD and I do our faces!

While I'm doing my thing, DD gets sorbolene cream and plasters her face with it, rubs some in then wipes the rest off. She absolutely loves it and I have to smell her face and touch it to check out how soft it is.

Nic

[beck.o]

ds is the same. when dh is shaving in the morning, ds lathers up sometimes too. i have to check the shaving creme and then i have to feel how smooth his little face is after 'shaving'.

beck

[{sarah}]

* go to the park
* have coffees at a cafe (babycinos for Zander & hot choc for me!)
* go to the play centre
* shopping which can sometimes include the cafe and/or a ride
* play in the back yard (usually while I'm doing the washing)
* gardening
* read books
* cooking, me cooking & Zander tasting LOL

[Fi]

We have a couple of great outdoor playparks in Geelong that haev the best equipment. I try to get jenna playing outdoors with other kids at least 2-3 times a week.
We go shopping, and try to have a cup of tea and a fruit scone.
Visiting
Washing
Reading books
PLay in the back yard.
SLEEPING!!!
EATING!!!

[Ambah]

- drawing with crayons
- play dough
- sandpit
- riding his bike up and down the driveway (its very steep!) with me supervising of course LOL
- reading
- cloud watching
- car watching ( we usually do this when waiting at the bustop... prevents an almost certain tantrum otherwise!)
- playing cars ie. making ramps for them, or sending them down the driveway, or helping him bury them in the dirt
- we go to the gym together, and he plays in the creche with the other kids and multitudes of toys... he loves it!
- dress ups

[Melinda]

~ Drawing with crayons, pencils or those fabbo washable markers by Crayola (love those! LOL) or on the blackboard.
~ Playdough
~ Playing in the backyard (sandpit, water play, swing, throwing/kicking balls, wizzing cars/trucks all over the place, watering plants with the hose, playing with his outdoor kitchen/laundry stuff [he's got an old toy kitchen set and washing machine I scored at a garage sale!], sweeping up leaves, checking out different plants/flowers, patting the cat etc)
~ Playing at the park (there's one around the corner - bonus!)
~ Reading
~ Stickers
~ Playing/stacking blocks etc
~ Playing with toy cars and trucks
~ Playing with his toy baby (dressing, feeding, changing etc!)
~ Ball pit
~ Get out the 'music box' with his little toy drum, maracas etc
~ Watch some favourite shows on TV/Video (Bob The Builder)
~ Visiting where possible so there is interaction with other kiddies
~ Playgroup once a week
~ Sometimes we stop somewhere for a special 'treat' if we're doing shopping etc