Fun ideas for 12+

Hi!

I'm sorry if this is been discussed before...When I dropped Louis off at childcare yesterday they were doing fingerpainting! and apparently had done body painting a few days before just in their nappies! I didn't realise you could do all those things already! I assume all the paint is non toxic....

So...just wondering if any of you have fun simple ideas like that to do at home for 12m+?

Louis is only in care for a couple of hours each week while I'm at work but in a few weeks I will be finished with work indefinitely!!! So some ideas over summer and just in general would be great. I've been reading the weekly activities thread also which has great ideas but I'm thinking of more a crafty, home scale...

Thanks!!

Matilda LOVES painting & getting really messy... so I use food colouring and water with a dash of corn flour in it and we go on the verandah lined with newspaper & paint away. I use her nappy & I have a bucket there for the initial wash off before we go inside. She's been doing this since she was a year now. We also did playdough just over 12 months. I know for some people its worse because it crumbles & gets into everything, but its another outside activity where we sit at the table & pound away.

Drawing with gigantic crayons was a great start... sure it was just moving it around but she soon started loving it.

*sand box
*gardening (We have started a herb pot just for her to play in & snack at)
*picking flowers in the garden
*doing plant art work (taping leaves & grass to paper...)
*music & dance = making shakers with rice & pasta & baby food jars and stickers, then putting on some goofy Wiggles cd & going nuts
*bubbles - I make up a bucket of bubbles & give her a cupful and a wand... she loves it.
*bubble art - just add food colouring ;)

Thats all my ideas atm... we are making up bubbles today for some fun. We used to do heaps more water play in summer but being in the drought we can't. We used to do buckets with drops of food colouring & pouring with tea sets etc etc... but can't do that now.

ETA: Check out this thread about fun activities with babies, toddlers & children; https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ead.php?t=4351

We do a lot of the same things as Christy has mentioned. Ella has a sand and water table and loves playing outside with that. Bubbles definately are a fave. We are just beginning to play with playdough and chalk on the concrete outside....Ella does try to eat but not all of the time. We do lots of reading each day and have a big puzzle collection which we play with. She obviously can't do the puzzles correctly but enjoys me showing them to her and exploring the different shapes. I've got some good touch and feel puzzles and music ones too from Kids Central. We do our Baby Einstein flash cards a few times a week and lots of singing and dancing inside and out. Ella also has a baby trampoline and has fun on that. Ball play is also a good one. Even just fun with messy foods in her high chair outside is a good game and skill development with baked beans, puree's, chickpeas, sultanas, pasta....just a variety of different textures, sizes and tastes.

Thanks guys! That gives me heaps of things to try!

Build an indoor cubby house using bed linen, table etc...My DS loves them!
Also playing dress ups would be fun..

Christy - that's a great list - thanks! I'm going to make some playdough!!

Kristie - we got Emma a sandpit for her birthday & she LOVES it! She always goes over to it & tries to take the lid off. :)

Louis got one for his b'day as well but it doesn't have sand in it yet!! hehe. We're doing paving this weekend so dh is getting some sand finally! Hopefully he'll love it!

LOL - I'm sure he'll love it!! :)

awww these things sound like SO much fun. I cant wait for Junior :D

Rae; Where do you get sand and water tables from? I have never heard of them! I was thinking of getting a sand pit for DS, but i like the sound of the table? Thanks x