Entertaining a very active toddler??

[lestyrox]

I'm just after some ideas from other mums who have VERY active toddlers..
I'm a stay at home mum and i'm finding that i just don't have enough energy to keep up with my 2yo during the day. I try to find ways to entertain him, we read books, play chasies, have snuggle time, play with his toys, fill his wading pool up with water and play with containers (inside because its way too hot to go outside atm) sometimes we do some drawing or craft but i'm still finding that he's getting bored He's a very energetic little guy and is constantly on the go but now that DS2 has arrived i just can't keep up with him. If i sit down to have some 'me' time (ha, whats that?!) for a few minutes he winges and tugs on my arm to go and play with him and when i say 'no mummy is just sitting for a minute' he has a tanty and i feel bad for wanting a break when its caused such a drama.
What do other stay at home mums do all day? I feel bad, like i'm not keeping DS1 entertained/stimulated enough but i just don't have the energy

[sneakysparkle]

Im struggling with this atm too! There is a great thread somewhere with some great ideas on how to entertain toddlers, will try to find it for you...
Do you go to a playgroup? DD#1 LOVES going to playgroup!

[mum3girls]

Have you read this thread? It's got great ideas for keeping toddlers entertained.

Don't feel bad about having time-out, everyone needs it - and as adults, we just don't seem to have the same amount of energy as 2 year-olds!!

Just a few things I do when my older girls are at school and it's just me and my 2YO -
- Set up a table with playdough and cutters.
- Recently I've cut out a heap of Christmas pictures from leftover wrapping paper and she's had great fun making collages
- I've filled a photo album with copies of photos of family, friends and places we've been that she loves flipping through.
- Just going crazy outside I pull out a few outside toys (skipping rope, hula hoops, balls) and just let her run amok while I set myself up in the hammock or in a comfy chair and read a book.

Something else I've tried is setting a timer for say 5 mins when DD's being demanding, but I've got other stuff I need to get done. It took a little practice, but she knows that if I say I just need 5 mins to finish what I'm doing, then I'll sit down and play with her for 15 mins (also set the timer for that). Some days when I've got lots of housework to do I'll do this most of the day - 15 mins work, 15 mins play.

HTH

[fionas]

When I just want a few minutes sometimes to finish a cup of tea, do some online banking or just collect my thoughts, I often say "where's such and such?" to DD when I know it's in the bedroom furthest away from the living room and off she'll toddle around the house looking for it. Gives me just enough time to regroup and refocus and work out what to do next ... and she comes back looking very proud of herself!

[lestyrox]

Thanks for the ideas guys

I often say "where's such and such?" to DD when I know it's in the bedroom furthest away from the living room and off she'll toddle around the house looking for it.

Fionas- sometimes this keeps Ds busy but most of the time he throws a tanty because he can't find whatever it is he wants and he wants ME to get it so it kinda backfires lol. Thanks anyway though

mum3girls- Thanks for the Fun with Toddlers link, there are some great ideas there..problem is i try different activities but they only keep DS entertained for a few minutes and then he's winging again coz he's bored i know there's no magic activity that will keep him busy for hours but it would be nice to find something to keep him entertained for long enough for me to relax..sigh..
I love the timer idea BTW i might give that a try..not sure if DS will quite understand the idea but i'll give it a go. Thanks!

sneakysparkle- Yes we're part of a playgroup that meets once a week and DS loves it.. we haven't been since DS2 came along though because i'm a bit nervous about juggling 2 kids while out but i guess i have to venture back into the big bad world sooner or later lol

[mum3girls]

Lestyrox - The trick with the timer is to start with a short amount of time (say 1 or 2 mins) and be consistent. When your son sees that as soon as that timer goes off, he's got your undivided attention - he'll know that he can rely on that. I found that with my daughter when she realised that she could rely on that, she didn't worry too much about having to wait a little. (This can take some practice, but definitely worth it)

Also, you may find once your younger son becomes a bit more 'interesting' to your older son IYKWIM (from about 6 months or older), they'll probably play with each other lots and you'll have to fight to get their attention My older girls are 10 1/2 months apart, and they were the best of friends - absolutely inseperable and always getting into mischief and having fun together (ah, those were the days - they're almost teenagers now )

[KatieRabbit]

I don't want to sound like a pain and my DD is only gone one but reading the posts I sort of thought that perhaps you don't need to be entertaining/stimulating your DS all of the time. At his age he will get bored with some activities after a few minutes and then look for the next. No wonder you get exhausted! It is only a gentle suggestion but maybe you could let him select/initiate some activity so that he stays at it a little longer and then if he gets bored let him figure out what to do next so that he starts to learn how to occupy himslef rather than relying on you for every activity? Also if he has some open ended toys/equipment he could do a few things with them?? Just some ideas....

[lestyrox]

Hi KatieRabbit, thanks for the advice. I let DS entertain himself and initiate the activities most of the time, sometimes he's happy to play with his trucks or blocks but the problem is he has gotten to the age now where he gets bored just playing by himself and likes me being involved in the activities like playing with water, art craft etc all of which need my attention IYKWIM. Thanks for your imput though, i know its important to let DS have independent play but at this age he needs more creative/hands on play. When DS was the same age as your DD he was fairly happy to entertain himself most of the day....enjoy it while you can!

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Um, this may be not what you want to hear but let him tantrum. If you say no and he tantrums he HAS to learn that no means no. I just look at DS and say "Mammy said no, she needs a sit-down now. Liebling will go bring me a book that we can both read when he is ready."

If he's really screaming I pick him up for a cuddle, but I won't get up and run round in circles (his favourite method of dancing) until I have sat down for a FULL five minutes. Yes, some of those five minutes are spent reading a book to DS, but that's OK in my eyes.

At the playgroup I used to help run, if a Mum turned up with a toddler and a baby then I'd happily involve the toddler a game and let the Mum sit down! If he knows other mums and leaders then your toddler should be OK with this.

Brio train sets don't get enough press! DS will set his up a bit (I need to make it into a circuit still) and spend hours playing. Sometimes I need to play too, other times I'm not allowed. It's great!

Good luck!

eta - We have a "only one big toy at a time" rule. So if DS wants Duplo he has to help me put away the Brio. That takes time too! And he enjoys the new toy more because he has more space in which to enjoy it.