Fun stuff to do if you are home with a 2 year old

I don't always like to go out running around on weekends or other days off. My son still seems to love his board books so I spend a lot of time reading them to him and then I use the books as a springboard to teach him about numbers, colors, the alphabet and new words. We do some puzzles and we play with blocks. He tries to color but he loses interest quickly. He likes to dance and I should just turn on music more often. He only watches a small amount of TV or DVDs and I prefer it that way. What else can we do? I think it is time to break out some Play-Doh but I still feel like I am missing something that should be obvious to be doing with him. I'm especially looking for ideas in case we have snow days in the coming months. I tried to read him the book I am reading called, "The Practice of Consumer Law," but he would have none of it.

Message edited 12/7/2009 11:26:12 PM.

Re: Fun stuff to do if you are home with a 2 year old

Play doh, coloring, any type of arts and crafts. They seem to love these activities at this age, and it is great for fine motor skill development.

I also hae Ale help me cook. We make muffins, cookies, dinner, whatever. Sometimes she's interested, sometimes not.

I also like to take her with me to the park nearly every day to walk the dog, and to run errands.

That being said, by 4pm I am usually out of ideas!!

Re: Fun stuff to do if you are home with a 2 year old

Dancing is what DS likes best, so I am at a loss.

But I like your last idea best!

Re: Fun stuff to do if you are home with a 2 year old

We do sticker arts and crafts, color with markers and crayons, paint, use play dough. DS has a drum, xylophone, piano, miracas, tambourine, and will be getting a violin for Hanukkah. He plays with his cars, trucks and trains daily. He also loves his remote control car. He has some cars puzzles and he likes them too.

ETS: For Hanukkah he is getting memory, chutes and ladders, hi ho cherry oh, and candy land. I think those will increase our together play time.

Message edited 12/7/2009 11:40:22 PM.

Re: Fun stuff to do if you are home with a 2 year old

Some of the things we do:

Play Doh - they have this set with 10 playmats. Each mat is a different scene and we use them to create things (i.e. the food mat - we make peas, carrots, meat, etc...)

Moon Sand - I find this very messy though and end up picking up sand for days.

Finger Paints - just messy fun

Glue Sticks - cut shapes out of construction paper and use glue sticks, stickers, cotton balls, pom poms and crayons to create something. Circles, Squares, Rectangles, Triangles - Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, fuzzy, soft, hard ... lots to learn there.

By the way, I have a ton of vinyl tablecloths that I throw on the floor under his high chair and on the table to keep the mess contained.

Freeze Dance - DS loves to dance dance dance, now freeze. It makes him giggle.

Follow the Leader - put your hands on your head, now your hips, now jump up and down.

Animal Puppets (or any kind of stuffed animal) - DS likes when they 'talk' to each other

Get a CD with songs you can perform to - wheels on the bus, down on grandpa's farm, old mcdonald, if you're happy and you know it, 5 little ducks, .... etc

DS plays on his own with trains, cars, stuffed animals, little people, sesame characters, board books with sound. He 'reads' toy magazines like an addict and follows me around telling me 'i wan that' all day long.

Sometimes I let him help me cook --- he'll hold the mixer or I'll let him dump a cup of water into a mixing bowl for me or stir. Otherwise an empty Tupperware with a wooden spoon is fun too.


I hope that helps. I let DS play alone a lot too. He does pretty well as long as he knows I am within talking distance.


ETA: Someone bought him a real puzzle for his 2nd birthday (I think it was aged 3+). He cannot do it alone, but I hand him the pieces and show him how they fit then he taps them into place for me. He's very proud when we finish the puzzle like he did it himself. I think it's a 24 pc puzzle.

Message edited 12/7/2009 11:52:00 PM.

Re: Fun stuff to do if you are home with a 2 year old

Thanks everyone. I think I need to do more of the "fine motor" type of things. I know this may be a stupid question but where do you do your painting and play-doh? Do you just cover the kitchen table and go to town? Oh, I see the person above me answered that. I need more tablecloths!

More ideas still appreciated!

Message edited 12/8/2009 12:09:25 AM.