How to Occupy a Toddler
Posted on July 11, 2007 - Filed Under Uncategorized |
I recently had a bit of extra money and a 20% off coupon for a Canadian children´s toy store, so I ordered some toys for my boys. Just a few, a couple of baby toys (for 3-18 months) for Dante and a couple of puzzles for Dorian. They are the wooden kind that you lift a piece out and it is really obvious where it goes.
Supposedly, one of the puzzles is for 18 months, the other is for 2 years, it´s a bit more complicated, with dinosaurs that stand up when you take them out of the puzzle. But, while I´m waiting for them to arrive (they are being sent to my sister in Canada, then to me), I have been looking for something to keep Dorian occupied.
He is a very independent little guy and he gets bored easily. Someone told me that is a sign of intelligence, which would be nice, except that it means I have to listen to him fussing and whining all day long because he doesn´t want to play with the baby toys he has. The only things that keep him interested for any amount of time are his cars!
Well, I decided yesterday to buy him a cardboard puzzle, the kind that has the frame and backing. The only one I could find for boys was a Spiderman one for fifty cents in the market. It has 24 pieces. It says for ages 3+, but, hey, I´m desperate, ok?
Today, when he started complaining, I sat down with him on the bed and popped out just one piece. We spent a while putting that piece in and taking it out again. Then I popped out a few more. He got the idea quickly, but didn´t realize that you can turn the piece to make it fit, he´d stick it on the hole and push and say, “There we go!” But the point is that it kept him nice and busy for about 15 minutes, which is a long time for Dorian!
We also got some new crayons. He colors. Well, for a few seconds. Then he figures it is just more fun to throw the crayons and me and laugh. Or toss them on the floor. And laugh. I think I like coloring more than he does. But he´s learning his colors (”Hey, you threw the yellow crayon in Mama´s face!”), at least!
Anyone have any good ideas for keeping a very active 19 month old busy . . . keeping in mind that I also have a newborn to keep an eye on. I´d love to hear some ideas because I am running out of them myself! (you can only keep them doing laundry for so long!)
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I’m dealing with those days….
Toddler activity level 10+
Toddler attention span 1-
hehe! Great ideas!
Oh my. I don’t have children but my friends do. And at that age I seem to remember that they used to just take their children for walks a lot.
Does he have a sandbox or a water table? I think that was a big favorite with the kids.
Dorian has a sand pile outside and I give him a bucket of water. The problem is, it is outside and my computer is inside, so if I am to get any work done at all, he has to be cooped up indoors with me! Although I try not to be on the computer too much while he is up, I often have tight deadlines to fill.