Austin Babies
libbyann
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Favorite At Home Activites?
libbyann
member
We're a one car family & trying to save some $$ on gas over the next few months, so it looks like I'll only have the car once a week instead of 3-4 days like I'm used to. What are some of your favorite activities to do with a toddler at home? We've been walking to the park, coloring, playing with his trains, and reading lots. He's not necessarily bored, but mama needs to change up the routine a little bit!
I'd love any ideas you have or links to blogs with good rainy day type activities. Thanks!
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Re: Favorite At Home Activites?
Kate loves stickers. Loves them. Cannot get enough of them. We can kill 30 minutes to an hour with me handing her stickers one at a time to put on a piece of paper.
She also got a sand and water table for Christmas, but you could just have get some plastic cups and some bowls in the backyard. That's what I was planning on doing before the ILs surprised us with the water table.
ETA: You can also host playdates at your house or at the park that you walk to.
Thankfully the boys are starting to get to the age where they play together (well, more like fight together) but since I don't like to leave the house with 3 kids we are home A LOT. When the weather is fair, I put them on our covered back patio with playdough, finger paints, stamps, markers, crayons, whatever and a couple of long pieces of easel paper. They go to town. I tell them to trace hands, paint leaves, etc. I much rather them make a mess out there where we can hose down the patio and I can just take off their clothes before they come in if needed.
I also put away toys fairly often and bring them back out (rotate them) so the things that I know they love to play with don't get old and boring.
Jacob David (01/07), Matthew Isaac (12/08) & Kasey Elise (9/10)
WEB
When I was little my mom use to do craft time with us. Our favorite was home made play-dough. We'd make it lots of colors one day. And then the next day play with it. We also made potato stamps, and egg carton caterpillars. We also did music time where she'd put on a tape and we'd sing and dance to it.
Dad would always do paper airplanes, or some geeky science thing.
Lately DD loves to go outside and pick up rocks, but my allergies are preventing me from doing this too much these days.
Productive Parenting has eleventy-billion ideas for activities. Some of them are outside of the home activities, but majority of them could easily be done at home.
We love playing outside(playscape, sidewalk chalk and bubbles are faves), dancing, playing in the tent/tunnel, trains, musical instruments. I also do a lot of crafts with Abby. I really want to start with J soon. I have tried a few times, but I have to keep it really simple and honestly it does not keep his attention for long. Here are a few blogs/websites that I love with lots craft/activity ideas.
Teach Preschool- alot is geared to a bit older kids and the classroom, but a lot of good stuff- we do a lot of things at home.
No Time for Flashcards- she has a lot of stuff for the younger ones
My Delicious Ambiguity- has Tot Tuesdays link parties
Ucreate with Kids
Serving Pink Lemonade
mmt---that is an awesome site!!
a&j--i like the 'no time for flashcards'
great ideas, thanks!!
do it! we'll come. ruby can entertain will and ill take a nap in the car
You live uber close to me right? If you want to get out of the house y'all can walk over and help Abby and Emily trash the place! We've got all sorts of cool stuff. Toys. Art. Trains.
And as for hosting playdates, make sure you relax a little
I totally knocked myself out the 1st time I hosted and realized I did too much that really didn't matter and then I didn't enjoy myself. So don't overdo it or it will seem like more work than fun. The last time I was a lot more realistic and it felt great to have everyone over.
Depending on my schedule we might be able to GTG and go somewhere. It would have to be when Abby is at MDO so we could use that space since you can't fit 3 carseats in my backseat though. Lemme know! stacy at nicemonkeys.com