# Indoor activities for 18 month old?



## Hokulele (Mar 2, 2005)

We've been having a lot of indoor weather recently and when my older DD is home, her interests direct the activities we do. DD2 (15 months) just is along for the ride. I hate that she doesn't get many activities directed at her age/ability.

Now DD1 is in school a couple days a week so I'm trying to be proactive in coming up with things to do with DD2 that we wouldn't normally get to do with her sister around and that are targeted for her age and ability.

So anyone have ideas? We read tons of books, do finger plays (itsy bitsy spider etc) ... just looking for new ideas to get us out of our rut.

Thanks!


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## Violet2 (Apr 26, 2007)

Do you have a crawl tunnel?

Water color paints?

Stickers and crayons?

Bubbles?

What about a slide to use inside?

Check out the blog in my siggy for more ideas.

ETA: Some links

Toddler Activity Menu

More Toddler Activities
V


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## Holiztic (Oct 10, 2005)

That's about the age DS started to help me clean and cook. It wasn't much help back then, but not too much trouble either.

We also had to get out every day or I went nuts! Now I love staying home all day (he's 2.5 now). But then we went to the library 2-3 times a week, the bookstore once a week or so. Our friends' house for a play date once a week.

We read a lot, nursed a lot. No real "play inside" tips, though. Sorry!


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## JennTheMomma (Jun 19, 2008)

Arts and crafts, kids music and dancing (DS' fav.), small ball pit, coloring, etc.


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## AnalogWife (Sep 8, 2007)

We have a small house with lots of furniture, but even so my DS has always gotten A LOT of enjoyment from riding his Big Wheels type bike around, or the convertible walker/car thing. It really gets his legs moving.


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## elleystar (Oct 24, 2007)

Mine is that age right now and the winter weather is moving in. We get a LOT of mileage out of these ideas:

Step stool up to the bathroom sink, run some water, practice brushing teeth, brushing hair, turning lights on and off ad nauseum with the switches right there.

Step stool up to the kitchen sink with some water, maybe a cup and a few random kitchen tools like ladles and whisks. Bonus if there are 2 sinks to work with!

Especially if it's a cloudy and dim day-turn on a flashlight and let him carry it around. He'll spend 20 min. solid shining it everywhere and experimenting with the light. He loves it! Later on if he needs more interest with this, I'll try shining it through colored cups or playsilks.

A CD of favorite kid's music (ours is Peter Himmelman) playing in the background-for some reason DS loves taking this time to chill alone and work quietly on something like puzzles or car play.

Check with your library to see if they have a story/playgroup time for young ones. Ours has one for ages 1-3 and we just started going. He loves it! We stay afterward so he can play in the kid's corner with some other kids his age. A huge hit. Plus I always come home with new books for us to read later.

Other than that, well, it's always nice to get out of the house, and shopping with one is easier than shopping with two.







Good luck!


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## shanniesue2 (Jul 4, 2007)

I second the suggestion for cooking. DS loves to help cook (especially if it involves "eggies")Favorites to make together are pancakes, cookies, and meatloaf. The best things are things that have ingredients that need to be dumped into a bowl and mixed together.

Box play. Just get a big box from a furniture store or something. Free and fun. You can cut out doorways and windows, make a car or train, color or paint it. DS has one that he had been playing with for about 3 weeks now.

Library story time. If story time is not available, just the library.

We actually play chase inside (I know not all people encourage this). Our den/living room/hallway is kind of circular (not in shape, but you can go around from den to LR to hallway to den, etc). And I get down on hands and knees and we chase each other around. Lots of fun.

Crayons/markers (we only use markers in the high chair at our house)

reading

short videos from library (usually a train video)... we only do this a few times a week. Not every day.

Dancing (it doesn't have to be "kid music." DS likes to dance to Dave Matthews, Jethro Tull, They Might Be Giants, etc. Just put in something you like and dance around)

Musical instruments

Reading

Bubble bath


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## Shell (Jul 12, 2003)

Try this website, Productive Parenting:

http://www.productiveparenting.com/default.aspx

It has hundreds of age-specific activities to do; that is its entire purpose. Very hands-on, non-commercial. Check it out, well worth it! In fact, I found out about it through one of the Mothering.Com newsletters!


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## Sumada (Mar 7, 2008)

I haven't tried this yet, but how about a sensory tub filled with dried beans, sand or dried corn? I plan on using one of those under the bed storage containers. Of course, with anything small like beans you would have to keep a super close eye on your little one, especially if they are a mouth-er!


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## elleystar (Oct 24, 2007)

I can't wait till my DS is old enough to play with dried beans. Scooping, driving toy tractors in them, sorting into a little muffin tin...ah!

Yesterday I made a batch of fingerpaint with cornstarch and put it into a big gallon Ziploc for a no mess toy. I spread it flat on the table and he can draw in it with his fingers and goosh it around.


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## Violet2 (Apr 26, 2007)

This blog is a good compendium of crafts on the web. The Crafty Crow I find lots of cool stuff there.

And I have some Halloween stuff for younger toddlers up this week on Parent Juice.

V


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## blizzard_babe (Feb 14, 2007)

Wrestling! Well, toddler wrestling. DS tries to run away, I grab him and pull him back. He gets up and tries again. Sometimes I let him escape... He runs a circle around the room giggling and comes back for more.

Airplane rides (I lie on my back, hold his hands, and put him up in the air on my feet). Airplane noises are a must. Crash landings onto mommy's tummy are fun.

Search flickr for pictures of "baby."

Tower of blocks! DS likes to help me make a tower until one falls off, then yells "BOOM!" and knocks the rest over.


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

Tossing a bean bag back and forth, rolling or tossing a soft rubber ball.

Blocks have been huge around here since about that age

Fun in the tub

Shaving cream (Haven't tried it yet, but others say it's great fun!)

Maracas or other shaker-style toys/objects and dancing around the house

Coloring, playdoh, painting


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Shell* 
Try this website, Productive Parenting:

http://www.productiveparenting.com/default.aspx

Thanks for posting this, Shell!


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## zacharysmom (Apr 1, 2006)

when i worked in a day care we klet the kids play in whipped cream instead of shaving cream as it will burn it they touch their eyes


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## shanniesue2 (Jul 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zacharysmom* 
when i worked in a day care we klet the kids play in whipped cream instead of shaving cream as it will burn it they touch their eyes

this.

we would also do pudding paintings.


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