# How to keep your 13 month old busy??



## becca_j (Apr 2, 2007)

I am seeking ways of entertaining a busy 13 month old boy. The days seem long!

We paint, go to the library, the gymnastics gym 3 times a week, tear up paper , look at books, bathe for entertainment almost every day, cimb up and down the stairs, play with tupperware, playdoh, playgroup.... Now what do I do with the other 8 hours a day??

He is (I HOPE) going thru a phase of clingy & whiny but he's always been EXTREMELY busy. My MIL who had day cares her whole life thought she'd seen it all but DS- well... help.

Favorite things that keep your kiddo busy! STAT!








thanks

What do you


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## Blucactus (Nov 20, 2006)

This has been THE ONLY way that having 2 is easier than 1. They play together, even fighting together occupies them.







When my older DS is napping or out with Grandma, 14 m/o DS is just...lost. He wants me to play with him, entertain him, etc. It's exhuasting! LOL. It is very very rare that he will just happily go play by himself. During the day, we just a regular rythmn of the day...we get up, we eat, we get dressed, we clean up our messes, we have snack, we play, we do lunch, we do nap, we play/clean, we eat dinner with daddy, play/clean some more and then do bedtime. We go outside some, both my DS's would probably live outside if I let them.







A couple times during the weekdays we get out--we go to playgroups, or grocery shopping, etc, and a couple times we have friends or family over. Weekends we are busy with family stuff. But...most of our days when we are home, are spent just doing mundane stuff-the boys play while I do housework, or we do something together like reading/coloring, and the rest of the time is spent breaking up fight and mediating. heh heh.


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## Violet2 (Apr 26, 2007)

--Blow bubbles
--work on rolling a ball
--building blocks, making towers and knocking them down
--Get one of those pop up play cubes/tents or a crawl tube (around $30 or make one with boxes and duct tape), kids crawl around in those forever
--Wee sing fingerplay songs CD and do all the fingerplay with DS
--Go to the mall and let DS run around (we're about to do this today)
--Go outside whenever the weather permits and wander around
--We are having a lot of fun with playsilks as well

Hth
V


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## PatchChild (Sep 1, 2006)

Lots and lots and lots of time outside. Seriously, that was the only thing that saved my sanity at that age.

Also, I try not to get involved in every game DS is playing. He loves to play and entertain himself solo now, and I'm all for that.


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## Paeta16 (Jul 24, 2007)

We would read A LOT! Music and dancing, puzzles (just start feeling them out), sand and water play (but it is getting a bit cold now), walks in the stroller or carrier, play catch with a ball (or multiple balls), ride on toys...they were my lifesaver at that age.


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## cotopaxi (Sep 17, 2007)

I involved my dd (and still do) as much as possible in my chores. I get tons done, and she actually often prefers that to other activities; I guess she likes getting to do what I do.

*Unload the dishwasher - she'd hand me each item and I'd put it away.
*Laundry - she'd hand me items from the basket and I'd fold them; she'd help me carry them and/or put in the drawers, esp. things like socks that can just be thrown in; I'd hand her things one at a time from the washer for her to throw into the front-loading dryer
*Handwash dishes - I got a Kitchen Helper (like the Learning Tower but smaller) to put up at the sink and she rinses dishes with me (I just leave out knives, etc.)
*Wash windows and floors - I fill squirt bottles with water and a little vinegar, and we spray and wipe the surfaces with cloth rags - this is VERY popular with her
*sweeping/vacuuming - she has a tiny broom to push, and a popcorn popper thingy that I tell her is a vacuum, lol, and we clean the floor

I also second the outside time!! She is 100% happier outside than inside - she loves playing in the dirt, picking up leaves, etc.

She also love tiny objects to sort, if he's past the putting things in the mouth stage - like a box of beads (with big holes, for safety), rubber bands, paper clips, whatever I have laying around to dump out and put back.

Containers to open and close, preferably something "real" - I save the shampoo bottle and rinse it out, the box of dental floss (take out the cutting part), etc.

(Soft or bouncy rubber or inflatable) balls to throw and chase and play catch with.

Books, songs to dance to


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