SAHMs - How do you fill the day with your 2yr olds

My twins are almost 23 months and I am having a hard time finding activities for them. They will color a little but the crayons sometimes spend moe time in the mouth then on the paper. We have puzzles, Mega Blocks, cars/trucks, keyboard, ride on cars...

 

I really let my kids create their own activities. I don't bring out the crayons cause they just don't get it yet. They find ways to occupy themselves. They play with their cars, ride their 4-wheelers, fight, tear up their room and I will read to them or chase them around and tickle them. They get a kick out of sock puppets these days and when I play with their stuffed animals, which I do find kind of funny myself. I don't want to be responsible for keeping them entertained, so I let them figure out their own fun.

 

My boys are almost 23 months and let them do this also. No crayons here either because they eat them. If we are on the main level, they will chase each other around because it's a big circle. Upstairs they play in their closet; opening and closing the doors. The basement has most of their toys and I let play with whatever they want.

They LOVE Mr. Potato Head and it's funny to watch them put the ears where the nose should be and the arms on the top of his head.

Toys R Us has a slide on sale on Black Friday that I plan on picking up, it's only $14.99. With it getting colder we won't be spending a lot of time in the backyard and I can set it up in the basement.

And then there are Elmo dvd's. That will keep the happy for a good 50 minutes.

 

I gotta get a Mr Potato Head! Thank you Judy! Maybe it'll keep them out of my nose, the dogs teeth...

 

If you do-go to Costco(if there is one nearby). They have the giant Mr. Potato head and inside is FOUR potatoes-Mr, Mrs, and two little spuds-and all the fixin's! You CAN'T beat the deal-less than $19!!! My sister got it for the boys birthday last month.

As for keeping busy....
-playdoh(not recently-but it takes up a lot of time if you sit there with them. And if they get bored-I add new materials-toy knives, bowls, cups, etc).
-corn starch and water: leaves a mess, but it's oh so much fun to play with! Could even do it in the bathtub!
-I've been known to give a bath to kill time...
-reading lots and lots of books!
-coloring-I take butcher paper/bulletin board paper and tape it to the living room floor. I make it large enough for all of us to color on it and they go to down. But-they've never been ones to put things in their mouth. And if you color with them-it's a much longer activity!
-painting: I've done painting at the easel, painting their hands(we just made turkeys the other day), water colors, as well as fingerpaint.
-COOKING: My two LOVE to cook! I sit them on the counter and they help me bake cookies, cakes, brownies, etc. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! And while we are doing it, I let them smell things, taste, pour, count, colors, etc...
-blocks: They've just started playing really well with their blocks. I find if I model the correct behavior, they do really well with it. Once I leave....ehhh...
-Cars, cars, cars!
-Music: dancing around like fools!
-Helping with the dishes/dishwasher. They LOVE this!!! And if I have the patience-I let them help me.
-Coins. I know-CRAZY IDEA. But we have a giant water cooler(the ones you find in offices, etc). I fill it with coins. They want me to dump all the coins out and then they pick them back up and put them in the containers again. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I know-choking hazard, etc-but like I said-they've never put things in their mouth, and I am right there with them.
-Laurie Berkner/Jack's Big Music Show/Sesame Street:HUGE hits in this house!

Now-these things are RARE when done! Don't go thinking we do these things every day! We don't! I also have an infant in the house! Also-I was a preschool teacher in another life! I may be a more ambitious on doing messy things then others. I was the same way when I taught. Not afraid to try new things. Sometimes things will go really well. Other times they will fail miserably.

You just will never know unless you try!

Good luck! It's definitely NOT easy!!!! I will say, I find if I do one thing(structured) a day, things seem to run much smoother! I am not sitting with them constantly playing with them. I have their sister to take care of. When her needs are met or she's napping, I try to sit with them and play,read, etc.

 

I am :headbang: myself for not getting this when I seen it at my Costco about 2 months ago. They no longer carry it. :cry: I usually go to Costco once a month and I've been going more often with the hope they get more in stock.

Kohl's also has a Mr. Potato Head pack, but it was $24.99; who knows what it will be tomorrow with Black Friday.

 

FYI: I was just looking at Toys R Us ad for Black Friday. They have a Mr. Potato Head Jumbo Pack for $12.49, normally $24.99. It's on sale Friday & Saturday. :woohoo:

 

We do something (out of the house) every day. Indoor parks, Mall of America, IKEA, bkfst or lunch w/ friends,... Just keep us OUT of the house or we all lose our marbles.

My kids FIGHT like mad if they're home and bored. I also dislike staying in. Anyway, I recommend leaving the house!! It makes the day fly by.

My kids read books all day long. Or ride their big horses. They also "cook" in their kitchen and push their lawn mowers around the house.

Meg, my kids NEVER once put anyting in their mouths! You're the only person I've ever "met" whose kids don't do it either! I have let my kids play with money since they were very young. I never had to put away little things cuz I never had to worry! That is a WONDERFUL thing!

 

Thanks all - I leave them alone often (I'm in the kitchen and office and can see/hear them. I was feeling like I needed to engage more but this has helped. Would love to read them more books but they don't share the experience well and think it should be mommy and "me" time not mommy and "us" lol.
Happy Thanksgiving!!

 

~crayons, although they loose intrest quick.
~Aqauadoodle, they got this recently for their 2nd birhtday and they LOVE it. I put it on the floor(it's the wall mat) and they just love it
~playdoh. They LOVE this but I don't like it so much because it makes them REALLY whiney as they want me to do everything for them.
~baths
~Barney, Elmo, Calliou
~I have a bowling game I get out occassionaly
~Bouncy balls
~Mega Bloks
~Little People. Their cousin handed them down a bunch of different sets. I rotate them out so they are interested in them more.

They get bored super easy and quick so I'm really dreading this winter, ugh.

 

Like others said....

Playdough
Aquadoodle
Reading Books
Music Time ~ give them some tissue paper and let them dance with music.
Movie Time
Outdoor play
Cooking time ~ I just give them bowls of water or dried rice/pasta and they pretend to cook.
Craft time ~ I just google crafts for toddlers and print off different things.

We are also really involved in a Mom's group (I am the organizer). So, like a pp said..we get out of the house at least 2-3x a week.

Sometimes if we have nothing to do and nowhere to go, we will go wash the car...drive thru carwash or just go to Sonic and get drinks and then go for a car ride.