Activities for two year olds

I have two year old twin granddaughters. They will not play with toys or engage in play with each other. Things to do seem to keep them entertained.
Their mother has given them face paint and let them paint themselves. Playdough was ok until they decided it was better to eat and throw than play with.
Decorating Christmas cookies was a success. Water paints dont work because the paper gets soggy and the girls get mad. I got them Crayola markers for their birthdays that only show up on certain paper.
Suggestions please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Outside play at this time is tough even though they live in a mid atlantic state because there also is a 5 month old sibling. And there is that old rule that you cant be in two places at the same time.

 

Do they like puzzles?
What about decorating toilet paper rolls? There is a site where you can print out templates - have them colour them and glue them onm a TP roll. I will add the link...the whole site has lots of good craft ideas.
http://www.dltk-kids.com/type/tp_roll.htm

What about beading? Would they be OK to put them onto pipe cleaners without putting the beads in their mouths?

My daughter who is almost 4 now loved "reading" books when she was 2. I would read them first (& always read whenever she asks) and she would read them after.

What about dress up? Do they have any costumes they could play around in? Even old cheap costume jewelry keeps my daughter entertained for a good long time.

 

Take them to a toy store and see what sets them off..... blocks, a tent with tubes to climb through.... even if you don't buy it you will at least get an idea of what they are interested in. So if they like the tent .... make an indoor one with tables and blankets.

raid your cupboards for pots pans, spatulas, etc.

also dont' feel pressure to constantly entertain. often during times of "boredom" they get more creative on their own. ....

 

Okay, clearly I'm not the best person to answer this given my earlier question, but while I was shopping for my niece and nephew I saw tons of great crafts on Oriental Trading. There's an entire section devoted to teachers. The stuff is really inexpensive and you might find something that will work. I picked up a kit where they can make 12 placemats. It may be too mature for your girls, but there may be things that are more age-appropriate. Good luck!!!

 

I have a couple of other suggestions, my two, just 20 months, not 24 months, play a lot in the house. They don't play so much with each other but they definitely play side by side and they do other things together.

Things they like to do:
--------------------------
Push things around/ride on things (lawn mower, popcorn popper push toy, ride on car, sit on large tonka truck and such)
Pull things around -- dogs on a string
Fisher Price Little People Airplane
Books -- all different sorts
Balls -- I have three large beach balls that they push around. Pretty light so they don't do much damage and the kids can't really pick them up all that well.
Play Chase (I say something like "fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of DD/DS ...etc...and I do a little stomp and get them going).
Play hide-and-seek (similar to above but I tell them to close their eyes and then I hide behind a wall or something)
Anything with buttons

Hope this helps.

Sotto

 

QUOTE(sottovoce @ Jan 7 2009, 02:40 AM) [snapback]1136013[/snapback]
I have a couple of other suggestions, my two, just 20 months, not 24 months, play a lot in the house. They don't play so much with each other but they definitely play side by side and they do other things together.

Things they like to do:
--------------------------
Push things around/ride on things (lawn mower, popcorn popper push toy, ride on car, sit on large tonka truck and such)
Pull things around -- dogs on a string
Fisher Price Little People Airplane
Books -- all different sorts
Balls -- I have three large beach balls that they push around. Pretty light so they don't do much damage and the kids can't really pick them up all that well.
Play Chase (I say something like "fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of DD/DS ...etc...and I do a little stomp and get them going).
Play hide-and-seek (similar to above but I tell them to close their eyes and then I hide behind a wall or something)
Anything with buttons

Hope this helps.

Sotto


Mine seem to have outgrown the noisy plastic toys. They have some baby dolls and we sit and I show them how to feed, rock, swaddle and push them in the stroller. Now they will do it on their own as well.

Those wooden puzzles are popular too, books and anything with buttons (remotes, calculators and cell phones).