Monster 2 year old

[KrisFox]

Hi I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to keep a 2 year old occupied who has no attention span. I try painting with him, which last about 2 mins, i try playing blocks with him, which last about 2 mins, the trampuline helps but with a 4 month old i cant be outside with him to what him all the time, he likes the park but with the cold weather and the baby i dont want to be out too long. Videos (popeye, wiggles, simpsons) work some time for 30-45 mins but i try to save that for when i have things that must be done, like cleaning the kitchen and cooking dinner, plus i dont want him watching too much tv. He has more toys then he knows what to do with (which i rotate to give him varitey) but seems to have no intreset at all with them (woudl rather play with the dishwasher etc). Any help would be great.
PS and i have now cut back all drinks and snack food to just water and his main meals and some fruit. :detective:

[TammyB]

Have you tried one of those cheap tents with a big bag of balls? My 2 yo sits in the tent and throws them out one by one. Then throws them all into his cot. I feel like I am forever picking up balls to keep his room tidy but they are worth it as it holds his attention for quite a while. (our tent came with a tunnel which he used to enjoy too but less so now)

Our paints are the type with sponges at the end. I have to sit and help him change colours frequently to ensure the lids are on and my loungeroom does not get a makeover. But he seems to enjoy this activity for a while too. I showed him how to make a butterfly painting the other day and now he wants to do them all the time. :o

He also enjoys his Playdough with cookie cutters, rolling pin and rotary cutter. (all kiddy size and safe)

The other thing he loves is the battery operated bubble machines he has (<$10). All I do is place a little bubbles in his dish and he will set there pumping bubbles out for ages. There are occasional spills but the heavy duty plastic (sold off the roll) was a great investment to protect the carpets. (except when he throws his dinner!)

I also keep the paints, bubbles, crayons etc in the pantry in ice cream containers so he can't destroy the house. He seems to enjoy dragging me to the kitchen, pointing up to his tubs and asking for "bubbles" etc.

It certainly is a challenge though, PM me if you want to chat. I don't have the 2nd baby dilemma yet. But I have a very active toddler that loves the outdoors - digging in dirt and all that, but we live in an apartment in Tokyo! The weather is getting quite hot, but it is the rainy month right now so we have been resorting to DVD's which I hate doing too.

Hope this has given you some new ideas. I will be watching for more responses myself.

Cheers
Tammy

[KrisFox]

Thanks guys for your suggestions.

i have a ball pit (which is packed away as he wasnt interested when we got it last christmas) however i could get the balls out which he know loves throwing around the house and spilling them everywhere.

The playstation works if i am playing he will sit and watch but wont 'play' it by himself yet, but will keep offering. :fingerscrossed:

Any more suggestions would be great.

[em's mum]

Something my 2yr old loves - and which keeps her occupied for ages - is her sandpit. Before she got that for her birthday, I had 2 flat rectangular buckets which I bought from Bunnings - I think they are 10 litres in size and cost about $4 each - and used to fill 1 with sand for her to have a little dig about in and the other 1 I filled with water. She loved the water one best - I put a measuring cup in there and a couple of bath toys and she'd stand at the table in our back pergola for ages splashing around in it. Yesterday she stood on a chair at our kitchen sink and played with plastic cups and bowls there - though as she was standing on a chair I stayed there with her to make sure she didn't fall off.

Another thing Emily loves to do (and spends alot of time doing) with the above buckets is bath her doll - plus its good for learning body parts. Although I'm guessing a little boy mightn't be "into" dolls as much as a little girl.

What about getting him a little watering can so he can water the garden? Emily has a little strawberry patch that we planted in the garden that she waters every afternoon. She loves it - and checks every day for any new flowers that might produce some yummy strawberries.

Anything to do with water keeps Emily occupied for ages. And cooking - she loves to help me cook - even if it means she is just sitting on the bench next to me passing me a carrot or potato.

Another idea for the balls from your ball pit - have you tried getting a cardboard tube and roll the balls inside so your little one doesn't know where they will spit out. Though I don't know how long that is likely to last.... just a suggestion.

Or maybe try shaving cream painting?? Squirt some shaving cream onto a placemat and let him squish and squelch it around.

Hope this gives you an idea or 2 for your little one.

[Rell]

Although I'm guessing a little boy mightn't be "into" dolls as much as a little girl.

.

My DS LOVES dolls, he walks down the barbie aisle in the shops calling out "barbie, barbie":rolleyes: Ofcause he does have a big sister

things for a 2yr old
Playdough
sand pit
water play (in a bucket with cup and kitchen utensils)
Goop (Mix 2 cups water with 600g cornflour)
Washing up ( my 2 always loves washing up plastic stuff)
Music (make your own with pots and pans )
Dancing
jigsaw puzzles
Obstical cause (inside or out)
cubby house out of sheets (inside or out)
Picnic outside
Hide balls, cars etc around a room and get him to find them ( my DD makes DS find his dummies:o )
Cooking ( a great special thing to do when the baby is asleep)
Collagre ( let him go wild with glue and various objects he can stick)
Go on a colour hunt (give him a bucket and help him collect objects around the house of a chosen colour)

Hope this helps

[Adria]

Don't know if this helps but if your anything like me i hate setting up stuff that takes ages to set up. I like to pull it out and off i go. I also like stuff that i don't have to have 100% supervision like painting ect (i try to reserve thoses activities for when i have time).
I found out by accident my little one loves flour on the kitchen floor. I give her the dust pan and brush and she usually has it from one side to the other. But its wooden floors, doesn't take long to clean up and occupies her.

I also found, if i leave out a few toys she plays more with them. Maybe a lot of toys seems to overwhelming.

She was given a large tub of foam shapes that are like stickers, you pull the back off and stick them on the paper, great for little hands, no need for 100% supervision and DD puts the sticker backs into an old container (God bless her). My sister said she got them from big W.

[JasmineLouise]

how about chalk drawings on the pavement... it keeps my sister amused for ages!

[em's mum]

Another idea - painting the fence or house with a bucket of water and big paint brush

[proudmummyof2]

My firstborn turned 2 a couple of weeks ago and one of the presents I bought him was a Megasketch - has a pencil (attached!) and four stamps. He will sit there and play for ages with it, and has mastered the mechanism to clear the screen again. I don't have to worry about the walls being redecorated, plus he is practising his pencil holding, and learning how to stamp with accuracy. It cost almost $20 but I have found it priceless!

[Wondermum]

If the hubby or you are handy you could do up a 'special fun board/ box'

Here's an idea? Go to the local hardware and craft shop and buy little bits and pieces.

- assorted latches
- old door lock and key
- bolts and srews (large sort)
- Velcro to rip off and on
- zippers
- nobs to twist
Anything you like....

Attach all these things onto a piece of wood or make up a cube/ box.

Does your son attend day care? Maybe look into a family day care placement for him where he can go one or two short days a week. Gives him a 'special day' where he can play with other children and get involved in lots of fun and exciting activities. From this stronger interests should develop in time. This also gives you some one on one with the bub.

:hugs:
Me: Jessica ~ 27
DH: Nathan ~ 28
DS1: Hayden Cadel ~ 3
DS2: EDD ~ 11.9.06

[Ana Gram]

I am pretty sure most 2 year old do find it difficult to stay concentrated at one activity. Mine certainly can't and none of the children at playgroup can either.

Maybe try giving him a few activities set up separately at the same time. He will keep going round to each of them if they are interesting enough. What are his interests?

Is he interesting in what you do around the house?
You could try some household chore activites. Give him a cloth and some unbreakable things to clean, a dust pan and some scrunched paper to sweep up, an old shoe and brush to "polish" the shoe, things to fold.

DD loves doing the stuff she sees me do adn it keeps her interested for at least 5 minutes as opposed to two.

[SnoozesWithCats]

Have you got a local library? Ours does two-year-old story time, with songs and crafts - it's a great "getting out" activity for when it's too cold for the park.

Also...

Toy Libraries. They're great. Toy library toys always get played with about five times as much as the toys we own. And by the time she gets sick of 'em - back for another dose