indoor play ideas for almost 18 month old

[jembelina]

It's winter, we are in Melbourne and I am feeling pregnant and lazy. So, I am pretending it is raining most days as the thought of playing outdoors isn't doing alot for me:shame: I need some fresh ideas to keep ds entertained. The things we do so far are

reading
drawing
homemade cubby houses
play dough
water play at the kitchen sink with bubbles, cloth and containers
'helping' with housework
'helping' with cooking - putting chopped vegies in bowls/simple stirring
He also plays with his toys of course as well as chasing the cat around the house until I am kind enough to let the poor bugger out!
Oh, and we go to mother's group once a week.

I am really after some simple, yet effective ideas - seems that the longer it takes me to set something up, the less time he will spend playing with it!!

[InSaneOne]

i know its bad but tv. i would also try a small blow up pool with some balls (the little kind)or hide and seek and object (stuffed toy) painting, a blackboard and some chalk.

decorating some cookies, playing fashion show where you get some cheap dressup clothes - i will have to think some more.

[EskimoMumma]

painting is soo fun too!

i have heaps of paper here for my DS and big easel and when its raining we try and fit that in with finger painting atm. ( i need to buy more brushes)

i also put out newspaper and let him paint boxes! :D

[Chickadee]

We bought a set of plastic bowling pins and balls for around $10. DD loves it and it improves her throwing co-ordination, while I get to just sit and reset the pins.

He's old enough to start pasting as well as the painting suggested. Collect bits of scrap paper or ribbons to paste onto another sheet, or let him sprinkle glitter etc onto the paste. Set up is a bit quicker than for painting (only one brush and pot!).

Dancing, to something on the TV or just music on the radio. You could try having him stand on your feet while dancing or just walking. DD thinks that's hilarious. Also, DD got very interested in active nursery rhymes at around that age: Humpty Dumpty and Ring-a-ring-a-rosey can easily fill up 20 minutes. Clapping games and songs are good too.

Chalk and a $20 piece of blackboard can be set up inside. Chalk dust vaccuums up reasonably well and it makes a change from crayons.

[kirstenriley]

stick some masking tape to the floor and make race tracks for the cars to run around. Amuses mine....for a little while anyway....lol

Or fill the sink with water, pull up a chair and let em at it!

[Mumshmum]

Get the saucepans out of the cupboard, add a wooden spoon and you have a set of drums. Also, collect lots of cardboard boxes and give him things to put inside them.