Hey...a friend is babysitting a 2 yr-old (girl) tomorrow all day. She needs some recommendations on indoor activities (snow/cold outside). a child can only be entertained for so long by bouncing a balloon in the air, and coloring.
Only wholesome activities please. and nothing Halloween related either (I don't think the parents are into the holiday...) Thanks.
the more the better.
2006-10-13 16:19:56 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Well, let's see... let's take out the time for eating and sleeping, 20-30 minutes for a morning snack and also lunch, maybe even an afternoon snack if the friend is there that long. So say an hour for eating total, then 1-2 hours for a nap, so that cuts the actual playing and entertaining time down to 4-5 hours. Don't forget diaper changing time or potty time so that cuts down on the entertaining as well. Some ideas for activities would be puzzles (the thick wooden kind), Mr. Potato Head, lots of pieces and things to change around and mix up, musical instruments, she could make a musical shaker with some rice and a couple of paper plates stapled together (let the child color on the plates first), a short video, building blocks, and play-dough with lots of cookie cutters. I hope that gives you some ideas. I have a day care in my home and this is how I spend the majority of my days. Hope your friend has fun, kids are great.
2006-10-13 16:34:55 · answer #1 · answered by disneychick 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't forget that in those 7 hours, you'll be feeding them at least one square meal... and a snack or two... and that will take up some time. They should also be taking a nap in there somewhere. Kids are great at entertaining themselves (if the parents did the right thing). Practice words with them... naming body parts, objects, etc... Read picture books, draw, stack blocks, books, whatever you can find to use. Have them play hide and seek with you. Watch a cartoon on TV. You only need to really spend a few minutes at a time with a child... they usually play by themselves. Just make sure you give them a few minutes of your undivided attention... and then let them play on their own for 15-30 minutes. Repeat this process. Again, don't forget the meal... and snacks... that will take up more time than you think.
2006-10-13 17:01:34 · answer #2 · answered by VixenMom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
play on the floor with the child, play ring around the rosies, sing kids songs like where is thumbkin where you use your hands, have the child help you when making lunch or getting asnack, read to the child, the best thing to do which keeps them busy forever, is buying a big box like the biggest you can find at the moving store like u haul and putting it together and cutting a door and a window in it, and let the child color it with a marker and play in it , but before you doo that pretend it is a car or rocket ship boxes are truly the greatest toys next to playdoh and not as messy also if you go to uhaul dont forget to buy the bubble wrap cause that is fun to pop and bring over some glitter, and go with little one into everyones rooms and put glitter on thier sheets and remake beds and blow bubbles inside the house,nothing is funner than being mischievous and dont forget to take a nap the day will be over before she knows it,
2006-10-13 16:36:15 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lots of things you can do ,remember there should be a nap in there too so she can rest. In the morning play games with her dolls ,do some colouring in,watch a kids video with dancing and join in. For lunch she could help you bake some cookies,let her Mix in the flour etc. Then feeding her lunch will take up time too as well as nappy changes etc. Before nap read her a book. The day will go really fast believe me just do the best you can.
2006-10-13 16:30:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
playig dress up, doing each others hair play mommy to dolls sing songs. the 2 year old will probably be running around in circles for oh 5 hours out of the 7 1 hour for eating and 1 hour for napping and the day is over aslong as the babysitter is having fun so will the toddler
2006-10-13 16:25:53 · answer #5 · answered by Brandi D 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have found that play-doh will keep them busy for a while. Making tents in the living room floor with chairs & quilts is fun. They have a short attention span, so movies will only help for a while. Bundle them up and take them outside. The cold and snow will not hurt them, if the parents are ok with that. Make cookies. Toddlers love to "help".
And PRAY that he/she gets sleepy and takes a looooong nap. Your friend is going to be very tired by day's end, believe me.
2006-10-13 16:28:22 · answer #6 · answered by justwondering! 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
read a book, play peekaboo, watch a kid movie or kid program (Blue's Clues), let them play with some toys by themselves (you don't have to sit there with them for 7 hours). But don't leave them unattended. For example, your friend can bring a book of her own to read while the child is playing near. Also, this child might want or need a nap. So, that will take care of some of the time.
2006-10-13 16:29:34 · answer #7 · answered by whoanelly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
put on some fun music and dance!
Have a tickle fight
They can both get in the tub (with bathing suits if your friend feels more comfortable like that), close the shower curtain and play and splash
build Lego towers and then destroy them (my son LOVES that)
read short books with pictures
make "music" with pots and pans and sing
play peek-a-boo
play with stuffed animals
do funny hairstyles
pretend to be a monster and walk on your four trying to "eat" her
My son really likes the movie "the fox and the hound". it's a cute story
A trick to help the kid fall asleep is to lay in bed with her, curtains closed, with some relaxing music w/o lirycs, and to pretend to be sleeping. The kid will most likely fall asleep after a while.
2006-10-13 16:33:05 · answer #8 · answered by Delphine F 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I entertain my toddler by singing,dancing, giving him crayons and paper and letting him draw,read books to them and point out different things in the pics. Toddlers are usually easy to entertain but you have to change activities about every 2-3 minutes.
2006-10-13 16:23:43 · answer #9 · answered by \m/~metalgoddess~\m/ 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
shaving cream finger painting. Let them sit at the table spray shaving cream about the size of a baseball on the table, let them play in it. it's a nice clean mess. Once he is bored with that take a wet cloth and wipe the table off, the table will be nice and clean and the shaving cream wipes off of his clothing too. Just be sure that he doesn't put his hands near his eyes. You can substitute whipped cream for shaving cream if you want too.
2006-10-13 16:25:02 · answer #10 · answered by lilmisstickletoo 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋