I'm unsure about what activities I can do with my son??

Question

please don't think i'm a horrible mom...i love my 2 year old son to pieces, i just don't know of any activities that we can do together that don't involve spending money. it seems like all we do is watch television and movies together and i feel like we should be doing something else. he's not a baby anymore and i want to do things with him. real suggestions only, PLEASE!! i feel bad enough already, i don't need any smarty pants people making me feel worse. thank you!!

I live in Chicago suburbs and it's REALLY too cold to go and play outside. I need help with some other indoor activities PLEASE??

Answer 1

There is a great book called Mudworks. Since I found it years ago I have begun buying it for anyone I know that has children. It is an endless resource for fun things to make from materials you probably have around your home. If you don't want to buy it your library undoubtedly has a copy. If their copy is checked out just place a reserve on it.
It has recipes for all kinds of fun things to make and be messy with - even one called "clean mud", edible playdough made with peanut butter, tons and tons of great stuff.
While you're at the library looking for the book visit the kids' section. Don't know exactly which suburb you're in but if you're near Schaumburg their kids section is fantastic.
You can also call Palatine library's story phone - they record a story for you to listen to on the phone. New story each week. 847-923-3445.
Good luck!

Answer 2

What about reading books, coloring, art projects, board games. You'd be surprised at the board games that are fun for really young children. My own son was playing UNO at the age of 3 and it was his favorite game. But there are a ton of games geared toward younger kids and they don't cost all that much. Do a small cooking project together. Bake cookies and let him help. Even at 2 he can help. Make milkshakes or something like that. There are so many things you can do. I think many times people assume a child is too young to get anything out of certain activities. Everything I listed are things I did with my own kids when they were 2. They'll get a lot more out of it than you realize.

Answer 3

Please, don't feel bad. This isn't neglect, it's not being rich enough to go to baby gyms and amusement parks every day =).

Some simple games that will keep him going for hours and you tired out within minutes:
Upsidedown flips. Hold him upside down, (next to a couch or bed or something), hold his hands, flip him onto his feet.
Flying. He will adore this (most likely anyway)
Bubbles. Blow them, then count them, pop them, run away from them.
Hide and seek. (baby version lol)
Play animals. It will help him with his animal sounds too (get on your hands and knees and "roar! I'm a lion!" "Woof woof! I'm a dog!" "RAWR! I'm a bear!")

Get some pots and pans, some wooden spoons, and put on a concert with him.
Dance and sing.

Anything at all can be turned into a learning experience if you add in the abc song or counting. (1....2....3....4....5.... spin him around.)

Or, strip him down to a diaper, get a BIG piece of paper, some paints, and go to town!
When it is warmer, do the same but take him outside to the sidewalk with chalk.

Answer 4

you are not a bad mom, the fact that you realize you should be doing more and are reaching out for ideas shows that you are a great mom, now some ideas, for 1) make sure you get outside everyday with him, no matter the weather just dress appropriate, 2) when you do watch TV, try to watch the shows that involve activities, example wiggles, you can sing and dance along 3)finger painting, play clay you can find recipes for making clay or play dough on line, it will save money, and you can get finger paint at dollar store, 4) blocks very good for motor skills and if you don't have any use things from kitchen or look in thrift stores 5) make finger puppets or hand ones with old sox, make costumes with brown bags, i always get brown bags at grocery store instead of plastic because there are 1000 activities you can do with them, also your child is old enough to help you or at least feel like they are when doing dishes throwing things away, my son likes to help lode washer and dryer, i love thrift stores because you can buy costumes that you can play in cheap, also shoe laces are great to string necklaces with whatever you can find,
good luck, this is such a fun time, i enjoy this age so much you and your son can have a blast, make a tent with blankets remember to have fun your son will enjoy anything as long as he feels you are having fun too, they know when we feel as though things are a chore good luck,

Answer 5

Play with blocks and build castles and such.. or play hungry, hungry hippo he is old enough for that..or let him help you when you cook like buy the cookies you break off and let him place them on the pan...Play with play dough and tell him to make you something..If you have an indoor kids basketball goal play basketball together...read books together... teach him some songs to sing together like "ABC's"...These are just a few ideas but all leave him with a sense of Accomplishment at the end. Hope this helps Good luck.

Answer 6

I live in Chicago and there is a program through the libraries to get passes for the museums for free general admission. Look into something like that. The Zoo. Park District activities. Arts and crafts? I dont know what else!

Good Luck!

Answer 7

i live in chicago too and I was a single mom for 5 years so when money was tight these are things I would do with my son that were free or low cost:
--story time at library
--story time at Borders on Michigan Ave. (since you're in the burbs you can just call the book stores nearby to see what they offer)
--swimming at park district indoor pool (my son couldn't really swim but he loved just splashing around with me; take a hari dryer!)
--free day at Museum of Science and Industry (field's was kind of boring for him at 3)
--Thursday Night family night at Chicago Children's museum from 6-8pm (i don't recall if it was free or $5 a person, something like that)
--i always kept a supply of fingerpaints, crayons, playdoh, and glue sticks, paper plates, and macaroni he loved to color, cut and glue things (at 2 you would do most of the cutting but he'd enjoy the coloring, fingerpating and glueing) I would take a garbage bag poke holes for his head and arms and use as smock so he didn't get paint all over himself.
--pat-a-cake, ring around the rosie (this was his fave), london bridges (since it was just the two of us I would be the bridge with hands and feet on floor in V-shape and he crawled under)
--we did trips to the mall even if we had no $$ because there are usually play areas and he got to play with other kids
--hotwheels $1 a piece and endless hours of fun

Answer 8

Get a library card and check out books and see what he is intersted in. Find a local playground, park, or playgroup so that he can play with others. Take him for walks and talk about the things you see. Kids are great, you can turn anything into an adventure.

Answer 9

my son loves to be active and use his imagination. we play treasure hunt and rocket ship using free big boxes from close maytag store. we paint and decorate as we see fit then pretend play. We go to park, childrens story hour at library, the play area at mc d's. We also go to a free class called Mother Goose it is great. They are all over so you may have one in your area. Also several gymnastics places offer free trial classes these can be fun to try. Mostly we read ,pretend play, and do art together. good luck

Answer 10

sweety don't feel bad, even if ppl are crude about this. Hell atleast your trying!!!
Anything outside can be a fun activity, the park. I'd check with community centers for free fairs and things they offer.
Also you can build forts in the house or outside with sheets and charis and clothes pins... just use your imagination...
check out these websites:
http://www.parentingtoddlers.com/toddler-activities-and-games.html
http://wondertime.go.com/?CMP=KNC-BT3727858078
http://children.c1ick-here.com/?s=g&c=Children-6&k=toddler%20activities&t=s&a=414854806&h=toddler%20activities+toddler%20activities+toddler%20activities

THIS ONE FINDS LOCAL ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS IN YOUR AREA:
http://www.local.com/results.aspx?keyword=toddler+activities&cid=663&gid=US_-_National&gclid=CLiW4cjdhooCFRdvYAodNDlweA

oh yeah most local county libraries have times in the evenings when they have free book reading sessions, where someone that works for the library sits down and reads to a group of kids and parents that come in...