what to do with 1.5 yo all summer long??

Mommeeeeeeee!

Mon, May 30 2011, 10:50 pm

The bad news is, a child this age usually isn't very good at entertaining himself for more than a few minutes, so almost anything he does, you'll have to do along with him - don't expect a lot of free time while he keeps himself busy. The good news is, there are loads of activities you can do. I suggest you take a piece of paper and write a long list of activities you can do with your child, and tape it somewhere like the fridge. That way you can always refer to it when you can't find anything to do. Make it a long list so by the time you finish all of the activities you can start over from the beginning and it'll all be fresh and new again.

Outdoor Stuff:
Does your child have a backyard or other safe outdoor space to play in? He can ride bikes, play with a ball, you can blow bubbles for him to pop, set up a sprinkler and let him run under it, play with spray bottles filled with water, use sidewalk chalk, or maybe get a sandbox. You can set up a little baby pool in a yard, porch, even a small balcony - if it's only the one toddler, you can get a really small one just big enough for him to sit in even if your space is very limited. Fill it with water toys or even just a few cups and spoons and he'll be busy for a long time - just be within arm's reach at all times, of course. Hint - kids this age may protest the cold water, so add in a little warm water when you fill the pool. Or you can fill a large basin with water and toys, put it outside, and have him sit next to it and play. You can go to a park or playground every nice day, take along a picnic lunch, and many playgrounds in the city will have sprinklers turned on during the summer. Or go to the beach. If the weather's really pleasant, go to a farm, zoo, aquarium, a pick-your-own fruit/vegetables place, or just for a walk or stroller ride around the neighborhood.

Indoor Stuff:
If the weather's too hot or rainy to be outside, there are many things you can do indoors. There's always reading to your child, or playing with toys. You can let him take a long bath and play with toys or even wet washcloths in there instead of the swimming pool. Sing and play with musical instruments - the ones you play by shaking them tend to be favorites with little ones. Most kids this age love to help you in the kitchen - bake brownies with him by having him stand on a chair next to you, show him how you measure ingredients, then put your hand over his to help him pour them in the mixing bowl. Or make something with dough, such as cookies or challah, and let him play with some while you shape and bake the rest of it. Bonus if you use a mixer and he can watch it spin, or just help him mix with a large spoon. Turn on music and dance together. Get together with other kids - neighbors, family, friends. Get a large roll of paper, spread it on the floor, and get out the washable magic markers - they are easier and more fun for younger toddlers than crayons. Show him how to use play dough and finger paints, but supervise him the whole time so he doesn't eat it. This will be less messy if you have him work on a large empty cookie sheet on the table. You can even make your own play dough together. Set him up on a chair at the sink and let him play with water to his heart's content - you'll probably have a big mess to clean up later, but it's only water and it'll keep the kid busy for quite a while. Just be close by to make sure he doesn't fall off the chair. Blow up balloons and have him chase them, throw them to him so he can bat at them. Again, supervise this activity at all times for safety. Teach him his shapes by cutting very large circles, squares, and triangles from paper, then arrange them on the floor and play a game where you have him jump on, sit on, touch, or place an object on a particular shape. Or tape the shapes to opposite walls at the child's height and have him run back and forth to put his head/nose/hand on the one you tell him to - you'll have to start by showing him which ones you mean, but pretty soon he'll be able to find them on his own. Cut out pictures of familiar household objects from magazines or catalogs, glue them all on a large piece of poster board to make a collage, and have your child search for specific items - a great vocabulary booster. Play "Copy Me" - make a sound or hand motion or gross motor movement and tell your child "Do this!" and have him try to imitate the action. Fill an empty plastic bottle with some oil and water, put in food coloring, add some sparkly beads, sequins or glitter, seal very well and let him turn it over and over. Do songs and fingerplays: The Wheels on the Bus, If You're Happy and You Know It, Five Little Monkeys, Open Shut Them, The Itsy Bitsy Spider...there are so many! Search for a video on Youtube if you don't know how to do a particular song. Build tall block towers and have fun knocking them down. Make ice pops together - there are loads of yummy recipes - then enjoy eating them when they're frozen. Do a simplified version of Simon Says. Take photos of all members of the extended family - your child's grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, siblings, even good friends who are important in your child's life - put them in an album, and look at the photos and practice identifying each person by name. Make pizza - the toddler can (with help) pour in the ingredients, roll out the dough, mix the sauce, spread the sauce over the dough, sprinkle the cheese, and add toppings. Cuddle up in bed and tell him a made-up story featuring all of his favorite things. Give him interesting stickers to stick on a piece of paper. Teach him animal sounds and pretend to be each animal. Use your computer to create slideshows with pictures of familiar objects, foods, objects in nature, shapes, relatives, even alphabet or alef-bais letters, watch with your child and have him practice identifying the things he sees - challenge him to come up with the right word quickly before the picture disappears. If you really get desperate, watch an educational video together.

Out of the House But Indoors:
Go visit family or friends. Take a trip to a large supermarket and talk about all the yummy foods you see, have the child search for specific items on a shelf, or choose which container of yogurt to buy. Go to the library - he can look at new books, play with toys in the children's area, and many have free activities such as storytime or puppet shows. Go to a very large toy store so he can play with the toys (obviously only a store that allows it and is set up for this kind of thing). Treat yourselves to a trip to the ice cream store, or go out for pizza. Check out Mommy and Me programs, or indoor swimming in your area. Go to a children's museum - so much fun for little ones. Or an indoor gym type of place, such as Chuck E. Cheese.

And don't forget to have fun!