What do you "DO" with your 18 month old?!

[dmills]

My ds is 17months and he loves to stack cans while I cook , we read to him before bedtime, and we play chase, try puzzles now and again, and let him do his own thing.  My question is, is there something we should be doing with him.  I mean he likes us to go up to the toy room with him, but we usually just watch him play.  I want him to be able to entertain himself, but how often should we be playing with him. And how should we be playing with him.  I know it sounds silly!!

[LindseysMom]

I was surprised but at Lindsey's mothers morning out she gets to try and paint.  Have you tried that one yet?  I was there the other day and she did alright with it. Did have to remind her not to put the brush in her mouth though.  The weather here has been warm the past couple days so we have been going outside which is nice. I took her pushtoy outside and she pushed it all over the yard. 

[evanskimberley]

I feel the same as you about wanted them to be able to play on their own but also feel you that i shouls be interacting more. So here's what i do specifically 'with' her, ie guiding her, questioning, playing, teaching.

-swimming
-painting
-singing
-reading
-building with mega blocks - role play kind of stuff, we make houses for the characters
-role play, she asks me to go for a ride in hre 'car' - the bottom step!
- chores, like loading/unloading the washing, sweeping the floor.

Most of the day she prefers independent play, but if she's not asked me to play with her then i try to initiate something after 20mins or so, just for 5 mins if nec.

kxx

[esmith]

I have somewhat the same issues.  My son can entertain himself outside really well, but seems completely dependent on me for entertainment when we are inside--thus I cannot get anything done.

Here is a suggestion
* build a tent (we have an inside tent, but you could always put sheets over some chairs
* unfortunately dvds seem to be good entertainment.  I put my son in his playpen, then I take a shower!

[nadiasilvina]

I have the same situation with Dana. When we are at home she likes me to play with her ALL the time!!! i mean, she wants me to be with her, although she plays alone she enjoys seeing me behind her.
She wants to see Barney´s DVD all the time!!!! she gets up in the morning and says BARNEY!! and points at the TV. So, i put the DVD and take a shower too 

Here in Buenos Aires is almost winter and the weather isn´t nice to play outside so is more difficult to think about playing issues.
So things are like this. I think that at 18 months our babies only want to feel secure, so, seeing us with them is very important even though we are not playing with them.

[isaac'smom]

How about some arts and crafts activities...even just plain old paper and crayons? Ds loves his easel. It's a 2-sided one and one side is a chalkboard. I have to watch him closely though, as he loves to try to put the chalk in his mouth! I got the easel for $10 at a yard sale! I've read about having them finger paint with a different coloured pudding (blue, I think). However, some people avoid this because they're afraid it'll encourage the child to play with their food. I've never tried this. I keep forgetting to find/buy the funky coloured pudding. Another fun idea is to find a big box and have them play inside it. You could cut out some windows and put on a puppet show. Lego blocks are great for indepdendent play. Singing, reading and saying rhymes are sooo important too.

[mum101]

My DD is always wanting my attention too, which can be hard sometimes, when I know it will take me 1 minute to just get something done. 
So far my best thing is for her to 'do the dishes'. She is so fascinated, I can work around her and get some dinner done. 

[Marisa's Mom]

I always wonder what to do with my LO (14 mos) too, it seems like we have the same old books and toys in the house. She's very clingy & needy when I'm around, she's always been that way.

Here's something I noticed recently. When we go out during the day ... take a walk to the supermarket, go to the library, go to the park, go to the mall, etc (either in one big outing or a couple short outings) ... DD seems to be less "clingy" when we're back home and will be content to play indepedently with her books/toys/etc for a longer time.  I think she just gets bored with the stuff at home, so going outside to get some fresh air and a change of scenery makes all the stuff at home look "new" and more inviting.

I don't get much done at home, but DD doesn't need constant attention 100% of the time. I play with her a bit, then let her play on her own, then I engage her again, then let her do her own thing and wait for her to come to me when she needs attention again, etc.

Yeah, it's way too easy to turn on the TV and let our LOs get sucked into it. We try to limit DD's TV time, she gets up to one Wiggles show which is less than half hour long.

At what age did you introduce crayons, paper, and drawing?  I'm afraid DD will just put the crayon in her mouth, or just get crayon smudges all over herself. 

[evanskimberley]

I intorduced at 14 mo, if you buy the on-toxic children ones then they will be fine if they go in their mouth and it does wash out if you catch it quick enough.

[Marisa's Mom]

I guess she has to learn to "write" sometime, I just envisioned playing with crayons to come much later. Probably way too early to get coloring books and expect her to color within the lines, I guess I better stock up on LOTS of paper. We have a pile scratch paper, which is basically printouts we no longer need, so it's blank on one side and has print on the other. Perhaps we'll use that if DD has no qualms about it not being blank on both sides.

When did you get a small chair/desk set for your LO? ... I know I'll get one eventually, but I was thinking of getting her her own little plush type chair to sit on first. But if she's going to be writing/drawing, a chair/desk set would be needed sooner I think.

[mum101]

Marissa's Mum, You could introduce drawing now.  I find that DD is worse with trying to eat chalk, but small pencils I've found the best as there's nothing exciting about chewing on them (well so far so good!).  Crayon's she will still try and chew.  I was surprised to find DD holding pencils correctly (as if she's writing) and she's always been determined to 'write' when I am!

A chair and table are great now.  They love to be 'grown up' and be able to accomplish new things!

[Marisa's Mom]

I hadn't thought about pencils... isn't consuming the lead (or whatever it's made of) a bad thing?  Unfortunately DD is still in the phase where she will put almost anything in her mouth. Sigh...

Do you get the regular skinny pencils ("adult" pencils), or the fat/chubby "kids" pencils?

Hmmm... wonder if she'd prefer color pencils to dull grey. Probably, huh?

[evanskimberley]

we've got an easel for her to draw on. Blackboard for chalk one side and a white board on the other with a roll for endlless paper!!!

You'll be surprised what they can do given the chance. I started all this with Holly last sept when she was 14months and by christmas she was painting at home, by spring she could colour within the lines - to some extent, as in she know where she was meant to colour and she now asks me to wrote things so she can sopy them and shows signs of emergent writing. (- thats small vertical lines over and over).

i haven't puched her or shown her how to do this, just given her the opportunity and time. And once they know ho to 'draw' and 'colour', you can always occupy them wherever you are!!! I keep a small pack of crayons and some paper in my bag so I am never at a loss if we are i a restaurant or a awaiting room!