Snowed in and stir crazy!

[shark]

HELP!

The weather here has been dismal for the past 2 weeks..snow, snow and more snow!
DS and I have been stuck in the house for 2 weeks together and we're both going a little stir crazy.  He seems bored of his toys and bored of the house.  If the weather were better, I would take him for walks to the library, pool etc... but the sidewalks are impassable right now.
DH has the car for work so we can't really go anywhere except by taxi...$$$$
Just wondering if people out there have some simple ideas to entertain an almost 11m baby without needing to buy a whole lot of stuff or spend a lot of money.  He can crawl and cruise.  Loves peek--boo and story time and banging things together.

Thanks!

[mommy2mason]

I know how you feel! We have very cold and snowy winters too and I'm am anxiously awaiting spring! Some days just seem to drag on forever! I just try to get new stuff out a lot. I keep some toys/books put away and rotate them so he has new things once in awhile. At your LO's age, he probably finds just about anything fascinating! My LO loved kitchen things (tupperware, muffin tins, big spoons, etc.). Sometimes I go around the house and look for anything that would be safe for him to play with such as different fabrics, pillows, containers, etc. Anything new always keeps him entertained for quite awhile. He always has fun with the laundry basket filled with clothes or even stuffed animals...dumping them out and putting it back. My DS also loves to dance to music and likes it when we crank up the music and dance away! Nursery rhymes and fingerplays are also fun for his age.  It also helps to go to different parts of the house throughout the day instead of staying in the same area. We're upstairs for the majority of the time but we have some toys downstairs too to give us something new to do. You could try a google search for "toddler activities" and I bet you'll find some fun ideas. Oh, a cheap and fun activity is to make some discovery bottles! You can pretty much use anything you'd like and LO's love to play and observe them! Here is a link to some ideas:
http://www.kinderfriends.com/discoverybottles.html

Let's hope it warms up real soon!

[shark]

Ooooh, I like those bottles, I'm gonna try making some!

[speechie]

Could you take advantage of the snow, bundle up and take a sled outside? Even if it's cold, the change of pace may be fun...

[MJMom]

I hear you!  We have the same issue as well!  We mix it up by moving through different rooms in the house, e.g. mommy daddy's bed, the office, put bath time right after breakfast (bath then ends up being longer and taking more time as LO is wide awake and energetic!)

Also, any neighbors home who like kids?  We always go next door where the single man loooves kids!  It's always a treat for every one! 

[speechie]

Yes- good idea- visits with neighbors are really fun-
Baking together, kids get to dump ingredients in bowl, stir it up and "cook" along side mama...

[MJMom]

I also was thinking other big pretend games, like pretend snowball fights on white bed sheets with cotton balls.  Way warmer than going outside!  Or pretending you're at the beach and play with the beach toys on a blanket in the living room and drink lemonades or a pretend picnic.

Or building a fort out of the dining room table by draping blankies over the edges.  That way you're not buying toys,  but using what you have on hand in a different way!

[JennŠ]

Stealing Alissa's ideas!  Mouse and I are making cookies and scones this afternoon.  Shark, yours is old enough to squish dough and shape it.  Then he's "made" his own cookie.