Toddler bored with toys/explored the house -any montessori activity suggestions?

[Jiinx]

Hey there,
 My lo has explored the depth of my house and spends just a few minutes with toys. We read. We build towers but isn't interested in building/stacking. We do some computer kneebouncer stuff. She loves going to other people's homes and exploring etc...but I don't always have access to people's homes

 Any suggestions? Maybe montessori types?

sarah

 

[teilvnav]

Following along, because I could also use some ideas.

Sarah, have you tried colouring/painting activities?

[squeakersmum]

Around 17/18 months DS became REALLY keen on cooking with me - so I would try (still do) and make something with him at least once a week.  Sometimes cakes/biscuits and also there's a programme on here called 'I can cook' which is for children preschool and above really but some of the recipes are easy enough for LOs as young as 18mths to get involved (obv I do the cutting) so sometimes he makes his dinner!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/icancook/makes/icancooksavoury/1

Recipes are here.

[Jiinx]

colouring, yes. Painting no..

Colouring is good. Gets me 5-10 minutes, and really that's all I can ask for Then she discovered colouring on the walls was fun....

Wow cooking is something that is really what I want to get into. Amy I know you bake with Nathan. Thanks for the website..I'll definitely look at that tonight.

[deb]

Pouring water back and forth from cup to cup and from container to cup.

Here's Nat around 18 months in our kitchen standing on a stepstool at a cabinet with plastic shot glasses. She really looks like she's tending bar!

[teilvnav]

That's a good one, Deb! I can try that for sure.

Sarah, I do cook/bake a lot with Nathan. I didn't think of that! He loves to pour wet ingredients, stir for me, watch me crack eggs, etc. I love his exclamations of wonder as a dough starts to form, or food colouring makes something change colour. Obviously I don't let him near the stove or anything, but at this time of year there is lots of opportunities to bake. This week we made cookies for the librarians that run his baby book group, and today we made different ones for the people in Scott's office. Even with dinner prep, he is right in there watching me. He likes to be the one to shake salt and pepper over veggies before they go in the oven, or stir olive oil evenly into something. I know that when he is older it will be a great way to teach him simple math, and reading.

I keep meaning to try something with the dried beans I have in the drawer... maybe he could do something similar to pouring water into cups...

[Peek-a-boo]

check out this blog:  http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/

She does Montessori type activities with her toddlers.  Very fun, simple ideas.   Here's a recent one I thought was nice:  http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/2010/11/putting-clothes-pins-in-container.html

[Yazzie]

Great thread girls, love the ideas

[teilvnav]

Bethany, that website is AWESOME.

[anna*]

Pouring is great... at this age, Stan loved rolling up little mats, like table mats.

Polishing/cleaning (ie spray bottle with water and a cloth, clean the coffee table).

Still a favourite is to get a BIG mixing bowl with rice/lentils/small pasta etc all mixed up in there and he stirs it, pours it, drives his cars in it, lets it run through his fingers

Posting - we had/have a set of huge buttons and a little kids shoe box with a slot cut in the top. Also enjoyed threading the huge buttons onto a long shoelace

Playdough

[twogirlsmommy]

Following along because we soo need ideas   I bought playdough and finger paint for christmas so only a few more weeks before we get to try that out

[We Three]

I haven't checked that site, and I'm sure there are great things there...but I have to say that my nephew and my dd both loved the game "Connect 4" at that age! Dropping the checkers into the slots, then releasing the bar so they all fall out....so cool!  

Playdough is super fun, too...with all the little tools...rollers, knives, things to press in a shape like a beaded necklace, different shaped pasta (wagon wheels make cool shapes in dough!)...little plates and bowls too! I'd make a bowl full of little balls, give her a spoon and see what she'd do! 

[Jiinx]

Pouring..ah she's been doing a lot of that ..pouring her drink onto herself and the floor when she's done drinking Back to sippy cups for the moment hehe...she's so interested in cause and effect.

My goodness, Bethany - that woman is brilliant. So incredibly creative. Thank you very very much for that blog. I'm definitely going to put it into my favourites.

Anne - I love love the idea of putting a shoelace through a button hole. That's exactly my daughter. She will try to unscrew a bottle cap and try to put things back into their rightful spot..(putting keys into locks, the cord that plugs into the computer (not the wall!)). Thanks!

Playdough...thought she may eat it more than anything...but I think I'll try it out and show her how to use cookie cutters and playdough scissors.

I'm SO grateful for the ideas! love them!

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

Great thread and great ideas!  We still have a LOT of winter to go around here so I'll be trying them out for sure.  You ladies are the best.

[anna*]

Pouring is still great fun if you set her up for it - on the kitchen floor for example. It's only water, easy clean up! Or set her in the bath tub. Remember that outing doesn't have to be just water they love pouring dry grains etc too.