Quiet activities for the unquiet 2 yr old

[Tweakster]

So I'm at a loss of what quiet stuff to do with F to try to get him to take some downtime, chillax, take a load off.

So far we have...TV.  And that's all.

Playing with any kind of toys leads to projectile train sets, running around, blocks being smashed and 'no mommy, no touch, Finleys, no MOMMY' or 'put it there mommy, put it down, put it THERE'

Puzzles are hit and miss, see above.  Puzzle pieces make great projectiles.  Puzzles also cause a lot of frustration for the lad.

Books, not happening despite our best efforts.  If we are lucky we'll get him to LET us read to him before bed.  Mostly he wants to hold the book, fling the book, read it upside down and say 'side down, side down mommy, side down'.  The other day he had a book while I was changing him.  He opened it, put it over my chin and then closed it again.  Board books hurt BTW lol

Anything artistic is a battle.  I save that stuff for weekends now.

So I go home, drained from work only to have to be extra creative with this wonderful, challenging kid.  I need tips.

[**Clare**]

Your boy sounds wonderful Wendy

What does he like doing? We usually choose what the boys like and extend on that! Harvey had a thing for pirates so we put pirates in the sand, water, made pirates out of playdough, drew pirates (Or tried!!) Etc etc!  Finn's was cars, we painted using car wheels, made garages out of boxes etc! As long as it was about pirates/cars in would always keep their attention!!

Harvey doesnt really do quiet activities though... even when he draws he talks constantly!!! And is up and down from his seat showing me what he's drawn and telling me about it.  Everythings so intense with him!! I hear you on the 'put it there Mummy' Everything has to be just so with Harvey, playing with him isnt much fun!!!!!

[Roseii]

Can you get Aquamats in Canada? A mat and a water pen-no mess but they can draw on the mat or you can get little books and water pens, each page they colour in with a water pen reveals a pic...They are a hit here and the best thing is they are mess free and safe and easy for LO to use on their own...
Xxx

[teilvnav]

Playdough with a variety of cookie cutters/tools/rollers/etc? Or would he just throw them?

[koe2moe]

Amy, i would think so! Even my boy who isn't really a thrower, throws playdoh LOL...

I would just keep doing tv but just be careful of what you are watching.  Not something that get him even more active.  Not sure what F likes, DS calms when he watches wild life programmes, he would sit and listen well and tell us about what's happening and asks us questions.  Or Mickey Mouse clubhouse  

[Tweakster]

Yes forgot to mention Playdoh - we have the rollers, cutters, special Playdoh tools.  Lasts for about 5 mins before he's bored and removing it from the table where we insist he plays with it. Then it's on the carpet and such.   If I put the TV on with the Playdoh then he will play for quite a while watching and playing but will absentmindedly eat it lol  Then we have to pack it all away.

We had one of those mats in UK, MIL bought it for him.  Again, lasted an incredibly short amount of time.  He was more interested in putting the water on other things.

I do have the pen colouring books and the water reactive books where you use a paint brush but he always wants to put it on other things.  Like he'll stay on the page for a minute and then he's moving to the sofa, the wall, the floor, his own body.  I know he's just checking out how it all works and such but it's very frustrating at times.

Clare, he is wonderful :-)  He's the absolute best.  He likes cars mostly.  But even his most favourite thing does not hold his attention.  And he won't let me play with him!  If I could get in there and play I think I could come up with stuff to prolong it, but he won't let me touch anything lol

LOL Koe, MMC is his favourite show.  'Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse' ' Oh tooodles'

[anna*]

Wendy, Stan isn't even spirited and he hasn't been able to do quiet activities until he turned 3. In the last six months he will spend time colouring (if it is Toy Story or spaceships), letting us read to him, playing quietly with his toy nursery school, reading to his 'babies'. Honestly, my advice is if you need 30 mins of downtime, and if the TV has him sitting quietly, use it for that. I figure that if Stan has been at nursery all day he has had a FULL day of age appropriate stimulation, he is exhausted, and there is no harm in letting him watch a bit of TV before we head up to bed.

[Peek-a-boo]

Maybe a sensory bin--a tub full of noodles or rice or beans with cups/shovels/animals, etc for dumping carrying.  

I had a bin like this for spirited DS around this age.  We used macaroni noodles and I was pretty skeptical--sure that the noodles would end up all over, but other mums assured me it would work and did end up being okay.

When we introduced it we talked a lot about where the noddles belonged and we coined the expression "naughty noodle" for any noodle out of the tub.  We made a game out of spotting naughty noodles and making siren noises and hurrying the naughty noodle back to the tub.  

[Tweakster]

I figure that if Stan has been at nursery all day he has had a FULL day of age appropriate stimulation, he is exhausted, and there is no harm in letting him watch a bit of TV before we head up to bed.

That's exactly why I do it.  And for the same reasons.  He is quite exhausted but can't quite figure out how to make himself sit down.  At least TV gets him sitting, all other activities he will insist on standing for lol

That's interesting Bethany.  I've got some rice noodles that I never plan to cook at home, will have a play lol