Author Topic: Quiet activities for public settings?  (Read 2133 times)

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Offline tcrjfisher

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Quiet activities for public settings?
« on: April 04, 2006, 14:30:05 pm »
I am looking for some quiet toys that my 21-month-old ds can hold in his lap and play in settings where other people might be disturbed by louder toys, such as at church, on a plane, etc. We have some books that have puzzle pieces in them, which are good unless they have animals, etc. and he wants to make their noise :D. We also got a small magna-doodle with the "pen" attached, and a travel-size etch-a-sketch. Any other toys that you know of out there that would fit the bill? I want to have an arsenal that I can rotate from, as the novelty wears off quickly. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Offline GG

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2006, 00:46:54 am »
Sorry that nobody has posted a reply. I guess there aren't many other "quiet" toys that anyone has experience with.  ;)  The only other thing I personally can think of is a coloring book.

Aside from church (although even this doesn't nec always require complete silence - kids will be kids) I think it should be fine if your lo makes some noise, like animal noises.  Or is he just very loud when he does it??
Georgia, mom to 3 sweet babes: touchy Foti, spirited Lena & not-so-tiny Joanna




Offline Samuel's mum

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2006, 18:03:05 pm »
What about playdough/ soft stuff? You can get sets where you can stamp on it and make shapes. Can't guarantee no animal noises though.
Or threading cotton reels onto a shoelace?
Or stickers - assuming they are beyond putting stuff in their mouth.
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Offline carolyn

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2006, 18:07:55 pm »
I didn't see this thread until today.  Here are some things I kept with us:

a couple of little people or animals
small books
cars
travel sixed magna-doodle
view master
snacks
more snacks


I would keep a few in the diaper bag and rotate them out often so it was always something different. I would only give him 1 or 2 at a time so he didn't get bored.
carolyn
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Offline ~Angie~

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2006, 18:27:49 pm »
I agree, snacks and more snacks.  ;D

We have a large selection of pop up books and lift the flap books. We rotate these out. I also bring a small spiral of notepaper and a pencil. My DS loves to 'take notes'. We have also used sticker books and lacing cards.
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Offline tcrjfisher

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2006, 11:39:36 am »
Thanks for the great suggestions, ladies.  :) Isn't it amazing how few "quiet" toys there are out there? I was looking through several stores and it seemed every single toy that might have worked made at least some sort of noise - I wonder why that is? 

We have a large selection of pop up books and lift the flap books. We rotate these out. I also bring a small spiral of notepaper and a pencil. My DS loves to 'take notes'. We have also used sticker books and lacing cards.
I had just thought of the small spiral notebook idea at the last minute. It kept him quite happy through most of Palm Sunday church - yay! We got some washable crayons from a restaurant one time that I used with it, and he drew some blue on his knee, so we'll see if they really are washable. ::) Does the pencil wash out of clothes?

He likes lift-the flap books - Does anyone know specifically of any pop-up or pull-tab books that would be small and/or in board book form? I didn't think of the lacing cards and stickers - more ideas to rotate from - awesome!

Aside from church (although even this doesn't nec always require complete silence - kids will be kids) I think it should be fine if your lo makes some noise, like animal noises. Or is he just very loud when he does it??
People actually smile at it and think it's cute - I don't mind if he does it once or twice, and we're working on teaching him to at least talk in a whisper when he does it. But he very much likes to do it repeatedly (for effect, of course), and the only things to do to stop him is either to walk out to the back of church or to quickly distract him with something. We actually did not have to leave even once yesterday because I kept whipping out new activities - yay! We do have "cry rooms" where people can sit with children, but I typically find that a lot of the parents who sit back there do allow their children more freedom than I want ds to assume at church, so I want him to have a different example to learn from.

Thanks again for the helpful ideas - let me know if anything else comes to mind!

Offline ~Angie~

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2006, 12:36:34 pm »
Yes, pencil will wash out of clothes.  ;D
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Offline esmith

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2006, 18:33:38 pm »
How about bubbles. 
I know that would not work at church--but it should be fine a family friendly restaurants etc.

Regarding small lift the flap books---Maisy has a couple (author Lucy Cousins) and Spot has one or two

Offline evanskimberley

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2006, 18:05:50 pm »
I always have a small colouring book or plain paper on me and keep crayons in the pot her cutlery is kept in in my bag. So they are alwyas to hand.

The animals are great idea.

We buy toddler magazines to keep her happy as well, they always come with such fab freebies!!!
Kimberley


Offline dmills

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2006, 14:45:03 pm »
We just had a book seller come into our school ( I teach) and I bought the coolest, quiet item.  It is  a average sized book of blank faces and creatures and has thin magnets that the little ones can put on the pages.  YEAH!!  You could hunt online to see who would sell them.

Darci
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Offline carolyn

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2006, 22:15:32 pm »
We have a magnetic Mr. Potato Head.  Sounds like what Darci has.  It is a magnetic book with a blank Mr. Potato Head, and you add the magnetic arms, shoes, faces, hats...
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Offline abwalk

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #11 on: May 11, 2006, 23:55:57 pm »
We have a coffee can with a plastic lid that I cut a small hole in.  My son will spend a long time putting things in it and taking them out - like checkers or playing cards or scarves/pieces of material.

I would guess a metal can might be too loud for something like church (if you are using checkers!)  but a raisin container might work...

Offline sophiems

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Re: Quiet activities for public settings?
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2006, 18:08:43 pm »
I've never tried this, but I saw it in a book once...
Cut a piece of sandpaper in a shape that can fit in a baggie you can put in the diaper bag.  Tehn have various lengths/colors of yarn or pipe cleaners in the bag.  Show your child how to make shapes and stick the yarn on the sandpaper and take it off again.  Do letters. numbers, etc for the older kid but just let a younger child do whatever. 

Also, along the same idea, have a larger piece of felt with smaller felt shapes, pices of body parts, shapes, etc.  They will stick the smaller pieces on and make a picture.  I guess this would be the cheap, homemade version of the magnetic Mr. Potato head.

For mass time at church, we have laminated saints cards on a keyring for the kids to play with, as well as yarn/cloth rosaries and also board books that are religious in nature reserved for that time.  We also can't deal with the "cry room" because of the way other parents are so it's a challenge. 
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