Of course I have the "mom guilt" of feeling like I'm too lazy with Olive's meals or playing with her/teaching her. SO I reached out for ideas. Olive hasn't been to daycare yet (thank goodness for my mom), but we're hoping to start her at 18 months. Due to that, she doesn't have a lot of built in activities that kids would get. Here are the ideas sent to me. I tried a few already and laughed because she didn't do them "properly" at all. She tried to eat the barley I put into a bin...or pour on the floor, but we're trying! haha
Someone also told me that sensory activities usually only hold attention for like 5-10 minutes, so don't get discouraged!
Make Playdough. Recipe: https://livingwellmom.com/easy-homemade-playdough-recipe/
Put snow in plastic bins with scoops or in bathtub with scoops. Scoop from one bin to another.
Same with macaroni, rice, kinetic sand, beans, cotton balls, pompoms etc
Cut a hole in the top of a container like peanut butter or cool whip. Have them place pom poms in the hole.
Sensory paint bags-put paint in ziploc bags for them to smash around
Sticking spaghetti noodles through a collander
Bake/cook "together" give them utensils to "help"
Water time-water in bowls with utensils
Paint with water -we got a paint mat on Amazon or Buddha board or Melissa and Doug
Animals in uncooked rice. Have them "rescue" the animals
Tape Bubble Wrap to Floor
Kiwi Co Monthly Subscription
Light Table and some Bauspiel lucent cubes
Bubble Machine
Bingo Daubers on Paper
Cool Whip or shaving cream on table to play with for sensory
Finger Painting
Empty Boxes! haha
Glow Sticks in the bathtub
Measuring Cups and water
Sheels in EP or Home Depot (Olive goes with dad to Home Depot every weekend! haha)
Wooden Puzzles
Stacking Tupperware
Foam Blocks/duplo blocks
Painting Snow (I found a kit on Amazon) or squirt bottle with food coloring
Dry erase board with magnets
Stickers! Put targets on the wall for her to stick them on
Stacking toilet paper rolls
Water beads
Toddler Trampoline (Super safe froggy jumper)
"Tap a Toy" in a muffin container with tape.
Toss things in empty laundry basket like socks
Tape tubes (toilet paper, paper towels, wrapping paper) on wall and let them drop stuff down like pompoms
Forts
Big Cardboard box to paint/draw on/put stickers on etc
Reading
Dancing
Singing
Chasing
Magna tiles
Put tape on table for her to pull off (good for motor skills)
Window Clings
Solo cups with a ball under one cup on the floor
Felt board on amazon with different themes for them to stick other felt items on
Some accounts to follow-I didn't double check these...
@busytoddler
@thebastfam
@dayswithgrey
@youngwildandfriedman
@wildwithwilsonandwarner
@babyplayhacks