Question for stay at home parents?

Your daughter might like water colour paints - if you sit with her and guide her painting it shouldn't get too messy (I do it with my 3 yr old BOY - and 13 mo girl, and my son can be a wild one!).

You could also do a craft time each day. We have a set routine for the day, and we always do crafts before lunch (then he knows that clean up preceeds lunch, with preceeds nap). The routine is also helpful for getting ready for the routines associated with school.

If you collect a bunch of left over items (beads, buttons, fabric, etc) and do some glueing and collaging I bet your daughter would love it. Start with paper plates, cups, etc and you can make hats, crowns, etc. Then the following day, you could do some drama activites with them.

Once the weather is nice, you could do picnics. My son LOVES this. When the weather is good, we load up the wagon with our lunch, and a big blanket, and head to the park for lunch. It is a great time!

I hope that's the sort of thing you were asking for! Enjoy your time with your little ones!
:flowerforyou:

Well, my kids like play dough and board games. And I think more than anything they LOVE playing hide n seek.

My 2 year old loves to color, I also read a lot of books to her. Candy land is a good game for them to start learning colors and I try to count everything so she understands although so far she only says one. When we clean up toys we try to make it a game and she likes copying what I do. Sometimes I let her watch tv but it is only sesame street ,blues clues, or the big comfy couch and I try to make it and interactive thing instead of just a babysitter. We sing along, she does the clock rug stretch(comfy couch) and we dance. I think every mom thinks they are dropping the ball sometimes, but you can't be super mom every minute of the day. Your daughter already has interaction with the 19 month old too so that will make it easier to relate to other children. My 2 girls love playing with each other!!

I have an almost-4 yr old and an almost 1-year old. We play a lot of imagination games with his action figures and animals. We use blocks to build towers and buildings. Then we pretend the baby is a monster when he comes crashing through. Play-do is awesome as is the craft time someone else mentioned. Make puppets out of lunch sacks or socks and put on a show. I have to agree with the big box too - we got a new microwave and both kids played with that box for months. It was a pirate ship, a jet-ski, you name it. We also love dress up. If you are taking your kids on long walks everyday, that is awesome! Don't feel like you have to fill every minute for them - it is very, very beneficial for them to have time to come up with their own entertainment and games; this builds the imagination. I am a teacher, now part-time, and it is amazing how many kids have no idea what to do when given free time. I too can't wait until it warms up so we can go outside. My oldest is actually praying every day for God to make it summer so he can go barefoot!

I used to operate a home day care for toddlers and worked at a preschool as a teacher, so I do have some suggestions.

Ifyou have the space, you can set up different areas. At school we had shelves with puzzles and games, one for playdoh (make your own--cooked is best--and use a place mat to define space), one for art, one for science and math, a sensory table, blocks, library, dramatic play, music and outside time. If you don't have a big space, use a shelf with containers that can be labeled with items that go into it . Fill the containers ahead of time and store them out of reach and rotate them when you child gets bored. Put a table nearby to work on. For little ones, less is better. My kids loved dramatic play. Pick a theme and add things related to that theme into a box for play acting. Add some books related to the subject and you are enhancing the experience. Sensory is great--sand, beans, water, cornmeal, gak, etc. Kids love it. My daughter played in water in the sink every night while I cooked dinner. You will find a million ideas on the internet, and see if you can visit a Head Start program in your area to get an idea of how to set up space. If not, find another preschool that wouldn't mind you observing for a while, or ask for an interview with one of the teachers.

I have a home day care, and a lot of ideas!

Kids love sensory. (watch little one with this, but they like it also) If you have a dishpan or other shallow pan, put on floor with a few towels under it. Put one of the following in it
*snow
*water with ice
*shaving cream
*popcorn
*pasta
*clean mud (ivory soap shredded, 1 roll toilet paper shredded, warm water to mix)
*beans
Put in a few spoons/scoops/cups etc. and kids love it.

for printable color sheets/work sheets and general ideas go to http://www.netrox.net/~labush/colrpres.htm
I get a lot of ideas from this site. it's great!

dancing is a great pass time or make your own music with pots and pans and have a parade.
throw some sheets over some chairs and make a tent

good luck and have fun!!!

If your worried about a mess with paints, put them in the tub and finger paints and let them go. Then when they are done. You will wash the tub as you give them a bath!