[TwoHeadedGirl]

Help!

I am struggling to keep my two amused and happy and entertained all day. DD is 21 months and DS is 10 months and only days away from walking.

They seem to have out grown all their toys (thankfully there is plenty of new stuff coming at Christmas) and seem to spend half the say following me around whining. I can only assume they're bored.

It's so hard for me to get out and about doing things with them because I just don't have enough hands. We do go to the park without much drama, but going to shops/play centres/library are all out of the question with my two.

At home, we do the usual stuff.. paddle pool outside, read books, paint, draw, rip up paper, make a complete mess of the house but I feel like I am resorting to TV more often then I should.

Does anyone have any suggestions of other activities, toys, whatever that I can use to occupy both of my bubs and keep them happy?

[mama123]

We have spent many hours in the sandpit.

[WibbleWobble]

Sandpit.

Trampoline.

Ball pit.

Ball games - get the big one to roll the ball to the little one.

Little Tikes cars - little one can sit in the car, big one can push.

[CherryAmes]

Well, just to add something a bit different - yoga.

I bought the 'itsy bitsy yoga' book and my 23 month old loves it and is doing 'poses' from it all the time. I had a bit of a google and saw some videos which had the baby and the toddler doing poses together. Maybe check it out?

I remember my sister (who had 2 close together) used to play games like 'going on a bear hunt' with different roles for the different kids, she'd set up the house with cushions and paper and so on and they would act out the whole thing. I'll have to ask her for some more ideas for my two, actually!

[living~in~the~no...]

I feel your pain. My DDs are 12 months apart. I am happy to say that it does get easier (they are now 6 and 7 )

The best thing I did was put toys away and bring them out at different times. So I had a big plastic tub with all the blocks, one with little people, one with babies etc. When they got bored of playing with these I put the one tub away, waited a while and then "found" another tub. I know it is an old suggestion but it is a good one.

About this age I also saw a phychologist who gave me good suggestions about scheduling. Plan like a daycafre centre and that it is ok to plan both some tv time and some free play (I know tv is frowned upon for under 2s and I was always one of those advocates until I had two so close in age and a bit of tv was all that got me through the 4.30 crazy time).

Your ideas sound good.

I remember how shops were hard.

We used to do

Morning play usually at the park
Morning Tea
Playtime (outside - water, sandpit, push carts etc)
Lunch
Inside play cause it was so hot (with one of those magical boxes)
Then either outside or park or me walking them in the pram

I liked outside as much as I could cause I don't cope very well with messy inside toys

Just remember you don't have to keep them "entertained" all the time.

Plus can they help you with pegs? Sweeping? Pushing the washing trolley etc?

[LittleMissPink]

Can you find some playgroups to go to a couple times a week? Then you get to sit and chat while they play!

[Natttmumm]

I was thinking play group once a week, have some friends over once a week, park, nature walk - one in the pram and one walking with her own pram to push, planting some fruit like strawberries, chalk on the driveway, play dough, go to the local pools and stick in the very shallow pool, swimming lessons for older child, train or bus ride a few stops where a local park is close and then come back an hour later, beaches where the water is flat and take sandpit toys.
It's gets easier. When the baby is 18 months old as they enjoy things more.
Assuming they both sleep during the day, I would usually spend the mornings out and come home for sleep and then play at home in the arvo with tv time at around 4 ish for an hour.