4Real Forums: toddler management ideas

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Topic: toddler management ideas

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SaraP
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Joined: Dec 15 2005
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Posted: Feb 09 2011 at 6:19pm \| IP Logged

Can you ladies help me brainstorm things for my 21 month DS to do while his older siblings do schoolwork.

He likes to cut with scissors, thread pony beads on pipe cleaners and push playdough through the garlic press. What else could he do along those lines?

I could also use ideas for how to corral him when he is either causing too much mischief and I cannot directly attend to him (like throwing all of my shoes into the shower with me while I wash my hair) or when I need to keep him out of something dangerous (like broken glass on the kitchen floor) while I clean it up.

My older kids cannot manage him.

He climbs out of both of the playpens we own in a split second. We have a crib in storage, but I don't think the sides are much higher than the playpens. If I buckle him in his highchair he flips it backwards or sideways. I suppose I could try a carseat, but if he can flip the highchair won't he just flip that? Carseats are also awfully expensive.

I used to be able to put him the Ergo, but now he bites and scratches and pulls out fistfuls of my hair when I try.

When my oldest - also a wild one - was this age I put a hook and eye on the outside of his bedroom, stripped it everything except a mattress on the floor and soft toys and coralled him there when necessary, but now all of my bedrooms are used by other kids who don't want their stuff trashed.

What else could I try? It's not a problem all that often, but when it's a problem, it's *really* a problem.

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JodieLyn
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Posted: Feb 09 2011 at 6:34pm \| IP Logged

what about a stroller? a lot of those come with the 5 point harness now. You could pick up a carseat at a yard sale or something.. it doesn't have to be a good new one.. just one with good buckles. Setting it on the floor.

Also what about if you used the stroller with an older kid pushing him.. a short walk up and down the block or just around the yard.. keeping moving might keep him calmer than sitting and waiting.

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mamaslearning
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Posted: Feb 10 2011 at 7:35am \| IP Logged

Here are some activities we like:

Lauri Pegs
Trio Blocks
Matchbox cars
Magnetic alphabet - transfers letters from container to container with a toilet roll tube.
Peeling crayons - my 2yo will spend at least 1/2 hour peeling the paper off our crayons. Instead of worrying about the mess, I just count it as part of his fine motor skills training

.
Montessori activities are great at this age - search for them online to find a wide variety.

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Lara
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JamieCarin
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Joined: Nov 14 2008
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Posted: Feb 10 2011 at 9:10am \| IP Logged

Ohhh I totally second the crayon peeling!! My litttle guy can do this forever as well. Will he do duplo? Train table? Educational DVD or CD? My little guys also love the toy laptops to learn their letters. Cars and trains.

And also I find if I give my son specific instructions with a toy: Why don't you go get your blocks and build bridges and tunnels for your train that he will be more interested and do it longer.

Also tents/forts/etc occupy them for a long time. How about a mini trampoline?

A sink full of sudsy water and some bowls and cups?

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JennGM
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Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
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Posted: Feb 10 2011 at 9:19am \| IP Logged

-Scooping, transferring from one place to another with spoons, tongs, tweezers. Cotton balls, rice, beans, dried corn...
-Small boxes or bags with zippers or clasps to put things in and out.
-Stickers books
-Windows markers or crayons
-magnets (LeapFrog)
-Lift the flap books, like Spot
-washpan of soapy water with bubbles

I admit to plugging in my toddler especially when I absolutely need to know where he is and what he is doing while I do something dangerous. LeapFrog videos are wonderful.

Now it escapes me, but find something that sticks to their fingers and they will have to work on trying to get it off?

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Jennifer G. Miller
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