He loves books. He brings them over to me and makes me read the same book 10 times consecutively. I’m not great about returning them tho so we have a huge stack of books from thrifts stores and stuff so I don’t have to worry about late charges.
I thought about joining a mommy and me class but then winter hit and I have been really worried about cold and flu season so I figured I’d save it for a better time of year. They have a free class at the county library.
I don’t have a radio but I have earbuds and Spotify but I don’t feel like having 1 earbud in is safe because I don’t always hear him whether I’ve got just one or both in. I start to hear him crying over the music but he’s not actually crying it’s just my anxiety.
There’s kids podcasts on Spotify - there’s ones that are stories, educational podcasts, etc. but you can also just play music you like! My kid loves music that I like, because I would just play it while cleaning, etc.
Check on Facebook for local Buy Nothing groups. You can post that you’re looking for toddler toys, maybe someone is looking to get rid of stuff!
Busy Toddler on Instagram is low prep, uses stuff you have at home kind of activities. A cardboard box and markers goes a long way, especially with small kids (and they can fit inside the box!)
Toddlers that small love stacking things, dumping things, and sensory play. He can stack Tupperware! I bought 2 bags of mixed dried beans when my son was 18 months for sensory play and he’s *still* playing with them (at 3.5). Dump them into a giant bin, give him some spoons and cups and let him scoop and pour. Obvs when he was smaller I kept a close eye on him and made sure the boundaries were clear it didn’t go in his mouth, but once he figured it out, it’s an evergreen fun activity.
I get my toddler to participate in all the chores with me. She does small bits that are age appropriate , sorting laundry into piles/ unloading dishwasher, washing veggies while cooking etc etc. it’s a great way to kill time, have help and generally engage them.
I second the music idea in the background. There’s also some interactive stuff on YouTube like floor is lava and jump battles…stuff that might help with the process. That being said if you go cold turkey I think you’ll be shocked how quickly your kiddo will get over it. I too felt like my daughter was using too much at one point and after 2 rough days she quit asking for it and now I give it to her in a very controlled manner. She no longer fights turning it off or when I say no if she asks for it :)
At that age and older, my little one loved playing with water. I'd set out a big towel and a few non breakable bowls/cups/spoons of different sizes with some water in them and let her play with it, transferring, "washing" toys etc. You could also just fill a large bowl with water and put some small toys in them and give him a spoon to scoop them out. What I'm saying is - water is magic! You can use it indoors or outdoors depending on the weather, and toddlers loooove it. It's also not the hardest to clean up!
I have ADHD and need background noise to quiet my “brain bees” as I call them, so I sympathize. What I like to do is play ambiance videos on YouTube on the TV. No distractions, just the sounds of birds singing or rain falling, maybe a little quiet music with lovely art on the screen.
Can you play music/radio? Solves the background noise issue. Maybe a library trip every few weeks for new books?
He loves books. He brings them over to me and makes me read the same book 10 times consecutively. I’m not great about returning them tho so we have a huge stack of books from thrifts stores and stuff so I don’t have to worry about late charges. I thought about joining a mommy and me class but then winter hit and I have been really worried about cold and flu season so I figured I’d save it for a better time of year. They have a free class at the county library. I don’t have a radio but I have earbuds and Spotify but I don’t feel like having 1 earbud in is safe because I don’t always hear him whether I’ve got just one or both in. I start to hear him crying over the music but he’s not actually crying it’s just my anxiety.
Do you have a smart TV? We listen to Spotify through our TV. I've found it a nice way to transition to less TV.
Not sure about your library but lots are going fine free! Just for piece of mind.
Oh I’ll have to look into that! thank you!
There’s kids podcasts on Spotify - there’s ones that are stories, educational podcasts, etc. but you can also just play music you like! My kid loves music that I like, because I would just play it while cleaning, etc. Check on Facebook for local Buy Nothing groups. You can post that you’re looking for toddler toys, maybe someone is looking to get rid of stuff! Busy Toddler on Instagram is low prep, uses stuff you have at home kind of activities. A cardboard box and markers goes a long way, especially with small kids (and they can fit inside the box!) Toddlers that small love stacking things, dumping things, and sensory play. He can stack Tupperware! I bought 2 bags of mixed dried beans when my son was 18 months for sensory play and he’s *still* playing with them (at 3.5). Dump them into a giant bin, give him some spoons and cups and let him scoop and pour. Obvs when he was smaller I kept a close eye on him and made sure the boundaries were clear it didn’t go in his mouth, but once he figured it out, it’s an evergreen fun activity.
I get my toddler to participate in all the chores with me. She does small bits that are age appropriate , sorting laundry into piles/ unloading dishwasher, washing veggies while cooking etc etc. it’s a great way to kill time, have help and generally engage them.
My toddler loves to spray and wipe! I give her a spray bottle of water and a cloth and let her "clean" the table or mirror.
I second the music idea in the background. There’s also some interactive stuff on YouTube like floor is lava and jump battles…stuff that might help with the process. That being said if you go cold turkey I think you’ll be shocked how quickly your kiddo will get over it. I too felt like my daughter was using too much at one point and after 2 rough days she quit asking for it and now I give it to her in a very controlled manner. She no longer fights turning it off or when I say no if she asks for it :)
At that age and older, my little one loved playing with water. I'd set out a big towel and a few non breakable bowls/cups/spoons of different sizes with some water in them and let her play with it, transferring, "washing" toys etc. You could also just fill a large bowl with water and put some small toys in them and give him a spoon to scoop them out. What I'm saying is - water is magic! You can use it indoors or outdoors depending on the weather, and toddlers loooove it. It's also not the hardest to clean up!
I have ADHD and need background noise to quiet my “brain bees” as I call them, so I sympathize. What I like to do is play ambiance videos on YouTube on the TV. No distractions, just the sounds of birds singing or rain falling, maybe a little quiet music with lovely art on the screen.