https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 04 Jun 2026 02:25:44 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1768348 Fri, 18 Jul 2014 18:14:41 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1768348@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: dont you hate that! 16 months is totally an awkward age. Old enough to not be a baby, but not old enough to be a toddler just yet. Sigh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1767502 Fri, 18 Jul 2014 11:13:55 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1767502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: oh I forgot about Pinterest! Good idea! </p> <p>@blackbird: I was considering getting one. We have a kiddie pool that he loves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1767477 Fri, 18 Jul 2014 11:06:47 +0000 travellingbee 1767477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: I guess when they say toddler they mean 2+ because my 16 month old can't do most of this. But they Re good ideas for older ones. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1767470 Fri, 18 Jul 2014 11:05:30 +0000 Mrs. Train 1767470@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Water colors in the bathtub can be super fun and then you just turn the water on and all the paint washes off. My kids love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1767466 Fri, 18 Jul 2014 11:03:34 +0000 blackbird 1767466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you have a sprinkler toy? I"m lazy and plug it in and let E run around like a crazy lady outside while i just sit and watch.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1767452 Fri, 18 Jul 2014 10:58:05 +0000 cmomma17 1767452@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMccarthy: saw this on pinterest and thought of you! great ideas!! <a href="http://www.simplelittlehome.com/2012/03/50-ways-to-distract-toddler.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.simplelittlehome.com/2012/03/50-ways-to-distract-toddler.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1766576 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 22:05:01 +0000 Jess1483 1766576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One of my favorite easy activities is cloud dough. Four cups flour and 1/2 cup oil (I used vegetable oil, but I heard baby oil is good, too). Mix it up really well. It's super fun stuff. It's a bit messy, so we do it outside, but then there isn't any clean-up!</p> <p>For me, the biggest thing that's helped me the last couple of weeks is picking 4 things at the beginning of the week: one new activity, one old favorite (these are out of the house), one "craft" (playdough or cloud dough or whatever counts in this category), and one thing we are working on (cleaning up our own toys, etc). That's helped me give myself some structure and helps keep me feeling busy and productive. I think having those things spread throughout the week makes the time he does spend playing with his "old" books and toys more interesting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1766540 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 21:50:01 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1766540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: oh I'll have to get some pipe cleaners good one! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1766511 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 21:37:35 +0000 Greentea 1766511@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is a great thread! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1766453 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 21:05:52 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1766453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you everyone! These are great suggestions. Keep me coming! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1766108 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:54:39 +0000 cmomma17 1766108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMccarthy: I think toy and book rotations can be effective for reducing boredom. Has he ever played with window clings? Or pipe cleaners? Both zero to no mess to clean up.</p> <p>ETA indoor ball pit with a bag of balls and either pack n play or baby pool? </p> <p>Wracking my brain for more ideas! Hang in there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1766063 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:44:43 +0000 Applesandbananas 1766063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765992 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:30:18 +0000 immabeetoo 1765992@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Rotating toys works well for us! He's excited to see new stuff. We also spend time outside where I lay in the grass and he runs in circles around me, rearranging rocks. Oh and reading books for hours- it's nice because we can do it in bed! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765933 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:19:18 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1765933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Applesandbananas: the energy of a thousand toddlers....haha this just made my day ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765920 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:17:24 +0000 Applesandbananas 1765920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We sing songs (like Brantley Gilbert, Tyler Farr, Blake Shelton lol) and that keeps him entertained for awhile. He loves music and bring sung to. He loves to dance too, so I play the chicken dance for him as well. You could do those sitting down and there's no mess! I use Spotify to build fun playlists, it's free!</p> <p>He loves bath time as well, he could play in the tub for hours. Maybe that'd be a no-mess activity for you guys, just throw random household stuff in the tub and let LO go to town! My LO loves random household stuff more than his own toys. He'd rather have a turkey baster and spatula than blocks any day. </p> <p>Idk if you've transitioned LO out of the crib, but my LO is in a floor bed so somedays, I let him play in his room (which is child-proofed) and I chill on the floor bed. Its a lifesaver when he has an awful night of sleep but then the energy of a thousand toddlers the next day!</p> <p>Is there a Mother's Day Out program in your area? We have a local children's play place that does a program once a week for $20, I think it's like 4 hours. Maybe you could find something similar in your area? My state's childcare oversight board has a provider search engine that allows you to search by Mother's Day Out types of programs too. </p> <p>What about even enrolling LO in a part-time daycare? It could be really nice to have two mornings to yourself (and baby once s/he arrives) and could give LO a chance to socialize more!</p> <p>Good luck and congrats on your BFP! H&amp;H 9m to you &lt;3 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765878 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:08:01 +0000 sandy 1765878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: yup - the only distraction from the fatigue and nausea was to get out of the house every day. </p> <p>Hit up the local play gyms/community centers, story times, children's museum, splash parks - just get outside. Then nap when LO naps </p> <p>You could try puzzles (he'll likely need your help at first), kinetic sand (it's amazing), markers on a dry erase board, fill a giant Tupperware with beans, rice, pasta and let him play with measuring cups and spoons, have him sort the beans, pasta into smaller containers, let him play with shaving cream in the bathtub, </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765867 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:05:09 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1765867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This keeps lo occupied for a while too!</p> <p><a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2014/06/25/less-mess-indoor-sensory-bin/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2014/06/25/less-mess-indoor-sensory-bin/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765859 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:02:49 +0000 kakimochi 1765859@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>water play--bucket of water, plastic bowls, spoons and cups; a paintbrush and paint the sidewalk with water. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765851 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:00:50 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1765851@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Did you see my recent blog post about the diy montessori materials? My lo is a bit younger (16 months) but some of those things may be fun for him too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765844 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 18:59:13 +0000 winniebee 1765844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had to get out of the house every morning or else the nausea and fatigue were too much. Park, music, play gym, library. If I was out of the house I wasn't thinking of how crummy I felt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765712 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 18:24:54 +0000 littlehunny 1765712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I'm feeling in a rut our local rec centre has their gym set up with a bunch of kids toys (ride on cars, play kitchen, slides etc) and a bouncy castle. The kids love it and it always seems new when we go because I don't take them often. It's easy for me since it's all kid friendly stuff and it's an enclosed space. Our library has programs too. Is there something like that near you? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765705 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 18:23:48 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1765705@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like the stamp idea but the paint might mean too much clean up for me right now, he loves chalk drawing outside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765688 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 18:18:03 +0000 autumnlove 1765688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So sorry, I remember being preg with a young toddler and it was hard to find activities to keep her occupied for more than 5 mins at time.</p> <p>Painting? Potato stamps? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765671 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 18:12:51 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1765671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Bump? Any suggestions? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-activity-rut-and-pregnant#post-1765568 Thu, 17 Jul 2014 17:23:22 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1765568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am only 5 weeks pregnant but already exhausted! I have an energetic and easily bored little 22 month old boy. Can any of you suggest any good activities for him that won't require a lot from me or keep us out in the hot sun for long (or some indoor activities. I feel so guilty just putting on Elmo or watching him play with the same old toys or books. We do okay dough sometimes and he loves to color but I'm lookin for some new creative ideas! </p>