Looking for ideas for activities/supplies to accumulate for when baby comes...to occupy 5 year old DD when feeding, etc.
Bigger things we may gift for her birthday and Christmas. Smaller things I'll just pop in a basket for when I'm desperate. Sister is not well occupied by screen time.
cantaloupe / 6086 posts
Does she like art? My oldest loves the magic painting books from usborne. Water on the brush pulls the color from the black lines (permanently unlike a water wow type book) but they can be quite pretty made by an older kid. Requires a little setup from you but not much just getting water to dip. They also have fun “how to draw” books if she would be occupied by that.
Beads are always a hit here too. If you tie a bead on some strings in advance that can serve as the end to keep them from falling off and she can make lots of necklaces etc.
pear / 1718 posts
@bhbee: Great ideas, thank you! She LOVES arts and crafts. I love all your ideas. I had been thinking of gettimg her a drawing book too, as we often look up "how to draw a unicorn", etc.
coconut / 8079 posts
My 5yo loves arts and crafts. Michael’s has lots of little kits. He also loves the blank books they have sometimes in the Target dollar spot. It’s $3 for 8 or so and he will make his own books with favorite characters. Play doh or that crayola model magic, I think that’s what it’s called.
pomelo / 5573 posts
What about melt beads? My five year old will work on those for a looooong time.
persimmon / 1467 posts
Does she like books? My 5 year old really likes listening to picture books on CD and "reading" along in the book.
pea / 9 posts
I just got my 4-year-old a mini Etch-A-Sketch at the Dollar Store 🤦♀️ He loves it for practicing letters and numbers.
This coloring roll (basically a long, oversized coloring page) from Amazon was also a hit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0735347921?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
nectarine / 2987 posts
WaterWow, magnatiles plus hatchimals, little animals (the toys that come in a tube) plus some pieces of colored felt, a bin of dry oatmeal with kitchen utensils from the dollar store, kinetic sand plus some jewels and tongs to search for treasure, a baby doll with clothes she can manage herself and some accessories, search and find books you can do together while you nurse, paint by sticker books, Kumon tracing and cutting books
persimmon / 1483 posts
@SweetCaroline: my 6 yo got this sticky mosiac activity for her birthday and her and my 4 yo sat at the dining table quietly for 2 HOURS and made these. It was amazing and aside from an occasion stuck sticker, required zero adult help/supervision. They make a bunch of difference ones (crowns, animals, unicorns, etc...).
pear / 1565 posts
My almost 5 year old LOVES arts/crafts. She can spend hours drawing, painting, coloring, doing activity books, etc. We're expecting #3 in Feb so I am just gonna stock up and get her some new things (new markers get her excited lol). She does also have her younger sister to play with.
cantaloupe / 6086 posts
@Madison43: those are awesome, we did so many of those with my oldest - great idea! I should find some for my 4yo even though I’m not having a newborn 
apricot / 410 posts
I love reading these ideas! I'm filing these away for some quiet activities for my 4.5 year old. 
These are some things that keep her busy and take no help from me: maze books, tracing books, play doh, sticker books, seek and find/hidden picture books, highlights magazines, and these magnetic scene play sets:
We have a few different ones and she'll make up story after story as she plays with them and sets up different scenes.
pear / 1718 posts
@jhd: Great ideas! We have a ton of playdoh but rhe model magic might be a fun change of pace!
She has only played with Duplos so far, and we were late getting into them. I think I'll start with a small set of Lego Friends. Thanks for pushing me in that direction! If she likes them, I'll be thrilled to buy a larger set at baby time.
pear / 1718 posts
@BoyMama: man! I don't know if my kid will let me off that easy the the etch a sketch! That roll of coloring paper looks awesome though!
@MrsSRS: Thanks for the insta suggestions! Also. Your ideas are stellar! Definitely going to bust the sensory bin out again.
pear / 1718 posts
@Madison43: OMG so on the mosaics...I read your comment while laying in the chair teying not to puke and feeling horrible for DDs boring day. THEN I remembered a mosaic I picked up at Hobby Lobby. I set her up on the couch with a cookie sheet and she was set for AGES. Thanks for the suggestion! I know Dollar Tree has some pretty detailed mosaics too.
pear / 1718 posts
@caitcat: maze books! DD loves mazes! I bet I can scoop some up at the dollar store too.
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