Need help with activites.

I am desperatly trying to find activites for my toddler to do at home. On rainy days when we are stuck inside together- I feel like I just run out of ideas. I bought and rented books of activites- but most of the ideas are too advanced for a 19 month old. We tried coloring- but that only lasts a few min. before she starts eating the crayons. Even the good ideas I come up with only last 5 mins. before her attention span runs out. Any ideas? What am I doing wrong? I really don't want to rely on the TV all the time. Help...

Re: Need help with activites.

I bought the step 2 water table (it's about 30 dollars) and filled it with pasta (uncooked) and let her play with it like sand. She loves this activity and I try to save it for when it's raining.

We also like to play Elmo on Sesamestreet.com. Hmmm, I know I have more, but I have to run for now.

One more quick thought, I let her play at the sink with some plastic cups/bottles/ bowls and let her fill and dump and "wash."

Re: Need help with activites.

Re: Need help with activites.

my kids like homemade dough.....we make it and they play for a good hour

Re: Need help with activites.

You can have her help you cook, sort socks, dust, etc. Maddie loves helping my husband cook. Even if her job is to stir. He explains how the heat in the oven cooks the batter, etc.

Re: Need help with activites.

MY DD is 21 months old

I bought my DD an ironing board and and iron that was $12.99 from walmart and my DD loves to take clothes and irons.

I also put down a splat mat in the kitchen and let her play with play dough but only in the kitchen cuz I don't need it getting stuck in my carpet.

I have those coloring books that you wet the paint brush and when you put it on a page in the coloring book the color apears.

I will let her cook with me she just stirs things.

I also have a little cleaning set for her and let her help me clean or I will give her one of my swiffter dusters and I also give her a paper towel and spray the windex on teh tv and let her clean that.

I also have a small ball pit that I inflate and put the balls in and we play in that I will leave it out for a few days then I put it away so she doesn't get bored of it and that wasn't expensive either.

I also play make up with her I will take my make up and act like I am putting on her she thinks who she is and I will put on the dress up princess dresses on her and act like I take pictures of her.

Hope these helped. I know there are others but I can't think right now when they come to me I will add them to the list