I have signed on a 19mo old and was wondering what you all provide your group in this age to keep busy. Is it pretty much free play with this age?

I took out some markers and taped down a large piece of butcher paper and that was fun for a while...before she thought it may be a good idea to "taste markers"....AHHH!!

Just looking for safe..fun ideas.

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http://www.teachpreschool.org/2011/0...for-preschool/

We are doing these this week and next

also other sensory bins like this:

http://pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com...spiration.html

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Sensory fun is always a good idea! I've done the bottles of water/oil with beads or whatever in them (glue the top on well) and I just stay right there with them.

Pudding finger painting.

water play with a bucket (best to have them down to the diaper and maybe put a play shirt on them--just say by them of course).

water color paints.

ball toss in a basket.

running under a blanket or parachute.

play dough (you can make edible stuff, too)

music and dance, singing and finger plays

hide the object under a scarf, sheet, cup, etc.

Such a fun age!! One of my faves!

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OOOOHHHH......I'm on it ASAP! Luuuuve this. GREAT IDEA!!

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Great ideas! Thank you!

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So last night I made some of the ziploc bags with the hair gel and food coloring ( my 17 year old DD thought they were cool) I have a 19 month old and a 2 1/2 year old coming today. Both of these boys are dump and trash, run, fight etc. etc. little boys. They both need some sit down sensory type things to keep there minds busy but I'm curious to see how they do with these. The 19 month old puts everything in his mouth, I reinforced the corners of the bags and fulling intend to sit right there while they play with them but I would love some thoughts on what I can give them to do when I am busy and can't sit right there. I LOVE the idea of sensory tables but with these two I would NEVER be able to turn my back, everything would be in a mouth or thrown around the diningroom. Any idea of senory things that are bigger....I might try something with oatmeal like suggested because it's not going to hurt him if he eats it but I can also see a huge mess.

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I have five little boys in my house and four are between two and three. None of them behave like this.

I wouldn't add ANYTHING to their play until they had MONTHS of good playing without dumping, running, fighting, and trashing.

If you already have this chaos the ONLY thing that will stop the chaos is to get them to BEHAVE. Adding more special will escalate an already unstable situation.

Kids don't HAVE to act like that. It's not about being boys or girls. It's about rules, boundaries, limitations, and consequences if they don't play properly.

Have you read my play rules blog? https://www.daycare.com/nannyde/ther...tm#comment-245

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I do have my own set of rules, I didn't say that is what they are allowed to do, I said it is what they like to do.

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Just read the blog...

Is there anything the kids CAN do while in your care? I understand a lot of that is just teaching the kids simple respect for the area and things around them but how you wrote it, wow. No...No....NO...NOOO....

Don't get me wrong, I will tell children no about things but when writing it as a list of rules it just looks really intimidating and harsh. And they can't play with other toys with the blocks? Sorry, I couldn't help but look twice at that. My kids use the animals, cars, dolls, etc. to promote the imagination.

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