My daughter is two years now. I am trying to take her outdoor when I am with her. But she is so energetic at home and stick to me. It's so damn hard to say "daddy is busy and can't play with you" looking at her little face. I guess I need more toys to distract her sometimes.
So what would be good toys for 2-3 girls in your experience?
Thank you!
Oh Thanks this is good idea
Top choice. Found one of those removalist boxes spare on the day the truck came and took just about everything. All you need is a stanley knife. Turned into a wonderful perfect sized teddies house, opening and closing doors and windows. Kept son amused for hours; more fun than escaping with and dropping the bolts from the beds down the drain.
Dude, she won't be two forever, learn to enjoy her at this age, as she won't be like that for long.
I do spent all my time with her, except when I am in the office. But we just had 2nd daughter and a lot extra to do at the moment.
Actually your comment just make me feel sad…I wish she could be like 2 forever - she is sooo cute now.
Does she have a trampoline?
Err not in her playroom. She just got a Queen size mattress to jump.
I just meant, when you take her outdoors to play, try and tire her out as much as you can.A trampoline, a slide and maybe a sandpit, should do the trick.Then you can just put her favourite movie on for a little while?.
Otherwise give her some crayons and paper to draw you something.If this doesn't work get her a large easel, for drawing with chalk or finger painting.
I'm, with altomic! If you have the space, lots of colourful boxes, the more the better. Bottleshop and fruitshop sizes. They make cubbys, dolls houses, tunnels. pen the dog in. Like a giant lego set really. When they bust up, off to the recycling bin and get some more. My girl loved building a wall of them and then running at it, the movies are hilarious. They can decorate and draw on them as well. And a headlamp, and maybe some walkie talkies - I imagine you have a drawer of eneloops?
I will try :)
ipad
I think this is a NO for us…
Netflix is also a great option.
She is 2 dude not 20
@serpserpserp: if you meant kid shows then maybe yes.. But i think op is looking for more physical activities
iPad.
Seriously. If you can't be bothered for 15 minutes. Stick 'em on that with YouTube Kids fired up.
waits for the judging to happen…
yeah. everyone knew this OP dont need to ask.
if too expensive then get asus tablet $100-150
Or Leapfrog learning tablet. This is supposed to filter out internet adult sites (very limited) and you can buy age appropriate learning books and games that are specifically made for her as she grows (ages 2 to 8 I think). Made very hardy for toddlers to use. Until they discover those costly ipads!
Toy kitchen!! With saucepans Etc all kids love it. And a sandpit outside
Yes we got it. She loves it and played for about 20mins each time / day.
Could you get her a bit of a working station next to you? So she can only use it when your doing a certain activity for work
My daughter is 3 and is baby mad. Seeing as you have a new addition maybe set up a little nursery with a dolly, bed, cot nappies and accessories
And duplo too.
Those colouring books that uses textas without colour (crayola makes them) is great because you don't need to supervise as much as they can't draw on other things with them
Craft things like icy pole sticks, feathers, coloured cotton balls etc from Kmart, reject shop.
Also playdoh.
Playdoh is great as long as she doesn't eat it, cause it smells yummy!
Make your own play dough - google the recipe or there's a recipe on the side of cream of tartar tub. It's really easy to make (both cooked and non cooked recipes) It's super salty so tastes disgusting.
Bubble machine, Bubble Blower- Anything bubble related.
If they have a favourite colour, anything in that colour-gum boots, bathers, teddy.
Balance bike-you can get ones that start for a 2 year old and can be changed to grow with them.
Micro-scooter-120 bucks but she'll learn it quick as a flash! and wear the wheels out over the next 4 years!
A Fairy or Princess dress!!!
My little girl turned 8 last month…
Anyway, kids that age have little interest in toys, they want people to play with. You can turn on the TV or give her an Ipad, but as you are realising, she won't be 2 for long, so maybe go play with her, or make your busy time a play time.
I used to let the little kids sit on my lap when I wrote documents on the computer. They would sometimes mash the keyboard, it wasn't a big deal, but they liked it.
Let her mix a cake in the kitchen, or help with making dinner. And let her help clean up too.
Then slide down the stairs on a flattened cardboard box together, climb a suitably sized tree, push her on the swings (all my kids would be still there as skeletons if we didn't make them stop swinging).
Go pat a friendly dog, feed ducks, paddle in the small waves, build a sand castle, plant some watermelon (or whatever) seeds and water them together as they grow.
Go to the play ground and slide, climb, swing.
Give her rides on your shoulders and pretend to be a horse.
Or do the same with her hands holding yours to steer and pretend you are a robot (make sure you bump into some walls).
Be a bit silly, and do things like dress ups.
If you do all these things, your little girl will still stick to you a lot. And you will be very lucky for it.
This man speaks the truth. Kids desire human interaction more than some toy. Either it will be too simple to hold her interest for long, or too complex for her to handle. What you need is a person, a decoy to keep her busy while you work.
Hmm, but it's true you can't buy people at the toy store, and grabbing them off the street is not going to work. You could rent them! Nannys exist, but it's not really something you can get spur of the moment, and even if it was that can get expensive… Babysitters? Teenagers will work for $10 an hour..I got it! Get her an ipad!
No, wait hear me out here. You get her an ipad, connect it via skype to a virtual assistant, some guy in India or some such, and get him/her to keep your daughter busy. She can be like a virtual friend. Your daughter will show them her toys, and they can read stories together and stuff. Plus, it should only cost about $5 an hour or less.
New stuffed toy animal thing? Honestly when i was two all i had was stuffed animals my sister had like doll things and toys barbies etc
Apart from that maybe spot the dog books? I loved them when i was two
Big vote for Spot. I retained copies (book and vhs) of Spot's Magical Christmas … my son is now 22! He also has a little stuffed Spot somewhere still.
Spot/The Berenstein Bears/Wheres Wally all great kids books
But my absolute favourite was those optical illusions and find the animal or creature bug very well and beautifully illustrated books
That along with one of those sandscapes was my childhood
I still remember my son reading his very first books … Brown bear.
Brown bear. Brown bear.
What do you see?
I see a little boy looking at me.
Yes, the artwork in some of these books is just wonderful.
Only last week I noticed there eas a new addition to the Hairy McLarey (from Donaldson's Dairy) books.
Another vote for Duplo. We don't have kids but husband's best mate has a daughter and we'Ve been buying Duplo for her Christmas and birthday presents since she was about 18 months old (she's just turned 5). She absolutely LOVES it, and even better, they can hand it down to her little brother, who will be turning 2 shortly (we've already started him off on Duplo as well LOL). Their mum isn't a fan of "gender specific" toys (only giving girls dolls or giving boys just cars/trucks etc), so the Duplo has been a big hit all round :)
If you can empty a cupboard in your kitchen. A bottom cupboard of course and remove the shelving. This way she can sit inside with her toys and open and close the door as she pleases. My children both loved having their own cupboard in the kitchen when they were that age. Sure you have to find a new home for what you take out of the cupboard but the fun and the smiles you will get from your daughter will compensate for that.
The cupboard idea sounds really unique and a good idea. Imagine if you had visit by social services or whatever and they asked about where your children are lol …
Just say your daughter loves harry potter
Yes; the vision of poor young Harry being abused by Aunt and Uncle … although he did get his comuppence.
Can imagine the welfare person's report … "child prefers to remain in cupboard. Follow up recommended."
Dora the Explorer or Sesame street toys. My neighbors little hyper girl just loved these soft toys. So much so she didn't like anyone else to touch them, and kept away from anyone if they wanted to touch those toys. Apart from that see if she has any interest in Duplo (large size Lego).
My son was so hyper he was misdiagnosed as borderline ADHD but I found a cheap set (make sure those magnets are secure) of fridge alphabet magnets (at 2) soon saw him writing words on the fridge and reading anything he saw including street signs. I didnt teach him; he simply did this himself as he was inspired by Sesame Street … I was just the provider of books. Reward system (books for good behaviour when shopping) of a $2 Golden book helped when doing a fast shop. Books can also serve to build little houses with lol. Libraries offer a good range of books (and toys too). Son loved those Mr McGee and Thomas books.
Son also loved water activities. About the only things that relaxed him was books, trains and swimming; certainly not too young to start swimming and learning how to be (relatively) safe in water. Water activities may also tire apart from relaxing. Take her along to some early classes and see if that does the trick (you are supposed to follow up with some water activities with her). Either your wife has time one on one with her or you do; always easier with only one child to watch. A bit of divide and conquer lol.
A cheap plastic bowling set may keep her entertained for some time, although she will want you to join in too. It's that or they are lots of fun to throw down the stairs!
Apart from those suggestions you really must go with the flow … you will soon miss her dearly when she leaves for pre-school. Be very gentle with her and she will reciprocate in kind … eventually. I found the top of the refrigerator the only safe place, that was really secure enough son couldnt reach. Good luck.
Buy her a little toy zoo, kitchen set, doll house, a tricycle and such things that make her busy for a longer time. And if necessary, tune up some of the cartoon channels on your TV so that she may watch them when she don't actually want to play.
Peppa pig stuffed toy or whatever the new dora the explorer tv show is on now? Blues clues?
Paw patrol
Please don't give her iPad, tablets xbox TV Youtube etc to entertain her, too many parents are letting electronics babysit their kids and it just isn't right,
Enjoy the little time you can spare as quality time with her.
Go to Harvey Norman or The good guys etc see the storeman out back they have so many big fridge boxes or washing machine boxes that are seriously strong and will make a great playhouse, get her a few barbie type dolls some pretty paper (coloured) and tape and show her how to decorate, paints, glue coloured markers etc are too toxic and dangerous for a two yr old
A big empty cardboard box = cubby/room/space ship/etc