Toddler Has Entered the Chat

Well, not quite a toddler I guess but also not really a ‘baby’ any more insofar as society dictates. We are at the stage whereby memories pop up all over the place of early smiles, wobbly first steps and smushing avocado into her face for the first time. Some days I can hardly believe there was another little baby growing inside me, and then all of a sudden she is a vibrant force of energy charging around the house!

That old cliché, ‘it goes by so fast’, is absolutely one hundred percent accurate. Romilly is nearly eighteen months old and the delicate layers of her character are being revealed every single day. You can really start to understand their growing personalities at this age, it’s there in all the day to day things they do; the way they communicate, the toys and objects in which they are drawn to (kitchen drawers being the favourite!) and the nursery rhymes they seem to connect with the most.

It is absolutely exhausting both mentally and physically some days so it’s been really important for me to deeply listen to my needs as well as hers. Taking time to slow down and have days at home with a huge pile of books feels magical. We don’t have set nap times, or meal times in the day so generally speaking I play it by ear and feel the vibe for the day’s plans. We do however, spend most of our days outside, in the woods or at local nature reserves as I find it challenging to be inside more than out!

With that in mind, I have compiled a few of our favourite activities for when the weather is too bad or we need to have a slower home day:

1.  Raid the siblings’ bedrooms (or parents’ room!)

There is a reason this is number one on my list and that’s because it is without a shadow of a doubt Romilly’s favourite thing to do. Rifle through her sisters’ LOL Dolls, yes please. Poke and prod the pre-teen’s little make up collection, absolutely.

2.  Play-Doh

Get a few pots of different colour Play-Doh and watch your little one squidge away. Add a few little props to stick in; safe cutlery and kitchen utensils etc. Watch them like a hawk mind you as they will try to nibble it at any given opportunity.

3. Paint and Crayons

Okay, so the paint option is a messy one but it’s so worth it. Non-toxic poster paint is easy to come by; just two or three colours is all you need. Give baby a chunky brush and demonstrate dipping the brush and swiping on paper. It’s amazing how quickly they catch on and copy.

Chunky wax crayons for mark making is another favourite and a great way to talk about shapes and colour. It helps to develop their creativity and fine motor skills too.

4. Books

It really goes without saying how important reading together is for babies and toddlers. Even if you find it a bit dull, and let’s be honest, lots of books aimed at young ones are so keep looking for ones that you enjoy too! We have stacks of board books which are great as they are robust and baby can turn the pages. Romilly is now more interested in longer picture style books which is nice because I love reading them too. Some classic authors include Julia Donaldson and Michael Rosen, which most kids tend to enjoy. Let’s not forget the timeless classic that is Judith Kerr’s, The Tiger Who Came to Tea!

5. Toy sorting and learning colours

Getting down on the floor and emptying a toy basket out is a great way to introduce little one to learning about colours. We’ll make little piles of red, blue and green toys and blocks and she will try and copy the words for the colours. We also might make a pile of animal toys, and then cars, and of course Romilly’s favourite category, farm plant machinery. Truth.

What are your favourite indoor activities to share in with your little ones?

Our home is very busy and there’s always, always something that needs doing (the joy of a big family) but I make pockets of play time throughout the day. The ebb and flow of parenting a baby/toddler is wild but rest assured that as long as they are loved and nurtured above all, you’re doing a great job.

Sophie x

The Local Mama Blog Editor

@sophieandteamt