Here is a list of indoor things we like to do during the day:
1. Read -- Eleanor loves books. LOVES them. This is her favorite way to pass time when we are indoors. She has her favorites from our bookshelves and also enjoys getting "new" books from the library. I can't tell you how many of our own books I have memorized, which actually comes in very handy when trying to deal with Henry and read at the same time. Sometimes it takes Eleanor a couple of days to get used to the library books but, for the most part, once we have read them a few times she enjoys them. She is fairly gentle with books; we have only had a few ripped pages, usually when she is overtired. If I notice that she is getting tired or frustrated, we stick more to board books until the morning or after her nap. Reading with her has saved me on many occasions from going crazy when I am so tired at the end of the day. We just curl up, with Henry if he is up, in the big orange chair and read until Vince gets home.
2. Puzzles & Games -- My family has always loved doing puzzles and playing gamesWe have passed countless Christmases with one jigsaw puzzle after another laid out on the card table in the living room. Sometimes we would sit down and work at the puzzles, sometimes we would just put in a piece here and there as we passed by. We also had many board games throughout the years, many of which are still in my parents house and are brought out when we are all home. Mom and Dad often played bridge with family friends and Nana is always up for a game of Scrabble. Now it is Eleanor's turn to learn the joys of playing together. She has several wooden puzzles and recently received a jigsaw puzzle with extra large pieces as a gift. We like to work on these puzzles together, they often keep her occupied for a good chunk of time. She also has a memory matching game that she enjoys. Though she doesn't play in the traditional way yet, she does enjoy dumping all the pieces on the floor and showing me matching pairs -- or sometimes just a single piece with a picture she particularly likes.
3. Draw -- Eleanor often asks to "dwa dwa". We have a little drawing station set up on the screened in porch where she has a table, two chairs and a huge box of crayons. She also has markers but I keep those separate from the crayons because they require slightly more supervision since she can't quite get the caps back on yet. We also keep her stickers out there so she can create like crazy. I do have to watch her a bit with the stickers though, for some reason they seem appetizing to her and often end up in her mouth. Henry often hangs out in my arms for these drawing sessions.
4. Housework -- This may seem like an unlikely way to have fun but Eleanor is a huge help around the house. And, I think she enjoys it too. I was recently reading a post on another blog called Oh My Stinkin Heck (I know, funny name!), about teaching kids to help out with housework. I had started this post before reading it but it ties in so nicely here -- maybe someday when we are able to remodel a kitchen we can make it more kid friendly too. When Eleanor and I do housework together, we choose things that are well suited to a toddler. She helps me sweep with her little broom (usually in an area I've already swept), she throws things in the garbage or puts things in the recycling (she needs a bit of help knowing which goes where -- but not much), and she puts laundry in the dryer or helps me hang it on the line when the weather is nice. Sometimes she gets a bit sidetracked and some laundry will end up on the grass or the recycling will come out of the bin instead of going in, but generally she is a very conscientious worker. We are working as a family on putting things away before nap and bedtime now in an effort to keep the house from looking like a hurricane has hit. I think it is working and keeping Eleanor entertained!
5. Tend the Garden & Water Plants -- We planted a garden for the first time this summer. How lovely it is to have a yard! Although the garden is technically an outdoor activity and this is supposed to be about things you can do inside on a hot day, the garden is close enough that we can go out do a quick bit of gardening and make it back inside without getting overheated. Plus, we usually pick a few things from the garden and then have something fun to eat or cook with once we are back inside. Eleanor loves helping water the plants, both in the garden and in the house. She requires some supervision in the house with the watering can but does a good job. Usually after the plants are watered, she'll carry the watering can around for a while and do some pretend watering. One other thing that I will lump into this category is filling the bird feeders since we bring them inside to fill. We have a finch feeder and a hummingbird feeder out front and Eleanor enjoys helping with these tasks, especially mixing up the hummingbird nectar. And, I can say that the birds like it too -- we've had lots of goldfinches, sparrows and hummingbirds this summer.
6. Cook -- Eleanor is a bit too small yet to cut or measure things but she can stir and pour like a champ. She likes to help making her "mush" (oatmeal) by pouring the ingredients into the pot. She takes special pleasure in grabbing the handfuls of raisins that go into the oatmeal and chucking them in. Once the stove is on, she still likes to "sheee" (see) by standing on a chair but she knows that the stove is hot and she must not touch. We recently made pretzels, our first major cooking project. I got the recipe here and they were quite good. She got a bit bored during the kneading part but it was otherwise a huge success. Next time I would probably use the mixer to knead because she enjoys watching it go around and around. There is a nice blog called Z Recommends that focused their posts on food recently, inspiring me to attempt the pretzel project.
7. Web Cam Calls -- I am pretty rigid about no TV for Eleanor and Henry during the day but the exception to the rule is web cam calls to our family. Having family spread across the entire country - and Canada too - it is hard to see everyone as often as we would like. The web cam is a wonderful way for Eleanor (and soon Henry) to know her family. It is much better than the phone because she can see what is happening on the other end. Eleanor loves to sing songs with and "show" books, toys, etc. to whoever we are talking with. Our family enjoys it as well; in fact, I'm not sure who loves it more, Eleanor or the grandparents.
8. Bath & Sink Play -- Eleanor loves water. She loves to go to the pool but the one in our neighborhood only allows un-potty trained kids in the baby pool. So, for anyone over 3 feet tall (me) or too small to go in the pool yet (Henry) the pool is a difficult option during the day. Instead we play in the sink or the bathtub. I think Eleanor could play at the sink for hours. She stands on a chair with a tiny stream of water coming out of the tap and a cup or spoon to "wash". This is actually a good way for me to get a few dishes done too! Usually there is a fair amount of water that ends up on her and the floor but water is easy to clean and at she is happy. On really hot days, I'll just fill up a few inches in the bathtub and let a thin stream run from the tap. She could sit and splash around in the water, with only a cup for a toy, indefinitely. She also has some bath crayons that she likes to cover the tile and grout with.
9. Dance & Make Music -- I think Eleanor is going to be like me, in that she loves to dance. It brings a huge smile to my face every time some music comes on and she starts bopping or twirling around. For example, the other day we were out at a restaurant and some classic rock came on -- Eleanor and Vince started shaking their heads with the same hilarious expression on -- I wish I had a camera. During the day, if she seems like she may be headed for a meltdown, I just put her favorite CD on and away she goes. (I'll write more about her favorite CD in another post, this one is already getting quite long.) She also enjoys singing, especially to songs with actions such as the Itsy Bitsy Spider. We don't have many "real" instruments around the house but she often pulls a pot or the salad spinner off the shelf in the kitchen and uses it as a drum. I am so glad that she enjoys music so much.
10. Individual Play & Toys -- Henry is so small still that sometimes he just requires my undivided attention. Eleanor is pretty good when this occurs and can occupy herself with her toys. She has been blessed with more toys than any one child really needs thanks to our wonderful friends and family, so there is always something for her to play with. She has some favorites -- her "dahl dahl" (doll), her stacking blocks, her tent, etc. but she can also be just as amused with the pillows off the couch or my yoga mat. In fact, just two days ago she started doing somersaults by herself on the yoga mat. I have a feeling she will be to tall to be much of a gymnast, but you never know!
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