My toddler at home

Thank you so much to you all! I'm definitely going to make a list of all these things and do something new everyday!

I will have to buy some clay and chalk ect.

Do any of you know where I can buy one of those shell-shape sandpits?

At her age, the best learning is done thru playing, so yes let her "help" you clean the house, carry in the loaf of bread after shopping and put it away, let her pack away any light groceries that goes in a low cupboard (spacial awareness), open your pots & pan / tupperware cupboard, read, puzzles, a bucket of water and a paint brush, pavement chalk (if you have a paved area outside and it washes off with a hose pipe), let her water the garden with a hose pipe, balls (beach balls are cool if not too windy), a "motor bike".

Let her sweep / mop to her hearts content, washing dishes is a HUGE favorite in our house, as is smacking flies with a fly swat ( )
a cheap magnifing glass keeps my boys busy outside examining insects, as does a pair of play binoculars for bird watching.

Gardening is also fun for them, just don't allow her near any precious plants, so we weed the grass only. Brandon is quite a bit older (4 years old) and he is allowed to cut off all the dead blooms / leaves from our plants.

If you are feeling creative, you can make cardboard cut outs in various shapes and colours and hang low on trees / bushes and ask her to find the yellow ones or all the squares etc.

I spy used to be a biggie - you say "I spy something green" in whatever room you are in and she must look for it.

Bucket and spade for sand play - you don't even need a proper sand pit, she can did in the garden.

I put water in a plastic toy box outside, give the boys watering cans, show them how to fill the watering can and they have free rein of watering pot plants, grass, mud patches etc - you need to supervise the toy box with water tho, cos they tend to climb in and it can be dangerous.

They love baking and helping - so if you make lunch let her stand or sit close by to observe/help. Let her wash dishes (plastic ones and cold water of course), get her to sweep for you.

Dirty play can keep them busy for ages but be prepared for lots of clean up:
Play Dough, Face Paints, Bubbles, Painting (A cleaner option is painting on cement with water), Sidewalk chalk

play with her (or let her play in your vicinity) - build puzzles together, colour in, read books, let her play outside in the garden - ball, running around, with water, push bikes, in sand or dig in the flower beds; paint on windows,

Good morning,

I have a 20 month old little girl and she is with me at home. She use to go to a creche from Jan '10 to June '10 and then she stayed with my parents for 4 months while I was working and now I'm a SAHM.

I need some ideas on how to stimulate her and learn her new things, any ideas please?