Indoor Activites : Any Ideas?

I have found the website www.toddlertoddler.com very helpful for coming up with ideas. You can also sign up to have regular activities sent to you.

I know I am a bit late but I sell Discovery Toys and we have some educational toys that you can show him how to do and he can play with them and learn. Let me know if you want to learn more. Thanks, J.

Someone forwarded me an email of indoor play places (most of these are in the near western suburbs):

INDOOR PLAY

Oak Park Gymnastics Center Open Gym
218 Madison Street (just west of Lombard)
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A favorite with all our preschoolers, Preschool Playtime is an open gym for children 1-5 years old. Playtimes are Wednesdays 10-11:30 am (STARTING 11/7) and Fridays 1-2:30 pm (STARTED 9/7), November-April. The cost is $5, or punch cards are available (10 playtimes for $40). All children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. We do not allow food or drinks of any kind in the gym. Walk-ins welcome.

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RIVER FOREST COMMUNITY CENTER
8020 MADISON STREET RIVER FOREST 60305
Tel: ###-###-####

There is an indoor play area on the second floor. It's $3 per child. The hours are 10-6pm

You have to call first to make sure there is NOT a birthday party happening in the room because if there is, then it is not open to the public. Also, the preschoolers use the room for a 20 minute break so they filter in and out while you are there. But after preschoolers are gone you don't have that, I've gone from 4-6pm before and it's nice and quiet.

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Berwyn Community Center

An open gym which is at their community center, 31st(around there) and East Ave. You will see it on your left side going South on East. It is like one big play ground/basement inside. They have slides, kitchens and tumbling mats set up for the kids. it is $5.00 for non-resident kids 1+ and is M,TH, F 9:30a-11a.

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Ridgeland Commons Play Center
(inside the Ice Rink building and upstairs, all kinds of plastic climb on toys on big mats)
415 W. Lake Street
(at the corner of Ridgeland and Lake Street)
$2/child or a season pass is $50 (season ends mid-April)
open 9am-4pm

For those of you that haven't been in a while, they have completely re-done this room. They put in wood floors, painted everything, there's all new mats and they seem to have worked out the heating system because now it's warm in there. It's MUCH nicer than before

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Chicago SportsZone on Saturdays
$4 for members/$5 non-members (not sure how they qualify this) to jump in 3 commercial size inflatable bounce houses; a slide, obstacle course and a bounce castle

6-9pm evenings starting October 27th

10am-9pm every Sat/Sun

1945 Cornell Avenue, Melrose Park, IL 80160

Phone: ###-###-####

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Elk Grove Jumps and Giggles/Carousel

1000 Wellington Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
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$3, unlimited rides on the carousel and all the play you can do in the play area (which is like a NICE McDonald's playland

Not as far as I had thought, I took North Avenue to 290 towards Rockford.

Get off at EXIT 4, Biesterfield

Take a right

Then take a right at Wellington, then first right into the Pavilion Parking.

Kids need socks

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Tri-Star Gymnastics Open Gym

1401 Circle Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130

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Saturdays from 4:30-5:30pm, $5/child, through the end of May 2008

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Jumping Gymini in LaGrange

McCook Athletic & Exposition (MAX)
4750 Vernon Ave McCook
La Grange , IL 60525
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$5/child

Foam pits, an entire soccer field to run around in

There is also Monkey Island. It is a new inflatables place. It is off of 15th avenue (right past chuck e. cheese on North Avenue)-- and on Armitage. In a warehouse. $8 per kid and $4 per adult. Like Pump It Up.

I HATE WINTER! Okay, now that I have that out of the way... check out the "Everything For..." (Fall, Winter, Spring) books. They have all sorts of craft activities and such that can engage your oldest. If you don't have a "work" area for your kids in every room in the house I would suggest it... just a small space that would allow them to be in the same room withyou, engaged in a special project assigned to that space for the day. Your 9 month old really just probably needs you... so perhaps you might look at www.flylady.net and see if you can incorporate your kids into your household schedule and tighten up that schedule too. As a SAHM with similar ages I know how hard this is, ugh, but I am convinced with a little planning, discipline (of myself!) and effort I'll... I mean, we'll survive the winter. Best wishes, I'll be anxious to hear other responses!

Very good question since we all feel a little overwhelmed when the weather keeps us indoors. I find that putting a old sheet on the kitchen table and getting out finger paints, glue, stickers, crayons and some paper and scissors they are purely entertained for a good hour. Try baking too. Kids love getting their hands dirty and they can eat the award-winning results. Maybe possibly look for a exercise dvd or any kind of interaction dvd that won't make you feel as guilty when trying to get some chores done. We are all guilty of the same thing if it makes you feel any better. I hope the advice helps and I will be curious to see what others write since I am always looking for new ways of entertainment. How did our parents do it?
K. S

If you feel like making the drive, I have a really nice step 2 play gym I bought from Toys R Us about 3 years ago for almost $300. I had it outside the first summer, but cleaned it up and it's been inside ever since. It's in immaculate condition. I'd let it go for $50. I live in the Southwest side of Fort Wayne, real close to the 24 W I69 exit. They still sell it there. It's the one on their website that has an orange wheel on the top part so kids can pretend they're driving a ship, a green slide, and rock climbing walls. The bottom level can be used as a sand box if outside. My kids use it as a fort since it's covered. Let me know, anyone else who may want it to can let me know!

I have a VERY active 3 year old. I am involved in a SAHM's group that does all kinds of activities throughout the week. I find if I take him to an activity in the morning and keep him active I am able to take him home for lunch and put him down for a nap so I have some time to do my house hold chores. We go to indoor playgrounds, home playdates, children's museums, stuff like that. He gets to run around with a bunch of other kids and I get to socialize with other adults. I find the more bored he is the more crazy he gets. If all we do for a couple of days is stay inside and watch tv I am destined for him to break something, get into something dangerous, or constantly be under my feet. Take a look at Meetup.com and see if there is a playgroup in your area.

Check with your local library as they usually offer story time or activities for toddlers at no cost during the day. Also, the inflatable party places such as Pump it Up offer toddler/preschool jumps a few times a week. I have taken my daughter there and there are several moms with younger kids as well as with their infants in carriers. The toddlers have a ball and burn off a lot of that energy. You can even jump with them.

The 2 best things we've spent our money on.... a small trampoline and a Kangaroo Climber. The Kangaroo Climber is small enough to fit in our family room in our old house and it's in the basement toyroom in this house. It has a slide and plenty of things to climb and crawl through. It kept our older kids busy and burned off lots of energy when they were little. My 5 year old still plays with it and my 2 year old loves it.

We recently bought a trampoline from Lillian Vernon (lillianvernon.com). It's a small rectangle with a handlebar and goes up to 75 pounds. My 2 year old LOVES it. She spends literally hours each day jumping up and down on it! I only wish we would've bought it when my son was younger. Oh well... my 3 month old will be old enough for it before I know it and we'll definately get our money worth.

Hi R.! I recently ran into these problems myself, but I only have one 3 year old boy. But I definitely recommend getting them some building blocks and maybe some puzzles. The 9 month old might not quite get the puzzles yet, but she'll love the blocks. And the 3 year old will be quite entertained with blocks and puzzles for quite awhile. That's a couple of big things I have gotten for my little guy to keep him occupied while I get things done around the house as well. I hope this helps and MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family!

While I clean the kitchen, I like to have my daughter "help me" by taking diaper wipes and cleaning anything she sees with a spot on it, the floor, their little table. Her little brother usually likes to join in. Also, while I vacuum, my son loves to follow me around with his jr dirt devil.

So, when I do cleaning, I try to have them help - they think it's fun, it helps me and it keeps them out of trouble. I also have them help me put away their laundry - I say, okay, this stack goes in your middle, top or bottom drawer.

I remember when we lived in an apartment and had a toddler. I put rice in a shallow rubbermaid container and added sand toys. Put the container on a tile floor for easier clean up.

The others have had excellent ideas. Especially the library idea. Don't discount getting outside in the cold weather. Just bundle them up and go for a walk. Let the 3 y/o run around and have fun out in the cold and put the baby in the stroller all bundled.

I second the idea of checking with your local park district to see if they have an open gym. My son and I went to one for 10 weeks last winter--2x/week for $40! It was a great way for him to burn energy.

An alternative to trampolines which are so dangerous is to put an extra mattress down in a carpeted room and let your kid jump. We have this and my son loves it! I've also started introducing "gymnastics"--somersaults and handstands and other moves just to keep him moving around.

Getting an exercise DVD for kids is a great idea too.

Well, there's always the library downtown, they have a great young learners area that is closed off that would be perfect for you. Also you can always join a mom's group that offers playgroups. I run one (shameless plug, lol), but there are a few others around Fort Wayne. It's a good way for you to get out around other adults for your own sanity! If you're interested in a mom's group, let me know, I run Fort Wayne Mom's Unite with some other moms, it's a pretty good group!

I don't know where you live but contact your local park district about any "open gyms." Our town (Elmhurst) has a couple per week and my son loves it! Basically they open up the gymnastic gym for little ones and they run around like crazy. It was a goldmine! Good luck.

If you have the room, I would hesitate to clean up some outdoor toys. This will allow your children to develop their large motor skills and burn a little energy. We have the zebra tent from Target and will be putting all sorts of toys inside. It's like it is their own little space and the zebra is pretty large. We may go back and get the 7-foot-tall giraffe.

I agree with the first poster, a trampoline would make a great Christmas present. Ours is triangular with a handle and plays music and counts when the kids jump. Santa brought ours last year and my 2 and 6 yr old still love it.

I am not sure where you live but a MOMS Club might be a great thing for you... Meetup.com is a GREAT site. I am also on the board for MOMS Club (of New Lenox) but it's a chapter of International MOMS Club www.momsclub.org You could also check local churchs (you don't have to be affliated) for MOPS. Also, maybe go to your local mall by the playground area to meet other moms/kids. Many bookstores have storytime every week - borders and barnes and noble does around us. Maybe pick up a subscription to highlights for some ideas. Or head to the library - our library has tons of activities. Good luck :) It's SO hard to get out in the wintertime. I seriously feel like a HERMIT!

Something simple to do is to put together a shoe box or large storage box filled with just everyday junk and call it the 'invention box'. You can then have your 3 yo build something specific (create an instrument or a new toy, etc.) or let them just make something they want. Hours of enjoyment!