Entertaining my 20 month old boy?

Question

Its getting very hard for me to entertain my 20 month old boy. He seems to be bored most of the time and so he gets clingy.

What are the activities that you do daily with your kids. Its is sometimes easier for me to let him watch a movie for an hour so he is happier and lets me do my other things but I feel wrong about it.

Pls help me out on this one.

Answer 1

Throwing on a video so that you can fold some laundry isn't horrible.. as long as he isn't spending his whole day in front of the TV.

Many kids this age respond well to a kind of a schedule. Try and make the video time happen around the same time each day, and use that time to do what you need to. Give him toys that can be something different every time he plays with them, like blocks and little animals. They tend to entertain kids longer, and your little guy will learn basic geometry while he plays.

Then there is the tried-and-true cardboard box. My 2 year old can spend hours playing with one. They fascinate toddlers.

Be sure to spend time outside (especially before nap time) letting him run and climb. It helps tire them out and cures the clinginess.

Answer 2

I don't mean this to sound so cold but if you continue to entertain him he will never figure out how to entertain himself.  Put him down and give him a few educational toys and walk away.  Crying is not a bad thing.  Let him do it once in a while and let him figure out what he needs.  

Of course he won't be mature enough to say' Please mother may I have another coloring book?' or 'I want to nap now.' but he'll figure out how to get your attention when he really needs it.