Broken Leg...

What about doing puzzles or making crafts. There are a lot of simple things you can pick up at the dollar store that can keep a child busy for a long time. There are also a lot of great websites that are for children such as PBS and Disney.

Good luck!

I would buy him play-doh or clay, stickers, washable paint, books. They have small lap desks that you can buy. Our friend used the time that her daughter broke her arm to teach her to use the computer. Noggin, Nick and Disney all have websites. I don't know if he likes to use his hands but larger beads and beading strings can keep them busy for quite a while. You can purchase lego boards and small legos that he can use on his lap. Since you'll be with him you shouldn't have to worry about the small pieces as much. You can help him with Elmer's glue "projects" with craft items like feathers, pom poms etc. You can help him make a broken leg scrapbook with things from the scrapbook store. Teach him how to fold towels and washcloths - they love it at this age.
Good luck, I hope your little one is feeling better soon.
(small bones heal quickly)

Hey C.-

Hope Sahm's feeling better! How about leggo's or play-doh (is he too little for play-doh?).

Also, my younger son liked 'forts'. Do you have a big box or those thick posterboards that you can make a fort with? Then maybe he can decorate it with crayons or markers while he's 'sitting' inside it!

Hope I helped and ggod luck with Sahm and Feb Baby!
L.

Play doh! My nephew was in a body cast when he was 2 1/2 and the first couple of weeks he would sit for hours at a time playing with play doh. The color wonder pads from Crayola were great too because he could color while laying down and no mess!! We also got him a wooden tool kit that had pegs and screws with hammers and screwdrivers and that kept him happy in between play doh and movies. Good luck and remember, you are earning another star in your crown!

Target has Paint with water books. (The paint is printed on the page so only a wet mess not a colored wet mess.)

Hi C.,

Just a few suggestions as a daycare provider that keeps my toddlers busy for longer periods....rice play (a bin of rice with cups of different sizes/spoons/plates), they love to pour/dump at that age. Water play (constant supervision)...large bowl/bin of sudzy water with cups, etc. Making noodle necklace with large noodles (flower shaped ones do well) and string. Painting (washable paint is a breeze to clean up). If you google kids crafts...you'll find TONS of craft ideas...you can make jack-o-lanterns out of paper plates, etc. Magnetic letters on a dry-erase board...keeps them busy forever!

Best of luck, hope your son heals up quick and is back to his active normal self soon!!!

This is a great age to teach colors and counting. Buy CandyLand. This can integrate both and be a lot of fun. Include him in meal preparation, too. He can use a plastic knife to help cut bananas or canned pears into bite-sized pieces. The playdoh mentioned earlier is another good idea. Oh, see if you can get your hands on some Thomas the Train tracks and cars. This would be great for imaginitive play for him. Throw him in the stroller and go for walks, point out trees, pets, birds, anything that he likes. I enjoy walking my kids to a shopping center and simply browsing. Ross is good because you can browse clothes for him and let him sit and play with toys just an aisle away. Take him to the zoo where he can see the animals, I am sure he would love doing that with you. I would love to meet you there ( I have a 3yo and a 1yo).

For finding great stuff online in the area and free, checkout freecycle.org, if you haven't already.

C.,

Sorry this happened to your son. I've got an active kid, too, and I can't imagine having to keep him still!! Just a variation on the rice bin. I did one with dried beans (cups small plastic dinosaurs and animals) which is easier to clean up than rice. My son loved it so much and kept playing with it for a while. My 13 year old daughter liked it so much she would dig her hands in and so would I. Good luck!!

KarynG

I can feel for you. my kids are big now but I remember how active they were! you have received some very good suggestions, I would only add that you pick up lots of books for his age level from your library and read to him when you have time. also the board books are good for him to look at by himself as he can't tear them. this is a very good way to start hime interested in reading which will help him all his life.
O. H.

I understand your concern I had the same when my daughter fell and got a buckle fractured in her tibia and fibia in her left leg when she was 3 yrs old. She was not allowed to bear any weight on her leg for the first 2 weeks. So we got as creative as we could get. Don't worry you will be suprised how creative you will get. After getting approval from our doctor we were able to let her crawl around and that helped some too. Since the weather is getting a little cooler now you may want to try taking him to the zoo, for walks in the park (of course you will ha eto use a stroller), and possibly making it into a nature game (ie. can you spot a bird? Do you see any frogs?). I hope this helps. Hang in there...Best of luck.

This is just a thought but it may work. Do u think a walker would help he can use his good leg to pull him along. U may need to figure a way to get his other leg in an position like somehow sling it to where it's straight in front. I don't this maybe to crazy but I thought I"d throw it out there my heart goes out to you this is difficult to deal with. But mommies are made to be strong and we endure and walk through it most of the time.
God Bless......C.

another very simple thing that keeps this age very intrigued for a while is getting a few different locks with keys. lock them all and put all the keys on a keyring. let him figure out how to open them. this refines his fine motor skills and makes him think and will definitely keep him busy for at least an hour or more.
good luck!

Hey C., a couple of ideas- Legos, great for hours of entertainment, PlayDough, movies, go online and search for age appropriate crafts like finger painting and maybe cut out pics from old magazines and make collages. Good luck and I hope he feels better soon!