Looking for New Games/activities to Do with 2 Young Daughters?

My girls are a year and a half apart. I bought them at the time an art easel and let each one draw with dry erase markers and the other with chalk. They loved to finger paint together. Sometimes I bought small ceramic animal pieces for them to paint from the arts & crafts store. they also loved playing in their turtle shaped sand box. We all benefited from some Sesame Street/Barney/Wiggles
exercise/dance videos. How about playing with baby dolls--dressing them, feeding them washing them? Do you have a kiddie sprinkler? Get a colorful large sized ball and let them roll it back and forth to each other and you can join in. How about little red wagon rides through the neighborhood? Blow bubbles and let them chase and pop them. Blow up a balloon and let them tap it up or to each other. Get musical instruments (even pots and pans), play music and let them learn rhythm. Have fun!

Have you tried playtime in the bathtub? Give them bathtub toys, blow bubbles for them to catch, let them use bathtub paints/crayons. How about drawing with sidewalk chalk outside, keeping one child away from the other? If you have instruments they could pretend they are in a marching band. Do you have a kitchen set? They can each make you meals or you can play restaurant and have them bring certain foods to you. How about playing in a sandbox?

If you can't find any activities that they both enjoy, don't fret over it. Let them each do their own thing. While one is building blocks, read to the other. While one is coloring, build a puzzle with the other. I know that can be tiring and frustrating, but with the differences you see at their ages, I'm not sure there is much to do to get around it. Best wishes to you!

I have a boy and a girl, but similar age gap as your 2. I got a train table from Craig's list and a cheap trains set from Ikea and they both love it. My daughter can put together the track and my son can move the trains along. It keeps them busy for at least half an hour to an hour.

www.productiveparenting.com has ideas for activities for ages 1 to 4.. sign up is free and then you have access to all the ideas, games, etc.

By 16 months old my kids were really into puzzles, and by 3 my daughter was beating me at card games! Maybe try those! Fish, Crazy 8s, Hearts, etc. were some of her first games. I think it's a lot to expect that you can keep the attention of both kids at the same time for a while, as they are at such different places developmentally.

Can you walk anywhere from your home? A park? A playground? You say you don't have much of a yard, but can you make use of what you have? How about investing in a swingset/jungle gym, or perhaps purchase a plastic Little Tykes climbing set...even used?

Can you walk to a bus stop that will take you somewhere? If not, how much would a cab cost to take you somewhere you want to go, or to take you to a bus or train? Just riding a train or bus could be entertainment, let alone what you do at the other end!

How about having another mom or 2 over, with children your girls' ages? Then your 3 year old could be busy playing with kids her own age instead of maybe always having to play at a lesser level to accomodate her sister?

(I just read through the other 2 answers you received and they are excellent ideas!)

Good luck!