Help me entertain a 15 month year old!

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We're baby-sitting tonight - only for a few hours though. Neither of us are used to kids of this age. We last seen him about a month ago and he was into EVERYTHING.

We are looking after him in our own house which is not baby-proofed in the least. It's a small enough area to keep an eye on him, but everything is withing grabbing distance - pc, playstation and all the attendant wires/peripherals.

It's good telly night tonight too - why oh why did we agree to this? I know in my heart of hearts that wee kids are harmless but I can't help being scared. How do I keep him amused without going insane?

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:07 (twenty-one years ago)

and he was into EVERYTHING

Is he into Dizee? That would be cool.

― Lifted, or, the story is 'neath my ass (kenan), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:12 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.boohbah.com/zone.html

― sometimes i like to pretend i am very small and warm (ex machina), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Rent a Teletubbies video (or ask his parents to bring one), dance with him, be as silly as possible, give him dinner, pop him in the tub, and put him to bed. Fin.

― luna (luna.c), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Do they dance?

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought they only coveted what was not theirs....

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:31 (twenty-one years ago)

well, sort of - my son used to spin... I guess it depends on how coordinated he is. just do physical stuff and wear him out! take him for a walk?

every child covets what isn't theirs - they're all little capitalists.

― luna (luna.c), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I guess it's worth a try. My wee hoose will end up a bombsite, I can feel it in my bones. Somebody in work suggested taking him out in the car, it's a bit chilly for walks but apparently they like looking out the car window at scenery?

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Good luck!

― PinXorchiXoR (Pinkpanther), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:44 (twenty-one years ago)

they do sometimes, but mostly, in my experience, cars make 'em fall asleep - and you don't want him to conk out before you're ready for him to.

― luna (luna.c), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:45 (twenty-one years ago)

every child covets what isn't theirs - they're all little capitalists.

that's a feature common to every system. Watch out! He could be a little Soviet masquerading as a Marxist!

― Lifted, or, the story is 'neath my ass (kenan), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:46 (twenty-one years ago)

We've only got him for a few hours, his mum is coming for him about ten o clock. (Once all my programmes are done)

If he does fall asleep, it will be a case of getting him to stay asleep while I watch Eastenders....

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:47 (twenty-one years ago)

From my own (limited) babysitting experience, I would recommend keeping him playing with his own toys.

― Lifted, or, the story is 'neath my ass (kenan), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Unless his toys are lame, in which case I would recommend just picking him up and spinng him around a lot. Works miracles, assuming he likes you and isn't crying to start off with.

― Lifted, or, the story is 'neath my ass (kenan), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Except watch out for the vomiting.

― luna (luna.c), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I am a terrible babysitter. Never hire me.

But I swear I have made kids laugh a lot before, and then go to sleep right afterwords.

― Lifted, or, the story is 'neath my ass (kenan), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Myabe they were bored with my predictable antics.

― Lifted, or, the story is 'neath my ass (kenan), Monday, 18 October 2004 06:53 (twenty-one years ago)

grab a plastic container, fill with water and add some smaller containers for him to fill 'n splash with.
surround with towels!
add bubbles for effect if you have any bubble -type stuff.
or pop him in the bath, even easier!

let him bash your pots and pans with a wooden spoon, they seem to like noise if they are the ones making it.

― donna (donna), Monday, 18 October 2004 07:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Spot the mums on ILX. :-)

― PinXorchiXoR (Pinkpanther), Monday, 18 October 2004 07:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I recon music is the key here, you want to keep that sponge like mind occupied. At that age only the new and complex interests so i would suggest a mixture of John Coltrane and dark dark D+B, anythuing that forces him to sit and listen. Ooh D+B first, you want the kid to be able to sleep

― lukey (Lukey G), Monday, 18 October 2004 07:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Peekaboo is always a big hit. Play with his nascent object permanence, go ahead, he'll dig it. For hours, probably.

― Formerly Lee G (Formerly Lee G), Monday, 18 October 2004 12:21 (twenty-one years ago)

You could jiggle your keys.
http://www.evilmonkey.tv/downloads/quagkeys.gif

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 18 October 2004 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Raymond Scott albums! Not only might the child actually be soothed by Soothing Sounds for Baby, it's also an excellent album!

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Monday, 18 October 2004 12:36 (twenty-one years ago)

How'd it go??

― luna (luna.c), Monday, 18 October 2004 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I just put on the live TROUBLE FUNK album and my six-month is screaming with joy!

― briania (briania), Monday, 18 October 2004 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

They're like cats, aren't they? Just throw it in a cardboard box and it will probably be happy.

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Monday, 18 October 2004 17:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Well thank goodness that's over! He fair wore us out. After investigating every corner of the house he spent ten minutes watching Hollyoaks, about half an hour playing my steel drum, and had a happy ten minutes mashing crisps into my couch.

I put on the p.c and was trying to find something involving Tigger when he discovered the monitor button, so he spent a good half an hour turning it on and off.

He amused himself by spinning on a chair, took an empty lager can out of the bin and held it upside down hopefully, and babbled down the phone for a while. Then he settled down with his bottle of juice to watch some of Eastenders (good boy) before impressing us with headstands and farting noises.

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 05:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I want one.

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 05:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Er, how old exactly is a "15 month year old"? ;)

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:47 (twenty-one years ago)

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