Best Indoor High Energy Preschool Exhauster?

[Paige]

I need something to wear out my 2yr old indoors while I work with the older kids.He already has a climbing thing and slide, but he wants me to play with him if he’s on it. 

He’s really sweet but he’s literally bouncing off the walls. I was thinking maybe a sit and spin or a trampoline? I’m open to anything. He’s not going to be exhausted with crafts or toy cars or figures. He’s a thrill seeker and loves to jump, climb, spin, roll, and run.

My little girls could be entertained for hours with coloring books and my little ponies, but that’s not going to work with. this little one.

I can’t just wait for him to nap.

[alisoncooks]

My oldest spent hours on my Jumpsport 350 (exercise trampoline) when she was little. 

[ktgrok]

ooooh, I never thought to put shaving cream in a water table!!!! I'm doing that ! (but outside)

[mommyoffive]

We would try and get outside right in the morning and get some energy out and then I could get something done with the older kids because the young one would be more happy to play inside.   It helps the older ones get a workout before school work too.  

We have had a trampoline, bounce house, and a water table inside.  Oh we have had a bounce horse and a step 2 roller coaster inside too.  We have lots of tumbling mats inside too.   Oh we have also had a climber and slide and motorized ride ons.  And we had bikes inside too.

We did rotating sensory bins too

 

Would he do a dance or gymnastics class on line?  My youngest has been doing some little kid free ones on YouTube.  

ABTots virtual ballet classes

Little gym UK for gymnastics

How about a show? We he sit for that?

Edited July 8, 2020 by mommyoffive

[alisoncooks]

Oh yeah, we kept a sandbox and water table on our back porch that got used a lot. And climbing play structures. 

[TABmom]

A trampoline. And if you have the room, not just a tiny one, but something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Clevr-Trampoline-Enclosure-Outdoor-Birthday/dp/B01N5IH3MS/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=little+tikes+trampoline&qid=1594239616&sr=8-9

They weren't that expensive when we bought ours, but it has been a lifesaver. My kids love to fill it with balls and throw them around. My 6 year old still jumps on it. 

 

[gardenmom5]

Mini-tramp. (with a handlebar for the really young.) You can even get them with netted sides (and buy plastic balls for a ball pit.)  My dd bought one used for my grandson.  It's in their playroom.  I'm really really tempted to get balls to throw in there too . . . . 

if you have a basement/garage with available rafters - you can hang a glider.  (we did that when our older kids were young.)

We made something like this out of wood.  Picture to show what I'm talking about.

 

[katilac]

1 hour ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

Another thing that has always calmed him down is massage. When we were little, we'd do it this way:

Now I want to give a kid a massage! And also eat pizza. 

[lynn]

I rotated lesson with my 2 school aged kids so one would have a break to play with the preschooler while I worked with the other.  Afternoon wasn't an issue when I had combined lessons, preschooler was ready to play by himself or do his "school" independently.     

[Lori D.]

Playskol Sit and Spin ?
Rocking horse ?

For next year -- as it's for ages 3-6 -- what about a hopper ball?

For a future year -- an indoor swing ? 

[amyx4]

3 hours ago, lynn said:

I rotated lesson with my 2 school aged kids so one would have a break to play with the preschooler while I worked with the other.  Afternoon wasn't an issue when I had combined lessons, preschooler was ready to play by himself or do his "school" independently.     

This was the only way I survived toddlerhood.    If you have a yard, can you move school outside?