My husband and I had a heated discussion in the outdoor toy area of Target last week. I demanded we spend $200 on a bounce house, he disagreed, I won. Day 3 and we’ve already spent about five hours using it. I think it will repay us multiple times over in the coming weeks (and months). If you are lucky enough to have lawn space I highly suggest.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Tikes-Inflatable-Bounce-blower/dp/B003NSBMUI/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=jump+house+inflatable&qid=1584411846&sprefix=jump+house&sr=8-3

Anonymous wrote:Crazy Forts. Get one set. If they are really into it, get a second set in a week or two to make it exciting again

Thank you just ordered one

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They like spending time with you
Make cookies as a family

Parent of teens here...but since this will likely be MONTHS of the same old...the question was valid; your answer was not. Make cookies? Okay, that's ONE day...(actually, one morning or afternoon for an hour or two...)

Maybe 30 minutes if you get the prepackaged kind.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They like spending time with you
Make cookies as a family

Parent of teens here...but since this will likely be MONTHS of the same old...the question was valid; your answer was not. Make cookies? Okay, that's ONE day...(actually, one morning or afternoon for an hour or two...)

Also, the way the question was worded, I'm thinking that the adults in OPs house need to work while home at least some of the time.

Anonymous wrote:They like spending time with you
Make cookies as a family

Parent of teens here...but since this will likely be MONTHS of the same old...the question was valid; your answer was not. Make cookies? Okay, that's ONE day...(actually, one morning or afternoon for an hour or two...)

Sand and water table, at that age should be either or. I would probably recommend water bc it dries. Sand only and it will be everywhere.
Both and it will just be mixed

Crazy Forts. Get one set. If they are really into it, get a second set in a week or two to make it exciting again

NP here. Question - if I have a sand and water table, should I buy regular sand or kinetic sand? Just bought it a couple months ago for 2.5yo.

My kids loved playing store. You can use random cans and boxes from the pantry.

They like spending time with you
Make cookies as a family

If the 2 1/2 yo is beyond the putting-everything-in-the-mouth stage, a marble run would be fun. The older could build, the younger could drop the marbles.

If that doesn't work, maybe Hot Wheels race car tracks, where again the older could build and the younger could race.

Melissa and Doug has giant cardboard blocks that make great forts and towers. Fun to build, even more fun to knock over.

Tubes of small figures like dinosaurs, sea creatures, jungle animals, vehicles. Like this:
https://smile.amazon.com/Safari-Ltd-American-Wildlife-Figurines/dp/B000GYSZDO/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&aaxitk=h56-CjNgVvfCMWdz7EgAfg&hsa_cr_id=7766310580201&ref_=sb_s_sparkle
Just search for "toob" on Amazon, and you'll get tons of options.

Reusable sticker pads (kind of like the Colorforms we had as kids): https://smile.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Reusable-Sticker-Pad/dp/B00JHDC4IW/ref=sr_1_149?fst=as%3Aoff&qid=1584350149&refinements=p_n_age_range%3A165890011&rnid=165794011&s=toys-and-games&sr=1-149&swrs=8DE98DE2CEC064176A7BE586DC3FADDF.

Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Hi Ho Cherry O, Don't Break the Ice are all easy to play.

Giant water painting mat (like a super-sized Water Wow): https://smile.amazon.com/Fansteck-Accessories-Colorful-Educational-Toddlers/dp/B07MMBBZJ8/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=water+mat&qid=1584350435&s=toys-and-games&sr=1-7&swrs=B4704B4C411FF3B82D2D12ECE53CE7C4

Memory
Sequence
Labyrinth
Jenga
Simple Card Games - War, Slap Jack
Candyland
Chutes & Ladders
BLokus
Mastermind
Bubbles
Kinetic Sand
Hiss!

Just rotate your old toys... move the magnatiles from the basement floor to the middle of the dining room table and say nothing.

Art supplies

Long baths with bubbles, bath bombs, foam soap...

Those are tough ages together--does the older tolerate the youngers antics well?

Magnatiles or Magformers jumbo
These stepping stone things:
https://smile.amazon.com/JumpOff-Jo-Rocksteady-Balance-Stepping/dp/B07LCX97H1/ref=sr_1_22?dchild=1&keywords=stepping+stones&qid=1584297318&sr=8-22
water beads (if you trust your 2.5 year old to not eat them)
indoor cornhole game
color wonder coloring sets
a fort builder toy

Since we are not supposed to have play dates or go anywhere I need recommendations on toys/games I can buy on Amazon. Kids are 2.5 and 6.5 boys. Ideally something they both can play with minimal parental guidance