Anonymous wrote:If I were in your shoes OP, I would go to the dollar store and purchase some cheap books, toys and puzzles and bring them in a colorful bag each time I came to work.

Or also visit a thrift shop and find some quality used children's items there.

Also, perhaps check out some children's books or buy some used ones at your nearest public library.

In your free time, search online for some inexpensive craft ideas.

If she is looking for craft ideas for vharge, it should NOT be on her time. OP, tell the parents the kid needs different toys

If I were in your shoes OP, I would go to the dollar store and purchase some cheap books, toys and puzzles and bring them in a colorful bag each time I came to work.

Or also visit a thrift shop and find some quality used children's items there.

Also, perhaps check out some children's books or buy some used ones at your nearest public library.

In your free time, search online for some inexpensive craft ideas.

Make a rce track with masking tape. It pulls up from carper cleanly so its ok if it gets outrageous - going all over the house.

HOmemade playdough, fill tupperware with pasta for a noisemaker, fill a muffin tray with different peas/beans/pastas as a sensory exploration/naming/color game. Build forts with pillows/chairs/blankets.

Look around and see if there's a flashlight - endless fun with that.

Also, toys are a dime a dozen at yard sales or consignment shops. So maybe for just a couple of bucks you could find a thing or two that would help the parents broaden their view a bit.

Try looking into some books/internet information on Waldorf "toys". Everything is pretty much home-made from things found in nature and around the house.
Sticks, acorns, stones, feathers, cardboard, kitchen items, large pieces of cloth...you get the idea. Make puppets, scenery for his cars, set up play houses or schools, play dress up, go on treasure hunts.
There are a million things you can do with a child that require no toys (and it sounds like you are really trying already) but just a little more imagination on the adult's part. Good luck!

Cardboard, blankets, pillows, chairs, flashlights, Tupperware, bowls, cups.

Cardboard! You can cut out building shapes & he can color then build a city for his cars to drive through. We also will use scarves as roadways for cars.

I am a nanny to a two year old boy. I am relatively new to working with this family, having left my previous family after 5 years. My old charges admittedly had a lot of toys - what I would classify as an excessive amount. I am running into a whole new challenge working with this new family in that I don't think my little charge has enough. When they hired me they said he didn't really like toys, but I believe they were basing that more on his younger toddler self. He LOVES cars and planes and has a few of them, and one plastic dinosaur. Other than that though, there's nothing. No plastic animals, people, blocks - nothing to really facilitate any imaginary play. When he plays with cars it's very solitary in that he just sits and rolls them back and forth. Of course we go to the park, to gymboree, out on adventures, we play outside and do crafts and listen to music and read books, but there is only so much you can do in 50 hours a week and I am struggling to play with this little one in our downtime. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!