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Awww... you make me long for a play date. It's too bad you live in a different state mamabird.

This is my own totally unscientific observation, but I think there are those two types of HG+ kids: the Obsessive (my DS6) and the Omnivore.

It sounds like you have an Omnivore on your hands. It's a lot less boring to a non-obsessed parent, so you've got that going for you.

Our most boringly Obsessive phase was either his "memorize every make and model in the Consumer Reports car edition" phase when he was potty training, or the NASCAR phase that followed hot on its heels. Ugh. Both were brutal for a non-car mom.

But I can't really complain. After I had kids, I realized that I'm a serial Obsessive myself, so DS6 comes by it honestly...

I could use a good play date myself Ann. I joined a early childhood family education course that the school district puts on when DS was around 4 months old and no one could really relate as my son was crawling all over the room and babbling constantly and all the other 4 month olds were just kind of sitting (or laying) around. We never really fit in with that group and then I kind of just gave up on it.

Interesting observations Kriston...

I do have to say that I am really starting to get sick of the train craze!!

Actually, the St. Paul children's museum seemed perfect for my two year old last summer, and a bit young for my dd 7. It's definitely geared toward *young* children. You should check it out with your little one.

Of course at age two even a walk in the park is exciting- everything is so amazing when the world is new!

>>teehee<< My DS2 is also a train lover. The last train-related play date we had was with 4yo twins (boy/girl). The boy referred to an engine by the incorrect name. My son tried to correct him and the other boy got mad at my son. DS's feelings were hurt b/c his observation was soundly dismissed.

Welcome mamabird! I had one obsessed with trains too and I also got a wee bit tired of it. My oldest also played this imaginary game about two of his friends at pre-school and we played that almost daily for about 3 years. He could bring it up and my eyes would begin to flutter with sleepiness. I definitely got very tired of that one.

Science museums, art parks, touring a nearby dairy, concerts in the park, even children's theater plays can all be appropriate for a 2 year old if they have any sort of interest or attention span for that kind of thing. Sporting events, air shows, etc. All of these we did with my DS10 when he was 2 or there abouts. He had an amazing attention span (longer than mine usually!) and would want to stay until the very end. Just go with your DS's interests and attention level and you can't go wrong.

Ooh, we didn't have trains, but we did have construction trucks ... ds was hardly talking at 2.5, but was peeping up from the back seat as we drove:

"Giant excavator truck!"
"Double drum compactor truck!"
"Skid steer!"
"Articulated dump truck!"

We've got an omnivore, by and large, though.

We had the constructon vehicles obsession, too, when DS6 was about 18 months. That was one of my favorites, actually, in part because of funnies like this:

DS pointed to the shirt of a much older boy--he was probably a 5yo--which had pictures of construction equipment on it. DS said "That's a bobcat." The older boy looked mad and said, "No, that's a digger!" He started lecturing DS about it, and DS didn't know any better but to politely disagree. Naturally I stepped in.

All this happened in line for a visit with Santa at a playgroup meeting. Santa, played by the dad of one of the kids, overheard and laughed to me, "Your son is right. That's a bobcat, plain as day."

My DS10 was also obsessed with construction vehicles. When he was about 2 he and my dad got into an argument about what type of loader something was - a skid steer or a front end - and I told my dad I would have to go with DS as I was sure he was right! My dad just laughed but my husband confirmed it was a skid steer just as DS said. We had these great little videos, I Love Big Machines, that he loved to watch over and over. They played the William Tell Overture in one part and he'd stand there and run in place to the music while watching the machines. Aaaaahhhh......memories

Funny how several of them liked the construction vehicles!