Toddler activities - help!

[npl]

Help!
I'm essentially on bedrest for a while (until baby arrives, and then for however long it takes for my pelvis to heal). I'm in pain in most positions, and whilst Tylenol takes the edge off, I have to be very careful about how much I move and what position I am in. So, besides being unable to follow her around, or get down on the floor to play with her, everything I do is with a background of pain, which makes it harder to think creatively.
Until I'm back on my feet, I need to keep my 2yo occupied close to me. We have drawing stuff, books, dvds, Little People and Thomas trains in the play spaces that I can be in. When my mothers helper is here (3 mornings a week) and in the late afternoon, when the big kids are home, she has access to outdoor toys and lego and dolls stuff.
I'm trying to limit how many pieces are on the floor, as I don't always see them when I walk, and can't lift my feet to step over them without pain.

Any ideas for new and exciting toys or activities I can get for her, that can be done in the living room or at her little desk? Not messy, and doesn't require much parental interaction (I can't get down to her level, so unless she can do it sitting next to me on the sofa, it needs to be an independent activity).
If I have a list, I can send dh to the store to pick up more supplies, which I know will be helpful for post-partum, too!

Thanks!

[gr8]

A tea set
Play food

[elisheva]

pipe cleaners artistically stuck into an upside down collander. My dd loved this and would stay busy with it forever (like 30 min it seemed).

[npl]

Great ideas! We could do the toy kitchen stuff in a plastic tub with a lid, which would make it easier to clean up and move around as needed.
I love the pipe cleaner idea, but do you find that the ends are sharp? All the ones I've bought recently have had sharp ends that stuck out.
More arts-and-crafts ideas (not messy like paints) would be good - she does enjoy making pictures with crayons and stickers.
Maybe we should bring the dolly crib downstairs? It would be a small step towards switching her bedroom around to make space for the baby (also need to move another piece of furniture out of there, I think).

[elisheva]

the ends are pokey, but not sharp. She did fine with them(the pic is when she was 2y3m). What about modeling clay? If left out, it doesn't matter.

[npl]

What kind of clay? We found play doh leaves crumbs when it dries out, and I've hate finding plasticene clay stuck in the carpet. I wonder if there's a better brand or style, or I'm just going to have to be more alert while she uses it.
Ooh - I wonder if I still have any wikisticks (those wax sticks you model with)? And whether they'll be too fiddly for her?

[Chavelamomela]

Do you have any theraputty? PT's use it - it doesn't really dry out, and it's fun to mush around. My sons are always playing w. their Abba's. Same idea w. Silly putty.

Can she get a very simple sewing sampler or shoelace-practice-tying-toy? Or something else crafty you can sort of do together side by side on the couch?

Magna Doodle is portable and she can do next to you on the couch or on the floor.

I agree that bringing the baby-doll stuff downstairs sounds like a good idea. If you have a dolly-sling, she can use that as well. She'll really appreciate being able to play "mommy" as you have this new baby.

[trampampam]

I deeply dislike wikisticks, i find that wax falls off them too easily and creates these wax balls that are fun to play with but a pain to clean up.
Large magnets of geometic shapes can entertain 2-3 year old for a long time. Montessory style schools use them alot. I think crayola had something that was called a magic marker maybe - it came with a pad and a marker and when you color in the pad a picture comes up.
Beshaa tova!

[elisheva]

Ooooh. Pattern blocks. If she does them on a sheet spread out, it will be easy to clean up. DD2 loves pattern blocks right now.

[sunny aus]

Fuzzy felt. A couPle of felt boards, and then either get some ready made sets, or some pieces of felt and a texta, and make your own.

Keeps my miss2.5 busy for a while, longer of we use it to tell stories.

Finger puppets can also be good maybe?

[npl]

fuzzy felts is a great idea. thx