SAHMs with 2+ year olds: how structured is your day?

[becky1969]

Owen just turned 2 last month. I'm starting to think maybe we should have more structured activities during our day? I might be feeling this way because it's winter, we have nearly 40" of snow in our front yard, and Owen is getting very bored with the same old/same old.  But, I also think he might be ready for some more structured activities.

Right now, we go to LIbrary Time 2 times/week; we also used to go to playgroup 1-2x/week, but the playgroup is falling apart, so we can't count on any other children showing up.  I just bought a ton of craft supplies today, and we had a ball playing with them! So, I'm thinking maybe a couple days a week we could have 'craft time'.  Maybe we should have 'music time' another couple days a week? He's not talking yet (been dx with a severe speech delay), but he's showing tons of interest in letters and numbers. He already knows 3-4 letters, and seems interested in learning more. We also practice counting all the time, and he loves that. Should we start some dedicated time to work on that too, do you think?

Anyway, wondered what other moms with kids this age do! I have no interest in putting him in a daycare or preschool, so just am looking for home ideas.

Thanks!

[~S~]

I don't have her day very structured at all as far as activities go, but have been trying to start.  Here is what I am planning on doing, with a little tweaking to us- hope it helps or gives you some ideas.

   ://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.html

[SiestaNoMore]

Marking my spot for more ideas from others here....

I have a 2 yr old and hear you on this long cold and snowy winter - we used to spend loads of time outside!

We do lots of crafts here - pretty much daily. Coloring, water painting, finger painting, making collages with glue and everything else....
We also do music time - my boy is big into action songs - was just doing the "Hokey Pokey". We put on puppet shows lots too - get all the stuffed animals singing "Old MacDonals Farm" which he loves.
We do Sign Language here - we have the Signing Time videos so we'll watch one together too.
We try to do something sensory - playing with measuring cups in water, rice, beans, etc. Playing in shaving cream on the table is a big hit too.
He helps me with everything I do - he has a little broom and his own spray bottle filled with water when I clean. Decorating cookies together has been the rage here.
And Story Time too.
In his Play Area we have a little kitchen and a tent. He is really big into role playing/pretend now.

Otherwise we try to get out of the house and into the city (we live in a little town about an hour from the city) as often as the roads and temperature allow it. Yesterday we were at Home Depot and a Tile Shop and you'd swear it was the biggest outing ever for him! He loves tools and looking at all the different colored tiles - lol!

But otherwise waiting for better weather - wagon rides, parks, sprinkler parks, fire station visits - the whole world opens with green grass!

[~S~]

SiestaNoMore- can I be your child?  I am very impressed.

[SiestaNoMore]

LOL ~S~ !
And please bring your 2 LO's too! I tell you I am so starved to see people after moving out to a small town and feeling snowed/cold-weathered in. Last week in this part of Canada we were colder than -40 C and that was before windchill!
Spring is around the corner I'm sure!

[shelliz]

Hi there!

   We have activities we do each day. We don't always do it in the same order but here is what we do.

Music time - dd loves listening to music (loves Brady Rhymer and all the typical nursery rhyme cd's). We spend most of music time dancing and being silly with her and her little brother.

Blocks-  we have several different types of blocks (big leggos, clear blocks with different items in them). She loves to build and tear down.

Letters/spelling- we spend a little time every day working on our words/letters. Whether it be letter magnets on the fridge, flash cards or phonics Dora books...she loves that stuff.

Art- we either color, finger paint or do play dough each day.

Reading- every afternoon she goes into her room and literally sits in her rocking chair with a pile of books. She will 'read' through them for 20 minutes or so.  I have not asked her to do this but it is one of the things she has taken to doing sooo independantly.

Cook - she likes to help me prepare lunch or dinner (ie:washing the veggies in the sink and we talk about where the foods come from)

Relax time - at least one Baby Einstien or Barney a day. this usually occurs when I am putting my 7 month old down for a nap or having to feed/change him. 

Outside-if it is a nice day we will go outside. Either walking out on our property looking at the horses/cows/birds, or to our little swing set or the city park. 

We have playgroup on Fridays and an open gym on Tues/Thurs if we choose to go. 


I'm not rigid enough to do all things in a particular order but I'm constantly trying to take advantage of a moment to teach since dd seems so much like a sponge these days!


HTH

Shelby

[LucyA]

marking

I keep saying I want more structure in our days, this is inspiring me again!

[debo620]

marking my spot

[Aly Mac]

that website looks really good S- thanks. some place to start...

[RyansMum]

Marking, need inspiration!

[pbmom]

Marking as well - need some tips.  Anyone with ideas to include a 7 month old as she gets a little, how should I say, excited if she's included!  So hard in the cold weather! 

[becky1969]

Great ideas, everyone!  Crafts have been such a huge hit here, that we're starting to do them 3 or more times/weeks.  It's been a great way to offer some diversion when stuck inside.

I think I might try to add an hour in the morning where I do some kind of focused, purposeful activity with him -- like crafts, music, etc.  The rest of the time, he's helping me around the house which I think is important too! Cooking/baking are his favorites, though laundry come in a close second. 

My attitude has always been school is soon enough to be regimented, but like a PP said, he IS such a sponge now, I want to be sure I give him enough cool things to do and think about!

[pbmom]

Hi all - just wanted to say thanks for the suggestion for something sensory...Paige played with elbow macaroni today with her big plastic spoon, her stacking cups, a measuring cup, and 2 rubbermaid containers.  She played alone with it for a long time and then I joined and showed her to measure and mix and "cook."  It was a great idea to add something like this and elbows were all I had around that didn't make a mess and I didn't mind wasting at the moment.  She just loves pretending right now and this was perfect as she's a bit bored with her plastic food.  Tomorrow I will show her how to do it on her "stove" (part of the Rose Petal Cottage - which she loves by the way if anyone doesn't have it and wanted something that nests and can be collapsed quite easily - ps, it's on sale right now in our Wal-Mart for $30 and we paid ~$80 for it at Christmas!).   

We don't do this stuff in any order each day.  The only thing we stick to is the general routine of awake time, nap time, snack/meal times, down time and bed time.  Paid attention to the last 2 days so I could tell what we do just in case anyone needed something fresh:
- help me clean with her own wipes, broom, vaccuum, etc.  She loves the swiffer too and a giant lint roller we have for the dog bed.
- She actually helped with folding laundry today instead of just taking it and running
- Coloring, drawing, making something for daddy
- Looking at pictures of our family and recent pics of her and her baby sister, Brooke.  She loves this and it's good down time.
- Reading...she's taken to pulling out her books on her own and sitting in her chair.  Then we read together.
- Flashcards of letters and colors
- Dress up with mommy's/daddy's shoes and her necklaces/bracelets
- Always, always, play follow the leader (she's always the leader) while I hold Brooke (and she laughs hysterically) while singing that marching song from The Jungle Book movie or Follow the Leader Parade from Sesame Street.
- 2-30min shows (Dora/Diego - for use while I put B down for naps - it's snack time for her too, so it works great)
- Blocks and other toys

She's really into pretend play right now so it's great as we are stuck inside with the weather. 

Any other ideas?  Maybe I'll try finger paints with her?

[~S~]

For her "cooking"  how about yarn cut up to be 'spaghetti'.

Also my girls love play dough.

[becky1969]

We tried finger paints, and I must have the only boy on the planet who doesn't like to get his hands dirty!  He stuck his fingers in, then wanted me to clean them immediately!    We're sticking with gluing bits to paper for now!

A game Owen likes to play is "Stop and Go".  Very simple! You shout "Go!!!!!" and he runs around, and then you shout "Stop!!!!" and he has to freeze (though he sometimes forgets!  ). He likes it best if mommy and daddy do the running to, but this is a nice game while I'm doing dishes, and he can just go nuts in the family room with me shouting the instructions.

I like the follow-the-leader idea! Owen would LOVE that!