Stay-at-home mom needs help with 15month old spirited boy!

[Noahsmama09]

Hello all!
My DS is about to turn 15 months old. He is such a sweetheart and has LOTS of energy to say the least! I am a stay at home mom, and I'm looking for advice on activities for my LO.
This may sound silly, but do any of you mom's have your LO's on a "schedule" regarding activities? Such as a daycare setting..."storytime" or "let's play" time. I know some moms that do this, but I have kinda always just gone through my day around his nap and eating schedule. I try to take him to his playgroup once a week, and get together with other moms when possible. Other than that, we have plenty of playtime, and sometimes I use the time to clean the house etc.
Just needing a little advice on whats best to help my son develop to the best of his ability.
As I know statistics show that children in daycare tend to do much better in all areas of socialization and development. All my son has during the day is ME, and I think he may be getting bored LOL!

Thanks for reading this!!

[firsttimemummy]

I try to find somewhere that we can go once a week (such as a local playgroup).  We have rough times for snacks and his sleep but other than that we just play it by ear each day (I work 10 hrs but am around the rest of the time).  What I do do though is try to vary his toys each day or so and just get out a few for him that he can really play with, then swap them for other ones after his nap.

It wont be long til DS loves "helping" you do the housework - DS loves to use his little brush to sweep around the crumbs that I have just swept up etc.

I should do more arts and crafts etc with him and should try to find a set time that suits so he knows when it is happening.  As I work over 3 days he knows his friend and her Dad come on a Monday and the following day Granny comes to visit on the train and the day after we get to walk her to the station ... I really think that a little bit of routine does help.

[*Jo*]

Hi NoahsMama!

we are exactly the same as you, all Caleb has all day is ME and hes spirited, we do the same thing, just work around sleeps and feeds, I tried something more "set" but I just couldnt follow it, I got bored with it and I think he did too a little, but that was ages ago, i should try again now that hes a bit older.

some things about him that I have noticed that you may find too, is as PP said, they LOVE helping with the housework!even at 15 months Caleb helped me. So when I empty the rubbish bags, i give him the smaller ones from the bedroom or the toilet etc and tie a knot in it and take him to the big rubbish bin outside and let him drop it in. now all i have to do is leave the tied up bag outside the toilet door and he just picks it up, goes to the door, waits for me to open it and runs to the big bin outside. he loves helping give me the pegs when I hang out the washing. when I do some baking i give him his own bowl with a small amount of flour in it and a spoon, it makes a bit of a mess, but then so do I when i bake, but it keeps him out of my hair!

When we do the dishes, i make sure theres some tupperware for him to "wash" in the sink next to mine that I fill with a small amount of water, i pull up a chair and keep him close to me, he gets really wet so i tie a towel around him.

hmmmm, what else can I think of? we also go to music every thursday and playgroup every second wednesday, i try to see another person with a kid or have them over once a week too. these kids love being social.

I should also do more arts and crafts, i was thinking that this morning actually! we do have a chalk board with chalk that he likes and i also made some playdough but that doesnt really hold his interest that long