Author Topic: what do you all do with your toddlers??  (Read 2664 times)

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Offline Mia & Scarlett's Mummy

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what do you all do with your toddlers??
« on: December 28, 2006, 13:04:50 pm »
My dd is 16 months and is on the go from morning to night - as I'm sure is the case with all of your lo's.  I just want to get a feel of what you do with your lo's during the day?  The other toddlers that I know have older siblings and seem to be entertained by them for much of the day, but until no.2 comes along in July it is just Mia.

She goes to nursery all day Tuesday and until 12 on a Thursday which is great for her.  On a Friday I take her to a toddler group.  It's just for the rest of the time I struggle to keep hyer entertained.  Both myself and dh get a sense that she gets cabin fever in the house - she's even started to bring her shoes and coat to us and try and open the front door!  This cabin fever seems to have set in in the last month or so, she's really steady on her feet now and likes to practise her walking as much as she can.

She has her toys, loves her books and we go for lots of long walks and to see friends and Nanny comes to visit.  I just want to get an idea of what you do with your lo's during the day to see if there's anything I could do differently.

Thanks
Louise -  Mom to Mia Alison born 19.08.05 
Our beautiful english rose and textbook/spirited baby.
New Mom to lovely Scarlett Grace - textbook/touchy

Offline JennŠ

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2006, 13:08:51 pm »
Daycare 3.5 days a week.  At home she mostly bebops around with her toys and books.  Or pesters the cats.   ::)  Shopping with mama.  Would stay in the tub all day if I let her. 
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Offline Erin M

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2006, 03:32:47 am »
Have you checked out the Toddler Activity sticky at the top of the forum?  It has great ideas in it from a whole bunch of different members, many of them are indoor activities as well.

Offline M2W

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2006, 04:30:36 am »
Typical day for us (and Weston is BUSY!, but luckily can play on his own at times)

8am ~ wakes up (sometimes 7:30ish)
8:30 ~ is almost finished playing in his crib and is ready to have me come in and get him. (he can and has been known to play in his crib for over an hour at times if I'd let him...he's completely content with that)
plays with his toys in the living room and his bedroom for a while...until I have breakfast ready (I often times will interupt making breakfast or whatever I'm doing to play with him...any time he asks me to join him I drop what I'm doing and play...he typically only needs ME to entertain him for short bits.
9:30 ~ eats breakfast
I put a Barney in the tele so I can jump in the shower or do anything that might need focused time.
10:30ish ~ we run errands (market, post office, whatever is on the agenda for the day...could be playgroup, a play date, or just boring old mommie errands) (he either snacks or is fed lunch somewhere in here)
12:00 ~ or later (1pm) he goes down for a nap
3pm ~ he gets up if he didn't eat before going down, I feed him lunch, if he did eat, then I give him a snack (so the snack and lunch sort of alternate day to day before or after the nap)
Then we might head to the park for 30-45 minutes.
4:30ish...daddy comes home...
and daddy plays with Weston for a while. while I fix dinner or play on the computer ;)
6-8pm we eat dinner, watch a DVD together (barney, olie, elmo, etc) and snuggle up with a bottle
8pm ~ he goes to bed.

********

now honestly that sounds very scheduled, but we aren't THAT scheduled at all...we TRY to have at least ONE playdate per day (doesn't always happen, but I'm on the phone each morning with various friends to find one or more that can come over and play or meet at the park) If we don't have anyone to play with (typically Tues & Thurs are harder days to arrange) then we park hop...meaning we'll hit one park, go home, hang out for a while, maybe nap, go to another park for a while...etc...

During the holiday break daddy has been home for a while (2 weeks) so we've had more daddy time then a normal day. During normal weeks, Daddy is at work...so we have music class on Wednesdays, MOPS nursery on Thursdays, playgroups on Mondays & Fridays...lunch with my FIL on Thursdays. And throw a few parks in there we're good. :)

I used to fill his days because he was sooo busy, but it just got to be too much for me and I felt it was time Weston have a little more 'quite personal play' because as an adult I expected to be entertained all the time...got bored easily (because as a child I was entertained 24/7 by my parents) I had to learn to enjoy the quite and private time as an adult...time I do enjoy quite a bit now...but honestly was hard to learn for a while there (hated silence, now I adore it!) So I wanted Weston to know how to entertain himself as well as enjoy other children and adults entertainments. And I'm glad I did, because it does give me a little time as well. Like I said above I will drop the world to play if he asks me...but if he's playing nicely alone, I don't interfere...I might say "I like the way you are playing with your toys!" but that is about it... ;) try to encourage that ability to entertain one's self. :)




Offline M2W

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2006, 04:45:48 am »
Oh forgot to mention...didn't read the other's posts, so I'm not sure if someone said this???

There are LOADS of books with various activities for you and your toddler to do, those are helpful when you're out of ideas. :) Here is a link to a few various books. Maybe one of them would be helpful?

http://search.half.ebay.com/toddler-activities_W0QQmZbooks I find loads of great deals on half.com...love it ;)



Offline M2W

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2006, 04:47:22 am »
I'm cracking up re-reading my post...because we are the MOST non-scheduled people ever...yet it looks so official....LMAO...we are a play it by ear most of the time...that is a skelton of what we might be doing, but I wouldn't set my clock to it...lol ;)



Offline M2W

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2006, 04:54:26 am »
And this is for preschoolers, but I bet some of our kiddos would enjoy doing these crafts...of course they might not look the way they look in the picture, but it would be fun for them :) Sort of expensive, but if you have a few friends to join up with you, the price begins to drop and who couldn't use a month's worth of craft ideas...lol :biggrin:

http://www.mothergoosetime.com/



Offline *Natasha*

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2007, 06:18:23 am »
So this is our day:

7am - Wake up has milk in a cup on her couch
7.15am - Take Daddy to the Train Station
7.30am - Get home DD plays while i make a coffee and check emails
8am - DD has breaky
8.30am - DD plays and watches Seamee Street
9am - Play some more and watches Raggs
9.30am - Has a snack while watching Play School
10am - Either run errands or go for a walk with the dog
11.30am - DD has Lunch
12pm - DD goes down for her nap for at least 2hrs and Mummy has lunch and relaxes for a bit and this is generally my BW time.
2-3.30pm - If didn't go for a walk in the morning we go now or run errands DD has a small snack
3.30pm - DD watches her favourite Hi 5
4pm - Snack
4.30pm - Play time with Mummy
5pm - Milk
5.30pm - DD plays on her own while i usually finish dinner
6.15pm - Pick up Daddy from train station
6.30pm - Get home have dinner together as family
7pm - Bath time with Daddy, Mummy cleans up after dinner and all DD's toys
7.15pm - Brush teeth,storey with Daddy then bed for the night
7.30pm - US time.

The morning TV DD doesn't sit in front of it and constantly watch it she generally plays with her toys i just have it on for her.
In a few weeks we start music class on a Monday morning.
Wednesday afternoon we have Mothers Group
Generally catch up with a friend one afternoon so the kids can play together.
Saturday mornings DD goes swimming with DH.
The weekends a little more flexible and we geneally have dinner a little earlier.
Next week we start Potty Training so their will be lots of visits to the toilet.

Natasha proud Mum to:

My big princess Catherine 7/8/05
My little princess Mirelle 17/10/07

Offline Mia & Scarlett's Mummy

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2007, 11:56:34 am »
Thank you to everyone who replied  :)

Our days pretty much mirror what you all do.  I find it hard to be at home all day so I know it must be maddening for a toddler who just wants to explore.  What I've decided to do is take Mia for a walk or run errands, go see someone by 9am.  By this time she seems to be climbing the walls and just a change of scene does her good - even if it's to Tesco.  That seems to get a lot of pent up frustration out and she's pretty content when we come back.

She goes back to nursery tomorrow after the Christmas break and I think she is more than ready for it!

Natasha - I hadn't even thought about potty training Mia!  No.2 will be here in July and I'm not sure now whether to go for it and try and get Mia "done" or to leave it until after - which will mean way after.  mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......food for thought.
Louise -  Mom to Mia Alison born 19.08.05 
Our beautiful english rose and textbook/spirited baby.
New Mom to lovely Scarlett Grace - textbook/touchy

Offline KellyC

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2007, 13:44:59 pm »
Hi Louise

Our 2 will be almost the same age - Zander was born in Sep 05 and the next is due in June!  I just wanted to say that your days don't sound much different to ours.  I work Wednesday - Friday and Zander goes to nursery for 2 days (he loves this and does lots of crafty type things there which I'd never think to do!) and to my mum's for one day and I think he enjoys the change of scenery (and being spoilt by Nanny!).  We go to a music group on Tuesday mornings but besides that he mainly amuses himself at home.  He loves playing with toy cars and is quite happy zooming round the house with them.  We also got an Aquadoodle for Christmas - have you seen them?  I've found it great as Zander can get down on the floor and do some 'drawing' but I don't have to worry about him getting ink on anything as the pens are filled with water.  He currently has a wendy-house up in the living room too which he thinks is hilarious!  He also loves playing with his musical instruments so I sometimes put a children's CD on and we sing and dance for a while.  We don't get out all that much as he doesn't like being restrained now he can walk but I really should start taking him on short walks on foot as he does love to go new places - he was fascinated by the garden centre before Christmas, but not so taken with Tesco's!

Kelly x
Mummy to Zander (2005), Nathaniel (2007) and Caleb (2009)


Offline Mia & Scarlett's Mummy

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2007, 14:49:40 pm »
An aquadoodle - yes I do recall seeing them advertised Kelly, thank you.  I think it would be just the thing for Mia as she has suddenly developed a passion for drawing - we have biro over the hall wallpaper and highlighter pen over the sofas - all done yesterday. 

Where did you get Zanders from?

I know what you mean about the walking thing.  Mia does not like her reins, so I've tried walking with her with my fingers gently holding the hood to her coat which resulted in a tantrum in the town centre!  This is such a lovely age - the best yet but very very hard going - especially when you are pregnant! 
Louise -  Mom to Mia Alison born 19.08.05 
Our beautiful english rose and textbook/spirited baby.
New Mom to lovely Scarlett Grace - textbook/touchy

Offline Caroline-Charlies Mummy

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2007, 15:13:35 pm »
Garden Centres are a big hit here - small animals/plants/gift shop - all undercover too, so you don't get wet ;) :)
Caroline :)





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Offline M2W

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 2007, 19:04:32 pm »
On tip we do when OUT at a resturant is bring a "resturant bag" with us that has toys he doesn't see often...this allows us a MUCH LONGER lounge time during dinner while out. (Not an 'activity' but a good tip to keeping busy kids happy while mommie & daddy enjoy themselves ;)



Offline M2W

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #13 on: January 01, 2007, 19:06:07 pm »
Thank you to everyone who replied  :)

Our days pretty much mirror what you all do.  I find it hard to be at home all day so I know it must be maddening for a toddler who just wants to explore.  What I've decided to do is take Mia for a walk or run errands, go see someone by 9am.  By this time she seems to be climbing the walls and just a change of scene does her good - even if it's to Tesco.  That seems to get a lot of pent up frustration out and she's pretty content when we come back.

Yesterday I took Weston to the market with his little cart and let him choose various items to buy...he loved it (as did the fellow shoppers) It was pretty cute and he felt like a big boy...very important & proud! :D You can click on the pick below to view his shopping adventure.




Offline KellyC

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 2007, 19:38:40 pm »
That's sooo cute!  I think Zander would put the whole shop in there ... and then throw it all out again  :-\

Louise, Zander's aquadraw was a present but I think it was from the Early Learning Centre.  DH tries to hold on to Zander's hood and gets a similar reaction, reins are ok so long as he doesn't realise I'm holding him and as soon as I try to guide him in another direction he takes his feet off the floor and just hangs   :-\  If the weather's good tomorrow I may take him round the block on his trike thingy.  DH is back at work and it will be too depressing to stay in on our own all day  :(

Kelly x
Mummy to Zander (2005), Nathaniel (2007) and Caleb (2009)


Offline M2W

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #15 on: January 01, 2007, 22:56:30 pm »
Brad goes back to work tomorrow as well...and I'm semi-guessing (hoping) that Weston & I will get back into our groove...we've been dilly dallying around the house so much with Daddy around and honestly Weston's naps & mood are suffering from it...not active enough to wear him out for a nap...naps aren't as good...leaving us with a cranky Weston. But I want him to 'hang out' with daddy...just seems that we 'get out of the house more' when daddy's not a play option. :) As much as I would LOVE Daddy to stay home full time...I think it will be good for life to resume normal status soon! :)



Offline koakitty

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #16 on: January 07, 2007, 22:18:09 pm »
Hi I was just looking onthis site to try and figure out what our day is supposed to look like, since we have just dropped a nap and are now down to one nap a day...I stumbled upon this post because I was just curious to see what others are up to with their "busy bodies". My daughter is 13 1/2 months old and keeping her entertained and not over tired at this stage of the game is EXHAUSTING! She is an only child (so far) but until a sib comes along it's just the two of us all day. By the way Weston's mommy, I LOVE that video and photo footage of him shopping, how cute! Ok, I think I'm going to sheck out the going from 2-1 nap posts...thanks everyone for taking the time to share info!

Sarah
Sarah
Mom to Bella Victoria
Angel/Textbook Baby

Offline estherofi20

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Re: what do you all do with your toddlers??
« Reply #17 on: January 13, 2007, 01:05:56 am »
we are on one nap a day too, Paul is 14MO, and our day looks pretty much like this:

7/7:15 wake up and play in crib
7:30 pick him up change diaper, give him a sip of milk and go to play in the livingroom
8:00 breakfast
8:30 change his pj's to dayclothes and continue to play
10:00  go out for a walk either to the park, or to see all the neighbours dogs ::), or to visit gadnma who is just across the street
11:15/11.30 get home and have a snack
12:00 nap for 2 or 2.5hrs
2:30 lunch
3:30 we either go shopping, run errands, have a playdate, i always try to do something other than stay home ::)
6:00 bath
6:30 dinner
7:00 bedtime (thank goodness, 'cause by this time i'm exhausted... LOL)