SAHMs - I need your help!

[Emily - Joe's Mom]

I am so excited to only have to send Joe to daycare 2 1/2 days a week because I have an awesome schedule this semester. He is very energetic as 18 month olds are. I am having a difficult time finding things for us to do! It is so cold here in IA right now, so, I am not a big fan of getting out of the house. I don't want him to fill up his time with TV, but I am completely at a loss to what to do. Here is our daily schedule so far:
9 - wake up
9:30 - breakfast
11 - snack
1 - lunch
2 - nap until 4
4:15 - snack
6 - dinner
10 - bedtime

7 nursing sessions during the day

I would really appreciate some ideas. Thanks in advance!

[Mich1218]

It is harder in the winter. We do try to get out each day and go to a grandparent's house or somewhere that doesn't involve a big parking lot, like the library. That limits the cold exposure.

Other than that, we read a lot of books, color, do puzzles, PlayDoh and bubbles. She does watch Sesame Street each day, she loves Elmo.

[Carly]

Ryann (21 months) and I have art time for 30 minutes a day and dance time for 30 minutes a day. She also helps me (watches) make meals! We play with her toys a lot as well.

[okiedokiemama]

We do lots of arts and crafts. At that age my kids liked to play with play-do, finger paint, and color. They liked to play with water, pouring it in different containers and spraying with spray bottles. We read lots of books. Play with cars and trains, oh and play cooking if you have a kitchen set. Play music if you have kids instruments, or you can use pots and pans for drums. Sing kids songs, we have sing-along cds and several kids playlists that we use. Dance, we turn up the music and just crazy dance around the house, the kids love it when mommy acts silly!
Also you could pick out a few TV shows that you can watch with him. Oh and clean-up together, that is the age that mine really started being able to help, they can pick up toys and put them away and carry things to the trash, simple stuff like that.

[Emily - Joe's Mom]

Thanks for some great ideas! We will definately do them!

[Miles]

I dont have an 18 mos old but what we try to do is if the weather is nice enough to get out we do. We also try to color, do crafts, finger paint(my 9 mos old loves this). Just things that we can do together.

[Naturallia]

I do a sensory diet with my babies- are you interested in learning more or do you want general toddler stuff?

[Emily - Joe's Mom]

I do a sensory diet with my babies- are you interested in learning more or do you want general toddler stuff?

I am absolutely interested in learning more :)

[fanciful]

Tape a big ol' piece of p[aper to the table and let him have at it with crayons or markers or something.

Joey also love the play-doh thing, still loves it. Entertains him for a long time! When he was that age he always wanted me to make him balls though. That's it, make me balls mommy.

[MamaOf4Cuties]

:lol: The fact that you actually CAN put your child on a schedule amazes me in itself. My daughter kind of does what she wants when she wants. She's only 12 mos old though. My 4 year old has a definite schedule though.

[Emily - Joe's Mom]

:lol: The fact that you actually CAN put your child on a schedule amazes me in itself. My daughter kind of does what she wants when she wants. She's only 12 mos old though. My 4 year old has a definite schedule though.

Oh believe me, it is not me that made his schedule. His daycare did - thank goodness, because I was never able to :err:. And I was born in Thibodaux!