What does your 2yrold do all day?

Raspberry222

Activity wise? 

I am currently staying at home, while looking for a new job...but in the rightnow I'm home with my DD.  She's 26mos. old and I'm not sure how to structure her days...

We do have an established bed/nap time routine...but what else should I be doing during the day? 

We don't have the extra $$ to make day trips, (though I do try to get out once a week) and there is no $$ for daycare, even part-time...so interaction with other children is at a minimum...

So basically I'm asking what is your daily routine w/your 2yrold?

 

**Maybe I should ask this on the SAHM page....?

melrrr

structure? routine? hahaha! I don't plan things out. Sure, some days we go to the pool or the neighborhood splash pad or the zoo, but most days we're at home or out running errands. We play,  read, color. Whatever we feel like.  She puts music on and can spend 20 minutes jumping/dancing non stop. I'm not about to make out a schedule like I sometimes see on here. 

She does come to work with me a few days a month (I cook for people in their homes) and she just plays while I work. I'm lucky.  

Raspberry222

melrrr:

I'm not about to make out a schedule like I sometimes see on here. 

Oh no...I'm fine with not putting her on a "schedule", just what to do with her...I think she's bored with mommy...   (and there are only so many times we can play hide&seek!!!)

CTJune06

We typically have a playdate in the mornings- almost every day that I'm not working. Early afternoon she naps and then we take a swim in the pool or play in the sprinkler after nap. We go to a music class at the library once a week and swim lessons once a week. She loves reading, listening to music, "helping" cook/bake, swim, playing outside...

Lanibee

You might be able to find some free activates in your area.  Our Library does story time (that means interaction with other kids) Going to parks and check out online to see if there is a MOPS group in your area of other stay at home moms.

EverydayMommy09

Whatever she likes doing. Like pp said, music can be a lot of fun. This morning I put on some music and we danced and she played(with blocks) while I changed the sheets on the beds. Later we did a new puzzle and read some books.

Other things we do: bubbles, playdoh, coloring, playing with a ball, playing outside when it isn't too hot, we have a play kitchen that she really likes to 'cook' in, flashcards( she brings them to me), fridge magnets. She also likes to watch PBSkids. We usually watch 30-60 at some point during the day. 

Most Mondays we are home because it gives us a break from the weekend and I do a lot of cleaning/straightening. Other days we just run errands or go to the park in the morning. HTH

rubride

I'm temp. at home with my DD and loving it! I do still send her to daycare two days a week so that's when I typically do errands/cleaning, etc. When DD is with me, we typically go to a mommy and me workout, free kid concerts/entertainment (check local parks, town centers, malls, etc...I'm lucky that we have a lot in my area), pool, spraygrounds, library, etc. In the morning we usually do something out of the house. After nap we'll play outside, with toys, art, read, etc.

suzan211

I'm a lurker chiming in.

I don't have a schedule for my DD who is 26 months like your little one. Also my situation is similar to yours interaction with other LO's is minimal due to financial constraints.

We do go to a drop in centre once in a while to play with other kids.  I've also saved up some money to put her in swimming for two weeks at the end of August.As for activities we do at home:

I sometimes make homemade play dough https://www.easy-child-crafts.com/play-dough-recipe.html

We play in the backyard a lot.  I tried to grow a veggie garden this year so we spend time watering the plants.  You could try to grow like a little lima bean with her inside and you could water it every day and take care of it.

Kick a ball around in the backyard.

A friend gave us a cheap water sprinkler so sometimes I set that up and she runs through it for half an hour.

Dancing (her favourite!)

Crayons and colouring

She helps me with chores a lot.  Like sorting laundry, I bought her a little hand broom and she helps when I sweep. 

Reading, Tea party, she plays a lot with blocks, dolls.  She still enjoys playing with the pots and pans. Go to the park.  Go for a walk.  HTH

Raspberry222

Thank you all very much...these are all great suggestions!!!

twirler324

I am on maternity leave until November and we took DD1 out of daycare until then since I'm not getting paid.  I just made this rainbow rice this morning after our trip to Target for the supplies.  Did not cost much at all.  The rice is sitting in the sun right now and will hopefully be dry after her nap so we can play!  I bought a 5 pack of those plastic shoe boxes at Target.  So far, I have one filled with beans, one with lentils, and will put the rice in 1-2 when it is dry.  Will also get some elbow macaroni at some point when it is on sale.  :-)  My plan is to grab some measuring cups, measuring spoons, etc for her to play with these.  We also have things she can use from her kitchen set.  I will also get some small toys, objects to "hide" in the rice, beans, etc for her to dig through and find. 

Have fun and good luck in your job search!

https://domesticsimplicity.com/2010/03/30/playingwithbeansandric/

hereonceagain

I have 3 days off a week.  I never plan her day for weekends since I know we are doing family things and our weekends are always busy anyway.  For the 3 days I'm off, I stride to balance her day with:

1 hour physical activity:  playdate or park or walk around our neighborhood or ride her bike.  sometimes it's taking her to childcare at my gym and she plays in their structures.

1 hour learning:  reading books, practicing alphabet (made flashcards), etc.

1 hour creativity:  doing art, stickers, play in play kitchen, bake cupcakes, etc.

1 hour healthy food:  taking her to buy fresh fruit, eating healthy snack items and talking about them, helping prepare a healthy dinner for later, etc.

1 hour naptime

The rest of the day gets sucked up somehow

Soon2BMrsN

I've been home all summer with my DS (he's 25 months now).  Our days have fallen into sort of a routine.

Get up/have breakfast/hang out with dad/DH before he leaves for work

Watch Thomas or a 30 min. educational DVD (he usually plays with his trucks while it's on so he's not even really paying attention)

Feed dog/take dog out/play outside (my DS loves playing outside and would stay out all day if I let him!)

Back inside to cool off, then we usually play in his bedroom for awhile (he has a rug with "roads" on it, and we also play with play-doh, color/do stickers, etc.)

Lunch

Nap (I'm lucky that he's usually down for at least 2.5 hours)

Snack and playtime (sometimes he watches a little more Thomas... but I limit his daily TV total to 60 minutes)

Outside again if it's not too hot (sprinkler, water table, etc.) OR we run errands if necessary

Dinner/play/bath/bed

 

It's gotten a little repetitive.  We've had a few playdates and taken some outings, but I'm a home-body and feeling tired being PG, so it's worked for me.  I have to go back to work (I'm a teacher) next week... boo!

WiggleBaby

this is a great post for suggestions!  i just wanted to add in that we go out A LOT (at least once per day) and i try not to spend money too.  so we'll go to Meijer/Target/TRU, etc and just play with the toys there (she rides the tricycles, etc, even if it's rainy out).  we go to the library ALL THE TIME.  they have toys there too so even if there is no storytime, we hang out there a lot and she loves picking out new books or playing on the kids computers.  we go to kids consignment stores to look around, cuz the toys are not in boxes so she can play with them all... and local toy stores that have train tables are a big hit too (Barnes & Noble is the only chain store i know of that has one... ohh and if you have a Learning Express store).  also free splash pads, and the mall play area and of course playgrounds.

 hope that helps if you want to get out for free!

miababy

When you say you don't have the $$ to go out much, do you mean for gas or for paying for activities?  If it's not about the gas, there are lots of free activities out there.  DD loves going to free programs at our local library, plus our local starbucks does storytime and gives the kids free "kids frappachinos".  We also joined a AWESOME mom's group that I found on meetup.com.  We alternate playdates at each others homes and local parks.  It's a great way for DD to interact with other kids and I with other adults!

With that being said, we spend many days at home or running errands.  DD spends lots of time playing.  I make sure to get down and play with her as much as I can.  Learning through play is really the best.  We also read a lot of books.  We try to do a little art time everyday - either coloring or play-doh.  She also LOVES to play outside, especially in her sandbox (although it's hot as heck here right now so we play outside early in the morning or late in the day).  She loves music, so we play a lot with her instruments and dance to music that we put on the radio or tv.  She really loves dancing to The Wiggles.  I pop that dvd in for her often when I'm trying to get something done, like fixing meals.  If it were up to her, we'd having it looping all day long!

She also really likes "helping" me do things around the house so I like giving her as many opportunities as I can.  For instance, she helps me do the laundry - I take things out of the washer and she puts them in the dryer.  Loading/unloading the dishwasher - I let her put the safe things she can reach away.  She helps me feed all the pets, which she loves.  She also likes to put things in the trash and the recycling.  She's actually gotten really good at following directions by helping me do these things.  Yes, they'd be faster if I did them myself, but I think they are a great learning tool for her.

 

Raspberry222

miababy:

When you say you don't have the $$ to go out much, do you mean for gas or for paying for activities?  If it's not about the gas, there are lots of free activities out there.  DD loves going to free programs at our local library, plus our local starbucks does storytime and gives the kids free "kids frappachinos".  We also joined a AWESOME mom's group that I found on meetup.com.  We alternate playdates at each others homes and local parks.  It's a great way for DD to interact with other kids and I with other adults!

No it's not the gas $$ it's the "activity" $$...like there's a local museum that's $14 each...(yes, $14 for a 2yrold) and it's not really even a "museum" it's like an activity area for kids to play...but that's out of my budget and almost 2hrs away...

Surprisingly, there are not a LOT of things to do with a toddler where I live...(hmm, I think business venture!?!)... there were some things that started up and then died back down again...and most of the activities are for 4 and up...so it rules us out...

The only thing I did find was 2yrold story time at the library...which is brand new as of last month...so that is DEF. something we will be going to!!!

pensparade

We do a lot of crafty things like painting, play dough, coloring, chalk in the driveway. She helps me water the flowers outside and we will take a walk to the playground. We read books and she also has a ridiculous amount of toys (don't all kids?) that we play with.