how many scheduled activities for a toddler?

Amanda&Chris

I have been doing 3 scheduled activities a week with DD plus she goes to the gym daycare four days a week.  I just got the catalog from the park district with classes and see two more that I like,  Is 5 scheduled activities a week too much for a 1.5 year old?

One class would be a MMO type thing for two hours, but the other days are 30-40 minutes long and I'd be with her.

WDYT?

~Kat~

That would be way too much for DS, but if your DD would like it then I see no problem. Especially since you will be with her most of the time.

skippy2310

We do a class 2x's a week for 75 minutes and usually have a playdate or two.  Five classes would be too many for me, but I like having a day or two a week to do errands, hang out at home, trips to the library, etc. 

 

annak23

I would also say 2 classes a week.  That gives you cushion to do other things that may pop up during the week.  I think 5 classes/week for ME would be alot to keep up with!

ElizabethD

for a 1.5 year old?  YES!  For a 5 year old, YES!  lol

But I go on the VERY other extreme of chosing to underschedule rather than overschedule.

My kids do a once a week 1.5 hour parent/child class.  My daughter goes to sibling care now that my son is in preschool for the Tuesdays where I am with him for an hour and 2/x month meet with the other moms, but then she has a class the 2nd preschool day.  And then my son goes to religious ed at church.  So 3 things for my son feel like a lot and he's 3.5. 

Here's what I think though... do you feel overscheduled?  Do you plan on keeping that pace as she gets older or will you find a dilemma some day when she's 7, had 10-12 weekly activities, and you want to "slow down" but can't because she has never experienced "normal, boring" life?  I think it's often the road ahead, not the right-now, that you have to think about and adjust TODAY so you don't enter a downward spiral.

Zenya

DS is 2.5.  We have 3 things a week.  A playgroup (1.5 hours), a library story time (40 minutes) and a toddler gym (1 hours).  Then sometimes I do one more thing like something from my meetup.com group. 

DH just started bringing him to gym daycare and that's going well.  2-3 x week (nights).  It sounds like a lot that I type it out but IRL it feels fine.  Up until recently every activity was with me.  At 1.5 he was not at all ready for a MMO type of thing.  But that's very individual!

mrsterry

None.  We don't do any.

wellfleet04

Kate and I do 4-5 scheduled things a week.  We are in two different playgroups (Tues and Fri mornings).  Then we have been taking two classes (Mon and Thurs) but that is switching to MDO in December (same days).  We usually hit library story hour on Weds, our only free day, and meet up with friends at least one afternoon a week.  We like to stay busy!  Just depends on you and your DD.  Kate is used to being out a lot and likes being busy.