What do you do with your 2 year old?

[tryhard]

DD2 will start pre-school next Jan & is winter-born so won't go to full-time school for another 2 years. I've been at home since my eldest was born 5 years ago & I've never really enjoyed toddler groups, I've done them because I felt DC needed that social interaction but I am wondering how I'm gonna fill my time with my 2 year old until she starts pre-school. Currently she goes to a crèche 1 morning a week, which she loves, we were doing a little dance class but she increasingly tantrums through it so I'm dropping that. We go to the local big aquarium once a week. What else can we do? We'd love just pottering, parks if weather is good etc but I find having the structure of having somewhere to go every morning helps. Just looking for ideas really :)

[NickyEds]

I have a 7.5 month old and a 2 year old. The toddler has just started doing two mornings a week at preschool but it still leaves a lot of week left!! I've found organised classes an absolute no go since ds was about 1 because of his tantrumming and general wandering off! I'd love to do rhyme time at the library but we'd probably be banned! We do one toddler group a week which I actually really enjoy, although I did try about 6 before I found it and it still took 6 months to make friends. Once a week we walk (whatever the weather) to the local cafe for a toasted t cake whilst dd naps.
Most afternoons we're in, or at least we are until the weather's better, we do painting, den building, play dough, making ginger bread men, doing jobs (he likes helping with washing), making duplo stuff. I got some little decal stickers from Hobby craft and he loves putting them on the windows.

[CoodleMoodle]

My DD is just 2 (today!). We do at home days and out days.

At home we just play with toys, build blocks, make cakes, watch TV, read loads of books, do colouring/stickers/painting, etc.

We go out to: shops (especially the pet shop), library, farm/nature reserve (in nice weather), parks, woods, sometimes the pub/cafe, soft play every so often... We do/did go to one toddler group but I hate it and DD is ALWAYS ill afterwards.

I used to find it all terribly boring, but now she's interacting (AKA not shutting up for one second!), it's much better!

[tryhard]

Ok thank you that's really helpful. I feel like we should be doing more 'enriching' things, if you know what I mean, because DD doesn't go to nursery or anything I feel like we need to do a lot to get in lots of socialising.

[NickyEds]

Ha! Some days there's very little enriching goes on in our house! Today for instance we are just a bit under the weather so watched Toy Story 3 again.

[RoseDeWittBukater]

I'm not home any more but when I was we did weekly library trips, swimming, local farm, local garden centre soft play, Mum's and tots, lots of sensory stuff in the tuff tray, baking, craft, feeding the ducks, park, NT places.

And some days we sat about doing fuck all and watching peppa!

[jellyjiggles]

I take my 2 year old out for coffee or breakfast after we've done a shop.

We go to soft play 1 day

2 mornings a week playgroup

1 day park

In the house we do a lot of craft things like play doh, cutting, sticking, counting, jigsaws etc. She spends time exploring the garden.

Pinterest is good for ideas!

[PennyHasNoSurname]

Dd is now four but the baby will soon be two and the stuff we will do / plan to do:-

Local city farm
Park (we have five playparks within walking distance so could do a different one each day)
Ikea (good for food and the little play are in the cafe)
Met a friend at a local pub with softplay for breakfast (9 til 12)
Swimming

House stuff:-
Big soapy bucket and stuff to "wash"
Big sheet of craft paper taped to the floor (wooden) and paints
And not much else because my kids hate being indoors

[captaincake]

Nearly 2 year old here. Soft play, local gym open up for preschoolers to run around once a week, tumble tots type thing at leisure centre, soft play barn surrounded by farm, carious local play parks, duck feeding, library in town and he plays on the £2 for 30 seconds moving things (only if we need something from town this is our least favourite) , we're close to theme park good for little ones so have an annual pass, swimming, bike ride either on the back of my bike or he has his own pre balance bike thing, toddler group. At home it's really difficult so we go out lots but he basically just plays with his cars and trains, i can get him to do a puzzle for about 15 seconds or he watches peppa pig.

[seefeld]

Have a just turned 2 year old DS. We meet with friends at their/our house, soft play when it's cold or raining (a lot of the past few months!), city farm, zoo (we have an annual pass), local parks and playgrounds. We also used to go to a kindermusik class but DS got so many bugs this winter and missed so many class it became a bit of a waste of money so I stopped it.

At home is more challenging so really enjoying reading what everyone else does!

[GrumpyMummy123]

I have a 2.5yr old DS. I only plan things for mornings, normally home for lunch, 2hr nap then potter about or park/library (both v close) before tea. For us this week looks like this:
Monday - National Trust toddler group
Tuesday - children's centre mummies craft group with DS in the crèche
Today - DS at childminder
Tomorrow - library Rhyme Time or if weather lovely will go out to farm or something. PM playdate.
Friday - swimming lesson

Next week:
Monday - NT toddler group
Tuesday - meeting up with a relative
Wed - childminder
Thu - playgroup
Friday - swimming lesson

I also have National Trust membership and annual passes to local children's farm and other local attraction.

Getting into a routine with a structure to our week really helped me feel like there is a purpose to my time. There are loads of local groups and activities which aren't playgroups. Some are too expensive to do but worthwhile doing the free tasters for something to do :-) Our local children's centre is excellent and does alsorts of groups and classes either free or inexpensive.

[readingrainbow]

I find that children this age don't need hours and hours of time outside the home, so a few mornings a week (or afternoons, whatever fits around nap times best) are usually enough.

[Justbumping]

Just place marking for ideas