My toddler doesn’t do enough activities?

someone selling structured activities😋

A toddler needs to be running about , they don’t need to be playing football or rugby in any organised sense . It sounds to me like you are doing plenty , it’s competitive parenting

Toddlers don't need structured activities! He's in nursery 4 days a week - surely that's enough structure for a 2.5 year old? The rest of the time should be pottering at home, in the garden, playing outside in the woods, park, feeding the ducks... basically just enjoying being with you. He's got years ahead for doing classes - let him just be ☺️

Well that someone at toddler class is probably one of those that spends a lot of time on social media and feels the need to keep up with everyone else that have friended!

In the real world, you just do fun stuff with your toddler. Jumping in puddles is fun! Making mud pies is apparently fun too! Baking, reading books, dancing to music etc... just do what is fun!

That's been my experience as well. I think the first time I had any from of structured activity was rowing club I joined at 14 and the membership fee was low enough for me to use pocket money to join. My parents didn't even know I was doing it until months later.

Children need time to chill and potter and just be. He's got tons of "structured time".
Many toddlers survive without it!

Ah. Well you can safely ignore that then. 😁

I smell competitive parenting here!

Just do what works for you. I did baby sensory and all that jazz on mat leave but now I'm at work I personally don't want the hassle on a Saturday morning of getting out the house to do swimming or football (if DH wanted to do it without me I'd obviously be game!). My parents take DS swimming and he does preschool three days and with me it's often the park or the supermarket or a soft play. We do plenty of national trust and seeing family or friends etc. We might do an intensive week of swimming lessons in the summer holiday when he's 4/ when he can listen 😬 Everything else I'm going to wait until he shows an interest!

I've always enjoyed going to structured classes with my little boy (he's just about to turn 4). I don't necessarily think they are a waste of time/money.

We've done swimming, balance bikes, dance/acro, breakdancing, football, forest school style class, rhyme time and I'm happy to try anything else if it is at a time we can make. We still do swimming and football and might go back to the cycling class now that he's been riding his bike properly for a while- they do a mini mountain biking class which sounds hella fun!

Often it gives me ideas of things I can do with him myself; and teaches me how to be a bit braver and let him do things that would perhaps be outside of my comfort zone. I don't think I'd be as happy taking him into water without buoyancy aids if I hadn't seen what he (and I) are capable of in a safe environment. We go swimming whenever we get the chance because we both love it so much.

At this age you join the classes (and sometimes join in!) so it's still a quality time activity to do together. Swimming is one of the most bonding activities I can think of, and I'm sad now that he can swim a bit and float for short while by himself that he doesn't need me!!

But they aren't necessary, it's just what works for you. So there's no need to be doing them. It sounds like you are doing a load of amazing activities already.

Different world wasn’t it! My mum/Nan did the same with me, as I did with my DC, this was just before phonics came in and wasn’t so unusual for children to be able to read by the time they started school.

I am often exhausted just reading what todays children do as activities and extra curriculum!

I was a toddler in the very early 60s. I was just at home with mum! She did teach me to read and write when I was 3, which was a masterstroke in many respects - not least that I required very little input from her after that until I started school two months before my 5th birthday.

My DD (3) does ballet and that’s it (and nursery) 🤷🏼‍♀️

Also practically speaking most toddler / pre school classes are during the week, especially in my area you’re hard pushed to find structured classes for kids who aren’t at school on the weekend.

When my DS was younger (he's in primary school now) we did so many of these classes: athletics, football, rugby, swimming.... you name it. Honestly....I would not do it again. While it's cool to see them in action, trying to learn a new skill etc I personally think they had next to zero value for my DS and they have been a massive waste of time and money.
However, as he was in nursery full time we felt we HAD to have that bonding moment. Reality was we enjoyed the first lesson of each class and then it was such a chore.

This

The ONLY toddler activity worth doing is ballet if you have a girl because they look soooooo cute in their costumes.

Everything else is pointless.

😀

I did nothing of the sort as a child and I am fine

They won't even remember doing it at this age.

I actually feel a bit sorry for little children now, everything is so structured. When do some of them get the opportunity to just play with toys or dig a hole in the garden and inspect the insects.

This is just the modern fad and I personally don't understand it. As said above- we didn't do all this stuff in childhood and turned out OK? You could argue that the kids having parents lives centered around them are actually turning out far worse. 🤷‍♀️
My DD is 2.5 and goes swimming weekly. Weekends she might go to the park, the shop, wherever else we drag her to. Just life stuff.

Children need to play at that age. They don't need organized activities. They need to explore, discover the world, develop imagination, use their senses. Having an adult constantly directing their play can turn toddlers into easily-bored children who won't play on their own.

Oh fgs. God forbid a child is left to just 'be' in life. Not every second of their lives needs to be filled with activity.

Noooo keep away from that madness for as long as possible!!

My youngest started swimming lessons about 3 months before his 3rd birthday, this was only because his older sister was doing them. He's 4.5 now and swimming is still the only thing he does (sister as well) they go to school full time, they see their friends and family and are both happy and thriving.

But seriously don't worry, this stuff is new and kids developed for thousands of years just fine without it

Mine went to tots football at about 18 months because it was close by and cheap. Anyway, he didn't seem that keen and just used to run around ignoring the activities. Then by about 2 he learnt to talk and said 'I don't like football', which was already becoming pretty obvious to be fair. Now he's 3 and much more up for structured group activities, all of which he gets at nursery (music sessions, sports sessions, forest school). So I wouldn't be wasting my time getting him to other activities unless they were convenient and he really wanted to do them.

Fix it now. The downfall of the roman empire was due to toddlers lack of structured activities.

This.
Even swimming is uphill until they are about 6, then they learn swiftly.
All those things might be fun for the parents but a 2.5 Year old will get far more benefit from 1to1 with mum or dad.