How do you spend the day with a 3/4 yo?

[Anneofwindypoplars]

DS is only 22 months but I realised today that all the other children at our toddler group were younger. I think we may have another year and then they won’t be suitable. And no nap to break the day up (scream 😱)

How do parents of this age group (before they start school) manage the day - I guess most spend at least some time in preschool?

I have a 2 year old and a 5 year old.
Before the oldest went to school she had 3 days a week in nursery as I worked p/t.

On my days at home we usually did two things a day, so park in the morning, shops in the afternoon, or library in the morning, play in the garden in the afternoon etc. Having a rough plan helped otherwise it got to 10:30 and still no one was dressed and the kids behaviour was definitely better if we’d been outside.

Swimming class, library rhyme time, park trips to feed the ducks ( and play).

with my DD we did toddler (3-5) gymnastics, a church run toddler group suitable for 4 year olds, toddler tennis.

I try to have an activity each day in the morning so we get out.

Our average day look Is something like
this

• get up/ dressed / breakfast

• school run for 4 & 10 yr old

• activity outside of the house. Usually one of these park, forest school, play group, soft play, meet Up with friends or a walk

• lunch at home

• play time at home we have toys and craft stuff around so Dd just tells me what she wants to do. Occasionally when I can we do baking or something like that. I try to do some house work during this time while DD plays

• afternoon school run and park

• snack time and tv

dinner bath and bed

DD has nursery 3 days, then 2 with me. We do a swimming class one day and the other day is either library, park, farm, soft play or aquarium (we have passes). Sometimes we go to friends house or they come here, or sometimes she just gets dragged along while I run errands. It's also a good age to go to attractions that get unpleasantly busy when the older kids are not at school, often they have cheaper entry aswell or discounted term time passes.

When mine was that age she was at nursery 3 days, at home with me 2 days. On one day we did swimming lesson in the morning, library in the afternoon. And on the other day I mostly used to take her to the local farm park thing (we had membership). Sometimes it would be the play sessions at the local gymnastics centre, and there was a park outside so we would go there afterwards. I also used to bake or do a craft with her most weeks. It is hard though, once they drop the nap.