What do you do with your toddler all day?

[neepsntatties]

I have just started maternity leave but baby not here yet and am often stuck at home alone and I honestly don't know what to do with DS who is three.

Today he woke up at 7:30, I had not had a good night so we had an hour and a half of being in my bed with cbeebies on. Then we got up and had breakfast, bit more tv while I jumped in the shower etc. Then we played together for a couple of hours with his toys. Then we had lunch.

After lunch he asked to watch a film which I let him even though he had already watched a ton of TV because I just didn't know what else to do and although I enjoy periods of playing with him I also get bored after a while and I needed to clean up lunch anyway.

He got bored with the film half way through so we did some painting. Then played a bit more and now the second half of the film is on because there are still two hours until teatime and I don't know what else to do. Would have gone for a walk but very slippy out and I don't want to fall over at nine months pregnant and DS often wants carried and I can't carry him right now.

He watches too much TV. He wants to play with me, which I do but I have to admit that I often feel bored with that after a while.

I plan to try and find some toddler groups for after the baby is born but I just wondered how other people cope with out a shed load of crap tv.

at nine months pg, a whole shed load of crap tv won't hurt him. relax

I have a 3 year old DS and found that the key is to get out of the house as much as possible! However, at 9 months pregnant, I appreciate that's not going to be easy for you..
SecretSlattern is right - a lot of TV won't hurt for now.

Sometimes playing with DS makes me want to scream...I don't really enjoy pretend play so much but now he's getting into simple board and card games, I do actually enjoy it a bit more. He's pretty good at Snap, Snakes and Ladders, and Pairs.

Stickers are good for keeping him occupied for a bit, as is colouring. Those Cbeebies magazines are fairly good - lots of colouring, stickers, games and a stories to read.

TV is fine, don't worry about it! Toddler groups are a good bet, as is soft play if he's willing to go off on his own and lots of sitting down activities like drawing, stickers, playdough - but best to try and get out once a day or so to let him run off his energy.

Swimming? Again probably depends how independent he is/how well he can swim.

If you have any friends who could come along and help out maybe that would be an option too?

I think your day sounds fine. Obviously not up to scratch according to the perfect parent image that we all hold in our heads, but fine and normal and fine.

Now he is 3 you will get free preschool hours if you want them - DD1 goes to a preschool and she loves it. They do all the stuff I don't - which makes me feel better about everything

I hate playing with my DS, we go out a lot - toddler groups, soft play, friends for tea, playground, swimming.

The only other thing I would suggest is to try and get him used to walking as your excuse not to carry him at the moment is you are 9 months pregnant, when the baby comes you will not have enough hands to carry a 3yr old. Might be worth trying to get out for some short walks so he gets used to not being carried.

We did actually go out in the end. To the end of the road and back. Exciting times!

Thanks - I feel a bit less crappy mother now.

I think part of the problem is I don't have friends where I am. I really need to get out there and try and make some but it is something I struggle with.

He also has a very short attention span so something like the painting for example will take ages to set up and he will do it for about ten minutes.

I am going to look into preschool. I didn't send him this term as I thought maybe it would be a bit of a funny time to start with the new baby coming but I might be able to get him in for next term.

We watch lots of tv and DVDs. I don't have the excuse if being pregnant, just find that days are long.

We also go to visit family or friends (some work part time, some on mat leave, parents retired). Go to toddler groups (at local church and childrens centre - they have loads of good groups). Go to soft play and similar (ds can manage on his own now, aged 2.9). Go to park in summer or for a walk and feed ducks.

At home, in between tv, we bake and decorate buns and biscuits, make pictures (bought some craft boxes with safe scissors and glitter etc from morrisoons, v cheap), play with playdo or jigsaws or duplo.

Luckily I work three days a week so I only have 2 days to fill during week!

Days are long, I remember this feeling well when I went on ML with my second when DD1 was 21 months

I try to restrict TV otherwise she would watch it all day, and I'm currently using it to encourage her to sit on the potty anyway so I use it for things like keeping her busy while I clear up after breakfast or while I make lunch.

We're in our 7th month of me being at home full time now and have more of a flow. We tend to go out a lot - music groups, dancing groups, toddler groups etc. I made quite a few friends through toddler groups - often through arranging to be facebook friends with people I got on with at them and then using that to communicate outside of the group, go for coffee etc.

We do a lot of reading at home, occasional baking or crafts like card making. I am actively encouraging DD1 to play on her own now - months of feeling guilty for not being able to give her my undivided of attention and I've realised that actually, she does need to learn to entertain herself!

Sympathies as the weather is crap - when I first went on ML it was June and much easier to get out and about to the park etc.

i ditto the going out the house, otherwise after a while you will just go crazy! try to find out the info about the nearby groups etc then you can put yourself in a bit of a schedule either for every day or atleast some days of the week, and it gives you some structure to the week which i find really helpful rather than at the start of the week feeling you have a whole week to fill and no plan in place. if you go out most days then the odd day @ home seems like a nice relaxing treat whereas if its most days at home its easy to get sick of it. although at 9 months pregnant it is hard, but when your baby is here should be quite easy to get out and tag the baby along, it makes the days go soo much quicker!

but as for at home, i think tv and dvds is fine, you did play with him aswel. that is partly why i go out alot though personally otherwise the amount of tv watching goes out of control cos i dont really limit it at home.

Some earlier posters are right - give yourself a break - you are about to give birth. When the baby is a few weeks old you will feel like going out and about again.

Try some card games - I played endless Snap and donkey when feeding my baby and looking after toddler. Chicken Socks (a series of books by Klutz) have colourful craft activities (e.g. handprint animals) and provide a little zipped case with all the bits. Not as cheap as having a craft box but I found them really useful and not messy.

Watch Mister maker on telly then search for activities he liked best online and then get the stuff and make them - that will elongate the activity.

Good luck - I am sure you will meet some mums once he starts preschool. When my toddler started playgroup she was really tired after lunch and just wanted to read books. There was automatically much more structure to the day.

just wanted to echo the sentiment given so far, I often feel the same way - have a 1.1yr old and a 2.10yr old - and if we have more than two days with nothing planned I am seriously gutted!!

Do you have people who can come a visit you? Even if just for an hour it really breaks up the day! Or even make friends with your neighbours so you can pop round for a change of scenery!

Other good indoor stuff (based on your current state) is decorating digestive biscuits with icing and 'stuff'. Playing hide and seek with your mobile phone (you call it from your land line and DS has to find it) or sitting DS at a table in high chair and playing with a train set - my DS quite enjoys seeing it on a different level.

Totally agree with Libra, use now as an excuse not to carry him so it makes it easier when babe arrives.

Re: pre school, its all about how ready your child is but I started my son at 2yrs, when DS2 was 3m, and he loves it. 2 mornings a week ticked off and lots of messy play out of my kitchen :0)))

Good luck with new baby

Iam having the same problem Iam 6 weeks pregnant and have a daughter thats turning two next month and broke down in tears last night to my OH as I feel I wasnt doing enought things with her with being very tired...

I do do simple things like take her to the park to feed the ducks and swans which is a big hit as theres an ice cream cafe half way around the park...And also Morrisons etc do little packs where you decorate your own gingerbread men which keep her entertained but then she refuses to eat the gingerbread men

I try to limit the Peppa Pig addiction and replace it with sesame street videos on youtube as she learned her alphabet watching Elmo and India singing their Abc also doesnt take a lot of energy for me to sit there with her...She also loves drawing or even walking with me...

She was also happy to look at baby stuff with me discussing what she would like for "her baby in mammy's tummy"

She also goes to baby art I just want to spend as much time with her before the new baby comes (long way off I know) I thinks he's gonna be an awseome big sister xxxx

i get really bored so have been dragging myself out almost every morning to toddler groups. if we don't go out then we end up eating lunch at 11:30! i get really bored sitting at home but am trying to make an effort to do lots with him before baby arrives - puzzles, reading, listening to nursery rhyme cd's, playdoh, drawing, baking. he's quite happy to just follow me round the house doing jobs like putting the washing on and fetching it when finished, clearing up with the hand held hoover or doing the food shop.

depending on how you feel about toddlers and computer games.... DD1 got a Vtech Mobigo for xmas from the inlaws like this

At first I was a bit but it is really educational with counting/letters games etc and she picked it up very quickly. Perhaps a good pressie from the new baby?

I know what you mean about setting things up in the house and then it keeps them interested for 5 minutes. Then you have to clean up and put it all away again which takes longer than the playing!

Sometimes I think "OK, we've painted, we've fed the ducks, we've made things with play doh, we have played with her train set... It is ONLY 11am. What am I going to do until 7pm?!"

I have something every morning out of the house, but if you're due soon, I really wouldn't worry about a few weeks of television. It won't do any harm, and soon it'll be spring when you can just go out to the park and let him run about on the grass!