If you have a 2 year old & are a SAHM...

[ButterflyOfFreedom]

... please tell me what you do with them all day every day!

Looking for ideas & inspiration, thanks!

I have a 2 year old and a 3 year old. They play together a lot thank god!! We play in the garden a lot and try and meet up with other people, go to the park, drawing, helping mummy with the washing (!), food shopping term time toddler groups ect. The 3 yo starts preschool in sept, actually sort of dreading that as the 2yo is going to need more entertaining without a constant live in play mate.

Salt dough? Mine love that.
Water play?
Collecting things is a current favourite

The Imagination Tree blog/Facebook page is your best friend :) Wonderful ideas for small children.

I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old. We have a fairly clear weekly routine so that something happens every day I.e. A play date, playgroup, visiting grandparents, food shop etc.

At home my 2 year old does water play, play dough, colouring, we read books, we do flash cards, puzzles etc. She no longer naps so when DS is napping she watches Mr Tumble or Peppa so I can have a break. DS bumbles around like most one year olds and makes his own fun emptying cupboards etc.

They've both learned to play independently from a young age and now have each other as playmates given DS is entering toddlerhood himself, so DD spends a lot of time 'cooking' with her pretend food etc, taking care of her dollies, building towers etc, and I comment and interact when I'm asked to.

I have a two year old (albeit three next month) and a four month old. My toddler occupies himself a lot of the time (though this ability comes and goes in phases) but we are lucky enough to be able to have a whole playroom for him. He loves his train set, garage/cars, books, and generally fiddling. He also potters about outside a lot and loves his cozy coupe car, balance bike, garden toys and bug hunting (eurgh!). I've never been great at playing with him bar the odd 10-15 minute interaction, but it seems to be enough for him and I think a bit of benign neglect is good for them

Read, bake, jigsaws, park, walk, roleplay games, draw, paint, clean, sing, dance, build a den, Lego, building blocks, trainset, musical instruments, water play, library, talk, obstacle courses, bike rides, picnics. For example.

When DS1 was that age I tended to go out and about with him in the morning (swimming, playgroup, playground, library, train station, bus ride etc) then home for lunch and a sleep.

After he woke up from his nap we'd just potter about at home, mainly playing cars or making tents, doing some gardening, pottering to the shops to buy something for tea etc.

I have a 3yo ds and an 18mo dd. We do baking or painting or dancing if he's looking for some structure, but a lot of the time if we are indoors he'll just potter about. He makes up little stories about things round the garden and explores. Its quite nice he'll involve his little sister in his adventures now she's a bit more useful to him!

We are always out for a walk at some point during the day and with a 3yo stopping for every slug and stick it can use up a good couple of hours.

I think though, I've been made to slow down to his pace and to see things from his point of view and I find it fills the day, being involved And engaged with what he is doing.

I'm not a SAHM normally - I'm a teacher on summer holiday so sorry if I'm commenting where I shouldn't.

I have a nearly 2 yr old and a 3-and-a-bit yr old. So far this holiday we have:

• gone to town on the train
• gone to the park
• gone for several walks through woods, streets and along lakeside paths
• had a ride on a miniature railway (which cost £4.50 for a five minute ride to the trees and back)
• been to the library
• been to the seaside

These have been special trips out. Every day they play in the garden, the dining room or the eldest's bedroom. They read their books. They watch tv. We have baked buns. I plan on making some jelly in the shape of butterflies and dragonflies later in the week.

What do you do for water play please?

We just got one of these for sand/water/messy play. and it has rained ever since!

Watering can and hosepipe. Hours, well minutes, of entertainment for ds :)

There's a blog called RedTedArt with loaaaads of crafty things to do with toddlers/older dc - I bloody love her

Crayons, stickers, play doh, reading, duplo, pottering in the garden, various Orchard games, puzzles, walk to the shop/post office/library, go to the playground, watch Peppa sodding Pig, housework etc

DD plays with her toys- Happyland etc- for long periods. She chatters away to herself while I watch The Tudors on Netflix.

Water play can be standing at the sink with a bowl of water, cups, jugs, whisks etc or bathing his toys or in the bath with a couple of inches of water and toys while I clean.