How dyou spend your day with 1.5 yr old?

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I try and get out for at least one walk in the buggy but this is usually short - 30 mins. We do breakfast lunch and dinner, DS naps after lunch for anything from 1-2 hours, and goes to bed by 7pm having got up at 7am but the rest of the time he just plays by himself (with me always present and on hand for attention and cuddles at any time) and the tv is on. I feel bad I'm not doing enough but trips seem pointless at this age and he seems happiest at home with generally just us (parents) and the odd visitor for short periods.

If he is contented and you're not stir crazy then keep it up! My son didn't really notice anyone else at that age so there was little point having play dates or going to classes except to keep me occupied.
Your day sounds lovely!

I think do what works for you.

The only thing I would say is that my DD did enjoy and benefit from trips/outings at that age - she loved farms especially and I feel that you might not see it immediately but it does feed their minds, imho.

Mine gets cabin fever if I stay in all day so I try and take to toddler group / playground / library or something every day but he is an energy ball that loves exploring. If you're both happy at home I wouldn't worry though

I guess it depends on what your local environment is; for our DS at that age it was rural, and in his pushchair he liked to watch a little stream that ran through the village. As parents, we currently didn't have any other demands on our time, so he could watch the water for as long as he wanted.

At 2 years, we saw a great green cricket in the hedge - I didn't know what it was, but said we would look it up in a book when we got home (this was thirty years ago, before the internet was invented).

Another time, we were fortunate to see several Lapwings in a ploughed field; harsh winter weather had probably brought them in, and for years after we talked and made up stories about them; sadly, they are now an endangered species.

For a year or two, my wife (who had been a nursery supervisor, before having the baby) took over and ran a toddler group in the village; she inherited a large collection of very grubby toys, which we brought home and gave a thorough washing to; soft toys that couldn't be cleaned, had to be thrown out. So DS had access to all these toys for a while.

As you probably know, at toddler clubs babies often play on their own, and at that age don't interact much with other children. Some libraries run baby music sessions, and in some places SureStart groups have parent and child sessions (though 'cut-backs' are probably threatening many of them).

The only thing I DON'T approve of in your scenario, is having the TV on; obviously, have it on if it is something you both want to watch, but not all the time 'for company'. And if he is watching, talk about the programmes, and explain things he might not know about or understand. And wildlife programmes, travel documentaries, even some science programmes can have items to interest toddlers. And decent music programmes or ballet, but not too much 'pop' please!

I was learning to play the electronic organ, and by age 2 DS was joining in, and was playing his own tunes by 5 or 6.

So, I think ALL activities a parent can share with a child are valuable; they may see mundane, even boring, to an adult, but EVERYTHING is new and exciting for a young child.

My DS is banging at the door to go out by 9.30am and I wish he would just be happy playing at home sometimes. As pp has said I think they do benefit from trips out by this age. We took DS to a farm at the weekend and he loved the animals and feeding them and the tractors etc. he also loved being around other children even though e doesn't actually play with them yet. We go to toddler groups, rhyme time at the library, swimming, park, walks in the woods, soft play etc. If he is happy at home then I wouldn't worry too much but you might enjoy seeing him get enjoyment out of some of these activities.

I don't think it matters whether you go out to specifically child-centred activities as just a trip to the supermarket or a bus or train ride, or just a walk round the block could be really interesting for him (mine likes spotting dogs and cats and pointing at cars and buses). I know what you mean about big trips seeming pointless and I would definitely hesitate before paying to go to the zoo etc.

We go out a lot because I find him easier to manage out and about but at home he does play on his own - I would say the only difference is that we don't have the tv on constantly - I do sit him in front of in the night garden when I need to cook so that I know he's safe while I open the oven or move pots of boiling water. (This is usually once a day).

My dd is 15 months and she loves being outdoors so I try to get out once a day at least. She also is a terrible sleeper so I try to tire her out and also to fill all the awake time! I feel better myself getting the fresh air too. Most days we go to baby groups with the children's centre or at the library and then go to the park where dd will have a walk out of the buggy and we might go to the playground at the park.

When at home I read to her but mostly she plays by herself and watches some cbeebies though I try to limit this and just have the radio on for background noise. My mum usually comes over one afternoon a week. We also sometimes go on trips to the farm which she loves but it's a bit out the way for us so we don't go often.

I think most children respond well to the outdoors. It doesn't have to be a big trip but just the local park is great. Dd loves seeing cats, dogs and birds and also loves watching trains go by if we're near the railway line. I think the fresh air is good for them too and we can talk, I point out trees, flowers cars, buses etc and she now likes pointing those out.

Dd is climbing the walls if we're not out by 9:30. So we usually go out from 9:30/10-12 when we're back for lunch and a nap. The next opportunity is about 3-4:30 usually and we'll often just hang out at home or pop to the green over the road.

To be fair she's not great at playing by herself so I'd possibly be home mor if she was content with it.

At that age we got out and about every day (still do) or we both went stir crazy. We went for walks down the river, to toddler groups, to cafes, farms etc.

At that age I took mine for loooong walks in the buggy and go back via Starbucks

Also very extremely slow walks down the road looking at every bit of gravel

I was also 7 months pregnant when mine was that age so she was learning to fend for herself a bit

Sounds very familiar! My DD (20mo) likes playing with me and by herself so we play indoors a lot. Toys, books, blocks, puzzles, colouring/stickers, garden, etc.

Usually up at 7:30ish, breakfast, bath, chat to DM on the phone (if she's not here!), a quick wander down the road and back if the weather is good, back home for a snack (typically watching Show Me Show Me) and then upstairs for a nap at 11:30 or so.

She sleeps for 1-2hrs, then up and 'lunch' (DD doesn't really do lunch so usually just another snack) with a bit more Cbeebies. After that we either play at home or go out. Dinner is between 5-6pm, then play, Night Garden, milk and story with DH before teeth and bed at 7:30.

On a Tuesday we go to the library usually, just to get books (rather than a rhyme time or story session). Sometimes going out is the park or the supermarket or just a look around the shops. Or the pet shop, we love the pet shop! This Summer we also went to the farm a few times, and I'm planning on taking her to soft play now that the weather is getting bad. There's a toddler group down the road but it doesn't work with DD's nap so we haven't been yet.

If you're both content then it's fine!

Don't you get bored yourself though? At that age I would just go wherever you like going and take her with you. What did you used to do on a free day before baby?

We go to the pet shop too! We call Pets At Home 'the free zoo'! It's always our fallback if we're stuck for something to do or if it's raining. I try to get out once a day, even if it's just running errands or doing bits of shopping and it's usually in the morning. We also go to the library, the park or soft play. I try and limit tv as I know it'll get increasingly difficult to keep DS away from it as he gets older (he's 23 months at the moment) so he'll watch some in the morning when DH and I are getting ready, a bit at 9.15 if we're not in a hurry to get out (he's Bing obsessed so we watch that together) and then Night Garden before bath and bed time. We have the radio on for the rest of the day so we're not sitting in silence.

As PP have said, whatever works for you is fine. While he's happy to play by himself let him, things might be different in a few months' time. I am a big believer in fresh air though, for your sake and his so a walk every day sounds great.