What do you do every day with your 2 year old?

[tiredmumsclub]

My son is 2.5 and I am struggling to keep him occupied every day.

I am 34 weeks pregnant so my energy and enthusiasm levels are not what they were and I’m finding I am staying at home with him a lot more because I just can’t keep up with him in the parks.

So far this week we have done soft play (3 hours with friend) and play group for 1.5 hours and then briefly to the park.

I feel like I should be doing more in a day but there’s only so much I can do/afford each week.

So I was wondering what every one else does because I’m feeling guilty that we’re not going out as much as his tv consumption has increased.

I have just posted a similar thread except I haven't got the excuse of being pregnant! I have 2 DDs and feel guilty when I am not playing with them or when they are watching their iPads.

I would say try not to be too hard on yourself. Like you said, you are exhausted and your DS won't remember any of this time when he is older. I always tried to do one activity a day whether that be soft play, the park, painting, baking etc and then I didn't feel too bad. I know lots of people are against tv but as an adult I love laying on the couch with a film and some snacks (especially when I'm tired) so don't see why it should be any different for a child!

The problem is if we don’t do much he’s like a caged animal and trashes the house.

My oh seems to think I should be doing two activities a day. I.e playgroup then soft play and it would make the afternoons quicker as they do drag as playgroups start but I haven’t got it in me.

By 5pm at the moment I have had enough of him.

Two activities a day sounds crazy! One is enough. Does he still have a day time sleep? We usually go out in the morning - baby group, swimming pool or just the park - then have lunch, then a sleep, then its not long til tea time.

No nap here which I think is the problem because I literally don’t get a mins peace.

I am signing him up for pre school/nursery 2x 3 hours a week before I lose my sanity

Oh snap I’m 28 weeks plus I have HG and yep to the crazy 2.5 toddler. Mines still naps at the mo though. I can’t offer much advice just that I sympathise.

We tend to do playgroup in the morning and then playdate/library/park/woods in the afternoon, with quiet time over lunch/early afternoon.

Can you go to the library? A chance to sit down if you don't have the energy for the park? Also swimming is good for tiring them out and can be an all morning/afternoon activity. My DD is 3 now but loves being outdoors, so a lot of the time we have a packed lunch outside, nowhere exciting she just likes having picnics! Also I put her in the bath with a paintbrush & some shaving foam, keeps her entertained! Can you do some baking? It really depends on his interests, can you go on the train/bus for an adventure? Also making a den in the house is a favourite here! Hope this helps xx

I have a 2yo and an 11mo.
The little one naps in the morning from 9 until about 10/10:30, then we will all do something out of the house - soft play, park, a walk, play in the garden, go shopping etc. If the weather is really crap, then it's more difficult!!
I'm planning on getting one of those big messy play trays that is big enough for kids to sit in, and giving that a go!
I also stole an idea from my friend - tape paper over the tiles around the bath tub, strip the kids off, put them in the empty bath and give them some paint and brushes Easy to clean them and the bath afterwards!!

I think one activity a day is more than enough. We go to toddler groups or parks mainly. There's not a lot else to do around here and Dp has the car so we are limited. Sometimes we get the bus and go to the library. Dd loves being outside so we go for a wander around until her legs get tired and she asks to go home if we have no plans that day. Everything is exciting to them at this age.

The problem is he is a feisty one and doesn’t listen. He runs off at any given opportunity and normally I can handle this however I am struggling at the min to keep up catch him and so nervous about taking him to open spaces. He loves his scooter but I’d literally need to run after him!

We’ve been doing play dates and play groups and soft plays it just doesn’t kill 10 hours of the day.

He’s not one for sitting in a library quietly. He’d be running off thinking it was funny to run and hide from me. We’ve done baking this week and as for swimming he loves it but literally tries to drown himself so I leave that for his dad to take him although I have signed him up for swimming lessons where parents don’t go in with them

Get a washing bowl/under bed storage box from ikea.

Put a towel underneath it if water is Involved and fill it with the following:

Water and shells
Water and bottle caps
Different flavor tea bags, little bowls of tepid water, tweezers and paper. Let them dunk/dip/paint.
Moon sand (8parts flour, 1part oil) do not with with water and when cleaning, use a brush, Not the vacuum)
Oobleck (cornflour and water)
Shavingfoam and cornflour
Shaving foam and cars (with a small tub of water and a sponge to wash)
Pack of cereal and a few cars/dinosaurs
Line it with foil and squirt some shaving foam. Add a few drops of food colouring (Not too much)
Dust it lightly with flour and let them play
Paper and sticky dots
Conkers and leaves
Conkers and playdough

These activities might require a little clean up afterwards (or if you really can't, stick them in the bath where it will be contained even more?) but they will have lots of fun!

Sympathies OP! I'm 37 weeks and my 2.5 year old ds sounds exactly the same - bolts off, won't hold my hand, even tries to drown himself in the pool so we can only go if dh is there too but my costume doesn't fit me any more. He's never sat still for more than 10 seconds in his life and even if CBeebies is on he watches it jumping up and down on the sofa and asking me incessant questions about every show. I'm so tired and no idea how I'll cope when baby gets here! We also have no car so I'm finding going out twice a day is exhausting. End up walking about 5 miles a day just getting to groups, the park, shops. Library is a no go as he sprints out of the building or else pulls all the books off the shelves. A high chair in a cafe with some treat to eat might keep him still for ten minutes but only in the morning as he's overtired and hyperactive by afternoon. He doesn't nap either.

We do activities at home e.g. The sorts of things mentioned above with paint, water, baking but he'll only ever do anything for two minutes then runs off with painty/floury hands and covers the house in mess.

So.... not quite sure what to suggest! A park with a fence and boltable gates is our best option but only if it's mostly empty otherwise he runs into the swings or roundabout etc and I can't keep up with him to keep him safe! Playgroups are good but need to watch him like a hawk so no chance of a sit down. He likes sand so we have a sandbox in the garden which sometimes he'll play with for half an hour but only if I'm playing with him. I still find being out and about with him easier than being home but he has to wear reins and I take the pram so I can put him in if needs be, e.g. If we go into a shop (he will pick every single thing off every shelf otherwise).

Just want you to know you're not alone. Feel like a crap mum at the moment as I just don't have the energy and I keep losing my patience!

Tippety I had to check that I hadn’t written your post as they sound very similar!
It’s so bloody hard isn’t it.
I have a few friends who have boys just like mine so I try and see them as much as possible to wear him out. We actually managed 5 hours at a soft play last week!
He will sit and watch an iPad/phone but I feel bad if he does for too long as can’t be good for him it but only way I get any peace. He won’t even play in the garden for long

I was in a very similar situation a couple of months ago.

A) well done for caring so much that he's occupied and entertained in the first place!
B) Towards the end I'd invite her friends round here a lot. The house got a bit messy but I could sit down (parents came too) and she'd play with toys she'd forgotten about because the friends got them out.
C) Would something as simple as a Tesco shop keep him entertained for a bit? It's a change of scenery at that age?
D) Have you got a trampoline park around?
E) Could he go and play at a friend's for a few hours without you?

Good luck!

Mine legs it as well. She let herself out of the park yesterday and legged it. I had to chase after her. If she's walking anywhere she's on her backpack reins. She will just be uncontrollable otherwise. This gives her a bit of freedom and I know she's safe. Mine has a short attention span too but would sit happily watching peppa pig on my phone. I don't like her doing it for too long so its kept as an emergency back up when all else has failed.

I have a runner too.