Things to do with 3yo and 17m

[Loulou000]

Hello. I have a three year old Dd and a 17 m Ds and at the moment I'm struggling to keep all of us happy and sane.

My Dd is in nursery two mornings a week and we do one music class all together. I spend the rest of the week feeling guilty that neither child is being stimulated enough. I haven't made that many friends to arrange play dates with and can hardly hold a conversation with new mums I meet with the two kids around. If I try to play or read a book at home with either the other one gets jealous and clingy.

Do most 3yos go to preschool or nursery more than this?

Any ideas for things we can all do together? Ps playdohis my main lifesaver as both love it. thanks so much for any thoughts.

does your local library have storytime sessions of rhyme time/

or even the local museum? some do craft sessions for the older child

don't get worried about gong round to friends at this stage

I didn't really start that whole thing until school

I have been astounded at how many preschoolers were going back to each others houses since starting my youngest at preschool

Park, toddler groups, garden, painting, teach them how to entertain each other and set up your play space to enable this. Imaginative play should allow dd1 to entertain herself and ds. Can you be pirates? Have a teddy tea party etc. You might find if you keep yourself busy with housy stuff they will find ways to busy themselves too.

When I had two that age we went out twice a day, every day they weren't in childcare. Endless toddler groups, soft play, friends' houses, parks, more toddler groups. It wasn't because I thought they needed stimulating, I just found it easier than staying in.

If they like playdough though how about other craft? Cutting and sticking and glueing and making pictures, making models from boxes and sellotape. I used to do cooking with 3yo and toddler was "raisin monitor".