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Anyone else home with their 1 and a half year old today?



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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 12:30 pm
If so what have you done so far today?

I'm done with looking at inspiration online. It's all of these activities you have to set up and in the end my toddler has no interest in them.

Anyone else having trouble filling entire days? It's hard because at this age each activity lasts for around 5-15 minutes yet we have to fill an entire day with these little activities and I feel like my creativity is running out.

And for others who may want to know the same. So far today we have:
unloaded the dishwasher
stacked blocks
went on a walk around the neighborhood. Looked at the flowers and animals outside.
Played with play dough
played with her baby doll
colored.
Played with little toy animals.

A couple of days ago I tried to do a tea party with her stuffed animals but she is too young I guess and wasn't interested.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 12:38 pm
She'd probably be just as happy following you around the house and watching everything you're doing. She's a little sponge, and she's soaking up her new world. What you are doing is not useless, it's teaching her who you are.

It's a very modern concept that children need to be entertained every single waking moment. They need quiet times to process new ideas, and yes, even to get bored. Boredom is the number one thing that sparks imagination and play. Boredom creates discovery and excitement. It builds self esteem because it pushes them to figure things out on their own.

As long as your child is safe from stoves, outlets, sharp objects, etc., let her do her thing. You might be surprised at what is going on in her little head!

BTW, it's not too early to start reading to her, too. When you sit down to take a break, let her snuggle up next to you on the sofa while you put your feet up.
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amother
Seashell


 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 12:44 pm
We went to a mommy and me, took a walk, played outside, had lunch and then played with toys for a while then books and nap.
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amother
Seashell


 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 12:45 pm
FranticFrummie wrote:
She'd probably be just as happy following you around the house and watching everything you're doing. She's a little sponge, and she's soaking up her new world. What you are doing is not useless, it's teaching her who you are.

It's a very modern concept that children need to be entertained every single waking moment. They need quiet times to process new ideas, and yes, even to get bored. Boredom is the number one thing that sparks imagination and play. Boredom creates discovery and excitement. It builds self esteem because it pushes them to figure things out on their own.

As long as your child is safe from stoves, outlets, sharp objects, etc., let her do her thing. You might be surprised at what is going on in her little head!

BTW, it's not too early to start reading to her, too. When you sit down to take a break, let her snuggle up next to you on the sofa while you put your feet up.


That’s true with a baby under one but for one year olds they need a little more structure and stimulation.
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amother
Babyblue


 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 12:46 pm
2.5 year old home with me since birth ✋🏻
I am not an entertainment center. We have toys and books, but I don’t play with them.
We cook together if I’m cooking, so laundry together If I’m doing laundry, we take naps, eat lunch, go on walks, the rest of the time is not on me.
Surprisingly they will entertain themselves if you refuse to do it for them.
We also shmooze a lot. I believe my toddlers talk a lot early on because I talk to them the way I talk to anyone else. No baby language here.
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Frumme




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 12:48 pm
Wow! That sounds like a lot already. Do you give her any alone time? At that age, my eldest was happy figuring out a puzzle by herself (wooden or the plastic bucket with shape holes) or flipping through a board book.

Other activities you can do with her that don't have a lot of prep:

Blow bubbles
Pour raw beans or chickpeas from one container to another
Roll a ball
Water time (in the bath, a sprinkler in the back, in the sink with plastic cups)
"Cook" with her (stir batter, pour in salt/sugar/flour)
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 12:49 pm
amother [ Seashell ] wrote:
That’s true with a baby under one but for one year olds they need a little more structure and stimulation.


DD managed just fine. I loved seeing what her imagination would come up with.

I spent plenty of time with her, but she wasn't tied to my hip all day (no offense to people who do baby wearing!) She was perfectly happy to follow me around, or go play on her own. I always tried to include her in anything I was doing.

*Stay at home mom, with an only child.*
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 12:51 pm
amother [ Babyblue ] wrote:
2.5 year old home with me since birth ✋🏻
I am not an entertainment center. We have toys and books, but I don’t play with them.
We cook together if I’m cooking, so laundry together If I’m doing laundry, we take naps, eat lunch, go on walks, the rest of the time is not on me.
Surprisingly they will entertain themselves if you refuse to do it for them.
We also shmooze a lot. I believe my toddlers talk a lot early on because I talk to them the way I talk to anyone else. No baby language here.


YES! That's what I'm talking about. All of it.

You are my kind of mother, exactly! Very Happy
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amother
cornflower


 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 12:52 pm
My 20 month old has been home with me since she was born. I probably entertain her for about an hour out of the day.
I work a couple of hours. She empties drawers, looks at books, plays with Little People, right now she's in the sandbox on my back patio... Once a week we'll go to the grocery and occasionally I'll run another errand or two with her. She also still takes a good nap in the afternoon
I never do any projects with her or go on walks. When the older kids get home later we'll probably play outside or go to the park
Bh she can entertain herself most of the day.
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amother
Firebrick


 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2021, 1:47 pm
I have a 20 month old home with me and I don't have a structured schedule of entertainment for the day. I let him do his own thing, it's very good and healthy for toddlers to explore and play on their own. I put on a children's CD for him, he loves to listen to it. He "helps" me with housework and cooking. We take walks & I read books and play with him for a little bit every day. If you're going to entertain your child all day, they'll never learn to play on their own.
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