What to do with a 2 year old who's not in preschool

[alison]

Dd won't be starting preschool in the fall (she turns 2 on 9/1). She loves to be out and about, and when we're home, she frequently asks for her shoes, and bangs on the glass panes of our doors and yells "outside! Outside!" With it rainy from October-May, playing outside isn't a reliable option.

We do structured classes 3x/week, but when I look for classes for fall, I haven't had much luck. I'm pretty sure that I'll see if I can get dd in a preschool 2x/week when she's 2.5.

What do you do with your 2 year olds? Are they at home with you most days?

[moonlight]

Most of my friends with kids not in preschool ages 2-3 do some of this stuff on a weekly basis
Story time at library
story time at B&N
Puppet show at Starbucks
Sing and dance class at city parks and rec
yoga toddler class
this summer, swim classes
and lots of time shopping, stroller walks, and playing at the park

[lovelight]

When I nannied, we did a toddler music class at the synagogue. The family also had annual passes to the local zoo, aquarium, and children's museum so we visited them often. Other than that, lots of walks with the dog and going to the park.

[Pollyanna]

Dd is 28 months and we just take it pretty easy. She goes to Gymboree once per week and sometimes we will take advantage of open gym time. Mostly we get the older kids to school, come home, have some breakfast, then play time (either in or outside), snack, maybe watch a show, lunch, nap time, older kid pick up, then older kid activities, dinner, playtime, bed. Don't worry about having something specific to do every day, I think when you do that kids start expecting to be entertained. The biggest gift you can give M and yourself is to encourage her to entertain herself.

[alison]

I was hoping you'd post, T. I definitely feel some sort of pressure to have something for dd every day. We are pretty much indoors for 5-6 months, because of the rain. We do Gymboree, but it's out in the burbs. It's a pita to get there, but she does enjoy it. I guess we'll continue that, and do things here and there, without stressing out about it so much.

[Pollyanna]

I completely understand the pressure. I used to know ladies that would create a curriculum of sorts for their toddlers. I always felt like such a loser . I'm just not organized in that way but am exceedingly impressed by those that are. I like to do silly things like set up the backyard sprinkler in the winter and let them run through it with coats on, play in the rain (providing there is no lightening), side walk chalk fun, paint on the porch when it's raining, make forts with the furniture, play with flour (it's way more fun for the kiddos than you'd think). I kind of have a messy theme I am noticing . We don't do this stuff all the time, just every once in a while. Most importantly do what you want to do with M and enjoy her, school will come all too fast and it becomes all consuming.

[SuzySunshine]

This is why I belong to a gym - seriously! I drop A off at preschool and R and I go to the gym. He gets to play with kids of varying ages for up to 2 1/2 hours while I have me time. We're both happy. I do sign him up for some classes here and there but between the socialization at the gym, MOPS (every other Tuesday) and bible study (every Friday), I don't feel like I have to sign him up for a lot.

[DCJenn]

We walked the dog, every day, rain or shine. The stroller had a see through rain cover so he was fine and I HAD to get out of the house every day. I also walked to the grocery store and I did Stroller Strides 3 days a week. I say screw the rain- get outside.

Jenn

[peggyfromwastate]

We do some nature classes here at the nature centers. Some are quite a drive, but fun and worth it.

For 2 year olds, you can often find mothers day out programs if you are interested. We have preschools that take 2 year olds.

As far as a typical day, my 2 yo just goes along with me to all the other activities. The only special thing we do is a swim lesson on Tuesday's which she loves. That's the only weekly commitment we have, and with shopping and the other kids dental/doc appts I feel like we are plenty busy.

I'd day invest in some Sturdy raingear (we have ll bean stuff) and jump in the puddles!!

[peggyfromwastate]

And we do the gym playroom too. Once a week is about all she can do....

[Auspicious]

The things we do have already been mentioned, but just chiming in that we also do not do something structured every day.

[Urowife]

We definitely don't do something structured everyday, but I do like to have a "plan" for the day because it helps me out. We do a music together class Thursday mornings, and often we go to story time at the library on Monday mornings. We also belong to a meetup.com playgroup which has activities once or twice a week. I usually attend about once a week. This is usually meeting at a park (which we are fortunate to be able to do year round here in southern California), but sometimes we meet at someone's house. Sometimes, it's just hanging with other toddlers/preschoolers and moms and sometimes we do a craft or activity in addition to free play. It has been really fun to meet other moms and kiddos so if that's something you are interested in, I'd highly recommend it.

Anyway, on days when we don't have an activity, I'll often plan an "outing" to the store or if I don't want to go out, I'll pull out play-doh or something that we don't play with that often. Afternoons are usually spent hanging around the house (free play), while I catch up on chores.

I may add a parent/toddler preschool class in the fall, but it will likely replace the music class if we do it. So, we still won't have that much structured stuff.

[Tenacious_D]

This is why I belong to a gym - seriously! I drop A off at preschool and R and I go to the gym. He gets to play with kids of varying ages for up to 2 1/2 hours while I have me time. We're both happy. I do sign him up for some classes here and there but between the socialization at the gym, MOPS (every other Tuesday) and bible study (every Friday), I don't feel like I have to sign him up for a lot.

I also love my gym for free daycare and socialization with kids varying in ages. I try to take E swimming once a week, music time, lots of playgroups with other tired moms . Sometimes just a stroll to the park even on misty days. E seems to like the rain.

I agree with (probably Tara) who said not to schedule something daily b/c they will become accustomed to being entertained. My niece totally rules the roost at her house, and they've been known to hire a 2nd freaking nanny because Lily likes to be "out and about". Ummm ... too bad. We "go play babies at the gym" (what Mattie calls the childcare area), and I've got MY 2 mornings a week where Nora comes, but we don't do other classes, etc. Nora is like her very own preschool, and I've NEVER liked any of the mommy-and-me classes -- just not my bag, baby. Otherwise we hang at home, play, read, and she ENTERTAINS HERSELF.

[alison]

How much of just hangin is after you've done everything under the sun with your first baby?

The Gymboree we go to has some seriously intense parents who get flustered. Last week there was a new child in dd's class, and the mom forced him to stand atop a wobbly set-up. He was crying and very upset. Why do people feel their child needs to graduate first in their freaking Gymboree class?!?!