[*BabyMaMa*]

What kinds of things are you doing with your LO to engage them and stimulate their minds? I feel like I'm running out of fun stuff. Leah loves to color, go outside, stack blocks, and look at books, but I think I'm boring her, and that's why she wants to watch TV all the time.
Daycare toddlers especially, what do they do all day at daycare?

[sfarrow3]

Well London goes to daycare and they do alot of independent play (playing dress-up, playing with learning toys and other toys), circle time were they sing songs, color, paint, crafts, read books, work on puzzles. They also go outside daily. They have weekly trips to the library. What makes you think you are boring her? She probably loves it. Maybe you could have a more structured day so you are not just doing all these things all day every day and kinda break it up. For example. Tuesdays will be painting and craft day with some outdoor play, Wednesday will be puzzles, coloring and library day. Idk this is just a suggestion.

[shockandawe]

LOL...honestly, Maggie is a shopping guru already. When in doubt, I seem to always take her shopping. I'm starting such a bad habit here...

We read a lot. I mean A LOT. And we colour from time to time too. And I let her do her own thing a lot too...she'll run all over the basement with her toys and books, and jumps in her ball pit, kicks the balls out, throws them all over the place. She's learned how to kick them. She hides things. We rough house a bit (tickle monsters), play peek a boo. When we go out in the yard she just has fun running all over the place and investigating things. Sometimes I take her big ball out. We watch a bit of cartoons, and it just sorta works out. I don't think for a moment Maggie gets bored. She has lots of toys that make noise too and are "musical" so there's drums, keyboard, symbols, and buttons that play music. I also let her cook with me...sort of. So when I'm making dinner, for some of it, she's always up on my hip watching me stir the pots or do different things. She gets to run around with spatulas and whisks and pots and pans at the same time. I just try to keep her involved in what I have to do at the same time. Kids will do lots of crafts at school and daycare. I'm not as worried about fitting it in at this age.

oooh ooooh oooh ...and you should pick her up those toys that look like cleaning supplies (brooms, dustpans, sponges and vacuums etc). Maggie is learning how to sweep...LOL Can you tell I've already got a nefarious plan with the whole cooking and cleaning thing?

[sfarrow3]

Originally Posted by shockandawe

LOL...honestly, Maggie is a shopping guru already. When in doubt, I seem to always take her shopping. I'm starting such a bad habit here...

We read a lot. I mean A LOT. And we colour from time to time too. And I let her do her own thing a lot too...she'll run all over the basement with her toys and books, and jumps in her ball pit, kicks the balls out, throws them all over the place. She's learned how to kick them. She hides things. We rough house a bit (tickle monsters), play peek a boo. When we go out in the yard she just has fun running all over the place and investigating things. Sometimes I take her big ball out. We watch a bit of cartoons, and it just sorta works out. I don't think for a moment Maggie gets bored. She has lots of toys that make noise too and are "musical" so there's drums, keyboard, symbols, and buttons that play music. I also let her cook with me...sort of. So when I'm making dinner, for some of it, she's always up on my hip watching me stir the pots or do different things. She gets to run around with spatulas and whisks and pots and pans at the same time. I just try to keep her involved in what I have to do at the same time. Kids will do lots of crafts at school and daycare. I'm not as worried about fitting it in at this age.

oooh ooooh oooh ...and you should pick her up those toys that look like cleaning supplies (brooms, dustpans, sponges and vacuums etc). Maggie is learning how to sweep...LOL Can you tell I've already got a nefarious plan with the whole cooking and cleaning thing?

London loves to clean too. She has a vaccum cleaner that she breaks out EVERYTIME I vaccum!! It is so cute, because she actually looks like she is doing it. She takes a couple steps up and a couple steps back, while she is moving the vaccum cleaner. ha ha. We are definately getting her a play cleaning supply set for Christmas

[Daffodil]

I think Arie is behind in the coloring department I haven't been able to bring out the crayons without her chewing on them

I have no idea...I am losing my mind trying to think of interesting things to do with her. Everytime I come up with something or get an idea online, it backfires.

[kellyg282]

Originally Posted by Daffodil

I think Arie is behind in the coloring department I haven't been able to bring out the crayons without her chewing on them

I have no idea...I am losing my mind trying to think of interesting things to do with her. Everytime I come up with something or get an idea online, it backfires.

Maddy is behind in the coloring department too, She rather have crayons as a snack. lol. It's hard to get her into new things because she wants to do what she wants to do, which usually involves buttons like on the computers, phone, remote....

[shockandawe]

Maggie still wants to eat them too - I just do my best to stay on top of it. I don't let her colour alone yet, and well, I know that if she does eat some it's not the end of the world. Not nice, but not the end of the world.

Buttons and remote controls and phones are also a great past time here. When she hears DH pull up the computer game ZUMA, she spins on a dime and barney rubbles right over to his desk. She could watch that forever!

[Jule'sMomInOR]

I'm lacking in this area and need ideas. I feel like we don't do enough activities. Yesterday, for example I finished work about 3:30 then turned on Baby Signing times for her to watch while I cooked. Then we ran with her in the stroller for about an hour, took a bath, ate dinner, and read some books before bed. I really should do more meaningful activities with her but it seems like we tend to pass the time by me trying to get her to play independently while I try to get stuff done around the house. Meanwhile, all the nanny does is play with her all day long so I'm surprised she doesn't like the nanny better than me!

heres our day: get up and eat breakfast. while watching a baby einstein dv.
craft, learning, structured mommy play time, outside time, bath orget out of the house (shopping or dr or whatever needs to be done) or playdate time. (i pick one of these to do with Q. its not the same from day to day i try to vary which one we do.) then lunch followed by naptime. then afternoon snack and free play. then dinner, bath, daddy play time, snack and story time followed by cuddles and bedtime.