How many activities/playgroups do you have your toddler involved in? - Page 2

[nwatt]

DD has a music class and gym class that we go to.  We also have a library story time.  There are two playgroups that we tried to fit in.  Plus we go to open gym at her gym facility, the children's museum, the park, and the botanical gardens.  All this is relatively on hold since I am now officially on bedrest as of yesterday, but I am hoping that DH and the baby sitter will be able to do a lot of this with her.  I am planning on making a schedule of possible activities for them. 

[Novus]

We usually stay home on Mondays, but barring sickness, we do at least one outing the rest of the week.  It's more for my benefit because I baby-sit a friend's 1.5 year old & the two toddlers can wreck the house in record time.  We do a couple of story times, a LLL meeting if there is one that week, and maybe a playdate or trip to the museum.  In the summer, we do a lot fewer structured activities and just go to the park, sometimes with friends.  There are a lot of SAHDs in our area and quite a few come to storytimes--do you think your DH would feel more comfortable getting out if he saw other dads going to these things?  Also, maybe there's a meetup group for SAHDs in your area?  I know I'm a lot less motivated to get out of the house if we don't have a friend to meet up with.

[Surfer Rosa]

Ds is 30 months, and I am a SAHM. We have a good balance of organized activities, home time, and playdates, I think?!

Our typical week (mornings):

M: until this week, we were doing a parent and tot morning at a Waldorf school (We stopped this recently b/c Monday, for us, is a good day to hang out at home and do whatever we want to!)

T: hang out at home, or go to the gym (there's a daycare for kids there)

W: we have a running playdate with two other families whose kids are around the same ages

Th: hang out at home or go to the gym

F: Family yoga/playdate, which we do 2x a month. The other days, we might go to the library or do something else (play outside, go to a museum, playdate, have a home day).

I am not super social but my 5 YO DD is, and I feel like I should be doing "more" with my DS. Weekends are mostly spent doing things as a family, including going to friends' houses or having people over. I agree that getting out of the house once a day is important!

[Chloe'sMama]

A few months ago when we lived in San Diego, we spent more time at home and in the backyard.  Now, DH works from home and I try to get the kids out of the house every morning to give him some peace and quiet for a few hours.  

We pay for Gymnastics and Music Together... we go to free park time, story time at the library and play groups.  I want to add swimming (life saving techniques) before this summer. 

[Aufilia]

On Tuesday DS and I volunteer with another mom and toddler.

On Thursday morning we used to attend a structured professional playgroup, but he aged out.  I would love to sign up for another professionally-run toddler group, and there are 5 or 6 in our area, but with DD's preschool schedule it's nearly impossible to do anything before we have to be home by 11:10 when she's dropped off.  And it'll be worse next near because we'll have to be home by 11 for half-day kindergarten pickup. :(

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by Aufilia 

On Tuesday DS and I volunteer with another mom and toddler.

Aufilia -- OT a bit -- I was wondering what kind of volunteer work you do with your toddler? I've been trying to find something I can do with DS but everything I come up with just isn't good for a toddler.

[April Dawn]

I think you have to know what works for your child.  I never planned to have DS in many structured activities; I used to babysit a couple of kids who were overscheduled and stressed and I didn't want to do that.  So for a while I had DS in one very unstructured playgroup and that was it.  As it turned out, that didn't work for him at all.  He was cranky with unscheduled days, and the unstructured playgroup was overwhelming for him, with kids running everywhere doing different stuff.  Turns out, he thrives on small, structured groups.  So I now have him in several dance and art and fitness classes; we are busy all week.  It's small groups and the teacher leads them through activities.  And he loves it!  He gets really into the activities and is learning to interact with other kids.  But I also know kids who hate structured activities.  So I don't think there's a "right" number, and OP, I would say just try an activity and see how your DS likes it and go from there.

[brennan]

Originally Posted by AKislandgirl 

We do quite a few activities. In the winter in Alaska it is vital to our sanity to get out of the house!  Here is a rough breakdown of our week.

M- Music class

T-

W- Story time at the Wildlife Refuge (we usually only go to this when I'm babysitting an older girl, DD is still a bit young for it)

R- Library story time

F- Play group in an open gym type setting. Kids bring ride on toys, balls, etc... free for all

During the summer we will do less of the organized activities and more trips to the beach and trails with friends.

Its true about Canada too!  During the summer we probably won't do anything structured.  We can't go to the park, and now that it is the depths of winter we do go outside everyday but usually not for very long.

So far though we only have wed playgroup (only thing in this tiny town) and thursday we go swimming (no lessons though, we just splash in the pool) and then to the library story time on the way home (we have to drive an hour to the pool and the library is 1/2 way)

They just started toddler yoga and an open gym one town over so I might look into that.