SAHM's...

Sorry if this has been asked recently, but I stay home with the kids all day and feel like at this stage they just like to hang out and have open play time, with a little G rated tv at times in the background. All this in between diaper changes and meals and snacks. We get out on walks and have a friend who comes over to play sometimes (we're new to our area and have a couple friends but only one with a kid our kids age)

ANYWAY...our friends kid came home from his 4-6 hours of 'daycare' (in another friends house with other 3 other kids of different ages) with a 'drawing' he had made that day and it got me to thinking that all my kids do is walk around and chew on things and play with their toys and eat, etc... I don't have them practicing drawing or anything like that. I was thinking about getting some of these

http://www.baplaysets.com/shopping/categor...covery_Pathways

(not the uber expensive ones!) for playing around in the living room now that they are into climbing and tumbling and walking and was wondering what every one else is doing with your kids at this age? Do you practice drawing or holding crayons or anything? What else creative is there to do with the kids? Their first year I was reading along with the skills they were learning and how to motivate them and whatnot, but this year has gotten busier and we've been introduced to illnesses moving to another part of the country and traveling for weeks on end yada yada. Sorry this has turned into such a lengthy posting...thanks for any ideas!

 

I felt the same way at that age, so I just started trying some new things & seeing if they liked them. Washable markers worked a lot better for us at that age than the crayons. The Crayola ones did wash off pretty well. I have a small picnic table that we use for coloring & I sit on a little stool by them.

My kids have played with those foam play structures at the playhouses & LOVE them!! They're awesome. I can't really remember other activities we did at that age, but my advice is just try it.....if they don't like it, then try again in a couple months.

 

Our day sounds pretty much like yours. We tried using Crayons for the first time with the boys (the Tadoodles ones) and they just didn't get it and weren't interested. I'll try again in a few months.

For the most part, they like to play, play, play. We read a LOT, go for bike rides, walks and errands. Oh! And they are really into "building" things. We got these cardboard blocks for Christmas and they keep them entertained for a long time!

 

We also tried those Crayola things and the kids just didn't seem interested or like they got it - of course DS wanted to chew on them. lol

For the most part our days are like yours. We eat, play, take walks, snack, nap, eat, play... etc. We live in a small apartment right now and we have made our entire living room kid friendly and we just hang out in there and they play with their toys or read books, crawl into their tent or in their tunnel, etc. We don't have a yard so the only outside time I have with them when I am alone is walks in their stroller - I don't dare take them to the park alone because I just can't keep track of both of them - one goes one way, the other one goes the other way.. you know the drill.

I did recently get two little chairs that we pull up to their activity table in the living room and they enjoy that, they play with their toys on the table. They also like to climb up on the chairs and onto the table - so I don't leave the chairs out unless I am supervising them.

This age is sort of hard - they are able to do stuff, yet they aren't able to do stuff, know what I mean? DS still puts pretty much everything in his mouth so I have to be careful about markers and stuff, and they can walk around just fine but are still a little bit unsteady and don't understand the concept of danger *at all* and don't know their limits.

ETA: those tumbling structures you posted a link to look like a lot of fun - if you have the room for them I bet your kids would love them. I know mine would.

 

I'll be interested to read this too! We are pretty laid back. Naps, nursing, meals, snacks, walking/jogging, unstructured playtime, reading books together - that's pretty much our day. Almost the whole house is babyproof, and the parts that aren't are gated, so they can just explore and do their thing. Sometimes I wonder if I should be doing more "structured" stuff, teaching them things... But they are so happy playing and exploring on their own. I'll build towers for them to dismantle, and I also help them play with toys that are still a little old for them, like shape sorters. But other than that they just like to do their thing.

Oh, I have a suggestion for an el cheapo alternative to those cool foam climbing things: cardboard box! I ordered some foam puzzle mats online, and they came in a big, flattish cardboard box. It's maybe 10" high and 1 yd square. The babies go NUTS climbing in and out of it. We keep a couple flaps folded in and a couple folded out, so they're like ramps/slides. Very similar to those foam thingies. But free! B)

 

We color (its more like trying to eat the crayons.) We play with soft foam blocks, we tried crafts but they are not there yet, read books, big knobby puzzles, we go on walks, music class, story time, errands that I need to run. We have days, like today, where we are just hanging out. As long as your interacting with them (games, songs, stories etc) I think that's the most you can do at this age.

I love those foam sets, it looks like fun!!

 

I was going to say who can get their twins to start drawing?! I tried it too but I will do it again when they get to about 20 months old. We are in the same boat as the rest of you. We play, go for walk, do play dates, short break at the mall, read books, twice a day learning video "Signing Time" or "Leap Frog Letters".

We did tried storytime at our local library. They can't sit still for more than 5 minutes. So, I had to drop the class until they are a bit older. We just recently finished "My Gym" class for 10 week. We will sign them up again later this Fall for the next level. My twins belong to a large play group with 70 members and that is plenty of activities to do every week. My calendar is almost full every day and I keep going until I drop.

We just purchased a new climber from Step2. It is not BIG as I thought it was going to be but it work out nicely in our family room. It has a slide, basketball hoop, soccer (to kick) and a football to throw. I brought this for rainy day or if the weather get too hot to be outside.

Here the link --
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3004162

My twins are learning and it is a challenge especially a melt down at times.
D, w/Rianna and Justin (18-1/2 mos)

 

Mine aren't walking yet, but are very mobile. I hope once they're walking more I'll take them outside more..and this point they get so filthy I just hate taking them out..they just dig in the dirt and eat everything!

Anyways, we eat, play, sleep as well. We rotate rooms, and we do go outside, and go to the park for a change of scenery. I'll let the dogs in for entertainment. Nothing is more exciting to them than a hamper full of dirty or clean clothes! We read lots too. We do watch Sesame Street and Elmo videos when we need to chill. I plan on taking them swimming in the neighbors pool soon. I have bought them crayons but have not been brave enough to use them yet, I guess I should. I did buy this for outside, but they still prefer grass and dirt at the moment:

http://www.littletikes.com/toys/swingalong...=1&N=26+120

They are pretty typical I guess...love the tupperware cabinet, and anything they're not supposed to get in. I know they'd LOVE story time at the library but it interferes with naps at the moment.

They love to hide under blankets, and I should get a tent or something, I know they'd like that. They are just sponges and want attention, and they're pretty content.

Jennifer

 

My kids have a SAHD and since I'm the working mom who seems to have no motivation to actually get any work done today, I can answer your question. We're very similar to you. They really just like to explore and play with their toys and other random objects. They aren't really into organized activities. Even tv doesn't interest them for long, although we do put on signing videos occasionally, and they'll watch them for a few minutes. Otherwise they're in their playroom for awhile, then they'll move into the livingroom (where they have yet more toys) for awhile, then into the kitchen (where they have their fridge farm and a cabinet of tupperware open for them) for awhile, then nap, snack/lunch, repeat. There are books out in all their various locations, so they'll often bring us books to read to them or just sit and flip through them themselves, but it's not like we have a set storytime every day. Usually it turns into reading the same story (usually the Sandra Boynton Dinosaurs book right now) over and over and over until they finally decide to move on.

Sometimes we play with them (help them with a puzzle, read a book), and sometimes we leave them be. We have tried crayons and so far have had no success. Just last weekend I taped some paper to the floor and put out the crayons (we also got the tadoodles) and showed them how to do it. They each grabbed one and bit the tip off. I told them no eating, showed them again, and again they bit the tip off. I think they're just not ready for it yet, so we'll try again in a couple months. But it definitely doesn't hurt to try. [ETA: We did have great fun together ripping up the paper from the floor and crumpling it up and throwing it around, so it wasn't a complete loss of an activity!]

We do also take them to Kindermusik once a week, which is good for them to have an activity with a little structure, and also to be around other kids. It's also good for us to get ideas of what to do with them at home. Every night before bed we put on the Kindermusik cd and do the dances and activities to the songs that we do in class. So I guess that's kind of an 'activity' that we do each day.

 

We did art at that age but I had a huge roll of white paper. I would cut off a huge part of it and tape it down to the tiled kitchen floor. Then I would turn them loose with washable markers. Since the paper was so big, they could sit in the middle and color anything within reach and it would still be on the paper.

We started parks at that age. We had one by us that was handicapped accessible so it had a ramp up into the play part that they could easily do. Once they figured it out, they just had a little loop where'd they'd run up the ramp, turn the steering wheels mounted in the structure or run up and hit the chimes and then go down the little slide that was right. Repeat 50 times and they had a good day at the park.

We did start storytime and zoo classes closer to 18 months. At storytime, we sat in the back and I'd put both in overalls. I would hold onto their overalls and let them roam anywhere within an arms length. It was amazing to me how quick the peer pressure of seeing the bigger kids sit had mine wanting to sit. At zoo class, they had a "bail-out" area, where if it just wasn't working, the kids could go play for a few minutes till the next activity. They also switch activities every 5 minutes and would switch from sitting and looking into a discovery bag to crawling through a tunnel and then go back to sitting and doing finger plays.

Marissa

 

I am trying to even remember this stage. Mine are two now. They started getting into duplos then and learning tables, etc.

We also do ECFE-- early childhood and family education classes through community ed. They just play and the parents get to learn things.

I wouldn't worry about trying to teach them a million things. Part of that age is exploring. And I am sure they appreciate being home with mom or dad more than anything no matter what you do as long as you are spending time with them.

 

QUOTE
e did art at that age but I had a huge roll of white paper. I would cut off a huge part of it and tape it down to the tiled kitchen floor. Then I would turn them loose with washable markers. Since the paper was so big, they could sit in the middle and color anything within reach and it would still be on the paper.


Cool idea! Mine are little goats, they want to eat any piece of paper they get their hands on - I bet taping it down would work great!

 

I'm not a SAHM, but I can tell you what "we" do (by "we" I mean DH who watches them in the mornings during the week, our sitter who watches them 3 afternoons a week, and me who watches them the other two afternoons during the week). We haven't tried art yet, but I talked to my sitter about getting that paper you can use water with to 'paint.' But I think the girls will eat the paper. My mom suggested using pudding and let them finger paint on the high chair trays. We might try that.

We do lots of unstructured play. This includes playing with toys, but also wandering around our house or the sitter's house exploring. They LOVE to try every cabinet and drawer in the kitchen, they love to look at the bird and squirrels out the big window in the door, and they love to play with anything that isn't a toy (tupperware, boxes, big spoons, etc).
They also love dancing around to music and 'reading' books.

Both our sitter and I take them to the park by ourselves. For some reason the girls haven't figured out that they can walk around the park so when I take them I bring the stroller right up to the swings and transport them directly in. Our sitter does the same and if she has one of her older daughter's with her, they take the girls on the baby slide (its barely an incline!). I'm sure once the girls realize they can walk on the sand it will be harder to do this on my own.

Our sitter has also taken the girls to the library to check out books and play. She uses the stroller and the tables in the playroom to sort of gate off a safe area to contain them a bit. Leave it to my 'experienced mommy sitter' to be braver than me! I may actually get up the nerve to take them to the library story hour now.

Other 'fun' things we do is laundry. Seriously! I bring in a big basket of clean laundry and the girls help me fold it. Well they grab the clothes and walk around with them and leave random piles around the room, but they LOVE when I bring out the laundry. Weird.

 

Our days sound very similar to everyone else's!

Lots of unstructured play and eating and napping and repeat!

I do keep trying crayons and other 'art' stuff now and again. Just recently crayons...they thought those were mighty tasty! And I do tape the paper to the floor with clear packing tape (tried regular tape, they defeated that in about 2 seconds!). I have little goats too (as pp mentioned )!

We've also tried the ColorWonders finger paints...completely did not get that yet!

One thing that has become a huge hit recently are their old-fashioned wooden blocks! They love those things! And they've recently figured out how legos work too, so that's another big hit.

And we like to dance (not well, but hey!)

 

lots of great ideas here!

here are some "different" things i've done.

i bought a ton of foam stickers and let them stick them on paper...dd loves this! ds likes to eat the sticker or gets it stuck on his fingers and freaks!! i just peel the backs off and give them the sticker to stick on. these have also been good when going out to eat...keeps them occupied for a while.

i gave them a whole roll of toilet paper to run around with...that lasted for abut 6 minutes but they enjoyed it. yes, they tried to eat it, but they spit it out.

we've used tadoodles to scribble we also have those no mess markers that only write on certain paper and nothing else. they don't have the complete hang of that yet. we use the magnadoodle to scribble too.

i got this oversized book for xmas that has the abc's in it...each page has a bunch of things beginning w/ each letter. the kids LOVE this book. it is big enough for them to sit on and point to things, etc. i will ask them to find things and tell them about the item, etc. we read a lot...they love books.

we will sit and do puzzles...their attention span isn't very long as you know they love elmo and yo gabba gabba. we try not to watch too much tv...but they do watch it here and there.

we have done playdoh - both regular and the edible homemade kind. we've done this w/ our playgroup. yes, again, they try to eat it, but they don't end up swallowing it because it taste like @ss

while outside, gave them a pail to go around and collect things to put in it...leaves, rocks, etc. they had a blast w/ this.

our days are filled w/ either going outside when the weather is nice, gymboree (did a 14 week class), storytimes (they love this, and the leader usually doesn't mind if the kids are up and around...they usually can't sit still that long), playgroups (lots of different things to do...going to do a tour of the fire station this week!) and the rest is napping and eating!!!!

i feel they are almost at the point to do a lot, but just not totally there. i do tend to let them try as much stuff as possible. i like to expose them to everything! we went to a farm recently, and my dd got to hold a chicken...we go to the playground and go in the sandbox and climb on all the structures there.

i hope i've helped!

Lois