For SAHM or Part Time SAHM -- What Is Your Schedule like with Your 2-3 Year Old?

I run a family daycare so I have to keep a good routine to keep things running smoothly.
Free play until 8
Clean up and breakfast
Free play and prep to go outside
9 ish Outdoor Play
10ish or later-A.M. snack
*Some days -especially when breakfast happens later, I skip snack and we have an early lunch around 11: 30.
Feed infant bottle --toddlers listen to a story from me or play with puzzles or something else that is quieter
* Depending on time/infants's mood- we do some kind of art activity or circle time like activities with songs, fingerplays
Lunch around 12:00ish
Storytime
Nap 1:00 ish

I feel it is less important that you have specific directed activities planned constantly, but that you are observing your children and reacting to their interests and building in the skills children need as the children play. You could think about how your play environment is set up for your child and how you can alter it periodically to help stimulate his creativity. For instance, if he loves it when the mail man comes,help set up a post office center for pretend play. As he begins to count, find different things to count throughout the day. Keep games and materials available that encourage letter and number learning. Keep writing materials on hand for easy access. Hope this helps! It can be a challenge-- I know:)

First--at this age, they could care less about "peers"--

Secondly--Try meetup.com or Yahoo! Groups and you will find TONS of local playgroups and activities for your child...The museums are full of activities, as well as, libraries, parks, beaches and more!

Preschool is not a necessary thing in life and is a glorified babysitting service...even by research standards. ESPECIALLY before the age of 4 years old. There is not one study that had shown these children have any advantages--as a matter of fact, most sow they are burnt out earlier than children who did not attend preK.

And it seems you are worried on the social level. Playgroups are really great for this...I loved the ones we were in and the parents I met were great--ok..so some were not-- :) This is a great support system for you and a great way for your child to interact with other kids and learn the social graces that our society holds dear.

Just my 2 cents!

Our usual day is breakfast with Daddy, a little TV or computer playing or playing in her bedroom by herself while I get dressed. Then we go do a morning activity, every day if different; we go to story time at the library, the playground, the museum, walk at the park or nature center, dance class, or we do crafts at home. Then lunch. Then we usually do our errands. Then home for dinner and cleaning up.
We have a great baby group on meetup that is very active so we usually have someone to do something with.

I am a stay at home mom..and never envisioned sending my children to school until maybe pre-k 4. I had our son when my daughter turned 3..and realized school would be the best choice for her. Before I had my son, my daughter and I were very busy...museums, events, play dates, etc..but with a little baby, I found she was watching way too much tv. Anyway, I sent my daughter to school..just two days a week...and I am SOOO happy I did! It has been an absolutely excellent thing in her life. I was always bringing her to things like story time at the library, to get social interaction..but I saw a MAJOR change in her, right away, once she went to school. She used to be kind of a bully with other kids..but she blossomed into a beautiful team player. My point is that although my circumstances in sending her were different than yours, in the end I am so grateful that I did. Now she is in pre-K 4..and I just do the 3 day program..but she LOVES school, and has an awesome community of friends, and I have enjoyed meeting the other moms. Not to say this in a pompous way..but I am a great mom. I do lots of learning activities, lots of crafts, etc...but you can't do it all. I like that my daughter is learning about other perspectives. A GREAT resource, whether you decide to keep your son home, or send him part time, is South Florida Parenting magazine. If you are not familiar with it, you can pick it up in random places like My Gym or Toys R Us, by the exit. It is free, and it is PACKED with great info. There is a calender section..which lists all special activities each day, by county..and then sections on all current child friendly museum exhibits, plays, etc. It is AWESOME, and put out once a month.

Good luck!

Hi J....
Any park between 8am and 12pm is packed with your kids peers. Library's have really great story time programs now including music and crafts.
You can pay for one hour music and play classes as well that are age appropriate. Free time at home can include some of those stimulating activities typically found in pre-schools too - sand tables, water tables, playdo, age appropriate crafts etc. Make a morning a theme morning and make all your activities work around it, for example, under the sea - coloring, music, goldfish snack, books etc.
Just some ideas, hope this helps. I get the struggle between pre-school and home right now. I'm in it too.

Find playgroups that get together and do activities with their kids. The park, children's museums, houses, swimming, etc. School can wait with all it's yucky germs and bad behaviors lurking for your child to pick up!

I found a great playgroup that meetup alot all around my city. A couple moms are ex teachers and had some ideas for meetups. Like crafts, arranging meet ups at gyms so kids can try out the trampolines and stuff. Look at meetup.com that where i found mine.

Otherwise i talked to other moms in malls, chickfila and made some new friends. Some of my playgroup's friends like going to gymboree, little gym, kindermusik.

My oldest is like me, she loves tv. So we watched a couple of shows in the morning as we woke up and got ready for the day. Shows like Clifford, curious george. At 2yrs she told me that she lost her ball in the cave and needed daddy's flashlight. Our hallway was the cave and she threw a ball down it. She got it from Curious George. Now we have a few of the books and that little monkey has helped her understand alot about people adn the world.

my daughter is 3 now and goes to preschool 2 days per week. last year, she did a one day per week preschool program, where i went with her.

we don't have a "schedule", but i do try to do something out of the house in the morning each day, or almost each day (for my own sanity) if possible. We go to the library to play and get new books each week (then usually read the books for while later), we go to the mall to play at the playplace and walk around, have a play date, run errands, grocery shop, play outside, go to the park, go to toy stores (just to look around and play). even barne's and noble has a play area. as long as you're talking with your child, pointing things out to him/her etc. you don't have to do anything overly stimulating...

at home, we do crafts, color, play games, play doh, bake something, paint, play with toys, etc. i usually encourage her to play a little on her own, and i play with her a bit. usually 1 hour of tv a day, while i'm getting things ready to go out or whatever.

My son just started preschool this week at almost 4 y/o. Before that, we go to the libraries for storytime. Check out all the libraries in your area for storytime & stick w/ one you like best. We love storytime at this one library & have been going for almost 2 yrs & my son thinks of the librarian as his other grandma. :)

We also don't have a set schedule but I also like to do activities in the mornings, playdates, playgrounds, bike rides at the park, the beach, indoor playgrounds. Even if it's just you & your child, he would have fun!

In the afternoon, sometimes, we do arts & crafts, sometimes we play on the computer. So many great websites out there. I'll be happy to recommend to you.

Just don't stress too much, sometimes your child will find things himself that amuses him.

For your own sanity, I also suggest joining a mommy's group, check out meetup.com. Your child will have friends & so will you! I'm a member of South Florida Parenting Group.

Don't feel you're alone!