What Do I Do with My Kid All Day?

Why not pick a theme for the week and go with that to do some fun activities and help her learn a little. You could do animals that live in the snow or just winter in general right now. Throw in a letter of the week to practice writing and have snacks that start with that letter. For instance, winter you can make pine cone bird feeders one day, practice learning the letter W and dress in white when you can. Make white snacks (vanilla pudding) and take a cold weather walk. These can change each week. Look on the internet for fun ideas. Sites like Enchantedlearning.com and dltk-kids offer easy, fun activities that will have you both enjoying the day.

Short answer: you need a moms group and preschool.

Where are you? If you are in the west end of Richmond, I can help.
C.

Maybe if you limit the movie watching to a certain amount of time per day, she will gradually go back to playing. Mostlittle ones when given a choice, will choose the movies. AMy child is younger, but we sign up for one class per season at the local rec centers. It breaks up the monotony and he really enjoys it. You can go on line and search on rec centers fairfax county. New classes start this week so enrollment may be filling up fast, but give it a try.

Hi H. - When I became a SAHM I went on meetup.com and found a local playgroup in my area. It was nice to meet other moms with kids my kid's age that he could play with. The other moms also told me about all kinds of stuff/places I could enjoy with my child. Good luck & I hope you enjoy the undivided time you have with your 3yr old since that will be harder to do once your other blessing arrives ;)

Look for local parks and play grounds to visit if it's nice outside.

Just thinking about what my daughter's daycare does with the kids all day, they've got the room divided up into center with different types of toys. You could guide her and interact with her with different types of her toys. Play with one thing for a bit, maybe 30 mins, then move on to something else.

The daycare also has a water play table as a center. If you don't have an actual water play table, my daughter is happy just playing with toys in the tub!

Arts & crafts are a great idea! Let her color with crayons, markers, or paints. Depending on her ability, let her (or help her) cut out shapes of colored paper and have her glue them however she likes on another sheet of paper. Look up coloring pages online for her to color.

Help her practice writting letters, especially her name.

Read books to her and talk about/sing the alphabet, etc. Sing other songs too!

And of course, when weather permits, take her outside to play and burn off energy!!

Hope that helps!

i'm going in a different direction from most of the respondents here. i absolutely agree that engaged fun time with her is important (board games, reading, craft time, cooking) but the cry heard almost universally from kids these days 'I'M BORED' is a direct result of the recent trend in parents entertaining kids non-stop. the world is a fascinating place. let her explore it, outside whenever possible. but even in the house it is not your job nor is it healthy to keep her constantly 'intellectually stimulated.' there is no better creativity creator than a little boredom. give her access to a few simple toys (a playroom full is way overkill) and some uninterrupted time to figure out what she likes to do. a kid with an imagination and few props should never ever be bored. turn off the t.v., spend some good time with her, and let her discover the endlessly fascinating world of pretend.
khairete
S.

For the playroom: Organize the room in different groups. Each corner is something new:
a reading area where there is a bookcase, chair/bean bag
a tall floor lamp,etc.
a corner for the stuffed animals
a corner for the puzzles, games, coloring stuff.
a corner for dolls/dollhouse

In the center of the room put a child size table/chair. Get a comfy chair for yourself.

Set up a daily schedule, and hang it on the wall.
8 - 845 is breakfast
845 - 930 is tv time
930 - 1030 is playroom time
1030 - 1045 is snack time
1045 - 1145 is reading time
12-1245 is lunch
1245 - 3 is nap/ you time
3 - 4 is ...
4 - 5 is ...
5 - 530 is cleanup time
530 - 6 is tv time/dinner prep
6 - 645 is dinner ....

Buy a load of art supplies, crayons, play-do, scissors, craft paper, paint, etc. Our 2 year old sits and colors, plays for at least an hours. She fusses when I start cleaning up. Also, sit with her and read books. Or start taking her to the library. They have programs for toddlers during the day. Go online to your local park and planning office and events will be listed there. I wish you well.

Sounds like you all need to get out of the house! Find toddler storytime programs at the library - get her involved in a playgroup that meets regularly - go on outings to the Dollar Store! What I'm getting at is that you all need to find things to do besides watching Disney movies. How is she with the educational basics? Does she know her ABC's, 123's, shapes & colors? If not, then you can download appropriate videos from YouTube & make learning playlists...download age-appropriate activity sheets for you to work on together on the educational basics as well as incorporate reading together every day (that is, if you're not doing this already) - and if you're able, get down on the floor with her & her toys in her room. Show her new ways to use the toys she has to make up new games. And remember that any toys & games can help to reinforce the educational basics.

I was laid off over 7 mo's ago...and I've been thrust into being a SAHM as well to my 3-yr-old son...and I'm LOVING it! We go to the museums...to Discovery Theater shows...we are currently attending the Sprouts program at the Botanical Gardens...we go to Toddler StoryTime @ the local library...we read books every day...we practice the educational basics at least 3-5 times a week...we go for walks when the weather permits...we make grocery store runs "field trips" to practice the names & colors of different foods, etc.

You may just need to open yourselves up to new experiences & opportunities - search the internet for toddler-related activities in your local area. You'll need to make sure to get these type of things going on before baby #2 comes so that way, you'll have a plan of what you can do with your toddler once you have a newborn - it'll help greatly if your toddler has either programs to go to or knows how to play by herself since it'll be some time before she can actively play with her baby brother or sister.

Good Luck!

Dear H.,
Looks like you got some good answers so far...
There's a GREAT playgroup also on Thursdays at Burke Community Church, from 10-noon.9900 Old Keene Mill Road(Burke VA) Meets up in room 106 and its a great way for your daughter to socialize and for you to meet other moms etc. Also another way for yuor daughter to socialize is preschool.. there is a FREE preschool fair coming up this Thursday..with over 25 preschools in the northen VA area gonan be there..
Burke Volunteer Fire Department Community Hall
9501 Old Burke Lake Rd.
Burke, VA
Thursday, January 14, 2010
10:00 am – 12:00 Noon
The MOMS Club of Burke-North is pleased to sponsor
the 9th annual PRESCHOOL FAIR as a service to
parents in the community. The fair is FREE and open
to the public. Over 25 preschools from Burke and the
surrounding area (Springfield/Annandale/Fairfax) will
be represented. Parents are invited to talk with
preschool directors and gather information about all
participating schools in one convenient location! For
more information, go to
www.joannewalton.com/preschoolfair or send an
email to ____@____.com or call the
MOMS Club voice mailbox at (866) 841-9139 x1581
***Weather Cancellation Policy: If Fairfax County
Schools are closed or delayed for any reason, the fair
will be cancelled.
Just FYI
Pammy

I'm not sure what area you live in, but I'd recommend joining a moms group. There are so many out there and it will allow you to get out of the house and socialize with other stay at home moms and give your daughter a chance to interact with other kids as well.

Be careful how much tv you let her watch. I am not super strict on that with my boys, but there certainly comes a point where they switch from little ones to couch potatoes who do no activities what so ever.

When I was a stay at home mom, I was bored senseless and needed to get out. My moms group helped sooooo much, but I also relied on the information found in Baltimores Child, Howard Family, Kids Street, etc. These are all free "magazines" that you can find at libraries or the front of grocery stores. These offer TONS of things to do with little ones that are either free or pretty cheap. I am queen of the free kids things and I found things to do almost every day of the week. Libraries are a fabulous place to go as well since not only do they have the wonderful kids sections with toys and all those kids books, but they have lots of story hours and things like that.

For when you want to stay at home, I recommend games. I know you have other things to do as well, but I swear when I turned off the tv and played games with my boys they were much better behaved, plus they had fun and learned a bit in the process. Hullabaloo is a great game for a child that age and it's pretty fun for the adult too. Playing card games like Go Fish. I used tons of flash cards and we made games out of it. They learned their letters (start with lower case first!!!! The upper case are easier but it's actually easier for a little one to learn the lower case first then upper next then the reverse - I read about it and a couple teachers second that motion). My guys new their alphabet, shapes, colors, a little how to tell time, how to spell some and some sign language before they started preschool. My intent was not to make them the smartest kids around, but I wanted them to simply know that learning isn't hard, it can actually be fun.

Good luck
J.

I didn't read all the other posts so I apologize if there are any repeats. I was in your exact shoes only I had a little boy. He was happy with watching tv most of the time, but I knew that wasn't the best thing for him and I was totally bored. There's a book called The Toddler's Busy Book...lifesaver. Some other stuff..."washing" toys (cars, dolls, whatever) in the sink, Memory game, Play-Doh (one of our faves), painting, coloring, Candyland. Another thing to consider but CAN be pricey is Gymboree, Little Gym or My Gym. They are organized toddler exercise places. So fun, the classes are once a week and tailored to your child's age. Go to the local aquarium, zoo or children's musuem! On days none of that stuff works for me, I take them to our gym where I can leave them in the childcare center at the gym for 2 hours and do whatever I want as long as I stay in the building. I can read a book or workout or just sit in the hottub there. Find a mom's group in your area! I'm sure you can find one on here...I did! You can also search through goole and find one. Being a stay at home mom was hard for me though. I eventually ended up going back to work!

Kids that age need some structure to their day. Set aside several blocks of time each day for certain activities. Art time (get playdough, beads, watercolors, crayons etc), reading time (if she still takes naps its nice to read for a half hour before naptime), take an hour to get down and play with her in the playroom - make believe, dolls, building with legos... whatever it is she likes to play. Its great for them to see us model behaviors at playtime. The library usually has storytime for pre-school kids a couple times a month. You can get her signed up for those. The rec centers also offers lots of different classes like dance, art, zoom around the room etc for pre-schoolers. I try to have one big outing a week - zoo, nature centers, museums, etc. We also make sure to get outside for a while, either the playground nearby or walk the dog or work in the garden during growing season. From the library you can grab a copy of Parktakes for lists of classes at rec centers, also they usually have Washington Family which is a great resource for events in the area. Both are online too. Enjoy your time with your kiddies, it goes by so fast!

First, I would say you just need to establish a game plan. I always do better once some things are on paper.
My 3 year old son and I go to story time at the library once a week, when you are there your daughter can also get books to take home and read. You could also check out books on crafts that you and your daughter could do. We basically are TV free during the day, my son is allowed to watch a movie at night. Since becoming tv free he does a lot more free play. I belong to a MOMs club (email me if you are interested) and also belong to MOPs at my church - both of which provide socialization for the children and you. I would recommend a play group. Also, we have an activity book where I try to practice once a day on numbers, letters, shapes, etc. I am not sure about other children but my son is not so good about playing by himself he always wants mommy with him but it is getting better where he will hang a little by himself. I hope some of this helps.

I first stayed home all day when my boys were 3 and 6 and it does feel really strange. I thought I'd have to duplicate the busy schedule of arts and crafts/toy time/book time/outside time/nap, etc. that the school managed. But that's not right! You get to do what you and your daughter enjoy. You have the time to get to know her. Help her explore your interests.

I worked in the environmental field so I most enjoyed hiking and trips to parks and nature centers. Where I live, you can register for nature programs. I also love reading and music so we went to the library programs and played music. I signed the boys up for gymnastics because they needed the exercise and soccer when they got older because they weren't so great at gymnastics and it was better being outside and running around more. We had picnics. They did best with some structure to our day so I did have meal and snack times (but we packed those things for outings) and nap/quiet times for my sanity as much as theirs.

I paid attention to their interests and learned about dinosaurs and bugs and natural disasters and trucks. We went to museums and zoos - sometimes to see what I wanted (art and history) and also what they liked (planes, animals, dinosaur bones, anything about science). I was surprised how many local spots there are that have programs for kids. We didn't do as well in any kind of quiet, art program but that's my wiggly boys.

The best toys were the simplest - blocks, art supplies, balls. They loved legos and playmobile - for some reason girls don't seem to be given building toys as much but I enjoyed playing those with them and found it plenty challenging having never had those things as a kid.

We cooked and cleaned because I don't like to work with people watching. It was fun for them (not so much as teenagers now).

It took a long time to get used to being home and not rushing around. It helped to join book clubs and to volunteer (easier when they got older) and to hang out with the parents of their friends (they did a great job of picking friends whose moms I mostly really enjoyed).

You might like scouts as your daughter gets older. Your EMT experience will be priceless and you could end up training all the leaders and staffing the first aid tent at outings.

Now the oldest is an actor who says he should have had dance and voice lessons. He would have cried as a kid if dragged to that over sports. So do what both of you like and be flexible and have some fun.

Enjoy. They grow up so fast!

K.

Play!

Turn up the music, grab a jar of bubbles and dance while popping bubbles.

Look on-line for some easy coloring/art ideas that do not require purchasing. (look for recycled crafts)

Many of the museums and art centers (including the zoo) have free admittance on different days. Or look into a membership at your favorite one so you get in for free all year.

Momsclub.com is a great resource. Meet other moms in your area (chapters are by zipcode) Not all of the chapters are listed, so maybe email the main address to find your area. I'm in Centreville, and we have a website, but it's not listed... yet. ;)

Congratulations on your #2... it's a big change, but worth it. To see them playing together is truly beautiful... right up until the hugs turn into headlocks. I have two boys - they love to wrestle/fight. Yikes. ;)

Let me know your zipcode and I can help you find your MOMS Club. I also have my own business and can provide some much needed "spa moments" :) let me know!

~J.
____@____.com

I signed up for one fun park district class each day of the week there is not preschool. My son is 3, and his sister is 2. The baby is 5 months. Funny but he LOVES Disney movies. He has to use a "ticket" and is allowed no more than 2 hours of tv a day. The rest of the time he usually acts out Peter Pan, and I have to play Captain Hook. We have toys all over the house. It's one big playroom, but organized well. When it's nice we go outside in the yard. For now we try to go to indoor playgrounds.

At the age of 3, kids don't just go into a room full of toys and play by themselves! They don't have the ability to do that for more than a short time. She needs interaction and that means both that you interact with her (all too soon she'll be at school and you'll miss her) and you can find, as other said, playgroups online. There's so much more if you want it: Contact your local parks and recreation department for kids' classes; all the local museums around here, DC and otherwise, have kids' programs, story times, kids' classes, etc.; check out all the local libraries, they have TONS of activities especially for kids her age; find a "Moms' Day Out" program, usually hosted at local churches, which allow you some time off but do expect you to contribute time too. Pick up the free parent magazines and catalogs (titles like "Families" and "Washington Parent" that are stacked at the exits to many grocery stores;these contain lots of listings of kids' music concerts, classes, one-time events at nature centers and parks, etc. Look in the Washington Post Weekend section under their "With the Kids" heading, and look at their listings of kids' activities all over the area. She's the perfect age for terrific Music Together or Kindermusik classes -- look them up online. Local arts centers sometimes have art classes for kids her age. Find her a "Tiny Dancers" type ballet class that lets her dress up and move around, or another kind of movement or sport activity.

There are TONS of things to do with chiildren in the whole DC region - you do not have to sit home in front of the TV. And the more TV she watches, the more sedentary she is, and the less she's using her imagination! If you do want her to learn to play, TV isn't going to teach her that. Good luck and get out and have fun. And one other thing --once you have the new baby you don't have to tell your older child, "Well, we need to stay home now." While the baby's still "carry-able," take the baby along to big sister's fun so your daughter doesn't feel that the new baby meant she had to sit around all day. Have fun; there's plenty to do around here to occupy you both!

check on line for a Mom's Club in your area. It has been a lifesaver for me. In addition to playgroups and other child friendly field trips and outings, I have been able to network with other moms in my area. I had been out of the loop on childrearing for many years until I got custody of my grandson when he was born. As he got older I realized that we needed more than just the two of us all day long. You may also want to check your local Parks and Recreation for age appropriate activities such as gymnastics, crafts, etc.

As all the others have said, engage with her...play games (which can be quite funny w/a 3 yr old). The public libraries have great programming for toddlers & it's also a great place to check out books for quiet reading time with you. My kids all loved playdoh-you can either buy it or make it (google it & you'll find the recipe). If you can't play with her, set her up at the kitchen table while you're preparing dinner. Enjoy all the local parks/playgrounds once the weather gets better. My daughter LOVED "helping" me with chores when I had to clean around the house-it takes longer, of course, but her happiness & development was well worth it. Enjoy your little ones-they grow up way too quickly!

There are all kind of recipes out there to make your own playdough. I know my kids love doing that cause they get to "cook" and then they can play with it. Also look into your local library. Most libraries have activities for younger kids about once a week. You can also look into paint your own pottery places and bouncy houses. Also get some shaving cream and put some on the table. She can go at it and make all kind of designs with the shaving cream all over the place. It makes for some good times and it's not too hard to clean up. That is one that my kids always are asking to do. Good luck!

A good start was here. Maybe there are other Mom's nearby who will get together with you for play-dates and other activities. An occasional "road trip" to an age appropriate activity such as the Zoo, or the Children's Museum would be fun. You are right....you don't want Zoe to think food is the answer to boredom....too many of us have that problem. TV and Disney Movies shouldn't be the ONLY answer either. In good weather, you can work/play together in the garden. She is old enough to help you with simple house-hold chores under your supervision, and side by side (tidy up / put things in their place / put stuff in the dryer / set the table) I am sure you already let her do little arts and crafts type things, how about a project like building a doll house? How about visits to the Library for their Children's Hour? Are you affiliated with a church? They might have little sessions geared toward toddlers and they might be able to direct you to other activities that are offered in your community. Do you have neighbors with children that you might get together? Visits to Grandma? Tumbling lessons? Swim lessons?

Good luck and most of all.....enjoy this time with your little ones. They grow up so very fast and one day you will be asking yourself where the time has gone and wishing you had time to do it over again.

They're never too young for reading. I read to my boys all the time. In fact, I loved educating my older son so much when he was a toddler that I eventually decided to homeschool my kids. There are plenty of things that you can do with your little one/ones during the day. I think you've already gotten a lot of good suggestions. The biggest thing is to just get out of the house and meet other SAHM's with little ones. Try joining your local MOPS group (moms of pre-schoolers), or go down to the local parks and rec office and see what they've got going on for toddlers during the day. Go to library story time, find a kid's museum (the kind that let the kids touch and explore) or just go to the park. And most of all, just plug in to your daughter and really get to know her. I'm sure you'll have a blast!

When it is super cold outside, we like to go to the mall (I prefer MacArthur) because they provide a nice play area for kids. It can get really crowded, but if you go early - it's usually not too bad.
I have also taken my son to any store (such as target) just to let him run around a bit. I don't let him go crazy, of course, but the excercise and change of scenery seems to do him well. We have a family membership to the Aquarium, too -and, again, if you go early, you sometime almost have the place to yourself. There is a great play area there as well that my son loves. (by the way, my little one is 2 and I am now preggers with twins and am at home on bedrest...but my husband has taken over the task of getting my son outside of the home when he can).

Are there other kids in your neighborhood? Maybe you can arrange a playdate with them?

Cold weather activities can be hard to manage for kids but, for us, if we don't get our son out of the house for a little while, he is just a ball of energy waiting to explode.

Hope these ideas are useful.
E.

Congratulations on baby #2 and coming home. I know it's tough being pregnant and still having to work with your toddler, but here goes. At 3, she is really, really curious about everything. If you have a to-do list a mile long, she's probably going to enjoy being a part of it all. For example, a trip to the grocery store might be tedium for you, but it's an adventure every single time for a 3-year-old. A trip to post office to pay bills, ooo-whee! While out, stop by Petco or Petsmart and let her look at animals. Visiting your dr? She'll love looking at the baby on the screen. And, if you're nesting and decorating the nursery, big sis will love sticking decals on the wall. When you need a nap, she takes a nap, too. Reading books. Storytime at local libraries. Not sure if you're affiliated with church yet, but that will give you a great network in your area. Seek out a MOPS group (Mothers of Preschoolers) to help you adjust and build in playdates to break up the intense one-on-one time. And, by all means, enjoy this time. It might seem hard as the pregnancy progresses, but right now, it sounds like you're missing the busyness of work. You probably have A LOT to do in unpacking, getting settled, AND keeping track of your appts., and your precious first-born--not to mention Dad. Take care and enjoy the rest while you can. Once baby #2 gets here, you'll dream of those quiet days.

make sure the tv is not on for 'background' noise. having it off will encourage her to do something. children do not sit staring at a turned off television. now what she gets up to that's the question. the other mommas have great ideas.

You need some routine. My day with my three year old when she wasn't in preschool was something like this:
7 - Wake/Breakfast
8 - Bath/Dress/Start laundry and pickpup room
9 - Play/Go out/Chores
10 - Snack
12 - Lunch?Reading
2 - Nap
4 - Snack/Movie//Play/Make dinner
6 - Dinner
7 - Bedtime routine

Of course that would vary some - for instance , we do the bath at night a lot. My daughter proabably watched about an hour of movies each day on average (some days noe, sometimes longer). But I saved that for difficult times liek when I was trying to make dinner. We proabably had an hour or two of solid playtime each day. I tink we would play most in the morning, and ususally spent a lot f time reading before lunch when we (I!!!) got sick of playing. The rest of the time is doing chores, going for walks, shopping, etc.

Here si the stuff we like ot do to break up the day
* library, especially for storytime
* art projects, painting, playdoh
* playground
* playgroups like MOMS Club
* bath playtime can last a long time
* reading - she is almost ready for chapter books
* board games and card games
* pretned anything - picnic, tea party, princesses, store
* puzzels

I am very much not a "princess" mom. I cna't stand playing princess, although I certainly indulge her frequently. I personally prefer to read, do art, build with legos, and play games.

You can't expect a three year old to go off and play for an hour by herself in another room. You need ot go with her and engage her in the playroom. Or you need to get her a tub/basket and encourage her to pick out a few toys or activities to bring to the main part of the house. Kids that age love to play pretned, dress-up, and are starting to be able to do simple games like Go Fish or Candyland.

It is also a great age for her to help you. Turn off the TV and have her help with laundry, mopping, dusting, vacuming, whatever. And I think food prep is great. Don't just have her make cookies and sweets though, have her make salads or scrub potatos and put them away for dinner.

Every mom has bad days, especially when pregnant with another one, days that seem to never end!!! But I really encourage you to be her guide to finding some fun activities, get out of the house even in the cold, and enjoy your time alone with her. It will give her some wonderful memories of just her and Mommy before the baby arrives.

Local community centers have open gym times for toddlers in the mornings one day a week. They fill the gym with tumbling equipment, toys and tricycles and it's FREE. I've been to open gyms at Barcroft center in Arlington and Falls Church City Community Center. County community centers also offer many low-cost mommy and me classes in dance, tumbling, art, music, etc.
The National Building Museum in downtown DC has a great construction-themed playroom and a huge area for kids to run around. Otherwise all the free musuems in DC make for great half-day outings.
If you can, join a gym with a good daycare so you can take care of yourself while she plays with other kids.

Play WITH her. Read books, color, do puzzles, play games (Candy land), listen to music,let her cook with you and "help" clean the house (a dry rag to dust) or do laundry. Go to library story time. Do physical activity, march around the house with pots & wooden spoons,dance.The important part is that you engage her during the day not just let her watch TV. If she is allowed to do TV all day she won't want to do anything else. Save TV time for when you HAVE to do something she can't be involved in or as quiet cuddle time when you need a break and sit with her. Make sure you start to teach her quiet time. Either a nap or playing alone in her playroom or room. Start with a short amount of time 10min and build up. Also start teaching her about the new baby to come by reading stories and having her practice with her babydoll. It will take some adjustments for you, but you can do this! Good luck!

BTW, there is a book called "The Toddler Busy Book" that has some great ideas if you were not blessed with the creativity gene :)