What do you do with your 1 year old??

[Leisa21]

So DS is 13 months old and we dont go to any mothers groups or have a lot of friends with children his age. i know he could use more interaction with other kids, we're getting there. but i wonder what do you do with your 1 year old. Some days i'm at a loss. It's 11am and we've already done everything lol.

Plays outside, inside, runs through the house, sorts out my washing lol, play play dough, paint, twice a week we go swimming, we go to the library and he plays with other kids there. But yeah, whats you're routine, how do you keep a walking 1 year old happy and stimulated. He's very intellegent and active and only sleeps for around 1 hour - 1 1/2 hours per day. So I have from around 6am to 7pm to amuse him, excluding his sleep time and meal time. Any suggestions. Do you have them in an activity routine???

I'm getting the guilts a bit from people having a go about him needing more. I'm told he should have a sibling or be in day care he's to clever, he needs more. So yeah my son is a bit of a clever chicken but I think people forget he's only one. I was chatting to a friend about it this morning. And yeah she said if you're happy stuff it. I am happy but I'd like to feel like I am giving him enough and if I'm being honest there are a couple of times a week where I know he's bored and I dont know what else to do with him once I've done everything.

TIA

[Skittles]

Hey :D

Will continue our convo here....and bump this up for u so someother mummies can reply. Well I have DD as well as DS. Maybe get some friends and try catch up with them one day a week (with similar aged children). Also there are things like those play centres. I know wriggle it is free for under 2(i think thats the age) and they have an awsome little kids area with climbing things and ball pits etc.

Will come bak and add if i think of anything else

[SAMum]

don't listen to people who say you should send him to daycare :no:
I think they need less planned stimulation than we think. When left to his own means my DS1 when he was 1 would find all sorts of things to amuse himself.
Blocks are great toys to have around, also a kitchen cupboard with lots of different plastic containers etc, he would play with this for ages. I think it's better if they are not constantly entertained, better for them to develop their imagination. My DS is extremely intelligent and like your's would sleep for max 1 hour a day. Try leaving him to his own devices a bit and just potter around the house doing your usual housework etc. I always went on a daily walk with him too, initially in the pram but as soon as he could walk reasonably well I got him to walk, this meant a short walk around the block would take over half an hour but it was amazing the things that took his eye and he still loves walking now. Also kids CD's, I would put these on and sing and dance around like a mad woman, he loved it :laughing:

[kirstenriley]

perhaps join a playgroup or kindergym or something?

[Leisa21]

Thanks ladies :)

Skittles I've organised with my cousin to catch up one day a week so that should help! We need to do a catch up too :D Where is wriggle it and are helicopter Mums allowed to hover :p???

SA Mum I know what we mean. The thing is we already do all that but it doesnt fill in 14 hours of a day and I find there is about an hour or so out of a day that I'm struggling to keep him happy. The 2 or 3 days a week we go swimming he's fine. Everyday he follows me doing the house work, plays outside while I hang the washing. As for kitchen cupboards well kitchen is a no go zone as its very small. But he sits outside of it with the tupperwear box and has a ball. Yeah, like I said I'm just looking for something a bit extra for him to help fill in our days. I think the hot weather is also making it a bit harder.

Kristen - I'm not keen on playgroups I never have anything in common with the mums and I hover too much for their liking. I took Aidan to Gymboree yesterday and was pretty disappointed. Definately a waste of money. Do they do young Mums play groupss???

[Skittles]

Thanks ladies :)

Skittles I've organised with my cousin to catch up one day a week so that should help! We need to do a catch up too :D Where is wriggle it and are helicopter Mums allowed to hover :p???


Its a kingston. Just near lifestyle gyms on the corner of kingston and queen roads. And yes...you are expected to hover.....lol

would love to catch up. only have DS on tuesdays. So thats probably best unless u want a very high strung 3 yr old around as well

[Leisa21]

Its a kingston. Just near lifestyle gyms on the corner of kingston and queen roads. And yes...you are expected to hover.....lol

would love to catch up. only have DS on tuesdays. So thats probably best unless u want a very high strung 3 yr old around as well
I shall hover away:D.

Tuesdays are good for us.... unless of course, how good of a baby sitter is DD:p

[Skittles]

Hahahah your funny Leisa!!! DD is feral. I have to watch her all hours..including at night i use babygates becuase otherwise she gets into everything!! I could just see the two little boys taken swimming in jelly or something if she got ehr way.

Actually that sounds quite fun. There is another activity for u :D

[Mrs Potts]

I think they need less planned stimulation than we think.
I absolutely agree with this! I also agree with the rest of SAmum's post & about leaving them to their own devices.

DS never went to any planned activities or the like until he started daycare (out of necessity) at age 3. He was fabulous at amusing himself. (Sadly, can't say the same about the 8 yr old he's become but that's a whole other issue! ;)) It certainly never hindered him with regard to being able to socialise once it became time for him to do so.

DD1 is the same. She was at daycare between the ages of 6 and 18 months, but again only out of necessity. Now she's at home with me and don't do any planned activities either. They just don't interest me at all and she's certainly not suffering because of it. Now that I have DD2 to look after as well, DD1 is forced to amuse herself a lot of the time and it's amazing the things she comes up with.

I'd tell others to mind their own business. If you want to "do" stuff with your DS then do it, but don't do it because other people think you should.

[Leisa21]

Hahahah your funny Leisa!!! DD is feral. I have to watch her all hours..including at night i use babygates becuase otherwise she gets into everything!! I could just see the two little boys taken swimming in jelly or something if she got ehr way.

Actually that sounds quite fun. There is another activity for u :D
Hooray, this arvo when Aidan wakes, jelly fight it is:p

[Skittles]

woot woot. I am in!!! Lol

[Leisa21]

woot woot. I am in!!! Lol
I only have diet jelly, I hope thats ok :p

[Kangaskippy]

Things I use to do with my DS1 when he started walking at 9mths onwards:


Blocks
drawing
cooking - making cookies and they help cut out the cookies
Playdough
Painting
Stickers
Cars
Make an aeroplane or car out of a box
Make an oven out of a box (my 2.5yr old loves cooking his playdough in it or drawing/working on the outside)
Walk
Swings
Park
Small wading pool with lots of containers
Plastic container cupboard
pots and pans
Reading
puzzles
Educational tv shows
fingerpainting
Playing with goo (cornflour, colouring and water) messy but alot of fun
Horsey rides
dancing

If I think of anything else I will add it...