Daily Structure - Finding Toddler Activities

I have to admit that I am kind of a control freak when it comes to scheduling. When I am at home alone with Willow, the day is structured as far as meal and nap times but sometimes I find that I am looking for more. Both she and I are no longer really content to just let her play with "whatever" all day long since, frankly, it gets boring.

When Willow is at daycare, she has a structure to the day as far as activities and whatnot and that's something I want for her to have at home more. So, I decided to post on some fun activities that you may want to include in your day at home with your toddler!!

But before I talk about some fun activities, I wanted to talk about structure. I like order. You might not believe it to look at my house, but I try. So, I find myself really searching for order to the day with Willow. Babies and toddlers LOVE to have structure to their day because it is comfortable for them since they know what they can expect. David and I went to Disney for our 7th anniversary in October, and my in-laws babysat Willow for a couple of days. We gave them a detailed booklet on caring for her but they would forget something from time to time. When this happened, Willow was right there pointing or looking at what was supposed to come next!! My silly toddler! Well, she was 12.5 months old then. Now, she's 15 months old!! I can't believe it, but I digress.

Is a structured day right for you? Or, do you prefer to just let the day take it's coarse? Either way, adding activites that are fun for both you and your toddler is a good idea. Especially if what you have been up to lately seems monotonous or boring.

How do you begin to structure the day for both you and your toddler? Well, you can begin with what you have right now! What time do(es) your child(ren) eat or take a nap? You can quite easily divide the day between times when solidly routine things happen. For us, Willow starts her day at about 6:00am with a diaper change, bottle and then getting dressed. Then we go downstairs and both the child and the adults eat a food breakfast and then it's free-for-all time until the next meal time or nap time.

At our house we have an opportunity for an activity after breakfast and before the first snack and then an activity before the morning nap.

Now bear in mind that you, the adult, have things that you have to get done as well so you should try to incorporate solo activities for your child(ren) in addition to activities you can both enjoy. That way you can do fun stuff like dishes or laundry!! Or heck, go all out and shower for the day!!

Once you have identified the time you have during the day for activities, it's time to decide on the activities you want to pick to fill that time!! Obviously, you want age-appropriate activities. But, how do you know what to pick? No one knows your child and what they are capable of better than you do!!

Willow likes to open and close doors and drawers. She also loves paper, specifically ripping and eating it. Another fun thing to do involves finding out how neat it is to bang things together to see what can make the loudest noise possible. She also likes to hide-and-seek and read books. She has just started to color in daycare and she loves to explore outside. I just have to take those things and come up with fun activities we can either do together or that can keep her occupied on her own.

Fortunately, or unfortunately for me, Willow is not interested in television. I am sure the time when she is will come and I am kind of glad she isn't interested in it since I don't want her addicted to it, like I am *wink*.

I'll be working on my activity list for Willow this week but wanted to leave you with some ideas.

Coloring is always a good thing but finding the space to do it where it will be the least destructive is sometimes hard. Why not buy a roll of paper and tape it to the floor or the wall? That way your child doesn't have to be too careful about where he or she draws and the urge to draw on the wall or the floor is satisfied!! For kids that are new to the drawing scene, you may want to get some Chubbi Stumps, which are crayons made for beginners!!

Another good idea, if you have the room, is to clear out a cabinet and drawer for your toddler to have in the kitchen. Fill them with old tupperware or measuring cups or pots and pans you don't really use and they'll have a ball taking things out of and putting them into there!!

Do you have magnets on your fridge? Because if you don't you should get some!! Willow loves playing with magnets!! BUT, you have to MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO SMALL PARTS THAT CAN BE SWALLOWED!!

Willow loves it when she can shake something and it makes a noise. So, I found this neat activity to make a "rainmaker" for her!!

Paper Towel Roll Rainmaker
Summary: Need a few extra minutes to load the laundry or get dinner on the table? Entertain your toddler quickly with this easy-to-make toy.

Details: CAUTION: Adult supervision is always recommended when creating these crafts. Please note that there may be small parts for some of the crafts that could be a choking hazard for children under three years of age and/or tools needing close adult supervision. Created crafts may not be intended for use as toys and these should only be used with adult supervision by children under three years of age.

Even with all of the bells and whistles that come with today's toys, children at this age can get bored with them fairly quickly. This surprisingly simple-to-make toy will keep your child's attention for several minutes.

Let it Rain

• Wrap tin foil around one end of an empty paper towel holder.


• Use several pieces of masking tape to cover the foil.


• Tear off any excess foil for the outside of the holder.


• Fill the paper towel holder with several dried beans and a handful of uncooked rice.


• Seal up the other side in the same fashion as the first.


• Demonstrate how to turn the paper towel holder up and down so that your child can hear the “rain.” A few rousing rounds of “Rain, Rain, Go Away” will help pass the time, too.

Good luck in structuring your time (if that's what works best for you and your family) and in finding some activities for you and your family to enjoy throughout the day!! I hope I have been a help!!


More Information:

• Huggies Happy Baby has an activity search function where you can search by age or by skills. Because our kid is way smarter than other peoples' kids, right? *smile*


• PBS Parents Activity Search has a ton of options for you and your family. You can even search by shows that are on PBS that your child may watch!!