Need Ideas of What Kinds of Things to Do with 19 Month Old and 6 Month Old.

look for a My Gym Children's Fitness Center in your area. Many of them run sibling classes, or have mixed age classes where you can take the two kids together. also, once you're a member, they have a freeplay day where you can take them just to play for an hour (which is great because it's indoors)! During the classes there are usually 3 instructors, and are willing to help out with a child if you have to change the others diaper, etc. It's a lot of fun for the kids, and beneficial, too.

Hi K.. I went through the same thing myself. My kids are a little more spaced (22 months). My advice to you (because I don't know what kinds of things you like to do) is to get a good double stroller and do whatever you already like to do. Going for walks, going to festivals, strolling in the mall (not even to buy anything). Just never leave the house without your stroller and these tough times will work out before you know it. My youngest had colic for 3 months. It was very hard. I never seemed to stop changing diapers or feeding someone. But after another year/year in a half, life will be a whole lot more normal. Hang in there!

I like the play areas at the mall, my daughters are 4 and 8months and it works out well since the 4 year old can chat it up and play with the other kids in the play area and it is contained. There are some other places that charge a fee but that you could go to open play, in NPR there is Squidfitness and there are others around.
S. Gallo
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Hi, my daughter is 2 1/2, and my son almost 1 1/2, I'm 36 and we arrived from Europe less than a year ago. No family, no friends, no baby sitter at first, and no English for the kids until they picked up at day care.It takes time to adjust to their rythm,naps/no naps, activities etc. Lots of home play,some simple drawing,painting, crafts with the older one,toddler songs with gestures for both of them.Easy cooking such as fake daugh while the youger one takes a nap or plays. Or watches 15 min of Baby Einstein dvd.I also have the bike/trailer that is fun, even for a 6 months old but not too long as it's bad for their back to sit too long at this age.Gymboree in FT Myers is opening in Naples in October.Dinosaur palyground in Naples.Some parks or the zoo.Take a stroller for twins.If you have friends with kids, invite them to your place.I also take them to the beach(fisrt thing I did when we arrived here, and my son was 6 months old easier than now that they both run).I used to go at Miromar, and use their fountains or water ski shows as an entertainment for my older one, while I was having a drink and feeding the younger one his snack.Last but not least,patience.Another 6 months and they'll start real play together.

Try the Ergo so your hands are free for Natalie. This has helped us in a big way! Now I can give my two year old the attention he needs and my six month old feels like he is being held and has a great view of all the action! Much better than any sling or Baby Bjorn I have ever used.
You can buy one from Stephanie at http://www.abbyslane.com
Tell her Louise sent you!
Good luck!

A good idea that I have used is the play place at the mall. It's nice because the little one doesn't need to be held, but the older one gets to make "friends" and gets out to play a little. Also I have done the park with a blanket for the little one. I go to one that has a smaller version so that the 19 month old doesn't have to be followed. Keep your head up, it'll get better. Another idea is a play place that you pay like $6.00 and there are plastic type mazes and such for the older one and it's inside so it's not so hot. Just a couple examples. Story time at the library is a good one too.

K.

There are some great activities for toddlers online at ToddlerToddler.com and we also enjoy going to the mall to let our son run around in the kids area. And have you tried any of the indoor playground/classes places like Playtime express? You might also want to check for locations where Music with Mar classes are held. Those are great fun/active classes where both of your children can attend for a single fee. Good luck.

K. - I don't know where Mandarin is, but I can offer you some general ideas.
-call your local hospital maternity ward and ask them if they know of any mommy and me groups, many have them.
-chuckecheese. your little one can sit in the stroller and watch, bring snacks and toys.
-find a mall with a play area. this is a lifesaver (especially in this heat)
-libraries offer story time for toddlers, as well as barnes and nobles.
-the park is always a good choice. may have to try a few til you find a good one.
-if there is a babies r us near you, they have local parent mags there with lists of things to do (usually).
-check out the civic center near you, sometimes they offer activities.
-look in yahoo groups for moms in your area. ask them too.
-for at home, playdough is a winner. i limit my son to the kitchen table on a cookie sheet. he's been doing this since about 18 months (now 3)
- if its in your budget, look into a local gym w/ childcare. they will watch the kids while you get a little "me" time and stress mgmt.

hope this helps a little. I have two little ones too so I know its hard, but the more you practice getting out the easier it will get. :-) A.

I know that it is hard, my youngest kids are not as close in age as your little ones. I am stuck inside alot as well. I have found that just sitting down on the floor and rolling around with them is a lot of fun. I recently got a jogging stroller/bicycle trailer for my bike and I am now taking them for rides so that they get out of the house. Although 6 months is kind of young for that. You could look into My Gym! I hope some of these ideas help.

S.
Mom of 3 boys
11 1/2 Austin, 4 Colt & 14 months Logan

HI,
I am a sahm too, Only I have a little girl with Autism that runs away from me, and a little 2 year old boy that is typical..but such a boy. I know what you mean. Some days I want to jsut get the heck out of the house, other days I dread going out because I know that they are going to just cause a problem.
When my two were that age I felt the same,..actually i still do, but its easier now that I have one in school. At least it will be easier in a few weeks.
I don't know if you have a backyard, but that is what really helped me. I set up a backyard pool(you know the blow up kind. I filled it with just enough water, and let my two just splash in it since he wasn't crawling yet I sat in with them.. Or set a baby bath seat in the pool and had my son in that, and my daughter was splashing around. It kept all of us cool. I also set up a sandbox and filled that with lots of toys. We had a picnic etc. This was a little hard at fist because its not always easy getting them in their suits etc. However once we were out there it was fun. We had a sunshade and lots of trees, so we wree out there for quite a while. BEfore i knew it they were napping it was time for dinner.
Try to find a local pool where ther is a baby pool that is fenced in. I do that just about everyday.
There are also lots of books on activities to do with toddlers etc. The library is a great place to find a local playgroup. Most Moms groups like that have more then one child.
Hope this helps,
L. S.

K., I hear exactly what your saying, My daughter it two and a half and my son is 17 months old. What I did at first was whenever my son would take his nap that is when my daughter and I did things. We would color, paint, do projects. Play games on the computer. She is very outgoing and loves to do arts and crafts, but if Natalie doesn't like that maybe start letting her help you cook, my daughter loves to crack the eggs I supply an extra bowl for her of course. I know it's hard to give your time to both but it will all work out. You can even have her help you read stories to Russell, they really like to help out. You need to have time for each individual child and then time together. I wish you luck and hope for the best.
Sincerely,
J.

Buy an "Ergo carrier" it will make your life much easier.
M.

Brave it and go out to where you want to go!
Who cares if the munchkins get a bit fussy... even a lot fussy! They're kids! U r 100% right! What do you care what other people think! 95% of the population are parents and will smile that knowing smile and miss those days (if their kids are all grown up) OR just let you be. The stuffy people that have a problem with children are mean-spirited and there is nothing you can do to change that. How many times do YOU see a little one not your own "act out" a bit and just smile and go about your business? EXACTLY! I've even found that the "gramma-types" ask if you would like any help... of course not, but she then becomes an "ally" of sorts for the moment and someone to chat with while on the errand.
We were all kids and NONE of us were perfect little angels 100% of the time. I say... GO! And if someone has an issue, remind them that they (your precious little munchkins) are not their problem and will soon be out of their hair... and we were all kids once! By the sheer gall of the remark, they weren't and are not perfect NOW either! LOL! Good luck! I�m sure your kids are awesome! My oldest will be 4 in September and my youngest will be 3 in December� I understand how you feel!

K.,

It's such a bummer that you live in Jacksonville because we are in the same boat. I am not a stay home, but I have a 25 mos old and a 7 mos old... CRAZY!

A few things that I do... I try to think of what they'd be doing if they were in school; crafts, nap, kiddy work outs!

Try to put together a schedule for them... You'd be shocked by how they can both do this stuff!

Start with B-fast from 7a-730a
745a-845a then go for a early morning walk around the block (other days you can just play in the yard, color on the sidwalk with chalk; the goal is to be outside!
Clean up...
Snacks/bottles... Nap
Lunch
after that try a craft.. Parenting/Parents mags are great for crafting ideas... The baby will LOVE just sitting in the highchair with some paint...
After crafts....
Go outside again... This time head to the park or to a local zoo, etc.
Snack/bottle... Nap

The key is ROUTINE.. Kids need a routine.. You'll be much happier yourself knowing what's next...

The internet is a great help for crafting ideas and "Free" places to go with the kids...

Make it a point to visit each and every public park in the county! That's what I'm doing.

Well I hope this helps... It's worked great for my two.
Like I said I'm not a stay at home (I run our business), but my husband is a Pilot and is gone alot on the weekends and I just stick to the routine through the weekend and it's great! I plan the weekend out on Friday and follow as best as I can.

Good Luck,

Jennifer

Try gymboree. It's a gym for babies and toddlers. You can join but I just take mine once a week and it's $7.00 for 2 hours. She can run around and the floor is all mats and they have small things to climb on. Like I said it's geared towards 18 months to 5 years old. This way you can let Natilie run around, interact with other children and Russ can just hang out on the floor and practice his rolling and crawling :)

Good Luck...mine are 13 months apart too so I know how you feel.

I have 3 boys who are 26 months apart, the youngest are twins so I know what you mean about not being able to hold onto everyone! Is your backyard fenced in? We used to play in our backyard quite a bit. Sandbox, Little Tykes castle-playhouse, the usual plastic trikes, wading pool, etc. My neighbors commented once that they thought I was doing daycare at my home but it was just my kids! Sure kept them occupied and you don't have to worry so much since it's within a secure area. Later, when they were older, they had friends over and the mom's and I would sit and chat while the kids played.

The other thing my boys loved was the science center here in Orlando. There was a kiddie area with water play, age-appropriate activities, etc. and a guard at the entrance who didn't allow anyone to leave without the parent and a wristband check. Is there something like that in Jacksonville? The annual membership is affordable, even if your budget is tight. Discovery Zone was another good one. We would go once a week and play. Many times they have discount mornings...

Does your church have "mom's morning out"? You could leave your littlest and spend the morning with your older child. Fees are usually minimal. It was a lifesaver for me! If you don't necessarily have a church of your own, many local churches accept non-members children.

My last suggestion is a playgroup. Check your local newspaper for information in the ads about playgroups, check with friends, bulletin boards at your pediatricians office, the YMCA, etc. Playgroup mom's help each other out at the park and sometimes they have playgroup at someone's home. Good for mom to socialize a bit, good for the kids to have friends. Good luck!

K., My first two were 16 months apart and I often felt I would lose my mind if I stayed home one more minute! Haha. I want to echo the 'find a support group' or a 'play group' to join and make friends. A circle of friends for you becomes a circle for your children. You get adults to talk to, they get children to socialize with. Win win.

Also, remember that just being home with you is good for them. You can include your 19 month old in anything you are doing. I personally wear my children because I cannot imagine how I would function if I had to only work when they were happy off me, and mostly they are never happy off me until they can follow me around too. Wearing your baby would let you do what you enjoy with your toddler and even things as dull as loading a dryer can be fun when you count with your baby.

Best of luck, and I promise these times fly by faster than you can imagine!

P.

Hi K.,I am 22 and have an 8 month old daughter and caretake for another 7 month old, I tend to run into the same problems with the girls because they are so young but you're kids are old enough to interact more with. I am signed up on a website for a family fun weekender and always get great ideas for each weekend of ideas and fun things to do with kids and family. Check out this website: https://register.go.com/family/weekender/login
there are a few others if you google or check out msn and search for family fun ideas. Let me know if I can help you with anything. Sometimes its hard for us women who stay at home all day, I love it but at the same time its nice to interact with other adult mothers who have a family too. I am still somewhat new to the area and have been interested in taking my girls to the zoo just for an outing but I, myself have been in search of someone to go with. Let me know if your interested. I'm pretty easy going and my fiance is deployed so I try to find things to motivate me and meet new people. Good luck in your search for the appropriate activity!
Sincerly,
A.

There are many activities you can do. You can even teach your 19 month activities to interact with your 6 month old (where she will be the little teacher). Rather than go into a list, I'll tell you where I learned. My local family resource and support center. I don't know where you are located, or else I'd help you find it. They have baby development classes, that teach you all kinds of techniques, finger plays, songs, crafts and much, much more. Like how to teach baby to adjust to changes, help with sleep habits, nutrition, language development, etc. They have certified teachers, health educators, and the classes are free. All of the staff are volunteers. Here is the link to the center I visit http://www.familysupporthc.org/. Let me know if I can help you locate one in your area if you are interested, or call them to see if they can direct you to one in your area.

I forgot to mention, they also have staff trained in child psychology. If you are feeling the way I felt (fatigued, in need of support), it's a great place to go.

I would suggest joining a playgroup. There are alot of free ones in the area. This is a great way to connect to other moms and find playmates your childs age. There are playdates for the malls, libraries, zoo, members homes, Kids Kampus and a whole lot more!!! They can also give you some good tips on going out with more than one child, and how to keep your sanity! :)

Go to Yahoo! Groups and just do a search with your towns name and playgroups and you will find a ton! There are ones that only meet on the westside, or the beaches...Arlington, Argyle and Orange park....

Well aside from letting them watch mommy pull her hair out. I would say join the MOM'S Club in your area. Where about do you live? The MOM's Club is a group of stay at home mom's that get together and do things with the kids. Sometimes at someone's house and sometimes at other places that are kid/toddler friendly. I can put you in touch with the membership person if you are in my area North Cape/North Ft. Myers. Or I can point you in the right direction.
Southern Stars/Tumble Jungles/Gymboree have open play days that cost like $3-$5 a visit. Great way for them to burn some energy and you to meet other mom's in your area that stay at home too.
Hope this helps,
Tiff