What do you *do* with your LO to fill a day?

We spend a large amount of our time at the park! We also read books. Sometimes all take him to Pets At Home to see the animals 🤣 sounds like you’re doing more than enough. Have you tried colouring? My son wasn’t interested but he loved putting the crayons in the basket and chucking them out again. That passed some time. He also loves climbing in and out of the new washing basket we got. You could get the pots and pans out to see if he wants to give those a bash?! I got mine to throw his clean nappies into the basket the other day so he technically put them away for me.

I stayed at home with my now 3 years old and she started talking at 12 months, she said a lot of words and it was very easy to understand. I now have a 16month old who also doesn’t go to nursery and his speech is similar to your little ones which I also sometimes worry about but I wouldn’t worry too much about it as long as he understands things, you’re reading loads of books and going to groups when you can. I think they’re all just different and he will get there with his speech by interacting with you.

Books,big Lego, stuffed animals, blocks, tennis balls,good suit and boots for bad weather (active child here) and just be ready for the puddles 😅 also we have a piano toy that sometimes she plays it … but if not nap/bath/food we are outside 🤷‍♀️

Some that come to mind for around the house which I’ve done recently are:
- we got him a hopper, so he sits on that and bounces which is always good if he’s a bit energetic
- mess free painting, either by putting blobs of paint on a sheet of paper, putting that in a sandwich bag which I tape down so he can splat & move the paint around
- I recently got some animal magnets foe the fridge (whole of the back is the same shape as the front, so I’ve been less anxious about him eating them) which he’s loved and great for going over names and sounds
- we got some wooden spoons, painted nursery rhymes on them (a duck, a star ect) and we like make a game of picking him out of a bag and I sing them which he tolerates

Other than that I’ve just let him follow me with chores. He likes adding items to the washing machine one by one, likes to hold the brush while I sweep ect

We live in a flat and I have an active almost 4yo and an active 17mo. We live 5 minutes from the beach and if its not too cold/windy we go down there but mainly go for walks, to the park, things away from roads where I can park up the pram and they both can be free to run around without too much concern.

I take both to a playgroup.

My son still puts things in his mouth to chew so arts and crafts are really hit and miss.

I wouldnt worry too much about his speech. My older one had 1 word at 16mo and wasnt in nursery until 2. She had maybe 10 words before 2 and then once she started nursery her language took off. Sometimes babies are so focused on skills that others are forgotten.

Sounds like you're doing a great job. My kids also have tv time to get things done otherwise I would get nothing done at all!

Also know people that have stayed home with their kids til 3 and their speech has been just fine. It will get there x