How much social interaction should a 18mth old have

[Malyna]

I am wondering how many outings you have with your toddler. I've got an almost 18mth old. We go to playgroup once a week.

I did try swimming but he's not into it (screams). I am looking around for other activities for him to do but it's difficult to get into them as they are usually fully booked.

The mothers I was meeting up with are no longer meeting. I've tried to get him into daycare (I'm a stay at home mum) but I've been told I have little to no chance there.

Am interested in hearing what activities you have lined up for your children. I only have the one child and there will be no others.

[deletedit]

They don't really interact with other kids their own age at that age, if that's what you're asking. We go to playgroup and kindergym every week and they just play sort of alongside each other until they're about two. They change soooo much at around 2, and even more again at 2.5.

[feeb]

I took DS1 to gymbaroo and swimming from 6 months to 17 months, then stopped to have DS2.

We have just recently started swimming with both 2 years and 6 months, we go to mothers group once a week and play dates with other friends, but they dont play as such, DS1 tends to do his own thing a lot of the time when at park or play centre with other kids and if anything want to play with big kids.

[STARRYSKY]

Do you have a library or communtiy centre nearby? the library near us has baby mornings with stories, music etc, its free, you usually just turn up to it, no booking or anything. plus tea/coffee and biccies for the mums!

I have been quite slack lately with DS, we go to mums group maybe twice a month, used to do swimming with a few of the girls from mums group but its all falling apart there so havent been for months....do the library maybe once a month, its at 10am so I find it hard to get DS ready to go (as well as me!!) on time.
I should suss out a playgroup, meet some new people, but it scary! LOL.

[ss_storm]

I have a 12 month old and we only go to playgroup on a Wednesday and Storytime at the library on Thursday (not that she even notices stories are being read! The first week she bounced on my leg the whole time, and last time she crawled over to the kids books and kept taking them out of the boxes on the floor but it's still good for her to be around other people I guess).

Does your local library have any programs like that you could go to? Even just going to the park and being around other kids will provide stimulation.

[Malyna]

I did take DS along to a story telling at the library, and I spent the entire time running around after him. Whenever I take him to social groupings, he tends to just run off and do his own thing. He loves being outside, which when the daytime max is 11 degrees makes him a bit of a loner.

I was curious as to how much I should try and get him to interact with other children. He loves playing with older kids. I was thinking about joining a gym with a creche so he gets to interact with other kids and I get fit

Thanks for your replies.