Stay at Home Moms - Palmerton,PA

When my son was a toddler, we were always out the door by 8am to the park, mall (it was opened for walkers who wanted indoor exercise) or some store like the grocery store (never to shop) or Home Depot. I didn't really have to play with him because he would just run around and explore, or I could give him a toy car and he'd make everything a road. We'd have a snack and play some more or I'd run errands. We were always home for lunch and right after lunch was naptime. Afternoons was our 1 on1 playtime. I'd read books, do puzzles, or build blocks with him. Then I'd go do some sort of chore and had him play on his own, but kept him in one room, usually the living room or kitchen...I never let him go wander if I could help it. It taught him to stay put and focus on an activity, so as he got older, being at home wasn't so hard and I didn't feel I had to entertain him constantly. I tried to keep a schedule where for every 30 mins of housework/work I did, I'd play with him for 30 mins as well.

Now my husband...that's a different story. As soon as he got home, he'd take over and took our son whereever he went - yard work, garage work, watching the ball game, playing outside. It was a nice break until bedtime.

I have been home for the school holidays - lucky me! I have a 4 and 9 year old. And honestly we have no schedule, we eat whenever, play whenever, I am guided by their cries of I'm bored!
I am not much of a "player" with my children, luckily they play well together, but I do swim with them every day for at least an hour, if we didn't have a pool, I would take them on a daily basis, I play tennis with my oldest, or I will once a week play a board game.

The only thing that is set in stone is breakfast and lunch and sometimes if they are busy playing those get pushed ahead or may get made earlier. It also depends on what we have going on later that night and how late they sleep. Mine are 5 and 10 and been a sahm for 6 years.

For my kids schedules don't work. I of course will play with them, take them to the park, or even jump on the trampoline with them. But they also know that Mom has housework, yard work, and school work to do as well.

I have six children, but the oldest two are 15 and 18, so they are able to help me with the little ones, as well as being able to entertain themselves when they don't have chores or school work to do. 15yo has a dog.
The other four are 7, 3, 2, and 1. The 7yo is also pretty good at entertaining himself, but he does like me to play games with him sometimes too. He also has a dog. We also have an outdoor cat (cat's choice; I'd prefer he was indoors, lol).
This schedule is what a typical day during the school year was like last year. We homeschool, as well.

5:30-6 am - husband feeds the cat, takes the dogs out and goes to work, and I let dogs back in after a bit. I get a shower, and then I might do some baking, read a book, check email, play a computer game, or just go back to bed until my daughter gets up.
8 am - 2 yr old gets up (on her own). The two of us have breakfast and then she cuddles with me while I read her a story, or she watches "Baby Signing Time" while I start my chores (sometimes she "helps" me).
8:30 am - 15yo gets up, fixes breakfast for herself and 3yo, and then may start her school work or take a shower. 3yo gets up and eats breakfast, and he and 2yo play with chalkboard or toys while I do housework. 15yo helps me keep an eye on them while we work.
9:00 am - 18yo gets up, sometimes gets breakfast and/or a shower, and starts his school work (now he's graduated and looking for a job, so this will change). 7yo gets up, feeds the dogs, and fixes his own breakfast with some help if needed.
9:30 am - 1yo gets up. I start lessons with 7yo while the 15yo and 18yo watch the little ones play. 18yo usually does his school work at the same time.
10 am - I watch LOs (take them outside if weather's good), other 3 do school work (instructional DVDs, CDs, and computer games for 7yo who is still learning to read). If they have questions while I'm outside, they might call my cell phone, lol.
11 am - 15yo does some chores, 18yo watches little ones (usually puts in a kids' movie or helps them build block towers), I get lunch started and work on paperwork (menu plans, lesson plans, grading papers, or bills).
Noon - We all eat lunch. I get a lunchtime text from husband or I text him, often just to say "love you." :-) Then I settle 1yo for a nap, 15yo watches 2yo, 18yo watches 3yo, 7yo plays a video game or helps entertain 3yo. This is kind of a break, b/c the little ones often nap or have "quiet time" after lunch. Might watch a DVD or I'll read to them.
Around 1:30 pm - unless I have errands to run, I watch LOs play. If I have no pressing chores to do, I play with them. 1yo is usually still napping. 2yo, 3yo, and 7yo generally play together, and older two work on more school work or chores.
2 pm - 1yo gets up, 15yo watches her, 18yo watches 2yo and 3yo, I work with 7yo on the rest of his schoolwork.
3 pm - I take LOs and help 7yo if he's not finished, while 15yo and 18yo do the rest of their schoolwork. Generally 1yo sits in my lap while we watch the 2yo and 3yo play or draw pictures.
3:30 pm - on Mondays, 15yo has guitar lessons. Other days, schoolwork and chores continue.
4:15 pm - schoolwork is generally finished. I watch LOs while I check email or finish up housework. 15yo and 18yo have free time, which they usually spend in their rooms or on the computer. On Tuesdays, 7yo takes trash cans back up for the neighbors and brings ours up. Fridays I take him to PE class with our homeschool group (usually take LOs with me and let them run around). On other days, 7yo usually plays outside or rides bikes with the neighborhood kids.
5:15 pm - we do one last "pick-up" through living/dining rooms before dad gets home. I often sing to, dance with, and/or chase the LOs while we do this.
5:45 pm - dad gets home; he and I sit on the porch to relax and talk while the older kids watch the LOs. 15yo usually starts dinner, and 18yo makes sure we have clean dishes.
6 pm - twice a month, Dad takes 7yo to Cub Scouts.
6:15 pm - I usually take over dinner prep. Dad plays on the floor with the LOs, 15yo and 18yo spend some more time in their rooms or go for a walk.
7 pm - We eat dinner. 7yo clears the table.
7:30 pm - Dad usually watches LOs while I take one or both of the teens to hang out with friends or visit relatives, or we have someone come over. If no visiting, we usually watch a family movie, play a game, talk on the phone with a friend, or just have free time. I often play a game with 7yo (sometimes Dad joins in). Once a month, the older two babysit the LOs (paid) so Dad and I can go out.
8:30 pm - LOs get baths and ready for bed.
9 pm - Dad takes a bath and gets ready for bed. 7yo follows shortly.
10 pm - I usually spend a little time "hanging out" and talking with 15yo and/or 18yo about whatever they want. Then I head for bed, too.
11 pm - All lights out.

HTH!

I don't spend much time sitting and playing with my kids. I wish I did, but we basically only read a few times a day, and then occasionally we might play a game or something. Typically they play without me, we then go on an outing together, and that's when I spend my time with them.

Our daily schedule is like this:

get up
computer game time (while I workout and shower)
Breakfast
Free play --housecleaning for me
Go somewhere and do something fun
Lunch
Reading
Quiet time (videos)
play outside
dinner
books/stories
bed

I don't believe you need to set aside specific time to play with your kids. I talk to them all day long, and when I am doing housework, they are usually close by, playing.

Okay, no offense but this is asked A LOT, you may want to try the search engine, but I will give you a quickie. Plus, it depends on age group of kids. Mine is 5 I have one.

wake around 7 eat with in 30 min
play (mostly on his own always has) for most of the am while I do housework - play on here - watch a show or something until snack 10ish
play more or go out depending on day
lunch around 12
play more or do a play date until snack 3ish
play more, do house work etc until dinner 6ish
hang with daddy - then bed time 8pm.

It is good to have a loose schedule with deifniates - my pedi suggests eating time be the definate and try to be flexible with the rest. I often suggest things for my son to do his choice to do it, but he plays solo or I with him for a little while.