weekends alone

[MamaLizard]

So imagine you are going to be on your own with two kids under five for the entire weekend. Your partner is away on business. It's absolutely pouring with rain, you're relatively new to the country so you don't know anyone to play date with and have no family or friends nearby. Aside from a Disney movie marathon, what on earth do you do to keep all three of you entertained and sane?

[iamtotallyserious]

Where do you live?

Craft - draw pictures, do stickers, junk modelling (essentially glueing together old boxes etc into creations), painting

Play doh - you can make your own which is fun in itself (for the kids!), adding glitter / food colouring / smells etc, or use pre prepared / bought stuff. Let them use stuff from the kitchen with it too - cookie cutters, potato masher, rolling pins

Bake - simple cookies (lots of rolling and cookie cutters etc) or flapjack or cupcakes which are fun to decorate (you could use

[iamtotallyserious]

whoops posted to soon!

.. Could use Betty Crocker box mix or similar for the base for ease : if you don't want mess or hassle of making from scratch

Make pizza - you can buy pre prepped dough and out toppings on

Board games - Orchard games etc do lots of fun games (we have lots of these in the house already but whatever you have really)

Dressing up

Lego - my oldest (4) is recently into 'little' Lego and can play a long time with this

Early bath and bed!!

[MamaLizard]

Thank you! You're a much better mum than me!! I'm in Seattle...

[Sadmother]

Mine used to love really long baths when it was rainy. You could go for a rainy, splashy walk then long bath followed by a film.

[Noteventhebestdrummer]

Geocaching
Somewhere like IKEA with lunch and a ball pit
Museum for a short time
Wine

[twirlypoo]

Im a lone parent so this happens regularly for me unfortunately (though not in Seattle!)

We start off with the kids cinema club and then afterwards we go swimming usually. Sunday we tend to go a national trust place (even in the rain!) so that everyone is knackered, and then I have told Ds that it's the law on Sunday's that we watch a DVD in bed after lunch.....

Other suggestions are: baking, making craft pictures, going to ikea, museums.... Erm..... ooh making mixtures is a favorite (flour, food colouring, bowls, water, lots of patience!)

Hope it goes well!

[MamaLizard]

You gals are totally amazing! Thank you for all the tips! Xxx

[PurpleThermalsNowItsWinter]

Split the day into sections for a start.
Breakfast - morning snack = free play. Tidy up for morning snack time.
Morning snack - lunch = organised arts & crafts activity.
Lunch - afternoon tea (sorry, v. English) = museum or library trip? Or just some random bus/train journey & back again for some fresh air (google is your friend here. Try what's on in the local area? And look up travel times).take snacks or go to a cafe & you might even keep them out longer. A great way to explore.
Afternoon tea - dinner = tv time/free play.
Post dinner = wine for you & a movie for the DC.

I do weekends on my own regularly (DH is works away). Swimming regulations here mean I couldn't take my two DC unless a second adult came along. Bowling is fun when they're older, as are cafes for snacks/afternoon tea. Finger painting, long bubble baths & baking are always fun.

[RudeElf]

Get onto FB and find all local kid/parenting groups/clubs and events on in your area. Join local selling pages and ask if anything is on this weekend for kids/families. I dont know what seattle is like but it is a city so there will be something on.

[RudeElf]

Museums, softplay, swimming pool, cinema, library.