unless a bit of tv, what do your kids do when days at home

[wildlingtribe]

I don't like to limit tv as I watched it as a kid and loved it and hasn't damaged me but I find that if they watch it sometimes they're behaviour goes out the window so sometimes we do have to limit it.

I try to encourage outside play in the garden, crafts or toys.

But they look at me like it's an effort to do these things.

[ElectroStallion]

Firstly, they are different people from you. Secondly, television content has changed -a lot- since your childhood.

We don't have a television. My children play, either alone or with one another, they do craft, they read, they do their music practice. If they don't have anything to occupy themselves with, I find little things they can do around the house (which mostly means vacuuming, or garden work!) Tbf, they're used to entertaining themselves, as they've never had a TV.

[ElectroStallion]

It is more of an effort to do other thing, usually. That doesn't mean they shouldn't though.

[almostthirty]

Mine are 2 and 4 and love painting, building train tracks, bouncing on the trampoline and climbing on the climbing frame they were also both chasing each other round the house like feral children on a scooter and bike

[whifflesqueak]

my toddler watches TV as a sort of in-between activity when I'm too busy to engage or supervise. as we have a newborn in the family now, this can be a substantial part of the day!

otherwise, like you, we try to be outside as it is really where he is happiest. how old are yours? mine is just shy of two and loves scribbling on the pavement with coloured chalk or making mud pies with old kitchenware.

[wildlingtribe]

5,4,2,4 weeks!
So very close but also very age different.

They can be very chilled and do all these things unsupervised but like above poster I have a newborn so things they can do while I'm feeding etc. Take now, I've opened the door as I'm feeding, they have a Wendy house, swing, lots of room, but are playing in this room crushing crisps into a car mat, and transporting water between bottles lol using their own imaginations yes, but also more for me to clear away once I'm done feeding...

It's just on those days when everyone seems quite highly strung, needing extra or wanting? And some days I'm out of energy and wondering why they don't want to play in the garden, toys etc.

Tv is something they have not a lot but sometimes, if I need five minutes when I can't do stuff with them.

They do play on their own a lot but I'm just on about those times when it seems like all they're doing is hanging around waiting for mummy clown to entertain them. The younger one obviously needs more supervision but sometimes I struggle unless just letting the mess go out the window.

So painting.. The older two will be fine, but two year old will need supervision, and newborn will want feeding a lot. So it never ends up a pleasant activity and I end up getting stressed as I'd tried too hard to please them.

Or when I do try an activity they'll think out the box and do the opposite of what we planned. Like tip all the craft boxes out instead of focusing on one thing

[FishWithABicycle]

Lego can absorb them for hours
Hamma beads can too but you get pestered to iron creations every so often
Educational computer games in moderation (we have a computer-programming one and maths ones which are fun to play)
Dressing up
Reading
bug hunt in the garden

Our TV only goes on in the interlude between tea time and bath time and then only if all the toys have been tidied away. I'm way stricter about this than my own parents were with me but I think I watched more than was good for me looking back.

[mediocremumatherbest]

I wish my 2 and 3 year old watched TV more! Shameful I know but true. That's the only time they're not upto mischief! Our daily activities include colouring, chalking outside, playing with toys, looking after the tadpoles, chasing each other around like lunatics, jigsaws, snakes and ladders, snap, pairs, playing shoe shops/supermarket/cooking etc. Usually if they are really annoying me I just take them to the park. I wish I could just sit them in front of Netflix for a couple of hours at a time but they always get bored and start annoying each other!

[whifflesqueak]

sounds like you have your hands quite full there, op. how about play doh? it keeps nine entertained for roughly 1 breastfeed and 1 brew making and requires minimal clearing up. if you're feeling energetic you can make your own.

[Mightywease]

I am not feeling well today so there is currently a Christmas episode of "Paw Patrol" entertaining the small one courtesy of Netflix while I lounge on the sofa.

He is also playing with cars, kinetic sand and we have had a game of match the cards.

Generally TV is on at lunchtime as he likes Bing then off until Swashbuckle at 4.00pm. Otherwise we read, well I do as he can't yet, build things with his bricks, try to learn numbers, maybe a bit of craft stuff but he isn't always into crafts, play in the garden, draw, colour, do a jigsaw.

We might draw a sea monster later if I can manage it!

I limit TV to a certain extent but as I like TV and often have it on in the background rather than music it does feel rather hypocritical