If you have 2 under 4....please come over here and...

[Sycamoretree]

Tell me how you avoid the cbeebies marathons during these winter months.

Mornings are fine. DD at nursery, DS at playgroup or a pop to shops, swift go on swing if not raining or below zeros temperatures.

Then at lunchtime DS naps for between one and two hours and DD engages in some sort of crafts with one on one attention.

But after that it often feels like a stuggle, and some days it seems like the tv is on for hours. It's just hopeless trying to do any activities that they can both join in on. DD just gets cross when DS messes up her tea parties etc, and DS (17 months) barely engages in any kind of play with someone, preferring instead to just wander around the kitchen and dining room playing with cars, wooden fruit and climbing up everything he shouldn't.

Any good ideas? I can think of plenty of things to do with DD but so many seem to involve me having to give her 80% of my attention, which isn't fair on DS as he gets GERUMPY!

[notnowbernard]

Well, it sounds like your dc have a pretty varied day to me!

Lots of activity AND 1:1 time

When mine were that age, C-Beebies was always on in the afternoon... particularly in the run-up to dinner time, to get them out from under my feet

[notnowbernard]

A trip to ASDA ?!?! As an 'activity'?!

[midnightexpress]

It's rubbish isn't it? We try to avoid TV before 5, but ds1 spends most of the afternoon saying 'is it 5 yet mummy?'. My only consolation for you is that it shouldn't be too long before your ds can play together with your dd . I'm quite lucky - my two are quite close in age, and both boys so at least are interested in the same toys (which has its own problems of course).

Cooking? Mine both stand on little stools and 'help' - though ds1 does a bit more than ds2, who mostly just licks the spoon.

Washing up

Stick em in the bath if you get desperate.

Roll on spring!

[theinsider]

I have 3 under 4 and don't think there's anything wrong with a lot bit of c-beebies. As long as there's plenty of other stuff in there too. My DD is at nursery in the afternoons, mornings taken up with playgroups, errands etc. Telly goes on after nursery and stays on.

They learn loads from c-beebies, it really is educational, not just american cartoons with adverts in between.

[notnowbernard]

Yes, I have used the "deep bubble bath" as an intervention

[fryalot]

mine loved trips to asda as an activity!

really, twas what they would choose to do given an option.

Libraries often have a time for littlies to go and be read to. If your kids like books then that may be an option.

Don't worry too much about them watching cbeebies, it's not as if you're dumping them in front of the telly and never talking to them

[theinsider]

If you actually want to avoid it rather than just be given permission to do it, then the only thing is to turn it off and keep it off.

[hazeyjane]

My 2 are 2.10 and 20 months. Dd1 builds things, dd2 destroys them, dd1 draws and sticks, dd2 climbs on the table and plays with scissors, dd1 cooks, dd2 climbs on chair and plays with knives etc

They are both watching Higgledy House at the moment whilst i mumsnet tidy.

[Sycamoretree]

Thanks ladies, all good.

Yes, library, DH tends to do that one and I have been known to frequent the local soft play centre, though my blood pressue does suffer now that DD is out of the under 3's bit, LOL.

[theinsider]

I really think it does them good to learn to chill out by themselves, to learn that mummy is their constant entertainer (or not al the time anyway), to learn that mummy needs a bit of peace and quiet sometimes, or even space to cook dinner in peace.

[theinsider]

ha, I meant that mummy isn't their sonstant entertainer!

[notnowbernard]

Seriously, the idea of voluntarily going to ASDA (or any supermarket), with small children, with the idea that we will find it an entertaining way to pass the time, makes me want to weep...

I am always the Mother that looks like she is in need of the support of Tanya Byron when we are in a supermarket

[theinsider]

I did take mine to IKEA once when it was pissing down, mainly for their entertainment. They loved all the different "rooms" all with sofas and beds to sit on, a million cupboards to open etc.

[Sycamoretree]

Yes, I definitely do want the tv off a bit more. There are times when I love settling them down for a programme, and we sky plus their favourites, so ideally I'd like to just stick on one programme at a good time (when me or DH are making tea - shared childcare) and then switch it off when said favourite programme ends.

I know beebies (as all tv is known as in our house) is educational, and DD in particular has had her horizons and language broadened by it's presence in our lifes, but when it starts feeling like white noise, I know it's been on too long.

DS does LOVE to do playdough with DD, but I'm afraid he really has yet to cotton on to the fact that he actually must not ever, never eat it!

[Sycamoretree]

This is all good and making me feel much less like a lazy crap mum better about the tv/play balance in our lives

Seriously though, there have been some really good suggestions on this thread. I would think about the Ikea option if it didn't involve the north circular...

[PinkFurryStripeyTiger]

I have 3 under 4.
Cebeebies is good for whne DS comes in from preschool, esp. at postman pat is on a 4 at the mo. DD1 also watches something special in the morning whilst I get the pram etc. ready for going out. Otherwise, sometimes it's on, sometimes it isn't.

MIne usually do playdoh at the kitchen table or somesuch whilst I get tea together.

Otherwise, they just have free, unsupervised, unstructured play.

Turn the tv off at the socket if they can turn it on themselves.

[Sycamoretree]

Yes REV, I have often used the cafe angle, though our local supermarche has le starbucks attached, which is not good for my waistline...

Now you've got me daydreaming about a toffee nut latte....