Are your kids bored too? What to do with 4-8 year olds?

[FromTheAllotment]

I just don’t know what to do with mine at weekends at the moment

Walks. Bike rides. Neither of them have that much enthusiasm any more tbh.

Trying to avoid endless screen time, but a bit of Mario Kart is their favourite.

Everything either needs booking ages in advance (eg swimming- booked up round here till after half term) or needs good weather or frankly is something we’ve done to death.

We’ll probably bake again tomorrow but again it’s something we’ve done loads of.

I am not a fan of crafts. And neither are my DC- well DD is, but she does that by herself anyway.

Help we’re all getting so despondent at weekends now and I just don’t see them getting better...

If have a lot of routines at the weekend since lockdown. Sat am homework, Sat evening film night, Sun pm board games.

I also employ the technique of asking the dc to help with housework if they complain about boredom.

I have a 6 and a 7 year old, (and a toddler).

I think letting them bored is one of those things that’s difficult at first, but they get it and it’s great. In the morning on a Saturday we visit a park, back for lunch. Then homework. Film in the afternoon and then in the afternoon we go to the shop or they play upstairs.
Nothing wildly exciting, but I think it’s about managing expectations.
I also book stuff even if it feels like ages away as it’ll roll around.

It’s not your problem to solve all the time - I presume they have toys? They’ll bug you because they know you’ll magically produce some wholesome considered activity, which is easier than them actually having to figure stuff out themselves. Let them get on with it for a bit!

I agree, let 'em get bored, they'll whine, you'll ignore it and they'll find something to do. We didn't have screens (except TV which was sparse in its programmes for kids) in the 60/70s and we found stuff to do that wasn't organised by parents.

That's not to say I don't feel your pain, OP

I was feeling a bit guilty about not playing with my 8 year old enough so this morning we had a pirate treasure hunt searching for gold coins around the house and attempted to make a jellyfish in a bottle out of a plastic bag.
That’s about my limit for the morning. Swimming this afternoon and a walk to the woods tomorrow with a bit of homework mixed in.
Technically we can have play dates in our area but people are getting more cautious as it’s clearly circulating in the surrounding area

Let them get bored for a chunk of time.
Lego, fabulous and high-quality documentaries on Disney Plus, Chris Hart drawing videos on YouTube, helping around the house (eg sorting out their drawers, picking out toys they no longer need and can donate to charity), interesting podcasts, watch age appropriate news, research travel destinations, make shopping lists. I’m a lazy parent who has refused to constantly entertain my child or plan things for him (the only exception is travel but that’s more for my benefit). We discuss a lot of issues in the news. He’s a well-balanced, independent, kind, quirky, engaging 9 year old. I know it must be more challenging with 2 kids but I truly believe a bit boredom is a good thing.

I hear you. I'm a tired, lazy single parent to an 8 year dd with no siblings and a dad who doesn't ever take her. So unless we organise playdates which is harder at weekends i find it's just her and me. If weather good we scoot to local park and maybe get a Costa en route. At Costa i usually bring an activity book we do together. That's the activity done for the day so I don't feel guilty about movies or screen time pm.

We might play board games or top trumps. I rarely engage in role play stuff as so boring but will sit and watch while barbies or LoLs do something.

Sometimes we go and see a film and make it a day out eg Mc Donalds and movie and then browse in shops. Sometimes we go to a park further afield and make it a day out, bring picnic.

I hear you re swimming and prebooking stuff. We tend to just find free stuff in parks. Are there any halloween trails near you coming up?

Don't feel guilty about screen time. They are at school all week so down time at weekends are good. I actively encourage down time at weekends. I agree with PP. They don't need constant entertainment. I work all week too so also need some down time.

Geocaching, still a walk, but a bit more fun.

I have a 4 year old and a toddler. Swimming can only be booked a week in advance here so we go swimming once a week but it’s the only indoor thing we do. We are considering going to some museums over half term but numbers are rising and DH is extremely vulnerable. We are torn between is it safe, we have to get used to the new normal and numbers are going up so if we want to do it then sooner is better than later.

Second geo caching
www.geocaching.com/play - described as the world's biggest treasure hunt!

But also 'leave them be'. Children need to think for themselves, create and be imaginative. Making dens from furniture and sheets, mixing their toys with cardboard boxes, sometimes just a large empty box...it can be anything they want it to be...rocket, castle, boat, tractor.

Oh geocaching is a good idea.
Thanks guys. Yeah I’m not looking to fill their every moment, they’re okay with occupying themselves sometimes, it just feels like week after week they say “are we doing anything this weekend?” and I just have no suggestions/nothing to offer.

Good point about booking properly in advance as well. At the moment I’m complaining about things being booked up weeks in advance but that’s not really going to change is it, I need to get in gear and book some things for November if that’s the best I can get!! Rather than get to them and realise there’s still nothing we can do!!!

And yeah they do have toys, but after lockdown, they’re basically bored of everything! For both of them, the things which used to get them excited are now a bit played out and old news... and with Christmas on the way I’m not really in the mood to buy them new things right now. But Christmas will hopefully solve that I guess.

Would they enjoy helping you to cook dinner? Maybe they plan the menu, do the shopping list, go to the supermarket to buy the ingredients and then come home and cook them? Or maybe a similar thing with setting up a pizza station so that they can make their own, followed by an ice cream sundae station with different ice creams and toppings. Not high excitement, but might be a bit different than usual!
Might be a bit early, but a lot of places are doing Halloween trails instead of trick or treating this year, so something to look out for.
Take a neighbour's dog for a walk, assuming you have a willing neighbour!
Treasure hunt in the house or garden. try and do some difficultish clues, so that it takes a bit longer.
Trip to the garden centre. Mine usually does a Halloween activity with the reward of a lolly or some such, not sure if happening this year due to covid but I can't see why not as it doesn't involve any social interaction. There is always something nice to see there anyway, eg firework/Halloween decorations, and then Christmas decorations.
Communal jigsaw might get their interest.

Mine are the same age and to be honest they don't need much "entertaining " they play in the playroom together or out in the garden. Currently the dd 7.5 is doing arts and crafts by herself in the dining room. And youngest (5) is watching some tv but was playing Lego all morning really so I don't mind. I haven't really had to get involved except to help find an "important" Lego piece and to get more cardboard for dd (god only knows what she is making but she's happy)

An actual treasure hunt! YES - DD loves them and I haven’t done one in ages. DS is just learning to read so he’d be pretty engaged too. Excellent, thank you (I can’t believe Forth’s post didn’t make me think of that )

Just been on my FB, and a lot of people (various parts of the country) are going to Pick Your Own Pumpkin places. Don't know if that is an option for you.

I was interested in you name fromtheallotment hoping for a vision of your kids in wellies, knee deep in mud, digging over the plot, planting seeds, making bug houses, collecting fallen apples and baking pies.

DS certainly fits the bill in terms of filthy bug hunter, he thinks he’s Gerald Durrell. Spends allotment time digging worms for the neighbours’ chickens and comes home more mud than child. DD only resembles the baking bit of your description

PYO pumpkin is already booked up round here too! We have a very popular local place... basically I’ve been too slow off the mark with booking things 🤦‍♀️ But thanks to this thread I have two outings lined up for November, so progress is being made