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Trapped Toddler Parents of Winter 2020/21 Support Thread - Puddlesuits at the ready!

999 replies

ReallySpicyCurry · 24/10/2020 17:44

Are you the parent of a small child who doesn't yet sit still for more than five minutes? Do local lockdowns mean there are no baby and toddler groups for miles? Are you sick of walking the same three routes every day since March? Then come and join our support thread! I have started this after some of us had a good moan on a thread in AIBU ("To be worried about staying sane stuck inside all winter with a 2 year old?") because I thought it might be nice to share ideas/activities/general moans and concerns, over what is probably going to be a tricky winter for those of us with babies and toddlers.

Don't forget the answer to all your prayers though... The ever reliable puddlesuit. Puddlesuits are absolutely mandatory this year, and you are expected to wrestle your child into one and make them jump in puddles daily. If your child goes blue with cold, administer a swift dose of hot chocolate and hope your local Amazon delivery driver gets move on with your latest order of kinetic sand/playdough/ball pit/stickers. Failing all else, Peppa Pig is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, in October as in March.

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PinkDaydreams · 02/11/2020 13:41

Something I saw in a front garden which could be adapted to go in the bath or even a tough tray underneath.......I don't know what they're called but they're long plastic pipes similar to a hoover hose, swing them round to make a noise about 50p eaxh from asda, stuck onto the wall and you can run water down them or marbles to see which one gets down quickest.
God that sounds like an awful thing but I promise it looked fun! I'll see if I can find an image similar

PinkDaydreams · 02/11/2020 13:45

The pipes and a picture of something similar

MessAllOver · 02/11/2020 14:26

Could I ask for some advice? Those of you who have had to isolate for 14 days... Is there anything we should make sure we have in the house or buy in preparation for it just in case?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Camomila · 02/11/2020 14:45

I was the illest when we had to self-isolate so not sure about DC entertainment (DH had to look after everyone) but I'd recommend lots of sore throat sweets and berocca. I'd also freeze a loaf of bread and some milk.

kwaziseyepatch · 02/11/2020 16:36

@OhRosalind I borrowed 3 sets of boon pipes from Whirli a while ago. They were pretty fun, easy to dry too

ReallySpicyCurry · 02/11/2020 16:48

Dh did a good activity with DD earlier

"Feed the Monster"

You draw a monster face on card and cut out a big wide mouth. Place it over a bowl/basin depending on size, and "feed" it with whatever you like - DH and DD used dried pasta. I was at work but was sent pictures and apparently it kept DD occupied for quite a while

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ReallySpicyCurry · 02/11/2020 16:52

Those pipes look amazing. 50p from Asda you say? Grin

On Amazon they have a mini bathtub basketball hoop and ball set which I've had my eye on. The hoop auctions to tiles.

Myriad Natural Toys also does a range of boats - there are some lovely big ones, but they have smaller ones for about £2 which are good on shallow water, they'd easily go on a tray in the shower. We have a couple of them for sailing on puddles, and they're in pretty good condition considering the battering they've got

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ReallySpicyCurry · 02/11/2020 16:52

SUCTIONS to tiles
The hoop SUCTIONS to tiles

My predictive text has lost the plot since my last phone update

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footprintsintheslow · 02/11/2020 18:47

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere I think a second tuff tray is a great idea. We use ours all the time and you have an instant lid for the first tray and instant storage. I got mine from a skip!!!

Magformers are great but lidls do their own at a fraction of the cost.

Day ten of lockdown here, day 10 of rain...

💧Not a very exciting day here: housework day for me so it's a chance for toddler to play independently whilst in the same room and we chat way too of course.
💧long bath
💧helped cook stew for dinner
💧played the shopping list Orchard game
💧toy change over day which is very exciting for everyone.

So a homely productive day and I'm exhausted.

Porcupine83 · 02/11/2020 19:16

@MessAllOver good question... I haven’t had to isolate, so no advice I’m afraid, but it made me think about what we learned from the last lockdown.

What did everyone buy / do that they would recommend buying / doing, or conversely, avoiding?

My top tip is avoid stickers. I naively panic bought a load of sticker books last time - what small child doesn’t love a sticker? - and paid the price of cleaning sticky residue off of EVERYTHING. Kitchen cupboards, the sofa, the floor, the dog... Stickers are no longer my friend.

The thing I bought which was most well used was a massive bag of chocolate chips for cooking with ( found on Amazon). There is no meal that can’t be improved with the addition of chocolate, and no rainy day that can’t be improved with the making of rice crispie cakes or rocky road - toddler friendly as no baking skill or fiddling about required Grin

Porcupine83 · 02/11/2020 19:17

Oh @footprintsintheslow 10 days of rain! You have ALL my sympathy Sad

MessAllOver · 02/11/2020 19:40

Thinking back...

Cheap bags of pancake mix were a winner here. Add water and an egg. With whipped cream and honey for a special treat.

Cake toppers for cupcakes - peppa pig, paw patrol, winnie the pooh.

Cheap card for crafting/painting. Paper to print colouring in sheets.

DVDs much better than TV if you have work calls or meetings...No ads. Complete Spot the Dog lasts for hours. Please suggest the shows that keep your little darlings zombie-like glued to the screen.

We bought a folding balance beam to help make an obstacle course.

It's the lack of physical activity which will be the killer...DS, like a dog, needs to be walked daily at least.

ReallySpicyCurry · 02/11/2020 20:08

@Porcupine83 do you have a link to the chocolate chips? I go through quite a lot of the little packs but hadn't thought of buying in bulk

The lack of physically activity is the worst here too. Not necessarily anything massive, just the basic going about your day low level activity, I didn't realise how much of that we did, until we didn't

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WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere · 02/11/2020 20:30

Current zombifying TV favourite is on Amazon prime - “If you give a mouse a cookie”. It’s quite happy and inoffensive, nicely animated. Currently DS1’s favourite - “Mouse, Mouse” is requested frequently and is allowing me to actually cook an occasional meal without ‘help’. And Amazon Prime has the same run-on benefit of DVDs.

Porcupine83 · 02/11/2020 20:45

Favourite TV show of the moment is Messy Goes to Okido - it’s on Netflix but pretty sure it was a BBC thing - it basically teaches science to preschoolers and it’s Adam Buxton. Lovely!
@ReallySpicyCurry The chocolate chips www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N48B6HP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8
I know 2.5kilos is A Lot of chocolate, but the best before date on my pack is July 2021 so I am confident we’ll use it all up. To be honest they are delicious eaten in handfuls straight from the bag...

MonkeyPuddle · 03/11/2020 08:39

Morning lockdown toddler parents!
Hope you’ve been holding up ok.
We’ve had a bit of a tottering time, but had a surprise little girl yesterday morning by emergency section so will be bobbing in and out of the thread when she allows Grin

Trapped Toddler Parents of Winter 2020/21 Support Thread - Puddlesuits at the ready!
ReallySpicyCurry · 03/11/2020 08:40

Oh my goodness what a beautiful squish! Congratulations and well done!!

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MessAllOver · 03/11/2020 08:42

Congratulations! She's beautiful... getting definite broody vibes. All good wishes to you both and hope you're not feeling too battered Flowers.

MonkeyPuddle · 03/11/2020 08:56

She’s a proper chunker, 10lb1oz! She’s spent all night cluster feeding.
We’re staying in til tomorrow as we both need IV antibiotics and I lost quite a bit of blood. Safe to say no more children for me!

LittleMissLockdown · 03/11/2020 08:59

Oh what a lovely post to start the day! Congratulations she's beautiful. I do love a good squishy thighed newborn. I was secretly quite disappointed DS was a teeny dot of a thing at birth. Enjoy copious amounts of Brew Cake

FolkSongSweet · 03/11/2020 09:03

Wow fantastic news @MonkeyPuddle - she’s gorgeous! Did you know she was going to be so big? They’ve told me mine is 97th centile (😱 but based on one scan and they’ve refused to do another) and I’m due on Thurs - seeing the consultant tomorrow to discuss induction in the next week (because of size) but no idea whether to agree.

fastandthecurious · 03/11/2020 09:06

@MonkeyPuddle congratulations she's beautiful! Lots of BrewCakeWine for you x

PinkDaydreams · 03/11/2020 09:09

@MonkeyPuddle massive congratulations to you and your family Grin

KiriAndLou · 03/11/2020 09:11

Wow, what a little chunk! Congratulations! Come join us on the newborn and toddler thread. Hope you heal swiftly.

MonkeyPuddle · 03/11/2020 09:27

Ah thank you ladies.
She’s got chubby rolls on her arms already. And her skin is made of velvet, can’t stop rubbing my face on hers.

@FolkSongSweet she was predicted to be 80something centile but she was 11 days over her due date as well, I was induced but just because of dates

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