Can I have your honest experiences of Summer days out with under 5's please!

[Florencenotflo]

I think DH expects too much from our 2 DD's (5 & 2) sometimes, I think they are perfectly normal and their behaviour is normal. For example, we've been away for a few days, done activities centred around things they enjoy. So, bearing in mind how hot it's been, dd5 has cried and moaned about small things, and has a very annoying whinging voice at the moment which we are hoping disappears soon! E.g. is homesick, doesn't want to stay away, wants another ice cream (which was a No).

Our little one is hating the pushchair right now, but doesn't seem to have any spacial awareness, common sense or fear. She also screams if you put her backpack on or try to hold her hand. So that's fun.

Our few days away have consisted of convincing them to do fun activities and stop crying 😂 DH reckons other people's kids don't do this 😂 I think different!

Nah, I'm with you.

DH is on harvest so it's just me.

I head out super early, 8ish latest. Do something "fun" but aim to be home by 11.30 absolute latest. I'm half hour drive from most places. Quiets time, feed baby, lunch, naps 1 to 3. Snacks, feed baby then out again by 3.30 in garden till tea.

Even that, a small morning day trip, can push them to the limit. And beyond!

I have a 3 year old, and a 6 yr old niece, and that sounds normal to me.

Normal. Another two years or so and you’ll hit the “days out sweet spot” before they become moody preteens. For now I’d stick to low key stuff (too much pressure for unlimited joy if you spend lots on fancy places) and just keep trying.

Yeah sounds fairly normal.

Dd2 tbh was always good at days out, never really a problem.

Dd1 on the other hand. Such a temperamental small child. She’d tantrum at the drop of a hat, I had to spend ages convincing her to join in with anything and would more or less moan the whole time.

They’re teens now and these days are both actually very good company on days out.

Yep. I have a 4.5 year old. This is totally normal. He got overtired the other day and "this sand is too sandy!" "this water is too wet!" Etc.

My DD is 7 now we're only just getting to the point where a full day of activities is possible. Before now we would plan for a max of half a day doing stuff and the other half chilling out, resting up, getting shade and getting fed. Kids don't have fun when they're hot, tired and hungry they can manage one of those things at most without tantrums and whingeing.

Yeah, normal for 5 and 2. It's thankless at that age, you spend your whole time managing their emotions and stopping them from killing themselves.

Gets better. I've just spent the last two days wrangling my two (8 and 5) without DH and it's been an absolute joy, comparatively. They're just so much easier now they're older.

My kids are 2 and 4.5 and I can relate to everything you wrote. I just try to roll with the punches and take the rough with the smooth!

Normal- worse in the heat. Took my children to the farm today, the soon to be 4 year old threw a sad face and told me she’s not my friend anymore countless number of times- what a bitch I was though, took two kids ok the motorway to the farm, spent hours queuing to meet Paw patrol, bought her chips an icecream, countless rides and playgrounds and a gift shop toy before home...I wouldn’t want to be my friend either!

Totally normal. This is why we are stating close to home this summer.

Yep, totally normally. We ended up doing half day excursions only, was too painful otherwise. We would purposefully otherwise have a midday drive if we were out any longer so that naps would be had. All touristy outings were done at breakneck speed as they have so little stamina / patience!

Just the one nearly 4yo here but like PP keep it to half-days or low-key things, and manage expectations beforehand - "We'll be going to x to do y, if you behave nicely we'll then do z before coming home".

Normal. Mine are 8 and 5 and still end up moaning about something or another on every single day out.

My two are older and even they are better at just half-days out. Full days will definitely involve some degree of moaning and tears if I don’t have snacks available the second that they are hungry. We do have proper days out, despite the moaning, I just accept the rough with the smooth!

Definitely take more snacks and water than you think you'll need!

Oh thank god for that. I don't know why I doubt myself, but it's good to hear I'm not alone!

It doesn't help that we don't get to do 'big' days out very much, so when we do go, DH really wants to make it amazing and exciting. But I think he forgets that the kids don't understand that. To them it's a long time in the car, queuing to get in, queuing to get on rides etc. Dd1 only ever wants to play in the park, it doesn't matter what else there is to see, she will whizz round the zoo or activity to get to the park every time 😂 dd2 is usually stuck in her pushchair, when all she wants to do is walk around.

Ironically, we live right by the sea and spend a lot of time on the beach. The best day out we had last week... to a beach. They could please themselves, Dd2 could wander around (with supervision), Dd1 made a friend and dug holes and sandcastles.

Glad we can't afford to do much else this summer, I'll stick to picnics on the beach, I know they enjoy doing that!

My husband used to be like that about our 2 year old. I booked him to take her to a softplay and a kids theme park and he came back saying "Wow, they're really all the same aren't they?!"
We found the same thing with the beach on holiday. I think next time we go away for a week I will plan 2 kid centered days out, and then all the other days will do beach in the morning, then a small activity within half an hour's drive for the afternoon e.g. farm.
Lucky for you, next year/ year after if you go to a resort you might even be able to put them in kids club for a bit in the morning. Bet that will magically improve your H's mood.

If there's something wrong with yours there's something wrong with mine too! Cant really relax, everything done at breakneck speed, constant talking and shepherding...

Its knackering!

@OhToBeASeahorse 😩 the talking! My eldest is constantly talking! Which is great, and wonderful and I really try hard to answer all the fantastic questions she has. But... when she's awake at 5am asking me what do I think clouds taste like... I want to cry (and sleep).

One thing DH is right about though, is that as soon as it is safe, hopefully our next holiday will be 10 days somewhere warm with a gigantic kids pool, all inclusive, and they can just do what they want for 10 days. Not our sort of holiday pre-kids, but they are both happy as Larry in a pool.

I can just about manage a "day" out somewhere like a zoo but have to assume lots of play park and food breaks.

Very difficult...