Small children - what do you do at the weekend?

[YukoandHiro]

What do you all do at the weekends when you have small children? I feel like we have really boring weekends.
My husband works nights so misses bedtimes so at the weekend we spend time at home quite a lot. We go to the park, for a walk, the eldest (4) has a club on Saturday morning that DH takes her to. Sometimes we go to kids parties etc. We occasionally see relatives or a friend. I feel like we should do more but by the weekend we both work so we're always tired by Saturday morning and if we haven't already planned something well ahead of time then we never really feel like doing anything. But I worry that it's boring for the children.
We'd like to eat out with them more but they both have loads of allergies so that's a total nightmare and not at all relaxing tbh. Then again, neither is the constant churn of snacks and food at home....
Tbh while it's lovely to be all together and have DH home, I don't really enjoy our weekends very much and just feel like we should be doing more/making more of life. We did more either together or separately with friends before children.
Can you share what you get up to?

Anyone...?

Lots of 'picnics'. Really just Percy pigs and hot chocolate at any outdoor location we could think of.

Cinema.

Swimming

It varies. I usually work 1 day at a weekend so they go to my Mums. The day off is usually spent relaxing/catching up on jobs/birthday parties. If I get a full weekend off, it is usually because we have plans. Days out with friends etc. The last 3 weekends have been really full on due to halloween/bonfire/big family do. This weekend I'm off out tonight for another party but me and the kids are relaxing other then that!

Not dissimilar to you!
Go to the park (a lot…)
Go for nice walks
Kids parties
Swimming as a family
Occasional day out at farm/trip to the beach in summer etc
Visit family
Meet up with friends (usually park)
Go for ‘dinner’ —at 5pm—
Play at home (paddling pool in summer, mud kitchen in winter)
Go to national trust sites

I know what you mean as I find structure helpful but I love a chilled weekend at home with the kids. We lived in london pre kids and every weekend was spent exploring the city, going for dinner and drinks. We can’t afford that now (and kids would hate it 😂) so weekends are more family focussed. Kids are 2 and 4 btw :)

I used to take mine to the library on a Saturday afternoon sometimes to sit and read a few stories & choose some books to take home.

Sounds similar to what we do. I don't think it's boring for them, young children get a bit overwhelmed with new things, familiarity is comforting for them.

I have a document I keep on my phone so if I see details of anything local that looks fun I note them down and if (rare) we have spare energy, get up early enough and think of it early enough I look at the list and we pick something that fits budget/weather-wise.

It has the ordinary stuff in too like swimming, soft play etc just to remind me those things exist.

Feed ducks
Walk in wood area, pick leafs to make pictures at home
Swimming
Soft play
Walk out on scooters etc
Paints etc out in garden (wrapped up and they'll be fine) paint stones etc
Museum (child friendly ofc)
Cinema
Farms
Beach/amusements
Bus ride
My LO loves balloons so every so often I get some, music on, disco light and we have a mini disco
Baking
Make Christmas cards (teachers, family)

My children are older but I feel we ‘waste’ our weekends.

I need a full day at home but by 2/3pm the guilt hits that we’ve not been out.

We can’t go out and do an expensive activity every weekend so when the weather is crap it’s a struggle.

We didn’t do loads when the kids were young. And yes it can be a bit dull for adults, suggest you get out and about with friends child free regularly. Swimming lessons on Saturday morning once they were 4, and walks and visits to the park were regular things, and visiting grandparents. Playing outside games in the garden and cycling or scootering locally. When a little older they started more clubs on Saturdays which ended up making the day quite busy. The local cinema used to do a kids film very cheaply Saturday mornings, which was another option. We had a season ticket to a local children’s activity farm and made full use of it, the kids loved it, worked well from March to October, often went on Sundays and took a picnic. In facts picnics were frequent, I’d take them to a different park in a nearby village quite often, for a change of scene. Taking them to a cafe for a hot choc can be fun, and not as stressful as for a whole meal. From 5 or 6 DD liked doing crafty things too and would spend hours on various projects, always including glitter. DD also loved cooking from a young age.

We deliberately try to keep one day (usually Saturday) low key. DS is at nursery during the week while we work and does relatively long days with lots of activities so on Saturday we tend to just chill. Sometimes we go to the park but quite often we just play at home, bake, read books. This morning we are hiding in a sofa fort. I think it's good for him to have some downtime. Sunday, he has an activity in the morning and then we'll often go out for lunch or see family.

Weekends were down time for us tbh, we were all so busy during the week. That said I am autistic and so are 2 of my DC so what was vital for us probably would seem quite boring to anyone else.

Similar, OP, although I try to steer us towards fun activities (roller disco rather than soft play again) and make sure I see my friends, even if not in the environment of our choice.

What frustrates me (pointlessly I know) is that there is so much more we could be doing. Visiting other cities, exploring parts of London we never go to... But it just isn't worth the whining. DS would rather go to his 56th party this year at the local leisure centre, a playdate at home (or friend's home), football with his friends on Sunday... This is our life for now.

Are your children in nursery / preschool/ school during the week?

Mine are so we do a 'nothing day' (colouring, films, telly, arguing with siblings) while o do some chores or hide in lounge with a coffee.
Other day a single activity (kids party, swim, walk somewhere)

I think its good for them to have some downtime and get a bit bored. Builds creativity!

When mine were small we would:
Go swimming
Lunch/cake in a cafe
Feed the ducks & go to the park
Visit family
Bus/train trip somewhere
Go to the library
Walk somewhere like woods

An old fashioned idea, these can make an ordinary time in an ordinary place entertaining for a little while and encourage observation of the surroundings rather than always 'doing activities'
collins.co.uk/collections/i-spy

Generally our weekends (with 1 pre-schooler) go something like:

Saturday-
AM: Walk into local town, look around a couple of shops, have cake in a cafe, count pigeons near the cathedral steps, etc. Alternate weeks we call by the library and change DS's books. Then lunch followed by nap / quiet time depending how tired DS is.
PM: Visit with grandparents

Sunday-
AM: DH takes DS to football while I get on with a few chores. Lunch then nap / quiet time.
PM: Indoor type activities (in winter at least) with DS e.g. painting pine cones, making Christmas decorations, baking biscuits.

I love weekends

Thise i-Spy books are a bit crap now :( I used to love them as a kid but got DS1 one a few years ago and it was rubbish.

On Saturdays we try to stay home in the afternoon to chill out. On Sundays, we cycle/walk to the park to play ball.

Oh what a shame BertieBotts they used to be good fun

Thanks everyone, some interesting replies. It's actually reassuring to see most people saying similar things. I have a few friends who seem to be constantly doing big trips or weekends away with their DCs and we just don't really have the time or energy for it. But having said that I've really noticed we all function better and are happier if we have more structure or a proper plan for the day.
I'm going to book a couple of Christmassy things in in December and also start going swimming - my eldest is 4 and really needs to learn but has only recently had sign off to go in the pool due to a medical condition (and my DH can't swim anyway - I really want him to learn now - so it's not something we'd all be able to do together).
My eldest is at school in reception and youngest only just turned 1 so needs constant attention - I can see weekend days at home would be more enjoyable and chill when she can play independently for longer

@BertieBotts a list in your phone to remind you of events or places that you hear about is a really good idea - I'll take that!

The park. Always the f’ing park. Sometimes a different park if I’m really lucky.

Around that it’s taking DC1 to tennis lessons (in a park, I spend the hour in the park with DC2) and football for DC1 (in a park, I spend that hour in the park with DC2 as well).

Did I mention I go to the park a lot?

Swimming
Library
Costa (I’m more comfortable in chains due to allergies)
Parks
See relatives
Hmk/arts and crafts
Playing
Museum, child friendly ones
Role play/soft play centre
Baking

Yeah, pretty much the same here. DH works shifts with no particular pattern so he may work none, one or both days. If he's off I tend to 'plan' something, so a trip to the local wildlife park, the big soft play that the kids love (but I definitely cannot manage alone with a Houdini 2 year old), this time of year it might be a Christmas activity.

If DH is working I tend to potter with the kids. Visit family, go to the park, or the beach in the nicer weather. We have lazy days at home watching films, I might do some baking with them if I have the patience 😂

I'll be honest if DH has both days off I usually 'reserve' half a day to catch up on washing, batch cooking etc to get ahead for the upcoming week while he takes the kids out. It sounds like a waste of family time, and I do often feel guilty but... knowing that we have 3 dinners in the freezer for that week, everyone has uniform/clothes ready to go etc for the week makes it less stressful! And it is a lot quicker to get all that done without the kids (5 and 2) helping. Similarly DH will go and clean toilets/bathrooms etc while I play with the kids. It's a job done he hasn't got to do when he gets in from work or on a mid week day off when he has a 2 year old to look after as well.

What you do sounds lovely OP