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Original poster

How often do you take your toddler out and about ?

52 replies

mummyquestions · 08/01/2022 11:54

I'm wondering what other parents routines are ?

If your little one goes to nursery for example- do you take them out and about shopping / soft play / playground every weekend, on both days ?

Or if little one is staying home with you, what do you get up to on a daily basis ?

Mine is about to turn 2 and just trying to gage if we do enough. Confused

OP posts:
Notmenotme · 08/01/2022 11:56

I’m on leave at the moment and I can’t abide staying in the house. I get out as a minimum once a day with our 1.5 year old. When I have my 4 year old aswell, I make sure I’m pretty much out the whole day. I lose the will to live after about 5 mins of stacking bricks though… some people can manage it but I just can’t!!!

Chely · 08/01/2022 11:59

You're doing plenty.

Little ones come with me for usual daily stuff, shopping walking dog. Baby happily watches me in the gym too, she's so good. Proper play type stuff like soft play or a day out maybe a monthly thing. We have 6 kids, getting out the door is a mission in itself. The teen wants to do different stuff to younger ones, just not worth the stress it generates to be forcing days out they aren't that bothered for.

Technosaurus · 08/01/2022 12:02

Totally based on the child and, ultimately how it impacts their sleep routine.

Ours at 2 could happily do a short walk of a morning, nap fine, then do very little energetic in afternoon and still sleep fine at 7pm. Occasionally we'd do something more strenuous purely to build up his stamina or see something different, but it wasn't a "tire him out" necessity.

Another parent from NCT had to take theirs on much longer high energy excursions in both morning and afternoon otherwise nap/bedtime was a disaster. They HAD to tire their kid out for their own sanity.

There's no right or wrong way, depends on the child, and of course the parents - if you are outdoorsy and want your toddler to be too, then do whatever you feel they can manage.

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Families
teacreature · 08/01/2022 12:07

Mine is easier to control at home but I take him to the park/soft play/swimming once a week and fit one activity for a day so that makes 3 days out. The remaining 4 days would be either shopping trip or being at home or visiting my parents. He is extremely hardwork, won't walk as he wants to run off, won't sit in his pushchair or his car seat going nuclear. Sometimes it's easier to be at home. Sometimes depending on his mood that moment I will go out with him for a quick coffee down the road and make him pick up sticks but we aren't out every single day as he is hard to control.

Camomila · 08/01/2022 12:10

Mine nearly 2 year old goes to nursery two days a week, and to my DMs one day a week.

My 2 days off we tend to do a short pushchair walk after the school run one day and a longer trip out on the other day. If the weather is rubbish though we might stay in both days.

He has quite a calm personality though and doesn't need 'tiring out' like my eldest did. His favourite activities are being read stories to or playing with his plastic dinosaurs in the living room.

teacreature · 08/01/2022 12:11

Until my 2.5 yearold turned 1 when the first lockdown hit, everything then hit the fan. He used to sleep in his pushchair but during the first lockdown, we hardly used the pushchair as we were at home or in the garden and then when we had a little bit of freedom, he would point blank refuse to sit in it let alone do his afternoon nap while strolled around. I was much more active and was hardly at home until he turned 1 and the first lockdown hit.

Emsie1987 · 08/01/2022 12:13

I have a 2.5 year old. Goes to nursery three days a week and one day with my mum who often is at home playing with him.

Weekends depend on what we have going on and what the weather is like. Today we are staying in and both chilling after a long first week back, tokorrow the weather is better and we will most likely wrap up and go somewhere in the morning. Monday my day off (non nursery day) will either do soft play or trampolining in the morning and spend the afternoon indoors.

I try to keep activities like soft play to my day off as don't fancy being with the weekend crowds.

Ghostofchristmaspasty · 08/01/2022 12:16

What @Technosaurus said!

Every child/family is different.

I had one of them 2yo that needs wearing out and would be bouncing off the walls if you didn't physically tire them out- preferably about 3 hours outdoors daily. It's exhausting but more exhausting dealing with their behaviour if you don't take them out. Child is now 6yo and although less bouncy- still needs a lot of exercise/ stimulation. Lockdowns were hideous!

My younger child is not like this. She will potter about the house and prefers staying in.

I've looked after other children who have sat and played with a you for 2 hours and barely moved which blows my mind.

Do what works for you/ your child.

Lazypuppy · 08/01/2022 12:16

We'll normally have 1 day at home on the weekend, then 2nd day wemay go out for lunch, or shops.

Find kids activities too busy on weekends, so if we do softplay it will always be an afternoon in the week instead.

VaguelyInteresting · 08/01/2022 12:18

I took my DS out almost every weekend day when he was under 3 (he was at nursery 4-5 days per weeks as I was working.

We went to the park, free museums, art galleries, kiddie cinema, garden centres, to the coffee shop, the supermarket, shopping centre window shopping, to see family, local pretty towns and villages, swimming.... sometimes just walking the streets Grin And I didn’t care if it was rain snow or blow.

But here’s the thing- although of course I wanted DS to have “experiences” 🙄 really, deep down, it was largely for me. Not him.

My MH drops through the floor if I don’t get out every day, and Im a lone parent- and i found it was easier if we were out- he’s a live wire and at home would just run wild. Out and about he was an ANGEL.

So really, I’d say whatever works for you, for YOU. Your DS won’t really give a shiny shit to be honest!

SoftPillow · 08/01/2022 12:21

When I had toddlers I'd aim to be outside at least once a day, but it didn't have to be big trips. I prefer to stay local than do big trips or drive miles for NT properties which my friends seemed to enjoy

Outings would be:

  • play park
  • walk to post box
  • play in garden or park
  • supermarket
  • post office
  • sometimes cafe for a frothy milk
  • softplay once a week, with lunch there too

If they went to nursery in the day that was their outing, I'd rarely take them out again as they did 9-3

LadyPropane · 08/01/2022 12:26

Every day is different. Mine are in daycare 1.5 days a week, but when they're home we do whatever the day requires, and whatever we feel like. Some days it's a load of boring errands, others it's a big day of fun activities, other days we might just mill about at the mall (ours has an indoor playground which is great because over here the heat gets really intense during the day).

Some days we just hang around at home all day, which might be an hour running around the garden, then baking some biscuits, then playing with duplo or other toys, then we might just hang around watching films/tv for 4 hours straight.

Just do whatever works for you. Don't get sucked into that guilt thing of feeling like you have to do more/less/better things, just because you think other people are. As long as you love your kids and spend time with them, it's all good.

Thetwomutts · 08/01/2022 12:27

Mine comes out to walk the dogs 3 times a day, feeds and waters the animals with me and we have outside free play. Normally an indoor crafty activity and free play with toys while I do the more boring bits of housework that she can't pretend to help with

Vampirethriller · 08/01/2022 12:30

Every day to walk the dog twice, shops if I have to, nursery three times a week. Playground we do on one of the dog walks and she comes to the allotment with me if I go.

Opus17 · 08/01/2022 12:31

I have an 18 month old. He's at home with me. We have two playgroups and one tumble tots on different days. The other two days we get out for walks mainly go to different parks. I plan to do some farms and zoos too. He loves being outside.

I struggle with in the house. Some days I will stay home to get some housework done or just because I'm exhausted from a bad night maybe but we end up going out even for a walk because he's just so bored at home. We'll read or play with his toys but he doesn't stay interested long and just gets bored. It's tough to entertain him at home which is the reason we're out a lot.

ISaidDontLickTheBin · 08/01/2022 12:37

Sounds like you're doing just fine OP!

Mine are in nursery 5 days a week so we don't go bonkers on the weekends, they need some unstructured time to chill at home with their toys. We do leave the house once each day as a minimum, but sometimes it's just to the playground round the corner for half an hour or so. We sometimes go swimming on a Sunday.

In the house were fairly relaxed about screen time at the weekends as they get almost none on weekdays. Currently my 4 yo is sitting in his fort made of sofa cushions and 18 mo is emptying and refilling a box of Duplo.

I don't generally take them shopping (we do everything online) and I don't do soft play full stop!

Jmaxx44 · 08/01/2022 12:46

To be honest I think it’s down to the parents personal perferance, I know a lot of parents who need to be out with their toddlers to stay sane themselves. When my 18 month old is home at weekends I tend to go out once or twice a day, although usually for errands or a walk. I don’t feel obliged to do too much as DS is in nursery full time and gets to do lots of activities there. He is quite happy to play/read books/run around at home with me and I don’t mind doing these things with him. Usually we head out for an errand or 2 when I get bored!!

NameChange30 · 08/01/2022 12:53

I take DD out at least once a day for my own sanity as much as hers.

She goes to nursery 2 full days a week, DH has her 1 day, I have her 2 days and the weekends are all together with her older brother too (age 4, in reception).

She's 16 months and a confident walker (started at 11 months) and gets up to mischief in the house, so I can't get much done unless she's napping.

TheViewFromTheCheapSeats · 08/01/2022 12:54

Child no.1, out everyday
Child no 5, pretty much hovers around us and the house still age 6.
The others somewhere in between.

They’ll all proving equally confident and happy (though I need to sort swimming out eventually…)

Toottooot · 08/01/2022 13:01

How refreshing to read this and the normal non competitive responses that don’t make you feel like a terribly lazy parent. Anytime I’ve seen these threads before the toddler is hill climbing then in the afternoon it’s a gentle 10 mile stroll along the beach. My 2 year old is in nursery 3 full days, a grandparent day and a day with me and my husband that we have swimming lessons then maybe out in the afternoon just to get out the house. Weekends are chill out time with a walk thrown in.

heyitsthistle · 08/01/2022 13:05

My just-turned 2yo and my 6mo go out for a walk every day. Normally it's about an hour. She's home from nursery on Wednesdays, so we sometimes go to soft play, but I prefer the fresh air.

Original poster
mummyquestions · 08/01/2022 13:11

Thanks everyone ! Super interesting responses.

On a rainy day like today, it's hard to take them out.

But it's also tiring to keep them in. It's tough isn't it !

OP posts:
Original poster
mummyquestions · 08/01/2022 13:12

@ISaidDontLickTheBin

Sounds like you're doing just fine OP!

Mine are in nursery 5 days a week so we don't go bonkers on the weekends, they need some unstructured time to chill at home with their toys. We do leave the house once each day as a minimum, but sometimes it's just to the playground round the corner for half an hour or so. We sometimes go swimming on a Sunday.

In the house were fairly relaxed about screen time at the weekends as they get almost none on weekdays. Currently my 4 yo is sitting in his fort made of sofa cushions and 18 mo is emptying and refilling a box of Duplo.

I don't generally take them shopping (we do everything online) and I don't do soft play full stop!

Haha about the soft play ! How come you don't do it ?

My DD hasn't been there yet and I feel so bad, because I think she'd really like it.

But I'm worried about all the extra germs she'll pick up there. I'll take her soon though.

OP posts:
OnceuponaRainbow18 · 08/01/2022 13:15

On non working/nurses days we are probably out and about about 5 hours a day, even in winter.

I need to be outside and luckily my kids enjoy running for 5- 6 hours a day!

Justbecause88 · 08/01/2022 13:19

I think the fact you are asking the question probably means you are doing enough! You would know if your toddler needed to do more! I have a very high energy 2 year old, he goes to nursery 2/3 days a week while I work which is fab for wearing him out! When he's with me/being looked after by my DM we and get out and do something both morning after afternoon. Soft play is a weekly if not more occurrence, parks almost daily. He's just taken to his balance bike which is great to out for a few hours on that. It has to all be physical, he has no interest in going to places to 'have a look'! My DSS is ADHD as we suspect my DH is too so I'm not surprised!