Do kids get bored doing the same thing every day?

[Blahblahblaaaah]

I’ve run out of inspiration and I’m resorting to soft play every day. I don’t know if they mind or not. Just wondering what others think.

When mine were that sort of age I spent most of the time either at a church style play group, the supermarket, the library or the park. They didn't get bored, in fact I'd say they're quite good at amusing themselves now (9 and 10). It's boring for you, for sure, but today I went into London with them and we had a mooch and lunch.

I’m the same @Shiningout

Out or the house they are actually lovely kids. In the house they are whiny, demanding, make a horrific mess everywhere they go, argumentative, clingy and stroppy. (Obviously not all these adjectives apply to both children!)

But I do have a friend with a child like the PPs child(ren). She just sits doing colouring. My friend says they try to get out and she means a group once a week!

As in, something to look forward to!

Soft play is boring but the three year old gets to run off some energy without trashing the house and the baby isn’t as grumpy with distractions.

Walking outdoors in nature. You see different stuff each walk. Love it😊 I couldn't think of anything worse than sitting in a soft play centre.

I can’t think of anything worse than being piss wet through shoving a pram through mud! (No she doesn’t like slings.)

There is a brilliant study that was about something like size preservation in babies or something. But in order to test it, they had to first make the babies bored of seeing the same bunny (same size) appear. IIRC they had a slope, a cart would roll the bunny down and it would appear in front of the babies. The idea was they would do it a few times and when the babies were bored, they would swap for a bigger/smaller bunny and see if they were surprised.

The babies NEVER got bored. Every time the same size bunny appeared they would squeal. Ruined the study but proves that the same soft day, every day, is still exciting.

Agree.

That stage of kids was horrific for me. I sent so much going to groups every day of the week.

The best thing I can suggest OP is going for a walk while your three year old cycles beside you on his balance bike. He will be busy, you will get exercise and it’s free!

Otherwise swimming in your local pool will tire them out and your baby will sleep and your three year old will be more content to play himself/watch tv.

No such thing as bad weather, just wear appropriate clothing and get outdoors. Mine were all out in all weather's, they didn't know any different.

Each to their own.

Thanks @MrsTerryPratchett

Problem with the walk and bike is that it takes about three minutes before he gets bored of the bike and then I’m left pushing a pram and trying to carry a bike. And it really is very wet here.

Mine have all needed to burn off their energy outdoors. Indoors was too stressful for me.

Baby/toddler groups are your best friend. There’s other children of both ages for your children to play with. Parents for you to chat to and coffee and cake.

Oh believe me there is such a thing as bad weather!

In all seriousness it’s bad weather when what you’re trying to do isn’t enjoyable because of the weather. Getting waterproofs off and on for wees, baby miserable under the rain cover. Mud mud mud.

I know according to MN everyone loves it and the streets are actually full of rosy cheeked children jumping in puddles while their parents look on fondly but in RL everywhere is deserted.

😄 🤣 I never got any peace to enjoy hot drinks or eat cake. Mine were too active at these places.

They don’t tend to run during school holidays is the issue. Believe me we make use of them in term time!

To answer your question, if they minded, they would let you know!

For inspiration for other things, at that age mine really liked a music with mummy class so I took them to that and then they liked recreating it at home!

Messy play was also a hit so shaving foam out on a large plastic table cloth pushing toy cars on it, washing up bowl with cornflakes in it making dinosaurs crunch on them etc

They were also obsessed with making dens in the house and role playing that we were camping with campfires! They did love me reading to them and would happily sit for a good hour or so going through the Julia Donaldson/Mog stash.

It’s a hard stage so you have my sympathies.

Just do what is easiest for you OP. As long as you get out of the house, it doesn't matter where you go. You'd know very quickly when they get bored.so keep doing the same until that moment arrives.

Probably my biggest parenting regret is I didn’t build reading time I to the day. We do read but it’s always before bed. Won’t sit and listen any other time 😫

Do you do that messy play stuff in your own home <wibble> They have done messy play but at a group not home!

Mine are 4 and 2 now but our Easter holiday is looking like...
Walk to train station to wave at trains
Go on double decker bus and sit upstairs
Wellies and waterproofs and go for a mud walk or a puddle hunt
Endless rounds of Easter egg hunts (plastic eggs)
Kinetic sand
Make Play doh
A cardboard box ramp for cars to go down
Shredded paper and all the diggers out to play building sites (regretting this as there's paper everywhere
Day trip to nearest city - park, lunch in cafe and museum
Trip to library
Trip to charity shop with £1 each to spend
Made pizzas
Ikea trip
Scooter and bike rides
Play dates
2 days trip to visit family
Will have another 2 days away at end of next week.

I hate soft play and indoor attractions during the school holidays when it's more expensive and much more busy than normal so try to avoid.

@Blahblahblaaaah oh bless you. I am an avid reader myself so I just did the reading in the day automatically really. And to draw out a trip to the library we would read a couple there too. Maybe try different types of book so it’s different to bedtime stories? Lift the flap books or where’s wally type things?

re the messy play. Yes I did do it in my own home. I’m v chilled though. Old bedsheet on the floor, plastic table cloth on the table, all good! But I did it outdoors as soon as weather improved.

Other things that I’ve remembered is those aquadoodle mats- no mess and it kept them occupied a while. Chalking on the patio too. They did quite like gluing and sticking so I used to give them old magazines and the Argos catalogue to cut up and stick. Or extended bath times blowing bubbles and playing with bath toys etc.

I’d always have to join in with them and act enthusiastic but to be fair, I noticed their behaviour was really good when we’d had lots of interaction doing stuff like this.

I don’t think they’d get bored but I do think they could take it for granted and expect to be ‘out’ instead of trying to occupy themselves. Best advice I was ever given was get your children in the habit of playing by themselves from a young age. Expecting the 3.5 year old to play by themselves for short periods then build up.

Probably not if they're young, but even if they do, it's good for them. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you have to plan every moment of every day in order to avoid boredom because that's when they learn how to entertain themselves and use their own imaginations and creative muscle.

Let your DC see you naturally reading to yourself for pleasure and enjoying it. Talk a little about what you've read and why you like it. Read aloud to them anyway because they might be listening even if they're busy doing something else. Naturally build it into other things like when you're cooking or following instructions or finding something out. You don't have to do this every single day but just let it become part of normal, daily life.

Yeeeeees but this involves various levels of house destruction.

I know some children are slightly more civilised.

Hes pretty good and will play without me but it’s about expecting a three year old to be self sufficient without causing an absolute mess.

Not sure about that!