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.

Fuck baking with a toddler 😂

I don't mean to be rude, but why not?

I have a 3.5 yr old and a 4 month old so similar ages. So far this Easter we have gone to a country park for Easter egg hunt, soft play with friends, role play centre, play parks with friends. We have planned for the next week a National trust visit with friends, play dates and a play cafe trip. Arrange things with friends that have children or his nursery friends, it is a lot easier to keep them entertained when they have friends to play with. Our strategy is basically to see others every day and we don’t have any problems with boredom!

Me and my friend took our dds to a different park every day of the week for a week in the summer holidays when they were about 4.
Believe me they got bored. 😂

We did soft play once a week when dd was young.
We went out of the house every day. Even just to feed the ducks or kick a ball around the park. Then we would read, play doh, paint, chalk on the patio, thread beads, bake, make dens, have a disco.

I did so much soft play on maternity leave with DD2; she was born in August so we had maybe six weeks of nice weather and that was it. DD1 was a very energetic 2.7 year old so had no choice but to get her out every day. We rotated between three soft plays, friends houses with similar aged children and toddler groups. She did not get bored, but life was much easier when she started preschool at 3.

Both DDs spent/spend four days a week with the in laws during term time (I’m a teacher) prior to being preschool age and LOVED it, despite not being taken out all day every day. I think it was the fact that they had two doting grandparents catering to their every whim….not possible with you having a baby at home!

I know everyone says this but it will get easier. This Easter we have loads of play dates planned thanks to reception age DD1’s active social life, plus she has attended a church holiday club three mornings this week with a classmate of hers. DD2 has been happy enough to potter round playing with all the toys that her sister usually hides from her, then when DD1’s got home they’re of the age to play (mostly) nicely together.

Easier times are ahead (though they both do still love a soft play trip).

I had a toddler during lockdown and completely disagree. I'm a primary teacher who gets the children outside as often as I can, but when entertaining my own children for hours and hours a day there really is a limit to how long you can spend outside. As the pp said, it is very challenging when you have a crawling baby to think about. Trying to help a slippery, puddle-suited toddler around a wet playground is a nightmare without the baby to think about. Toddler night enjoy it for half an hour and I used to endure it but it certainly wasn't fun. I remember walking back from the park in lockdown in February with my newborn and toddler, the toddler crying from the cold (because whatever clothes you wear, your face still gets cold). I didn't blame her. Life is a lot easier with children in the summer!

All that to say OP you have my sympathies. My second child is a delight to have around the house but my first needed to get out everyday, for my sanity as much as hers. It's a long day to fill and at that age nothing lasts longer than about 15 minutes. Thank god mine at least liked to colour! The only thing I remember being able to draw out for ages was a bath...they used to have them at all sorts of random times of day.

You can put the baby in a high chair and they can play with some toys. I have the same age gap and I know it’s hard but you need to expose your child to different experiences and places.

At that age we got hours and hours of cheap entertainment from massive cardboard boxes. One day blow up some balloons and fill the boxes. Another draw on with pens. Another stickers. Another fill with cuddly toys and play zoo. Another fill with random objects. Another cars to drive over them. Another other smaller boxes, with stuff in or not. Blankets over the top to make caves. All the lights off and play hibernating polar bears (you get to lie down, and DC can go out and catch a fish sometimes). Flashing lights and disco music for a disco zone. Play boats and play sea noises/radar on your phone, then have a storm and man overboard etc.

I also have very fond memories of ‘playing gardening’. Parent lies on the sofa under a blanket pretending to be a plant. From time to time you ‘grow’ by sitting up. Then you wilt as you need water/sun/food. Get child pretending to water/be the sun etc.

I’m just surprised anyone could sit with a book with a three year old and baby. I actually don’t think mine are too bad at playing independently for short stints but it tends to be when I’m in and out, putting washing away or similar. There is no way on gods green earth they’d let me sit reading while they played quietly with their toys.

Whoever said fuck baking with a toddler I endorse thoroughly!

Water OP you need water. Kids will
occupy themselves with water - pouring it, bath toys and swimming.

For me, it seems like my kids never get bored. They just play around with other kids in the neighborhood, and they invent their own games. They even don't play with their toys that often.
The same was for me when I was a kid. I think that kids can get bored only when they sit alone in an empty room.

Ignore all the puddle suiters. It's horrendous- we have a horse so every day atm is spent trudging in the rain and we are all thoroughly fed up. Give me soft play any day (and I hate soft play 😅) I'm sure your dc will let you know if they are bored.

Why are you having to take them out every day? A couple of days in the week fine, but it's important for them to make their own entertainment at home and also get bored. No wonder kids are more difficult to teach these days when they are taught by some parents that life is one big entertainment fest!!!!! They come to school and can't cope with the fact they have to sit still and listen. Probably want their teachers to dress like a clown, juggle and sing their lessons to them! 🤦‍♀️

My 2 yo isn’t great at sitting still but he does colour for a bit. Your 3 yo might?
we go swimming a lot, soft plays, park (we don’t when it’s wet but even going for a walk he doesn’t mind with a puddle suit on), we go see friends with children his age, he does use an iPad as he wouldn’t sit and watch a film either, play with his toys, bubbles,

Knitting. Take up knitting. This is a women’s pastime for a reason, it goes brilliantly with kids. Kids can see mummy is busy but it looks so boring they leave you alone. And you can sit down. With a hot drink.

Of course there’s bad weather! Just dress well in gale force winds… I don’t think so!

Google something like ' how to entertain kids (cheaply) during the holidays'. There's got to be other options. There wasn't really a decent soft play near us when DC was young but we had alternatives - walks (luckily live near beaches), parks, pool, library, cinema, car picnics, baking, arts and crafts, movies, playing (toy cars, Lego, board games)......

I see you’ve already had the MN favourite of ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing’ 😂. I’m with you OP, dragging very young kids out for walks in relentless rain/mud is fucking miserable. Apart from anything else, i don’t particularly went to be out in the driving rain myself, it’s shit. Kudos to those who love it, we’re all different.
If you’re all happy at soft play, take them to soft play. They’d let you know if they were bored of it.

The idea of going to soft play every day is hell for me! When dd was little I had to walk our dog every day so we would go out but that was more for the dog. Then mainly pottering at home or go to the village shops or library.

I did actually take them out Friday and it was fucking awful, knee deep in mud, gusty winds, everyone uncomfortable. My car is trashed.

I don’t see what’s so awful about soft play 🤷

If you have kids who ‘potter’ at home thank your lucky stars.

Mine do not potter.

They destroy, cry, whine, throw, whinge, demand, scream, trash.

Yeah I’m having a good morning 😆

Nothing wrong with Soft Play if you like it! For me it's the noise and bright lights etc.

You think I go to soft play for me? 🤣🤣

I suppose I do as it stops my house being trashed.

Indoor Easter egg hunt
Swimming
Local museums
Farm day
Park
Shopping list- walk to the shops (it's chucking it down here but puddle suit up)
Craft table - glue, card, tissue paper (pipe cleaners are a huge hit)
Baking
Daytime bath - bath foam and coloured bubble bath is always fun with the boats etc
Ramp for cars
Outdoor play - kicking a ball in the garden
Soft play
Helping with chores (which actually makes more chores, but it's good to get them involved)
Bike/ scoot to the shop park, round the block anywhere
Cinema
Bowling
Painting - potato prints, paint a hard boiled egg
Make an Easter hat
Plant some seeds in the garden
Make a water funnel to collect the mountains of rain we currently have
Lego

My house is trashed, there's muddy wet clothes filling the laundry room!!

I hope you find something to do, it can be difficult at times but even a small activity every now and again or a game breaks the day up for you all.

@Blahblahblaaaah it's not so much that there's anything 'wrong' with softplay, and lots of kids love it, but there are loads of other options too.