Entertaining toddler at the weekends

[Pinkstuffs]

If you have a young toddler how do you entertain them at the weekends? DS is 18 months, he’s in nursery during the week but on my weekday off we go to soft play, see friends for coffee etc. Soft play at the weekends is hell, the park isn’t great when it’s chucking it down, DS doesn’t actually like swimming much. Most of my mum friends are doing family things at weekends. I’m 36 weeks pregnant and find anything physical just exhausting now.

This weekend DH is busy all weekend with his hobby and I will need to entertain DS, I love spending time with him but I’m dreading it a bit as I’m back at work Monday and know I’ll be exhausted! What do other people do at the weekends that is spending quality time together and involves getting out of the house?

That age anything entertains them - even going to a supermarket

they just want to be with you and involved - they will push a vacuum cleaner around - not very well but still

they are at nursery all week you work
why not just let you both enjoy your home, toys, books, baking, teddies etc rather than filling each day with an outing?

get up slowly, walk to a local shop, buy a small treat, go home, make toasted sandwiches, read some picture books, watch a Pixar movie, build a train set, have easy dinner, early bath and relax on the sofa

Build a den, make a teddy bear picnic, watch Paddington with jam sandwiches for tea,

Whatever. If you are struggling maybe pick a theme or thing he likes and go from there. Ie. He likes stickman then go on a journey and find a stickman (two sticks) and stick them together with a hairband to make a stickman and go through the woods and collect things to make him a family tree. Build family tree at home. That will take up a good day. Then watch stickman or read stickman at bedtime.

A bath earlier in the day so there’s no rush and they can play for ages. Play dough is always popular. An indoor sandpit if you’ve got space and can stand the mess. I put sand in a tuff tray.
Freezer dinosaurs in ice and melt them out in warm water or in the bath.
Baking. Doesn’t have to be complicated

If you are expecting, it is probably a really good idea to start getting him used to occupying himself and playing at home independently, even if only for a few minutes at a time. You aren't going to be able to give him your constant undivided attention when the new baby arrives.

He will play by himself for 30 mins or so but two full days is a long time! We don’t have a bath currently or that would be a good activity.

Bus ride to town, cafe and library, pick a new book, bus ride home. That’s how i survived the final weeks of pregnancy with a toddler. Sooooo many bus rides….

We tend to take him to the park for a good couple of hours in the morning, then maybe to the library for a bit and then out to a cafe.

Afternoon varies between more park time, play dates with friends (one of us will set up an activity like painting or baking in turns), out to the shops to buy supplies, or just doing activities alone together at home. In the summer especially, an early cool bath together is fun. Imaginative play cafes are also becoming really popular, and local theatres often do simple kid performances for a reasonable price.

It's a trickier age than slightly younger or older kids IME, because they have less interest in prolonged/cooperative play, but are more energetic and physically able than younger kids.

That said, young can never go wrong with as much time outside as possible. Is there any outdoor attraction with a reasonable annual membership? There's a local garden to us that has £50/year and a really great play park.

I misread your OP as things at home 🙄😆

Getting out the house:
Local parks tour
Library
Cafe
Kids book shop (often with a role play corner)
Local museums
Train journey
Trip to the bus garage to see where the buses sleep - and a journey or 3 on a bus
Walk around the supermarket to look for milk / cucumber/ cheddar.
Walking through the shopping centre.
National trust places.
A visit to IKEA! 😆

We go out most weekend days with our toddler and 5 year old, we see family friends with children similar ages, role play cafes, soft play aimed at younger children, garden centers with play areas, community events, walks in the woods if the weathers ok, toddler cinema, go round friends houses or have them here. In the summer we also do days out at country parks, farm parks and theme parks, beach trips, picnics at parks with friends and their DCs, bbqs.

Oh and also theatre trips to see shows aimed at younger children DCs like Zog.

Oh also garden centres - the ones with a good cafe and a small outdoor play area do the trick. Sometimes even a softplay.
Shops like furniture village (so many sofas to sit on).
Marks and Spencers (with the furniture section - lots of old ladies also tend to sit for a rest and chat to my toddler who is also sitting).
Farms.
Pet shops are good too to see bunnies, hamsters and fish.
Animal rescue sanctuary if any near you.

Does DH need to be at his hobby for the whole weekend given your current state? It's be nice if he gave you at least an afternoon to put your feet up wouldn't it?

In terms of entertaining the toddler. I'd go with lots of small bits as concentration levels at that age are quite low.

Bit of play at home in the morning.
Then a trip to the duck pond, let the toddler walk a bit.
Then to a cafe for a snack and a coffee.
To the library for a while.
Home for lunch.
Hoping he naps?
Watch a bit of TV together with a snack.
Into the buggy for a trip to the supermarket.
Home to do some stickers/craft/playing.
He plays while you make dinner.
Dinner.
Bath.
Bed.

Something like that! Keep it moving, lots of short things!

36 weeks pregnant and responsible for your toddler all weekend whilst your husband enjoys his hobby? I hope this is a one off, you need a day of rest too. I mean you could give birth very soon and want to be well rested and not exhausted for the birth!

We usually have something planned most weekends - a visit to a museum or gallery, tickets to kids theatre or film, or a NT type property. The next few weekends we're going to a Christmas funfair, a kids concert, a storytelling session at a museum, a panto, a farm, a gallery kids session. In the spring/summer we do more outdoor stuff like country parks, beach, gardens.

seems like you have a husband problem, not an entertaining-toddler problem.

Hundreds of trips is my actual answer though. Most weekends, I'd do a trip in the morning, back for sleep, trip in the afternoon/evening. or an all-day trip if the destination is further away. Go anywhere and everywhere, it will all be easier than being at home (until they are older and can play by themselves or with you in a more engaging way)

The trips then limit the time at home, meaning they are much more enthusiastic to play for that limited time, rather than getting bored, and it saves your sanity, because the playing at home is in short bursts between sleep + going out.

(Also, put music on while you play... its obvious but, playing hours of trains, dolls, lego, is so much more tolerable if you have some cool music going. Plus it gets your child into your music, which is great.)