to hate staying in

[likesnowflakesinanocean]

days where there are no plans and nowhere to go due to weather/lack of funds. everyone is doing their own thing, I am bored rigid

No, I hate staying in too. Thought I would love it when I jumped at the chance to be a sahm (never got a chance to take maternity due to financial circumstances). Turns out I have to take us out everyday, even if its just a bike ride around the corner on their little bikes between showers. We are well known in our local museum and play areas. This summer I intend to start travelling a bit further afield. We are lucky in having a boating lake, woods, huge parks and leisure facilities nearby. Ds and dd are learning to swim which means in a few months we could be going swimming too as the swimming pool has a strict one young child to one adult unless they are swimmers policy. I have two young children not in full time school. We all bloody love being in the water.

ds really doesn't like swimming and I have £10 to my name at the minute. I am Sooooo bored..we don't live anywhere close to free museums or such..I'm going to have to start getting creative with our plans

Have you tried Geocaching? It's free and great fun. You'd be surprised where they are hidden - they're not just at touristy places but all over - there's one hidden near the shopping trolleys at our local supermarket and another by the scout hut.

Our niece and nephew (who never do anything outdoorsy) absolutely loved it.

I know it's an outdoors thing but as long as its not pissing it down then just wrap up and get out for a bit. You could then come home to hot chocolate and a film!

Geocaching rules, although my teen DSS thinks were sad, me and my DH love it :)

what is geocaching? I'm intrigued

me too. We mostly only use or house to sleep in!

I have never heard of geocaching either. Please inform me.

A picnic in the park - well, the sun is shining were I live.
Any old churches near you? Kids like looking round them (usually).
Cathedrals seem to cost money these days.

Obviously you have no money for petrol, buses or a sausage roll in Greggs, so it has to be very local.
We used to go down the lane to say hello to the cows waiting to be milked.
How old are you DCs?

could stretch to greggs . its a short term lack of money lasting today and tomorrow. could walk to fields of horses, v wet here but not raining. they are 5 8 and 10

Where abouts are you? When I got the chance to go out alone (pre DCs), I used to love wrapping up and heading out for a walk round the streets, I used to love seeing how far I could go and I had music in and wandered. Free and relaxing.

Do they have wellies? I have a competition with des, tell him wellies should be wet and muddy and not look new at all and see how dirty he can get. Dd wants to play but I had enough issues finding size 3 winter boots (uggs in the end) so she can't play till her feet grow one size. Annoying as she is walking and running, she just has my small feet.

When we come home it's often hot drinks, warm bath and lounging clothes.

No, I was at my wits end today but thankfully a friend called and we are going out..I may have gone crazy otherwise!

have got wellies and or outdoor boots.I live in Cheshire lots of countryside not much activity type things. I dont drive either

We do collections in the woods, acorns, leaves, sticks. Pine cones etc. bring it all home and get the paper m, glue, paints and glitter out. We are in today as I am catching up on housework and waiting for their little cousins to arrive.

Wow, how come I'd never heard of geocaching.

I've just signed myself up, there's 12 within a mile of my postcode. Can't wait to try it (obviously for the benefit of our boys, not me ;-) !)

Geocaching is where people hide caches of stuff, from tiny paper ones right up to big Tupperware containers containing things to swap. You can get the app for smart phones for a few quid and off you go, they give you clues and its just a treasure hunt really. It's so much fun to do, I love it, it makes a nice interesting walk a fab one when rummaging and trying not to get caught. Take a pen to sign the log ad register it on geocaching.com when you've found it. It can be addictive though :)

going for a scout on the play store now . decided to do some getting the garden straight for spring. feel better for getting out

Do you have stuff for baking. We are about to do banana muffins. I could happily stay home all day and Mumsnet but ds3 (6) is a restless creature. We have already been swimming and then to Hobbycraft to do a craft session (do you have one near you?) I'm just grabbing some lunch then, whilst the muffins are cooling we will take the dog to the park before we eat them!

We quite like the library but ours closes at 1.30pm on a Saturday. We also have a Floral hall (part indoors, part out) which is free for children, so just the adult to pay for. It's pretty good as long as you avoid the cafe.

Have you looked on your local council website? There is often stuff arranged for DC which is free.

do alot of baking but there is only so much we can eat :) Have had a look on the council website but doesnt seem to be much available. I think we are heading to the cinema one of the day, our local library and a few other nearby places.

I bloody loathe staying in. My home is obviously too nice because my kids rarely want to go out. Having to twist DC arms to get out today and a whole week of half term staying-in looms. Luckily the surgery med students want to gawp at DD's broken arm on Thursday so we'll be out then for a spell. Every evening after DH gets home from work I'll nip out for a walk & to the shops.

Looking forward to working again so that I'll be out lots more, and will then enjoy staying in more, too.

Have you got a flask? Or get one. You can all wrap up and go on a must walk through the fields/ woods. Take hot choc with you and maybe geocoach at the same time.

Then home for some baking/ afternoon board game/ film etc.

Even getting out for an hour breaks the day up a bit

I still don't really understand this geocaching

You need a smart phone or sat nav type device, you fire up the relevant application and it shows a place on the map where you search for a little treasure point. You travel to that place and ferret around to find the treasure (small item) secreted away. I think there are rules about leaving something nice behind (like a pencil or bag of sweets). My kids would lose interest in the novelty after an hour.

You can tell I haven't done it, either. Don't have a smart phone for a start.