to be stuck for ideas for tomorrow?

[cjt110]

Usually, when DH is working, I do something with DS and my Mum. Sometimes it's simply just popping round to see her for a few hours.

Tomorrow, she is having her garden done which involves digging, leveling, laying a groundsheet thingy and spreading 2 tonnes of gravel.

So I don't really want to take DS round in case he gets in the way/under people's feet. I don't expect my Mum to come out as she will probably want to be in because of the garden being done (it's my brother and his friend doing the work so she may not be fussed and be able to come out).

So I am stuck for what to do with DS. I can't seem to find anything on my local newpapers website for events on over the weekend, and due to suffering with depression and anxiety, I get a bit fidgetty in new situations.

Can anyone make any suggestions? We're in West Yorkshire btw

Whats Shibden Park like?

catsinthecraddle He's at nursery 2 days a week and with my Mum 3 days a week. I think that's also why I always feel a pressure to do something with him at the weekends and end up like a rabbit in headlights.

Just checking out what is on at Greenhead Park over the weekend.

Our garden centre is crap and just has plants

Can't you just potter at home, and maybe go for a walk?

Shide Park is nice but can get busy. Barbara made a lot of good suggestions and they aren't that far away at all. Manor Heath Park in Halifax is also good, the Butterfly experience is small but lovely (like a mini Tropical World and think it's only £1 entry).

witsender I cant decide. I have crayons, felt tips, paints for him to play with as well as paper and bath crayons.

Do I just have a lazy day at home the two of us with maybe a walk to the village park and back with a stop off at the shop en route for some treats, or go out all day?

My fear I guess is he is in a grump and I get stuck inside with him.

Dexterjamesmummy Ive seen Manor Heath before - as in heard about it. We went to tropical world about a month ago and he wasnt interested in the slightest :(

Shibden Park pictures

There's a play area, minature railway, boating lake, ducks etc to feed, as well as a house and formal gardens. I think there's a cafe too, but not sure, I've only been once or twice.

Ok, change of plan, give me your crafty ideas for at home - Craft at home, a wander to the shops and the local park, perhaps a call in at Grandmas if she can take visitors too.

We have paper, pva glue (i think), felt tips, finger paints, bath crayons....

I would think of what you would really like to do for once. Work out how to make it child friendly and go with that. You can do what you like sometimes also.

I see someone's mentioned looking at the animals at a garden centre. One of my friends cheap day out to entertain the toddlers/pre-schoolers for an hour or two would be to go and look in Pets at Home - loads of them around and lots of fish/rabbits etc - they never bought anything and didn't even have any pets.

Depending on funds they would also get sweets/a toy from Poundland or maybe McDonalds if they had a bit more to spend.

What about some gardening at home with him? Trip to B and M ( the one in Halifax has a garden centre but) for some cheap pots and compost, let him have fun planting seeds or bedding plants in pots for the garden. You could even finger paint some cheap pots (mix the paint with pva first), go to the park while it dries, then plant up when you get back? Have you been to the little park in Brighouse (next to Tesco)? Nice little play area, and a shallow river running through that is fun to stomp in in wellies.

Mine's 18m old and I know what you mean, I can't stand the idea of taking him to soft play or something by myself cos there are just Too Many People. I took mine to the library this morning, let him run round a bit and investigate the books. Walked him to a couple of shops with some reins on (he's a late/newish walker so the novelty hasn't worn off yet), came home in the car and he nodded off on the 5 min drive home. Still asleep so I've had a nice lunch to myself and an actual hot cuppa! Hope you work it out.

Another vote for Manor Heath Park: we went on Easter Monday and it was really quiet. As well as the butterfly house there are swings/slides etc, and it's not very far from you.

If you hit Eureka when it opens that isn't too busy either. Alternatively, Hebden Bridge is worth a visit. Good for mooching around, feeding the ducks etc. There is a little play café set back behind a row of shops just near the Co op - it's got a little soft play area and my LO loves it.

Or how about a trip on the train? There's also the Standedge Tunnel and visitors centre near you, and at the other end in Saddleworth an amazing ice cream shack (Grandpa Greene's)

Bake biscuits? - you can make mixture and just let him mould shapes or use biscuits cutters like playdough. Will look like terrible biscuits but I'm sure taste nice

Bath together - at that age we would but some music on quietly, add toys in bath, and get in bath with them. Passes an hour

Chalking on path outside. He can do whilst you relax

Arrange to meet up with some friends in cafe

Yes to chilled out day with pop to shops/village park. I would also get ds (22 months) to help with main meal eg. make your own pizza he can add toppings etc and watch it cook. He will happily spend up to an hour playing on his ride on toy/duplo/happy land toys/ trains/ cars if I sit with him.
Don't feel bad if you have to interject with 10 min episodes of cbeebies in between activities to give you a break!
As for craft ideas ds likes stickers, play dough, painting (fingers or brush)- we did these canvases at christmas with masking tape which then peeled off after pinterest
Do you have leftover chocolate from easter you could melt and add to make rice krispie style cakes?

At Manor Heath there aren't actually many butterflies (and LO will be free entry) - we were taken by the terrapins and especially the Chinese quails: like little fluffy Easter eggs on legs!

i know you're staying local now, but for future reference, Charlotte's icecream parlour is amazing, it's sort of near Grange Moor so less than 30 minutes from Huddersfield. They do the most amazing cake and icecream, and also have a little playground, a few farm animals, mini golf, train ride and a bouncy slide when the weather is good. Would be nice for an outing with your mum

There were quite a few butterflies in there yesterday Arborea

Baking is great fun. The love to pour and mix. It'll be very messy but fun. Also if you have any cornflour put some in a pool, slowly add water and play with it. My toddler loves it. If you have any food colouring to add in then even better. The texture is great

I understand the Fear, I find it's easier to control tantrums at home as I just leave the room. Also, baking sounds fun and if you have some watercolours or paints you can fold a paper in half, paint half a butterfly, fold it and bam- full butterfly.

Here are 50 crafty ideas for 2 year olds - knock yourself out!

You could make pasta necklaces, butterfly prints (paint on one half of a page then fold), decorating basic paper hats, wooden spoon "puppets", sticking dry cereal to paper in the shapes of pre-drawn animal or tree/leaf templates. When it comes to crafty ideas the internet really is your friend there are a million and one different ideas on crafty parenting blogs.

Fantastic ideas guys. Really good and actually I'm looking forward to some crafting at home! Have just whipped out to Asda and got some balloons and some glitter glue. EEEEEEEEEEEEK! Its currently pissing down so Im not holding much hope or the weather tomorrow so crafting it is!

I'm looking forward to some crafting at home!

Brilliant!

Have a lovely day both of you!

...Can you "paint" with chocolate? He hasnt opened his easter egg yet. Im thinking it's safe, messy, fun and tasty!

Oh god I feel inadequate now - mat leaves over in a couple weeks and have don't nothing with DS except trips to tescos and clinics and garden centres doing whatever I normally would do on a day off!