To ask what you do all day?

[InMemoryOfSleep]

My DS is 21 months, and is going through a phase where he just wants to watch TV all day. He is usually pretty active whilst it’s on - pottering around with his toys rather than sitting silently in front of it, but I’m just worrying that he’s watching so much of it. He is teething as well so he’s clingier than usual and not his usual perky self, but I really struggle to distract him - he has a whole playroom full of toys but his attention span is so short. As it’s half term we’re not braving any of the usual haunts as it’ll be so busy - so any tips on what you do to fill the day that doesn’t involve telly?

My DS is the same age and I hate that he can say the word 'cbeebies', it honestly breaks my heart and makes me feel like a crap mother. I try to limit the amount of TV he watches but as I'm 7 months pregnant I'm shattered and my resolve is weakening.
I'm trying to get him out for at least 1/2 hours a day in his warm waterproof kit so he's getting a good blast of fresh air every day, and trying to make sure we do an activity every day too, painting, drawing, playdoh etc. But I admit it, he is watching the Twirlywoos right now.
You have my sympathy, it's bloody hard some times!

@toolonglurking thanks for the support - I don’t even have the excuse of being pregnant! Hope you’re feeling ok. I just keep thinking that when the weather is better it’ll be easier, we literally couldn’t get our noses out the door today as it was so grim. I find it really hard as his attention span is so short, so any activities only last for about 20 mins!

My son is older (4) and usually I am at work and he is at preschool but it's half term this week.

So far we have;

Visited relatives locally (mainly grandparents)
Been to the library
Been to sort play
Been shopping (DS enjoys and we take my aunt and combine with a visit to my nan where he is spoilt)
Done some baking/pancake making.

Not sure rest of the week - hopefully the free museum/gallery as they have activities for kids on.

Probably more baking and another visit to sort play as weather is rubbish.

Unfortunately, my DS isn't one for staying at home all day so we have to get out and about.

Toddlers
Toddler classes
Library
Cinema at the cheap kid's films
Play dates at friends houses & play dates at our house
Bike
Trip to local park
Soft play if really desperate
Day out to the museum
Bath
Swimming

Baking
Cooking
Paint
Play doh
Puzzles

You need to get out the house.

It's not fair for your son to be cooped up inside all day just because you don't want to go out.

Dancing
Walk to the shops
Supermarket shop
Zoo/small zoo/animal park/aquarium

We stopped DS watching tv altogether at 18 months (just after the birth of DD) because it made him a monster it was really hard to start with but now we get through the day without it easily. HE probably watches 1 film a month (25ish months). We read stories, sing nursery rhymes while I do house stuff, listen to music (he now has his favourites and requests the same ones all day long) have playgroups we go to every week on 3 of the days, see grandma on another day. We squeeze in trips to the park, soft play, library (we never leave that bloody place!), the shops. Painting, colouring, train tracks at home. We are very busy is basically the answer. We go out in all weathers (except ice). In summer we did a walk round the block every morning too. I don’t drive so we walk everywhere and it means we can chat a lot. Travelling time also fills up the day a bit too!

I'm a nanny of a 22 month old, who is much the same.
At this age (and actually for years to come) an attention span of about twenty minutes is completely normal. It helps, I find, if you have a couple of things on hand, like a box of colouring books and crayons, a box of car toys, etc etc etc. Then just let them pick a box, once they are bored of it, get them to help you put everything away before moving on to another one.
I also make sure we can't or don't watch cartoons in the playroom, so when we are in there it doesn't come up really.
At the end of the day, so long as you guys are chatting with each other, interacting, getting out a couple of times a week, then you are fine and a bit of Peppa etc isn't going to hurt.

I think I was feeling worse today as the bloody weather was so awful - we normally go for walks but it honestly was too grim to even get out the door (snow and ice so the buggy was a no go). Quacking we do all of the activities that you suggest, I just feel like nothing takes very long so we struggle to fill the day!

I have a 3 week old. My 5yo and 3yo have square eyes

Seriously though. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do!!!

I have a 4yo, 2yo and 1yo.
The telly is on quite a bit but I try to make sure the older two do constructive things when the youngest is in bed - play doh, wipe clean work books, drawing, sticking etc.
They play together a lot which is a god send... but they also fight a lot

Does he have a train set...DS (22m) will spend lots of time playing with his.
Or sometimes I let him have some easy to clean up food (dry pasta or cereal) and let him cook it in his toy kitchen.

Tbh I try to go out everyday even if its just for a walk to the cornershop (with reins so he walks) because otherwise he's a bit nightnmarish in the evening as he hasn't run off enough energy.

I think it's much harder nowadays for parents. In the '80s we simply didn't have the option of wall to wall TV, so the temptation to leave it on all day wasn't there.

To entertain DS at that age, I used to take him out for walks; go to the playground and play on the swings and slides; ask friends around with their children or go to their houses; make things with duplo; play with him with his toys etc. But I couldn't do that all the time. I often used to just leave him to his own devices to play by himself. Water and sand would keep him occupied for ages (and make a hell of a mess, unfortunately!).

I have a 3yr old and 20 month old. I only put the telly on to watch something specific rather than have It on in the background. They ask for it constantly. I also remind myself that it isn't my job to provide constant entertainment for them all day long. Sometimes if you just busy yourself they drift off and find something to do. If you don't mind mess my kids love a basin of water each and animals to dunk, we paint pasta and make necklaces, they have loads of costumes and hats for dressing up. So basically not putting the telly on = exhausted mum!

A good long bath with loads of toys can kill an hour...even if he has one in the evening as part of a routine. Or a washing up bowl with toys on a towel is good waterplay. Make a little plan if you really can’t get out, for example...
7am wake up, breakfast, get dressed
8am dancing round the lounge
8.30 tv for half an hour
9am free play with toys etc
10am snack and story time
11am nap (if he has one)
12 noon lunch
1pm obstacle course in the house (bean bag catching, jumping over little jumps, hop on one leg etc).
1.30 tv for half an hour
2pm free play
3pm snack
3.15 water play
4.15 tv for half an hour
4.45 tea
5.30 puzzle or flood play
6pm bath
6.30 bed woop woo!
He can help you do chores too, plus you can have a coffee while he watches tv!
Getting out is the best thing though, even just a potter in the snow...then he can watch tv afterwards!

Floor play not flood play ffs!

We go out in the mornings, today we went to a supermarket (Morrison) because they have mini trolleys so DD could push one. Then to Grandma and Grandad house. This afternoon she did not want to get up after nap time so we spent 30 mins in bed singing songs, made pancake batter, planted cress seeds, had a pancake picnic inside, she ran around upstairs while I put the washing away, bathtime, books and then bed.

Morning are always out the house even if it is just to the library. Afternoon we read books, play with toys - babies, dinosaurs, doll house, block or animals. Or crafty things, drawing and colouring, painting, playing with dried rice or maybe baking cakes. Unless it is far too cold like today I try to have a walk around the block either on her trike or she pushes her doll in the buggy or play in the garden for 20 mins.