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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think having a child/children 2 & under in the school holidays in a nightmare?

48 replies

Beautifulblue · 15/08/2018 15:55

I'm so struggling to find things to do with my 13 month old DD at the moment. The weather has been bad & all the indoor play areas are packed out because it's school holidays. DD is walking, but is obviously small & doesn't look where she's going I just think she'll get knocked off her feet by older kids. I have the hoop app & look at events on fb but everything seems to be aimed at older kids. The only thing we can do is go to baby groups, which are absolutely dead in the holidays (we've been 1 of 2 at two different baby groups this week) which is fine but these only last 1-2 hours so leave the rest of the day with nothing to do! When the weather is better obviously it's easier, parks/pools. But even parks are aimed at older kids really & she can only go on the swings/sand pit.

Is this just because there really isn't much more under 2's CAN do? Or do you think there should be more areas/events catered to this age range? AIBU!? We went to a charity shop & paid £1 for 2 dvds which we're sitting at home watching - but I wanna be out! I just don't know where to go!

OP posts:

HughLauriesStubble · 15/08/2018 16:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BackBoiler · 15/08/2018 16:04

Play with them, bake, quiet pond to feed the ducks etc. They are babies they are just happy with your attention!

madeyemoodysmum · 15/08/2018 16:07

Make the most of it. Once she is at school every activity is in the holiday. Then the nightmare really begins!!

Mummyschnauzer · 15/08/2018 16:07

There’s loads you can do. Swimming sap if a baby pool, play with her toys. Get a magazine and do some naming/pointing activities, invite people with babies round, make some musical instruments with rice and pasta upturned saucepan to man a drum to practice A beat, welly walk, visit a farm most soft plays have under 2section. What do you do when not the school hols? Surely you’re not in a baby group or soft play all the time?

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 15/08/2018 16:07

Mine liked trampolining at that age. The best thing we found though was friends with kids the same age to hang out with and all be bored together!

jbiscuits · 15/08/2018 16:08

Have you tried your local libraries? Ours still run their rhyme times throughout the holidays and sometimes have other activities happening as well.

CoffeeAndCakeEssentials · 15/08/2018 16:08

They can't really do a lot. At that age it's more about you getting out and about, meeting with friends and them tagging along! A walk round the park, library story time, feeding ducks, go to a friend / family members house. They're easily entertained at that age

GiveMeAllTheGin8 · 15/08/2018 16:11

I think it's so much easier to entertain a 13 month old!
Week dd was that age we went to playground early then home for lunch and nap.
We met up with friends a lot.
At that age they are happy to potter around the house banging pots together.
You could take a trip on a bus, paddle in the sea, go to the supermarket, pet store, coffee shop.
Do some chalk, paint , water play.
Loads to do

Original poster

Beautifulblue · 15/08/2018 16:28

Yes, this is probably more about me being bored with our activities than her come to think of it 😂 We do lots of stuff indoors, play with toys, read, she likes to help with the washing machine & dish washer...! She loses interest in painting quickly & it's a big clean up so we don't often but she does paint at messy play. I think honestly I'm a bit lonely, I wish there were more mums with kids my age out & about. I do meet a group of mums from a baby group on a Friday but mon-thurs it's just us primarily & I find it hard to fill the day without going totally stir crazy - I like to be out, I like to be social but it's hard isn't it?

OP posts:

JynxaSmoochum · 15/08/2018 16:30

I remember missing the structure of our usual routine and other places such as soft play and parks being overcrowded with large children charging around. There did seem to be more time to fill and less to fill it with.

(Now I have large children charging around )

AuditAngel · 15/08/2018 16:34

If you don’t enjoy clearing up from painting, paint in the garden, easier clean up. Chalks on the pavement?

Bubbles outdoors

Fatted · 15/08/2018 16:38

I used to feel the same when mine were little. I had a 2YO and a baby!!

Original poster

Beautifulblue · 15/08/2018 16:39

Like I say we do lots at home, time at home is filled well & fine but I do like to be out where possible & it's finding places to fill the days which seems to be hard - I'm sure a lot of people have this issue though!

OP posts:

Maryann1975 · 15/08/2018 16:46

Do you have any friends with little ones? I think my best advice if you don’t is to make some. In September when all the groups go back go to as many as you can and find your people. The days are far less boring when you are with other people and their babies. My best friend when I had dd1, we spent hours walking round for no other reason than it was free and we had nothing else to do!

Mermaid36 · 15/08/2018 16:49

YANBU!!
My girls are nearly 2.5 and all our regular playgroups are term time only. They are very small for their age so soft play is a nightmare as they just end up knocked over/pushed around.
Everywhere else we might go is heaving because it's the holidays.

Can't wait for the start of term!

endofthelinefinally · 15/08/2018 17:03

I met some good friends just by being in the park every day.
Little children love to be outside and we have had good weather for it.
They don't get bored as easily as we do.

In the garden we just had a small paddling pool and various containers and watering cans.

It is hard if you don't know anyone, but you do meet other mums just by being out and about with your DC.

Would any of the friends from the baby group like to meet up for a picnic? Or just meet for a couple of hours in the park?

Pinkvoid · 15/08/2018 17:09

At that age they really don’t require much stimulation, I miss it . I used to do really basic shit with mine like let them splash about in the sink pretending to wash up, getting pans and wooden spoons out to let them drum, letting them put things in and out of boxes etc. Their little minds are fascinated. I also second checking out story times and such at libraries, those always went down well with mine.

It’s a pain but you only have 2.5 weeks to get through, you’ll survive.

cadburyegg · 15/08/2018 17:16

Yep tricky age, things are aimed at older kids. Some children’s centres offer groups for under 5s throughout the holidays. We are national trust members and have some fab places near us so even in the holidays we go and it’s not too crowded. Agree to going to places early.

It does get better. I found this with DS1 at that age, he’s now 3.5 so from September during term time he’ll be one of the older ones!

endofthelinefinally · 15/08/2018 17:16

When I was little my mum used to plonk me on the floor and open the pan cupboard.
Hours of fun.
DS would be entertained for ages with a couple of packs of stickers from the pound shop.
Fridge magnets are good.
Ditto ping pong balls.

Cbeebiessavesmyafternoon · 15/08/2018 17:20

My DS is 2 and I find the school holidays hard, his activities finish for the summer and especially when the weather isn't good as I want to avoid soft play at all costs, swimming is busy. Luckily the Children's Centres groups are still on in my area but its hard, there's only so many times we can go to the park.

One thing my DS liked when we were at home was walking/crawling on bubble wrap, he thought it was hilarious. One thing I do is bulk buy birthday cards for family members in advance, get the paint out and get DS to 'sign his name' by decorate the inside and leave them to dry on the washing line. Best to do it all in one go.

Is there a toy library near you? Borrow some new toys for a week or so.

ForgivenessIsDivine · 15/08/2018 17:24

I moved towns when mine were little and did what I affectionately think of as mummy dating, to find some friends with children of similar ages. I found it useful to have a few people to call on / meet up with. A playground picnic is easier with more people, especially during the holidays.

IceCreamFace · 15/08/2018 17:26

I know what you mean - it's not like the child needs activities at that age but it's boring as an adult to be stuck inside the entire time.

Sweetiedarlingletmein · 15/08/2018 17:27

YANBU!
I can’t wait for the Summer holidays to be over. My DD is 22 months and none of our local groups are running, the soft plays are heaving and the parks are so busy. There’s nothing for pre schoolers and there’s only so much painting/play doh I can take!

Yokatsu · 15/08/2018 17:31

Omg 1-7ish was easy!

Walk with a Dolls pram to the local play park.
Walk at the local national trust, do whatever was going on there
Walk to the nearest play fountains
Annual passes to the local zoo with huge play park and splash pool.
Annual pass to local forestry site.

SinkGirl · 15/08/2018 17:32

My twins are almost 2 and I’m really struggling. Too old to be contained in a buggy, nowhere is safe enough to let them roam when it’s just me, it’s a bloody nightmare. They’re too young to actually enjoy anything (they’re behind developmentally which doesn’t help) - I can’t wait til they’re a bit older.

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