to ask about family days with a baby?

[Carmana]

Can't do theatre
Can't do cinema
Etc

What's something fun that you can do with a 2 month old that feels special? I love going to the theatre and that magical feeling you have when the curtains open.

Any ideas? I'm stumped!

Most cinemas do a baby show sessions.

It’s not AS special but I loved doing cinema when my DC were little. The morning screenings which were baby friendly were still a nice trip out. I had popcorn and coffee, DS slept and the films were the same as I’d have seen anyway, just with the sound slightly lower and the opportunity to breast feed while in there.

Otherwise, I’m partial to an afternoon tea and did a couple of those with a sleeping newborn in tow.

Swimming? I guess it depends how many other DC you have to supervise in the pool. Or walks - local country park, woods, beach, national trust? Any adventure farm type places near you? When DS was a baby he just fitted in with me and DD, though she was under 2 so theatre and cinema were never on the agenda!

Baby cinema kept me sane with DC1!

At the one local to me, they allow them up to 12 months old.

It is great as you get to watch (generally) a new film release plus there is no worry about disturbing others as the cinema is full of other babies who may be making noise, crying etc.

I'd recommend it

I always took mine cinema and not just the baby screening. Feed them and let them sleep.

@flirtygirl

Yes I've done that too, depending on which film I wanted to see.

Baby had a feed and generally fell asleep. In the day there's sometimes hardly anyone in each screen

Swimming, zoo, theatre. At that age you can also eat out for lunch/dinner while they nap

I wonder why the suggestions on a post which begins "can't do theatre, can't do cinema" are cinema and theatre, I must be missing something.

Is the 2 month old your only, or will you have other children needing supervision and entertainment? If so, how old?

Is this for you as lone adult plus baby and various siblings, or you and DH plus baby and possibly baby's siblings? Or you and a fellow mum of a newborn, or you, baby and one or several childfree adults?

Do you have a very awake, alert 2 month old? One only happy being held upright and looking around? A colicky one? Or one that sleeps all the time?

It totally depends and suggestions without that information are meaningless.

Baby cinema screening
Museum
National trust properties/parks
Afternoon tea
Brunch
River cruise
Local festivals

Our local art galleries (one run by the city, the other by the university) both have really good baby play sessions a couple of times a week. In one they put mats and sensory stuff down on the floor in the middle of a huge room with amazing paintings on the wall and sunlight streaming through the massive windows from the park outside. Some of our best excursions when DS was small involved half an hour of rolling on the floor in fabric and knocking over wooden blocks, then strapping him into a sling and mooching round the art I wanted to see or headed straight to the cafe while he either dozed or wriggled.

What about trying somewhere like the Sealife centre or an aquarium? Your little one will like seeing the bright colours of the fish.

Or do you have any local sensory rooms you can book. My local library and children's centre have sensory rooms you can book for free which are great for young babies.

Museums, art gallaries, visits to NT properties? Meals out? We managed all of these til about 6mo - then not again til age 6!

Mine always liked farms and aquariums when they were tiny.

My 10month old loves the zoo and sea life centre but 2mo might be too young to get any enjoyment from anything yet. Is there any small farms or petting zoo near you?
My lo is a massive fan of little baby bum, took him to a showing when he was about 7mo and he just went mental every time they stopped singing so that was a really bad idea in hindsight. Babies are allowed in the cinema in the day time but you might have to leave if they cry a lot.

You can take. Baby to most places and have fabulous days out. I’m thinking back now but recall excellent days on beaches, in woods, crabbing, treasure hunts etc plus places like Ironbridge, Black Country Museum, the Workhouse near Nottingham, a Thames Clipper to Greenwich, Kew, historic dockyard in Portsmouth, Dudley zoo, a wildlife park near Liverpool with a chip vending machine, Longleat, Robin Hill on Isle of Wight. So much to see and do and most possible with a baby.

Swimming
Aquarium
Zoo (maybe a little bit young for this still)
Walks
Farms

My babies an I went to a lot of exhibitions and museums.

They could tell a Martin Parr photo from 100m by the time they were 2