To think weekends with baby/toddler is so boring

[nameisnotimportant]

I feel like we're stuck in a rut and all we do is go to the park over and over again and count down to nap time. What do you do with your baby or toddler at the weekend that you actually find fun/entertaining.

I know what you mean op. I remember being alone with dd in a damp park and feeling the depression of 10 000 we women descend on me.
My lifeline was meeting friends. Coffe, Lunch, soft play, for a walk, bloody anything.
Hope it improves soon

We used to meet up with friends who also had young children. That meant we could do stuff with dc whilst also having a laugh and adult conversation with meals and alcohol included!

Otherwise we would go to the park, walk along the river, feed the ducks, soft play, cafe etc. Spend time with family so that involved weekends away.

Now our dc are teenagers so our weekend revolve around giving them lifts here, there and everywhere!!

We do not do much different to before our DC. Apart from the clubbing!

This thread has made me feel so much better. I thought it was just me, that maybe I wasn’t a ‘natural’ parent!
I was up with DS this morning and our whole day went:
7am breakfast
7am until 8am play doh/toy kitchen
8am sort out massive poonami
8.30am I baked while he watched a bit of TV
9am DH got up - hoorah!
DH entertained DS and got him ready and we headed out at 11am to the NT garden

Seriously, my 3 year old probably watched about six hours of TV today.

I mean he was quite often playing whilst it was on in the background, but still.

Some of you lot need to give yourselves a break!!!!

Park, beach, moors, Woods, softplay, picnics, train rides, the world was our oyster. She started school last month and I miss her so much. Sometimes the days were long but I'd love to have them back if only for a little while.

When my now 7 year old was a toddler we took advantage of the things that were free for her like the local farm attraction, walked in the woods, drew on the patio with chalk, painted pictures on the fence with water, built dens, went to the library, fed the ducks, soft play, planted seeds after painting the pots, explored places on her smart trike and had picnics a lot even in the living room.

Thanks everyone ! So many great suggestions. I don't think it helps that I'm on maternity leave at the moment so I'm trying to find activities to fill up the week as well and I go stir crazy being stuck in the house all day. We've just moved the 16 month old to one nap a day so hopefully this will give us a bit more freedom to get out and about.

Mine all grown up now so treasure these times. Fruit picking, potter painting, swimming, museums, soft play, horse riding, farms, petting zoos, seaside, theme parks, children’s theatre, games for home, puppets, play restaurant/cooking, playdough, make believe forts, lava floor, hide and seek, theater, loads of stuff to do with your children. I only had weekends as worked full time so made the most of them. You’re only limited by your imagination. Most things are free,

Depends what age they are? Combine something you want with something they enjoy is always good.They dont need entertaining constantly but understand you also dont want to be at home all weekend either.Children dont want to be rushed so make it slow and relaxed getting ready.Make chores part of playtime if you have a toddler.mini versions of cleaning materials are great for them.Shopping is great if you include them.Everything babies and children see and experience thats different can be exciting for them and great learning opportunities.Have you friends that can join you.Always good to have other children they can play with.Parks are great but boring if u do the same things there.If old enough scooters,bikes,dolls prams.Hot picnics were fun and kids love them.I use to make sausage sandwiches which id wrap in foil to keep hot .Flasks of soup.Books of what you might see on your trip or sticker books etc..Libraries,soft play or favourite book walks e.g we are going on a bear hunt with words changed,little bags so they can collect interesting things.messy play at home....

We had a big municipal museum nearby which was a lifesaver in wet weekends- lots if space to run around! Lots to see and do especially when they they have family workshop sessions!

Many families had the same idea so not really disturbing ‘normal’ users!
Also the cafe is a bonus!

My husband works every other weekend and those weekends when my DCs were babies and toddlers could go terribly slowly. Thinking back, things like making krispie cakes, hunting for conkers and squirrels in the graveyard and visiting family were life savers.

@16LisaSimpsonsbff
Also, these threads have taught me that everyone else seems to think that food shopping/shopping in general with a toddler is a nice thing to do at the weekend, which surprises me as I thought more people would share my view that it makes something that is a boring and annoying chore without a toddler into a task that is boring, annoying and has the chance that the toddler will kick off and you'll have to leave before you actually have all your food. I genuinely thought that everyone with small children also gets their shopping delivered.

I get my shopping delivered, which means a trip in the trolley at the supermarket is a novelty for my 18 month old, she adores being in the trolley. And I only need a few bits, so also short enough for her not to get bored and angry

My 2 DD’s have swimming lessons on a Saturday morning 3 and a half year old first thing 18 month old just before lunch. Myself and DH alternate who we take. They are ones where you get in with your children and I actually find them really fun. Whoever takes the oldest Dd then usually does an activity that’s a bit tricky with youngest around while youngest is at swimming. DH made apple birdseed feeders with her this weekend. In the afternoon we go shopping if needed (stopping off at the pet shop to see the rabbits, fish etc) or go for a walk or find another activity to do. This weekend we made rockets that actually take off using fruit shoot bottles, water and effervescent vitamin c tablets. Oldest was able to get involved setting them up youngest was just happy toddling round outside. Both got excited watching them fire off.

We generally have a day trip out on a Sunday. Usually to National Trust properties, we have a few good ones with plenty for children to do. Sometimes we will go to farms. This weekend we went to a local reservoir that has a variety of trees round it to do an Autumn collection for oldest to take into preschool.

I appreciate both your DC are very little so it is harder. It does get easier. That said I do find it hard because my oldest is at an age that you can do a lot more with her, where as you can’t do certain activities with youngest around. It is nice that myself and DH both get time alternate weeks with oldest while youngest is at swimming to do these things.

People are right that you shouldn’t wish this time away. But I can’t help but look forward to a time when my Youngest is preschool age and I don’t have to worry about what she has just stuck in her mouth, that she has just grabbed hold of a craft project my oldest was working on and broken it or that she has just run off with the sharp scissors.

See if you have a Wildplay. I miss those days, mine are teens now.

Gosh. I loved those days. Early on, breast feeding with a good film on the go. Later, walks, swimming, books, puzzles, just chilling. Don’t wish it away. They will soon not want to be with you!

I leave them with DH and go out on my own....

Ha! Me too, when I get the chance. I'm at a stage where I'm just so over the park/soft play/baking cakes. Mine are 3 & 1.5 and I'm a SAHM so by the time the weekend rolls around I've done every bloody thing I can think of already and dread my three year olds "what are we doing today mummy?".

It's incredibly tedious - I'm considering going back to work full time and this is honestly one of my reasons I figure it'll be less monotonous if I only have Saturday and Sunday to fill with toddler shite as opposed to seven days!

As soon as they start school and have a sibling you will find they have too many activities you can’t keep up and you lose a sense of who you are.

So embrace this flexible age and head out on day trips and have the naps on the go in either a sling or a pushchair.

We travelled around the world when my son was at 8 months, such a brilliant flexible age.

Jump on a train, drive to a place of interest, go for long walks, most importantly get yourself out for some vitamin d from the sun it helps give you a pick me up.

Enjoy this time. Everyone said it to me and it is hard to see what they mean. You literally blink and wake up with a teenager.

Aaahhh OP C'mon! I used to love those days - I truly miss them.

I used to enjoy getting a little picnic together, putting DD into a sling or pram and walking. Lidl's waterproofs (which I still see being sold) are your friend here - beach walks, woods, river splashing. Bloody fantastic. Kicking leaves around, bird watching - and I'm
not particular a massive naturist but I learnt SO much.

Swimming - find a local hydro pool as they're usually warmer. My local baby pool is like a bath and we used to laze in there and then bumble home.

Local cake shop became our regular and my DD's learnt table manners with their cake or toast.

Like a pp said, once they become older, you have to share this precious time with others. It happens naturally but you'll always have a pang.

I have three older ones and an almost one year old. We’re RSPB and National Trust members so use those memberships quite a lot, saves us a fortune and the DC have really fun days out! We go swimming, visit local farms, the library, catch up with housework and food shopping .

Check out the app Hoop, it’s saved my skin a fair few times. You tap your postcode in and lots of free or inexpensive activities in your area pop up. I know it’s cliche to say but my nine year old was a toddler two minutes ago, time really does fly.

Visit local library, museum, different parks, farms, soft play. But only first thing when it's quiet. Visit friends and relatives. Play dates help ease boredom. Nice to chat with other mums while kids run riot on park ect

One week we thought we’d try just eat food that began with the letter C. Writing a list, a menu, shopping. It really got her engaged with foods. Helping prepare carrot & celery sticks. Or making Chicken bites and chips, You can be creative with naming meals if a problem!

It's boring as sin I find. I am not someone who enjoys mess and DS attention span doesn't make paints and crafts worth it so I don't do that stuff. That's what nursery is for!

Doing things on a budget is tough too. I can't justify going out for lunch or coffee and cake just out of boredom.

I've just bought a puddle suit as I was getting stir crazy with all the rain lately. We attempted a conker hunt but DS was more interested in just exploring the trees and running around so it was still ok. It just poured down.

DS quite likes going round the supermarket so we tend to do that, park, visit GPs. In the summer we had the paddling pool and bowls of washing up bubbles in the garden.

I love weekends with my toddlers but find it’s tough on rainy days - they drive each other mad! Being on a tight budget is hard too as farm, aquarium etc all cost.
We mostly do walks and feeding the ducks but theatre trips and farms etc when money allows.
To make it my weekend too not just all about them, I make sure I do something for me too- hair done, manicure, meet up with a friend, shopping, night out etc. Then at least I feel like I’ve done something with my weekend for me too!
Could you leave children with DH for a bit and do something for you? I definitely needed it when on Mat leave.

When ds1 was small, he thought taking the car through the car wash was a big treat! I also think having friends with similar aged kids can help.. you can get together at someone’s house, maybe have a glass of wine, some adult conversation, and the kids can play (because other people’s toys are always more interesting!)