To wonder what on Earth I’m going to do with two small DC indoors all day during Storm Ciara?

[Rainallnight]

DC are 1.5 and 3.5. We never stay in all day. I’m dreading it.

Cosmic kids yoga
Bouncing on the bed
Baking
Painting
Lego
Long bath
Eating the baked goods in front of a film
Racing toy cars up and down the hall or kitchen
Have a disco party

Same here OP. It’s going to be a long day.
Mine love being in the bath so we may have a couple of those, maybe with some food colouring in, build an indoor den, make cakes with the big one and do an assault course. What we’ll do with the other 9 hours I don’t know.

Sometimes it’s nice to have a day indoors. Make the most of it.
Build a den
Picnic in the lounge
Face painting
Make pastry to use as play dough ( just flour and water)
Junk modelling
Story time
Disney film
Storm watching from the window
Sort ( clean) washing
Baking
Icing biscuits
Colouring
Napping

Nobody ( as far as you’ve said) is poorly. Make the most of a different kind of day. It’s not all about rushing around to places. Have a great day.

I stash away toys at birthday/Christmas for days like these. Otherwise, bath with different toys tea set/glow sticks or baking equipment.

Set up a teddy bears picnic is a favourite.

If I’m desperate, I try and find an activity per room. The youngest likes to empty their drawer and the older one sorts into colour piles.

Make play dough?

So pleased ours are 18 and 13. The thought of doing anything on those lists on a Sunday would fill me with dread.

OP I get you - I found life with little ones much easier out of the house you'd rarely get me staying in a while day.

Daytime baths are another one to add to the list.
When your little one naps try a film with your oldest.

Baking
Drawing/arts and crafts
Tv/PJ day - it's a one off!

There are some really good ideas here, thanks. I find finding things that both of them can do really difficult. It they could both do picnic, bath, play dough and den.

DS, the 18 month old, only takes tiny naps, and usually in his pram. DP is working today.

I feel your pain, 1 year old who's like a puppy and needs a daily walk.

Playdough
Painting
Baking
We have some toys stashed from Christmas so will bring one out.
Film
Lots of snacks
Jigsaws
Day time baths

Rainy days we'd often have a party. It'd be Rabbit or Duck or Ted's birthday. We'd start by making birthday cards, then blow up balloons, wrap up toys as gifts and a multi-layered parcel as pass the parcel. Make biscuits or decorate plain ones with icing and sprinkles. Use cutters to make fancy shape sandwiches. Push all the furniture back to make a party room. Have regular we've worked hard breaks where the DC would have 20-30 mins CBeebies, and I could mumsnet! The actual play party wasn't the relevant bit it was all the activities that could lead upto a party.

Is no one going out at all then? We were planning cake and soft play at a nearby garden centre today.

It's a day for painting, colouring, craft, play dough, baking, cosmic kids, dancing, jigsaws, marble runs.... for sure.
Basically, get out the stuff you buy/ get given for gifts but rarely use.

Turn on the TV. Veg out.

I've no intention of going out, no. I dislike strong winds and its wild outside already. We spent more or less the whole day day out yesterday - eldest had gymnastics, then park, then supermarket, then football and gardening at home - so they wouldn't be too stir crazy today (they're 5 and 2.11 and are also more like puppies than people).

😂 really?
Do they have toys? Just play with them.

Musical Statues
Simon Says
Front room disco

Depends what the storm is actually like where you are, and of course you’d be unwise to go out if it means negotiating woodland or anything - but with little ones of that age I reckon even a short walk round the block (and the time taken to get wellies and waterproofs on and off, and the warm drink when you get back in) would do wonders for everyone’s mood and the sense of breaking up the day.

Breadmaking: takes up plenty of time (kneading, rising etc.), good sensory activity, and you can keep coming back and doing the next stage over the course of the day. And then have nice bread to eat all week!

Have you got a tumble dryer? I reckon make the most of the opportunity to do ALL your laundry (and yes, get them to sort the socks!)

All the episodes of Bertha are on YouTube - it’s a classic!

I'm not venturing out @Elbeagle could be debris flying about etc, not risking it.

I am usually a bit obsessive about leaving the house. But, sometimes we like just bimbling in the house, I’ve just got one (2 year old) though. The other day I got 40 mins out of letting him use the hoover on the lowest setting with the brush attachment. He hoovered his toys, the floor, his head... we also made ‘roads’ using electrical tape, which he was keen on using. I surrendered to it looking nothing like a road ;) Then you can have races or make a car wash using some blocks/ cups and a damp sponge. I was a bit inspired by a blog from 5 minute mum, which may be worth checking out for simple games fiveminutemum.com/ .

Blow up some balloons and bat them around.
Indoor treasure hunt.

I'm going out to shops etc, maybe trampoline park. No walking around though. Lots of street trees near me and it feels a bit scary in high wind.

@RippleEffects that’s such a fun idea I love it! I do tend to follow @mathanxiety’s option of lots of tv though on these days.

Swimming ? If you have a toddler pool at your nearest leisure centre

Blanket den, or even just pull the sofa away from the wall and make a little hideaway there.

I have no intention of staying in all day with my two! My 3 year old has been invited to a play date so will leave me just with the 1 year old for a couple of hours. We might wander round the supermarket. Then this afternoon I was thinking garden centre soft play. However some good ideas here to fill the other million hours in the day!