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.

Dd is wrapped up and out in the garden earlier.
The weather doesn't stop us going out.
When we're in the house dd can play with the mountain of bloody toys she has. Sometimes we will put the music on and have a dance round the livingroom.

Op, decided after lunch that my 19 month old is skipping her nap today. She is actually tidying her toys up but am getting out some toys we've not had in a while. We've baked and watched films and Peppa pig. TV is not big on out house but it's on now.

Well we went to a garden centre with a soft play this morning (quite a lot of debris in the roads but we took is slowly), now 6 year old is doing her homework, 4 year old is half watching Minions and half playing with her dolls and baby is napping. It’s brightened up now so we’ll wrap up and take the dog for a walk in a bit.

I hate the stuck inside days too. DD would gladly just watch TV all day, but it’s not just about her - this is my leisure time as well, and it feels really rubbish to spend one of my two days off stuck in the house watching Octonauts.

I stay in all day with mine atleast once a week. I couldn’t imagine having to go out everyday. Sometimes I need to just chill and rest. But then mine don’t like going out every day either.

I stay in all day with mine atleast once a week. I couldn’t imagine having to go out everyday.

you must have a huge house and garden, I don't, my kids are like puppies, they need to run around! And I like to be out too, even if it's just running after their bikes.

We have a big house but no they are not in the garden. Like I said they don’t like to go out everyday.

Mine are not allowed to play video games and have very restricted tv times, so they don't have a choice

Thinking back
My mum had 6 of us I can't remember her ever planning anything for us to do.
We were out playing in all weather. If we stayed in we did our own thing(usually fighting with each other) until my mum had enough of us and tossed us out.

I used to set my living room up nursery style so lots of different things to do. Playdough on one side of the table, colouring on the other. Jigsaws on the coffee table. A small world scene - tree blocks and toy animals or dolls house with dolls and furniture. Some active toys like mini hulahoops and gymnastic ribbons, some books on the sofa. Dress up clothes, shape sorters and activity toys too.

@JosefKeller - I only have a 2 bed terrace so not massive but my DC love a day at home. I think it just depends on the DC temperament. My youngest does still constantly cartwheel in the house!

We went out for 2 hours in the early morning in full rain gear, so they had exercise. so far we‘ve build a periscope, a ton of jigsaws, „sleepy bunnies“ a million times, decorated a cake, board games, some tv. now bath, then cooking dinner

Staying indoors for a day is not possible unless they are seriously ill (fever over 40). they need at least 1 hour proper exercise a day, otherwise its hell. they are 3 and 7, but i don’t think we ever stayed in all day once out of hospital

Could do some sensory messy play......

Add food coloring to spaghetti and put it in a big bin with dump trucks, bottles, tongs, pots big spoons etc. same idea works with rice

Strip them down to their diapers and put out food colored shaving cream in bowls for finger painting - messy but cute. Can do the same with pudding (not cake whatever Brits call.....pudding?) - you could potentially do this in the tub for ease of clean up

Dump a bunch of blocks on the floor and an assortment of bottles/pots - see if they can put the blocks in the bottles using tongs, spoons and other kitchen utensils

Put out a play tent or a tunnel - something novel that's not out all time time

We used to have a couch with big cushions - at the age we would make a pillow/ blanket pit that they could flop in and jump into with strict rules and supervision of course.

I'd never expect my dog to stay in all day so I don't expect my child to either. We get out at least once a day when we're home (he's 9 hours a day in nursery half the week). It's good for both of us to get some exercise and fresh air and to explore the outdoors in all weathers. Today isn't really safe to do so though, several trees down already so he's had to make do with a toddle round Tesco whilst I got some shopping. He doesn't need constant entertainment, he quite happily sits and plays with his toys and looks at books independently (which is probably exactly what he's doing right now whilst DH is distracted by the rugby!).

I’m a bit shocked at this, maybe I’m weird? I have 4 and we stay in a lot, can’t say I’ve ever worried about what to do and we sure as hell don’t do most of the things on these lists 🤣

The “just go out it’s only windy” comments make me laugh. Do people realise it’s worse in some parts than others? It’s not just wind it’s rain here that’s the main issue. I’d have to swim out.

Same here nameymcnamechangeagain I also have 4 and would hate dragging them out everyday. We spend most weekends in. and havent used the garden since summer.

It's not about worrying about what to do, it's the need to run around and spend some energy outside. The comparison with dogs is very accurate. My kids physically need to be active the same way they need food.

I can't spend an entire day sitting down or doing nothing either. I need to spend some energy.

Oh my goodness you never have a pyjama day? My kids used to love the odd lazy day in the house at that age!

I lived on the East Coast of the US for some time with two very small kids. When it’s -20 degrees outside you just can’t go out. One school year DS1 had 21 snow days. That was truly painful.

(The schools allow them to play outside till it’s -12 so roughly 20 Fahrenheit but anything below that isn’t safe).
Things we did:
Puzzles
Baking
Tea party for the toys with cornflour and water. You can add food colouring too.
Take a puzzle, wrap the pieces and put it in a bag. Let them unwrap the pieces and do the puzzle. Good fine motor skill play.
Put some sticky tape down on the floor and get them to take it off.
Mine liked painting with Q tips (less messy)
Or car/truck painting. That was another favourite.
But mainly I would read endlessly to them.

May I also recommend the book Five Minute Mum to parents of little people (under 4s) on this thread? Lots of great games to play with stuff we have usually lying about.

As soon as there was a break in the rain DD went outside to jump in puddles, then off to the park.

Muddypuddles ignored my children all day every day and never once used my Knowledge as a pre school practitioner, in fact one day i hid them in the understairs cupboard. If you read a lot of the repiles it is not the children who have a problem staying at home, its the adults

maybe I’m weird? I have 4 and we stay in a lot, can’t say I’ve ever worried about what to do and we sure as hell don’t do most of the things on these lists
I have 5 and am similarly baffled. Particularly under threes are surely much happier free roaming at home some days than out??. We love being home and probably would be stressed by going out every day. I guess different families just really are VERY different.