6 months of shite weather

[SomeoneStolemySocks]

No toddler groups............can't go to the park because the ground is always soaking wet/play equipment waterlogged. Can't afford softplay every week. One of my sons is nearly 2 and I have no idea what I'm going to do with him until the sun shows it's face again next year.

I'm feeling low about the onset of autumn/winter. Trying to entertain a very active little boy at home for 6 months of cold/dark and horrible autumn rain.

Anyone else in the same boat? Ideas?

I realize with hindsight how lucky I was to be able to take my first son to a local toddler group on a Tues morning. It only cost £1 entry, & he loved playing with different toys. Those groups were great, such a shame Covid has finished them off (near me anyway)

I'm not a member of the "just get some good waterproofs" brigade. My idea of fun is not stuffing two reluctant children into bulky clothing and wrestling with hats and gloves only to be rewarded with a drizzly walk where we all end up balls deep in mud.

Give me picnics, beaches, summer fairs, camping, kayaking, barbecues, ice cream and getting tipsy in the sunshine. Bloody hate winter!

I had two toddlers to entertain for four months whilst on furlough with a husband working 50-60 hour weeks. It wasn't great in warm weather but it's a particularly depressing prospect when outside is grey.

Without wanting to play the game of who had the worst lockdown, if you were on furlough and your DH had a job, then you don't get to point out to everyone how hard your lockdown was, as if many others weren't also caring for multiple toddlers with two parents working, or with two parents furloughed, without enough money, and imminently unemployed.

I have young DCs and yes, I'm not looking forward to the rain. But it doesn't usually rain endlessly like this weekend, and cold but dryer days are fine for outings. Puddle jumping can pall but bike rides with kids in a wagon are possible, or driving to new places, preparing for Christmas, making home nice etc.

Form a bubble and you can still go to each others' houses at least. Or for a change of scenery, you can go on holiday within the UK, though you're supposed to follow the same rules there.

It is a bit shit, but the year is generally, and dwelling on it will never improve the situation

My DD is almost 6 months old and I’m dreading feeling trapped in the house when the weathers bad
Going out for walks has been a lifeline for me, I don’t drive and there’s nothing local like soft play, swimming etc.
It already feels difficult enough just to get out and about, I feel like I can’t take her on “countryside” walks while using a pushchair so it’s almost just roaming the streets!

Form a bubble and you can still go to each others' houses at least. Or for a change of scenery, you can go on holiday within the UK,

You're only allowed to form a bubble if you are a single person living alone or single parent.
You are assuming people have money to spend. And many holiday places close in winter as nobody wants to visit in the cold weather.

Without wanting to play the game of who had the worst lockdown

Well you are wanting to as you did hah.

I feel your pain. I have an almost 3 year old and a 6m old and we’ve lived outdoors all summer. I’ve got warm and waterproof suits and a thermos and we’ve been for walks in the woods and for ‘cosy’ picnics with baked bend and sausages! I’ve invested in a load of cheap craft stuff and scrubbed up my indoor den building skills! We also have a bag of popcorn kernels and Disney Plus for really bad weather! Il be trying to
See friends still where possible and make the most of this precious time with them before I’m back at work, I’ll do it in whatever I can that keeps us all sane! Good luck!

@Scaraffito but I didn't, because I wasn't saying mine was worse, just saying that the OP seems to think her situation is uniquely hard, when it is hard but not half as bad as it could be, if she could lift her head up a bit and see.

This book has some nice ideas: www.waterstones.com/book/rainy-day-kids-adventure-book/steph-scott/katie-akers/9781849944380

When my son was little, it rained constantly for days so I went out and bought a little toddler trampoline. It filled my living room but he bounced on that thing for hours at a time. I know that it doesn't help you exactly but it burns up excess energy. I have two very energetic boys so anything helps.
Also, when it's raining and we just have to go out, we head for some woods. If you are in the middle of a city, I know this can be difficult but it's the best place to be in the rain.
I second the waterproofs and warm boots for both of you. It won't rain every day hopefully!
That said, my eldest is too big for playgrounds now so I really don't know how we're going to get through the winter with no indoor activities available. I'm hoping for lots of crisp winter days 😀

@OverTheRubicon I don't think pp was saying her situation was uniquely hard, she was just describing what she found difficult

Many new mums for example post about how hard it is that their baby wakes every two hours at a three months old when to me that sounds like luxury because mine woke every twenty-five minutes for months, but I don't point that out and begrudge them communicating their difficulties

You sound worried and bit down.
I remember having toddlers at home and I agree, it’s hard enough to entertain them while staying sane yourself without being able to do all the indoor/playgroup stuff.
I wonder what your expectations are of yourself- do you have to ‘entertain’ or think of stuff all day? I wonder if it might be helpful to break the day up into going out (in the rain whatever unless it’s awful) for as long as you can stand, followed by watching a film and snack on the sofa, a bit of playing etc.
If winter involves more tv etc that’s ok, you don’t have to be 100% all day. In fact, building in a bit of time for you, even 10 mins, will help you not to feel resentful of the situation.
I understand though, it’s a short period of your child’s life but I had afternoons that seemed to go on forever at times!

@merlynred1 have you considered a sling? I had an Ergo one for ds and it’s so well designed I could easily carry him up to when he started walking. It might free you up to go “off road” a bit

@SomeoneStolemySocks have you got any wildlife trust places near you? The one in Essex is still running activities for kids. They are outside but a bit more interesting than standing in a cold wet playground for hours.

We also had membership for an RHS place my second child loved wandering around there, again it’s outside but breaks up the monotony of parks and there’s nice coffee shops etc. Local farm / zoo / seal life places annual memberships can work out good value and life savers with little ones.

I was actually disappointed that it didn't rain yesterday as I was looking forward to joining the mumsnet masses with the puddle jumping autumnal illusion.

@Welikebeingcosy

I was actually disappointed that it didn't rain yesterday as I was looking forward to joining the mumsnet masses with the puddle jumping autumnal illusion.

My son literally didn't stop asking for puddles all day long I actually did wish for rain

You are welcome to join me in Wales where it has rained for 9 days and we are not allowed to leave our county

We do puddle jumping and my 1 year old is almost constantly covered in mud and even in the summer she’d find a way (beeline for the soil next to the plant I’d just watered) but there’s only so much of that anyone can do... 6 months without let up is GRIM.

I did so many art projects with my oldest during lockdown I don’t have many mote ideas left in me. I made up games to play inside and out and we created board games and crafted just about everything... that was great but I am void of ideas now.

It’s ok for me really as I have one at school now so the school run (on foot) twice a day is my getting out got fresh air.. Also I have a toddler music class that still meets, which I know might not be the case in some local lockdown areas. I’m at the point really where I have enough to get me through the next 6 months of this but if anything else gets cancelled I will probably just sit and sob so I do really feel for some of you on this thread.

I live in Manchester and it was lovely on Sunday. I sat out in the garden for an hour in the afternoon. Saturday was terrible though.

I agree, I hate the rain! And biting winds! If you happen to get a couple of hours of no rain, take a carrier bag and collect as many sticks, leaves, conkers and conker shells as you can, and dry them out in doors. Then when it's wet you can use these for gluing, sticking, drawing on or with, painting on or with etc. In regards to soft play, can you use any sofa cushions or pillows, quilts, sheets or blankets, and build a trail indoors your toddler can climb over and under etc?

Sympathies OP, I used to hate days like that too and that was pre-COVID! A lot of the responders on here seem to have more than one child- which means there’s another kid there to play with, argue, chase around, distract. Mine is a singleton and it was so much easier if we met up with someone else with another child! On our own it was just miserable tramping around in the rain with a whingeing child for the umpteenth time! No matter how many ducks, conkers, puddles etc. And that’s with the warm clothes, waterproofs, wellies etc. The days seemed to last so long!

I found it easier with a plan for the morning, then DD had a nap in the afternoon and I kept this as ‘quiet time’ when she stopped napping which meant she played on her own for a couple of hours.
Are you eligible for any nursery funding? Mine was in 3 days a week which made things a lot easier! Is there any sort of membership scheme for the soft play which would make it work out cheaper?
Otherwise structure helped, having a framework for the week which could be adapted to any brighter weather.

I'm with you OP. From October to February is hideous, I'm in a permanent bad mood and hibernate like a small animal. We have a 4 year old who luckily like us is a bit of a homebody. We make salt dough, play games with dice and cards, play hide and seek, make dens out of chairs and sheets. Look on pinterest for age related ideas.

Wet weather waterproofs and off you go!
Take a bag for conkers, leaves, acorns etc. Let them dry overnight and make pictures with the leaves dipped in paint or just glue them to paper. You can make a gnome house/fairy garden with an old shoebox and the concerns/acorns green paper etc

Loads to do outdoors, but wrap up warm or it will be miserable. Is there a wood or forest nearby you can explore? Collect moss and bark for bark rubbing pictures for later in the day? Do a spot the different trees/ collect different leaves.

Have fun and talk about the weather with DS how us it different from the say before? Weather diary and what activities you did.

Enjoy the frost and snow. Explore the sounds your feet make on the ground. Make snow angels, jump in puddles,

Make Christmas/Halloween decorations creates, bunting, tree ornaments, cards from old cards or use templates from Pinterest. They can rake weeks to do so start early!

Have a look at the national true 50 things to do page.

Indoors - den or dress up and be a character. Draw pictures of the characters they have been or like. Talk about why they like him/her and the story.
Make cards. Explore Pinterest for templates and ideas.
Rick painting.
Bake cakes or biscuits or just help with lunch and supper prep.
Make crowns or face/ eye masks.
Make a fairy or gnome door
Pumpkin carve
Grow dress or other indoor plants/veg.
Play board games it snap/ spot the difference.
Snuggle up and watch a movie with homemade popcorn.
Decorate the house for Christmas.
Letter to Father Christmas.
Snuggle up with a book or three.
Paint blowing
Tuff tray with cornflour and water / homemade slime.
Duplo build.
Indoor treasure hunt.

Springtime flower hunt.
Picnic in the woods even if it's cool.
Make pictures with daisies and buttercup
Watch lambs being born.
Make easter cards and decorations like bunting.
Easter biscuits - hunt them in the garden.
Treasure hunt outdoors for flowers, leaves, spring-themed items.

I feel your pain. And we've had such an awful year weather wise too, wind, rain and mostly low for summer temperatures. Now it's dark early, cold and even more wet, DS2's asthma is flaring and I have a hideous streaming cold. Not to mention how much worse bedtimes are once it starts getting dark early. There is no joy in shivering in a park in lashing rain while the kids beg to go home and watch telly. So autumn and winter and lockdown can all do one. Roll on light nights and good weather.

@letsgomaths

There's no bad weather, only bad clothing.

And we have had a pretty good summer, weather-wise. Even August was lovely.

Anyone who says there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing, doesn’t wear glasses.