What do you do with your kids…

[Shesnotreallyagirlygirl]

On rainy weekends?

Dd, 4, has bags of energy, likes to be doing things most of the day. It’s raining all weekend, we don’t want to go to the shopping centre as it’s packed on days like this. We’ll try to get her out for a walk with the dog at some point during a break in the rain. She’ll probably sit a bit more calmly and maybe watch a film & have some popcorn after dinner. How else to fill the hours?

Same here. Lots of my little pony and play mobil type imagination playing at that age. Rainy day indoor outings around here - cinema, library, swimming.

Our go to for bad weather weekends restricting outdoor exercise was a DVD of out disco dance favourites of YMCA, macarena etc and they could copy the moves.

Modern alternative is there's loads of Just Dance clips on YouTube.

Quieter activities... board games. Lego competions. Craft kits

Mine go fencing on a Sunday morning. We also do a lot of board games in front of the fire.

When they were small we we spent a lot of time running around National Trust gardens, whatever the weather.

Wellies on to play in the garden, national trust garden walks, swimming, lots of baking, crafts, painting etc..

Kids currently have the living room covered in wooden train track but as long as it's not heavy rain this morning will be a trip to the allotment and then a visit to the local rescue centre/farm to drop off some bits for their charity shop - its free to visit the pigs, ponies and chickens so it will keep the kids busy for a few minutes.

Museum trip
Soft play
Swimming
Visit friends or family
Local farm park with indoor play area
Get wrapped up in waterproofs and wellies and go out anyway

A local ice cream farm had a indoor sand and water play area which we did on a few rainy weekends. It was pretty cheap.

Swimming, free museum either in local town or a train ride away. Sift play. We would also walk to local library look at books/do the colouring sheets available and then home which often filled the morning.

Indoor at home activities, playdoh, glueing and sticking - we have a craft box full of bits and bobs preferred foil and things that didn't need scissors at that age as could leave them by themselves. Build a big train track or hot wheels. Now they are older games consoles but the Nintendo switch is great as they play together and some games are active.

We have almost always had and activity on Sunday morning, dd1 did gymnastics for a while and at the moment we have swimming lessons.

Mine are 9, 11 and 13 now but at that age, I would always plan a morning and an afternoon activity, usually one out of the home and one in, whatever the weather. Out of the house: trampolining, soft play, swimming, puddle suits and a walk, go to a friends house, visit grandparents, gardening/raking leaves.
indoors: masses of craft activities, make your own play dough, slime making, baking, den building, duplo/lego, dressing up and imaginary play (tedious for me but they loved it).
then also some tv/down time for all of us in the late afternoon.

Vue cinemas do films appropriate for a 4 year old in the morning which are really cheap, soft play, museums, aquarium. We do actually go to shopping centres. We went to Meadowhall yesterday. We had lunch and took the DC to choose a new book, play in the Lego store, have some cake. Got us out for a hours and the DC enjoyed it.

Soft play, pub lunch or similar, indoor toddler play centre - there’s a few of these in towns and cities now (set up like pretend shops full of toys), museums, swimming at the leisure centre, cinema or bowling (if old enough), galleries, National Trust properties, supermarket, church, library; or games, puzzles and books if you stay indoors. Don’t discount local museums - often really interesting, not that busy and usually have a few activities for children. Look on Happity or local forums for any children’s groups that allow one off drop ins.

We had a brilliant day yesterday - DS went to Little Kickers (indoors), then we went to a quiet pub for lunch (we took books and colouring and the pub provided a colouring in sheet), then we went to a really good local museum which had different rooms (in an old house) and exhibitions about various things. There were some toys and activities for children- DS loved it! There was a big garden too, so as the rain let off we were able to go for a big stomp in the garden before going to their cafe. Fab day, and it really tired DS out. I really recommend local museums.

Failing all else, just all put your wellies on and waterproof coats and trousers if you have them, and go for a walk; it’s usually fine provided it’s not torrential.

I tend to have errands to run in town or whatever. Make it more enjoyable for both of us by having coffee and a cake, getting something small from the toy shop (e.g. one of those collectable suprise bags or a pack of football cards) or maybe a magazine to take home. Maybe let him spend some Christmas money on a Lego set.

Bit of time with TV or IPad. DS also likes the 'how to draw' on YouTube, which is really good.

Get something out he hasn't played with for ages on a big scale eg. all the hot wheels he has and set them up in living room.

DS also likes to come up with little challenges and competitions and tournaments for toys!

Long term I like to have a club on at the weekend (DS has Saturday football...on whatever the weather).

Swimming ot trampoline Park is good.

Things that got us through lock down are baking, making indoor dens, indoor assault courses.
Also board games, there are some more active games like tap it or elefun. You can often pick up games cheaply in charity shops. DD is 9 now, she had a dance class yesterday morning and in the afternoon we played cluedo, trivial pursuits (kids) and monopoly deal (my personal fave).

Put them in the bath with toys :)

There's a Rebound Centre, that's like a big trampoline park, they're good cause they do toddler only sessions too if you have little ones
East Park is lovely, there's some animals there, alpacas, goats, birds etc, no charge. The park is fab and they have a huge splash zone open in the summer, cafe is reasonably priced and attached to a little library that they can toddle about in if the weather is rough

A lot of bouldering centres have sessions for little ones. Excellent way to burn off energy and gain skills

Lazy mornings, walk the dog, the kids love cooking something in the big pot like chilli they get to be involved in and baking too.

Mine has enjoyed making bread recently.

Get them to help out doing a spring clean too, mine love being helpers.

If we have to pop to the shops the kids love the buffet as they get to attack the chocolate fountain and free for all pizza… all under 5’s eat for £3 so it’s great for that.

Local farm too is always a lovely day out, they have a play area, free range shop for their eggs etc and a nice cafe for lunch and a coffee for me.

I love finding free/cheap days out.

Mine never gets sick of the museum and luckily ours puts off lots of art/crafty events for the kids.

This thread is so Mumsnetty!

We usually go fun swimming on a Saturday afternoon. We have a gym membership so need to make the most of it as can't bloody afford to renew when it runs out

Occasionally soft play but it's so expensive.

Often just get them kitted out in waterproof and go to the woods as it's not as rainy under the trees!

Or local nature reserve with an indoor visitor centre to do crafts and then a little walk if there's a break in the rain

Swim in the morning then home to watch films and play with their toys.

But that is our usual weekend, i don't really entertain them or keep them busy, they have plenty of toys and their imagination

I love all the “put on waterproofs and go out in the rain” suggestions - isn’t that a bit obvious? We’ve been doing that the whole Christmas holidays, it’s barely stopped raining here! It’s nice to mix it up with other things

@MaryShelley1818 in Hull: William Wilberforce house museum, Ferens Art Gallery and the maritime museum.

My children don’t really play with toys so have always needed to be kept busy. We do a wide variety of things on a wet day including -
-Museum
-clip and climb
-swimming
-soft play
-trampoline park
-bus into town to buy crafts stuff then do the craft stuff when we get home
-ice skating
-arcades (live near a beach town)
-go to a friends/family’s house or invite people over
-dance/sport weekly activities pre booked