To find it expensive keeping preschoolers fed & entertained?

[pirateblue]

I mean, it is, isn’t it? Or am I doing it wrong …?

YANBU no matter what people say. I’m sure older kids only cost more. One of the reasons we’re thinking about being one and done

They cost as much as you are willing to spend. Plenty of free or cheap options out there and we all know they prefer to play with the recycling to toys!

Mmmmmm but … even the cheap options require you to get to them and they do get a bit dull and tired over time.

The crap weather hasn’t helped (I know today was nice) we’ve been more reliant on usual on soft plays and the like which can work out expensive.

This although I think it is harder than it was after COVID and with no sure start, also harder outside of London ( no one o clock clubs). But there are church groups and libaries everywhere no ?

Mud = free, sticks = free 🤷‍♀️

Of course. Human beings need food and clothes and entertainment. If you choose to bring another person into the world then you need to plan for how you're going to support them. Did you expect them to survive on fresh air ?

Not really.
Food obviously you've got to buy but as for the entertaining....
Books from libraries are free and activities like Rhyme Time etc are free or about £1.
Stay and Play/playgroups etc are usually free or a couple of quid.
Going to the park is free.
Watching the local building site is free.
Toys can be bought cheaply from charity shops or car boot sales (and sold on when outgrown).
Toddler like to sort things - give them all the socks to sort.

Kids don't need to be constantly doing paid activities or be transported places. There's plenty they can do at home. Just playing.

Mine were quite cheap to entertain as young children, as they were happy with 'small' activities e.g. park, trip to Tesco, playing at home, sometimes swimming or soft play but not that often. We are lucky enough to have quite a bit of space at home. They eat the same food as us broadly speaking (quite a few meals where they will only eat parts of it!). My eldest is 8, and beginning to reject the 'little' places and want to go to the bigger places e.g. Go Ape that is £20pp rather than soft play for £7. I suspect it's going to get worse!

I hear a lot about church groups on MN but I have to admit, the only ones round here are very past their best and wouldn’t interest DS (3 and a half) - very tired range of toys only really suitable for 12-18 months. And plus you also have to get to them!

Libraries are a problem too. The rhyme time at the local one is always booked up. I did go to a different one once and it was quite nice but miles away.

They are all also morning only and so still have to fill the rest of the day, somehow!

Its got more expensive in recent years I believe. No more Sure Start, lots of toddler groups never reopened after Covid, Soft play is insane price now (our nearest is £8 plus a £1 an adult... I'm sure it was less than half that when mine were young!

Hopefully the better weather will come soon.

See mine do … if I ever decide to have a quiet afternoon at home I generally regret it by 2pm!

Wait till they’re teens 🙈

I think probably depends on where you live and how big your circle of friends are. Around us there was a different church hall type group each day that could walk to. You met nice people and kids would play together whilst you chat. On sunny days meet friends at park, on wet days rotate around houses..

I’m sure but at least I’ll be earning more then to counteract the costs! At the moment PT plus having to feed and entertain them is rather costly!

Are you in England? At 3 and a half your child can have the 15 hours of nursery.

Mine went to paid activities about twice a week. We would do a few outings to places like the supermarket or park. We tended to only go out once a day and not every day. If you need to go out twice a day I can see it adds up!

He has a day in preschool plus two days in private nursery but the younger one still needs food and some things to do for my sanity as much as hers

@Dontsparethehorses yes definitely don’t have either of those options. And my eldest is at the stage where he finds the church hall set up boring.

Library, park, church playgroups, play dates or just stay home. Believe it or not, kids didn't used to go out to organised activities every day, maybe one paid activity a week like baby swimming that was it, we started ballet at 4, also violin lessons but not prior.

Yes you need to feed children but that's the cheap bit

Friends of mine have made an thing with their kids of having one 'activity' per day - might be something tiny like making healthy banana pancakes for lunch or a cheap activity pack from Lidl like 'necklace threading/play dough/sand that you can get in the sale. I would agree with the park but I know what you mean - we find a trip to the library only takes half an hour and is over so fast!

I keep meaning to buy a 'shopping trip' type game and using that to help my child do a largish shop using flashcards and encouraging them to find items - some supermarkets do toddler Trolleys which mine loves!

My DD is 4...and is easily entertained for free. She's happy in a puddle!

Her free things to do
Walking - round lake/ponds, through woods, across fields
Paddling in rivers
Jumping and playing in puddles
Going to literally any playground
Exploring the woods - making dens, climbing trees, looking for fairy houses.
Library
Nosing around toy shops (to put things in her wish list)
Watching trains go by
Picking daisies and dandelions
Looking for insects in hedges
Blackberry picking
Watching animals in fields

I realise not every child wants or is fortunate enough to go to paid activities every day of the week. But I do find if we have too long at home everyone starts getting cranky and whiny.

So while I don’t want to sound like I’m taking umbrage here

Library rhyme time always booked up
park when the weather permits
church playgroups see above
play dates we don’t know anyone who isn’t working 😭 sadly!

Look for season tickets for somewhere... childrens museum, farm park, national trust, zoo etc. Big initial outlay, but works out cheaper over the year.

And - sorry - I didn’t necessarily want lists of things to do as I know what to do but they aren’t free. Some are cheaper than others of course but there’s costs involved with getting to them, parking, things like ice cream.

And I have to feed them and it costs a fortune!

Feeding pre school kids isn't inherently expensive? They have like, 1 slice of bread for a sandwich, maybe a slice of ham inside..., a piece of fruit, 1" of cucumber, a slice of cheese and a small bit if yoghurt for lunches? That's hardly going to break the bank??

What are you giving them that's so expensive?