Days at home with kids

[littleraysofsunshine]

If I'm not setting up play then they won't play. They hover around and wait for me to to something.Especially he 4.5 and nearly 3yo. We've recently moved house which is where I've noticed it more.

I've been hoping to do homeschool/part school in September but wondering what will I do on the days like today when it's pouring down with rain, I've just set up some writing activities and they aren't bothered. They're just winging, asking for watching the TV which I'm not letting them as if unsupervised they will just sit and watch all the time.
We do crafty things, part preschool, but when at home they just want for everything. I feel really down as anything I'm doing at the minute doesn't seem to be pleasing anyone.

Well you just have to be inventive in wet weather. Imagine that the objective is to give your children a fun childhood.
You can put sheets over a table and make an indoor tent. Have a picnic inside.
Get lots of cardboard boxes and let them sit in them and close the lids or inter connect them. You can buy cardboard boxes on the Internet.

Dress them and yourself in waterproofs when it is raining and go out in it and jump in puddles. Get some water pistols and have one each, as its wet anyway and spray each other with water. Play cops and robbers etc.
Make a fire on a stone part of the garden and toast toast on it or anything stuck on a stick. Children love fires. Play with them and get outside into the fresh air.

Or sit at home saying I am bored, they are bored, bore them and feel miserable.

If you live in the UK and you let the weather put you off going out, then you will never, ever go outside. It will always be too rainy/windy/sunny/cold/hot/etc etc.

when mine were this age and it really was hammering it down, we used to make a rain machine, like this outdoor water play area

Get them outside writing in the mud with a stick.

Thank you. We go out a lot in rainy weather, I'm on about when I have to be in like waiting for a parcel all day or if I feel like I have to catch UK on house work etc too or quite frankly if we need a day at home from having a busy week out of the home

I feel your pain - and I'm in awe of you even planning to part homeschool, I don't think my sanity could take it (and my very stubborn daughter refuses to let me teach her anything . It's maddening when you try to find interesting things to do and they still whinge. When we have to stay in, I often try to enthusiastically rope mine into the housework - as they usually want to do the opposite of what I ask, they sometimes go off and play instead. I don't think it's a bad thing for kids to be bored sometimes, and to learn how to find something to do.

And some of the above ideas are lovely but with a 1 year old and 4 year old, end in tears/chaos (do I remember right that you've got a younger one too?) We did actually go out splashing in puddles today, in the pouring rain - went great for the first five minutes, then a distant roll of thunder made the older one cry, the younger one kicked off his welly and whinged loudly because his foot was wet, they both wanted carrying at the same time, one of the 1year old's wellies fell off somewhere while carrying him and the 4yo really didn't want to go back to find it... Finally get home, sopping wet puddle suits to hang up, both needed a complete change of clothes too, crying as hungry and cold... I can't do full-on supermum all the time either!

I have a 2year girl and 5 year boy, what works great if you have the indoor space is a paddling pool any size depending on if you want for your little ones and fill it with rice or pasta and or home made playdough. Put it in containers or not and give them cars or diggers and cups spoons (old ones) and if they can lean over the edge or sit in is good too. Of course you may need to be close by for this type of play but if you can potter about in one room with them in the pool it can give you the occasional time during a day at home to get them busy if they are interested in that sort of thing!
When I was pregnant with my two year old I was really sick so my then 3 year old played in the pool for hours. Then the side popped and had to buy a new one, but reasonably cheap for £3 up if you want a bigger one and worth it to get the little ones busy. Encourage counting and colours with the coloured rice and pouring, filling etc. hope this helps For the bad weather day options inside play.

I used to put on music and get us all dancing. That normally cheers us up when we're stuck inside.

Children will whinge when they're bored and it is OK - if very very annoying. My trick is to say that I can't hear it - the whinging that is.

What about collages or making an indoor camp - use blankets over chairs or round a table or something. Get them to pack up everything need to bring with them. Make up the camp, get them to set up their toys, etc. Then you can have an indoor picnic, pretend to build a bonfire, pretend to cook food on the campfire, etc.

Great idea in principle to "simply stick on wells/rain jacket" etc and plonk them outside/go for a walk, but when that lasts all of 5 seconds before they start crying/screaming because they want to be carried/refuse to walk/there's dog crap all over them AGAIN ffs effing dog walkers, doesn't always work. I feel your pain!! I end up sticking an apron on the oldest and letting him have at the sink + water etc, or just try desperately to cycle through what ever activities doesn't bore him after literally 2 minutes. Wish I had one of those docile kids that could "sit and draw/do stickers" etc lol.

Have you got a bath? Fairy liquid in the bath, plenty of towels on the floor, goggles in if they're likely to want to get bubbles near their faces. Have a competition, who can make the best bubble beard, bubble hairdo etc.

Well things like this.

You know the days when you just want to chill. And I know kids like action but they will not play unless I'm doing it with them or for them.

Today is that day. It's like staying at home is the worst thing in the world or something?
Always wanting for things.

I just don't know what's got into them. Changed kids the past month or so.

Not every day but a lot lately.

This morning has been nothing but stress tears and then shouting all round. I've tried to be patient but it hasn't worked.

It comes in waves. Some days they have no issues with the whole playing but again we've reached the..

Not playing unless I'm sat with them
Or that playing and imagining is boring or a chore.

I know deep down all they want is for me to play, but I just can't split myself four ways all the time plus do everything that needs doing. Feeling like such a failure today.

?

How quickly do you give in?

I found my DC were bored easily at that age but if I said no TV or I can't play right now and meant it, they might wine for a bit, but they'd find something to do quickly enough.

Mind you, I would never have planned a whole day of "chilling". Would always be part of the plan to go out somewhere to break the day up, even if only to the shop.