What does everyone do in the winter???

[opinionsrus]

Please help. I have an "active" 3 year old and am 5 months pregnant.

Summer is great cos you just let them loose in the garden on trampoline/climbing frame/bikes etc etc but what do you do in the winter when its freezing/raining??????On top of that all the great day trips/trips to the coast/hols etc etc.

Would love to know how anyone keeps their little darlings occupied when you are stuck within the four walls. Theres only so many episodes of peppa pig you can watch!!

PLEASE HELP.

Hibernate

If only. In fact, the best de-beaning activity we've come up with for dd (nearly 3) is taking all sofa cushions off, putting them on the floor, making a ramp of one sofa with a big cushion over a beanbag, and doing a wild version of soft play to music....also using my birthing ball (dh pretends to be the Big Bellied Spider and chases her all over the place). She wears herself out completely in about half an hour, after which it feels perfectly acceptable to give her a plate of raw veggies and an apple juice and stick her Dora dvd on for another half hour...

ps I'm nearly nine months pregnant (could be the Big Bellied Spider without the ball, in fact) and it works quite well just cheering and clapping from teh sidelines....dd pretends to be Angelina, or Sportacus, and just wants a spectator really. Good luck!

Like Elibean am heavily PG so long walks while wrapped up are out. We have afternoon of choclate fondue. Making pictures with different materials. Building play tents with sheets and clothes airers. DD is also mad about trains and likes to while away afternoons with her wooden train track or taking her Little People train on a tour of the whole of downstairs, and telling off her passengers for falling off!

Also have just started to prepare a freezer full of frozen meals in prep for babies arrival and she likes to help me cook all the stuff.

We also love to cuddle and drink hot chocolate - is that the equivalent of hibernating

Elibean - plate of raw veggies - how on earth have you managed that one.

Have tried all sorts with mine. He will not vegetables under any circumstances........!!!

Any more ideas people!!

Tomorrow going to indoor soft play centre. Saturday morning going to the flicks!! Great ideas and much appreciated x

Hi opinionsrus, I'm afraid I have no ideas as my ds is only 9mo at the minute, but with the tent, do you think your ds would play more in there if you gave him a torch?

My favourite activity when really tired is playing shops which involves me sitting on the sofa and saying "do you sell elephants" (for instance) and my son saying "yes that will be 1 penny please" at which point he brings me an elephant and I give him a penny to put in his till. My 2 DS are 4.5 and 2.5 and will play this game for ages - it takes only minimal amount of effort on your part and all you have to do is sit!! Hope that helps.
Lindsey

mumtogusnalbi, I love your shop game. My dd is
2.6 & she wants to play 'shop' for hours on end.

the idea of asking for an elephant, or any other surreal item is great

Another idea is to pay a teenager to come round to play for an hour or so in the afternoon! (I'm also pregnant with a 3 year old.) She arrives as a distraction at the perfect time... when I've exhausted all other games, am trying to make tea, and can't deal with the whining and constant demands for TV etc. Not everyday of course, just once or twice a week.

We go to [re 5's a few mornings and in afternoon either go to softplay or play games in house eg drawing. painting. read books, play at tea parties with everyteddy and doll possible

meant to say pre 5,s, im tired but addicted to MN.