I’ve got a 3 year old... we’re into Tier 3 tomorrow. Luckily he’s been back at nursery 3 days (whilst I’m working) since September, so I get a change of role which helps my sanity.
We’ve also formed an informal childcare bubble with a friend who has a child the same age, so can legally do play dates (do this once or twice a week). Fortunately I know a few other women locally with similarly aged kids, so we’ll meet them individually with our kids in tow outside somewhere where the kids can explore safely without too much supervision and we can put the world to rights. It’ll be great to meet in larger groups.
The only way we cope is ensuring we get outside every day and vary where we go/ what we do. I’d have lost the will to live by now if we were limited to the same park.
Luckily I have a car and DS loves a car ride... so we’ll drive out to different parks and often combine with a bike ride (I push him with a stick as he can’t manage hills).
I kitted him out with decent waterproofs/ outdoorsy clothing/ walking boots (all eBay bargains) so we go for muddy walks (luckily I live in beautiful countryside) in any weather (I’m kitted out too). I take the sling if he gets tired or I become sick of moving at 3 year old speed.
DS is happily entertained by a supermarket trip, so will go to a different supermarket each week for variety. He’s also now sufficiently civilised that he won’t run off/ Chuck himself on the floor in shops... so during lockdown2 we’ve happily browsed DIY shops and Poundland together.
One of the local pools has a toddler pool which you can book a quarter of, so we’ll probably add a swim into the mix.
We drive out and I go for a run whilst he rides his bike (I have to push his saddle with a stick)... he carries a flask of tea and cakes in his rucksack and so we stop half way.
He loves helping with the chores - laundry, cleaning etc.
I’ve never been one to sit down and do craft activities or anything like that with him. I’d much rather be outside adventuring with him!
I cycle, he has a trailer, so I wrap him up, take a picnic and tow him out to a park. By the time we’ve got out, cycled for an hour or so, picnicked (can’t manage more than 20 mins now as we get too cold), cycled home and cleaned the bike and trailer together most of the day is gone.
If all else fails/ the weather is horrific, we just crash out in front of the telly for the day.
Ordinarily we’d be spending a lot of time at soft play, going to cafes, toddler groups, visiting the library and taking bus rides at this time of year. So it’s a big change. I’ll never take that stuff for granted again!