Summer holidays with 3 under 5!?

[teamrachelgreen]

My kids are 4, 2 and 8 months. I'm a single mum and as the summer holidays are approaching I'm scattering my brain trying to think of things we can do. I don't drive but accessing the town centre/local parks/soft play isn't hard at all. The problem is as it's just me, if we go to somewhere like soft play I can't go inside and all up and around with my 8mo. My girls that are 4 and 2 really struggle to get along most of the time and always find them running off in opposite directions when we leave the house. 99% it is just me and then and we rarely see anyone else at all. Any ideas on what we can do together as a family during the holidays? What are some indoor activities they can enjoy on some days? Thank you

Oh I am in a similar boat! DD 3.5, DS 1.5, another due any day - and on my own. Dreading the summer hols... It sounds esp tough if you don't drive. How about children's centre activities, linking up with other mums on local Facebook site if you have one, playdates, library, treating to cheap toys from charity shop. At home ball pit, water play, argh hopefully someone else will come along with some ideas too!

I have 5 yrs between my 4, so during holidays we’ve gone to children’s centres, who continue their programmes, libraries (once they hit 5 I think they can do the summer reading challenge). Any small splash pools at parks? We did that a lot taking a picnic. A splash, picnic, splash - that’s a good 3 hours.

Can you afford a family pass to a museum or something similar? Your 4 year old may still free so you'd just be paying for yourself. Don't know where you are but some places have a whole bunch of attractions the one pass will get you in to.

Library, if you've got the facilities. Our library babies can crawl about and no one bothers if they pull all the books down. Just put them back. It's one of the only places out of the house I can go with small babies that's safe and free.

Cinema kids club. Most don't have a problem with babies going. Not much fun for you but the elder two may enjoy it.

Is there a summer play scheme your 4 year old could go to a couple of days?

Id agree finding another family to share some days with would help a lot. I spend twice as long doing things when there's another adult around to chat with.

What about a 'holiday' to grandparents, other relatives. Basically a night or two in another house.

This was me last year with a 4 year old, 2 years old and 4 month old. We got through it and the majority of the time was spent in parks, (different ones to keep it interesting!) with picnics.

When I had 3 of similar ages a couple of summers ago, we did a lot of hosting friends for lunch. Our park also had a splash pad so picnic there. Spinning out things to use up the day eg go shopping, get a box of ice creams and eat on the park on the way back. I also bought a huge set of Peppa Pig toys off a local selling site for £25 and they played with their new toys lots. Quite a bit of tv- a film most days to "keep them out of the sun". Playdoh, craft, cooking (letting them "help" make pancakes for breakfast, spread their own sandwiches for lunch)

When mine were they age I went places very early so a nice big park great for a run around but we were the only ones therr that way it didn't matter if they were in opposite ends of the park as long as I could see. Then home by lunch and afternoon were more easy to manage as they were worn out from the morning so craft and garden in afternoon