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What mundane things entertain your children?

108 replies

Cheeseycheeseycheesecheese · 03/07/2021 20:52

Ds (almost 2) has spent the past 25 minutes stood, face smooshed against the backdoor giving dh and I a running commentary about the pigeon in the garden.

"Pigeon fence!"
"In corner"
"Oh no pigeon... careful"
"Muuummmmyyyy, pigeon on shed, daddy it's fall"
"Night night Mr pigeon" as it flew away

I've never known a child to be so totally enamoured with the behaviour of a bird before...

So I'm asking what things that you would class as mundane/uninteresting held your children rapt for extended periods of time?

OP posts:
HebeMumsnet · 09/07/2021 12:05

Afternoon, everyone. We're moving this thread to Classics now.

TheVolturi · 09/07/2021 12:28

My middle child at age 2 used to love flushing things down the loo. We were best friends with Dynorod for a while. Same child is now 7 and occupies himself digging holes in the garden. Deep ones. I hope he's not planning on burying us!

poblwc · 10/07/2021 21:30

These are very sweet!

My DS2 loves the 'spice game'. Involves standing on the kitchen counter and smelling all the different spices. He will happily play that for as long as he is allowed.

RaisinforBeing · 10/07/2021 21:33

Watching the window cleaner from inside the house.

CarlottaValdez · 10/07/2021 21:44

My DS when he was about 18 months used to rub a big rubber against furniture till there were lots of little rubbings then use one of those soft baby hairbrushes to sweep them onto the floor. He was obsessed! DH and I used to be forever shouting “where’s the rubber and brush” at each other as he’d leave them places then need them again!

A little older he used to spend hours sellotaping plastic wallet folders (the ones you put in lever arch files) to the coffee table.

Latest thing (he’s 6 now) is sewing scraps of material together to make pencil cases.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 12/08/2026 01:11

This thread is so lovely I had to resurrect it! ♥️

My dc, ages 4 & 2 can endlessly entertain themselves with the household recycling. 🤦‍♀️
To clarify, I mean empty milk cartons, egg cartons and boxes of all sizes. They will even fight over these things if one of them appears to be enjoying playing with something too much. 🤷‍♀️

@Cheeseycheeseycheesecheese Feel like updating? 🙂

Cheeseycheeseycheesecheese · 20/08/2026 15:35

Mumtobabyhavoc · 12/08/2026 01:11

This thread is so lovely I had to resurrect it! ♥️

My dc, ages 4 & 2 can endlessly entertain themselves with the household recycling. 🤦‍♀️
To clarify, I mean empty milk cartons, egg cartons and boxes of all sizes. They will even fight over these things if one of them appears to be enjoying playing with something too much. 🤷‍♀️

@Cheeseycheeseycheesecheese Feel like updating? 🙂

Oh wow, totally forgotten I'd started this thread..

That 2 year old is now 7 years old. Still finds wonder in the mundane, but much more into scooters and gaming 🤣
Ironically, he has a 2 year old brother now and they are chalk and cheese 🤣
Dc2 is a run, jump, climb and give me heart attacks on the daily 🤣 Dc1 will happily sit at the pc with dh or they are off to the skate park of an evening, I'm in the garden or down the rec with dc2 hoping he doesn't fall out of the tree he's currently halfway up 🤣

OP posts:
Mumtobabyhavoc · 20/08/2026 21:29

Cheeseycheeseycheesecheese · 20/08/2026 15:35

Oh wow, totally forgotten I'd started this thread..

That 2 year old is now 7 years old. Still finds wonder in the mundane, but much more into scooters and gaming 🤣
Ironically, he has a 2 year old brother now and they are chalk and cheese 🤣
Dc2 is a run, jump, climb and give me heart attacks on the daily 🤣 Dc1 will happily sit at the pc with dh or they are off to the skate park of an evening, I'm in the garden or down the rec with dc2 hoping he doesn't fall out of the tree he's currently halfway up 🤣

Awww lovely update. Congrats on dc2. 🩷

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