A thread to help do more with the kids

[Tamadot]

I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread of support for mums like me who tend to not do much with their kids at home.
I've heard quite a few mums on here say they're happy to take their kids out and about but find it difficult to spend time doing stuff with them at home.

Maybe we can make a commitment to do at least one activity a day with them, or get ideas about things to do?

I really want to try to do more with my lovely boys but I do find it hard. I don't want to ever look back and have regrets that I thought washing the dishes and doing the laundry meant that I put off doing anything with them.

Marking my place! I was going to start a thread about this only the other day :)

Off on a bus ride tomorrow, just me and ds1. He's been asking to for ages so dp will have ds2 so we can each have some q t in the bank holiday rain :)

Carrots (and Puffy) glad I am not alone on the bus ride :)

What is DS protesting about exactly Carrots? Getting clean? or just getting wet?

Oh and I think the thread is for us to get inspiration to do more with the children inside and out..... makes more sense as the warmer weather should be here soon crossing fingers :)

Today we spent the whole day (more or less) travelling 6 and a half hours in the car to visit DPIL, so not much time for any activity.... although this week will see lots especially as MIL misses her DGC soooo much :)

I even bought my Kindle along.... well you never know :)

I have been following this and I am inspired to turn off the TV!!! DD1 is 6 DD2 is nearly 3.
Quick question, I'm sure that is has been answered further down buy will food colouring in the bath stain skin?
Off to play a matching game with DD". Will be back later

Joining for ideas. I do do loads with DD (2.5) but only because she will not, ever, play independently. Now that it's winter (Australia) I need as many ideas to fill the days as possible. Some brilliant ideas here, thanks so much all.

Mummyloveskisses I think ds was complaining about having to do anything other than play on the wii iyswim.

He enjoyed his apple bubble bath and moaned when he had to come out of it.

He was asleep within about 10 mins so I suspect that had a lot to do with it.

Today's activity, when they come in from school, is going to be cleaning out all the rubbish and toys from the car and hoovering it out. Any ideas how to make that fun for them? They will enjoy the hoovering bit but the picking up of junk might not appeal so much.

I was thinking of setting a timer, flylady style and awarding them a prize if they could get their side of the car sparkling before the timer went off (sliding the time on secretly if necessary ) but if anyone has any more inspired suggestions they will be gratefully received.

I am highly amused. Cleaning the car was a huge success. No bribes or cunning tricks were even required. Ds was even heard to announce, "This is great fun!" as he put mouldy banana skins and dried up apple cores into the bin bag

Getting to use the hose on the hoover, the upholstery shampoo and the kitchen roll and spray only added to their joy.

They were really proud of their finished efforts too.

Who would have thought it?

Love the cleaning the car activity can't wait till DS is old enough!!
My car is constantly filthy!
Haven't done much today with DS although he did help me make cous cous to go with dinner and we had music on and he danced on his stage (dining table)
at the weekend we took him to local heritage museum he liked the steam train and tram but I think the rest was a bit old for him.

God, our car is disgusting. Well done Carrots, I also look forward to the day my DS is up for helping rather contributing to the dirt

Brilliant Carrots do you hire them out????

Today was selfishly a shopping afternoon, although to be fair most of the shopping was for the DC!!! But after an hour or so shopping DD was taken to the outside play area to let off some steam :) Then back home to play some more with Grandma and Grandad.

activity village.co.uk is my favourite website for ideas of fun things to do with kids.
(my iPod is not letting me read the thread so apologis if I'm repeating what others have said!)

Hello, I'd love to join as this thread has great ideas. Both DH and I work so we don't spend the majority of our days with our DD (nearly 3). But DH is excellent at spending time doing things with DD on the weekend and he's great at planning activities for her ahead of time. We live in London so have a wealth of free things to visit and do so it's easy not to sit down at home and do things with DD. But DH likes to bake bread with her, garden (she helps weed, water plants, sow seeds), kick a ball around and have running races, do jigsaws, have painting sessions, read loads of books lying on our bed. We went to the Maritime Museum in Greenwich over the weekend where they had a build-a-pirate-ship activity that DD and DH loved so this has inspired us to do more crafty making things on the weekend. I'm going to start a box of craft things.

My working hours are changing from this September so I will be able to do more things with DD. I am going to take a leaf out of her childminders' book and schedule the whole week in advance (they have a timetable for every half hour!). But ensure I build in ample time for her to do free/independent play too (fortunately she's good at playing on her own as she has a great imagination).

Of course, there are loads of free active activities at our local library too.

I forgot about housework - DD loves dusting and she also pushes her toy hoover around while I am hoovering. So she doesn't get under my feet I tell her to hoover another room . But she enjoys it!

Oh and I always save DD's plastic plates and cutlery and any dirty tupperware gathered up during the morning/afternoon so DD can spend a happy half hour washing them in a sink of bubbles, standing on a chair with her pinny on. We sing songs and chat whilst I or DH crack on with cooking a meal or tidying up.

We do something similar to a Find It jar. I regularly fill a large pencil case with odds and ends (not toys) so DD can open, discover and amuse herself working out what everything is/how things work. The current one has in it a tea strainer, a wine bottle stopper , a digital thermometer (without battery), a key ring with old keys on it, some paper clips interlaced with each other, a shell, a feather and a pocket torch. She's only (nearly) 3 and it really does keep her amused for ages and leads to some interesting conversations and games.

Welcome BsshBossh (fab name) I love your ideas, you are a wonderful new member here and most welcome, I particulary love the washing up idea.... we have a dishwasher and normally everything just goes in but DD (3.5yrs) luuurrvvveeesss to get under my feet help sooo much and I know she would be in her element with a sink full of bubbles :o)

And your discovery pencil case is just ingenious! Can't wait to make one for her....

Today's ''activity'' was a trip to a soft play area.... she made so many best friends!

Yesterday's activity was just to bring in their guinea pigs for a cuddle. Tuesday is a very busy day. We did also go to the park for about half an hour and kick the ball for the dog. Otherwise we were rushing around. Hopefully the peaceful time with the guinea pigs counter acts the rushing a little.

Yesterday I took DS to Coram's Fields, it was brilliant - he came home filthy, tired and happy (and so did I). Tired now though so today we'll be doing some at-home stuff, taking library books back etc. I was thinking of buying a cheap tray and hand mirror from the pound shop while we're out, then we can make a miniature garden. Have many small pinecones to use as trees

One fun game I devised a while ago - when you get given a big box of chocolates, and they come with that black corrugated cardboard - cut it into moustache shapes and get the whole family to wear moustaches. It's light enough that if you wet it it will stick to upper lips on its own. Have a pirate day and tie bandannas round heads and take silly photos.

Love the mini garden idea think I'll do that at the weekend.

Can I join with a couple of ideas?

playing shops - esp DS1 (now too old) absolutely adored playing shops - choosing goods to sell, pricing them, creating currency, decorating the bags for things to go in etc. I would be a very demanding customer in different guises

mine are now 9 and 6 and have just discovered the card game Uno, which is fab. We have started having a couple of rounds after dinner and it's so nice having the whole family play together.

Fab ideas! I would suggest elefun - the game where little paper butterflies are blown out of the top of an elephant's trunk and they have to catch them in a net. Today we have played it while the baby watched from the play mat - kept everyone entertained. We also played dancing and singing around the elefun, kind of like a maypole.

We also really enjoy a walk to the bottle bank where we work out what goes in where (they aren't all wine bottles, honest!!) and would have done that today but it's too windy!

It is boiling here today so after school I think we are going to make child friendly cocktails with juice and ice and fruit and also barbecue.

Ds has never barbecued as ours has been broken for years so he is REALLY excited.

I am going to let them do all the prep that I safely can and I am also going to get some marshmallows for them to roast on skewers. Yummy!

Finally home and piles of washing to do :( But as its raining :( DD has wellies and coat on and is splashing in puddles Peppa Pig style! DS1 is catching up wasting the day with his PS3! DS2 is having daddy time!

The cocktails and bbq went down brilliantly on Friday.

Today we went on another cycle ride which started off quite stressful as ds was not cooperating but turned out great.

Great thread - my son is only 7 weeks old but I'm starting to wish he'd hurry up and get big enough to try some of this!

Another idea - when I was a kid my mum used to set us inventor challenges. We'd spend hours drawing our inventions in minute detail, Professor Branestawm-style, on long rolls of paper.

Some challenges I remember doing:

• a flying car
• a brilliant boat
• your perfect house
• your own personal robot