In a rut with 3 year old, how to be more engaged with him?

[caggie3]

Mum guilt has struck as I feel like I just don't do enough with my 3 year old anymore, he spends a lot of time playing alone and the TV has crept up from an hour here and there to being constantly on in the background. We do still do some activities, but say last week we had one afternoon baking and Halloween decorating the kitchen and then the other 4 days I'm home alone with him we were just in the lounge, him playing, me on and off joining in and Octonauts on all day. I'm pregnant and keep using it as an excuse but I don't want his childhood to be spent plonked in front of Netflix so I really need to re-engage with him. The kind of games he plays at home I find it so hard to get into with him, i feign interest for 10 mins and then slink off back to the sofa, my screen time on my phone is through the roof. It's just not the mum I want to be!

We have the car some days, we live a little bit rural and fuel is so expensive so we stay at home a lot. Walks to the park have all but stopped as he refuses to walk after so long and I can't carry him now I'm further along. I was trying to stop the buggy so we didn't have the battle once the babies here but it just means we don't go anywhere so maybe that needs to come back

Help! Why do I feel so disengaged and stuck in a rut?! I don't even enjoy mindlessly scrolling on my phone and I'm so aware how fast he's growing up and how I'll regret wasting this time with him. Those with 3 year olds who feel like a fun, engaged, mum what are you doing with them? Inspire me?!

What about setting yourself a schedule each week, similar to if he was at nursery? (Is that also an option yet with the free hours?)

Find out what classes or free things are on when you have the car e.g toddler time at a library, messy play sessions, softplay and schedule your week around those, and then have a rough plan in you head for the afternoons e.g playground, walk to collect leaves and sticks, arts and crafts etc

You dont have to fill every moment with activities either! Def schedule 'quiet time' e.g a disney film on.

Would he enjoy riding a scooter. I think you need to make sure he goes outside every day. Walking is boring but most boys love a scooter or a bike

Park even in the rain was ds's best times at 3.. I kept a bag of duck food in my car!!

My child's 3 also.

We go out most mornings when he's not at nursery.
Park
Feed the ducks
Into the woods to collect leaves and sticks
Soft play
Shops
Cafe
Just a walk around
Things like this.

He either walks, buggy or takes his scooter.

Home for lunch.

Play/ in and out the garden weather depending. But he does love puddles so his puddle suit goes on and he's happy as Larry.
Make pictures with leaves collected, paint, draw, books. I can set these activities up and either I join in or potter around him but talk to him what he's doing etc.

He does also have screen time and likes to chill for abit.

You don't have to fill every hour of the day but getting out everyday does you both good. Even for a walk.

Do you have local soft play? Toddler playgroups? Even popping out for a coffee and cake.

Forgot to mention the highlight for ds of being at home was our weekly Tuesday breakfast at a supermarket cafe. He is 8 now and still talks about them.

Kept to under an hour visit but he has a great attention span in restaurants etc now. Maybe down to good old Morrison's!!

We also go to a park practically every day three-year-old DD1 is not at nursery – so much so that for a long time she divided the week into 'nursery days' and 'park days'. ('Gymnastics days' have now been added to the list after she started that a couple months ago.) If he won't walk, buggy, scooter, or balance bike – DD1 prefers bike to scooter. She also likes a trip to the shops or the library and adores going to a cafe.

At home, she's started enjoying preschool board/table games in the last couple months. When she's in a jigsaw phase, she also likes doing those together. Are there any sorts of play at home that he likes that you find it easier to join in with? 'Let's get the magnetic tiles out' is my current go-to when she needs some engagement but I'm not up for dragging baby DD2 all round the house as part of DD1's latest game of pretend.