Feb half-term moan/solidarity/ ideas

[Itsacruelsummer]

Mum to a toddler here but who is at a term time only preschool (also I'm a teacher so its my "holiday"). Weather forecast looks dire and every soft play will be rammed.

Any ideas/ am I awful for not looking forward to it? (I do enjoy my day off with him week to week)

I've booked my toddler into some extra classes of the activities she normally does (extra ones put on for half term). We're a bit limited with the area we're going to be in as I'm taking older child to a drop-off gym camp, so I don't want to be travelling back and forth for drop off and pickup. It's going to be a combination of these classes and hanging around in parks and a shopping centre, waiting to pick up DD.

There are loads of activities put on by museums etc though (all the big ones, and smaller ones in London). I felt a bit regretful that we'll missout doing those, my dcs always enjoy them. But DD really wants to do this camp, and we're on holiday over Easter break so she won't get another chance for ages.

I find soft play is generally quiet in the mornings, sometimes we've had the whole place to ourselves when we've booked the 8am session. And children's centres around here are open through the holidays.

Hold on to the fact that it's only a week.

Agree with PP that's softplay is normally ok-ish if you go early. Try and find one that you have to book so numbers are limited. Library, musuem, swimming pool, supermarket/toy shop are all good for killing a bit of time.

Arrange time with other adults. Either playdates with other people with kids or take him to visit family/friends.

Try and get outside everyday, even half an hour splashing in puddles in the rain stops the cabin fever ime.

A daytime bath is a great way to kill some time, particularly if you've got a water lover. You can put non-bath toys in to make it extra special (tea set, dinosaurs and Duplo go down well here).

Kill energy by blowing up lots of balloons and chasing them round, having a dance party or making an assault course out of sofa cushions etc.

Have a cup of tea while doing playdoh, drawing and stickers. Set it up so they can be as independent as possible.