Clubs to do with 3 year old on WEEKENDS???

[MrsMohi]

My DD will be 3 beginning of next year. She currently is in nursery full time mon-fri as me and her dad both work full time.
I understand we are lucky to be able to send her to nursery and that she gets a lot of educational activities and enrichment there but I feel that my time with her on the weekend is wasted and tainted because I never know what to do with her.
I find most toddler groups are weekdays only and because of the vicious cycle of needing to pay for childcare to work and vice versa, we don't have a lot of money to be constantly going to soft play, farms, zoo's etc.

There is a possibility that she may go into public nursery next year but that's depending on several factors such as; if her school offers rising 3's, if we can get a child minder for additional care hours as there are no plans for either parent to go part time (due to financial needs) and if timings work out as there's a lot of traffic where we live (city centre) so trying to do drop off and get to work etc needs to be worth it.

Anyways, back to the point... currently on a Saturday morning we go to gymnastics 10-10:45. I have got her on the waiting list for swimming lessons as surprise surprise, most swimming lessons for kids her age are weekdays!
I take her to the local library which kills an hour but considering there's nothing on we exhaust that pretty quick. There's a hub a 5 min walk away from our local library that does free crafts on a Saturday also but it's one focus craft a week so that takes 45mins tops.
We currently don't do a whole lot on Sundays. Sometimes we might go for a walk around the local garden centre and it'll usually be Sundays that we go to soft play or a farm but I want to move away from doing that weekly as my bank account is crying, especially with xmas coming up!
I have looked into movies for juniors at our local cinema but the one that's currently on still looks to old for a 2 nearly 3 year old.

There is a play cafe nearby but I don't have any mum friends, maybe I'll make some there?

I don't even know what to type into google to bring up these events/clubs! Help please!

Agree with the comment about doing crafts

My daughter LOVES doing crafts

I bet you could do some fun Halloween ones

Okay, so processing everything you're all saying ... and general consesus is to chill.

Maybe the days feel so empty because I am rushing everything because I'm trying to schedule too much?
Maybe we've played with everything by 8am because she's overwhelmed and by that time it's a done thing?

Will try a new approach of letting her lead and just slowing down.

Thank you all, I think I needed to hear that I'm not bad if I don't do lots of clubs and activities with her in the short amount of time I actually get to see her.

God I have a DD that age and the absolute last thing I want us to be doing on a weekend after a long week is toddler groups! Our weekends consist of getting outside - RHS, national trust, playground, lake etc; playing at home; watching telly; maybe go swimming as a family; local events. Mainly chilling, which is crucial!

Thought of something else. Hang out in Waterstone's if there's a convenient one. They're child friendly and the bigger ones have cafes.

I think while these replies are well meaning they are working on the assumption she’s tired and that she will just chill at home.

My DS doesn’t. He just doesn’t. Me at home with him for long periods is just - no, don’t do that, leave that alone, put that back.

But out and about is different and so much more positive.

He is in preschool for four days a week and is definitely not notably tired by this.

My 3yo daughter wakes around 6am, I usually make some tea and her some warm milk, then we get back into bed (my bed) and she listens to stories on her Yoto player for like an hour before we get up to have breakfast and slowly start the day

Would your daughter do that?

@MrsMohi also - and I know some mumsnetters will be horrified at this suggestion - if she's up at 5 put the telly on. Does Cbeebies still start at 5.30 ?
(I just checked Milkshake on Channel 5 - starts at 5.40 am. Peppa Pig is on first 🙂)

I hear you OP. My kids are a little older but still like to have some activities so if we don’t do anything else all weekend they’ve still had a good amount of exercise.

As well as rugby tots I’d also check out little kickers. And if you can’t get into swimming lessons just take them swimming.

Also lots of park time.

@Needmorelego when she's up it's "downstairs mummy!" until we go downstairs, telly goes on but within seconds it's "sit down mummy" as she points to her play corner in the living room so it's straight into 1:1 play regardless of telly haha

I agree if money is tight and she is spending all week in a structured environment then just do regular things

• park
• collect some leave and make an autumn wreath/ leaf printing
• go to the library
• do some baking
• Go out on her scooter and to a cafe for drink
• painting
• go to morrisons and let her push the little trolley around and get the few things you written on your list.
• any free museum near by?
• swimming
• Orchard games
• tuff tray style activities, you don’t need the tray just a trofast tray or similar
• read some books

Your sister will be spending a lot more time at home than you.

I think also it's playing on my mind because of the turn of the weather. What do you do when it's raining???

@MrsMohi say firmly "Mummy wants to watch Peppa Pig" and lay on the sofa semi dozing.
(that's what I often did 😂)

You still go walking! Puddle hunting. Garden centres can be pretty good to wonder around though too. Or check any attractions near you that allow free returns for a year (an aquarium nearish me does that)

@MrsMohi this is our weekend (I have a 15 month old as well)

Saturday morning- swimming, then we’ll go to an outdoor playgroup or role play centre / soft play if wet

home for lunch and sleep for the younger one

they both do a class Saturday afternoon which to be honest DS is a bit old for but he does enjoy it 330-430

home for dinner then bath and bed

This Sunday I am taking them pumpkin picking in the morning then rugby for ds midday, the younger one will sleep then

in the afternoon that is when they can have some chill time - three :/ four hours is enough. Neither of them need or want two full days of it at this stage.

@lookinthere I find that when I stay home we pick up on each other. I feel guilty that we aren't doing anything and she seems utterly restless, bouncing off the walls. The park is okay, not that age appropriate for her and as a very small 2 year old (in 9-12month clothing still) she can't really use much. We just wander round and that won't be an option for the next couple of months when the weather is rubbish.

Also, I know puddle suits exist but my dd HATES rain and mud etc. Dad is diagnosed OCD so not surprised really!

I'm the absolute queen of stretching activities out. We're a lazy family and just love to take life slowly. I love Sundays.

Our Sundays typically look like this (if I'm the one getting up with him)

6:30am: Son has a bowl of cornflakes and I have a cup of tea. We sit and chat at the table.

7am: into the living room to cuddle up on the couch and watch some telly. Son might cuddle for ages, or he might potter with his toys. Train tracks and magnet tiles are toys that can occupy for a long time.

9am: second breakfast with husband. We have a cooked breakfast and son joins in for a bacon sandwich.

10ish: off out with his scooter. Scoot to the shops and buy some bread to feed the ducks at the pond. General scooting about and playing at the park, or walk to the beach.

12ish: lunch in a cafe followed by more scooting/walking, or maybe off on a bike ride with husband while I have a wander by myself/home for a bath in peace and quiet.

2/3 pm: home to play with his toys/join in helping with laundry/general housework

4pm: dinner
5pm: bath
6pm: bed

Puddle suits are fine but I find parks lethal with them, I’m not a fan tbh. I’d rather just fork out a fiver and do soft play!

@Yourethebeerthief That sounds like lovely, relaxing weekend.
We have magnet tiles, they're a firm favourite, Santa might be bringing an expansion pack for xmas hehe!
We live by a main road where the pavement becomes intermittent and the only crossing is extremely busy and it terrifies me but we do have a wander round the streets. Won't be able to do that when it's raining as DD hates the rain, mud etc.
We have a pond but there's geese & swans and there's a sign saying do not feed as they will charge at you! We try to admire from a distance sometimes but I'm not the biggest fan have to admit!
Wish my DD would play with her toys more/for longer but I'm guessing it's much more fun at nursery, everything I do is wrong somehow "NO mummy" is the most used phrase hah!

Boredom is good for kids and gives them a chance for their imagination to run wild. I’d also suggest gettting her to play by herself and not with you all the time.

I’d say the more outdoor play the better at that age. Mine are older now but we would spend hours in the local woods or park (and I live on a farm so there was a lot of outdoor muddy play on top). Nothing better than a walk with a stick age 3.

Just remembered when DD was that age The Wiggles were my saviour! There was a lovely ballet spin off on YouTube too with Emma.

DD also liked Cosmic Yoga.

DD has ADHD and Does.Not.Chill...

I disagree; I don’t think boredom is good for three year olds. Six, seven, yes, three no. They don’t find imaginative and intricate games to play, they just get into mischief until you put the TV on.

Our rainy day activities are:

Puddle hunting (god save me, but I've got a kid who loves it)

Library

Shopping to help me buy ingredients to make soup. He gets to pick a magazine or some fancy sprinkles for his hot chocolate.

Visit friends or family

Swimming

Local attraction with indoor areas

@Phineyj we listen to the wiggles in the car on the way to/from nursery. DD loves it when I sing hokey pokey in my best Aussie accent! 😆

Must depend on the kid. My just turned 3 year old can spend a good hour playing by himself with his train set or a tray of kinetic sand and little diggers.

Thats an hour. A whole weekend?

Time of day makes a difference too. My two will play happily and contentedly for an hour in the morning. Post lunch and especially in that 3-6 run up before bath and bed it’s squabbling, tears, silly behaviour and is most definitely, whatever else it may be, Not Chill!