Entertaining toddler in bad weather

[Morecoffeethanks]

What is everyone doing with their toddlers/ young children in this freezing weather?
I am a SAHM to a two year old who is going stir crazy at the moment.
We live rurally so usually we spend a good two hours a day outside in the woods, throwing stones, building dens, climbing on tree stumps however after less than 30 mins outside at the moment my DC is freezing and crying to go home. I can tell they are so bored and are getting very loud and shouty with excess energy (I imagine that’s what it is).
I don’t have access to the car most days so can’t go to the local town for the toddler groups- too cold to cycle and bus isn’t reliable.
I am so stuck for what to do, they get bored baking, colouring etc after a few minutes. We unfortunately don’t have any friends who are also active home to invite over midweek.

What are they dressed in? Mine are fine outside as long as they are basically in salopettes, snow boots, waterproof mittens etc. Total faff to put on and off but definitely warm and dry. No getting away from it not being as fun when it's raining but they won't be cold.
I'd also do some afternoon baths with toys they don't usually take in the bath. Cars, trucks etc. Kills an hour.

Have you any room for indoor physical play? Little Tikes slide or some Quadro or similar ( to build different things) How about a tuff spot or mini tuff spot endless possibilities.
Large wooden building bricks or cardboard boxes to make a den etc.

Making big cardboard boxes into tunnels and caves used to keep mine occupied for a good while - add in some dinosaurs or cars too.

Glow sticks in the bath helped me keep my sanity during the Beast from the East!

Ms. Rachel on YouTube and soft play followed by Greggs pizza

@Whizzingwhippet they are wearing a all in one snowsuit with thin mittens and ski mittens over the top, thermal under layers with an extra long sleeved top and leggings, thermal socks and snow boots. Poor kid can’t move, haha. They are always taking off the snow mittens to be able to pick things up which is why they get so cold I think.
I will try out some of everyone’s ideas. I will ask DH to bring some big boxes home from work.

I took mine to the shopping centre at 8am before the shops open and let them run up and down, looking in the shop windows, play in the mini indoor play areas, ride on the escalator. Then watch the shutters open, wave hello to people then come home at 10am when people start arriving. Then we went to a toddler dance class and safe to say she is properly knackered.

We go out for shorter more frequent walks.

Playdough (is easier to make and quite satisfying if you are that way inclined), freeze some of their toys in ice and give them salty hot water to melt it (calpol syringes can be good or you can buy pipettes). Treasure hunt (draw pictures).

@Hedgehog23 great ideas thanks. I once froze some of their toys and they were horrified- screaming they were stuck and broken 🤣 but I will definitely make some play dough!

Haha I know the Michelin Man looks well! Yeah I agree, as soon as hands get cold it's game over 🤦 so hard when you don't have a car. Do you have a sleeping bag? Mine like sliding down the stairs inside them. That tires them out!

Other ideas:
I made a cardboard shop with an open and closed sign. Pulled out all the tins from the cupboard for them to sell.

Polenta as 'sand' we hide small dinosaurs in the and and count how many are hiding etc

Mixing bowl with different kinds of rice/ pasta. (DD will spend an hour lining them up, sorting them out, scooping etc)

Cardboard box castle for teddies

Library & corner shop

Wash toys in warm soapy water

Reading...lots of reading

Spinning chair & music (probably too much time doing this)

Age appropriate board games. DDS favourite is ludo.

Painting in the bath and then get hosed down immediately after 🤣

If all else fails I give her a random household object. Yesterday it was a bottle filled with small craft sticks in an assortment of colours. She spent a good 45 mastering how to unscrew the lid, shaking it, tipping out the sticks putting them in again and then coming up with little imaginings

@Whizzingwhippet usually we get around fine with the e-bike but it’s just below 5 degrees and rainy/sleet/snow it’s no fun.
We have hard exposed wood stairs but I promise I’m not trying to be awkward!

Oooh maybe not then! Yeah that's just miserable, hopefully it will warm up a bit soon x

i have a toddler and a baby at home with me twice a week

The best time waster that we do daily is a a nice hot bath.

I fill vials with a bit of food colouring for potions and all bath toys as well as jugs and whisks.

the baby has had enough after 20 but my toddler will be in there for an hour if I keep topping it up.

hide/seek, dress ups, build a cave with chairs/sheets etc.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/playdough-recipe

do you read to her? i remember when my DD was that age i was virtually housebound for a while due to morning sickness. we had a lot of toy animals and which we used to reenact all her story books eg made a race for the tortoise and the hare . it killed hours of time. but we did have a lot of books to use as inspiration!