Working 4 days, how do you spend your day off?

[QuiltedHippo]

I go back to work shortly and am looking forward to having a day a week with my baby. I'm just curious how others spend their day off? Catching up on life? Set activities? Days out?

Friends all have varying days off and a few activities we do she is getting too old for - suddenly they're full of none movers who are happy to have a scarf wafted over their heads while mine is trying to run off with car keys.

I try to think of an activity but due to cost this is often just go to the park or supermarket, but DC enjoys this. At home there's colouring and painting to do. And then I try and do some of the housework, as they get a bit older DC can "help" with the washing and vacuuming.

Swimming lessons

Working.

It means I get my weekends for me though.

Mine are 4 and 2, so I spend my day off either travelling to visit my mum and grandma with the kids, or having a chill day with them if we've had a busy weekend. If DH is off work, we'll head somewhere that would be busy at the weekend.
Otherwise, I'll try and find somewhere local and free:
Local NT
Library
Ducks
Play parks

I work four days with a 16 month old. Luckily a few friends also have the same day off coincidentally, so we might see them every couple of weeks.

This weather is a lot easier cos we just spend the day in the garden or park. I usually do an errand in the morning before he has a nap.

On really rainy days, we will do a YouTube yoga class or music class, have a little dance party or just free reign with his toys. It helps that he still has a 2 hr nap in the middle of the day so I can get a few jobs done & relax.

By the time I’ve factored in meals, the day has basically gone.

Over the years there has been:

Play dates
Library trips
Swimming lessons
Toddler gymnastics
Bike and scooter rides
Trips to the park

Usually in the morning.

Obviously, bit of cleaning and shopping to make myself useful.

Then just home based activities like baking, art and craft, reading, baths with toys, playing with toys (with them, always with them, they would never play alone 🤦‍♀️).

Toddler group in the morning, home for lunch and a nap then maybe the beach or park in the afternoon

When my kids were that age toddler groups, library or swimming lessons

I made sure I had class booked only because I knew I could find things to do at home or work work to do if I was at home all day. Classes help focus 1 on 1 time and something that just wouldn't be possible when going up to 5 days

Swimming lessons
local playgroup
soft play
farm parks
park
visit grandparents

I’ve had one day off with my DD (now 4) since I returned to work. When she was younger we did a class, now we go to the library in the morning, then swimming lesson in the afternoon. She’s usually pretty tired after a week at nursery, so we keep it super chilled.

Toddler class in the morning such as gymnastics to burn off energy, then trip to the park or for a coffee with some of the mums from the class, home for nap (whilst toddler naps I prep dinner for tonight) then in the afternoon either a big walk with the dog or a visit to some friends.

I cram as much into my day off so we can have family time at the weekend without any commitments z

We had a season ticket to the local zoo, more interesting to walk around than the nearby park and the play equipment and soft play were better.

@GuyFawkesDay

I do the same!

We are bound by the school run but I have two days at home now. We do an activity in the morning - swimming on one of those days - and sometimes fit in a quick spin round the supermarket or shops after. Then home for lunch and nap, and then to pick up DC1.