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@T.H.O.U.: my kids actually love Sam's Club, free samples haha! And yes I really love the themed activities at home, I'm going to do something today I think. No Chick-Fil-A but we do have a mall about 30 minutes away.
We are going to go to the library tonight after dinner just to hang out
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@Bao: It's called the Nature Connection by Clare Walker Leslie.
Might give you some inspo.
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@looch: I will look that up, thanks so much! I was on a roll with nature activities last summer but with winter I'm blanking on ideas!
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@Bao: google "free things to do in (your city)"
I was shocked how many cool things were less than 10 mins away from me! and FREE!
As a side - kids lives don't need to be exciting - I imagine you are bored, not them.
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@Bao: I wonder if a toy rotation would break up the monotony of playing at home. Could one meal a day be an all hands on deck activity?
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@Mamaof2: there honestly isn't a lot for the winter months, just checked but I'm going to keep researching and taking notes!
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: yes, absolutely!
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@Foodnerd81: I agree I totally take the kids to the library for time fillers - even an hour there in the morning is fun for them. They get to take home new books and a DVD and that's a big deal, especailly for my older kid!
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I think we all get caught up in making life exciting for our kids when in reality, they are happy to stay home and play with their toys most of the time.
A few ideas:
- Library time just to pick out new books
- Themed week at home - themed baking, art, and learning about a topic (you can read about stuff on the internet with the older)
- My kids like going to the mall and riding the carousel or just playing in the crappy kids space there! You can have a slice of pizza for lunch and that's a treat.
- Play dates. We moved away for a year to a ridiculously small town with little going on. I started a play group on Mondays and it was a huge hit. We rotated hosting (the host made muffins or had a snack) -
DD is 2 so playing outside looking for things or the park really make her day!
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i agree with others that have said that if your kids are content, i wouldn't worry about it too much. do what works for you guys. it's an amazing thing to have kids playing happily at home.
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Went to the library tonight and they were such stinkers and I even had DH's help, so I guess staying home is just better for everyone haha!
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@Bao: aw, don't feel bad. I get it though. I love being outside, so most of our adventures are free outdoor adventures. I personally don't want to sit around with a bunch of other parents and kids, but that's just me. My girls and I thrive in unstructured "environments." I would share your own interests with them. I think time to be unstructured, even bored, makes for creativity and coping skills. Young kids need attention, nurturing, and stimulation- but that can come from sharing interests and exploring the world with them. IRL, by the way, all the parents I know are a bit trapped inside with kids- for one, it is winter, and even I, the ultimate outdoor lover- I get trapped because honestly, this is a tough gig and we inevitably get trapped inside cooking, wiping butts, etc.
Eta: just read your update
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@Greentea: thank you so much
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@Bao: today we went for a walk and DS gathered things in a bag (sticks, leaves, rocks, etc). We came home and taped them to a big sheet of paper and then he coloured on it. Not super exciting for me. But excerise and he has fun.
I also remember someone posting once about putting a piece of tape on their daughters wrist (sticky side out) and going on a walk and making a nature bracelet. Super cute!
It's crappy and cold and wet here but we went anyway!
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@Mrs. Champagne: yes, same weather here but I'll try and get them out! I like the nature bracelet idea!
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Have you tried searching for mommy groups on Meetup.com?
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