What do you do with your LO?

YaraC · February 2011

What do you all do with your LOs for entertainment? I'm trying to find things to do on the weekends with Caroline that doesn't involve shopping or cost a lot of money. She gets bored at home and so do I and the weather right now doesn't let us go for walks or to the playground. We usually end up wondering around Target or at the mall, where I end up spending $$$$.

I've looked into some local Mommy and me type things but they are all designed for SAHM's and take place at convenient times like Thursday at 11:00AM.

TIA

BrideBuddies · February 2011

We took a swim class at the local Y, but I'd suggest waiting until she's a bit older for that kind of thing. The 2 year old in our class seemed to get more out of it.

Charlie loved all the splashing around, but the water was FREEZING and he really was too little to do most of the skills stuff the teenaged instructor was trying to get us to do. "No, he doesn't blow bubbles or put his face in the water.. he's only 15 months old!" She just didn't get it.

Maybe a play group? Lots of churches have them. Now that he's walking, I'm going to start looking for one that's free. There's a MOPS group in our area, but I refuse to pay money for something like that.

But I agree.. most of these things are right during nap time!! ADD--our swim class was on a Saturday morning.. if that helps.

stever · February 2011

Our daily outing involves meeting Grandpa for breakfast. I would take him to play time at Gymboree but it's during nap time.

superaunt · February 2011

we never have this problem but i'm beginning to think i have the strangest kid in the world. she actually goes to her bedroom when she wants a nap or wants to go to bed for the night- all she needs is for us to say "let's go take a nap." CRAZY

anyway, we have all the rooms we don't want her in closed off so we don't have to follow her around and pretty much give her free run of the place. she does her thing but will come to me at certain times to read books, play mega blocks, etc. playing music and dancing is always a huge hit. when all else fails, we'll toss her on the couch where she screams in delight as she runs back and forth and jumps up and down.

there's always meal and snack time, too- and that eats up a lot of time because i don't let her walk around with food or drink. she must sit in her chair.

sorry, i guess i'm of no real help!

Daisiesinmygarden · February 2011

We take lots of walks in the stroller, little trips to Target, grocery store, to see Daddy at his office....

Puckchick07 · February 2011

Have you checked your local library for storytimes? The one I attend weekly with Fiona is geared for babies/younger toddlers. They do fingerplays and hear a story and at the end toys are brought out so they can play and socialize.

I got a membership pass to the zoo. I've taken Fiona there quite a few times...even if it's just for an hour or so. Plus, they have an indoor Rainforest exhibit which is nice in the cold months.

YaraC · February 2011

Puckchick07:
Have you checked your local library for storytimes? The one I attend weekly with Fiona is geared for babies/younger toddlers. They do fingerplays and hear a story and at the end toys are brought out so they can play and socialize.

I have looked at those. Unfortunately, around here they are only offered in the middle of the week. I work a full-time 9-5 job so those aren't an option for me.

We live in a townhouse that has 4 stories each with only 2-3 rooms (I hate it) so while she has free range on the living room/kitchen level, that is only 2 rooms and it gets boring after a while. Venturing to other parts of the house involves stairs so she can't just wander around the whole house on her own.

I do have several friends with similarly aged kids and we get together at least once a month but it is hard to coordinate schedules more than that. They all have family local and are always doing stuff with them. The only family we have in town is DH's sister and there is a limited amount of time I can spend with her.

Daisiesinmygarden · February 2011

We have a small house, so I feel your pain.

Have you tried "hide and seek" where you hide her stuffed animals and then let her hunt them. Make it really easy to start by just putting them on the floor in a corner etc, with a blanket over them and maybe a paw sticking out. Then make it harder as she gets the hang of it. You can put a bin in the middle of the room where she is supposed to put them when she finds them.

We do a LOT of coloring, reading, legos and puzzles. She has a little kiddie table and I sit on a footstool with her to do these acitivites.

LyndaCarter · February 2011

I'm trying to remember what DD#1 and I did at this time of year when she was 1 and I think it involved a lot of Baby Einstein, reading, Target wandering (without buying because I'm cheap), swim and tumbling class at the Y, and eating. We were in the 6-18 month swim class which was involved me singing songs and moving her around the water. The tumbling class was fun with the balance beam, crawling under mats, rolling around, jumping on the trampoline, playing with the parachute and balls, etc.

mama.bear · February 2011

Bring her to Leesburg for a playdate.

I'm serious.

YaraC · February 2011

mama.bear:
Bring her to Leesburg for a playdate.

I'm serious.

When and where, Mama Bear. I'm serious too.

Also, I'm a poet and didn't know it.

fauxshelley · February 2011

I have a family pass to the zoo, and we go a lot. It's free to park and you can bring in your own food, so if the weather is nice enough that's where we spend our Saturday. Check out family passes to a local children's museum too. You could always do that on a cold day, and you would probably spend less there than at Target.

funchicken · February 2011

We have a membership at the National Zoo and at a "Farm Museum" that's near our house. The farm museum has lots of activities for kids (they can milk pretend cows and collect eggs from a pretend chicken coop, etc.) Great Falls National Park isn't too far, so we go there sometimes. When the weather is nice DH takes S to one of the local farms to see the animals.

When she was younger (if the weather was crappy) sometimes we'd go to Petsmart and look at the birds and the fish. Also, our library has weekend storytimes, but even if there's no storytime, you can still go to the library

YaraC · February 2011

mrszee2b:
We have a membership at the National Zoo and at a "Farm Museum" that's near our house. The farm museum has lots of activities for kids (they can milk pretend cows and collect eggs from a pretend chicken coop, etc.) Great Falls National Park isn't too far, so we go there sometimes. When the weather is nice DH takes S to one of the local farms to see the animals.

Yeah, when it is nice out it's not a problem. We can find tons of things to do. It's the bad weather that gives us cabin fever.

SFAug07 · February 2011

We go to the zoo, to the playground, for our weekly swim lesson and to this indoor playground when the weather is bad. We have a membership there and it's great. I like her to be out of the house twice a day every day, including weekends (really most of her awake time, before and after her nap). We are lucky with the weather as it allows for outside activities most days. She also gets bored in the house, and so do we (and the Au Pair).

YaraC · February 2011

LyndaCarter:
The tumbling class was fun with the balance beam, crawling under mats, rolling around, jumping on the trampoline, playing with the parachute and balls, etc.

That reminds me when my DSS took a gymnastics class there was also a class for young toddlers. I am going to look that up and see if it is still offered. Thanks.

YaraC · February 2011

SFAug07:
She also gets bored in the house, and so do we (and the Au Pair).

Yeah, the desire to find things to do outside the house is as much for me as for her.

funchicken · February 2011

YaraC:
mrszee2b:
We have a membership at the National Zoo and at a "Farm Museum" that's near our house. The farm museum has lots of activities for kids (they can milk pretend cows and collect eggs from a pretend chicken coop, etc.) Great Falls National Park isn't too far, so we go there sometimes. When the weather is nice DH takes S to one of the local farms to see the animals.

Yeah, when it is nice out it's not a problem. We can find tons of things to do. It's the bad weather that gives us cabin fever.

Oh the farm museum is indoors, and the zoo has indoor exhibits. We can spend an hour or two even in bad weather. Coffee shops with live music are fun, too. We get S a little treat, and she loves the music.

NewMrs07 · February 2011

Did you check out all mom groups? Some of them post playdates on weekends too. Also, see if your local library has Baby Time (storytime), those are fun and free. I would suggest Gymboree classes but that's usually expensive (we pay $80/month). Can you attend playdates at other people's houses? Those are fun too and free. Do a search online, sometimes cities sponsor various free or very cheap events for kids. We are lucky b/c San Antonio has tons of things for families to do, so many that we have to pass on a lot of them. Good luck, I hope you find something fun to do!

NewMrs07 · February 2011

Puckchick07:
Have you checked your local library for storytimes? The one I attend weekly with Fiona is geared for babies/younger toddlers. They do fingerplays and hear a story and at the end toys are brought out so they can play and socialize.
I got a membership pass to the zoo. I've taken Fiona there quite a few times...even if it's just for an hour or so. Plus, they have an indoor Rainforest exhibit which is nice in the cold months.

Oh yeah, the zoo too. I got a family membership on groupon.com and it was half price. So even on cold days I sometimes take A to the zoo and let him play in the indoor play area they have. It's really neat and has lots of toys.

KirstieC · February 2011

Do you have a local art museum? Many museums have a children's program where you can sign them up and they (as well as an accompanying adult) can go to the museum for free until they are 17. I just took Betty Jane last week and she LOVED it! She got to see her 1st Picasso! Besides that, it wore her out!

Also check you local malls/book stores. Many have weekly entertainment programs for children.

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