Later on I was chatting to my buddy Jill about other tricks to have up your sleeve when the weather is shit and you can't spend all day outdoors. As parents this is the stuff we need to share. It's desperate times folks. What do you do?
15.7.11
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Later on I was chatting to my buddy Jill about other tricks to have up your sleeve when the weather is shit and you can't spend all day outdoors. As parents this is the stuff we need to share. It's desperate times folks. What do you do?
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Cushion/sofa/blanket fort. Pots and pans. I'm totally out of ideas after a few hours and that worries me, given the length of European winters and the fact that I don't want my son watching TV because I'm too wiped out to have entertaining ideas. I reckon dancing might fill up some time, and learning to cook really basic stuff.
ReplyDeleteI bought stickers and LM loves them, she comes with the box and asks if I can open it for her, then plays with them for 10 or 15 minutes, which I consider a long time. Trying to take them off the paper, then sticking them everywhere: in our shoes, on cupboards, on my face -now that's fun. From time to time we find yellow hearts or purple stars on our soles or on our bags, which I find is a lovely way to leave love notes when you can't write. Have you tried memory game ? We do not play it the regular way, I just place 1 of each pair in front of her and give her one card at a time of the matching pairs, and she places them right.
ReplyDeleteThe weather's bloody awful, isn't it. We had an indoor painting session disaster this week. Did I mention it was indoors?! From that, someone suggested to me to do the indoor painting in the bath ... sounds fun. And kind of terrifying. Olive's actually really happy standing on a stool and playing with utensils and things in the sink while the taps running. Not great from a water conservation point of view. But guaranteed to buy me some peace and quiet. Kellie xx
ReplyDeleteA fort is fabulous fun! These are a few things that have been a huge lifesaver with my busy little man. Some are a little messy, but if you don't mind a little cleaning afterwards, I found that it is well worth it (I bought a huge plastic table cloth for the floor, works wonders):
ReplyDelete- Home-made playdough
- Shaving cream with a tiny drop of food colouring
- a torch, especially the squeeze-to-charge types
- thick paint in a sealed zip lock plastic bag (tape over the top helps secure it). I found C loved squishing the colours together
- making hand and footprints
- glitter and water in a plastic bottle
Good luck x
1. Two ikea stools, one big woollen blanket= cubby house=engaged little man.
ReplyDelete2. Lots of old plastic jars filled with random bits from around the house= take lid off and on about 1,725 times= a winner.
3. Dancing like no one is watching=always a winner
4. Reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar 2,450 times= boring but safe
Generally involves a messy house but these work like a charm
ReplyDelete-baking/cooking
-water/cleaning/washing/containers
-unpacking Tupperware cupboard
-Lego
-building houses/tents
-painting/drawing
-turning on the dreaded tv & watching kids tv channel/DVDs-always swore I would never be one of those parents but works a charm!!!
X
I bought some felt boards and 'scenes' to put together, my boys have been having fun making pictures with them and no mess. You could even make your own felt people/clothes/shapes I guess!!
ReplyDeleteI find it hard enough keeping a 6 month old entertained when the weather is blissful... so keeping BB occupied during miserable weather must take some blood sweat and tears.
ReplyDeleteHope the sky cheers up... P.S - actually if you pop over to my blog and enter the giveaway you might win a little something to keep her amused for a while! Just a thought... x claire
http://spectacularfairywren.blogspot.com/2010/07/fleamarket-finds-hoot-hoot-and-cakies.html
ReplyDeleteand
http://spectacularfairywren.blogspot.com/2010/06/sandwich-flea-market-finds.html
take some old mattresses, make big square cushions and stack them... and unstack them... and stack them... and hide in them. repeat
and walk in the rain in raincoat. we are not sugar cubes. we can not melt...
LIBRARY!
ReplyDeleteAnd failing that when you need somewhere to run around... THE NEAREST MALL! (Just don't expect to shop, but at least the kid can run around. If you know of a mall that has a pet shop = double bonus. Free zoo.)
And of course if it's not too cold. Put your gumboots and raincoat on and head out to play in the rain.
Good luck.
playdough fo shiz. A little rolling pin, some little patty pan cases, a teeny tiny cup or two and some music. taht does it for us... for about 10 minutes. then we run around the house throwing every single cushion on the floor. way fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone – great ideas!
ReplyDeleteBonnieE – definitely the most creative for sure. Hi fives!
And I should point out that we DO walk in the rain. We love it and I'm certainly not afraid of melting, like a sugar cube (or something). But I'm on foot all day, and in the dry weather we are outdoors all day. It's just not possible to spend 10 consecutive outside hours in the wet. Even with raincoats. We need respite at some point.
Anna x
my sis in law whose little one is about the same age says 'Aquadoodle = heaven'..look it up - looks fun and best part no mess : )
ReplyDeleteShoebox full of cheap spangly stickers. Contact collage (sheet of contact + assorted bits of paper and foil and leaves to stick down. When interest wanes, stick a piece of coloured paper on any remaining sticky-ness, then display on fridge). Homemade playdough - recipe is on the cream of tartar box. And if you are feeling really brave or reckless, finger painting.
ReplyDeleteHope the rain isn't make life too tricky. I hope you don't mind, i've posted some of your bump pictures on my blog today xx
ReplyDelete