What to do with the kiddies?!?!?

gerturdeanna

I'm currently in a situation where I am going to be a SAHM until the eldest goes to school in September. The children (Boy of 4 and girl of almost 3) have always been in a nursery of some sort since they were 6 months old and now I'm struggling to think of CHEAP!! things to do with them?!!
I want the time spent together to be productive and happy for them but it does have to be cheap because I'm not bringing any money into the house at present
Any ideas?

LouLee2008

building tents in garden, finding leaves and twigs and painting them and stuff, ummm lol. you can make your own playdoh, salt dough i think its called, that could be fun.

gerturdeanna

We've got a yard!! Like the idea of tents etc, could take chairs and blankets etc out but only if its dry!!

elle_gee

Picking flowers from the woods (is that legal?!), potato paint stamping, flying a kite, swimming (might be too late but check out Kelloggs boxes), board games, splashing in puddles, turn loading the dishwasher into a game..

*Louise*

gerturdeanna wrote: »

We've got a yard!! Like the idea of tents etc, could take chairs and blankets etc out but only if its dry!!

No reason not to do it if it's wet

My kids regularly steal my dining chairs to make an indoor tent

pange

my daughter likes nothing more than taking a picnic to the local park/common? tires her out because i make her walk for miles, sometimes take 'work' sheets i have made of local wild life she can spot and everytime she does she gets a sticker, great distraction when she starts to get crabby! one o'clock clubs also provide fantastic distraction and they're free!!!!

good luck

oystercatcher

Don't forget the local library , you can borrow loads of books for free.
Sitting reading aloud can be fun and very bonding if you find something you all enjoy.

Oystercatcher

bank_of_slate

The local park, picnics, collecting things etc...
check out and register on http://www.netmums.com/h/f/HOME/home/ lots of ideas on there!
your local library may have scheduled activities planned, ours does, pop up and join for free.
Put the tent up in the yard and have dinner outside.
register on https://www.seefilmfirst.com and look out on the thread Freebies- no spend required (on this site) for free tickets - For example, I just got 4 free tickets to see Wall -E next Sunday morning!
...Linda xx

tsstss7

I second the library and local park also dont forget the delights of your local pet and toy shops (only if you are able to not buy!!), some museums also do special activities for littlies.

clairec79

A lot of libraries do sessions for pre-schoolers

Picnics in the park - bonus points for a teddy bears picnic (our local park has a free lido for kids, if the weather is nice it's great (more so in term time when you can get some space)

find out what local activities are on over the summer - for example this weekend planet plant bach had the under 5s bus local to me -(My son was mad about Fireman Sam last year and thought it was great he got to 'meet' him).

Leisure centres often have free swimming at certain times of the week/year

Colouring etc download the character pages off the web - I made a My Little Pony colouring books and Thomas the Tank Engine

Gingham_Ribbon

It's not long till school starts. I do an outdoor and an indoor activity each day, unless we're out all day. So we go to the park, library, museum, a play centre, friend's house, for a walk etc (usually in the afternoon.) One 'big' activity at home like painting or baking or filling a bowl with water and collecting things to see what floats and what sinks. Then there are lots of little things to do like reading, drawing, doing join the dots, playing the piano, building train tracks etc that keep them busy the rest of the time.

The day is pretty full because there are 3 meals per day to make and clean up after and the housework to do so they do have to play on their own sometimes too which is no bad thing imo.

We take picnics to the park every opportunity we get. At their age they can help make the picnic too - choosing their own fruit to take, helping spread the bread, helping make pizzas to slice up and take cold the next day etc.