Entertaining a 3 yr old on a budget

Rachie_B

aswell as all the above which are fab ideas

try https://www.netmums.com post on your local site and you may find mums in the area with chidlren the same age as yours ,who are in the same position as you !

I've met quite a few mums via that site ,its fab

purplepatch

Many thanks for all the above replies, much appreciated.

I do have friends with kids, but most have moved now, one to Spain, one to London, one to Oxfordshire, some work, so it isn't that easy anymore. We do have a local toddler group, but the kids are a lot younger than her, so it wouldn't be great for her, although would be nice for me.

I will give the library a ring in a minute, see what they do. She does 5 sessions a week at preschool - she is there all day today. It's quite difficult to arrange to do things around school as the five sessions are arranged over Monday to Thursday, both mornings and afternoons. I'm going to make more of an effort to get out, even if it's down the recreation ground - it's just the horrible weather that really doesn't help. We occasionally go to softplay places but they aren't overly inexpensive down here in the ripoff southeast.

I'll have a look on netmums. We are getting together with one of the neighbours next Friday for a coffee which is our only free day - she has a 2 year old that mine likes to play with. Tomorrow is full of dentist and hair appointments.

It isn't easy this age as she is quite a handful and I find myself shouting at her most days, but as someone said, I know I should be making the most of the time I have left with her before she starts school and she's gone for good. I find I'm wishing the time away almost and it makes me feel really sad and horrible. She's probably just bored which is why she misbehaves. There's only so much cbeebies anyone can take - I also find myself singing along, so you're not alone with that lottee :rotfl:

Anyway, better get on, but thanks for the ideas and keep 'em coming.

Edit to say that local library does zilch for preschoolers and the nearest libraries that do, all have things at times when she is at preschool - aarrggghh!!

code-a-holic

I understand where you are coming from! Mine are 4, 2 and 1 and im a SAHM. My eldest is in school, which helps break up the day a bit. Over this way though(west wales) Children are able to go to 'ysgol meithrin' a playschool type thingfrom the age of 2.5 for 3 hrs, 4 days a week. So after easter my middle one will go for 2 days then build it up. Then they start at primary school on the term before their 4th birthday for every afternoon of the week.
As of april i will have a extra 1yr old to loook after days a week - so im thinking of things to do to get us out and about a bit.
We have gone to a soft play centre for £2 as long as you like. But the 2 yr old wont stay in there and the youngest just sits with me!
They enjoy walks out to see the cows (we live in the midlle of nowhere and quiet lanes and lots of cows and sheep!) - always a good free trip out.
WE go to the park for a play and kick around.
Starting mother and baby group next week!
My 2 yr old is very lively and needs constant activity - i have got him in to helping - he loves to help - so giving lots of odd jobs helps us have a giggle and get something positive done around the house.
I find when i start getting too naggy with them or tempers get frayed we have a bath session!! Really settles things down again.
Hope you manage to keep yourselves busy!

Counting_Pennies_2

I haven't had a chance to read the replies yet, but just to let you know I have found the following helpful


Baking cakes and biscuits
Cooking that evenings meal
Rolling out pastry and cutting it out and baking it
Decorating rich tea biscuits with icing sugar and some sweets

Cbeebies website, can leave my son to do some of the teletubbies and bob the builder games himself (just press space bar)

Orchard Toys board games. Humpty Dumpty is the favourite one in this house, closely followed by shopping list, we are finding Incy Wincy Spider a little too hard. Plus the Orchard Toys jigsaws are really good.

When we get a chance, done some wellies and waterproof and go on a walk.

Washing up. A bowl of soap suds and plastic bowls. He loves pouring the water through sieves etc. Put loads of towels around the sink area on the floor under the chair.

Play dates: Inviting a friend to play for half a day and having the favour returned so you get some time off.

Also don't be too hard on yourself, yes we are going to miss them dreadfully when they have grown up, but it is ok to be frustrated. Also you have a young one too and in the middle of winter when the weather is dreadful. All my friends are saying how miserable they are right now.

liney

Can't your little one go to pre-school? you are entitled to 5 2.5 hour sessions fully funded from the term after their 3rd birthday.

toria27

What area do you live in?
I ask because I went to the national space centre the other daywith my 17month old and she loved it it's all interactive so they can touch everything there a 3 year old would really love it loads to do.
It is in Leicester though so no good at all if your not from the area. But you can get an anual pass for 11quid if you buy it through gift aid with them and under 4's are free

purplepatch

liney wrote:

Can't your little one go to pre-school? you are entitled to 5 2.5 hour sessions fully funded from the term after their 3rd birthday.

Oh yes, all 5 sessions being fully utilised - it's just the rest of the time

We live in Kent, so Leicester too far unfortunately. Sounds brilliant.

She's starting a ballet class on Saturday morning so that's something I guess.

purplepatch

Counting_Pennies wrote:

Cbeebies website, can leave my son to do some of the teletubbies and bob the builder games himself (just press space bar)

She loves the cbeebies website. So much so that I've set her up with her own login as I got so fed up with sneaking off to have a quick look at mse only to find about 100 cbeebies windows open!!

Spotted a thread about soup on the OS board and was going to make some while she was at school, but have decided to wait until she gets back and will let her join in. She loves helping in the kitchen, and playing with water, but misery guts mum doesn't like her getting underfoot or making a mess. Got to start being a more tolerant better mummy, new years resolution. Full of good intentions when she's not here :rolleyes: Expect she'll start driving me mad once she's been back ten minutes.

Spendless

Hi - I also have a 3yo at nursery 5 x AM sessions and I'm also struggling to find stuff to do with her after nursery and before I pick her older brother up from school, mainly cos not many activities run here in the afternoons.

I visit nannys once a week;) which takes care of 1 PM. Another we go to a toddler group. What about swimming? I am looking into taking DD swimming once a week, but the council run ones that don't charge for under 5s, our nearest, which is the one with the training pool only had 1 session which fitted in with her nursery hours, and they've recently changed that so they now clash with nursery:mad: .

When the weather was better:rolleyes: we were also spending another PM at the local park.

purplepatch

Had thought about swimming but DD2 hasn't had her jabs yet. Due to have first one next Monday - can we go after that does anyone know?