Activities to do with 18month old on weekend

CH27

Is Grandad your Dad? Could you & your son stay over there on saturday nights to cut your travelling & enable you to just relax with him?

jarvichi

This ones easy!

When our little chap got mobile we started Geocaching, there's generally a few nearby wherever you are whether urban, suburban, or in the middle of nowhere...

To get started and find your nearest cache go to geocaching.com.
You can make geocaching more fun if you have a smartphone or ipod touch by getting the app (The iphone version is £6, but it's worth it)

Since we started we've found over 60 caches, some buried in woods miles from anywhere, and some stuck to the back of street signs in busy London streets. It's taken us to places mere miles from our home we didn't know existed. Most importantly it's give us something to do on many a dull afternoon!

Please give it a try!

Wilma33

Is there no way he could stay at yours on Saturday night then it would be worth the car journey home and you could do more "normal" things rather than having to stay out?

Wilma33

You could get cheap travelodge rooms for £9 which would save you driving back and forth both days.

Hagar_uk

nonnatus wrote: »

Hmmm, Do you HAVE to take him out of the home for activities (genuine question because maybe you have flatmates or unsuitable accomodation - not just being picky!!) because at 18 months, they don't get such a lot out of zoo type things and they cost a fortune!

At home you could bake biscuits, make play dough, hand paint or invest in a HUGE bag of Duplo and just build stuff for hours...

Have fun whatever you choose, you sound like a lovely Dad

The problem with going back to my house, is its too far away, and my ex is not happy for me to stay round there too long, plus my ex does not drive, so its nice to do things he might not normally have a chance too., we do play with duplo, and he loves books, so read to him, and he reads back, (sort of!)

My tip if anyone else is looking for ideas, are butterfly centers, we have gone since he was very small, and was the first place with animals which captivated him, plus they are heated, which helps in winter

Hagar_uk

Thanks for the replies, the plan is to have him on overnights, however he still breastfeeds, and does not take a bottle at all, hence the travel, while taking him off the breast would make things easier, it is not really my choice to make. and my ex keeps moving the goal posts.

The £9 travel lodges never seem to applicable to the local area, as its quite a tourist area.

medium term I hope to rent sell my place, and find somewhere closer to him

AlternateMe

*subscribing for ideas for my 18 month old!*

Northern_Princess

Puddle splashing was a firm favourite when my daughter was small as were walks in the woods. Animals were not as interesting to her as we lived on a farm but were of great interest to friends children who came to visit Messy things were another favourite, finger painting, gloop and water play.

rachbc

you must be able to find somewhere to stay over near him on a weekend...youth hostel, b&b on a regular basis might do a good off season rate, travel lodge. Even £30 has got to be cheap than petrol, eating out etc and gives you a bit of a base to take him to

PoorCharleyBear

Hagar_uk wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, the plan is to have him on overnights, however he still breastfeeds, and does not take a bottle at all, hence the travel, while taking him off the breast would make things easier, it is not really my choice to make. and my ex keeps moving the goal posts.

This sounds rather like your ex is using this as an excuse. Many people do breastfeed til 2 or so but most of his nutrients will be from food, so dropping the breastfeed would not be a deal breaker. (and I am one who is very pro breastfeeding).

18 months do not benefit hugely from going to do things, but perhaps an indoor play centre would be good in the winter. Out local leisure centre charges about 5quid for unlimited time and has special under 3yr old sections- to make sure the big kids don't trample them!