Activities with babies and toddlers

jbbonce

I am expecting our first baby in December and DH and I have agreed that we will live frugally so that i won't need to go back to work until the baby and all of our future children have started school.

Obviously we won't have money for flashy toys and gadgets, but I will have plenty of time and attention to lavish on the baby and I want to build up an archive of things that I can do with the baby that will be fun and educational, and as cheap as possible, so that the baby isn't disadvantaged by the lack of toys, and I'm not driven mad by being cooped up in the house all of the time.

So far I have thought of:

Go swimming at the local pool's mum and baby sessions
Go to wriggly readers at the library
Go to baby activity group such as tumble tots
Go to the park to watch the big kids play
Go to visit Granny
Feed the ducks
Go to the market to look at things and learn about them
Go for a walk round the village
arty crafty things like painting (not for a while, obviously)
baking (ditto)
Grow things in the garden (again, not with a newborn)
I would really like to have some suggestions of other things that we could do.
Thanks

heather38

do you have a local sure start centre?
we did baby massage and baby sign language and both courses were free

fsdss

mums and tots groups

baby massage

music and dance group

baby clinic

post natal groups (for meeting other new mums)

Counting_Pennies_2

Contact your local NCT branch and ask them if they have bumps and babies coffee groups, or NCT Cafes. These are great, often bumps and babies groups are rota'd so you meet other mums and you take it in turns to go to people's houses for a chat and reality check on life, it is a fantastic way of meting friends.

Also NCT often link up with local restaurants or church halls to run a regular coffee group, so do ask your local area for that, I know lots utilise Pizza Express.

You will probably find Tumble Tots is quite an expensive activity, you might find the local leisure centre does a soft play activity for a much cheaper outlay.

Really the best thing I can recommend to you is make as many friends with other new mums as you can, through your antenatal classes either through the NCT or NHS, just getting out the house and meeting for a coffee is such a life saver.

Also look at joining your local toy library, normally through your local library. You can hire toys for as little as 60p for several weeks, and then you can give them back and hire something else, so always giving baby a variety, but not having the expensive outlay of toys.

In terms of getting more ideas, there is a fantastic book called Entertaining and Educating your Preschool child, and this has lots of things you can do to entertain them which cost absolutely nothing. Pop into your library to borrow a copy and write down all the good ideas.

bloomin_freezing

fyi, my local tumble tots group is the best part of a fiver for 45 mins!!! Not very frugal!

You'll be amazed what things interest a baby, simple things like take it for a walk in the buggy and point things out...'ooh look at the big green tree, look a red car...etc'

troll35

Some fresh air every day will be good for both of you whatever the weather. Any coat that fit during the latter stages of pregnancy will also cover a baby in a sling. Power walking, whilst pushing the pushchair, will not only help get rid of that postnatal jellybelly, will give your body a dose of those feel good endorphins. Babies do not need expensive toys, many things from around the home make perfectly acceptable and safe toys in fact this is the basis for many treasure baskets.

good luck, I'm sure you will be a fantastic mum.

Littlebean_2

Our nursery calls it heuristic play - but basically it's a big basket full of things with different textures to play with. All kinds of everyday items - wooden spoons, plastic pots, scraps of fabric, bubble wrap (supervised obviously), pegs, old remote controls with the batteries removed. I have two boys aged 2 and 1 and am constantly amazed at the everyday items they love to play with. DS1 loves to play 'boats' in the laundry basket while DS1 sits and repeatedly empties the peg bag. They do have toys (many bought by in-laws) but the old adage about preferring to play with the cardboard box often rings true!

cjalynch

I would certainly echo the above post- I also have two sons aged almost three and one and a half and they have both loved playing with wooden spoons, plastic bowls and shakers made of old plastic containers with beans and lentils in.
Regarding toddler groups, a lot of the ones in our area are run by churches and are probably less expensive than tumbletots, although you might need to try a few until you find the right place. If you call your local childrens's advice service (part of the council in our area) they might be able to send you a list of the active groups and other activities near to you.
My sister told me of a good summer game "magic painting" which involves a bowl/bucket of water and an old paintbrush which they can then "paint" everything in sight with. Lasts for ages!
Get your little one interested in books as soon as possible, again the library is a great place for this as you can go weekly and choose new stories and picture books.Also a year-round actvity as the park is not always possible.

overlykeensaver

I agree with the other posters - look around for toddler groups in church/village halls as these are a good way to meet other women and your baby can play with loads of toys there too.

No matter how tired you are after your first few weeks at home, make a big effort to get out to groups of parents and babies- they will all be in the same boat as you and it is great to compare notes, tiredness etc!

As for toys - I found that you really don't need to buy many - or any for the first few months. They can't hold them and are more interested in you.
I have entertained my baby with:
an egg box
a shoe box (she enjoys taking the lid off, and I put a little ball inside for extra fun)
a plastic ball
a wooden spatula (with no sharp ends or edges)
plastic biscuit cutters
going on the swings in the park
feeling the wind on her face
touching the leaves on the trees

As for bought toys - a really good present for us was some stacking pots - different colours and sizes and with holes in. Our baby loved these from an early age as she learnt to hold them, bang them together, pour from them in the bath, watch the water trickle through the holes, roll them around the floor. And she hasn't even started to stack them yet!

Justie

http://www.whatson4littleones.co.uk/

is a good website for seeing what playgroups etc there are in your area - you may find that your ELC has play times (free - although presumably they hope htat your child will fall in love with a toy and HAVE to have it). We have a lot of toddler groups that are either free or very cheap (the price of a cup of tea)

blue_monkey_2

I used to get my toys from car boot sales - anything that did not make a noise went in the washing machine for a good wash (if they are hard plastic they won't nee a spin but put some towels in so they do not bang around) you can save a fortune at boot sales. Anything that made a noise was given a good wash and left to dry. You do not need to spend a lot of money on kids, although I know it is hrad. Don't go down the eBay route - once you pay for postage it becomes expensive!!

Tumble tots was way too expensive, swimming is a cheap option depending on where you live and what facilities they have. The best option for me was a playgroup - you can go to these from birth and it means you get social, make more friends and the baby gets to see other kids play, best of all they cost around £1 a time. When you have been working it is hard to meet others in the area when you have a baby so this is the best place and if you are desperate to get out every day if you look around you should be able to find one in your area, or there abouts, each day.

After you have had the baby your local health centres will (should) have a post natal group. There is still a group of us that meet each week for a coffee and chat (OK, moan) and that is nearly 5 years later and we now have 10 babies between us, once every 6 months we go out for a meal on our own - it is a great night off. it is great to have someone to talk to so make this an option too.

The park is great but it does get a little boring (for me anyway LOL), the baby will not do much in the first 6 months so get yourself and ipod and walk, it is great for you and good for the baby too. Do it in their nap time and make it part of your routine and the fresh air will do the world of good and get rid of the extra weight you have put on.

I have to be honest there is HUGE amounts of pressure to go to all of these clubs and groups - everyone thinks a busy baby is a happy baby - but they are not for all kids and it does mount up to go to them. it never ends. My daughter loved the local singing group (£2.50 a time so that was quite cheap) but my son detested it and just wanted to destroy the instruments. Don't feel pressured to go because all of your friends go and it is OK to say 'Sorry but I cannot afford it'. In our group there are some that have loads of money to go to these groups and there are a couple of us who don't and they do not understand the costs, heavens there is baby yoga, baby massage - how miserable where the babies before they could do yoga and have a massage!! LOL. I tend to fit in more with the friends who I have made that are 'poor' (LOL) as I don't have the money to go everywhere with them, it does cost a lot of money and I think people who have money and have been bought up with money do not realise the sacrifices some of us have to make to have, and be at home with, our children. Find yourself a friend locally who has a baby the same age, just spending some time with someone who is not making baby noises does you the world of good and you'll feel you always have an extra bit of support. Plus your children will grow up knowing each other and it always helps if you have to pop to the doctors and someone else can help look after the baby.

Hope this helps a little.