What do you do with your toddlers in the afternoon??

Sligo1

Hi all,

I'm just looking for some tips about what you do with young children in the afternoon.

Currently I work part time but am going to be starting a new job soon which will allow me to be home Monday-Friday with my 2yo and 3yo. Mornings have never been a problem as we usually go shopping or to the park, playground etc etc. But I'm always at a loss of what to do with them the couple of afternoons I am home. Tbh, by the time they wake from their nap (3ish) I usually put the tv pr of its a good day let them play in the garden so I can prepare dinner etc. But I defo don't want to be doing this 5 days per week! Cooking together usually ends up in a screaming match between the 2 of them.

Most play cafes in the area close around 4 so that's not really an option. And when the winter comes... Going to the park when it's dark at 4pm isn't going to really be an option either? Painting prob won't be happening either as its the one thing that drives me insane! And they would be doing this in play school anyway (thank god!).

Any advice or options??

LegacyUser

I'm at home on mat leave since February with a toddler and newborn. I just do the same stuff in the afternoon that I do in the morning. I try to do "adult" stuff in the morning and toddler stuff in the afternoon, or vice versa. If we have a playdate, or I've to go a bit further to a shop, it's an afternoon job.
Literally, you just need to learn to spread your jobs and trips out a bit wider in the day If I've been out a couple of mornings or afternoons in a row, I'll stay in on a morning or afternoon. I'd also suggest just staying in once or twice in a week and letting them be bored. Do your jobs around the house and let them learn to entertain themselves. I'm currently doing it with my little one - it's painful but I can actually see her beginning to be able to play more by herself.Also tap into anyone you know that is off on mat leave or works partime too, so at least if you're desperate there might be someone to visit.
I won't lie though, winter is a nightmare. I tend to just try to get out whenever it's dry, regardless of the time of day. It's very very hard though.

sareer

Maybe try ideas on Pinterest? I have found the posts there very helpful to get ideas for situations like this.

nikkibikki

Could you prepare dinner when they are napping and then have the time with them when they wake up? Sit on the floor and play with them. My lads love to drive their little cars, trains and lorries over me. Or just watch them play together.

Millem

Sligo if you don't like painting try stamping. Melissa and doug stamping sets are great. My guy loves play doh, colouring, threading, puzzles, dominos, building train sets.....
Pinterest is amazing. I have gotten great ideas off it like measuring water, crafts...I get ice lolly sticks, pipe cleaners etc in dealz or opening minds.
At the minute I am getting hours of play from the sand box and land mower bubbles.

Sligo1

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think this is only going to be an issue when the winter comes now I think about it. As when the weathers good we usually play outside. Bring a blanket out and make daisy chains etc.

It's just when we're all in we both get cabin fever in the afternoons. Stamping sounds good. I know they love stamps. And they do like making stuff. I just need to use my imagination a bit more with the crafts I think. I think I will start planning things the night before. Sometimes it can be difficult to find things to do that suits them both. I could spend ages dping floor puzzles with my 3 yo... But my 2 yo comes over and messes the whole thing while chewing on the edges. Cue the 3yo having an absolute breakdown. They adore Lego. But the same thing happens again after a few minutes. I think it's just because of the diffident ages. When there's just one of them they are so so so so easy to entertain and it's easier to do things with them when there's only one of them! Lol.

Any options for outside the house?

Thanks all.

bp

We love puddle jumping - waterproofs and wellies and out we go. Kids don't mind the weather

sillysocks

Libraries are usually good for an hours entertainment. A lot of them now have good kids areas - plenty of books and sometimes even toys for them to play with. A lot of them also have parent and toddler meet ups too.

jester77

Mine usually go over to a friends in the afternoon or the friends come over.

Sligo1

sillysocks wrote: »

Libraries are usually good for an hours entertainment. A lot of them now have good kids areas - plenty of books and sometimes even toys for them to play with. A lot of them also have parent and toddler meet ups too.

Cool. Do they mind if the children aren't quiet??

sillysocks

Sligo1 wrote: »

Cool. Do they mind if the children aren't quiet??

Not in ours anyway! Well I suppose within reason, I wouldn't let mine run around totally crazy but I think it's good for them to know that sometimes they have to be a bit calmer. In ours the kids area is kind of in a separate corner to the main part so it's not on top of adults trying to read etc.

Sligo1

sillysocks wrote: »

Not in ours anyway! Well I suppose within reason, I wouldn't let mine run around totally crazy but I think it's good for them to know that sometimes they have to be a bit calmer. In ours the kids area is kind of in a separate corner to the main part so it's not on top of adults trying to read etc.

That sounds good. I will check out what's around our area.

tickingclock

I'm not very creative actually I'm not creative at all so I haven't got into arts and crafts with my toddler yet. We play with play dough a lot, read books and play with her toys. I rotate toys so every two weeks I hide toys and produce new toys so there's always something new to play with. We go to the libary once a week. We make noise but not too much and she's not allowed run around like at home. We also play games that are in the libary.
Also rain or sunshine we play outside or she plays outside by herself. Myself, my husband and our toddler all have good waterproof rainwear and wellies. So we wrap up and play outside. I buy my daughters a size bigger so she can wear layers under it too keep her warm. I find its good for all of us to have fresh air even on wet days. The tv doesn't go on until the evening. We also make rice crispy buns. Actually we make a mess but it's good fun!!

Julo12

Have you tried getting the dart into town and going to the national gallery or the natural history museum? At least they're free if they don't overly enjoy them! There's a room with some toys just beside the cafe in the gallery too. Merrion sq playground just opposite if weather is ok.
The longer dart trips can pass the whole afternoon too malahide castle playground and avoca (or there's another caf beside the pitch n putt with a toy room) at one end of line or there's a playground in howth not far after the station (tho it is so so cold in winter!)
I'm back at work now but used to try organise play dates one or two afternoons a wk. I also have a younger one still at a destructive putting everything in her mouth stage so it's still difficult to get an activity to suit both..

blondchick

Let them play with their toys. If you don't let them learn to entertain themselves you will have 10 year olds complaining they are bored!

celligraphy

Usually paint, watch movies , play house with follies very boring but she likes it , try get her to help me clean her room doesn't work btw and of she has the attention span I read her a book

pwurple

blondchick wrote: »

Let them play with their toys. If you don't let them learn to entertain themselves you will have 10 year olds complaining they are bored!

I don't know if you have two children close in age, but if they are anything like mine, their self-provided entertainment of choice is fighting with eachother. Maybe that's very educational and socially developing, but sheesh it's tough being patient for an afternoon of screaming and "she did this to me" "she did this to me first".

Giving them an occupation is much better for us all in my humble experience. I try to get them working on little house jobs here if I'm home alone with them for an afternoon. Or an illusion of it anyway. Sweeping, mopping, washing windows or the car. Putting things in boxes.

Gardening is my busy work of choice though. They are great little weeders with their tiny fingers, and the two year old likes to put stones from one bucket to another, while big sister picks caterpillars off cabbages and sticks them on the bird table.

Visiting friends or rellies with small children is the other favourite thing to do. Or having someone over around their age.

Roesy

pwurple wrote: »

I don't know if you have two children close in age, but if they are anything like mine, their self-provided entertainment of choice is fighting with eachother. Maybe that's very educational and socially developing, but sheesh it's tough being patient for an afternoon of screaming and "she did this to me" "she did this to me first".

Giving them an occupation is much better for us all in my humble experience. I try to get them working on little house jobs here if I'm home alone with them for an afternoon. Or an illusion of it anyway. Sweeping, mopping, washing windows or the car. Putting things in boxes.

Gardening is my busy work of choice though. They are great little weeders with their tiny fingers, and the two year old likes to put stones from one bucket to another, while big sister picks caterpillars off cabbages and sticks them on the bird table.

Visiting friends or rellies with small children is the other favourite thing to do. Or having someone over around their age.

My two are 11 months and two and a half and the fighting has already started!!! +1 for the gardening and doing jobs. My bigger girl absolutely loves watering plants and weeding. She also enjoys being given other little jobs around the house like putting clothes in her washing basket and washing vegetables.

fro9etb8j5qsl2

We do lots of baking and cooking. And chuck on the waterproofs and head out even if it's raining. I find playgrounds brilliant in the rain cos there's never anyone else there My lads love doing music-y stuff too, I play a few instruments and I have a box of whistles and tambourines and stuff for them so we have music time. Not great on the eardrums but better than the sound of screeching and wailing

RentDayBlues

My 2 love colouring and stickers, endless hour's there. Playdoh is great but needs to be monitored! When we do lego we have 2 boxes so they get a box each. Mostly I let them play together with figures and dolls, lovely to listen to imagination play.

During winter we get out whenever we can, garden in wellies and rain gear is great fun! If painting is stressful try to get some of the painting markers, it's painting in coloring form!