Getting Out with Just One Adult

I have not been able to find a park where my boys can run around, without 2 adults accompanying them. My partner is out of town this week and will be having surgery next week. Recovery is 6 weeks in bed, probably longer before she can chase a toddler. My local family is pretty useless when it comes to stuff like this, for various reasons... and we don't have the funds to hire a babysitter/helper for anything other than what we already need one for.

So, I really need a general idea of where I might be able to take my kids so they can run around and play. They are getting cabin fever, but are too young to go somewhere and hold my hand, so they have to be in a stroller when we are out of the house. Our backyard is not very toddler-friendly and they hate the Superyard. Any ideas (even if it's something you have locally that I might have to hunt for around here...) would be SO VERY appreciated.


I don't know how you single parents do it... honestly, you ARE my heroes!!!! Today was day 2 of my 46 days of 24-hour alone time with the kids and they really tested my parenting skills!!

 

check with your local coffee shops. i know how funny it is, but there are coffee shops were i live that have a 2ooo+ feet of indoor (inclosed) play mats, small slids friendly from 8months of age & up, the ones here coast 4.95 for each kid, you can stay as long as you want,
the one here in calgary is called coffee and scream. anything like this would be great for you because they can get out. ust warn these places are not for people how like quiet places.
hope this helps

 

I was always petrified of those fast food restaurant play places thinking that I would never be able to contain the children. Well, much to my surprise one day we venture to the one closest to our house. I found it to be tiny and soo much fun for my children and me. I could actually sit down and have a drink while they ran off all of their energy. I never thought it would have been possible honestly but this particular one was perfect. I just always made sure to go on off times and hoped it was just us, which it usually was. Have you checked out any of those kinds of play places? Ours is double doored and very difficult for a little child to get out of without being noticed plus I always staked out the exit.

I hope the surgery goes well and the times passes quickly for all of you!

 

Find a local park that is fenced in. Take them in the stroller and let them lose. Another thing is if you have a friend with a child the same age, make a play date at a "goo" park or even a mall playarea. The extra set of eyes/hands is good if you have to run after one (due to some one leaving a gate open)

 

Do you have any parks with soccer fields? At that age when they can't REALLY run mine loved going to a large grass field and throwing balls/sticks/etc. We also LOVE the zoo, it will be tiring but safe. Children's Muesams, ditto fast food play places, playdates at peoples houses, most malls have play areas, Chuckee cheese type places......

 

Good luck to your partner on her surgery - I hope the recovery is quick! As for places to go, you can take two toddlers to the Little Gym with only one adult. I've done it and it's fairly easy. Gymboree usually requires one adult per child. You may have a local chain of kid gyms. Most places offer one free class, so even if you don't want to sign up, you can schedule all the free classes.

Some public parks and rec facilities have open gym times for younger kids.

I take my girls to the mall early in the morning before all the stores are open and let them run. There's virtually no one there and you have space to chase your kids. Mall doors usually open an hour or a half hour before the mall actually opens.

Local soccer fields are great for running. Either carry both to the center and let them go, or push your stroller to the middle. You can also bring push toys to slow them down.

 

Our community center has a toddler playtime in a room the size of a HS gym with tons of toys and room to run around for only $3 each, I also do the early morning mall thing. We have a ton of parks here, after driving around and litteraly check out at least a dozen I found one that had the play area way far back from the parking lot on a road that wasn't busy at all - gives me time to catch them before they're in traffic

 

Maybe check online for local mom's groups or playgroups? We have a site here, Milwaukeemoms.com, where there are resources for play areas, play groups, play dates, even listings of places with drive-thrus! Also ideas for evey day of the week of fun stuff to do with your kids (exhibits, storytime, etc.) Maybe there's a resource like that for your area?

 

Find a playground with bucket swings. You can strap one in the swing while you chase/spot the other on another piece of equipment and then trade.
That way you are only chasing one at a time. They have to like swings though (and you have to jog back and push the one in the swing once in a while!)I always start with both of mine in the swings.

Check your local YMCA. Mine just started a portable playtime - a certain day a week they bring all these toys to a safe area and all the toddlers get to come and play, then they do a story and songs.
Some gyms and YMCA's also have a play area for kids to play while you are working out. Sometimes it is unsupervised, you have to keep an eye on them while you are on the treadmill, etc., sometimes they have babysitters for a nominal charge.

Gymboree won't let you do the fun play area stuff with only one adult, but they let me do the art classes by myself with both kids. Mine are pretty good though and quite a bit older (20 months).

I love the mall idea that PP had.
I also did the soccer field thing (except it was a huge baseball diamond, partially fenced. The bigger and emptier it is, the harder it is for them to get into trouble, and YOU get a great workout!
Prepare to do a lot of running around the next few weeks!

 

We have an indoor play centre here that our girls love to run around in. Most of the equipment is for older kids but they still love to play with the balls, hockey sticks etc.

What about calling up a friend and explaining that you need help for an hour or two to bring them to the park?

Any local playgroups or mom's groups that hold their events inside?

What about a library? Or does a local highschool have any activities? One of our local highschools has a class of 16 year olds who want to work with children in the future so they have an hour or so a day where parents can bring their children and they play with them (actually the students learn about kids while the young ones play).

What about a mall before the stores are open? A lot of seniors go at this time to walk the mall and get exercise. Perhaps you can bring your little ones to run around (and hopefully not trip the seniors)!!

I did a quick search online (not knowing what part of Phoenix you were in) and came up with the following. I am sure you know of most of them but thought perhaps one or two were hidden gems that you weren't aware of:

http://phoenix.about.com/cs/familyactiviti...freefunkids.htm

http://www.imaginationavenue.us/

http://www.familyinfosource.com/activity/a...ro-activity.php

http://phoenix.parentzone.com/parentresources.asp?prid=626

http://www.arrowheadtownecenter.com/entertainment.asp

http://www.partypop.com/Vendors/1878334.htm

http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/attra...lls-ca-91344-us

http://www.aztoytown.com/wst_page2.html

Not sure if this one is open yet:
http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert...recess0820.html

 

Some playgrounds are better than others. I found one that has a nice, open play area surrounded by fields while another has a wooden play structure with poor visibility, multiple exits, and close proximity to the parking lot. I could take them to the first one even during that crazy "don't listen at all and run, run, run" phase while the second one still requires another adult even though they listen pretty well now. You really just have to go look. If you find one with a sandbox and some fencing, bring some containers & plastic shovels and you might actually get to sit for 5 minutes. I strongly advise against "trapping" one in a bucket swing or a stroller. T&T could have climbed out easily at that age and fallen right on their heads.

Story time at the library is good if they'll sit for a story (we didn't get there until 2). We also have a place with inflatables for bounce time that's easily handled by one adult.

 

Check online to see if you have a local KINDERMUSIK bacaause they have a great indoor (sometimes outdoor) gym! Good Luck!
Sarah

 

Do you have Chuck E. Cheeze in your area? The ones I have been to have a section just for toddlers. They stamp you and the kids with the same number when you come in the door, so no one else can leave with your kids. At least it provides the "illusion" of security.

 

Oh I just remembered, when mine were toddlers, I used to take them to Toys R Us to play with the toys. They usually had a train table set up, and other things out for the kids to try. We loved going there on hot or rainy days.

 

We have a few (very few) places that MIGHT fit the bill around here. Look up your local Mall's online and see if there's a play area. Those are usually enclosed. At 15-16 mos. it's going to be a little tougher because they are SO MUCH smaller than all the big kids running like wild people through there. If you can find a preschool or (local) school playground, they are usually fenced in! It's just going to take some research!! I'm sorry it's tough right now!! :hug: Best wishes to your Partner for a speedy recovery!!!

 

You might also want to check out your local mall (not sure how local it may be?). I found out that the mall closest to me actually opens the doors to the mall, an hour before the stores open. I am planning on doing this especially during the colder months. I like the idea that the stores are all gated and closed but there are nice long passages for them to walk/run without them getting out of my view. It will be fun to also stop and look in all the windows, especially with Christmas coming! Just an idea.

 

I used to take my kids out to the neighborhood tennis courts to chase after balls. They are completely fenced in, and nobody used them until evening hours when people got off school/work.

 

My kids are about the same age. I am alone with them 12 hours every week day while my husband works, and we prefer to get out of the house daily. I joined a local mom's group on meetup.com that does lots of fun stuff. Some of the things they do, I can't do with twins, but the playdates at peoples houses work well, as do some of the other meet ups. I also found that our local parks and rec has an "indoor play area" for kids 0-4 years old. It is basically a basketball court sized room (with doors!) filled with toddler play equipment. This is by far my favorite place to take them right now, as I can relax a bit while they play. The floors are covered with gym mats and the toys are all age appropriate. Also, some churches in our area have rooms like this for toddlers to play in. So check with your community center/parks and rec/churches and see what you have available near you.

Also, the library here has story time for kids 12-24 months old. It is in meeting room with nothing but carpet on the floor. The librarian puts out board books for the kids to flip through at their leisure and she does poems, rhymes, songs and so forth...and the story time starts and ends with bubbles This is a big hit and another really easy and safe place for me to take my kids when I am on my own.

Parks and places like the children's museum are too hard for me now with them running in different directions. I don't feel like I can keep them safe in those places. They are not contained enough for me, and my kids won't sit in the stroller for any great length of time. They do tolerate the zoo rather well, so sometimes we walk around there (me walking, them in the stroller). Also, check to see if you have classes like Kindermusic or Music Together or Gymoree...those are good options. They are pricey though. The other stuff I mentioned is either really cheap or free.

Lastly, I got a tip from a friend that has older twins, she said that most of the schools around us have playgrounds/play areas and when school is not in session, she took her kids there, because most of our schools have a fence around their grounds, so it help her keep her kids rounded up and she didn't have to worry about roads and such.

Good luck! I hope this helps!

 

they have these places like gymboree - there is a place here called hopin tots - which is inside and kids just run around and jump on mon bounce-y types of things. maybe there is something like that in your area. i know they did that on an episode of john and kate + 8 and it was the two of them with all 8 kiddos. it costs money but could be a nice every now and then option. also some kids playgrounds are fenced in - i'd ask around. good luck!