Ideas on how to take them outside to play by myself

I know that the backyard needs to be childroofed or we could go back there-I'll have to do that this weekend. I wanted to get some cozy coupes for them but am having a hard time finding them used. I thought the cozy coupes would contain them a little better and I could divide my time better{we live on a dead end road} we have a super yard and a kid zone that I could possibly hook together and put in the front yard. I would love to go to the park, but we don't have any that are fenced in so the girls don't run off and then there is the safety issues with only one of me to watch 2. Ok I getting bummed just typing this. Any suggestions on how to get outside w/them when it is so nice. I don't have any help today or tomorrow. We go for a walk in the stroller but they want more. Ideas? Thanks T

 

I personally never had problems with 1 running off.. with this I mean 1 was constantly running off, but I am faster, and then I would have one still in the buggy (screaming yeah, most of the time) and one on the swing and then after 5 minute we would swap. This teaches them patience (I tell myself). And most 2 year olds will sit and play in the sand, you can do that by yourself! Or take a ball and have them "kick" the ball back and forth.
When the boys were 1 ish their brothers were 3 and 4 so I had 4 little boys who would run everywhere, and still I managed to get out almost every day. Just go once and try. And you will see it is not as impossible as you thought! I thought it would be impossible in the beginning, then I did it, sweat a lot that first day and realized it was OK.
Hope that helped, Millie

 

I don't have much advice but wanted to send some :hug99: because I'm right there with you. I do have a fenced yard though and swings that my peanuts love and will hold their attention for a little while, along with bubbles and we have a couple of those giant colored balls for them to kick and chase. Also, don't give up searching for a fenced in park. I almost did and a few weeks ago discovered one that I have been able to go to alone with the two of them.

 

I don't really have too much trouble with mine running off, and if I did I'd just strap one in the stroller if they didn't listen, or maybe trap one at a time in the swing. Remember, you are faster than they are. Go out and have fun, we're really enjoying the spring weather and finally getting outside.

We go to the park and we also play in our un-fenced back yard. It works great to burn off their excess energy and they sleep great.

 

My girls are 2 days younger than yours.

I haven't had too much trouble with them running off. We did have a learning curve at first where I had to chase them and say no but they learned. We play with all kinds of ride on toys outside, Cozy Coupe and others. Sometimes I bring out sidewalk chalk or bubbles and that keeps them entertained. We also play with balls on the lawn and sometimes we see our neighbors outside we go play with them. I was really nervous at first about playing outside but once they got a feel for it (not running in the street etc) and I calmed down it got much better.

Parks aren't really too hard either. I go to parks where the climbing equipment is smaller and lower to the ground (for my peace of mind). They climb all over it and I stand on the outside ready to spot anyone. They learned to go down the slide and I catch them as they come down. I think for me, I just had to let them try it and learn how to do it. We started with really toddler friendly type of equipment and then worked up from there. Parks with baby swings are great because then you can just stand and push them both (no chasing!).

 

I just did it. You don't know how it'll go until you try. If you keep them contained to your own area, they'll know where to stop etc. But you have to teach it. If it becomes a came of run and chase, then you know it won't work and try something else.

I've even done parks, but I usually pick someplace that doesn't have a ton of kids, and take a blanket and a couple of balls. That way, I don't have to worry where one is vs the other on playground equipment. Nor do I have to worry about the unknown of other people. If I'm alone with the kids, then I know that if somebody comes too close, I'm aware of it all.

 

My kids tend to run off in public, mostly b/c of the novelty of not being in a stroller...but we're slowly getting them used to holding hands, sticking by mom, etc.

We do a lot of open-area parks and greenbelt-type parks. I even took them to a farm and hiking alone this week with NO stroller (DH was out of town). They did great.

We had a couple of really tired boys (they must have walked 1.5 miles by the end of it), but had a great time just wandering and exploring. We went early before it got too crowded.

Our backyard is fenced, so I can't help with ideas on keeping them in an unfenced yard. We have a ball pit, rakes, shovels, dump trucks, a wagon, 1 scooter, 1 cozy coupe, a beach ball, and basket ball hoop to keep them busy. Occasionally they will get in the cozy coupe, but really they just like watering plants (they're growing their own strawberries this year), feeding birds, and digging/exploring in the yard.

 

At around that age, I had to really get serious about teaching my boys not to run off when we were at the park. One day one took off towards the parking lot/street and the other toward the steep state park hillside on the other side of the park. I decided to go for the one headed to the street, grabbed him and strapped him in to the stroller before jumping in to the bushes and taking off down the hill to retrieve the other one. Once I had them both in the stroller I gave them a talk about how they can't run off at the park and then took them home. The next day we tried it again, and when they ran off I strapped them in the stroller and we left. If only one ran off we still went home. Unfair, yes, but it did teach them really quickly that I was serious, and they quit doing it!

 

I never had an issue with them running off either. I have a sand table for them, a swingset, and I also bring thier matchbox cars. Lately I bought a bunch of bags of dried navy beans...put them in the sand table and it was good sensory play...they love digging thier cars in there, etc.

its amazing how much a Ball and hoola hoop...even BUBBLES can occupy thier time!! i sugest the dollar store..I have LOTS of luck there!

 

I agree with pp. When mine started to run, we left or came inside immediately. Now they know where they can go and we are outside as much as possible.

 

I find the more you go out the better they will be. Just keep on doing it. Another thing i found is to make playdates at a park. This way there is another set of eyes in case one starts to run off.

 

You have to just do it. You have to be the one to teach them when and where they can go and how to not run off. It is a serious time investment, but its worth it! I can take all five of mine to the park by myself and always have been able to. You just have to do it. That is the first step!

 

QUOTE(Ellen Barr @ Apr 15 2008, 11:50 AM) [snapback]722947[/snapback]
At around that age, I had to really get serious about teaching my boys not to run off when we were at the park. One day one took off towards the parking lot/street and the other toward the steep state park hillside on the other side of the park. I decided to go for the one headed to the street, grabbed him and strapped him in to the stroller before jumping in to the bushes and taking off down the hill to retrieve the other one. Once I had them both in the stroller I gave them a talk about how they can't run off at the park and then took them home. The next day we tried it again, and when they ran off I strapped them in the stroller and we left. If only one ran off we still went home. Unfair, yes, but it did teach them really quickly that I was serious, and they quit doing it!



Oh, how I LOVE natural consequences!

(I also enjoy imagining you being such an American Gladiator, Twin-Mom Style at the park to keep your kids safe. Do you have a cape?)

 

Even if just in the backyard, I took the stroller. That gave me a place to contain at least one, if necessary.
I honestly didn't do parks, except for a couple of times.
When I went to parties, I took a mother's helper with me, who could actually climb up those kids' play areas to retrieve a toddler for me.

 

Well, i feel your pain.. my guys run in total opposite directions when given the chance. I drive really far from my house to go to parks with fences. I absolutley can't do unfenced parks alone.. it is too much of a headache for me, and my guys are really fast. Also, mine tend to play apart from each other and when they were smaller, most of the playground equipment was too high and it was hard for me to be able to "catch" both if i needed to. Now that they are a little bigger, i do not worry as much about them falling off. Our backyard is fenced so we spend alot of time out there, and we just bought the wooden swinset/fort from walmart for 399.99 and it has been great! I think it may be on sale right now as well. We have a play house out there, a basketball goal, the swingset, and a smaller castle climber slide from when they were smaller. My guys love chalk and bubbles too. We have a cozy coupe, a black little tikes truck and a fourwheeler -- all from craigslist. I also found one of the step 2 sandboxes with table and umbrella attached in GREAT condition on craigslist for 40.00!! They will play in that forever. As far as teh beans go-- it is a great idea.. i found an extra sandbox (the turtle one) online and filled it with pinto beans and sand toys and kept it in my kitchen because i didn't want bean sprouts in my grass! lol.. Maybe if you have a wagon, you could pull them in that instead of the stroller for something different-- we also had 2 of the step 2 red push buggy cars and they liked going "driving" down the street in these. Check your local elementary schools-- after school hours you can probably use their playground equpiment and that would have a fence around it.
good luck!

 

We are just starting to explore parks and the backyard this year because last year they still weren't walking yet!

Whew is all I can say! If I'm working up a sweat in 65 degree weather, I think I'll need to be nekkid when it's 90.

Backyard - we have the red swing that's attached to the tree. Super great for keeping one contained at all times. Just give an occasional push. We have a little Kangaroo Climber from Step 2. It's good, except DS split his lip open today because he fell forward right into it - but I digress. Dump truck, sand toys, etc. We are getting a sand table for their birthday and filling it with rice. Balls. Bubbles. I think my mom is buying a Cozy Coupe for their birthday.

Outside parks - NIGHTMARE! We went for the second time today to a busy, but uber-cool, park. Way too many kids today. They do run in different directions and throw a fit when I retrieve them. The both will bend their legs and refuse to stand/walk, so their knees look bashed up. I want them to explore, but not take off running and looking back at me laughing while they are at it.

I guess I need to try that whole "if you don't listen, we're leaving" routine. Maybe that'll teach them. :angry:

 

I also employ the running off = going back inside technique. We don't have much for fences here and they can get into a lot of trouble in a hurry. I've had to do the "save the boy at greatest risk and then go after the other one" routine and it scared me half to death but I figure repetition and lots of it is the only way it will happen. We can walk out to the road and back now without too much trouble (it's 1 mile round-trip) and they have a good idea of where the borders are in the yard (I use things that are already there as visual markers for them but I've seen Supernanny use brightly colored ribbons tied to trees and bushes during a camping trip). For those of you with kids who sit and play in the sand... Mine are more of the divide & conquer type and it's not a relaxing time taking them out but out we go.

 

Do you have any under-used tennis courts nearby? That worked well for me at that age. I'd bring a few balls and they'd chase them around forever. Put them in pants that will help protect their knees from scrapes when they fall.

 

QUOTE(DebbiesTwins @ Apr 17 2008, 01:04 PM) [snapback]725811[/snapback]
Do you have any under-used tennis courts nearby? That worked well for me at that age. I'd bring a few balls and they'd chase them around forever. Put them in pants that will help protect their knees from scrapes when they fall.


GREAT idea! Thanks!

 

I had to let you know that I NEVER thought I would get to the point where I could take them to the park by myself. The one near me is not fenced in either. But I finally got the courage with all the nice weather this week and gave it a try. So far it has been fantastic! Every time we have gone I talk to them about not running away from mommy and only staying in the grass and unbelievably they have listened every single time! Every once in awhile one of them will run a little too far away and all I have to do is call their name and say "thats too far, remember what mommy told you", and they stop running and wait for me to catch up. Most of the time they stay in the sandbox or by the swings and never even think about running away. All I'm saying is give your kids the benefit of the doubt, they may surprise you. If you try it once and it doesn't work out then the worst thing that happens is you won't do it again. My kids just turned 2 at the beginning of April by the way. Good Luck!!!

 

Wow! There are some great ideas here! I will try the tennis court with balls one! My 3 little ones are (twins) 2 1/2 and 1 1/2. They do keep me busy and running in different directions. I love to take them outside and here in Utah it is just beginning to get warm enough. Things that have helped me is - keep your park visits short. Bring a stroller along so if you need to strap one in you can. (I too, will try the advice of telling the kids to stay with me and take them home if they don't), also, if you go after school hours, sometimes elementary school have fun playgrounds and are more private and easier to watch the kids. Good Luck and thanks for the post! I'm going to try some of the other ideas too!

 

I did it yesterday for the first time! It went very well, they were just so intrigued by the grass, dandelions, and being able to run around that they didn't really have time to run off from me or get into anything they shouldn't. Though I'm sure that will happen after the new wears off! The only trouble I had was getting them back into the house by myself while they were throwing the tantrum of their lives!! We have about 6 deck steps to climb and getting them up the steps and into the house while they're both screaming, kicking, and flailing was a huge challenge. I don't know when I'll be brave enough to try it again.

 

One thing i have done with my girls to get them to go in the same direction, is i tell them they have to hold hands. For what ever the reason this always works.

 

Mine our the same age as yours and I cant take them to the park- they are so fast and ALWAYS run in different directions. They would rather run then play on the equipment. We did get a fence this week but prior to that I can feel your pain. I could not even take them out of the car in our driveway in hopes that they would walk in the garage. As soon as they got out of the car, they would take off. It did not matter how many times I grabbed them and told them no! My boys are still not getting consequence!

I dont have any advice but wanted to share that I know what it is like to have not one but two runners. It is really frustrating.

 

Around that age, I took mine to a tennis court. Tennis courts are usually completely fenced in, and the ones near our home were never used during weekday mornings. The kids had a great time chasing balls and I didn't have to worry about them running off somewhere.

 

I noticed that you have some older children. Do you take any of them with you? I always took my ten year old son with us and he did really well with helping me. He would play, but stay close to one of them. If one got away he could run after them. Also, the playground we took the girls to had a landscape border for the woodchips. I would remind mine that they couldn't go past the border and that worked really well. They would walk up to it and stare at it and I would remind them "no" and then they would go back and play. By the end of the summer they never would go across the border. My husband and I also took some of our tax refund last year and built a fence. It took us all of memorial weekend, but it was well worth the time!! We are always in our backyard and live on a busy street. There is no way we could go outside and play without it. We saved a lot of money by putting it up ourselves as well.