what do you do with them?

I have a long weekend coming up, and weekends are my time with the boys. So since I have an extra day, I want to do something special. I'd love to take them out somewhere, but where?

It's too cold (more importantly too snowy for even our baby jogger) to do anything outside, so I'm trying to figure out where I can take them that would be fun for them. They go shopping with me sometimes, which is nice just for a change of scenery, but I don't think it's particularly fun for them. But I can't think of what would be fun for a one year old.

Any ideas?

 

Are they walking? If so, you could see if you have a local MyGym, LittleGym, Gymboree type of place. You could use your free trial class this weekend and if you like it, sign up for it. :Clap: My two love going. That's all I got. Other then that our outtings consist of going over to a friend or family members house...or shopping, which isn't all that fun for them. Good luck and have fun with your babes!!!

 

Thanks for the input so far.

They're not walking yet. It seems like they're still too young for the mall play area, but maybe I'm wrong about that?

 

I don't know what your mall area is like but I took mine when they were just crawling. They loved the open space to crawl and mine LOVED to sit and watch the older kids run around and play. I did have to be right there with them to make sure they didn't get too in the way but Elizabeth especially would sit there with a huge smile on her face and her eyes lit up watching the other kids.

 

I know what you mean....they used to like going almost anywhere, but is seems the thrill of the grocery store, is gone. Mine aren't walking yet either... Maybe the mall would be good if they like to people watch, and you can see lots of stuff, and eat something they don't usually get....mine LOVE chic fil a ...we don't eat quite that junky at home...

Wish I had more ideas.....

 

Still searching for ideas.....has anyone done build-a-bear workshop with kiddos this little, and did they get into it? We love build-a-bear (dh actually worked there for awhile before we were married and had a blast running the birthday parties....I knew way back then he was going to be a great daddy...sorry, tangent!)...anyway, we've been holding off on taking them yet because I don't want to just make the bear for them. I'd like them to be able to get into it themselves, and I'm not sure they will yet. Any experience?

 

That was kind of a hard age because they aren't yet really aware of what's going on around them (outside their immediate vicinity). We did enjoy things like the zoo, but mostly for the chance to get outside. Also, it was hard at that age to go to the zoo with just one parent because you had to hold them up to see anything.

If you have something near you like Kangaroo Kingdom, although that is a little pricey, it's a big treat for kids that size. There will be things they can climb on and play with semi-independently and you can go back & forth between them.

Our library also has a nice children's area with some soft pillows to climb on, a magnet board, etc.

I took mine to the mall play area when they were crawling, and I thought it was too old for them. Even when it wasn't crowded, there just wasn't much for them to do.

 

We took ours to BAB at 2 and a few months and they were just getting into it. I think yours are probably a little small.

 

QUOTE(firemedic @ Feb 15 2008, 09:31 PM) [snapback]624196[/snapback]
We took ours to BAB at 2 and a few months and they were just getting into it. I think yours are probably a little small.


DH said the same thing. He said a lot of people brought in one year olds when he worked there, and they rarely were really into it. He said, I'd try all my tricks to get them excited, and they usually weren't. He said 2.5 to 3 was probably the earliest the kids were really excited about it.

So, I'm still not sure what we're going to do this weekend.

 

at one yr old, we went to the children's museum monthly, but i had to have a teen helper with me or DH with me since both kids were walking and I wanted to follow both around. even crawling kids have fun there, with the different play areas set up.

wat about going to a Pottery Barn Kids and let them play there for alittle while? i would hold off on build-a-bear. my girls have been in the store now, but we aren't telling them that they can "make their own bear". they are fascinated but not "excited". I want to wait to do that until they are much older -- maybe when they are 5-8 yo but that's just me.

go to a hotel and take them swimming - put them in inflatable raft or duck. warning: lots of work to get them dressed again.

for special things at home: 1. maybe you could go to a joann's or other craft store and get a couple of foam sticker crafts and let them make those. or any stickers, sticker book. 2. let them play with and taste a variety of things in the kitchen: flour, sugar, butter, etc while you attempt to make a batch of cookies LOL. I did this one alot. They loved to play with a spoon and 1/4 cup of flour on the countertop while I measured other things. 3. set up a tent and pretend to go camping.

I know you want to avoid the cold weather, but here's an idea for the future. go visit a farm and see all the animals. we do this fairly often b/c they were and are still so into making the animal sounds. came home and talked about it, ate eggs, watched baby einstein baby mcdonald, colored farm pictures from coloring books, sang old mc donald, played farm with every plastic or stuffed animal in the house. made a mural for the family room wall.

 

We went to the play area at our mall awhile ago & ds did great, but since dd isn't walking yet it seemed like the older kids there were kind of stepping on her. I think it just depends on how crowded it is.

I asked our pedi one day, though & he had a whole list of ideas of things to do. You might call your dr & see if they know of something local for you.

Otherwise, mine still love going to the pet store & watching all the fish!

 

Yeah, I agree they are probably a little too young for Build A Bear.

Some thoughts of places we enjoyed that age:

1) Play area at the mall
2) Indoor play centers (like the kind that do birthdays, most are open to the public at certain hours and most have baby areas)
3) Kids museum (or any museum really for that matter)
4) Aquarium (well, we are lucky we have a great one close by)
5) Pet store
6) Library (ours has a big kids' section)

 

I agree that that age is really hard. Not much to do with them. I didn't go many places at that age especially becasue they were doing 2 naps a day adn the time was so limited.

When i did go out my kids love the pet store!

 

I love the pet store idea! They love animals, so I really was hoping the weather would cooperate to take them to the zoo.....but it snowed again last night, so we'll have to hold off. I think we'll give the pet store a try while we're waiting on Spring.

This really is a tough age, especially in the winter in our town! We do have a children's museum, but it's only recommended for age 3 and up. The mall play area is always packed, and I picture them being trampled since they're not walking yet. No aquarium, although that would be so much fun for them.

Anyway, thanks for the ideas!

 

Mine love the play area at the mall too, but they never went there until one of them was walking, and I've never done it solo.

I love the aquarium and the pet store idea. Mine love to browse through the pet store (there's one next to Target).