So My DH is having a BOYS weekend. I have my 3.5 yo and 5 mo boys for the weekend. I want to make my 3.5 yo feel a little special because he is feeling a little neglected after baby still and I work alot which does not help. I am looking for some fun ideas that are inexpensive to keep him entertained. What would you do this weekend?
Thanks for all the awesome ideas! We went playground hopping. We got in the car and saw how many playgrounds we could find. We went to 3 different parks, had a fast food "picnic" on Saturday. Sunday we ran errands and went to a birthday party. It was a fun weekend. I hope you all had good weekends too.
You could set up a tent in the living room. Get a couple of flashlights and play. Little guys love that. You can make microwave popcorn and smores. Watch movies and cuddle. You'll still be in the comfort of home and it wont be expensive.
We like to go bowling :)
do you have a good kids museum near by? My kids love to go to ours (they are 2.5 and 3.5). Aquarium, zoo, even the local playground just as much fun as anything else at this age and you cant go wrong with going out for ice cream afterwards. Check the websites for these places in your area they may be running some kind of discount rate since it is spring break.
Ask him what he would like to do. That's what I've done with my kids.
Go to the park, zoo, bowling, out to his favorite restaurant, rent a movie, have a picnic.
Every few months me and my daughter will wake up and have a special breakfast of just anything she wants even if its ice cream! It's her pick! Than I make a little scavanger hunt for her just of like a picture list of a rock...a bobby pin....a weed....a slide...things like that and she gets to go around the neighborhood or park or wherever I decided and find the stuff. Than we'll set up a blanket and she picks out special books adn we read together and than we'll do like mcdonalds or somthing fun for lunch and she gets to skip her nap. just all day kinda make it about stuff she loves. She loves to go to the doller store to and feel like shes having a free for all cuz she can pick like 5 things and it's super cheap!!
Since baby is....well, a baby, and not mobile yet (fun days! They stay in the stroller!) I'd take them into DC. Your older son would probably love any of these: The National Zoo; the SparkLab at the American History Museum (check opening hours of SparkLab because it is not open all days/times that the museum is open); anything at the Natural History Museum including its bug collection, butterfly habitat and kids' hands-on activity room (also open its own hours, check before you go); any kids' play or puppet show (Adventure Theatre at Glen Echo Park, or the puppet theatre also at Glen Echo, also check the Post for listings under "family" events). I live in the Va. suburbs and the whole DC region has TONS for kids this age to do. Check Post listings and I do especially recommend children's theatre and puppet shows -- usually the costs are very reasonable and the quality very high!
I'd go to the pool (strap the baby to you) if they have a kiddie area, and the park if it is nice outside to fly a kite and have a picnic. Bring the 3 year old's tricycle too (or whatever he loves to ride)!
How about going on an exploration walk through a park if it is nice outside. Take pencils and papers and write down the things he discovers while walking through the park. You can even collect little things like rocks, sticks, and stuff like that. Ask him questions why he picked that paticular rock or stick. You could even let him find bugs or whatever! The baby can ride along in the stroller and it would be a nice chance to get some excerise!
Richmond Childrens museum opens at 0930 and coses at like 5. There is so much to do that you can strap the baby in one of the carriers and tote him around from activity to activity all the while having fun with your older son-best part is admission is really cheap and you can bring your own lunch
How about a fun breakfast in bed with your little guy? Make a big deal of it and he will probably think it's pretty cool too!
Ask him what he wants to do. I did this with my 3 year old and he was so thrilled to be able to choose what we did instead of "we have to go to the store, let's go." We went to Chuck E Cheese (on the cheap - they always have loads of coupons in the paper for token deals - we didn't eat there). Then we went to the Children's Museum (we have a pass), we ate lunch out and then (after nap) we went to the playground and he played in his sandbox. He was THRILLED and I hardly spent anything - MAYBE $20.
