Trying to Keep the Kids Busy

The other day, on Easter Monday, we were home with the kids. It was not a nice day outside. It was cold, snowy, and blustery. It was certainly not conducive to outdoor play. As it was a holiday for most government services, things like the rec centre and the arena were closed. The agencies that put on playgroups were also on holiday. We were at home all day with the kids. I was not feeling the greatest either, having started some kind of cold/throat infection.

I did some crafts with the kids in the morning after breakfast. However, it did not take them very long to decorate the eggs we dyed on Sunday. It also did not take them very long to make their window cling decorations. Both crafts needed to dry, and my kids are not super crafty anyway. They managed to find ways to entertain themselves with their toys in the living room without too much disruption, for a bit.

3D Wonder Paint for window clings.

We had thought about going to the movies, but there are not a lot of kid friendly movies out there right now. The Croods is in 3D making it super expensive. We already saw Wreck it Ralph which was playing at the cheaper theatre. My husband decided there was not much difference between them staying at home and watching a DVD, or going out. He should have put on a DVD.

After lunch, I needed a rest. Whatever bug I contracted was draining me. I figured I had done my best to find things to with the kids, it was time for them to have some independent play. They are old enough to come up with imaginative games with their toys, and they usually play well enough together with minimal destruction. Boy was I wrong.

They have gotten into the habit of playing in each other's rooms. Usually they play fairly well. There is not much they can wreck in my daughter's room. Sometimes they take out all her stuffed toys and dolls, or all her tiny Play Mobil stuff, but generally it is just a mess. In my son's room, we have a pseudo loft bed going on. We brought back the large Rubbermaid bin for his toys. He also has an armoire and a chest of drawers (formerly his change table).

When we first got the armoire, the kids used to hide in the bottom drawer as it was large enough. They have not done this in a while. They also like to take the toys out of the Rubbermaid and hide inside that container. This time, they found a new game. Playing "hide and seek" in the chest of drawers. It really wasn't hide and seek because they were both "hiding" at the same time.

My daughter, who is five and a half, claimed it was her three and a half year old brother's idea. All I know is I heard the kids chattering, and then I heard a bang. I thought they were in the Rubbermaid again, and maybe one fell off when the other opened the lid. I sent my husband in to investigate, and I hear his big, angry voice telling the kids to get out of the room. My daughter is busy protesting that it was her brother who was hiding on top.

By the time I went to investigate, the chest of drawers was righted, but the drawers were on the ground. My daughter had gotten in the bottom drawer, and my son was in the top drawer. Their weight caused both drawers to lose their rollers, and because the drawers were open, with the kids inside (along with all my son's clothes), the dresser tipped over. They were lucky to not have been crushed.

I need playgroups and activities for my children to keep me sane. I love my kids, and I love doing stuff with them, but I am not one of those parents how is capable of creating a home environment where my children will not be bored. Eventually, if we are home for an extended period, the television will be turned on, or video games will be played.

I am a much better parent outside of the home. I will be more engaged playing with my children at playgroup than I am at home. I usually let them fend for themselves at home. I let my guard down. They are now older, and able to play on their own with minimal issue. At playgroup, I will help build things or play with the toys with them. I am not sure if it because you want other people to have a better impression of you, or if it is because it is a different environment. When we go out if the house to museums, science centres and playgroups it is easier to be more engaged with my children.

Oh Baby Magazine had a link to 25 Things to do on a Rainy Day from the blog called amotherworld. I thought, "Here's the solution to my problem!", only to see things like watching TV, playing video games, and cleaning rooms on the list. I am pretty sure my kids would have exhausted half of the list by lunch before I finally gave up, and put in a DVD!

Spring needs to come, right now.

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