Community Posts, Tips & Support on Children's Activities

Honest, unfiltered, and in real-time: what women like you are talking about. Peanut group chats, support, and posts on Children's Activities

Screen time at school

I have moved abroad and my child is in a Kindergarten. They use some screen time to teach phonics through songs which I don’t mind as we don’t watch telly that much at home. But now they have an online reading platform that the students must read on. We read books at home and I don’t like the idea of her sitting on the laptop to read. Anyway, she would just be distracted by the keyboard and wouldn’t pay attention to me anyway. I don’t want her to fall behind from her peers but also don’t want to use the platform. Would love your honest opinions.

Raising a 2 year old

I’d also love recommendations for books that keep toddlers interested and engaged especially interactive books, lift-the-flap books, touch-and-feel books, storybooks with repetition, or anything that encourages them to participate.

What books do your toddlers love?

What activities keep your little ones occupied for more than a few minutes?

Any ideas for sensory play, puzzles, crafts or quiet activities that helped your child develop their attention span?

It’s for my 2 year and a half year old daughter, she has way too much screen time.

Less tv

Ok my 2 yr old watches more tv than he should. Yes it’s learning and he’s learning but I want to reduce it. Ive tried working with him on some workbooks we have or even read to him and he seems like he gets bored or wants to do it himself. Don’t get me wrong he’s a very smart kid and his vocabulary is amazing but I want him to learn thru books just as much as tv. How do I start reducing and how do I even start him on books and wanting to learn more thru activities??

Managing multiples

Hello! I have three kids and they’re all under 4. It is extremely difficult to take them all out at once and do things with all of them. I’m usually alone with them 24/7 as hubby works all the time. I’ve been wanting to take them to the park by myself but I’m so worried one of them is going to run away. Even when we go in the back of our unit they’re always darting different ways and trying to run to the street while the other runs to the other side of the building. It’s extremely difficult. I try to chase them but it turns into a game and is terrifying because then I have to manage the other two. I’ve tried setting up playdates so maybe we can just hang out and tag team all of our kids together but nobody seems willing. Which I mean they’re my kids so I get it but like I’d make sure someone else’s kid doesn’t run into the street haha. Anyways, the park does have a fence but there’s a whole open area that they could run past me and they could run around to get on either side of the roads. I had parents at an open park tell me their kids never needed leashes and they listen to them. It makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong with my parenting and I don’t even have a leash but idek what to do. Even packing up the car is a nightmare. We’ve tried put your hand on the car and having them by us and they end up like that bluey episode with the rain and the moms like please don’t go in there with wet feet lol but them trying to run away while putting their sibling in the car haha. Anybody else have little multiples and having a hard time logistically? How do you manage? Any tips?

Present ideas

Someone please help me!!

So my husbands birthday is 4 days before Christmas Day. I have already purchased him trainers, joggers (his favourite brand), and pillows for our bed (he keeps going on about how much he hates ours so I know it sounds shit but he will love them haha)

Please can people help me on ideas. Especially from the kids. I know the normal is aftershave but his mum and sister always ask me for ideas so I have to let them buy some stuff 🙈

Has anyone flown with 3 little kids before, one being a baby. By yourself, like no partner or friend with you to help lol.

All my kids have flown multiple times, but it’s always been me taking only one of them if I go without my husband or us as a whole family. I booked a trip though where I’m going to have to do it alone and I’m kinda terrified 😂😭 idk if I can do it I already HATE airports and flying and the whole damn experience

Small space for play

How do you get your 3yo to want to play with her toys in small spaces? We live with a lot of people and there's not a great place to play thats not a walkway. She doesn't really care for her toys though and I wonder if its because she's an only child and she doesn't see the adults play? Or if its because maybe the space is too cramped?

Sensory cafes

Does anyone know of any sensory classes/cafes in the Newcastle/North Tyneside area? Preferably easier to get to on public transport.
Not ones when you have to book block sessions.

And is anyone willing to join? My son is 4 months!

Thank you.

UK Babymoon Recommendations

We’ve recently had to cancel our 10 night Babymoon to Spain due to pregnancy complications (due to fly back just past 28 weeks). We obviously want to do what’s best for me and the baby but are still really sad we won’t get the final holiday just the two of us.

We are therefore looking for some recommendations for UK staycations. This would be at the end of September which hasn’t left us much time to book and pull a trip together. Originally we thought Cornwall, but a lot of it is booked up unfortunately.

I wondered if anyone had been through anything similar and had any recommendations for places to go?

We’re from the north of England but we don’t have an issue with driving to wherever. We love city breaks, cabins, spa breaks etc. so fairly open to anything.

Colour run...trainers

OK so its my daughters first year doing the colour run.
School have asked for them to wear white tshirt, leggings and trainers.
My question is are her trainers going to be ruined?

What activities does your little one do?

I am looking for some activity recommendations for my daughter; she has already started swimming lessons, but I still think we should register her for something else. She seems to have an ear for music and loves to dance. Any suggestions?

Walking groups?

Does anyone know of any local pram walking groups in Nun/Bedworth?
If not, and you’d be interested in one, let me know and I’m happy to organise something 🫶🏻

Activity idea

All of this effort for my 9 month old to throw it all around the room and chew all the toys…. but hey. Some educational fun maybe? 😅🙏🏼

Travel cots

I go and visit my parents with my son who’s 4, the next time we visit I will have had my second child and my daughter will be about 3 months old, is she too young to be in a travel cot for a week?

First holiday

Heading on our first holiday to Greece in a couple of weeks with our six month old. What are the key things we should be taking/ tips for both for making the flight as easy as possible and for whilst we are there?

Evenings

Anyone who has a toddler what do your evenings look like after work/nursery? I really want to cut down on tv time, but I feel by the time we’re home after nursery and had tea etc there’s not much time for play. The tv is on whilst I sort out and I feel if I don’t put it on my daughter wants me to play, I feel bad saying I can’t so I just put tv on 🫠

Toddler studies

What to teach them to give them an advantage at school?
She’s 3.5, not going to nursery.
We are practicing writing abcs and start little spelling and reading. She finds maths so hard. Do we just read books ?
She watches shows like number blocks but idk how if it is helpful.

Took away phone

I took away my old phone from my son
Have you ever taken away your phone or ipad from your child as punishment....my son decided without my permission to set up an account i found out
I lost it ,and took it away its only been 24 hrs and he has no idea what to do with himself I was in the bathroom as I washed my hair 3 times he came in
He was A BORED lol
And B was hoping id say yeah mummy will get it
NOPE 7 days no phone/ ipad
I can't believe how's he's taking it
Its like a drug withdrawal
Omg are kids this sad
That they dont know how to " be" how to spend there time without it
Im 44 now
Back before computers and phones
YouTube/ rodblox /discord/ Instagram we were forced to entertain ourselves
I hate technology
And how addictive it is

Coping with no independent play

Does anyone else have a child who will not play independently, at all? We've tried all the techniques to encourage it, but he just cries and follows us around when we're not sitting playing with him.

He's got amazing speech/imagination so he's definitely capable, but won't even play for a couple of minutes on his own. It's absolutely exhausting and means we can't get anything done (we involve him where we can).

The only way he'll stay on his own is watching TV for a bit, which I don't like doing too often.

What hands on activities like drawing etc are your kids enjoying?

We just got this play dough set and she’s loving it. I want to buy more things she can enjoy doing sitting at her desk. I tried colouring but I think maybe I didn’t get the right book as she preferred drawing on the table instead 🙃. Which ones have you got that your little ones are enjoying? Please share any other ideas. Thank you