How much do you take your kids out?

[mum2mischief]

Just wondering how much other mums take their kids out in general through the day. Sometimes I feel like I should get them out a lot more (I have a 3.5 yr old and almost 1 yr old) but I just don't know where or what to do.

I moved about a year ago, and don't have much family around and have yet to make new friends, so those options are limited. The local park is ok, but I spend the entire time making sure ds2 doesn't eat the mulch on the ground.

How much do you take them out and what are some of the things that you do?

[SassyMummy]

I take DD out often. She enjoys just being out with me... so we go for walks, or go to the park, or to the shops. I don't have much money, but like taking her to the movies and want to take her bowling at some stage.

She's 4 in July.

Even just looking at the toy section of Target pleases her, or looking in pet shops. We just go out and do boring stuff, and I take her with me when I need to do some shopping... she just enjoys it.

Book shops are libaries are good too.

[lukaelmo]

I go out with the boys a bit, usually for the morning.

I work on Mondays and Tuesday, but Wednesdays I meet up a friend at a playcentre at 9am and we spend pretty much until after lunchtime there. Thursdays I take the boys to playgroup (it's about a two minute walk from my house!) from 9am and we usually get home around midday.

Fridays I try to arrange for someone to come over in the afternoon for a play. Other times we are usually outside in the yard as I really like to garden. We can also walk down to shops or a shopping centre (we live within easy walking distance to both).

It did take me a while, but I am much happier now I've found lots of activities that I enjoy. The boys enjoy pretty much anything, so it's all good :).

[Mrs Potts]

Does school pickup count as taking the kids out?

Otherwise if I have stuff to do I try to do as much of it as I can when I don't have to take them - it just gets done so much quicker. But then I'm fortunate in that DH works mostly nights so I have most mornings where he or I can run errands, or we all go together so I don't have to do it all alone. If he worked normal 9-5 it would probably be different.

That being said though, I never take them out just for the sake of going out. Maybe when DD2 is a bit older and not sleeping as much we might go out more. Otherwise, I'm anal about her routine will only disrupt it when absolutely unavoidable.

[RmumR]

I usually try to take my DD out once a day either before or after midday nap. We go for walks to the park or beach, a walk in the mall to run some errands, to the shops even if we just window shop, to the pool in summer, if we have extra $$ to an indoor play centre, occasionally for a play at maccas playground and lunch.

[Stella1]

My son has just turned 2 and we go out somewhere just about every day. He has swimming lessons once per week, kindergym once per week and attends daycare once per week. Other days we go to a park - we try out different ones all the time or we go for an extra swim, either at a pool or the beach (we are lucky to be near one). On rainy days I even just take him to the McDonalds playground, but I am lucky in that he doesn't like their food so I don't have to deal with any tantrums regarding that. A lot of Bunnings stores also have indoor playgrounds.
As SassyMummy said, the library is also good and they often have story sessions for children.
One place my son adores is the air museum (again we are lucky to have one close). We go probably once per month. It costs me $7.50 and they have a couple of aircraft the kids can pretend to fly, as well as watching planes take off and land.

[Luna Lovegood]

I work full time, but take DD out on weekends to all different things- we go shopping in the days, and parks, and the museum and art gallery.

On both weekday and weeknights nights DF and I often take her out to dinner.

[PookieLady]

DD goes to daycare 2 days a week, on wednesdays we go to mothers group which takes up a whole day cause we have so much fun. If DH is home we will go out on the weekends and some night we take a drive through the city as she like the lights on the big bridges. We dont have a lot of money either so we just do simple things like head to the shops or the parks and sometimes take the bus to the city for a day out.
At least 1 or 2 days is just spent at home chillin out like watching the telly and playing playdoh (like she is doing right now), going outside, helping mummy do the washing ect.
I think if you can get out 3 days a week your doing well.

[mum2mischief]

Thanks guys, it makes me feel better to hear the range of responses. We do get out a couple of days, ds1 has preschool 1 day which is when we do the groceries. then there's swimming on Saturday. Weekends we tend to go out with hubby, it's more when it's just me through the week that I feel like I need to do more with them.

It gets a bit hard with sleep times for ds2. He really needs his morning sleep, so by the time he's up it's pretty much lunch, and when that's finally done I seem to be past the point of getting moving.

I think I just need to plan for the day ahead early and stick to it.

[Hollywood]

Ever since DS was born I have taken him out every day, at least once, and often more than that. We live walking distance to everything so I use my pram a lot.

I also think that even school drop offs and shopping trips count as 'outings', kids enjoy just being involved and getting out and about, however mundane the circumstance.

I go insane if I don't go for at least one walk a day with DS, and so does he.

[mum2bubba]

I try and get the kids out every day even if its just for a walk to the shops or whatever. Hayley has kinder 3 days a week and Skye goes to occasional care for 3 hours on a Thursday morning, they also have playgroup too. I also take them to the library sometimes and Hayley sees a speech pathologist each fortnight so after that we get some lunch.

[Refresh]

Well, we are all out of the house by 7.15 Monday to Friday....we drop DH and the 2 older boys at school then we:

Monday - Go to IGA, probably coffee shop, have a walk around town, home, school pickup, Help out with reading in Millar's PREP class, Karate for 2 older boys. OR TUCKSHOP all day every 4th Monday.

Tuesday - Playgroup, Millar's school swimming lessons (in Summer), Coffee shop, School pickup, Home, Scouts for eldest.

Wednesday - Bible study/swimming lessons, Home, School pickup, Karate.

Thursday - Coffee Shop, Mainly Music, Either shops or friends house or home briefly, School pickup.

Friday - Depends...DH works from home on Fridays so what we do depends on how much work he has on.

Weekends we generally do social things with friends (we have no family here.....) and Sunday we go to church and normally go to someone's house for lunch after that :)

We also go to the local pool 5 plus times a week in Summer for swimming club and all the kids various lessons.

[Skittles]

We go out a fair bit. Walk to the park. Bike riding. Going to the shops is pretty regualar things. We also go to play centres, movies, picnics, etc once a fortnight or so. In the past few months we have been to underwater world, dreamworld, australia zoo, movie world and are wanting to do seaworld soon as well (my sister works for a few of these places so getting in free or at a major discount really helps). So we have a special family day every second saturday but we go out to everyday things probably every 2nd or third day

[danik]

We usually go out in the mornings (swimming lessons/playgroup/park/library/shopping) and then come home for lunch and DD's nap and then from 2pm onwards its a combination of watching tv/dvd, indoor play and lots of playing in the backyard.

Occasionally we spend one day at home and just chill, watch a lot of tv/dvd ect but generally we both like to get of the house everyday.

[Pax]

under school age, IMO should not be taken out very often. I think it makes them all hyper and creates a mind in them that they should be entertained all the time.

i think kids do better suffering boredom at home at that age.

i have never been one to cart my kids around everywhere... i find it ridiculous when parents over stimulate their kids with activities.

[~Candy~]

I have no interest in going out much.
We stay at home most of the day untill it's time to pick the kids up from school. If I have to get stuff from the shops ect..I get it on the way/way back.

I prefer to go out as a family on the w/ends...it doesn't matter what we do, the kids enjoy it and are always well behaved :)

[Wivi]

I don't really take my kids out a lot for a few reasons. We are a one car family - DH works away from home on Mondays and Wednesdays so we don't go anywhere on those days.
Tuesdays - DS1 has daycare/pre-school, occasionally I take DS2 out with me that day for shopping etc, but only in the mornings, otherwise he stays home with DH. Thursdays both boys have swimming lessons in the morning and on Fridays DS1 has pre-school again.

Saturday mornings, DH usually plays golf, sometimes we take them to soccer or the library on Saturday afternoons. Sundays we usually go to church - and it tends to be our social day.

DH and I both work from home in two separate businesses so we don't have the time to go out a lot. Our boys play a lot in the back yard kicking balls and playing in the sand pit or on our back deck.
We live near some really good parks too so sometimes on Monday and Wednesdays I will walk with the boys down to the park.

Financially I don't think it is wise to go out everyday as you end up spending something at the shops etc. I also think it is important for kids to learn to play at home and not constantly need someone to occupy their time. So far it is working out ok for us.

[Kayangel]

DS and i get out heaps, Mondays we go to Gymbaroo, Tuesdays we go to playgroup, Wednesday we will go to a park or playcentre, Thursday normally food shopping and something special with mummy, Fridays normally play date, Saturday swimming lessons and Sunday just hanging out with mum, park or something like that. I take him for a walk everyday in the pram too.

[Kayangel]

under school age, IMO should not be taken out very often. I think it makes them all hyper and creates a mind in them that they should be entertained all the time.

i think kids do better suffering boredom at home at that age.

i have never been one to cart my kids around everywhere... i find it ridiculous when parents over stimulate their kids with activities.

:confused::confused::confused:

[PunkyDiva]

I'm not much of a sticklar for set routine and very involved in community stuff so all/some of my six kids get carted around with me everywhere depending on whose at school or afterschool stuff etc. 1yo DS has been attending board meetings with me since he was five months old and has his sleeps in the sling or pram.
I find the days when we just hang around the house are the worst, getting out and about seems to tire them out and always something or someone new to discover or chat to with rarely any huge cost involved.
Look at local library, community houses or recreational places for other parents & kids to meet. Groups like ABA or BABS also have meets in most areas.
I strongly beleive interacting with all sorts of different people and situations an important part of my childrens development. So many parents place emphasis on passive activities, instant gratification and material wealth that IMO just stagnate a child and def does not give them the tools to grow up as thinking, emphatic, active, contributing members of society.

[Areca]

We go out 4-5 times a week. Ususally just for the morning so they can be home to play with their toys in the afternoon. I remember being a kid and loving staying at home all day so I could just play with my toys so try to have a day at home at least once a week....doesn't always happen though.
We no longer do any structured activities. We did do kindergym for nearly 2 years but miss 3.5 has had enough of it so now we go to various places with friends, the park/someone's house etc. We do swimming lessons through summer but I stop it in the colder months to give them a break so they don't get sick of it.
I think having a scheduled activity for a child every day is too much. Even when my children are at school I'm only going to allow them to play one sport through winter. Family friends of ours had their kids scheduled in an afternoon sport/activity every single day and they did it with the best of intentions but their kids burnt out by the time they were teenagers and the result of that has not been pretty. I wouldn't like to have something on every single day so assume my kids are the same.
I think children really benefit from being out and about and learn a lot from it. My kids also do everything with me...running errands etc. I don't leave them at home because I believe they need to learn about life...groceryshopping, going to the doctor etc. is all a part of life.

[Pax]

:confused::confused::confused:

children need boredom it is the front for creativity...:yes:

[Hollywood]

under school age, IMO should not be taken out very often. I think it makes them all hyper and creates a mind in them that they should be entertained all the time.

i think kids do better suffering boredom at home at that age.

i have never been one to cart my kids around everywhere... i find it ridiculous when parents over stimulate their kids with activities.

I do agree that quiet time is good, and DS has plenty of time to amuse himself at home each day, but life is too short to sit around at home doing nothing, I'd rather show them a good time and they can see that life is about balance between fun activities and quiet time at home to chill out.

Plus, getting out for a walk each day is how I keep slim, if I didn't I would be a fatty boombah. Exercise keeps the mind young ;)

[kiwibird27]

under school age, IMO should not be taken out very often. I think it makes them all hyper and creates a mind in them that they should be entertained all the time.

i think kids do better suffering boredom at home at that age.

i have never been one to cart my kids around everywhere... i find it ridiculous when parents over stimulate their kids with activities.

I think there should b balance in everything, I agree with the above, kids need to learn just to hang around home and entertain themselves, or else they are always asking to go out, they also need to go out to learn how to deal with social situations and to keep mummy sane.. Balance in everything!!

[Refresh]

I agree about the balance. We are out alot simply because we are a one car family and have two boys at school, a hubby at work and two kids at home...we all need to fit in with each other...and I don't need to be driving back and forth to the next town 6 times a day (we can't afford the petrol anyway.)

I definitely agree that kids need spend time doing nothing.....Saturdays we make a point of staying home as well as most school holidays.

I am proud though that I take my kids everywhere with me and theey know how to behave in all social situations and are by no means hypo ;)

[sockstealingpoltergeist]

I take them out all the time. we go to the park, and shopping, to the beach, to lunch, to dinner, to visit people. Not as much in the last few weeks as I have had to much uni work to do.

When they are in school, I just let them pick no more then two activities out of school, so two sports, or singing and drama, but no more then two or it gets ridiculous.

[aprileviesmum]

Not as much as i would like to.
DD goes to daycare twice a week.
She refuses to go in her pram and when she's out of her pram she runs away and won't listen to me at all.
My DS is only 10 months old and he's almost walking so i don't want him in the pram for too long because i would rather him out of it and learn to walk faster!
Most of their outings are playgroup or grocery shopping.