+19 votes
by (3.1k points)
For those of you that don't live in a house, how are you entertaining your small children outside during the lockdown?  
For those of you that don't live in a house, how are you entertaining your small children outside du

13 Answers

+18 votes
by (2.8k points)
 
Best answer
I pick a forest preserve or park. Trying a new one a week. Even driving to buffalo grove. Theres one off of old checker road that is amazing.  
by (3.1k points)
@substitute what's it called?  
by (2.8k points)
@panaggio20 willow stream park
by (2.8k points)
It's awesome. My kid has so much energy. Its huge. She loves to climb trees.  
by (3.1k points)
@substitute my girls are little monkeys too. We'll check it out today. Thank you!  
by (3.1k points)
@substitute that place was awesome. We never passed the hill though, they had so much fun rolling down. Definitely going back there
+12 votes
by (1.3k points)
PlayStation , books , TV . they started gaining weight though  
by (5.5k points)
@funda5 me too! I’m a fatty!  
by (3.1k points)
@funda5 girl take them outside! It will be good for all of you
by (1.3k points)
@panaggio20 I do, everyday :))) it’s hard to do when it’s raining outside .  
+17 votes
by (7.8k points)
Walking and bike riding all the time. Sometimes we drive to a different part of DP or another town to just get a change of scenery. Some days we drive farther and go to a new trail to hike. We are getting a garden plot so we can get fresh air and produce.  
by (7.8k points)
I also keep a soccer ball, chalk, bubbles, and pop up soccer goal in my car. Plan to get a kite and a few other things to have to mix things up!  
by (1.2k points)
@stephaniastephanie7 that's so cool. We moved to DP a while ago. Just curious how can one get a garden plot here?  
by (7.8k points)
@ailin through the park district
by (1.2k points)
Thanks will check it out.  
by (3.1k points)
@stephaniastephanie7 I was checking the website. is it $50 for the season or monthly?  
+2 votes
by (240 points)
Is this a real question?  
by (3.1k points)
@overstrung56 why wouldn't be?  
by (2.1k points)
@overstrung56 practice kindness ‍♀️
by (240 points)
@panaggio20 it seems a bit ignorant. I live in an apartment so why wouldn’t I be able to enjoy everything about the outside that you do except for the fence around your yard?  
by (240 points)
Sorry I don’t have enough money for a house. but yes we go outside like normal people who live in houses
by (3.1k points)
@overstrung56 no backyard. That's what I meant
by (7.8k points)
@overstrung56 super rude question and response.  
by (4.7k points)
Both sides offended. maybe the way it was worded was a shock but I understand the intent. We need to be aware of sensativity and remember we are all doing the best we can now and before and all our situations and desires are all different. Ok thats all. Be well
by (3.1k points)
@virus what? How did I offend anyone? I live in an apartment myself smh
by (240 points)
@panaggio20 nm just a misunderstanding
by (4.7k points)
@panaggio20 not you the other comments at both sides. just trying to get people to seek understanding and put ourselves in other people's shoes. ☮
+3 votes
by (2.4k points)
Do you have a 12x12 foot space with roughly 8 feet? Because we bought a bounce house and well that thing has been the best purchase since ever. It have literally kept the entire family from going full blown psycho. So. Yeah. Amazon. Bounce house. Worth every penny.  
by (3.1k points)
@bastille I live in a condo
+9 votes
by (2.7k points)
Bike , chalk, water gun
+9 votes
by (2.9k points)
I guess walks, walks and more walks. A bicycle, a push car. We do have a backyard but my 2 to is mostly hanging close to the gate because she wants to go.  
+10 votes
by (1.2k points)
We put a water table and swing on our balcony. My little one is only 10 months so it’s a bit easier, but the water table especially has been great when it’s warm. We are a mostly screen-free (with some minimal phone use for mom/dad/grandma, of course) so yeah, walks, making/having meals together, biking, going to parks nearby, and playing on our small balcony is mainly what we’re doing.  
+14 votes
by (1.8k points)
We have a balcony so we use that a lot. We also play in a nearby parking lot (puddles, chalk, driving cars) and the field near a school. We have pop up soccer goals, but we also bring inside stuff out, like games and figures. We’ve also been trying to figure out birds and bugs we see.  
+4 votes
by (1.8k points)
Walking around the block, biking, gave them a wall in the apartment to draw or paint on ( don’t care lol), baking, cleaning, car ride for no reason, work sheets I print out, sing song on super simple songs from YouTube, movies, make a tent in the living room and have a picnic, re-read books, play dress up or complain how bored we are ‍♀️ hope it helps a little?  
by (2.5k points)
We have a wall in our apartment that my girls colored and put stickers all over too. lol
+13 votes
by (2.5k points)
When the weather is gloomy or rainy it’s hard getting my kids outside. We live in an apartment with no balcony or yard, so sometimes I’ll let them jump in puddles in our driveway. Or they just play inside all day. I bought them a water table and just lay a tarp in our living room, and they play for hours with that. I switch it up between sand and water. Otherwise we walk to a nearby park (which is closed) but the parking lot next to it is not. They’ll ride bikes or bring toys to play. Today I brought the bubble machine and they rode bikes after. My kids are younger (4 and 5) so I don’t like to take them too far because I’m afraid to have my 4 year old away from the bathroom too long. Otherwise we just walk and see where we end up. I usually pull them in a wagon for the longer walks. I’m following for more ideas. It would be so much easier with a backyard, or even a balcony, but it’s just how it is for now.  
by (15.9k points)
@jake3201 we love puddle jumping! We have a yard, but there is a trailer park in our neighborhood that gets a ton of water. I'll be honest, I totally let her basically swim in those puddles the other day. It gave me a solid hour of no tantrums  
by (3.1k points)
@tensimeter75 kids need that! Winter here is cruel enough, when weather is nice I take them out every single day
+17 votes
by (14.8k points)
Not very well. Lots of TV time, tablet time, walks outside when weather cooperates. I try to keep him on a schedule, but at this point we've been at it so long he gets bored and TV time and tablet time works. I hate giving in, but I also have to work so I need a tantrum free day and I do the best I can. He does play with some of his toys too, but definitely not as much as I'd like. Good luck and hang in there!  
+3 votes
by (15.9k points)
We made a playroom for Christmas, so just expanded on that. Our girl is a climber, so we have the step 2 fold-up plastic slide, a climbing arch (similar to pikler), a little basketball hoop, tons of balls, books and a chalk wall she can draw on. I'd rather not fight it, so I figure a sanctioned space to draw on the wall helps. We also got a fire kids tablet for when we are desparate. She's only 16mo, but we use the Dr Seuss books on there set to "autoplay" so it reads to her and flips the pages. Keeps her more engaged When in doubt, I let her run loose in the back yard and dig in/eat dirt if that's what she wants to do lol. As long as she's relatively safe, I'm fine with it.  
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