Author Topic: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?  (Read 2893 times)

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Offline BenBen

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What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« on: February 13, 2013, 20:11:14 pm »
My LO is 12 month old. I don't care if it cost money or not, just looking for ideas.

Offline ~inbalance~

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2013, 21:23:58 pm »
Tbh at 12 months you really don't need to pay for fancy tot classes or anything like that. Walks, the park, and the library are all fun. We have something called the early years center here which provides free activities for parents and children. Libraries often have free story time. Swimming or music classes are also good at that age. I am learning now though that most paid activities like gymnastics or sports are better for 4yrs + so save your money for then!
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Offline *Ali*

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2013, 22:21:27 pm »
We do parent and child stay and play groups, library rhyme time, the park, swimming, free museums (dino exhibit at the natural history exhibit was a huge hit for my younger one), shopping (just sitting in the trolley helping put stuff in is exiting for him) and play dates with friends and their LOs. HTH
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Offline creations

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2013, 00:30:17 am »
Same as pps we go to mum and toddler groups (free or small cost) rather than costly classes.
Also trips to:
- the car centre (Halfords) just to let him look at the bikes, scooters, car wheels - it's amazing how excited a toddler can get over a pile or car wheels.
- electrical goods shops - as above excited over long line of washing machines and vacuum cleaners
- pet shop - free 'zoo' he liked looking at the fish
- garden centre, some of them even have a kids play area
- road works - you think I'm kidding.  I've taken this child out with the sole purpose of watching diggers and he has LOVED it
- local shop - for us this is a short walk and the purpose is to buy only one or two items and for him to experience the shop on a day when I do not need to shop. We did this lots, almost daily in good weather for the short walk there as soon as he was walking.  It really helped him to learn how what behaviour I expect in a shop when I had all the time in the world to guide him.  We would also buy some fruit and stop on a bench outside for snack time before walking home.  Now when we do the big weekly shop he is amazingly pleasant, helpful and trusted.
- train station (bus stations and airports are good too)


Offline *Becky*

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2013, 16:18:42 pm »
all of the above and both mine have gone to Tumble Tots classes from about 9 months and loved them! Lots of physical development practice plus a good opportunity to meet other similar age children and other mums.




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Offline BenBen

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2013, 12:56:13 pm »
Sorry I was out of the forum for a while, we were all sick one after another..

Great ideas ladies thanks!

Creations I love the idea of road works LO love tractors:)

Offline skatty

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2013, 14:10:43 pm »
If LO is toddling going to some woods with a bucket for collecting stuff can be a great morning out  :)
Katt






Offline creations

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2013, 21:38:38 pm »
Hope you're all well now.  We have all come down with the dreaded bug too - awful!

I recently found an industrial estate with an entire herd of tractors.  not take DS there yet, they are parked, not in action so don't know if he'd enjoy it so much but thought I'd mention it to you.  Look up your local plant hire place and go for a drive there, see if you can see through the fence :)

Oh Katt, I want to take my boy out collecting stuff, sound wonderful.  Just waiting a little longer for us all to be well and the weather to brighten a bit more (and I want to buy a bug catcher so we can get a close look at those critters out there too).

We also plan to park up near some farm land and just look at horses, chickens and cows.  There will be natural hedgerows close by for collecting and bug watching too.
Another one we have planned for better weather is fruit picking (strawberries etc).

We've been out to feed the ducks at the nature reserve and parks.  I don't think DS really enjoyed it as much as I expected at 1yo but now totally loves it.


Offline *Liz*

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2013, 22:00:01 pm »
Its totally the wrong time of year, but I have wasted plenty of time watching fields being tended  :P. Spraying, combining, baling the hay, ploughing etc etc etc. My parents live next to a field and so we hang over the fence. I've had 4 years of entertainment out of that so far  ;D.

Both of mine did enjoy the ducks at age 1ish.

Garden centres often have stuff that kids like, and a little cafe for a snack. A few round here have fish, and one has a swing and a slide inside. They also do lovely displays at Christmas and Easter.

Season tickets can work out really well at this sort of age - as the kids are free - we are members of a local wildlife/ forestry educational place - there is loads for them to do and we love going  :). There is a little train, indoor displays of the woods in the dark (including some fake bats that they LOVE!), loads of outdoor walks and natural playgrounds, 2 soft play bits etc. We sometimes go up just to do one thing - like a train ride and an ice cream - or the soft play in Winter. My parents are members of the local Zoo and take them there.

Offline *Becky*

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2013, 13:59:20 pm »
we are members of a local wildlife/ forestry educational place - there is loads for them to do and we love going  . There is a little train, indoor displays of the woods in the dark (including some fake bats that they LOVE!), loads of outdoor walks and natural playgrounds, 2 soft play bits etc. We sometimes go up just to do one thing
we are members of a similar place and usually end up there at least once a week x




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Offline Truly Blessed

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2013, 20:23:07 pm »
Hi Honey, it took me a while to realise that I don't need to plan ahead with wonderful activities. Of course special days out are lovely, but DS is happy to wrap up and step outside the door. The whole world is a playground for a toddler, and we often just wander the neighbourhood, sometimes taking a ball and stopping at the local park. Of course he is a lot older than 12 months now, but maybe something for the future. We find that our local library has a lot of great activities on, and Tumble Tots (local Leisure Centre) has always been one of Sam's favourites, because the gymnasium is bigger than rooms at playgroup and it's not so cramped. Not sure if you're in the UK though. Also collecting stones is always a favourite LOL, we're lucky enough to close the beach too, which is always a winner. Creations, I love your ideas, I think we have done all of them including Halfords. Sam's favourite was when the had a big tent display up last summer, he sat for 20 mins playing with the camping tea pot and cups, inside the tent. The didn't seem to mind one bit LOL. Sam loves to wander round B & Q as well.


Good Luck, Have fun.x.



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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2013, 16:37:35 pm »
We recently  spent quite a bit of time in a shop with escalators, going up and down, up and down.  The shop was really quiet so we weren't in anyone's way at all.  DS loved it, and it was a great opportunity to teach escalator safety (ie danger, never go on alone, only with mummy, must hold hands) so if we are ever in another shop with one I feel he has a good sense of the rules.  The same shop also had those fab grown up garden swings, so we tried a few out :)

Vicki you are so right the whole world is a playground for LOs.  I used to take DS just down our street to look at the public flower planting, the hanging baskets outside a restaurant and a walk around the church garden which had been planted by volunteers.  Just walking out on the street is fun for him.


Offline Papaya

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Re: What kinds of outing do you take your tot to?
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2013, 13:21:41 pm »
We recently  spent quite a bit of time in a shop with escalators, going up and down, up and down. 

There are so.many.escalators in Singapore, F is in escalator heaven ;D  Luckily she knows to wait for my hand before she's allowed on - and it's meant I haven't had any problems with her getting bored when we have to wait in the hotel lobby for DH....

At 12-24 months, we often just went for walks to the shops to say what, and who, we could see. The pet shop was a big favourite here too, and a soft toy shop that had bears bigger than F outside. Any vantage point where she could sit and watch the traffic (road and pedestrian) go by. Walking slowly enough that she could stop and examine the snail that caught her eye, or the pretty stone, or the flowers by the side of the road. Everything is interesting at that age!
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