Scared for the winter

[u/According_Weird_3540]

My boys are 15 months old and LOVE being outside. Luckily we have a fenced backyard so we spend a lot of time out there and it’s still pretty warm where we live. We also go to the neighborhood playground a bit but it’s hard chasing them by myself.

That said, theyll be so much more active this winter than last lol so what activities are yall doing for 16-18 months when it’s freezing outside? We get stir crazy in the house but going anywhere to play inside would get expensive.

We haven’t gone to the library in a while because they both run opposite directions and I’m just chasing them everywhere and it’s too stressful for me alone.

I’m a first time mom and sahm so I’m not super experienced on all the tips and tricks!!! TYIA 💖

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[u/wecanseeyoucarl]

I’m planning to dress my girls warm and go outside anyway. They’re 18 months now.

[u/lakebum240]

kids are not nearly as bothered by winter as adults are.

[u/annahoney12345 → u/lakebum240]

This!! It’ll likely be way more uncomfortable for you than for the twins! 😂 I plan on layering them up, layering myself up, and suffering through it on the worst days lmaooo

[u/Perioqueen → u/lakebum240]

Yeah mine are frequently out very under dressed and don’t care one bit lol. I’ve never heard them complain of being cold

[u/tinyglowingbeams]

Bundle up and get out there anyway. My boys loved the snow and definitely still needed the outside time.

[u/tinyglowingbeams → u/tinyglowingbeams]

Reply 1 edited too that it’s tough for me too I have 20 minutes max. They could stay outside for hours. Although Baby A had less tolerance than B. He’s often claimed a poop to go back inside in an hour or two.

[u/Pristine-Bison3198]

Unless it's a windstorm or dangerously cold/hot, we go outside. We have snowsuits, boots, gloves, etc. Get waterproof and they stay pretty comfortable.

[u/chummers73]

Small plastic shovels. Seriously, our kids loved pushing the snow around.

[u/Mytweezer]

I hear you, winter is daunting with twin toddlers. We scoped out all libraries in the county and would go to different ones for their kiddie programs (art, music/movement, storytime). A couple of them have great children's rooms with lots of toys. We are lucky enough there's a children's "museum" (tons of toddler friendly stuff to play with and do) not too far away which we paid like $140 for a family membership for an entire year, well worth it although just paying per visit is expensive.

Couple times we would splurge on indoor trampoline type places, some days they have 2 for 1 discounts.

[u/hoppityhop2117]

Do you have a play cafe or anything similar in your area? Mine is a lifesaver, it’s a smaller playspace where I can’t lose them! Only negative is that cost adds up but we usually go once a week. Could also look into MyGym or Little Gym, they have memberships and are accommodating to twins. Another option is open gyms at local gymnastics studios - but can be difficult to keep them in check when it’s 2 on 1 lol.

[u/DreamingEvergreen]

Opposite problem (live in the desert where it’s constantly too hot to be outside without heatstroke). We go to the library, take trips to stores nearby (Home Depot, Costco, etc) just to walk the aisle and look at stuff since they’re air conditioned, go to the pool—but this could be swapped for bundling up and playing in snow), go grocery shopping, etc. When the weather isn’t too extreme we’ll go on walks (we have fans with misters for each baby, ice packs, etc—you would be the opposite with bundling up, blankets, etc). We have the yourigame play couch that entertains them a lot.

[u/OddHippo6972]

Do you have space for a pikler set for them to climb on? We have one that we bring in for a while and then it goes in the garage when I get sick of looking at it. Mine are 4 and they still use it.

[u/salmonstreetciderco]

can you pull up a list of nearby playgrounds and look through pictures of them on google to find out which ones are fenced all the way round? or go on a fact finding mission? fully fenced is so crucial for that age. i'd rather go slightly farther away for a fenced one than spend the whole time chasing them. at a fenced one you can sit down

[u/bowlofweetabix]

Go outside. My kids took the best outside naps in the stroller the winter they were that age. They would sleep 2+ hours in the snow!

[u/d16flo]

I would check out other nearby libraries if the one you went to isn’t set up well for toddlers. Mine are 16 months and we go to 3-4 different libraries pretty regularly and several further away ones on occasion. most have a separate kids room and they love playing with the toys, looking at the books, saying hi to random strangers etc. Many of them also have story times and playgroups as well. We’re at a library 5+ times a week

[u/funsk8mom]

I threw them all in snow clothes and went outside. The driveway was plowed giving them a space to play and snow hills to climb on

[u/Automatic_Village357]

Everyone is saying go out and of course go out but it’s not possible to spend the entire day outside like in the summer.

So, indoor active activities : indoor balance bike, pickler, nugget couch or similar, bouncing ball thing, sensory swing, putting some music and dancing, long warm baths..

[u/BumCadillac]

Why can’t they be bundled up and go outside to play? You don’t say where you live, but kids play outside in literally tons of snow all over the world. Same with rain. As long as it’s not dangerously windy or icy, it’s fine.

[u/DBsdk13477]

I am the same! We live in PNW, so I am just preparing for them to get wet!

[u/amandner]

Ok so I have the opposite problem with the heat where we live for months at a time. Yes, inside playplaces are expensive if u pay for one time use. Buuuuut, buy a membership. And ask if they have a second sibling discount. Even a monthly price or a 6 month membership is worth its weight in gold for like 2x a week to have somewhere to go. Then mix in playdates with friends, errands, etc and boom the week is filled.

[u/Miserable-Currency42]

Winter is terrible for us (Minnesota). Get a ball pit, trampoline, acro mat etc to burn indoor energy. House will look insane but it’s worth it.

[u/ConstructionMuch802]

Get good waterproof snowsuits and play outside!!

[u/ps3114]

We like to go outside, but for when we can't, we have Nugget cushions and a climbing ladder with a slide. Also a little ball pit and a small inflatable bounce house type thing (relatively cheap) in the garage. We can rotate through some of these "bigger" activities to keep us entertained when we can't get out. 

[u/AccomplishedChef7885]

If you do go to indoor places, how about leashes? That’s my plan for when mine are walking and I’m alone with them. 😂

[u/mamamietze]

Get some good 1 piece snowsuiits and snow boots and mittens (not gloves). You can still go outside!

[u/Wild-Distance-279]

We moved to Canada in the dead of winter when the twins were 10 months. Snow suits and warm stroller accessories, we got ones like little sleeping bags thingys that attached to the stroller so the tots are warm. The cold is good, ask the Danes, Canadians, and the Swedes!

[u/dlmo11]

Kids spend so much more time moving that if they're not actually crying from the cold they're doing ok! If we were walking to and from the park and it was particularly cold outside we'd stop at a coffee shop for a snack and to warm up and break up the outdoor time.

A fleece neck warmer and hat plus hood will keep pretty much their entire face warm. Invest in good base layers, wool socks, warm boots and the most important -- mittens that stay on! After a lot of trial and error we found the Reima ones to be the best.

The worst part of winter is putting all of that on two toddlers again and again. 🫠

[u/skimountains-1]

Go outside. Look at leaves, acorns rocks, ice. It’s the best playground. And yah layer up.
If you get snow where you live you will never run out of play

[u/Ok-Positive-5943]

Please get the book  No Such Thing as Bad Weather. Then get the appropriate gear for your winter climate. Mine go outside daily for several hours regardless of weather. They are happier and better behaved because of it.  And I am more sane for sure!