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Geeks with young kids ...

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... what do you do with your kids on weekends when its rainy or too cold for outdoor activities?

 

I hate to have my kid watching TV or playing video games all day when you cant go out. But when its 30 degrees its hard to insist on the playground or whatever.

 

Ive done story podcasts and board games, taken him to kid friendly museums etc. I really enjoy cooking and have tried to get him interested in that and arts and crafts stuff.

 

Looking for new ideas.

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Well...unfortunately...you feel like you have to be responsible for your childs entertainment. Your child doesnt need 24 hour entertainment. Dump the phone and video games...get them some legos...an erector set...some crayons etc...age appropriate..and let them learn to entertain themselves and use their imagination. Otherwise your kid may constantly be "bored" since they cant function without your lead. That leads to co dependence...and we know how that turns out

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How old, 5?

 

 

Legos.

6. Theres a Legoland Museum around here I thought about taking him to. :thumbsup:

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Well...unfortunately...you feel like you have to be responsible for your childs entertainment. Your child doesnt need 24 hour entertainment. Dump the phone and video games...get them some legos...an erector set...some crayons etc...age appropriate..and let them learn to entertain themselves and use their imagination. Otherwise your kid may constantly be "bored" since they cant function without your lead. That leads to co dependence...and we know how that turns out

There is definitely some of that. On the other hand the weekends is my time to spend with him so I try to do things with him.

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Michigan winters can be brutal, so we have to do a lot of stuff inside.

 

Getting them a dog to play with was a game changer. A basement where they can run and jump around with her also helps.

 

At home:

 

Video game time is earned by reading or practicing a sport. 30 minutes of reading or basketball handling= 30 minutes of video game time. Maximum is 1.5 hours per day. Weekends only.

 

Old school board games. My boys like pictionary and monopoly

 

Card games. I'm teaching them to play poker and black jack. I'm also teaching them to shuffle and deal, something every guy should know how to do.

 

Wood working. They got remote controlled ferraris and buggatis for Xmas Last Sunday they decided to build garages from scrap wood, a hammer, nails, some paint, and even a light.

 

Cooking, as you mentioned. They both get more into cooking when it's food they love.

 

Away from home:

 

They have basketball games on Saturdays starting this weekend, so that will take most of the day.

 

We also go the the local high school for open gym on Sundays where they can shoot hoops,

 

Indoor baseball clinics start in 2 weeks.

 

Finally getting some snow up north now, so they'll get do some skiing and tubing in Jan and Feb.

 

There's also an outdoor ice rink in town when it's cold enough. I don't skate, but my wife does, so she takes them.

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Bowling, Library, and the movies are our 3 go-to rainy day activities. We only have 2 or 3 rainy days a year here, so not too hard for us.

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There is definitely some of that. On the other hand the weekends is my time to spend with him so I try to do things with him.

A couple hours is fine. With legos...challenge him to build the tallest tower he can...free standing. You can design activities as challenge games where he works by himself. Puzzles and riddles and mind teasers are a great way to get kids to think.

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Teach him how to use tools. Build something.

 

Do a puzzle.

 

Play a board game.

 

Take him to a strip joint.

 

Visit your parents.

 

Solid recommendations. Best part is that it can all be accomplished at 1 place/time.

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Solid recommendations. Best part is that it can all be accomplished at 1 place/time.

My parents strip club doesnt allow puzzles. :(

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Show them how to safely download pron from the internets.

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Do you ever take him swimming?

Yes he has summer (outdoor) lessons 1 day a week and I took him to the pool 5-6 times last year. Theres a Y with an indoor pool nearby, maybe thats an idea.

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6. Theres a Legoland Museum around here I thought about taking him to. :thumbsup:

This for sure. Sounds awesome. Now that I'm thinking about it, is 6 too young to enjoy that? I have no idea.

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Yes he has summer (outdoor) lessons 1 day a week and I took him to the pool 5-6 times last year. Theres a Y with an indoor pool nearby, maybe thats an idea.

 

We do the indoor pool at the Y every couple weekends. My boys enjoy it. Good for them to keep up on their swimming and it's good exercise.

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It's a good topic.

 

Lego's was my first thought. Movies and Bowling also.......

 

Over the Holiday Break it was raining and my kids were bored so I taught them how to make paper airplanes. We had a blast for hours. I got online and looked up how to make different ones. We had fighter jets, crop dusters, all sorts of planes. My little 6 year old got out the crayons and was coloring them, drawing windows and pilots in the window, flames on the wings, etc.

 

:dunno:

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My kid (7yo) loves to read so if we tell him no screen time he usually picks up a book. Outside of that he like to play chase/tug-of-war with the dogs, he's in karate so he'll practice his forms/combos, he's got a ton of legos/magna-tiles, and a billion other toys to keep himself occupied. He's an only child and does a great job entertaining himself when he's told to.

 

That said, he is an only child so I do try to play with him quite a bit. Whether that be rough-housing, board/card games, craft project, cooking, or something else it's always a good time.

 

A great way to get a kid to entertain himself is to tell them to find something to do on their own, and when they're done it's time to clean the house. Kid will entertain himself forever.

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Ride dirt bikes, camp, movies, board games,

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Ride dirt bikes, camp, movies, board games,

 

Indoor activities that aren't movies/tv.

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Give him a handle here at the message board.

Good point. Most geeks read and write at a 1st grade level anyway.

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Well...unfortunately...you feel like you have to be responsible for your childs entertainment. Your child doesnt need 24 hour entertainment. Dump the phone and video games...get them some legos...an erector set...some crayons etc...age appropriate..and let them learn to entertain themselves and use their imagination. Otherwise your kid may constantly be "bored" since they cant function without your lead. That leads to co dependence...and we know how that turns out

 

Good list. I'll add Knex to it. When my kids were younger we had a hard time finding boxes of random Legos; it seemed that they moved on to almost exclusively pre-set kits. F that, I want the kid to create something. Plus Knex are easier for young kids.

 

Have him take up karate. I thought you gave him a name that will have other kids beating him up otherwise. :dunno:

 

Snarkiness aside, I'm a big proponent of martial arts for as young as 3. :cheers:

 

https://www.ataonline.com/

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Take them to gun range.

He can take him to the range where that great dad put an Uzi in his little girls hand and the recoil promptly murdered the instructor.

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Good list. I'll add Knex to it. When my kids were younger we had a hard time finding boxes of random Legos; it seemed that they moved on to almost exclusively pre-set kits. F that, I want the kid to create something. Plus Knex are easier for young kids.

 

 

Snarkiness aside, I'm a big proponent of martial arts for as young as 3. :cheers:

 

https://www.ataonline.com/

How old before I put him on a keto diet?

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Snarkiness aside, I'm a big proponent of martial arts for as young as 3. :cheers:

 

https://www.ataonline.com/

 

KanilJr (7yo) has been in karate for about a year now. I don't know if it's just him getting older or if it's a result of karate but he's able to focus and stay on task so much better than he was a year ago. He's also put on a bunch of muscle which has helped his skiing a ton. Kid's turning into a beast.

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Good list. I'll add Knex to it. When my kids were younger we had a hard time finding boxes of random Legos; it seemed that they moved on to almost exclusively pre-set kits. F that, I want the kid to create something. Plus Knex are easier for young kids.

 

 

Snarkiness aside, I'm a big proponent of martial arts for as young as 3. :cheers:

 

https://www.ataonline.com/

Knex >>>>>> LEGO

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Knex >>>>>> LEGO

 

They both have their purpose. Lego's make great ammunition for your Knex catapult!

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He can take him to the range where that great dad put an Uzi in his little girls hand and the recoil promptly murdered the instructor.

Yikes.

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How old before I put him on a keto diet?

 

Well, it's never too young to teach your child good dietary habits like avoiding sugary sodas and powdered drinks. :cheers:

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They both have their purpose. Lego's make great ammunition for your Knex catapult!

 

:lol:

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Good point. Most geeks read and write at a 1st grade level anyway.

Well what better way to teach him about losing and losers who can accept results? And drone day after day about one person. I mean I can't think of a better way to teach them about the lowest of the scum of the Earth spend their days complaining all the while with this false sense of arrogance of superior intelligence don't you think?

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