Socializing for a 4 year old who is about to get cabin fever???

Question

I know this is an exhausting topic...but I'm really having a hard time finding stuff for my daughter to get involved in. She's only four years old, so she's too young for scouts (daisies), clogging, etc. There is a local HSing group that we have yet to join...next meeting Feb 18. There is a Christian school within 50 miles which considers it's members HSers, but my daughter is too young for any upcoming classes except for a cooking class (sorry, can't afford $50 for a baking class that meets 8 times). Library "has heard of people homeschooling, and are all for it"...asked them to give out my number if it's mentioned by anyone else. We were meeting up with PreK kids at park but now it's too cold for anyone else to show...understandably.

With the exception of Karate or Tae Kwon Do available, there's nothing left that I can think of. Dad is still mulling over this option.

Am I missing something? I live in rural SE TN. May get farm animals for friends!

Please, please help!!!

Answer 1

Check If your Local Dance Studio Has classes for her age, they should, It probley won't be REALLY serious, So she will Have TONS of fun! They Will Play Games and just learn basic stuff, like if she does ballet they will learn the positions and little steps.Same with Tap. Good Luck!

Answer 2

SE TN, huh? I'm not too far from you actually.

How about church? Those usually meet 2x a week.

Answer 3

Contact the preK kids from the park or whoever you know that has kids close to that age and set up play dates with inside activities. My boys enjoy going to the indoor playplace at Chic-fil-A and the mall.

Ask a couple of little girls that you know to come over for a "pretty pretty princesses" tea or you could have girls and boys over for a dinosaur themed lunch. Have them come dressed as dinosaurs or whatever and plan activities around that theme (put together a model dinosaur, finger paint favorite dinos, have dino shaped PB&J sandwiches, pretend to be dinosaurs and talk about the differences between plant eaters and meat eaters, etc). Get the other moms to sign up to host a similar get together the next week or 2 weeks later.

Where in SE TN do you live? I live in Bradley county. We have co-op classes sign up next week. It's $10 per family. They have preK-K classes, if you live near here. (Actually, the co-op's meeting across the county line in Polk.)

As a family, we do lots of stuff in Chattanooga. The Children's Discovery Museum has a year long family pass. I think it's $75. The Aquarium does, too. There's more to do there than in Bradley, but I don't know if you live close enough to Chattanooga to make that worth it.

Answer 4

Karate is good, provided there are some young children there.  In any event it's good training.

Do field trips to the big city?!  Just to go to a park or playground!  Even 1 time a month.

Rural life is hard, but it's part of our history and it goes on.

Another alternative is to make more babies!

Answer 5

The library or a local bookstore should have a story time that you can go to.

You can also start your own playgroup. Just place a flyer at a local store and see what response you get. You can contact the library for a free meeting place.

Since it is cold out these days, we go to McDonalds about every other week so the kids can play in the indoor playplace. Even if there aren't any other kids there, your kids can get out some energy. When other families are there you can socialize with the parents and set up other playtime even.

We have a place called the Little Gym and there is Gymboree. They are set up for little ones. Our local Little Gym will allow you to take just one class and pay for it. I think it is about $15.00 for a one hour session.

We also have my 4 year old go to preschool 2 days a week. She goes only for the fun of it. She has a blast and it gives me some time with my 2 year old alone. Alot of places have part time hours, anything less then 4 hours can be fairly affordable.

I also have a 'business card'. It has our first names and ages with our email info on it. So when we do meet up with people it is easy for me to exchange information.

Good luck

Answer 6

Finding other mothers out their with the same problem and setting up a play date situation where one mother hosts the group of kids and parents at their house for a few hours and then rotate to play at another's house the next week. etc.  What about swimming lessons?  They are for all ages and should be at a local community center or high school.  Always check with comminty centers, etc. for free classes or things to do.  JoAnn Fabrics (if you have one) has a lot of kids crafting classes - sometimes free.  Also, any teacher supply stores will have craft days that are free for kids to attend.  Hope this helps!!

Answer 7

Look online for other homeschooling groups in your area.  I have a 6 year old and 4 year old and while we have very poor luck solcializing with other homeschool families, for the most part, one thing that we have found is a homeschool girl scout troop that is multiage, and allows my four year old to go along.

Good luck!

Answer 8

Try meetup.com. for other homeschooling families in your area. If you are just looking for excuses to get out of the house, try the SCA. It's a historical re-enactment society that provides a lot of learning opportunities. Some groups have more kids than others, but I don't think you'll find any group where kids aren't welcome. Obviously a tavern night isn't the best thing to take her to, but go along and see whether it takes your fancy. I think this would be your local group: http://www.vulpinereach.org/ but if it isn't, try this page to search for another: http://www.meridies.org/groups.htm

Answer 9

How about going to the library for storytime? I know Borders and Barnes and Noble had storytime during the summer--maybe they'll have something similar?

How about local museums? I'd check on Craigslist, as there are usually people advertising their special event or are parents like you who are looking to do things with their kids.

Good luck!

Answer 10

http://www.tnhomeed.com/Support.html

That is a listing of support groups in TN.  I recently moved to SE TN also but we are in Sevier County.  I don't know where Monroe is ... and some of the support groups were listed not by county, but by town, so I am just sending the whole list so you can see what town is closest to you.

Personally, we always found our biggest social outlet when our kids were that age was our church family.  We discovered we were more likely to get to know those people on a regular basis whether their kids were homeschooled or not.  Sometimes on field trips you may see a particular family only once or twice - not much of a relationship can be fostered on that.

Decide whether or not you want to just find kids for your daughter to blow off steam with, even if you'll never see them again ... or whether you'd rather focus on longterm regular contacts with other families.

Have you thought about staring your own playgroup at your local park?  I did that in our former hometown.  I just set a schedule, emailed it to every family I knew in town, posted it at the local library and it worked.  Don't just give the library your number and ask them to give it out if anyone mentions it.  Make up a poster/flyer type thingie and get it posted on the community bulletin board!  :)

Answer 11

I completely agree with you about switching churches. If the people attending your church make you feel as though you don't fit in because of the amount of money you have, you need to find a different church AND FAST!

Now, about the cabin fever. Understandable, you probably feel isolated, but may I suggest that you step up and be the "socialization" your child craves? I'm thinking back to when my children were four and they wanted MY attention more than anything else.

Yes, they enjoyed going to church on Sundays and Wednesdays and seeing their friends there, but mainly, due to their ages, we were home a lot. Neither of my children participated in extra curricular activities at that age. But instead, we did things together, as a family, and as mom and kids (when dad was at work)

Practical suggestions:

Schedule play dates with your child and treat them with the same importance and excitement you would a play date with a friend. Mark it on the calendar, talk excitedly about it, make plans, the whole nine yards. Then find something creative to do TOGETHER: bake cookies, nature walk, go to the park and play together (not sit on the sidelines), have an indoor picnic if the weather is yukky, make smores, whatever.

Little girls love tea parties (with plenty of properly dressed teddy bears!), and playing kitchen, things like this. My daughter liked to play with my husbands hotwheels from his childhood. She would line them up and they would be the parking lot at the mall while her Barbies walked the mall for excercise and window shopped (LOL)

Go on field trips together: grocery shopping, give her a basket (hand held or one of the small ones some stores have) and let her "Shop" go to the mall and walk around (free)

call the local firestation and ask if you can drop by for a mini tour.

And this always scored high with my darlings. Pick up a coloring book, or reading book, or a game or anything and go to your child and say "would you play with me?"

makes a difference!

On weekends, find something in your budget for the whole family to do together.

Soon enough, your daughter will  not be four, but rather 14, then 24 and on her own. Make some memories of her time with you now. It doesn't last long enough!

PS: when your budget allows, invest in toys that stimulate imagination and interactive play: kitchens with play food to prepare, doctor's kits, vet kits, tea sets.....