Take your toddler out for a fun day: things you should plan out.
So, it is your day off, you are in charge of your toddler, and the weather outside is also amazing. It sounds like the perfect time for a family trip. Quality time with the family will build those precious memories your children will talk about for years to come. Bonus is a great day spent having fun!
Taking your toddler out can be challenging. Toddlers can sometimes become quite the handful when out in public. You also need to also provide for a few things – food, safety, comfort for your toddler. Regardless, you can’t just stay home and cancel all your plans. It is not even that hard to plan amazing trips with your toddler on board.
Make the best of your day
You will have to take a few precautions and preparation if you want to take your babies out for a fun and exciting day. You just have to remember a few simple things.
Plan ahead
First things first, you have to start planning at least a few days before you actually make the trip. Circle the date, research the place you will be going to, and plan ahead. Also, make sure you have everything your toddler might need. Such as food, diapers, and medicine.
You also would want to think about what you want to carry your toddler in. While the slings are good for the winter as they cover up nicely, in the summer an open stroller can be a good idea. For comfort for both, you can always use SnugBaby to carry your toddler around.
Other than the essentials for the baby, you also have to plan out your whole day. By now you know you can’t always just wing it when babies are concerned. It’s best to stick to a timetable for the day. Plan out the entire day’s activities and how the day will progress.
Make a list of essential information and things to bring and mark them off as you go through the steps of planning.
Get to know the place beforehand
Learn about the place before you decide. Almost all places can be checked out through the internet. Whether it’s a restaurant, picnic spot, beach or amusement park. All of them most certainly have social media platforms in which reviews about the place are also given.
Be sure to get proper and authentic reviews about the places. Because you would not want to ruin a perfect day for you and the kids because of some misinformation about the destination. That should be the least of your worries.
The best places for you to go with your toddlers will be parks, beaches fairs or festivals. Lots of fresh air and sunlight.
Pack lightly
Sometimes you might overpack and think you will need it all to take care of the baby on your day out. Yes in case of toddlers most of the time you would need a few essentials, like their food, clothes, and diapers.
But you might overdo it and take more stuff than you would need. This is where planning ahead helps you out. You can plan on what things you would most certainly need. You do not want to carry a super heavy bag for the entire trip and handle your baby at the same time. Even if you do miss something, you can always pick it up at a store if you are going to be somewhere in the city.
Bring their favorites
Kids will get cranky when they are hungry or uncomfortable – this can lead to tantrums and a lot of unpleasantries. The important thing is to keep them satisfied and entertained. Bring along your child’s favorite toy and snack to keep them happy and chipper.
Pre-booking
It’s not the same with kids. You cannot rely on your guts and decide where to stay or which transportation to take on the spot. With kids, you most certainly would want to have a predetermined destination and way of transportation. This avoids any surprises and lets you relax and enjoy the day. It also gives your kids the time to rest if they need it.
Make sure your vehicle is in top condition
If you are going to travel by car then make sure that everything is running fine. Make sure the car is running fine and you have a full tank of gas. A car breaks down with the kids on board can turn into a nightmare pretty fast. So make sure your car is ready and good to go.
Carry medicines
This is for both you and your kids. You don’t need to carry a lot of medicine but it’s always good to carry some basic medicines when you plan for a trip. Get the most common ones like medicines for headaches, muscle pains, allergies and motion sickness.
Spare clothes
It is important to have a few extra sets of clothes for you and the baby whenever you are traveling with them. There are so many things that can ruin your clothes like spilling food on it or spit-ups or throw-ups from the kids. Things might go south pretty fast.
So, you probably would want to change immediately to something fresh.
Your baby will need nap time
Plan your activities and leave room for the baby’s naptime. Babies get stressed and start to cry without proper rest and nap. So, make sure you add that to the schedule. That is also your downtime, so plan what you will be doing as your baby naps.
Every parent loves spending time with their little ones. It is important to take them out to experience the world and it is equally important to plan ahead. While things might still go unexpectedly, preparing for the above things will make your day off out and about with your toddler a fun and happy day.