Getting out of the house with a baby and toddler is a challenge on good day. More typically, it is a chaotic juggling act where the ball that falls might you. Linda from Babybunching.com shares with us some favorite go-to places for getting out of the house with two little ones and they’re all better than the time I tried to take my two under two to the steam trains alone.
She says, “we’re sorry to inform you that if you are in your first couple years of Baby Bunching, places like the library and your favorite coffee shop may be off limits for a while. Here are a few safe alternatives to consider:”
- A friend’s house””This by far the safest and easiest place to frequent. Friends are forgiving and will usually baby proof as needed without so much as a blink. You can nurse and use the bathroom and maybe even grab a snack.
- An indoor gym””Do your research on these before you go. Those filled with moon bounces might be hard if your kids are really little, but some have baby play areas where you can keep a close watch on your toddler.
- The mall””If you’re not actually doing any shopping, the mall can be a great place to take your Baby Bunch with ample food establishments to meet everyone’s needs (aka McDonalds), usually a play area for kids, and lots of stimulation for both toddler and baby. Best of all, it’s free because there will be ZERO opportunity to get any shopping done with your bunch in tow.
- A park””Playgrounds and park areas are perfect, depending on the setup (see our recommendations above). By bringing a picnic you can really have the best of all worlds. But do note that playgrounds are age specific, and if you have two under two, keeping with younger playgrounds and easier play structures means you have less safety issues with your kids. As a bonus, you might even meet a few other moms with kids as small as yours.
- A farm””Depending on where you live, a farm might be a harder place to find, but anything with animals is good. A zoo can be overwhelming, but a small public farm can be great for little kids. Horses, cows, rooster, rabbits, tractors have potential for big time fun and animal noises as well.
Linda Kerr writes at Baby Bunching and Monkey Business. She and her fellow Baby Bunching friend Cara Fox are writing a book on this topic.
More tips from Linda about how to go anywhere with a baby and toddler in the post where I lament about my own baby bunching days winding down.
