Over the years we have spent a lot of time outside with our two young children.
Wandering the streets has been a favourite, and playing in public spaces. Street furniture has so many possibilities! If you leave enough time to take things slow there are lots of interesting things for small children around the streets.
We have also enjoyed going to the park or woods, climbing trees and setting up home in the shrubbery. A pushed over pushchair on the pavement makes a brilliant rocket on the way back from the library.
Who can resist puddle jumping or jumping in the autumn leaves – I know none of us can!
Playgrounds have provided a social opportunity and plenty of fun over the years too.
My youngest in particular likes to collect things and each journey outside leaves the possibility for the discovery of treasures – a discarded McDonald toy, a stick, a hub cap (these are particularly popular).
My eldest loves the opportunity to meet people and chat that being outside provides too.
For me the top tips for getting out and about are:
1. Using a sling for a baby – and for a toddler (up to age 4 or 5 with a well suited good quality one.
Baby can see everything and chat with you and other people if they want. And it doesn’t matter how far a toddler can walk because you just pick them up for a bit. I like a mei-tai best – easy for back carries and unlike a wrap there isn’t too much material to drag through the mud. A good soft structured carrier can work well too.
Types of baby carriers
2. Working out a bag(s) that worked for me, and taking as little as possible.
For me this was a large runner bumbag, which I could wear around my waist under the carrier. Children carried their own toddler day sack from very early on with nappy things in. (not the baby ones in shape of animals as you can’t really fit anything else in these). If your child has a tendency to run towards the road then the reins on these might be helpful too.
3. Dress right for the weather
With a bit of research it is possible to find clothes for babies, children and adults that mean that the weather isn’t a problem.
Babywearing – what to wear in wet and cold?
4. Learning not to expect too much.
Children like to potter, and it seems completely against their nature to walk from A to B with getting somewhere as the purpose. For them it is about the journey. So slow down, take your time and you’ll be rewarded by getting to see a familiar landscape in a whole new way.
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