I find the infant age group to be the most difficult to entertain during the summer months. I used to be at a loss what to do with Lily when she was a baby but now with Mason I feel more prepared. And that is my first tip, when planning for the summer or really any activity being prepared is key! I do my best to have things planned ahead of time so I know going into the day what the plan is, and try to get the activity prepped during nap times or the night before so that we are good to go whenever its time.
Today start I want to share some of my must have items for summer fun and some peaceful mommy time. Then I will share some of my go to and easy summer activities for infants.
I want to start by saying that I was in no way sponsored to post these items. These are all items that we purchased ourselves and strongly stand behind. All of these items will grow with your children and should last you multiple summers.
This one is probably my favourite! My parents purchased one for Lily when she turned 2 and she still loves playing with it. This summer Mason's already got so much use out of it. It is great because he is able to stand up at it and play in a small amount of water. You can also lye down the wall and still use one side of it so your baby's can explore the toys if they aren't standing yet.
Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll N Trike Another favourite because it grows with your kiddos. We used this bike with Lily and now it is Mason's turn. Lily could still use if it we turned it into a tricycle for her however she got a big girl bike so we don't need to. I love that it has a canopy on it to protect the kids from the sun, it transitions with your child, and has a small storage compartment for when you go on walks. Baby Float with Water Canopy We like to spend lots of time in the pool in the summer so a safe place for Mason is important. I love that this baby float comes with a water canopy to help protect him from the sun. This is a great purchase if you are going on vacation because it folds and can easily be packed in your luggage or for a day at the beach! If you have two children it is nice to have at least one hand free. I like to put Mason in the float and then I have my other arm to tend to Lily as needed.
Water table There are lots of different options for water tables. Some have two separate sides so you can choose to add sand if you wish. For a baby I would just use the entire table as a water table and then the following summer introduce sand. The sand can get quite messy and with Mason (8 months old) he would just try to eat it. If the table is too tall for your baby you could opt to not use the legs and put it flat on the ground. A water table is guaranteed fun and a great way to keep your child(ren) cool while outside. I love our water table because it provides a great opportunity for Lily and Mason to play safely together.
Now for my activity list for baby's
bubbles
water play in pool
let them explore new and messy foods outside, when they get dirty hose them off or wash them off in a kiddie pool
go to the beach and explore the sand
check out your local library for free events (i.e. Story Time and special visits from various community partners)
have a dance party
check out the splash pads in your community. I find these are great for infants to explore water at their own level and its a great reason to get out of the house
have a baby play date - invite over some other mamas and their babies and have some fun! Roll out a huge piece of paper and let the baby's go crazy with some paint or set up an obstacle course in the backyard if they are on the move
Stay tuned for our Summer Bucket List Blog coming soon! It will have lots of great activities for your entire family as well as a few date night summer activities because we all know we need some time away from the kids!