ESTIMATED READING TIME: 4 MINUTES
Now that Turtle is older, I want to make sure that I’m providing him with age-appropriate entertainment. Especially entertainment that allows him to learn a new skill or reinforce an existing one. I’ve searched high and low for things that are available in our city. I’m sure many of them are also available in yours or nearby. So, here are 6 exciting ways you can entertain your toddler this summer:
1. Swim lessons
Our local park and recreation center offers swimming lesson for children as young as 6 months old. Turtle is currently taking part in a parent and me class for children ages 6 months-3 years. This class helps them get used to being in water. It also teaches basic water safety. Duration and price varies but I was able to get him in a 2 week class for just $40! A quick Google search of your city’s park and rec should bring up their website with all the information you need.
2. Visit a children's museum
My favorite thing to do as a child was visit the museum. Growing up in Seattle, we had an amazing science museum and children’s museum. If you have one near you, it’s the perfect place to entertain your toddler. While any museum is great, children’s museums are perfect because they’re often more age appropriate for littles. They also tend to have great activities for them to take part in. This can help encourage your child’s curiosity and help them learn or build upon skills.
3. TOddler Gymnastics
We have a gymnastics center where we live that offers toddler time twice a week for children under 5. There’s also a roly poly class for littles 6 months-2 years old. This is a great way to introduce your toddler to others and you could potentially make parent friends as well! Since Turtle spends most of his time with me, this has been a great way for him to interact with others. Classes at our gymnastics center cost between $7-8 depending on the class.
4. Parent and me classes
Many places offer parent and me classes. Hardware stores like Home Depot often offer classes for your little one to build something. Michael’s has craft classes. There may even be local craft shops or artists who offer classes for parents and toddlers. Another place to check is your local museum. The one near us has a mini children’s museum within it and they offer a number of classes for parents and toddlers to take part in. These classes are sometimes free!
5. go on a nature walk
The great thing about living in Tennessee is that we have amazing locations for nature walks. However, no matter where you are, you can take a fun and FREE nature walk with your toddler. Depending on their age, you can create a scavenger hunt for them to do while you’re out. Have them find things in nature like a leaf, a stick, a bug, etc. If your toddler is still too young to point these things out on their own, you can always point them out and describe each item for them.
6. buy them a splash pad
This is probably Turtle’s favorite thing to do right now, splash water. I found a non-slip splash pad for him on Amazon and he loves it! You can throw a few water toys in it and allow your toddler to play with minimal set up or cleanup. It’s also a great way to cool down on the hot summer days ahead. The one I purchased cost about $20 at the time and can fit both he and I. But I’ve linked a few options below.
Finding ways to entertain your toddler can sometimes be hard
If you’re a first time mama like me, it can sometimes be hard figuring out how to keep your toddler entertained. That’s likely the reason you’ve read this blog post. In reality, in most cases it doesn’t take much to keep young toddlers happy.
Nonetheless, I hope this list helped give you an idea of things you can do locally and without spending too much money!
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