As a teacher, I really enjoy being able to spend the summer with my girls. But while it’s nice to be home, I don’t always enjoying being home. I like to go out and do things. This is a whole lot harder now with 4 month old twins than it was two summers ago with a newborn, and last summer with a one-year-old. However, I have learned some things in my first full week of summer.

Planning is Everything

I am a planner. I generally don’t do anything without a plan, this is often to the frustration of my husband who is more spontaneous. When it comes to kids, though, planning is so very important. The first two things I consider before planning anything for the girls is when the babies will need to eat again and when the toddler will need a nap.

The babies are bottle fed so I have some control over when they get fed. I generally try to feed them right before I leave the house and plan to be back home before they need to eat again. With one baby it wasn’t an issue to do a quick ten to fifteen minute feed, but with two babies and a toddler even with help it can be challenging. Either one person is feeding both babies while the other watches the toddler which would take double the time. Or both adults are feeding babies and trying to keep the toddler in check.

We have been blessed that our oldest is an excellent sleeper and generally still takes two naps a day. During the summer I am flexible with this and let her take her morning nap in the car. The afternoon nap, however, is crucial to everyone’s sanity. I do my best to have her home and asleep in bed for her afternoon nap. This gives me a break and generally the house is quiet when my husband gets home. This gives both of us some much-needed decompressing time.

A few other tips that I follow are to always have way more diapers than I think I could use and to have snacks on hand for the toddler. It’s also a good idea to keep an “emergency kit” in the car. Mine is stocked with extra clothes for everyone (including me), diapers, wipes, band-aids, disposable bibs, and a few other random things.

Prepare for the Weather

One of the important things with planning is to take a look at the weather. I try to avoid going out in the rain and also if the temperature is going to be above ninety degrees. When we do go out I be sure to use sunscreen and bring plenty of water.

I noticed that even when just going from a car to a building my toddler tends to get the hint of a sunburn. So I have been putting sunscreen on her everyday. We use Babyganics Mineral Based Sunscreen. We were originally using the lotion but after having to basically wrestle it onto her, I decided to try the spray. This was the best decision ever. While I feel like they are equally as effective, the spray, being more liquid, is easier rub in so it does not take as long.

I have always packed water for both myself and my daughter, but with it getting increasingly hotter, I wanted to get her a cup that was insulated. While roaming the aisles of Target one day I saw these Chicco NaturalFit Insulated Flip Top Straw Cup. I wasn’t loving the colors or the design of the ones they had in stock so I basically forgot about them. But then as we were planning our trip to Sesame Place, which you will hear about in a later post, I realized I needed to find them. Which I did! An adorable pink and purple set. With my REDcard I was able to order them with free two-day shipping. Target for the win! For the rest of the summer we wont leave home without one.

Places to Go

Finally, I am always looking for free things to do. Our favorite is story time at the library. The toddler loves it because it combines all of her favorite things: reading, dancing, and singing. I love it because she’s having fun, getting to interact with other kids her age, and learning to love reading.

I am also always on the lookout for festivals and things where kids are free. These can be hit or miss. Our area strawberry festival last weekend was a miss. We were there long enough to buy lunch and get a free toy from the library booth. Others are home runs, like the baby show we went to earlier in the spring. Many tables had activities for the toddler to either touch, play with, or color and we left with a ton of free goodies and coupons.

When all else fails, we love a good walk around the mall. It’s free (if you can keep yourself from shopping), air-conditioned, and there is usually a play area for kids. Our local one even has awesome family bathrooms. Another good, and obvious, option is your neighborhood park. We don’t have one in our neighborhood and the one in my mom’s neighborhood is more suited for older children. However, if you have a good one for small kids that is an excellent option.

I hope that you found these tips helpful. I do plan to write future posts on how I pack and plan for day trips like the one we took to Sesame Place. As always I would love to hear your comments or suggestions. Feel free to leave them here or on my social media pages.

Martina

This post contains affiliate links. While I may 
receive compensation if you make a purchase, all 
of the opinions shared are my own.