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Home › Articles › Parenting Strategies › Day Tripping

Day Tripping

Explore the World With Your Toddler

By Teri Brown

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They are active, inquisitive and delightful. They are also demanding, cranky and loud. I am talking about your average toddler. Great big head, little tiny body and a monstrous appetite for exploring the world around them!

Once your toddler has finished exploring your home they are often ready for bigger and better things – this is where day trips come in. I got my love for day trips from my parents, who took me to all sorts of interesting places as soon as I was able to walk. As soon as my children were of age we were off!

Their first field trip at the age of 2 and 3 was to a small airport in the country to see the planes. Next door was a sheep farm, and we ended up talking to the farmer who invited us over to see the barns and pet the sheep. We topped off the afternoon by stopping for ice cream on the way home.

Whether you're taking an older sibling on a field trip, having a family day or taking your toddler for an outing, there are certain things you need to prepare for in order to create the best trip possible for everyone.

Making the Trip a Success
Remember: Toddlers are not the most patient creatures in the world. Their must have it, do it or taste it now attitude can put a crimp in the serenity of your trip, especially in the car on the way to your destination. Keep in mind that as demanding as toddlers are, they are also distractible. This is an invaluable tool for the wily mother. Keep a small basket of toys next to the driver's seat of both old favorites and new toys. For safety's sake, make sure they are too large to choke on and too small to conk you in the head should your toddler tire of it!

Getting there is only half the battle; how you treat the rest of the trip depends largely on why you're going. If the field trip is for an older child, your role is to run interference between your active toddler, your older child and the place you are visiting. Bring a stroller and plenty of items to distract your toddler from things and places he shouldn't be manhandling. Often museums, zoos and other day-trip destinations have a place where your young action lover can be himself while your older child can explore in peace.

If you are looking for day trips that will engage your toddler, you will need to be armed with a whole different set of strategies! As you are probably aware, your wee one is very touchy-feely, and you should take that into consideration when planning your day trips. Make sure your destinations provide a very kinesthetic experience. Nature parks are wonderful for this, as they give your child a chance to roam freely and explore almost at will, but make sure your little one doesn't inadvertently harm something or herself!

A notoriously short attention span is another important aspect to remember when day tripping with little ones. There may be times when you have to walk away from a destination after only a half an hour or so because your toddler has had enough. If you fix that reality in your mind it may be easier to do. We all want to get our money's worth and leaving can be difficult, but your toddler will look forward to the next trip more if your trips are kept short and engaging.

Day Trip Ideas
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