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Home › Articles › Activities › Tots Out on the Town

Tots Out on the Town

Fun Adventures for Toddlers That Are Easy on Your Wallet

By Laura M. Johnson

Pages:  1  2  3  

– Venture beyond your immediate neighborhood and find some interesting walking trails. A walk around a lake, through the woods or at a state park is an opportunity to work on those gross motor skills and can be fun for you both. Barbar says she and her two boys enjoy taking nature walks. "We try to pick up all kinds of things and make an art project when we get home," she says.

  • Fountains – Stake out the best fountains in your community and map out a walking or driving tour. "Let your little one touch and feel the water," says Morley. "Toddlers need that tactile stimulation."

    Toddler Time
    If you try one of these outings, you'll want to keep "kid time" in mind. "Kid time refers to the time schedule of the child, which almost never coincides with 'adult time,'" says Morley. It is the time children allow themselves to spend on any single activity.

    Try not to rush kid time. If they are fixated on a hamster at the pet store or a bug crawling across a rock at the construction site, just enjoy it with them. This is their learning time. "Try to go slow and let go of doing it adult style," says Layton. "You have to be willing to change your itinerary if your child is happy."

    "Part of the joy is simply being amazed together at the wonders around you," says Rittmayer. "Toddlers learn through that ongoing dialogue you carry on with them about what's going on around you."

    Outings not only help your toddler learn, but they might help you learn a few things as well. "Every time my child and I try a new adventure, I end up saying 'I didn't know that about you,'" says Morley.

    No matter where you decide to take your little one, keep in mind that where you go is not as important as what you do together.


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