Young kids don’t (or shouldn’t) anchor you to the spot. As much as it feels like getting out of the door is a dance of one step forward, two steps back, once you crack it and your kid knows what’s expected, it gets easier. Obviously, tiny babies will not understand, but they’re pretty mobile anyway. The boots are on, now choose your activity:
Get back to nature
Blow away the cobwebs with a country walk. You probably walk somewhere with your kid every day, just for the sake of getting out of the house. Great, now you’re used to that you can take it further afield. “We love taking Santi for walks to the nature reserve and the beach,” said Jess, mum of 1-year-old Santi. Hop on the train to Margate or road trip to the Lakes and introduce your child to the sights and smells nature has to offer. Remember, your kid has never truly experienced the seasons before, so it’ll be different each time — it’s easy to forget you’re working from the ground up here. Summer for picnics, autumn for leaves falling, winter for wrapping up warm and spring for discovering new life. Maybe we’re being sentimental, but baby will be captivated, we promise.
Pull on the Little Swimmers
Lido or leisure centre? Even some private gyms welcome families and will be quieter, so do check. Whether you’ve done baby swimming lessons or not, getting down to the local pool is great for baby getting used to the water and, seeing the people they trust the most having fun? Well, it must be safe. It isn’t just all about baby. Makes a change, right. If there’s more than one adult, you have a bit more freedom to do a couple of lengths. Post-pregnancy friendly? Definitely.
Meet the animals
Bring those storybooks to life at the zoo or petting farm. Pigs might be scary at first but once you’ve thrown in the Peppa Pig connection, the snorting (and probably stinky) piglets will become a farmyard favourite. Or there’s always introducing your little monkey to their own kind down at the zoo. Don’t have a farm or zoo nearby? The pet store counts too. Counting colourful fish and petting little puppies still classes as a big day out for your kid. Just try your absolute best not to walk out with a puppy — toilet training one is enough, right?
