Getting out of the house and adventuring with my kids has been one of the most natural parts of motherhood for me. It is not unusual for us to hop in the car and drive half an hour to a tulip field, or an hour to a children’s museum. We also make the most of smaller adventures closer to home at the library, the park or on a walk around the neighborhood. Grand adventure or simple outing, getting out and exploring with my kids is one of the most enjoyable parts of motherhood for me.
That being said, it is not always easy, and it often takes a lot of physical and mental preparation on my part. Sometimes expectations have to be lowered (or abandoned), plans may be changed and there’s a lot of going with the flow. In the end, the effort is almost always worth it and I usually don’t come home saying “I’m never doing that again” but usually, “I need to do this more!”
Here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way to make big or small adventures with kids fun and memorable:
Make a plan. But sometimes don’t.
Each week I try to plan one or two activities. This could be anything from a scooter ride to the park, or a drive to the zoo. Even if it’s small, I try to think about it in advance. Sometimes, though, you have to be willing to not plan. Some days we wake up and I just know that it is a day we need an adventure. That might mean leaving dishes in the sink and beds unmade, but there’s naptime for dishes and they’ll be in their beds in twelve hours anyway, right?
Be prepared.
A key to any successful outing, big or small, is preparation. A rule of thumb for me is to always be a little more prepared than necessary. Though it may seems like I am going on a three day road trip instead of a two hour trip to the zoo, it also means I always have an extra change of clothes, an emergency bottle and a bribery treat. Individual bags of snacks for kiddos make grab and go easy and also diffuses any contention over sharing. Packing lunch (or the Chick fil a drive thru) means you can go straight from the car to naptime. Prepping the car, diaper bag and food ahead of time, even the night before makes for an easier exit in the morning.
Use your resources.
The park, the library, and Costco (free samples and a trip down the toy aisle is one of our favorite adventures) are all outings that don’t take much research. But sometimes there are lesser known activities just waiting to be discovered. Social media is a great way to find out about local or fairly close events. One of our recent favorites found through a Facebook event post was an air show featuring World War II airplanes. Checking out guides found here on Collin County Moms Blog or Dallas Moms Blog are also sure to give you some fresh new ideas.
Manage expectations.
I have found all of these tips to be helpful as I plan adventures with my kiddos. But one of the most important ones not yet mentioned is to manage expectations. Even with all the preparations, life with kids is unpredictable. One meltdown does not ruin the day and if you forget the pacifier at home, it’s okay to buy one at Target. Sometimes there are a lot of tears and you get home feeling like the day was a fail. When expectations are managed, it lowers stress levels and frustrations if things don’t go exactly as planned. It also gives you motivation to try again.
More often than not, when I take the time to think about, plan and follow through on an adventure with my kids, we end up making memories that my kids won’t soon forget.
What are your favorite ways to get out and explore with your kids?
Here’s to a year of adventuring with your kiddos!
