Our List of Winter Daytime Outings for my One Year Old

I love a quiet, cozy, lazy day at home as much as the next person, but I find that I’m usually much more pleasant when Jamie gets home from work if Hadley and I got out of the house at least once that day. Something about pulling myself together (even if it’s just throwing on a sweatshirt and spraying in some dry shampoo) and driving to run at least one errand makes me feel like our day was productive.

Our one outing yesterday was the best, most delicious type of outing on a freezing day. We met friends at a locally owned, coffee shop type doughnut place, and it was just what we all needed.

 

 

 

I got to thinking on the way home that quick little outings like this are what have gotten us through our first Kansas winter so far. As a SAH mom, I’m constantly racking my brain for excuses to get out of the house with Hadley, so I want to share my little list of things we do that are guaranteed to get us out of the house at least once a day during the week despite the blistery cold temps.

Hadley’s only 15 months old, so I love that I can get away with almost any “out of the house” activity and call it entertainment. She’s pretty darn easy to please!

1. Play time at my gym’s childcare center

2. MOPS (International Mothers of Preschoolers organization)

• I’ve never left MOPS and made it home with her awake. She must play hard with the other kids! I love this Tuesday morning outlet for us. We do both the rotating bible study and the general meetings.

3. Open gym at the local gymnastics center

4. Grocery Shop

• Though sometimes I’ll wait until the weekends when Jamie can watch Hadley, most times I’ll purposely take her so that we can use grocery shopping as an excuse to get out for a while if we have nothing else planned. She really likes going and playing with different items I put in the cart.

5. Browse Marshalls

• She loves to feel all the clothing while sitting in the shopping cart and play in the dressing rooms.

6. Children’s museum 

• We go to the second floor of our local Discovery Center here in Manhattan.

7. Chickfila with a friend

• 9:30/10ish a.m. is a great time to meet a friend and go for a late breakfast. It’s usually pretty empty, and the kids can play in the play area while the adults can relax and chat (maybe!).

8. Run around the mall 

• We have an area of the mall that has a few closed stores, so Hadley loves getting out of her stroller and running around in those no-traffic areas. She also loves when I bring quarters and let her ride some of the rides in the food court area (before quickly cleaning her hands well because you know those rides are germ-city).