by Blythe Lipman

 

Hi,

It's summer, it's hot and your toddler is bored to tears. Some days feel like they go on forever. Your creativity has gone out the window with the heat. Here are some fun activities to share with your toddler before you pull your hair out in frustration!! Have fun. Children grow up in a blink of the eye, and before you know it, you'll have to schedule a mommy-time between all their activities!!

Stay cool!

These activities are guaranteed to put a smile on both your faces!

• The mall can be a fun adventure. Start your journey at the food court for some breakfast or lunch. Walk down to the Pet Store stopping along the way to window shop. The train in the hobby shop window is especially fun. At the pet store, ask to see one of the puppies and go into the special room to play. Next stop is the indoor playground. Finally finish your outing with some frozen custard. What fun and a great way to stay out of the heat.

• Plan a movie date. Either rent a video or go out to the movies. Let your toddler put together a special snack bag with pretzels, goldfish, raisins and M&M's and don't forget to take a bottle of water along and his favorite blanket.

• Take your toddler to the playground in her PJ.s first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Then go to the Jamba Juice for a special fruit smoothie.

• Go to the dollar store and buy a spray bottle, some paintbrushes, a watering can and some sponges. Put water in the spray bottle and watering can. Dress your toddler in his bathing suit, take his outside and let him paint the house.

• Look in your local paper to see if there are any story hours. Barnes and Noble, Borders and many libraries have story times during those hot, summer months.

• Crayola has wonderful arts and crafts projects. My favorite is the finger-paints. They come with a special paper so the paint will only color the paper and not your toddler.

• Give your toddler a piece of construction paper, a glue stick and some pasta shapes, yarn, fabric, markers, etc. and let him make a special collage for daddy.

• Bake cookies with your toddler. The prepared sugar cookie mix is easy and fun to decorate with M & M's, sprinkles or dried fruit. Put a Popsicle stick in the bottom before baking to make cookie pops.

• Make special Popsicle treats. Have your toddler put a cherry or grape in the bottom of a small paper cup. Using a measuring cup with a spout show him how to fill the cup with fruit juice. Put a Popsicle stick in the middle and freeze for a couple of hours. This is a good morning activity that will be ready as a special afternoon treat!

• Make a yogurt "Sundae Bar." Let him spoon yogurt into an ice cream dish and then let him mix in some raisins, fresh fruit and cereal. Top it with a little whipped cream and a strawberry and you have a healthy treat!

• Plan a special indoor picnic. Prepare the feast together. Use a cookie cutter to make shapes with the bread for your sandwiches. peanut butter and jelly, cheese, tuna, etc. Serve with carrot disks, celery sticks and cucumber rounds. Make a dip using plain yogurt or ranch dressing. For a special drink, mix fruit juice with a little sprite and serve in a special cup with a cherry or oranges slice. Spread a blanket out on the floor and enjoy your indoor adventure.

• Hire a high school student one morning a week. Save a special activity for that time each week that only they do together! It might be arts and crafts or even a cooking activity

Blythe Lipman is the president of Baby Instructions. She is passionate about babies, toddlers and their parents. After working in the field for over twenty-five years, she wrote her second award-winning book, MORE ... HELP! MY BABY CAME WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS. Her book is available at: www.babyinstructions.com, Borders books, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble. Contact Blythe at babyinstructions@cox.net. She is available for in-home, video and telephone consultations.