Summerhas officially kicked off in Minnesota, even giving us some days with some unseasonably warm temperates (which after that winter, let me tell you, it’s much needed). The warmer air has me thinking of all the fun things I want to do with Ivy this season now that she’s venturing out on her own. You’ll find that most of these have to do with the outdoors – those of you who have to endure many cold months during the year will surely understand the desire to soak up as much sunshine as Mother Nature will give us.
- Visit our local splash pad. Surprisingly, there’s quite a few splash pads within a small radius of our house, one that’s just a couple minutes drive that has great reviews. I love the idea of a splash pad because it allows some more energy to be burned off instead of “swimming” – because let’s be honest, how many 18 month old kids do you know that are great swimmers?
- Make a list of playgrounds to try out & visit each on the list. There’s some great playgrounds around the Twin Cities that I would love to take Ivy to. While she’s still a little timid on going down slides on her own, and some of the equipment is still a little too big for her, it’s still a fun time to take her exploring to new places and have her test her limits a little. This mama wants to raise an adventurous little lady!
- Visit the beach. There’s a few manmade, chlorinated, lakes near our house that I’ve certainly had my eye on. It’s funny that I grew up swimming in the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers and as I’ve gotten older I’m more scared to jump in. I’ve heard many stories about kids getting very sick from lake and river water, so it’s nice to know the manmade ones are “cleaner”.
- Indoor playground. You know there’s bound to be some days where it’s going to rain and an activity is needed for a toddler who needs to burn off some steam. What better time to check out some indoor playgrounds than on days like that? I’ll be sure to keep the list handy for those long, cold winter months.
- Outdoor arts and crafts. We have a nice big patio area in our backyard that’s just calling for some summertime arts and crafts. There will be plenty of sidewalk chalk, water table-time, and finger-painting fun over the next couple of months.
- Ice cream shop tour. There’s a ton of cool little ice cream places opening up around the Twin Cities that are on my must-try list. There’s nothing better than ice cream on a hot summer day – I think all toddlers would agree with me on that, too.
- DIY ice cream & popsicles. Piggybacking off #6, I’ve always wanted to try making my own ice cream and popsicles and I’ve saved a ton of recipes on Pinterest. With few ingredients and limited supplies needed, making these cool summer treats is a fun activity for Ivy to help with.
- Water balloon fight. I’ve seen in Targets “dollar” section that they’re selling those packs of balloons that fill up a ton of balloons at one time. A coworker mentioned that her son, who’s the same age as Ivy, LOVED playing with the water balloons so it’s definitely something I want to try out with her! She loves to throw balls so I assume balloons that splash when broken will be equally, if not more fun for her.
- Dance in the rain. I’m on the lookout for an adorable pair of rainbows and an awesome rain coat that I can get for Ivy this summer. I’m so looking forward to grabbing some cute photos of her enjoying the puddles and a warm summer rain shower.
I’m sure I’ll have more adventures to add to this list, but I think I’ve got a good start for the time-being. I’m hoping to make it out on a boat ride or two this summer – that’s truly my favorite summertime activity!
What’s on your bucket list for this summer? Do you have traditions you do every year? Post in the comments below – I’d love hear them.