Summer fun with a one-year-old (My Kia, My Summer)

Having Henry means seeing the awesome parts of summer in a whole new way. Through a new set of eyes.

Playing with a hose. Being pushed on a swing. Digging in a sandbox. I’d forgotten how fun summer is.

But I remember now.

Summer with a one-year-old is awesome. Awesome. But totally different than the awesome in summers of the past. In the past, Ryan and I kind of flew by the seat of our pants. Now, our fun takes a little more planning. Because Henry thrives when he’s on a schedule,  it helps to have a little coordination of meals and snacks and bottles and naps.

But, it’s totally worth the planning because the fun is more fun. My goal for June (and for the entire summer) is to really “embrace fun.” It may take a little more planning, but I want to make sure we make the most of these warm months and share all kinds of new things with Henry.

So, when I was asked to write a post for My Kia, My Summer, I knew I wanted to share some of my ideas for summer fun with a one-year-old. And hopefully get some of your ideas as well.

Take a self-guided tour.

One of my favorite things we have done this month is start a Family Park Tour. Basically, we have been taking Henry to a few new parks each week. It doesn’t take long which means it’s something fun we can do on weeknights before dinner. It’s been a blast to check out new places and discover some hidden gems. And by making it a bit of a challenge, it’s something we’ve been able to keep up with.

(For locals, I’ve found some great parks on QC Moms Blog.)

I think it’d also be fun to take a self-guided tour of local libraries, farmer’s markets or trails.

Hit the road

Let’s just say that Henry isn’t a great road-tripper. Not a fan of being constrained, that one. But for us, it wouldn’t be summer without hitting the road – even for a short trip.

So, with the help of a little planning, we have a few on the agenda for the summer – to visit family and even relax. And I think that the key to traveling with Henry (I know every child is different) is to take our time, stop along the way, and try to plan around nap times so he can sleep for part of the trip. I’m also think a little distraction in the form of a rear sunroof could help – that’s my favorite part of the  Optima Hybrid by Kia. (I think I could get used to a car with a sunroof.)

Embrace the free.

I have been DYING to take Henry to a water park. He loves baths and the pool. But, our local water parks have pretty terrible hours for his schedule. And they aren’t a very good value when we’re only able to be there for an hour.

But you know what IS a value? Free splash areas at local parks. We can go at any time that’s convenient for us. There’s plenty of water to play in. And Henry is obsessed with them.

Don’t feel limited to “kiddie” stuff.

So, what are your ideas for summer fun with kids?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.