August Guest Series {Mrs. Bishop}

My name is Stephanie and I blog over at mrsbishop.com. I’m a stay at home Wife and Momma to a 3 year old little man. I love crafting and baking and sharing mom “tips and tricks.” I also occasionally do fun giveaways and reviews. Come on over and check out my blog sometime!

Since summer is almost over, I thought I’d share some of my favorite activities that I did with my kiddo this year. He’s 3, so sometimes certain activities are hit or miss. “Threenagers” are opinionated creatures. So, here’s the activities that both he and I enjoyed the most:

The zoo- our zoo is 2 hours away, but if you have a kiddo that tolerates car rides well, it’s a really fun experience. We splurged and got a yearlong membership, and it’s so worth it. It costs about as much as 3 visits, and we’ve already been that many times. I don’t feel like I wasted $50 if my kid is ready to go in an hour, we don’t have to stand in line, and it covers parking. Anytime we’re doing anything close to where our zoo is located, we usually swing by for a little while. Some cities even have FREE zoos, so I’d really check into it. Kids love animals- and if they’re anything like mine, they REALLY love the aquarium part…and hey, the aquarium is air conditioned for those hot days! Win-win!

Children’s Museum- Not all cities have these, but most larger cities have some version of them. We have a huge children’s museum about 2 hours away, and locally we have a “Wonder Lab” which is a small version, but still lots of fun. Some are expensive, so we don’t go often- but once or twice a year, it’s a fun family trip.

Local Pool- This was our first year experiencing the pool with a toddler, and it was a lot less scary than I expected. Take a friend, and prepare to spend a little time in the baby pool, but it’s worth it. My toddler actually likes the big pool better. So grab your kiddos some “puddle jumpers” and have some fun in the sun.

Picnic at a Park- An old stand-by, but always a hit. We pack up some PB&J’s and other snacks and head to the park. Play, eat, and play some more. Sometimes my hubby will pick up some nuggets and fries and join us, my kid thinks McDonald’s is awesome, and a rare treat, so it makes the trip even more fun for him. Bonus-he usually naps REALLY good on park days.

Local Library- We usually do this once every week or two. Most libraries have a kids floor with toys and children’s books, and my son loves it. I usually grab him a few books while he’s playing, and we read those for the week. Most of the stuff there is geared towards imaginative play, so I can even sit back and read or chat with a friend while he plays. Sometimes when I’m really tired, I say “Library Day”, and I get a nice break while he gets some play time. A tired Momma’s gotta do what a tired Momma’s gotta do!

Go for ice cream- This may seem an easy and obvious outing, but sometimes I forget. Kid’s love ice cream (so do I). We went for ice cream after church last Sunday and sat outside, and my son thought it was the greatest thing ever, eating ice cream and watching cars drive by. Boys love cars…it’s in their blood or something.

Family Visits- We just recently committed to taking our little guy to visit his various grandparents on Sunday afternoons a couple of times a month. What kid doesn’t like to go see their grandparents? And when I told me Mother in Law we were planning on doing this, she about cried. So kiddo wins, and grandparent’s win.

State Park- Near where we live there are several state parks. They have playgrounds, pools, horseback riding, campgrounds, trails, etc. For a few dollars you can do a bunch of things and spend some time outdoors with your family. And if your kid is ready to leave after a short amount of time, you don’t feel like you wasted a bunch of money.

I really think that 3 is such a great age, and we’re finally able to do all sorts of activities that we haven’t been able to do the last few years. What are your favorite activities to do with your kiddos/as a family?

Thanks to Hailey for letting me share today! Don’t forget to check me out at http://mrsbishop.com or follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!