Being the parent of a rambunctious toddler in her terrible twos isn’t easy.
But this is also the age where you see kids’ personalities blossom and show. No longer is my daughter see reliant on me for feedings (she wants to use utensils and feed herself ALL THE TIME). She tries to dress herself and put on her own shoes with varied success.
She picks out her own food and drinks from the fridge and she is fully aware of how touch-screens work.
With Easter’s recent passing, and her successful first Easter egg hunt, I have starting thinking of adventures I think she’s ready for this spring. Especially now that she’s no longer my baby but my walking, talking, ball throwing and bowling loving little girl.
Here are five outside activities I hope my daughter and I will enjoy together.
Hanging out at the side of the creek looking for frogs and bugs. We have already talked about this, my daughter and I, and she is very excited to do it now that the snow is gone. So far, her only real interactions with the creek on our property have involved throwing her ball into it and expecting her mother or I to rescue it.
Going for a walk and not having to carry her home. My daughter is a little spoiled and when she says “Daddy, up please,” I am a sucker for just carrying her. But at 2.5 years old, I think she’s ready to do way more walking and there are a lot of roads and trails to explore around our new house.
Getting her a tricycle. While Christmas shopping late last fall, we almost bought her the tricycle then. She rode it around the aisles of the store and didn’t want to get off, even then. I feel like she will be ready to take the tricycle outside now. This may also mean being able to retire some of the wagons and her other means of transportation which I inevitably end up carrying home once she’s bored and decides she wants to walk or be carried.
Being my number 1 cheerleader. My daughter has made it out to a few of my softball games in the past but she’s always been bundled up in blankets and too little to even understand it is daddy pitching or hitting all those home runs. She will be in the dugout with me more this season, handing out high fives whether we win or lose.
We’re going to be beachcombers. She loves sand, she loves water, she’ll love the beach. We have had our daughter in swim lessons and she truly enjoys being in the water. I’m hoping this summer, we can get to the beautiful local beaches and conservation areas in the great county we live it and continue to teach her how to swim. My wife and I both understand the importance of knowing how to swim and want our daughter to share that skill.
What are you going to do with your kids this summer?
Aw, sounds like fun. We have a little lake nearby that I want to hang out at a lot. Yesterday, it was a treat just to sit outside all day and work on the lawn while they played. 😀 But today is rainy again. Oh well.