Do you ever feel like getting out of the house with your young kids feels almost impossible? Same, girl. Same. For a while, I would only leave the house with my kids if my husband was home and could come along with us. But that quickly became pretty unrealistic.
After some great outings with the kids, and some terrible ones, I’ve figured out some great strategies to make getting out of the house way easier for us. Hopefully these tips can help you out so you can start having lots of fun adventures with your kids.
Invite A Friend
“It takes a village.” We’ve all heard this, right? Well, your village is going to come in handy during outings with kids.
When we do a bigger “adventure,” like the science center, zoo, aquarium or something like that, I love to invite a mom friend along. Not only is it way more enjoyable, but there are more eyes. There are more kids as well, but I really feel like having another adult there is so nice. We have a neighbor with two kids the same age as my two oldest, and our kids are best friends. So if we go on a fun adventure with them, our kids usually stick right by each other. If one kid starts to wander off or is going a bit slower than the rest of the group, one of us moms can stick behind with them.
Choose An Outing That Keeps The Kids Contained
I love any letting my kids have opportunities to roam free. But there are days that I just can’t handle that. So for outings on those days, I go for something that keeps them very contained. These would be things like a drive through run where they will be in car seats. A walk with kids in the stroller. Or the grocery store, where they would be in the shopping cart. Or even a fenced in park that we love where they can run and play, but can’t wander off.
The Busy Toddler (@busytoddler on Instagram) has said that the Starbucks drive through is an outing, and I agree with her. It’s a great way to get everyone out of the house in the easiest way possible (and with a reward for everyone).
Set Expectations And Boundaries
Before we get out of the car when we get to an outing, I turn around and look my kids in the eye. And I tell them what my expectations or boundaries. For example, this week we went to an activity at our church. When we got there, I looked my kids in the eye and said “This activity will be in the church gym. You can play with the other kids there. But we will not leave the gym. We will not scream. etc” I reminded them again when we got inside.
Do my kids always listen to my expectations? Absolutely. . .not. Somedays, they could care less. And on those days, I correct them in the moment and/or we pack up and head home. And if they did a good job listening, I make sure to tell them how grateful I am for that. I’ve found that setting those firm boundaries is so essential for making an outing easier. My kids know that when they disrespect my boundaries, we will be ending the outing and going home.
On Your Way Out The Door – Ask Once
You know when you’re packing everyone up to get in the car, and you have asked your kids to put on their shoes about 5,000 times? And you feel like maybe everyone is suddenly deaf because it’s like they aren’t even hearing you?
Well, a few months ago I just stopped asking more than once. And guess what? My kids always find a way to get their shoes on before they get in the car. (even though it is sometimes in a rush as we walk out the door). If I do notice that they are moving slowly, I say something like, “I just need to brush my teeth and grab my bag. What else do you need to do before we leave?” It helps them stay on track, without me nagging them. And it’s one less thing that I have to be responsible for.
Start Small
If you have never taken your 3 young kids out for long stretches, don’t plan to spend the whole day at the zoo with them tomorrow. Start with an outing that feels super doable and work your way up. Start with a quick trip to the grocery store, a walk around the neighborhood, or swing through the Starbucks drive thru. Plan an easy outing every day, and over time they will get easier and easier. Seriously! I used to be unable to do practically any outing with my kids. But I started with quick errands. Then just a few weeks ago, I took 3 kids on an 8 hour road trip by myself. A few moments were tough, but we did it, had a blast and it didn’t feel as daunting as it once did. (But I was extra excited to be home and let my husband take over parenting duties for as long as possible).
Don’t forget to also check out my list of easy outings with kids from a few months ago! I shared some of the east outings that we love in our family! I hope these tips help your family have lots of fun adventures going forward. Share in the comments below what fun outings you’ve done recently.
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