In the heat, any outdoor activity I want to do with my toddler, I’ve had to time for early morning. I wanted to get out to the playground this morning before the slide got hot and before everyone else arrived.
We got really lucky and had the play park to ourselves for an hour. Nothing is more relaxing than having a fenced-in playground to yourself with your toddler, where they can run and burn off energy without you having to completely hover around them.
Take a soft toy with you
Firstly, we chased each other and played tag for a while before going on the swings. We took Bunny with us, and he enjoyed pushing Bunny on the swing and learning what strength to use to make Bunny go higher. At the playground, they have a rope climber that leads into a slide shaped like a car, complete with a wheel and seats under the slide for kids to pretend to drive.
My toddler loves to play pretend and turn the wheel like he is driving a car. I like to ask him questions like “Where are you driving to?” or “Is anyone in the car with you?” which sparks his imagination to tell me a story of what he is doing, which he loves.
My son is now really confident with rope ladders and is much better at using his feet and hands to move himself along. It is amazing to see the confidence in them grow each time you go to the park. I’ve also been enjoying teaching him hopscotch as a great way of learning numbers visually.
Playground trips are one of the best ways I’ve found to wear my toddler out before his nap, especially in this heat, if you don’t want to be out for a long time. Just don’t forget a hat and sunscreen!