6 Fun Things To Do With Your Baby At The Park
Congratulations on having a baby! After the baby moon is over and you are ready to take your little one out to the park. When should you go to the park with your baby for the first time? What can you even do with your baby at the park? There are a lot of great things you can see and do while at the park and guaranteed to have a good time.
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When To Take Your Baby To The Park
There is no best time to start to take your baby to the park. The choice is yours. Many parents look at the following before they take their baby to the park for the first time
The Weather
If you live in a place that has very harsh winters, you may want to wait a few weeks (or months) before you take your child to the park. In colder climates with snowy days, it is rare that a park and its playground are well maintained. Parents want it to be a safe experience for their child. Secondly, you don’t want your little one to get sick before they go to the park for the first time! If you choose to go out during the winter months, be sure to bundle your child up but make sure that they don’t overheat. It is a delicate balance.
Vaccination Schedule
Some parents do not take their baby outside let alone to the park until the child is vaccinated. If you choose to have your child vaccinated, some parents wait until the child has had their first round of vaccines before they go the park for the first time.
If Child Has Illnesses
If your child was born with a disease or illness, parents wait until their child is stronger and they have learned to help them effectively through their challenges. Parents of children with illness have many variables to consider so they may take their time to make that decision.
When The Child Can Hold Themselves Up
Some parents wait until their child can fully sit up and hold themselves up before taking them to the park. A child can experience a baby swing and sliding with a parent with ease.
The Decision Is Up To The Parent
As the parent, your decision making is unique to you and your family. Do not feel bad if you choose to take your time before you go to the park with your baby for the first time. Similarly, if you feel comfortable going out with your baby soon after birth, that is your decision with your doctor. Trusting yourself as a parent is key and knowing that every decision is unique to you and your child is integral.
Fun Things To Do With Your Baby At The Park
Parks are some of a child’s most fondest memories! Additionally, you will spending a lot of time at the park over the next decade or so. When you have a baby, do you take them to the playground at the park? What can a little one do at a park that can be fun for the baby and yourself? There are so many options for enjoyment for baby at the park. It’s just about being creative!
Walking Around The Park With Baby
When you arrive at the park, there may be some paths and trails that you can take. Be sure to walk around the park with your baby. They will have a lot of visuals to look at. From people watching, to the sky, trees and grass. Your child will be observing people move around, often times quickly and be amazed with it. Similarly, the sky will be fun for your children to observe birds, clouds and airplanes. This is also a great way to bring up your cardio vascular in a safe and healthy way.
For your baby, this is their first time seeing the world in action so it will be a lot to take in! You may even get one sleepy baby in the middle of your visit or towards the end. This can be a great sleep for baby who is full of fresh air and a small break for you to rest or get other things done.
Sit on Big Swing With Baby
Go to one of the adult or bigger swings and park your stroller nearby. hold your baby tightly and sit on the big swing. With your legs, rock slowly back and forth without taking your feet off of the ground. This gentle relaxing motion will be exciting for baby at first, but eventually it will lull them to sleep. This is a great way for your child to observe what is around them, feel the motion of the swing and get a lot of fresh air!
Baby Swing
If your child is older and can sit up on their own with ease, test your baby on the baby swing! Once they are secure and safe in the baby swing, give them a light push. Many babies get very excited to be swinging and feel these moments of independence. Some even laugh, a lot! Quickly go to the front of the swing so you are face to face with your older baby. Babies find it hilarious that they can see their parent face to face as they swing lightly back and forth. This is a wonderful bonding moment between you and baby and really helps your little one with focusing on objects and fine motor skills.
Watching Others
Who doesn’t love to people watch? If you have a very young one, find a nice park bench and sit down! Bring baby out of the stroller or keep them in to observe from their own perspective. With people walking by, happy noises at the park and others playing sports, there will be endless things to look at. This also helps your baby get used to their surroundings and community.
Climbing Small Hills
Look for very small hills at your park. For older babies who are crawling, it can be fun to get into the grass and climb a very easy hill. The incline will surprise them but it will also start to educate them on the gross motor skills they need for growth. This becomes the best epic baby adventure and we know this wonderful activity will be a baby fan favorite for months to come. Not only that, you will have one sleepy baby on your walk back home from the park.
Rolling In The Grass
In a quiet part of the park where there are no sports happening, sit down in the grass with your baby. Let your baby experience the grass between their feet and grasp at it. The feeling of grass can be foreign to a baby and some love it, while others cry. This is a great way to get your baby to love the great outdoors and continue to come back to the park for more fun and excitement. This will also help your baby develop their fine motor skills and focus on beautiful colors outside and contrasts while your baby is in the park.
Skills To Learn While Your Baby Is In The Park
Your baby will not only have a great time at the park but also pick up on various skills during their park visit. There is so much to see and do that your baby will start picking up on so many different skills.
Sight
If you have a very young baby, their sight is still developing. They are beginning to see color and they are beginning to decipher shapes. When you take your child to the park, you are taking them back to nature. Babies are experiencing trees, the sky, grass and other people enjoying themselves in nature. They will see colors that are not on a screen and that are natural. Babies will begin to understand the outdoors and nature around them.
Sight Recognition
Your child will start to recognize shapes and the world around them. They will get used to the walk to and from the park and recognize faces, the playground and the nature around it. This can be a great way for your child to be comfortable and get excited for the park if you plan on going regularly.
Social Skills
Your baby will interact with you, hear and start to understand words. Similarly, they may interact with other babies, children and adults around them. They will hear new sounds and watch people interact with them and others. This is a great way for your child to develop social skills and interact with other people of all ages.
Communication Skills
Your child will see you in a new setting and start to learn how to communicate, like social skills, your child will learn about sharing, playing with others by communicating with others. They will learn words, patience, playing nicely and how to have fun with others.
Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are when we make small movements with our muscles using wrists and hands. Your child will be learning these skills at the park! From waving to holding onto the swing to pushing yourself on the slide, your child will be able to learn and fine tune these fine motor skills. The park is the perfect place to learn!
Gross Motor Skills
Gross motor skills are abilities that allow us to use large muscles during movement. Running, climbing, lifting and playing sports are some of the many ways to use gross motor skills effectively at the park and playground. Your older baby may be excited to climb, run, and make big movements at the park.
Navigational Skills
Even as babies, are little ones are very observant! You will see your baby start to understand where everything is at the park and taking the walk to go to the park. They will notice landmarks during their journey. This is a great way to make your baby familiar with their new surroundings and most importantly, comfortable in their surroundings.
Baby At The Park
When you decide to take your baby to the park, it is your choice alone with your child. Once you are there, there are so many ways to have fun with your little one and so many skills that they will learn. These simple trips will make some beautiful memories.
