Tuesday, June 19, 2012

#FisherPriceMoms Summer Fun & Shopping With Kids!


Now that June's here (halfway through June already?! Where did the time go?), the weather's warmer and Little One just wants to play outdoors.  On our farm, a mountain of gravel can provide hours of fun for a three year old!
Here are a few other reasons Little One loves being outdoors in the Summer...
I love that Little One enjoys playing outside so much. She explores the farm, goes on "little adventures" armed with her rubber bug boots and gardening gloves (yes, she's quite classy), and just as fun! She's also an only child, so she enjoys going on adventures with our dog and our cats. Lots of activity, lots of fresh air, I guess one cannot really ask for more.

Despite the fact that my child will play outside ALL day if I let her, there are times when I enjoy taking her out with me and going shopping for fun activities to do.  I always take Little One with me.  Whether we're buying things like bubbles or Tempera paints, or craft items like googly eyes and feathers, I always let Little One accompany me and choose what she would like to get.

So far, I've been lucky that she hasn't asked me to buy her the entire store!  First off, she's still little enough that I can put her in the shopping cart. Secondly, I tell her in advance that she can only choose two little things. She loves the fact that she gets to choose and is helping Mommy.

I do admit that there was a brief time when Little One was in between the ages of 2.5 to 3 years old when she used to want to buy so many things in the store. She wouldn't cry or whine, but she'd say "I want that!" or "Mommy, can you get this for me?" and she'd pick things up as we went down the aisles.

My secret?

Distraction.

I'd ask her if she liked a certain something (that I was willing to buy) and when she got all excited about it, I'd ask her if she'd like to carry it for me. While she would happily look at her new item, I'd put back all the other items she picked up along the way. It's a little sneaky, but it worked.

Little One is now 3.5 years old and is actually really good about going shopping with me.

Though I generally like having her involved in the decision process when it comes to our activities, I think our next Summer fun item will be a BIG surprise for Little One. We want to surprise her with either a bigger swimming pool than she has now (she has one of those little inflatable pools) or a TRAMPOLINE! She's been asking for BOTH, but we've said not right now and that we needed to think about it. I think Hubby has caved and is going to get her one of those two things she really wants.

If it's going to keep her busy, active, happy, having fun, and outside, then I'm all for it! I think Mom and  Dad will have a blast too!

Disclosure:  I am a Fisher-Price Mom and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

7 comments:

Cherry said...

We had a trampoline and used it for so many years and LOVED IT. Both my bro and I eventually were in gymnastics (he continued through college) so it was well used until the end if it's safe lifetime. Plus the friends really dug it. This was before the addition of nets/fences around them which I sooo get now.
Craft and fabric stores are places I only do on solo shopping trips. I wander too much and Elizabeth is too grabby. I haven't tried in a long time though.

Kat Gignac said...

I completely agree with Cherry, trampolines are GREAT! We bought our neighbour's one second-hand when she moved and the boys rarely go a day without heading outside for a bounce. You've gotta get one, Christine! I promise you won't regret it! :)

Journeys of The Zoo said...

My kids are 2.5 and just starting to want everything (how they know about Dora and Thomas without tv is beyond me). Glad to see that things will start looking up for us soonas I think my husband is sick of shopping...

Regards, Sarah
Zookeeper at Journeysof TheZoo
journeysofthezoo at hotmail dot com

Unknown said...

Cherry:
Little One was a bit grabby on shopping trips when she was little. She'd take a whole bunch of things and dump them into my shopping cart! She's pretty good now that she's older. I can reason with her a bit more and she understands when I tell her she can only choose one thing or she can't have something on every shopping trip. I also give her tasks like "Can you find _____ for Mommy?"/"Mommy needs to get ____."/"Do you know where the ____ is/are?" :) The "I Spy" game works too for Little One.

Unknown said...

Kathryn:
I'm even more convinced now :) Little One LOVES her friends' trampoline, so it looks like she just may get one of her own!

Unknown said...

Sarah:
I know what you mean! My little one didn't get exposed to that stuff and still knew from her friends and cousins. Now she's all about Dora! Oh, well :) I keep telling hubby that it could be worse! She has learned some interesting things from Dora, so it's not all that bad!

Paula Schuck said...

My kids would love a trampoline. We have a tiny basement one. We have a backyard filled with a giant Rainbow climber though so not sure we can fit any more stuff...I still give my ygst a list of things she helps with at stores. My older daughter, now there;s another story...once they hit the tweens it's a different game again. Not interested at all in shopping. She hates it and is a big grump if I have to take her with me.

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City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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