The 11 Best and Worst Summer Activities to do with a Baby
Hi! My name is Chrissie. I’m a friend of Liz’s and the mom of three kids: Connor- age 7, Mia- age 4.5, and Damon-10 months.
With three kids and 7+ years of experience some would call me a “seasoned” parent. While I would not consider myself a parenting expert by any means, over the years I have gained a certain amount of knowledge about what is and isn’t fun to do with a baby that I would like to share.
Bottom line: summer with a baby doesn’t have to be complete and utter misery- it can actually be fun! (but probably not FUN so don’t set yourself up for disappointment.)
The following is my list of the best and worst summertime activities to do with a baby:
Best
Hiking- This is a great option for a baby since most of them love to be outside and to be on the move. Plus, leave that nursing cover at home, mama! It’s mother nature, baby!! Feel free to breastfeed (and urinate) without an ounce of self-consciousness.
Here’s a picture of the kids and me on a hike. What a view, huh?!
As an aside, at the start of this hike we found ourselves next to a similarly composed family of five but one much better prepared for a hike with children.
They were decked out in full hiking regalia: canteens, backpacks with supplies, sturdy looking baby carriers etc. We forgot our baby carrier at home and only brought one Ziploc bag of Pirate’s Booty to share for our family of five. But we did remember this sweet bear hat.
Worst
The Beach- Picture yourself doing whatever fun pre-baby activity you liked doing at the beach: taking a nap in the warm glow of the sun, frolicking in the waves, or having an intense Top Gun-style beach volleyball game…Yeah, you can’t do any of those things. Stop picturing it so you don’t end up depressed.
The beach with a baby is just the worst. It takes several hours to pack for a trip to the beach and you’ll spend most of the time worrying about the amount of direct sun exposure your baby is getting plus all of the sand he has just ingested/gotten in his eyes. It’s also usually super windy which babies typically hate.
Lastly, I’ve recently learned that seagulls totally have your baby’s number when it comes to being easy targets to steal food from. Just the other day a swarm (or a flock? Yes, I went there) of seagulls surrounded my baby and stole his peanut butter sandwich right from out of his hands!
Ever wonder how seagulls like this one get so fat? Stealing babies’ snacks!!
Best
The pool- When you have a baby you can still cool off and have some fun in the water- just head to the pool! It’s like the beach but without all the hassle and birds of prey.
You do have to take into consideration your swimming attire, though, due to your doughy post-baby figure.
If you’re like me, you are going to feel inclined to cannonball into the pool and stay submerged up to your chin until sundown. Not so fast if you have a baby! It’s a SLOW and gradual descent into the water with EVERYONE watching.
Babies, on the other hand, look adorable in bathing suits.
And before you even think about it: YES, there are germs in a pool. I’m pretty sure, though, that all of the harsh chemicals they dump into pools usually kill even the most potent strains of e.coli.
Worst
A boat- Taking a boat ride on a clear summer day sounds like the perfect summer activity! Only thing is you have a baby with you.
Remember how babies hate the wind? Plus, if your kid goes ape-shit where are you going to go?
Remember, YOU’RE ON A BOAT. Save your nautical fantasies until next summer.
Here’s a picture of Mia as a toddler enjoying a ridiculous amount of wind on a ferry. A baby wouldn’t put up with that bullshit.
Best
A farm/zoo/any public place where there’s a high likelihood an animal may pass by- Babies love animals!!
You know that adorable face your partner makes when a golden retriever comes within 50 yards?? Your baby will make that face too!!
Spending a day in the fresh air while your delighted baby coos and giggles at animals is just the best. (By the way, while you’re at it, now is a good time to start taking note of how often your recreational time involves livestock now that you are a parent.)
As an added bonus, a lot of these places are free which is great for the mom on a budget. (For more money saving tips check out Liz’s post, The #1 Way to be a Thrifty Stay-At-Home Mom).
Here’s a picture of Mia looking at an animal as a ten month old. Was it a newborn lion cub? A squirrel running up a tree with half a bagel? Equally awe-inspiring to a baby.
Worst
A hotel- I know what you’re thinking: It would probably be difficult to do a full-on vacation this summer but wouldn’t it be fun to have a little getaway with the baby?! We’ll go to some cool but not too far away city and stay in a hotel overnight!
The reality of the situation, however, is that when you stay in a hotel you are essentially locking yourself in a dark room with your baby, too scared to move lest you disturb him. And don’t get me started on the shitty T.V. options at hotels!
Just stay home and take day trips- at least at home you have Netflix, extended cable, and you can stay up past 7:45.
Best
Ice cream- What is more fun and wholesome in the summer than heading out to get an ice cream cone? (Answer: nothing) And guess what?! Babies love ice cream too! (Stop right there if you are one of those moms who say their kid isn’t going to have sugar until their first birthday cake… just stop it.)
Here’s a picture of Connor at 8 months prepping himself for Type 2 diabetes.
WARNING: Babies get very messy when eating ice cream. Have wipes on hand.
Worst
A movie theater- You know you can’t go to the movies anymore, right?
Best
A bridal shower/baby shower/any other potentially awkward social engagement- Have an upcoming engagement that is sure to kick your social anxiety into high gear? Bring the baby!
Normally, you may find yourself awkwardly hovering by the cheese platter or pretending to check your phone. Now you can pretend to take care of your baby! He’s like your personal, drooling security blanket.
Plus, other people will want to hold your baby giving your arms a much needed break AND you’ll have an excuse to bail early. “I’d love to stay but you know the baby… He’s like a TICKING TIMEBOMB.”
Worst
A restaurant past 7pm- C’mon your baby doesn’t want to be there, the other patrons don’t want him there…be sensible and take your baby to dinner at a more reasonable time of no later than 4:45.
If you want to have dinner with friends post-bedtime, invite your friends over, plug the monitor in, and make sure someone stays sober enough to tend to the baby if he wakes up.
Best
A museum- Pop that baby in his carrier and get your culture on! It’s like hiking because you are walking around looking at stuff- but with air conditioning!!
In conclusion, whatever you do this summer just be sure to monitor your baby closely lest you discover he has eaten a teabag…and have fun!!!
What summer activities do you recommend with young children?
Well done Chrissie! As a new mom (and extra sweaty gal), I have a lot of apprehension about the summer. When I read your tips about showers/social engagements, I thought, ‘has Chrissie been reading my diary?’ I love using my baby to mask my social anxiety!
Awesome Chrissie! You two ladies crack me up and make my day!
Thanks Heather! Liz really is a national (or at very least, a regional) treasure!!
Thank you Courtney! It does make me wonder, what did I do before I had a baby to hide behind?? I think I pretended I had to go to the bathroom A LOT. People must have thought I had some sort of issue with my bowels.
Brilliant and hilarious. You pull off being a mom of 3 with such ease…or maybe it’s defeat, either way you’re an inspiration! Love this.
Thanks Elisabeth! It looks easy when you have an army of caretakers helping you manage your brood…just kidding, it’s just me and that guy who hangs out in the basement. Although, I did ask my teenage neighbor if she wanted to help with babysitting this summer and she wrote back “lol” so that’s promising!
Great post! Thanks for the tips about the pool vs. the beach… we live by the water and the seagulls are out and about already… I’ll be sure to keep an eye on my baby’s snacks so she doesn’t lose an arm 🙂
Mer, seagulls may look stupid but they are actually quite cunning! You’ve been warned!
So true… anything that steals that much food and poops with such reckless abandon surely has an agenda… I take your warning very seriously 😉
Mer, I thought you were referring to my baby but now I realize you mean the seagull. Could have been either!
Funny stuff, Chrissie!
Thank you Joanne! If this is the Joanne I’m thinking of you could write a whole book about raising a large brood, not just a measly blog post!
It is that Joanne, Chrissie 🙂 Joanne, I bet it’s strange to see your former “team” working together on a humor blog:)
Amazing all around! Excellent ideas here. Well done Chrissie! Very practical and super hilarious! With an eight month old (and my first) this is great advice and I will check out these suggestions for sure this summer! Thanks!!!! 🙂
Thanks Jess!! If you have any summer activities that you’re contemplating feel free to run them by me!
Will do! As newbies we have no idea what the safe choices are. John and I are going to a cookout tomorrow and we are a nervous wreck! You’d think we were packing Violet for a trip to the moon. Oy!
I loved this! Great job. I often find myself using my baby as a prop at parties that I don’t want to be at. And no one faults me for taking 2 pieces of cake (the baby needs cake too!) And leaving early. I need to learn my seagull hunting skills, I think my son could take one down if they stole his food.
Megan, taking two pieces of cake is totally acceptable! Just wait until Halloween. All that candy and the baby can hardly have any! Sucker!
Awesome job Chrissie! Now I can say that both Chrissie and Courtney’s blogging literally make me pee my pants laughing. (Another joy my little one gave me along with my doughy post-baby figure). 🙂
Ah, the loss of bladder control. I’m guessing Liz has many stories related to this issue both pre and post baby (blog idea alert!!) Personally, I full on urinated on myself at my son’s bus stop…but that’s a story for another blog…
Um, yes, this has been a lifelong battle for me. I actually have a draft of a post right now called “Oh, Catheter.”
Chrissie I am very interested in you urinating at your son’s bus stop. I’d like to to write that up for a future guest spot.
I’m on it, boss! I’ll give you one little teaser- I was wearing Christmas pj pants when it happened (it was May).
Ha! This was awesome. I myself have fallen into the many pitfalls you described as “the worst” and agree with your “best” list. I would also like to add playground to the list of best and worst. A baby can only enjoy the swingset, which is initially fun (win), but will quickly get bored and isn’t really ready for any of the other activities, except that nasty sandbox aka community litter box. Then you still have to listen to other kids sing their renditions of Let it Go while your kid is melting down and go only got a total of 15 minutes of enjoyment out of the trip. Only worth it if you also have a toddler. The playground is toddler and big kid territory.
Mel, you’re totally right. Between the possibly of being trampled by a big kid and maybe getting ringworm from the sandbox, the playground really is no place for a baby.