Two years ago I was carrying a small miracle in my belly, celebrating my first ever Mother's Day. Today, I carry the miracle in my arms, with a firm grip, because usually he's trying to break free.
I've learned more negotiations techniques than I did in business school.
I've learned the true meaning of multitasking.
I've become proficient at playing catch.
I've learned how to survive on no sleep and lots of kisses.
I've learned that I love my job but it's not nearly as important as my son.
I've learned that my husband is my rock, no matter what.
And I've learned what it truly means to be happy, because that's what motherhood made me: Happy, tough and thankful.
It's been a rainy week here in New York. While we had a lovely April, May started off with cold and gloomy weather, forcing us to spend more time at home than we'd like. Nicky and I usually go out every morning and evening, so all this time indoors has been driving us stir-crazy. While the toddler is practicing his new favorite word - "No", mama has been keeping calm with Haagen Dazs ice cream and Natural Calm magnesium supplements (helps reduce stress, when wine isn't an option ;)
After checking the weather forecast and realizing next week will only bring more rain, I started brainstorming for some ideas on what to do with kids on rainy days. Here's what I came up with:
1. Get outside. Whenever there is a break in the rain, we rush outside and play in the puddles. Rain boots and raincoat come out and Nicky splashes away. His current favorite thing it to throw acorns into puddles and then kick them while shouting "gooooooal" and splasing at mommy.
2. Yoga. This week we went to 5 Boro Power Yoga for a toddler class. Nicky had a great time doing all kinds of fun animal poses, learning to use his elbows, neck and feet to lift and hold balls and even attempted to lay in shavasana for a few minutes (okay, seconds). We now use this book to practice at home while learning how to imitate animals through yoga.
3. Scarf play. This is one of Nicky's favorite games from his Zumbini class. It's a great activity before nap or bed time as it involves calm music, like sounds of the ocean, and waving scarves, pretending to be a sea wave. It usually culminates with playing peek-a-boo or making a super-hero cape out of the scarf.
4. Build a fort. When mommy needs to lay down for a bit (after spending a day with a toddler, who wouldn't!), I build a fort with Nicky. We throw some blankets over chairs and on the floor and set up camp. I let Nicky play with a flashlight and figure out different ways to climb in and out of the fort and over mommy. This usually buys me at least half an hour of horizontal time ;)
If you are not a fan of chairs and blankets, you can get something cuter, like a teepee or a play tent:
5. Play in the rain. On warmer days, there is nothing wrong with setting up a beach umbrella on your backyard and playing some water games under it. A water table is an awesome activity for toddlers:
6. Read. Make sure your library is always stacked with your little one's favorites. Reading in very important at this age, and it's a great way to wind your little one down before bed time.
7. Burn off some steam. Anyone who's spent time with a toddler knows they have a lot of energy. Luckily, there are ways to release this energy without destroying your house. A folding tunnel, a trampoline, Sit'n'spin, or an indoor gym are all great options. I would recommend you to have at least one of these for a rainy day!
Check out our current favorite toys to get more ideas on how to entertain your little ones:
Do you have any tips on how to keep little ones busy on rainy days?
Please share in comments below!!
Can't wait for the sun to come out so we can start exploring our city and share our favorite hang out spots with you!
