Manageable Outdoor Activities When You're Alone with Twins
Manageable Outdoor Activities When You're Alone with Twins
At the end of every winter, the weather starts to get warmer and the blossoms bud all around us. Just the smell of a bbq is enough to give us the burning desire to be outside soaking up some rays.
But as moms of twins, the thought of actually taking your kiddos out to do all of the outdoor activities that others are enjoying can seem overwhelming and intimidating. Getting out of the house with multiples can feel like you are a participant in The Hunger Games. Can we get an amen?
The thing is mamas, parenting twins is a different beast of it’s own. We can’t be helicopter parents, overseeing our childrens’ each & every steps. By default, we teach our children independence and patience from the very beginning, because it’s the only option. We can’t be in two places at the same time or meeting both of our kids’ needs immediately. So as twin parents, when it comes to choosing activities outside of our house, we have to be pretty calculated.
There are logistical issues that arise when one adult is managing the safety of two little humans alone, which is why having a few outdoor activities that you can easily manage alone with twins is helpful.
5 Outdoor Activities You Can Safely Manage Alone with Twins
Puddle Jumping
Ok, so this one doesn’t necessarily involve basking in the sun or enjoying warmer weather, but puddle jumping is guaranteed to be tons of good ‘ol fashioned (and a bit messy) spring fun for your twins. And a bonus for you, it tires little ones out pretty quickly!
After a decent rain storm, toss on some rubber boots or even waterproof shoes, head out the front door and let your little ones make a big splash. Luckily you won’t have to venture too far from home to find the perfect jumping puddle.
Playing at the park
While going to the park with two seems a tad overwhelming, and admittedly a bit crazy, we promise you mamas, it’s really not.
Before you venture out, we highly recommend becoming familiar with your local parks.
Knowing what the equipment is like and when the park is busiest will help you to feel more comfortable managing your two babes at the park alone. Another helpful tip is to scope out parks with playground equipment for younger children. If you have toddler twins, it’ll be a lot easier to manage a play area suited for that age rather than being torn in different directions while chasing your kiddos head towards a massive slide and the monkey bars, at the same time!
The key to surviving the park is taking a deep breath, setting boundaries so that you can be close to both kiddos, but to let them play as they please and allow them to be children.
Cuts and bruises are going to happen, especially with two, because you can’t be in two places at once. That’s ok, as long as your kids are safe from major falls or dangerous obstacles, you should be good to go!
May Flowers
This is a simple, yet fun way for kids to learn about giving and kindness. Pick flowers from your garden or go buy a bouquet from the store. Create litle arrangements and tie them with some yarn. Make notes on little cards filled with inspirational quotes or compliments. Take a walk with your twins and leave them on your neighbors doorsteps. Little random acts of kindness not only brighten peoples’ days, but they also teach children selflessness.
Backyard Pool Party
Taking two kids to the pool is scary for any mom, especially when they don’t understand the dangers of a pool.
And, if you live in a place where cold weather is temperamental until late May, you have children itching to play in the water with nowhere to go.
On warm spring days we love to get out the water table and inflatable pools to throw a pool party in the back yard. Dump a few buckets of warm/hot water from the kitchen into your pools and finish filling them up with the hose to ensure your kids are splashing around comfortably!
Who doesn’t love a mom that turns the hose on her kids to start the ultimate water fight?
Pay It Forward: Feeding the Meters
Another random act of kindness activity that we like to do with the kiddos this time of year is feed the meters downtown. We get dressed up in costume, most of the time like our favorite superheros (there has been a time when I was dressed as a banana, but I digressed), we gear up to help “save the day”.
Once the kiddos are dressed in costume, we scour the house for any spare change we can find. Furniture, drawers, in the garage...you name it! Finding spare change makes a fun game in itself. When we have a few handfuls of change we make our way downtown.
We set boundaries and make sure that the kids know that we all need to stay close together. We all take turns putting spare change into the meters of any parked cars we can find. It’s a fun way to be outside and do something nice for others!
After months of being cooped up inside, getting outside to take in the sights and smells of spring is good for everyone. So twin mamas, don’t be afraid to venture out with your two babes. With a little planning, it can really be simple and fun!
How do you get outside with two babies? Share your tips and tricks with us below!
About the Authors
We are Meghan and Jenn, two moms from Denver, Colorado who quickly became friends through common interests.
