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Now that my youngest is 11 months, I have been trying to get out with both my boys socially. There are many free activities you can do in your local area. These are a few of my favourites:

1. Playgroup

There are many playgroups running in our local area. We like those with free play and a little bit of structure. Our favourite playgroup has parachute play and a craft activity based on a different theme every week.

2. The Library

This is an all time favourite of ours. I took my 2.5 year old to the ‘Babies into Books’ session regularly as a small baby. With my two, I only recently got back there and they both enjoyed the session which combines stories, song and dance! We stay for some free play and the toddler storytime session which runs shortly after and combines a craft activity. If you haven’t already you done so, you should check out what your local government area offers for children.

3. Soft Play

We have a few different venues of playlands we enjoy for soft play. Both boys get into this now as there are baby sections for crawling and walking as well as more challenging play for toddlers and kids. It is a good way for Mums to catch up socially as the kids are very entertained and usually you can see them easily for supervision and grab a coffee!

4. Swimming

With the weather warming up check out your local indoor or outdoor pool. Both of ours have water play activities for kids. They are an inexpensive way to keep cool. If you don’t feel like venturing away from home you can always set up a sprinkler or table for water play. We did this outside our house with a bucket and some containers last week! We have also taken advantage of a special on season passes to a nearby water park. These can be a cost effective way to have fun for the whole season as kids are often free.

5. Get Outdoors

Choose a time of the day when the weather is cool. We walked to our local bike track recently and had a great time exploring the new park facilities. We also have a botanical garden in our area with a cafe, play equipment and plenty to explore. There is something great about getting out in the fresh air, don’t forget your hat and sunscreen!

This weekend we ventured out on both days to check out a carnival in our local area. Both days we ended up taking advantage of free festival family activities provided by the local council. These included free face painting, dance, art and craft, games and jumping castles! We had such a ball and can now save the carnival for next weekend! There are also regular markets and farm days in our area – never a shortage of things to do!

You would be surprised how many activities run in your local area. I am keen to check out a program running at our sustainable living centre, botanical gardens, as well as the local garden centre. I love getting out and about with my kids. If you’re looking for ideas, check out some local Mums, Bubs and Kids pages online!

My last tip is to let your friends know you’re going! Sometimes it is easier to be out with your babies and toddlers than be home! You never know who is at home feeling like they’re in isolation or wanting to get out for some adult conversation! It doesn’t have to be expensive to catch up either as with kids, you can often bring your own food and drinks.

Z.