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(Jogging Stroller Giveaway!) Summer Fun Ideas to Try with Your Toddler

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Friends enjoy this fun partnered post from Shopko and Southern Made Simple, where you will find my awesome little sister, Laura! 

When my baby girl decided to take her first steps back in March, she made it very loud and clear that she was tired of being cooped up in our house all winter long. She loves playing and exploring outside more than anything, and she was definitely ready to start enjoying the warm spring and summer air. After all, she had a new found freedom in her ability to walk, and there was so much she was ready to discover outside the four walls of our home! Her interest and curiosity about the outdoors came as somewhat of a surprise to me, because I have always preferred indoor playtime over being outdoors. Once summer is in full swing here in south Alabama, the heat alone is enough to make you never want to leave your beloved air conditioner!

However, I knew that it would be important for me to nourish my toddler’s curious side and get her acquainted with mother nature. I also knew that it would be important for my own sake to find a healthy balance in enjoying our outdoor summer time activities by incorporating things that would be both fun and interesting for both toddler AND mommy.

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So far this summer we’ve found several fun ways for us to get outdoors, get active and enjoy the sweet sunshine and summertime. If you’re looking for ways to get outdoors with your little one this summer, here are a few great idea starters to help you enjoy your time to the fullest!

Plan a Picnic/ Play at the Park

  • Even though we live in a very rural area, we still are fortunate enough to have a few local parks that children and adults can enjoy. Planning a picnic at the park is a great way to get out of the house, get some fresh air and let the kiddos get some play time in without spending any money. Depending on how hot it gets in your area, you may want to plan the trips to the park during the early morning or late afternoon to avoid being out in the heat of the day. Make sure to stay hydrated and find a shady spot to enjoy! My daughter and I have loved our play dates at our local park and have been enjoying the simple things that bring out the fun in our day, like playing on the swings and running through the grass!

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Make a Splash

  • If it seems too hard to escape the heat, make a splash in the pool! We like to join our cousins for a swim in their own backyard pool. If a backyard swimming pool isn’t readily available to you, take a look around town and see if there are any public water parks or pools that are either free or charge a small admission fee. There’s sure to be a park or splash pad near you that you and your little ones can cool down in while playing and having fun with others. If you’re feeling up to it, pack your bags and plan a beach or water park vacation! Enjoying the water is a great way to spend time with family and enjoy the outdoors during the summer, so put on that sunscreen and start making some waves!

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Bring Story Time to Life

  • Sometimes going outdoors just isn’t feasible every day during the summer. The summer months here are notorious for having random pop up showers that can last anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. When the weather just isn’t cooperating, we break out our favorite books that help bring the outdoors inside! Currently, my daughter is ALL about the animals. She loves learning new noises that certain animals make, and she’s started learning how to point out which animal is which. One AWESOME way to help bring story time to life is to visit the zoo and see all of those animals in real life! My daughter has been busy learning about farm animals, so we thought a visit to see her Grandaddy’s cows would be a fun treat for her!

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  • If story time is something your kids might enjoy, check your local libraries to see if they offer any summer reading camps or programs that help kids explore their imagination and exercise their minds! You can even sign up for a library card and stock up on books to help keep your kids occupied when outdoor play time isn’t an option.

Take a Stroll

  • My favorite way for my daughter and I to enjoy the outdoors together is go for a stroll/jog down our road or on the walking trails at the park. We usually do this once a week or so in the late evening when it starts to cool down. It gives me the exercise my body craves and needs while allowing my daughter to relax and and catch a breeze while we move. She’s definitely been enjoying the view from her sweet new ride, the J is for Jeep Brand All-Terrain Jogging Stroller. It’s been SO influential in steering my sails to get outside with my daughter and get moving. Before this jogging stroller, trying to walk my daughter up and down our road was a nightmare! We live on a dirt road and the terrain is really tough, but this particular stroller seems to glide over it with ease and makes for a much smoother trip. I don’t know how we ever functioned without it, honestly!

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When we’re out on the walking trails or jogging down the dirt road, we simply lock the front wheel to help keep the stroller in place and not wobbling back and forth. Before this stroller, the plastic swivel wheels on our previous stroller would get hung up every few feet traveled. It was enough to drive you bonkers, especially if you were trying to exercise! It also comes with a safety harness to wear around your wrist to prevent the stroller from getting away from you. I really appreciate the peace of mind that gives, because it can be really easy to have a stroller roll away from you when you’re going down a hill or if you’re near a ditch.

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And can I brag for just a minute about how spacious the undercarriage is?! I mean, I feel like I can pack almost anything under there! It easily fits a large diaper bag and a small cooler. I can pack several drinks and snacks and take them along on our adventures with us! I also appreciate the space up top for holding keys, drinks, iPods, etc. Those are things I typically need quick access to, and I don’t want to have to fumble through my bags to try to find them. In the J is for Jeep Brand All-Terrain Jogging Stroller, they’re right at my fingertips the entire time!

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All features of the stroller are easy to adjust and it’s incredibly easy to fold. In just two simple and quick motionss, the stroller is folded and ready to put away! I will say that this particular stroller does not fold down compact at all in comparison to other traditional strollers. It takes up almost the entire space of our trunk in our mid-sized SUV, so that’s something to consider if you’re in the market for a stroller.

My daughter and I have been enjoying our outdoor adventures this summer and have had a blast keeping ourselves entertained through play, picnics, water fun and especially our mid-afternoon strolls. If you’re looking for ways to beat summer boredom and get outside with your little ones, I highly encourage you to look for ways to incorporate the suggestions listed above into your summer schedule. And if you’re looking for a way to enjoy the outdoor time as much as your little one does, definitely check out the J is for Jeep Brand All-Terrain Jogging Stroller! It’s got everything you need to make your outdoor summer days the very best!

Win It! 

One very lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a Jeep Brand All-Terrain Jogging Stroller, courtesy of Shopko!

Shopko Jeep Stroller Giveaway

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Comments

  16. I would love to have the Backyard Discovery Atlantis Wooden Swingset for my kids this summer!

    Reply

  21. I would also like the Summer Infant Pop N Play Green & Black Portable Playard to take with me wherever we go.

    Reply

  25. This stroller is awesome! My son would also love the Fisher Price Drillin Action Tool Set from the website 🙂

    Reply

  29. The Infantino Explore & Store-Jungle Buddy Gym looks super fun and functional! Love the all the different colors!

    Reply

  33. I love the Intex Lazy Fish Baby Shade Pool. It’s the best of all worlds: water play, shade so it doesn’t get too hot, and it’s super cute. 🙂

    Reply

  36. I found the Pacific Play Under The Sea Beach Cabana and think my kids (and possibly me too) would love it! I might have to order one now. Seriously.

    Reply

  38. One more item that I’d love to get for summertime fun with my kiddo is the
    Huffy 16″ Spiderman Bike.

    Reply

  42. I have a 4 month old baby girl who’d love this! I also like the Evenflo Chase LX Harnessed Booster Seat in Jasmine.

    Reply

  54. I would love to get the Summer Infant Pop N Play Green & Black Portable Play yard for our backyard in the summer.

    Reply

  56. My middle kid is going to college in a few weeks so I’d buy Body Solutions 4″ Gel Big Bump Memory Foam Topper.

    Reply

  61. I would like to get my daughter the Kiddi-o® Uber-Zoomer to get around the patio/driveway and practice balance!

    Reply

  63. I love the CAT Metal Digger. He would never want to come inside if we had that to play with in the sandbox.

    Reply

  65. My kids would have a Blast with Banzai Aqua Drench 3 in 1 Splash Park. They love playing in the water so this would be the perfect product.

    Reply

  66. The sandbox with canopy for sure. My kids love to play in the sand but I struggle to keep them out of the sun

    Reply

  82. Both of my boys are obsessed with anything to do with the water, so another fun summer item I would choose would be the banzai obstacle swimming pool. Talk about hours of fun!! Awesome giveaway, thanks for the chance!

    Reply

  104. We love doing art and crafts so the Study Desk with Drawers in white looks like something practical and very useful for the summer. Thank you for the opportunity to win this awesome prize.

    Reply

  109. My kids would like the big float for the pool, where we’ve been spending most of our time this summer

    Reply

  110. We have been doing a lot of swimming with my 7yr old this summer and I think he would love the pizza float. So fun!

    Reply

  114. I really like the American Plastics Kids Picnic Table and it’s on clearance! My daughter would love it!

    Reply

  116. My daughter is getting ready to have twins, so the tandem or the side by side stroller would be awesome

    Reply

  118. I would love to get the KidKraft Metropolis Honey Table & Train Set for my son, he would love this so much! 🙂

    Reply

  119. I think the Bright Starts Zippy Zoo Activity Gym would be fun for baby to play with outside while mommy enjoys some fresh air (and does crunches and pushups beside baby :))

    Reply

  125. My son would love the CAT front loader with backhoe. I’d never get him to come inside again if we got that lol

    Reply

  131. I also love the Graco Extend2fit Convertible Car Seat, Gotham for my little one
    Thank You for the chance

    Reply

  133. The ride-on John Deere Farm tractor looks awesome! But they have tons of cool stuff on here. I also like their selection of Learning Toys.

    Reply

  134. The Infantino Pat and Play Water Mat Whale looks like something my youngest grandson would love

    Reply

  135. I would also love to have their Endless Summer 22″ High Wood Burning Square Firepit. This would be great for summer evenings and roasting marshmallows!

    Reply

  144. I would also love to get the John Deere Farm Trac
    Item #181813 to play outdoors with the kids!

    Reply

  146. Another item I’d love to get for my grandsons for summertime fun is their 20pc Jumbo Sidewalk Chalk.

    Reply

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