Screaming. Again. And stomping. When will this stop? Where do they get all this energy?
You: Your turn
Partner: No, I did the morning shift
You: Yeah, but only for two hours. Can you take over?
Partner: You slept in, and now I need a nap! You’re being unfair!
Passing the kid between yourselves, like a hot potato… It’s 11am on a Saturday, and you are already exhausted. Nanny called in sick. Your family lives overseas. There is no cavalry coming. How can you survive another day and a half with the kid?
Discovering Kid-Hacks
Yours truly is a parenting noob, still figuring it out. Living in Bay Area, with wife and a 2yo kid. Our families being far, far away — playing the “grandparents” card is never an option. So, we started coming up with ways to keep our son occupied. Ones which do not involve screens, and do entail spending time together.
Included below are examples from Bay Area. Any further ideas or links — please email me: tom.kubik@gmail.com. We will feature your idea below, and we will give you a shout-out!
Events
Let’s take this one out of the way: local activities in your community are an excellent kid-hack. Foster creativity? Breed social skills? Keep your child engaged, in a positive way? Check, check, check. Wherever you are — good chance, there is a local listing, or an organization running kid-friendly events.
PAMP: Parents’ Club of Palo Alto and Menlo Park
Silicon Valley Toddler: events listing for Bay Area
Gingerbread house at the Fairmont, San Francisco (curated by Oliver)
Playgrounds… or — parking lots!
Another staple. Hopefully, your neighborhood has at least one. Alternating between a couple of playgrounds is key — otherwise, kids get bored. But, what if you only have access to one playground? Or none at all, especially in the age of COVID-19? Good news — almost any space can become a play area for kids. Find an interesting spot, and let your child have fun. Can be a local park, or even — parking lot with unique features, like exotic plants or… rocks. Especially on weekends, when car traffic is near zero — you can go explore!
Museums
There are museums, and museums — what you want, is an interactive experience. Exhibits that your child can play with. Natural sciences are excellent — plants, animals, physics, chemistry — you name it. Art galleries can be fun too, provided there is a kid-friendly area. Good chance there will be other kids around… So, a great exercise in sharing and taking turns!
Palo Alto Junior Museum: physics, biology
The Foster, Mountain View: arts, watercolor painting
Randall Museum, San Francisco (curated by Oliver)
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco (curated by Craig)
CuriOdyssey, San Mateo (curated by Craig and Manuel)
Libraries
Places to read… and, to play? Many libraries feature a “kids corner”, with toys, plushies, and yes — books. Usually there is good selection for all ages — including thick-carton editions for toddlers. Often times, there will be more kids around, so you may end up making friends. And finally — some libraries run events of their own: story time, arts, crafts, and otherwise… be sure to check their listings!
Menlo Park Library (curated by Rohini)
Playdates
A kid-hack, old as time… and yet, often overlooked! Have friends over. Or, pick an outdoor location. Easy, enjoyable, and grants parents a much-needed respite. One thing to keep in mind: playdates are not a ‘fire-and-forget’ exercise. You need to keep minding your kid, every now and then. Otherwise — enjoy!
Adult-dates
…but what if your friends don’t have kids? Your mileage may vary, but we have had success taking our kid to social meetings with adults. A couple of caveats. Respect your child — and respect your friends. It’s easier with fewer people — eg two or three couple attending. Your friends need to feel comfortable with having a child around. You should NOT make the whole conversation about the kid — everyone would tire quickly. Ideally, set up a “play corner” for your child in close proximity, and keep minding them. When your kid gets bored, you and your partner can rotate: one of you takes the kid for a 10-minute walk, while the other person enjoys adult-time. Hassle-free? No, but quite manageable. Having a social life, while being a parent — oh yes!
Animals
Kids love pets. Unfortunately, having a child AND a pet — can be overwhelming for parents. A compromise — local animals. Dog owners are usually friendly. And, they often hold local meetups, where furry friends chase each other in a field. Kids are usually welcomed as a cuddly, smiling member of the pack. Or, you can even befriend a local ‘gentleman pig’ (see below).
Caveat: animals can be dangerous, and you should be careful at all times.
Portola Valley dog meetup: every day around 4pm-5pm, Corte Madera Soccer Field or Town Center Soccer Field
Hidden Villa: farm animals, including ‘free range’ chickens, Los Altos
Deer Hollow Farm: farm animals, Cupertino (curated by Oliver)
Oakland Zoo (curated by Oliver)
Shopping
Every now & then, somebody needs to do a grocery run. A chore for you? Guess what — for your little one, it’s an adventure. Racing through colorful shelves? Seated in a trolley? While stacking produce your parent picked? What. A. Treat… Farmers’ markets can be fun too. With our son, trips to a neighborhood bakery — have become one of our favorite routines.
We recommend having your child wear a safety helmet whilst riding in a trolley. Safety first.
House chores
Your child is still exploring, learning about the world. Flip side: anything can be fun… including chores! Again, your mileage may vary — our 2yo son loves helping sort the laundry or empty the dishwasher. How to make it work? You need to be enthusiastic about the work. Treat it like a game. Singing and dancing — both welcome! Also, describe to the child what you are doing — naming every action, explaining why. “Forks belong in the drawer” — who knew?
Everyday items
When you are two years old — everything is new and exciting… including objects the most mundane to an adult’s eye. Readers report kids having ~1h of fun (and sometimes more) with things like leftover painters tape. Stick to the floor, and voila — a “magical path to walk on” is born! Whatever you end up using, remember: safety first.
Hiking
Admittedly, much easier with older kids. Still, a number of trails in Bay Area are toddler- and stroller-friendly. And, you WILL want that stroller, when the child gets tired.
Bicycle rides
Trailers, seats — solutions aplenty to have your kid join the ride. Changing landscapes, new locations — variety defeats boredom. Yours truly — on a perennial crusade to lose weight — now has a 2yo coach urging him on. You can see me (almost) every weekend, doing the Portola Valley Loop with a trailer. Along the way — you can make stops. You spot wild turkeys in a supermarket parking lot. You visit a horse park. Or whatever catches your eye. Stick to roads with a designated bike lane, stay safe — and see you out there!
Keep things interesting
Tina from Portola Valley discovered a great way to gamify the whole experience: have a set of cards, with activities inscribed on them. Your kid gets to pick a card at random — and, this is what you’re going to be doing that day! (and, to be realistic — you can pre-select cards for the draw…)
