9-12 month old age appropriate outings.
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Anonymous
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Hi nannies and MBs!
Where do you nannies take your 9-12 month old charges for age appropriate outings. I am a first time MB and my nanny is wonderful. She has approached me multiple times about taking my DC on more outings. I am a nervous first time mom about the baby being away form home. It has nothing to do with the nanny, she is wonderful and I completely trust her. I don't even feel comfortable with my mom taking DC for a few hours away from home in the car! Haha! I know it is time to start having them venture out a bit more. I can tell our nanny is getting frustrated by my insisting they stay close to home (walks on our street). Nanny has done some research and suggested a story time at the library geared towards babies and a playground in driving distance she would like to visit with DC to get some fresh air during the day. Do you have some other ideas of places that would seem age appropriate to take a 7 month old? *and before anyone asks, yes I already purchased a car seat for her car which will stay there and will be reimbursing her gas and miles... |
Anonymous
Nanny of a 6 month old charge here: We go out daily for a couple hours in between her morning and afternoon naps. One day a week we usually go to the playground. Of course she is too young to really play there, but there is a nice park where we sit under a tree and she watches the kids running around. It's great to get out in the fresh air. We go to a music and babies class which is geared towards infants 6-18 months old. We just started this a couple of weeks ago but it is really great! She is full of smiles and giggles listening to the music and dancing around in my arms. I would love to find a babies story time around me. They also live by the beach, so once a week we walk to the beach and I put her feed in the sand and water. I am really lucky since most places I go with baby are walking distance. I am able to load up the BOB and Be set for our few hours out and about. I also have the option to drive, however rarely have the need to with only an infant. Once she is older I am sure we will drive more places. It's really important to get out for a change of scenery even if baby isn't yet able to "play" like older kids in the places they visit. 
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Anonymous
| I take my infant charges to playgrounds with baby swings, infant story times at the library, the zoo, parks with grassy areas where I can lay them on a blanket with some toys, etc. |
Anonymous
| Zoo, parks, children's museums, |
Anonymous
| OP here, thank you for your response. That's great that you can walk to all those places. Where we live, there is only a residential street for walking and a yard to play in. I know they play in the yard a lot but I think the nanny wants a change of scenery and I guess it would be good for my DD too. |
Anonymous
+1 I am the PP with the first response. even if it is just laying a blanket down in a new place to play with toys in the grass at the park, the fresh air is great!! |
Anonymous
OP here, I don't know about big places like the museum or zoo. I would rather DH and I have those experiences with DD. |
Anonymous
OP here again, At least for the first trip
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Anonymous
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If DC is only 7 months old and has no siblings, honestly, there are not many places they need to go that can't be walked to.
- Story times are geared towards older kids (my 18 month old charges hardly get anything out of them) - until DC is walking confidently, parks are really only good for swings (not really necessary to make a trip to a "special" park) -The zoo, museums etc. are great, but really just a more interesting walk for nanny at this age The only place DC might really get something out of would be a gymboree type class for infants and she may need to drive there. Otherwise, help her get creative with things she can do in the neighborhood, DC doesn't need to be in the car any more than is ABSOLUTELY necessary |
Anonymous
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Wow. I'm a first-time mom too but really want my kid getting fresh air every day and, especially as an only child, interacting with other children every day. Our baby is 19 months old now, but since 3 months old she's gone:
- all different parks and play grounds - museums - aquariums - zoo - beach - all tourist attractions - library (both for story time and just for hanging out) - other library - farmer's markets - book stores (kiddie section) - swimming pools She has one morning outing and one afternoon outing. |
Anonymous
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At 9-12 months the outings are for the nanny not the baby but this will change in another 6-12 months. My nanny and I came up with a list of places where they could go. If she hears of something new we added it to the list. I would never give someone carte blanche to drive all over town and my nanny is very responsible and agrees with this.
Good places: libraries, playground, parks, splash parks without pools, or maybe pay for a music/gym type class in another 6 months. Farmer's markets are another option when your child is older. Off limits places: shopping malls, swimming pool (nanny is not a swimmer), farther than X miles, no beltway or highways |
Anonymous
OP how did you feel stuck at home alone with an infant all day during your maternity leave? It can be very isolating, and you're asking this of your nanny on a daily basis. If you'd like to keep her for more than a few months, loosen up and let her and your baby get some fresh air. |
Anonymous
OP is specifically looking for places so that her nanny can get out more, calm down. As an aside, nanny is not "stuck at home". She has legs, no? |
Anonymous
OP I mean this in the nicest way, but if that's the case HURRY UP AND TAKE HER! Yes the zoo and aquarium and children's museum will be more fun when she's older, but once every month or two this is a great age for those kinds of outings. The animal sounds, the movement, the balloons and other children, it will all be fascinating for your DD and this is the right age for diverse stimulation. I +1 all of the other suggestions too - playgrounds with baby swings, parks, etc. are a good change of scenery for you daughter. Nanny might also take her to a community center that offers a toddler play zone once she is walking while pushing something - I started doing this with DC when he was about 11 months and getting to use the larger toys (push carts, ride in cars, hula hoops) and seeing slightly older kids using them too really kicked his gross motor development into high gear |
Anonymous
| Mom here - I actually think a shopping mall is a great place for a kid that age. But we live in the 'burbs and the mall is pretty close. My DS loved seeing all of the people and watching the kids. Some malls even have good play areas with padded floors. I hover over my kid in those play areas b/c I'm worried about the bigger kids running over my LO, although nothing has ever happened. It's great for a only child to see other children moving around and learn from them. Pet stores are also interesting for kids in that age range - and is a lot closer for us than the zoo. |