Vanessa Brown was awesome enough to share a week’s worth of fun activities for rookie moms that are just as fun for mama as for baby. She is the busy mother of two girls that have a blast living in Utah enjoying nature and all of the wonderful attractions here. She is married to celebrity dog trainer Ty Brown and is also the mother of two dogs.
Vanessa Brown blogs over at INeverGrewUp.net, UtahsNaturalKids.com and is part of the Utah blogger review site SassyScoops.com.
Vanessa with her family. Photo by Sanae James.
Vanessa tells us:
Visiting or living in Utah provides you with a bit of an advantage for finding establishments that are friendly towards babies, breastfeeding mothers, families, etc. because we are sure the capital of BABIES! But even after having two babies right in a row, it took me a while to figure out where I could go that would work with a newborn and a 17 month old. I am afflicted with a constant sickness of “Cabin Fever” and need to be out and about. And now that I have passed this sickness on to my girls, they have to be out and about as well!
So here are some of our favorite places in the Salt Lake City area for “Rookie Moms” to test the waters and have some fun together.
Monday: Outdoors.
When living or visiting Utah you have to take advantage of the outdoors, even with your “itty bitties,” by roaming around outside and enjoying the beautiful mountains we have. Here in Utah we have quite a few canyons that can seem intimidating, but don’t be daunted! I still remember my first outing with my oldest daughter. We went up Provo Canyon with a picnic and found a spot along the river. We lay in the grass and stared at the mountains and clouds while listening to the river. Whenever we went on one of these outings, we would just venture up the canyon only a little bit. We would stop at the first park or trail that we could find so it wouldn’t be too chilly or steep if we decided to walk around.
Tuesday: Storytime.
Utah has amazing libraries that are very baby and toddler friendly. After all, most of us out here have a baby or toddler! The libraries put on great story times, lap times and singing times. In lots of the local libraries, these programs are taught by other mothers who have their own babies on their laps or by very friendly and understanding librarians. All upcoming Salt Lake County library activities are listed online; from reptile shows to story times to puppet shows to magic shows. It’s a real treat all around.
Wednesday: Stretch.
Looking for a great class for you and Baby or Tot to have a chance to relax and bond? Utah is full of Yoga Centers. The Yoga Center in Salt Lake City is an amazing place to be rejuvenated in a yoga class along with Baby.
Thursday: Movies.
Are you itching to go to the movies with your little one but afraid of being asked to leave? At the Scera Movie Theatre, they have movie times during the summer three days a week when you can bring your noisy kids! When I was a nanny watching three little ones, this was their favorite thing to do. Crying babies fit right in.
Friday: Window Shop.
The charming Mom & Pop children’s boutiques are quite family friendly and provide a good afternoon of fun window shopping. They have a large section for kids of all ages to sit and play and have very “kid friendly” displays so you don’t have to be stressed bringing your little one into the store. The Red Balloon Toy Store, Children’s Hour and Oopsie Daisy are fantastic stores where you will find hidden gems to buy for your child’s future birthdays and holidays.
Saturday: The Arts.
Want to explore art but are nervous to walk into an art museum and be shushed out immediately? Then visit the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on the third Saturday of the month from 2-4 pm during “Family Day” where tons of other noisy children will be. My girls have loved to just stare at the different sculptures and paintings from the time they were only a few months old. Even if they last 30 minutes it is a nice trip for Mommy and Baby.
Sunday: Temple Square.
Take a walk to explore Temple Square which is extremely family friendly. It’s bustling every Sunday night with large families full of kids of all ages. You can visit the visitor’s centers where they have interactive displays for children. There is room to run around outside in the gardens. You can even catch an outdoor concert with your little one.
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Thank you Vanessa for this terrific itinerary! We look forward to your jam-packed week of fun for toddlers and preschoolers next month.
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