Leaving the house when you’re potty training can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be when you’re prepared! Make sure have these diaper bag essentials for potty training packed, and you won’t worry about accidents on-the-go anymore!

There’s no such thing as casual potty training.

At least not successful casual potty training.

We’re potty training our third child, and if there’s anything I’ve learned over the years, it’s that in order to be successful with potty training, you have to really commit and go all in.

Instead of being cautious and putting diapers or a pull-up on our son when we leave the house, I’ve been keeping him in his undies. Yes, that does mean there’s a potential risk of accidents outside of the house, and yes, that can be terrifying and messy and complicate things.

But if you stock your diaper bag with these essentials for potty training on-the-go, it will be a lot easier to commit and potty train your child while still leaving the house.

Here are some diaper bag essentials for potty training that I highly recommend you stock in your diaper bag for trips out of the house!

Diaper Bag Essentials for Potty Training

A wet bag

This could be a plastic grocery bag or something fancier like these wet bags that are meant for storing soiled cloth diapers. As long as you can put wet or possibly stinky undies or shorts inside without getting the rest of your diaper bag wet and stinky.

Pants that are easy to put on

When you’re potty training, pants that are easy for your child to put on and take off by themselves are your best bet. And it’s especially helpful to have ones that are simple when you’re on-the-go and need to change your child. Stretchy waistbands aren’t just for Thanksgiving anymore.

An extra shirt

Most often, this won’t be needed, but especially when you’ve got a little boy who is potty training, sometimes their stream can go up a little too high and get on their shirts. So make sure you have a backup just in case!

Baby wipes

Besides obviously wanting these on hand in case of any poop accidents, any mama who has potty trained a child knows that when your kid pees their pants, it’s uncomfortable. Having some baby wipes to wipe down their legs after they have an accident is important for your child’s comfort post-accident.

Clean undies

Or, I supposed, a clean pull-up, but we personally aren’t using pull-ups this time because in our experience, they feel too similar to diapers. ANYWAY, you’ll obviously need some clean undies in your diaper bag when you’re potty training.

Little rewards

Rewards are a big part of potty training for us, even if all that means is a single M&M after using the potty. And if your kid is anything like mine, they will ask you for a reward every single time they use the potty, whether you’re at home or away. Keep something small in your bag for them (even if it’s just a few chocolate chips) or you might be faced with a tantrum followed by the purchase of expensive ice cream.

Sanitizing wipes to wipe the toilet, if needed

You know how sometimes you don’t even want to sit on the toilet seat because it’s so disgusting? Now think about your child sitting and touching and moving all around on that same toilet seat. Keeping a few sanitizing wipes (like Clorox wipes, Lysol wipes, or a small pack of ancibacterial Wet Ones like these) in your bag in case of extremely gross toilets can definitely help. Especially if your child needs to use the bathroom at a gas station or (please, no!) a porta-potty.

Socks

You never know how full your child’s bladder is going to be when they have an accident, and sometimes it runs all the way down into their socks. Keep an extra pair in your bag, just in case.

Disposable or washable changing pad

One thing I’ve always struggled with is when kids poop their pants in public. I have this traumatizing memory of my oldest son when we were at Disneyland for the first time standing on a bench by the Monsters Inc. ride telling me he pooped his pants. Have you ever taken off poopy underwear without getting some on your child’s legs? Have you ever been able to cleanly wipe your child’s poopy bum while they were bending over? It’s a struggle.

My solution is to use a disposable or washable changing pad (or honestly, even a puppy potty training pad like this) so you can put your child on their back and lift their booty up to clean everything. You definitely won’t want to have them just lay on the ground, and sometimes it’s too late to or too embarrassing to go out of the stall and use the baby changing table, and this is a quick solution! Just clean your child up and toss the pad in the trash or washer! Easy peasy!

I honestly think potty training is one of the hardest parts of parenting. It takes a lot out of you, it’s a full-time commitment, it’s exhausting, stressful, and you never know how long it’s going to take. But the reward that comes at the end, AKA having a child who uses the toilet, is definitely worth it. Obviously.

Hopefully these diaper bag essentials for potty training will help make it easier for you to keep up the potty training even when you’re on-the-go! Life doesn’t stop just because you’re potty training!

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Want to know two words guaranteed to give any parent anxiety?

Potty training.

Potty training is such a huge, difficult, stressful, important milestone for kids. Every kid handles it differently, and every kid gets potty trained on their own schedule. Our oldest son was potty-trained by the time he was three, and our daughter didn’t get potty-trained until she was almost three-and-a-half years. 

Our youngest son will be three in January, and now that we’ve settled back into our school routine and feel pretty normal again, we’ve started thinking about potty training him.

And yes, in case you’re wondering, it still stresses me out.

Fortunately, I made myself a lot of notes and wrote a lot of posts while my other two were potty training, so I have been doing a lot of reading and studying up to make sure that we’re successful and I know what I’m doing.

One of the most important things (and also potential roadblocks) for potty training is getting your toddler excited about potty training. If your toddler isn’t excited and on board, I can almost guarantee you that potty training isn’t going to be pleasant or successful. 

Today I wanted to share seven tips to help you get your toddler excited about potty training so that when you actually start, you’ll have a better chance at success!

How to Get Your Toddler Excited About Potty Training

1. Talk it up.

Talk all about how cool potty training is, how their favorite characters use the potty, how their friends and family use the potty, how they can pick out big kid undies when they get potty trained, and how they can get a big reward when they get potty trained (if that’s your thing). Just make it seem like the coolest thing and remind them how important and awesome it is. I know “everybody’s doing it” isn’t generally a good reason to do something, but potty training is an exception!

2. Make a potty chart.

Every kid loves getting to add a sticker to a special chart when they accomplish something, so use that for potty training! You can either buy a potty chart on Amazon or draw one yourself on some posterboard. I drew my son a big train that he got to put stickers on, and my daughter had a castle chart that she put stickers on every time she went potty. Either way, hang it up on the wall by the bathroom so they can see it and get excited about starting every time they walk by!

3. Read about using the potty.

If you don’t want to buy books about potty training, check some out from your local library! Our oldest son loved My Big Boy Potty (and there’s a girl version, My Big Girl Potty), and there are tons of others out there. The key is to keep potty training at the front of their mind and remind them how great it is!

4. Watch shows about using the potty.

Our favorite potty show is from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. In the episode Prince Wednesday Goes to the Potty/Daniel Goes to the Potty, both Prince Wednesday and Daniel Tiger learn about going to the potty and how important it is to stop and go right away when you need to go. And I promise you’ll be singing the song years later. 

5. Be positive about potty training.

If your child senses that you’re dreading it, they’re not going to be excited. So try to stay positive and don’t talk about how hard it is or how hard it was for someone else or for older siblings. You want your child to associate good feelings with potty training so they want to try it!

6. Don’t shame them.

One thing I’ve learned is that kids aren’t going to get excited about potty training just because they think that pooping in their diaper is what babies do. Don’t tell them they’re a baby for going in their diaper, don’t tell them that they’re yucky or stinky because they still wear diapers, and don’t make them feel bad about not being potty trained yet. If you’re going to tell them anything, focus on how big kids wear undies and use the potty. That way they’ll want to be a big kid instead of feeling shame about wearing a diaper. 

7. Let them pick out a potty seat.

I speak from experience here. Don’t buy a portable potty that you have to clean out every time your child goes. Instead, get a potty seat that goes directly on the toilet. Even better, let your child pick out what potty seat they want! Our daughter picked a pink and purple Paw Patrol seat, and it got her excited about going to sit on it. Involving your child in every step is going to help increase their excitement about potty training!

One more quick tip. If potty training doesn’t work the first time, don’t stress. It’s okay to take a break and try again. Your child might just not be ready, and that’s not on you or on them. Every child potty trains at a different age and at different speeds. Our son took a few months and was accident-free by his third birthday. After several failed attempts, our daughter finally potty trained over a weekend and was accident free at three-and-a-half years. 

Don’t push potty training until your child is ready, because if it’s a negative experience for you, and especially for them, it’s just going to be harder!

Now, fellow mamas in the trenches, I wish you the best of luck! We’re definitely in this together and our kids will all get potty trained eventually, right?!

The post How to Get Your Toddler Excited About Potty Training appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Last week was Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week, and I’m a big fan.

Ever since J was a baby, I’ve been very passionate about car seat safety. It’s such a simple thing, but often overlooked. While most people won’t get into a car accident in their lives, the seriousness of getting into an accident with a child in the car can not be understated, especially if their car seat is not properly installed.

Most people think they know what they’re doing when they put in their child’s car seat, but a study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that 59% of car seats are not installed correctly. Scary!

I highly recommend going to a car seat check at least once, just to make sure you know how your car seat should be installed in your specific car. You can find them wherever you are (the Minnesota Department of Public Safety lists car seat checks on their website, so your state may, too), and they really take only a few minutes. It’s absolutely worth it to go and make sure you know what you’re doing! 

In the meantime, or if you’ve already done that and your car seat is put into the car correctly, there’s one big thing you may not have realized that can determine if your child’s car seat is installed correctly, not just in your car, but for your child–your child’s height and weight!

Why You Need to Know the Height and Weight Max on Your Child’s Car Seat

Knowing the height and weight of your child is incredibly important when you’re figuring out what direction your child needs to be facing in their car seat, and what car seat they need to be in. Car seats have height and weight restrictions for both rear-facing and forward-facing. Infant seats are always rear facing, and when your child is either a certain height or a certain weight, they have to move to a convertible car seat. Convertible car seats can be rear-facing or forward-facing, and it depends on your child’s height and weight which way they need to go. Again, once your child reaches a certain height or weight, they have to move to a harness booster or highback booster seat, which is always forward facing but depending on your child’s height and weight, they either get strapped into the car via the LATCH system or the lap belt. Their height and weight also determines if they still need the 5-point harness or if they can use the lap belt. 

See? Knowing the height and weight of your child and how it relates to their car seat is INCREDIBLY important.

So go right now and find out the height and weight of your child. I’ll be right here waiting when you get back.

Done? Okay. Now here’s what you need to check, using their height and weight: 

Make sure you’re using the correct car seat for your child.

They’ll either need an infant seat, a convertible car seat, a highback booster seat, or a regular backless booster seat.

Make sure you know if it should be rear-facing or forward-facing.

Obviously all infant car seats need to be rear-facing, and all boosters need to be forward-facing, but convertible car seats can be buckled in either rear-facing or forward-facing, depending on the height and weight of your child. It used to be that the AAP recommended leaving your child rear-facing until two, but now they recommend leaving your child rear-facing as long as you can! I know this might be hard, but children are much safer in rear-facing seats!

Make sure your child is buckled in correctly.

Some car seats only have an option for a harness, in which case you’re good. But some car seats, like the highback boosters, can buckle the child in with a harness or the lap belt, depending on your child’s height and weight.

Make sure the car seat is buckled in correctly.

Depending on your child’s height and weight, their car seat also may need to be buckled in differently. Our Graco Nautilus 65 (a harness booster seat that transitions to a highback booster and then a backless booster) uses the LATCH system up until 45 lbs, and then it has to be installed with the lap belt and top tether. And then once your child uses the lap belt and not the harness, it doesn’t get buckled in at all. 

Bonus tip: make sure you know where your child’s head needs to be in relation to back of the car seat! Our booster car seat manual states that your child’s ears need to be below the top of the car seat headrest or the child is too large for the seat.

Car seat safety really isn’t that complicated, as long as you know what you’re doing and pay attention. We all want what’s best for our children, and making sure their car seats are not only installed correctly, but that they’re using the right ones and buckled in correctly, are such easy ways to protect them from harm. 

And to make it even EASIER, I’ve put together three little printables to help you keep track of the height and weight limits for your child’s car seat! I have one for infant car seats, one for convertible car seats, and one for booster seats! Print them out and take a few minutes to look up the height and weight restrictions on your child’s car seat! 

And remember, if you’re not sure, just take your car and car seat to a quick car seat check! It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

The post Why You Need to Know the Height and Weight Max on Your Child’s Car Seat appeared first on Life With My Littles.

One thing we love doing here in Minneapolis is visiting the Mall of America. Once you go, all other malls seem inferior.

In case you didn’t know, the Mall of America is the biggest mall in the United States. It has three floors all the way around (with a fourth floor in part of it), over 500 stores, over 50 dining options, a theme park, an aquarium, and tons of fun events. It’s easily one of our favorite things to do in the Twin Cities.

Since we go so often, I thought it would be fun to put together a post all about things to do at the Mall of America with toddlers. You might think that taking your toddler to the mall wouldn’t be super fun, but the Mall of America is no ordinary mall. There’s seriously TONS for toddlers to do (besides riding around in the stroller or shopping!), and it’s the perfect place to go on snowy, rainy, or super hot days when you just want to stay inside! 

Also, a quick tip, if you park on the fourth floor, there aren’t any stairs to go from the parking garage to the mall. On the second, third, and fifth floors you have to go up or down a small set of stairs to get into the mall, and with strollers, that’s no good. So park on the fourth floor of the parking garage and you’ll be golden!

Here are ten things to do at the Mall of America with toddlers:

1. Play at the LEGO tables outside the LEGO store. As if the LEGO store wasn’t fun enough, they also have a few tables set up outside the store (between the store and Nickelodeon Universe) with benches around them and a bunch of LEGO bricks to play with. And there’s even DUPLO tables! So whether your toddler is younger or older, this is a fun place to rest and let them play for a while.

2. Paw Patrol Playground. I’ll admit this is not my favorite thing at the mall, but I’m including it because it is something to do. A few months ago they opened up a big Paw Patrol playground inside Nickelodeon Universe. It costs 6 tickets to get in for 20 minutes (which is $7.20). Going on Toddler Tuesday (see #6) is the best way to do it. If you go when it’s busy keep an eye on your little one because it can get kind of rowdy. We have been twice and our toddler loves it!

3. Build-A-Bear Workshop. What little kid doesn’t love picking out their own stuffed animal!? We went last year when my son was about 18-months-old and he had so much fun. He picked out a Chewbacca bear (of course) and loved carrying it around and giving it hugs. This is a good place to go if you have grandparents in town and they want to get your toddler a gift!

4. The Crayola Experience. This is more fun for older kids, but they do have a few things that my toddler enjoyed. They have a playground for younger kids, a light show room where they can color on whiteboards and run around on an interactive floor, a little area where you can use chalk or dry-erase markers and color on everything, and several other places where toddlers can color. They can probably do almost everything with a little assistance. It’s a fun place to visit!

5. Sea Life Aquarium. We just did this for the first time yesterday. It’s not a huge aquarium, but it’s perfect for toddlers! Lots of fish, sharks, turtles, jellyfish, and seahorses to look at! 

6. Toddler Tuesdays. If you’re going to take your toddler to the Mall of America, try and go on a Tuesday. Every Tuesday, the mall hosts “Toddler Tuesday” where kids can meet their favorite characters, do arts and crafts, and get discounted wristbands for Nickelodeon Universe ($12.99 for 5 hours valid on certain rides). They can also eat free with the purchase of an adult meal at more than 10 restaurants around the mall. Seriously, Tuesdays are the day to go with your toddler. 

7. Disney Store events. The Disney Store often has events that are fun for toddlers to go to. In October they have Halloween parties where kids can participate in a parade and a sing-along. You can see what events they have coming up here. They’re a lot of fun! 

8. Nickelodeon Universe. Besides the Paw Patrol Playground, Nickelodeon Universe has a lot of rides that toddlers can do. They have several rides that you have to be 36 or 39″ to ride without an adult, and then a lot that toddlers can ride as long as they have a chaperone. Plus, if you’re a required chaperone (meaning your child has to have an adult) you don’t have to pay for yourself! 

9. Treat stores! The Mall of America has several candy stores, chocolate stores, ice cream stores, bakeries, and even an edible cookie dough store! If your toddler has been good (or you need something sweet to distract them with), go get them a treat! We love the candy store It’s Sugar, and the edible cookie dough at Dough Dough is delicious! 

10. Train table inside Barnes and Noble. If you just want a quick break or a way for your toddler to get out some energy, take them to Barnes and Noble and let them play with the train table in the children’s section. All of my kids have always loved playing there, and it gives you a chance to just sit and rest!

And even though this post is focused on toddlers, there are also a few other things that are fun at the Mall of America that bigger kids will like. There’s a mini golf course, a blacklight mini golf course, a mirror maze, Flyover America (a flying ride), 5D Extreme Attraction, the American Girl store, and they’re putting in a virtual reality attraction that’s going to feature Star Wars (my kids are excited for that one!). 

The Mall of America is tons of fun for any age, and that absolutely includes toddlers. Don’t skip over it because you think there won’t be anything for your littles to do there! There are lots of fun things to do at the Mall of America with toddlers, and if you plan a trip, I hope you have a great time! Maybe we’ll see you there!

The post Things to Do at the Mall of America with Toddlers appeared first on Life With My Littles.

We recently finished up a few months of speech therapy with our toddler, and the difference that it made for him (and us!) was like night and day. 

Prior to going, I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know how long it was going to last, what the sessions would be like, or if it would even help. 

I thought it would be helpful for other mamas in similar situations to read a post all about what to expect when your toddler goes to speech therapy. Whether you’re trying to decide if speech therapy is the right option for your child, if it’s worth the investment (those sessions aren’t cheap), or have already decided and just want to know what it will be like, this post will hopefully give you a little insight! 

Why We Decided To Get Our Son Evaluated

It wasn’t until our youngest son was over 18-months-old and still only saying “mama” and “dada” that we started worrying. We didn’t know how far behind he was, but we knew that our older kids were both saying way more by his age. Our pediatrician said to keep an eye on it and we’d reassess at his 2-year appointment.

But by 20-months we decided that we needed to get him evaluated. Our youngest son said five words (with “mama” and “dada” being used the most), got frustrated and cried when we didn’t understand him, and never repeated sounds when we tried to help him learn new words. It was hard for all of us and very different than what we had experienced with our first two kids.

I had a friend point out that he may have a hearing problem, but we weren’t worried about that because he followed directions and could point to things when we asked him where they were. We figured it was more a problem with his vocalizations than anything else.

Together we decided that it was better to get our son evaluated and have it be nothing than miss it and have it become a bigger problem later on. So we called around and made an appointment.

The Speech Evaluation

I brought my 21-month-old son to a speech language pathologist at a local Minnesota Children’s Rehab clinic for an evaluation last October. I had no idea what to expect, but was eager to get our son the help we thought he needed.

We met the speech therapist and went into a small room with two chairs and several toys. I filled out a little survey that asked questions about my son’s ability to listen, respond, and express himself. While I was answering the questions the therapist played with my son. She tried to get him to repeat things and watched how he behaved.

When I finished the questionnaire, the speech therapist added up all my answers and told me that our son was just a few points away from being below average. She said that speech therapy would help him with his expressive language and that it probably wouldn’t be a big speed bump for him. She wasn’t able to tell me how long he would need to go to therapy, but she did say that it wouldn’t be a long-term thing.

Grateful to have a plan in place, we scheduled our first appointment and headed home.

What the Sessions Were Like

I started taking my son to therapy every week. His first appointment was at the beginning of November. We went into a room that was similar to the one he’d been evaluated in, I sat in a chair to the side, and the therapist would play with my son.

She played cars with him, they fed pretend food to different animals together, they played with Mr. Potato Head, and lots of other simple toys. The thing that made the difference was that she would speak very clearly and try to get him to repeat certain things. With the cars, she repeated the word “go” every time they’d go down the track. With the food, she repeated the word “eat” every time my son would feed the animals. And with Mr. Potato Head, she repeated the word “push” every time they pushed in one of his pieces.

At the end of the session, the therapist got out some flashcards and would try and get my son to repeat the sounds on the cards: a picture of a dog panting with an “h” sound, a picture of a boat with a “b” sound. They started with consonants and then moved on to vowels.

At first my son was quiet and would only occasionally look at me and say “mama” during the sessions. But eventually he began to repeat the words the therapist was saying. Words with consonants at the beginning were easier for him to say than words with vowels, but he was improving.

Every session was the same. We’d come into the same room, my son would sit in a chair by the therapist with a little table on top for his toys, and I would sit to the side and just watch. They’d play with several different toys, they’d practice some of the flash cards, and then we’d go home. I know it sounds crazy, but after just a few sessions, my son was starting to talk more.

How We Practiced at Home

One thing that I loved about the speech therapist who worked with my son was that she gave us copies of the flash cards to take home and practice. We practiced them every day before nap time and bed time. At first he didn’t cooperate, but eventually, he had them all memorized and would say the sounds before I did.

I also tried to do a lot of repetition when we were playing together, just like in the sessions. When we’d get a new toy I’d say what it was (“car”) several times while we were playing it. Sometimes he’d repeat the word, and sometimes he wouldn’t. I tried to use a lot of the same words that he practiced at therapy, too.

Another thing we did at home was I wouldn’t give him something unless he repeated the word first. For example, I made him say “please” or “more” or whatever the thing was (like “milk” or whatever) before I gave it to him. It took a while for him to figure out that he wasn’t getting things unless he talked, but once he did he started talking a lot more.

Why We Stopped Going

At the beginning of January, we made the decision to stop going to speech therapy. It was a tough decision, but there were two things that helped us make up our minds.

First, our sessions were not cheap. Some people may qualify for speech therapy through their school district, but we didn’t go that route, and even with our insurance, we were paying about $150 per session. 

Second, our toddler was doing so well, learning lots of new words, and was repeating sounds and words that we worked on. He was a lot less frustrated at home (and so were we!) because he could communicate what he wanted most of the time. It made a huge difference. We decided we could continue doing what he was doing in his sessions at home, so we didn’t need to keep taking him.

When we talked to the speech therapist, she was on board with us finishing up, too. She had also noticed a big improvement in our son’s expressive language, and told us that if we ever had any questions or had any problems in the future, to give her a call. We had one last session, and our son was done.

How It’s Going Now

Going to speech therapy for even just a few months made such a big difference in our son’s life. He says tons of words and has even started saying two and three word phrases (like “where Daddy?” or “want milk”). We still go through his flashcards sometimes, and we’re still aware of how we talk to him during playtime. I want to try and keep implementing what we learned in his sessions so that he continues to improve and keep talking.

I know that not every kid “graduates” from speech therapy in just a few months, but our son did. Going to speech therapy was a game changer for him, and we had such a good experience with it. 

If you’re trying to decide if you toddler should go to speech therapy, talk to your pediatrician. And if you disagree with what they said (like if they tell you just to keep an eye on it and you’re still worried), it’s okay to go get your child evaluated! You know your child and can probably tell if something’s wrong, especially if you have older kids who may have been talking earlier or more. 

And if you’re thinking about or preparing for speech therapy, hopefully now you know a little more of what to expect when your toddler goes to speech therapy. 

And if you have any questions, feel free to comment and ask! I’d love to answer any questions about our experience! It was great!

Good luck!

The post What to Expect When Your Toddler Goes to Speech Therapy appeared first on Life With My Littles.

We’ve been looking forward to Christmas for months (hasn’t everybody!?), and now that we’re less than two months away, I’ve started putting together ideas of fun things we can do that my toddler can do with us. I’ve always loved the giant seasonal bucket lists I’ve seen on Pinterest, so I thought it would be fun to turn our list into a giant poster so we could mark off each activity! I want to make sure that our youngest gets to participate in the Christmas magic this year (he turns 2 in January!), so all of these ideas are ones you should be able to do with a toddler! It’s a Christmas bucket list for toddlers!!

And as if that wasn’t good enough, I’ve included a link to download the print in a big enough file that you can print it and make a giant poster, too! Ours is 24×36″ and we printed it at Office Depot for $19. Super easy, and it’s fun to have a visual display of all the fun things we’ve done and have yet to do! Here’s what we included on our Christmas bucket list for toddlers:

1. Decorate cookies. One of my favorite things growing up, and I love doing this each year with my kids. Yes, it will get messy when toddlers are involved, but it’s fun!

2. Deliver cookies. Of course if you’re going to make and decorate them, you can’t keep them all for yourself, right? Plus, this is an easy way to get your toddler involved in some Christmas service!

3. Visit Santa. Always an adventure with a toddler. Even if they cry, I still love doing it!

4. Drive around and look at Christmas lights. My family always did this on Christmas Even growing up, and it’s another easy thing to do with a toddler.

5. Eat a candy cane. Yes, they’ll get sticky, but it’s a classic!

6. Get or make a keepsake ornament. Another tradition I’ve carried on with my kids is getting a special keepsake Christmas ornament every year. Toddlers can pick them out, too!

7. Take a Christmas picture. This can be in a Christmas outfit, with Christmas lights, in a present, by the tree, or in Christmas pajamas. If you need some inspiration you can check out this post of ideas (and yes, I know those are baby pictures, but you can make them work for toddlers, too!).

8. Decorate a gingerbread house. It won’t be pretty, but it’s the memory that counts!

9. Make a snow angel. You’ll probably have to move their arms and legs for them if they’re on the younger side of toddlerhood, but think of how cute their tiny imprint in the snow will be!

10. Build a snowman. And by build a snowman, I mean you build a snowman and show it to your toddler so they can knock it down.

11. Watch a Christmas show. I’d recommend something short (like Rudolph!) since movies can be too long for some toddlers.

12. Drink warm chocolate milk. AKA, toddler hot chocolate.

13. Help decorate the Christmas tree. We have shatterproof ornaments and ribbon hangers so we don’t have to worry about smashed ornaments or metal hangers poking eyes! (For tips on babyproofing your tree, check out this post)

14. Dance to Christmas music. What toddler doesn’t love a dance party?

15. Pick out a toy for a child in need. This might be a little hard for them since they might want it themselves, but find a giving tree or something and let your toddler choose a toy for the child you’re helping. Kids pick up on more than we think, and it’s never too early to teach them about service.

16. Act out the Christmas story in the Bible. This is fun for toddlers because it helps them get more involved in the story than just reading it in Luke! Plus, they get to dress up and may even get to make animal sounds!

17. Go sledding. Every little kid should go sledding during the winter at least once! It doesn’t have to be down a big hill, and even if they cry, their face going down will be priceless!

18. Color a Christmas picture. Or more accurately, scribble a Christmas picture.

19. Send a Christmas card. Help your little one make a card for Grandma or an aunt or uncle. Even if it’s just a scribbly mess or something small, they’ll love it.

20. Make a Christmas craft. There are so many fun ideas from creative people on the internet (here are a few). I guarantee you can find one with supplies you already have that your toddler will love!

21. Build a fort. Who doesn’t love a fort? Perfect for a cold, snowy day!

22. Read a Christmas book. If you don’t have any yourself, try checking one out from the library!

23. Play with Christmas playdough. I’m not a big playdough fan, but there are some really fun sounding homemade varieties that would be perfect for Christmas! You could even try doing a festive playdough mat with your child.

24. Go look at Christmas lights at the zoo. If you don’t have a zoo close by, find a local park or garden that decorates. We’ve always been able to find places that do Christmas light displays everywhere we’ve lived!

25. Ride a Christmas train. We did a Polar Express train ride when our oldest son was 20 months and he thought it was about the best thing ever. Plus we got to meet Santa and we all got hot chocolate and a cookie!

26. Make marshmallow snowmen. One of my favorite holiday memories of my daughter was when we did this and she had just turned two. She took about 30 minutes to eat hers after she made it! We usually do Twizzlers Pull n’ Peel for the scarves, mini chocolate chips for the eyes, mouths, and buttons, orange Tic-Tacs for the noses, and OREOs and Rolos for the hats!

27. Make and eat snow ice cream. Ever tried making ice cream out of snow? It’s super fun and super delicious!

This is only for personal use. AKA, don’t sell it (or I’ll hunt you down).

We’re so excited to start checking things off this Christmas bucket list for toddlers. I think my favorite part about it is that we can do a few in a day or even skip a few days! I tried to pick things that were pretty manageable for a toddler and that weren’t too intense. Yes, there are a few things on here that cost money, but there are just a few so hopefully that’s cool with you (if not, go find yourself another free printable Christmas bucket list for toddlers!). When we hang it up for good and start checking things off I’ll be sharing on my Instagram, so make sure you’re following along! Merry Christmas!

The post Giant Printable Christmas Bucket List for Toddlers appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post is sponsored by Pampers. I am a proud member of the Pampers Baby Board.

It’s no secret that I love Pampers diapers. I haven’t been shy in telling you guys how much we love them, even since our oldest was a baby. In the last year, Pampers has come out with a new line of diapers and wipes (Pampers Pure) and made some pretty amazing changes to their existing lines of diapers (Baby Dry and Cruisers). You know a company really cares about the product they put out there and the people they’re serving when they’re improving diapers that are already the best on the market!

Pampers Swaddlers have been the first diapers each of my babies have worn. They’re absorbent, fit snugly and don’t leak, they’re super soft, and with that yellow indicator line, they’re perfect for new parents! No wonder Pampers is the #1 choice of hospitals, nurses and parents (including me!).

And guess what! Pampers Swaddlers are the latest line to get an upgrade. They’re now softer and more comfortable than ever, and that’s a big deal! Every parent wants their baby to be surrounded by comfort and love from the moment they’re born, and nothing touches a baby’s skin more than diapers. Think about it! They wear diapers nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! So don’t you want their diaper to be as soft as possible? YES!

Baby skin is so sensitive and soft. And even as a toddler, our youngest still has the softest skin in our family. As a parent, you of course want a diaper that’s going to be just as soft and gentle so it won’t harm or irritate their skin. Having a soft diaper absolutely matters, so I am thrilled that a diaper I already thought was soft and perfect for babies (or toddlers, in our case!) is now 2x softer, offering the softest comfort and best protection ever! They’re seriously blankie soft, and they gently wrap your baby in Pampers’ best blanket-like softness. There’s a reason they’re called Swaddlers, mamas!

You’ll know your’e getting the new Swaddlers by the Blankie Soft Heart Quilts™ picture on the package. They no longer have Sesame Street characters on them (which my kids never got into, so fine by me!), and instead they have cute new designs!

What do they mean by “heart quilts?” Well, look at the inside of the diapers! This absorbent layer is made of breathable mesh and patterned with heart quilts! Pampers Swaddlers still have up to 12 hours of protection with their unique Air Channels™ that allow air to reach your baby’s skin, helping keep them dry and comfortable.

So how does it work? Well the top sheet is dual-layered! The outside resists liquid and the inside draws liquid inside. Basically, this special sheet absorbs wetness and then keeps it inside, keeping your baby’s bum dry! They literally pull wetness and mess away from the skin. These new Swaddlers keep your baby’s bum virtually 100 percent dry. How amazing is that?

I even tested it by pouring water on top and then feeling it, and then pouring some more on top and feeling it again. Guys, it really does work! I could tell the diaper was wet, but my hand didn’t get wet when I touched it. It was amazing! No more worrying about irritation from a wet diaper! Which also means that your baby will sleep longer and wake up happier. Even if your baby pees at night, they’ll still wake up feeling dry! Hooray!

Babies should feel swaddled in love with every touch, and that includes the touch of their diaper. Thanks to Pampers and their team of hardworking innovators, you never have to sacrifice softness for protection!

The post Swaddling Your Baby in Comfort with Pampers Swaddlers appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Our kids are curious about their world from day one, and it’s so much fun to watch them learn, explore, and grow. As we get older, curiosity can help us learn and adapt, come up with solutions to problems, and help make our world a better place, in our own homes and in the community. Curiosity is an essential trait for success in today’s world, and as parents, it’s important to encourage our kids to be curious and foster their desire to learn. And we can start doing that as soon as they’re born!

There are lots of ways to encourage curiosity, and today, I want to talk about how to encourage curiosity in toddlers. My youngest is now 19-months-old, and he loves exploring and learning about the world around him. Sometimes I find him upstairs just wandering around with a toy in his hand! I want to always make sure that he stays curious and continues to have that desire to learn so he can figure out what he’s passionate about in life and then turn that into a career! I know that sounds like a long way away, but it will go a lot faster than I’d like, so I’m doing my part now. And you can, too!

Ways to Encourage Curiosity in Toddlers

Play peekaboo

What little kid doesn’t love peekaboo!? Show your toddler how to cover his own face and surprise you, too. If your toddler is older, try making it a little harder and hide behind a corner or in the next room and wait for him to find you. Or even hide a toy! We recently started hiding toys in our shirts and Little R tries his hardest to figure out where they go. He’s always so surprised when we pull them out to surprise him!

Read, read, read

Read all kinds of different books about all kinds of different things. Teach your child about new animals, read about kids in other countries, and provide touch-and-feel books so he can experience different textures. Curiosity is all about exploring and discovering, and reading is a great way to encourage those things.

Invest in educational toys

When my oldest was a baby, we got a few Baby Einstein toys (some balls with things inside and a little music player) and my son LOVED them! In turn, my daughter loved them when she was a baby, and my youngest loved (and still loves) them, too!

Let them try things on their own

As a parent, sometimes I have a hard time stepping back and letting my kids do things on their own. But my kids aren’t going to learn and grow if I do everything for them! Try to let your toddler do a few things on their own (age-appropriate, of course). Maybe that’s holding a toothbrush while you move their arm or letting them put their shoes on by themselves. Either way, give them a chance to do it on their own, first!

Play with things in new ways

There are tons of ideas online for encouraging curiosity in toddlers. I love the idea of giving your toddler a chance to play with things they normally wouldn’t do (like putting pipe cleaners in a colander). They won’t ever learn to “think outside of the box” if they always do things the same way!

Let them make messes and don’t stress about them

Ugh! Again, this one is hard for me sometimes! But if your child is going to be open to exploring things, you need to be, too. So let them play in the dirt or help you bake cookies or use fingerpaints. You can always wash things (including your toddler!), and sometimes making a mess is fun!

Listen and dance to music together

Our family loves having “family dance parties” and listening to silly songs on YouTube. Music can boost creativity, so listening to it and dancing to it together is a great way to encourage curiosity in toddlers!

Don’t discourage things that are unique or different or tell them “the right way” to do things

If you want your child to be curious and to be open to discovering new ways to do things, you can’t always correct them when they do something a little bit differently. Let your toddler wear their socks on their hands or use a fork for their yogurt. It might make things a little harder, but they’ll learn things on their own!

Expose them to new things

Go to a children’s museum, to the park, or to the zoo. Always be looking for new things to expose your child to. The first time we took my toddler to the zoo he thought monkeys were dogs and started barking! This is something I’m always trying to work on!

There are lots of ways to encourage curiosity in toddlers. It can be fun for both you and your toddler, and you might even become a little more curious in the process! Good luck, mamas!

The post Ways to Encourage Curiosity in Toddlers appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Thank you to GoNoodle for sponsoring this post.

Having three kids under six means that I am a busy mama. There’s always someone to help or a mess to clean up. Needless to say, it can be hard to get things done, especially when my to-do list feels like it’s 1,000 miles long. Lucky for me, I have a few tricks up my sleeve to occupy my kids and keep them out of my way so I can get things done! And guess what? None of them involve TV!

These 8 ways to occupy your kids without TV are perfect when you need to do something like clean the bathroom, make dinner, or even shower! They’re easy, you probably either have them on hand or you can get them in ten seconds, and they involve very little effort on your part!

1. GoNoodle. My favorite of these eight ways to occupy kids without TV is the app GoNoodle Kids. I first heard about GoNoodle from my preschooler. I would pick him up from school and he would go on and on about “GoNoodle,” which I had no idea about. Eventually I Googled it (because that’s what you do, right?) and discovered that it’s a free kids app with dance-alongs, yoga videos, mindfulness activities, and other awesomely active and fun ways to move! Everything in GoNoodle is meant to energize or calm the mind and body. It makes sense why my son’s teacher used it in a classroom full of preschoolers! In fact, GoNoodle has been used in 80% of U.S. elementary schools this year!

GoNoodle is safe, active, and turns traditional screen time into active time. All of the content is Y-7, and I love that all of the videos help kids be more active, calm down and be their best selves instead of just sitting on their bums blankly staring at a screen. You can download the app for iOS or Android devices, or visit GoNoodle online to create an account, and the best part is that it’s free!

And something extra cool about GoNoodle is that this summer, families can join GoNoodle GoSummer daily wherever they are. Just log on weekdays at 11am EST or 7pm EST for special LIVE sing-alongs, dance-alongs, and stretch-alongs with GoNoodle! There are even sweepstakes prizes for participating! And as if that wasn’t cool enough, during GoNoodle GoSummer, new songs like “Bye, Bye, Bye,” “Larger Than Life,” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” are going to be featured in fun throwback videos! You know I’ll be dancing along with my kids to those ones while I’m cooking!

My kids love GoNoodling while I make dinner, iron, or change my youngest son’s diaper. Sometimes I even join in when I’m done! And with the app, now you can GoNoodle wherever you are, at home, at the beach, even in line at the supermarket. GoNoodle is screen time that I can trust and appreciate, and it’s a great way to occupy your kids so you can get things done!

2. Coloring. What little kid doesn’t like to color? My kids can color for at least an hour before I even have to intervene. If you don’t have a coloring book, just grab some white paper and they’ll be thrilled!

3. Stickers. Another super easy one that my kids LOVE. It doesn’t even matter if they’re plain round dots or if they’re stickers featuring their favorite characters. They’ll stick them on paper, their clothes, or even their own faces.

4. Magnets. We have alphabet magnets and plain round magnets, and my kids love them. My one-year-old especially loves the alphabet ones because they come with a little singing bus. You can use them on the fridge, or if you want your kids out of the kitchen while you cook, you can stick them on a cookie sheet!

5. Matching cards. You can pick up super cheap sets from the store, or you can even make some yourself! I’ve made a few color matching cards and some pumpkin face matching cards that were really easy. If you make them yourself, make sure you laminate them so they don’t get destroyed!

6. Building toys. There are so many different brick building systems ranging in different sizes and for different ages. We have a few and when I get them out, my one-year-old and my five-year-old occupy themselves while I get things done.

7. Books. And no, I don’t mean you reading them, because obviously you wouldn’t be able to get anything done if you’re reading to your kids. Let them pick out a few books (or even have free reign of the bookshelf) and read them on their own. Just make sure that if your child has a tendency to rip out pages if left unattended that you give them board books and not picture books. Lesson learned.

8. Snacks. This one might not be the way to go if you’re making dinner, but if it’s the middle of the day, a snack is a great way to get your kids to sit down and stay out of your way!

There are lots of ways to occupy your kids without TV that are simple, fast to throw together, and free! Now that you’ve got these easy mom hacks, put one of them to use and go get some stuff done! Good luck!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of GoNoodle.

The post Ways to Occupy Your Kids Without TV (So You Can Get Things Done!) appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post is sponsored by Baby Dove.

When you live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, you have to take time to explore them, right? We moved here last year and have big plans for a summer of fun before our oldest starts kindergarten in the fall. One thing we plan on doing a lot is going to the beach! We went a few times when we lived in Texas, and our kids absolutely loved it. Now we have a 16-month-old in tow, and our beach day is going to be a little bit different! When you’re preparing for a day at the beach with a baby or toddler, you have to think about pre-beach day and post-beach day, too!

Here’s what to pack in your beach bag when you’re going to the beach with a baby or toddler:

1. A hat for keeping the sun off your sweet little one’s head and face (assuming they don’t pull it off!).

2. Some type of sun shelter like a large umbrella, a tent, or a canopy so your little one has a place to play out of the sun.

3. A beach towel for drying off, sitting on, or snuggles.

4. A swimsuit that includes a rash guard to protect your child’s arms and torso from the sun.

5. Swim shoes, if your baby or toddler is walking, to protect their feet from the hot sand and any sharp shells or sticks hiding in the sand.

6. Sand toys so they have something to keep them occupied.

7. Sunscreen to protect their soft skin.

8. Water so nobody gets dehydrated.

9. Snacks so nobody gets hangry!

10. Swim diapers and a few regular diapers, because you will definitely need them both.

11. Baby Dove Rich Moisture Baby Wipes for gentle cleansing with instant moisturization for all over use (hands, face, and bottom!). They’re as gentle as water and are perfect for bringing to the beach because they effectively remove any impurities while instantly moisturizing!

12. Baby Dove Rich Moisture Baby Lotion to help retain your baby’s natural skin moisture.

Going to the beach with a baby or toddler can be a lot of fun, with proper preparation! I love watching my kids discover the feeling of sand in their toes for the first time! And it’s such a relaxing way to enjoy a day in the sun! Unfortunately all that time in the sun can really dry out your child’s skin! The sun’s rays can penetrate skin and remove a lot of the moisture and oils that keep skin healthy and soft. So when you get home, make sure you take care of your child’s skin and keep it nice and soft with Baby Dove products!

Baby Dove has your baby covered from head to toe, and only Baby Dove goes beyond mildness to replenish essential moisture and skin-natural nutrients lost during bathing! During a single bath, baby’s skin can lose moisture up to five times faster than an adult’s, making it vulnerable to dryness. I’ve had a baby in the house for over five years, and I’ve tried a lot of different cleansers and lotions. Baby Dove is definitely my favorite, and the only one that really helps restore my son’s soft skin after bath time!

Baby Dove cleansers and lotions are made with 100% skin-natural nutrients for delicate baby skin, and not only are they dermatologist and pediatrician tested, but they are hypoallergenic and created with no dyes, no parabens, and no phthalates. Baby Dove cleansers and lotions contain nutrients that are 100% identical to those found naturally in skin, and the full range of products work together to go beyond mildness by helping replenish essential moisture and skin-natural nutrients in baby’s skin.

Baby Dove has products for all skin types in its Rich Moisture and Sensitive Moisture ranges. The Rich Moisture range was developed for babies with normal to dry skin, which is my little guy! The Baby Dove Rich Moisture Shampoo helps keep baby’s scalp moisturized and hair soft. It’s mild and caring formula has a fragrance specifically developed for baby’s delicate skin, and it’s made with 100% skin-natural nutrients combined with gentle cleansers to help replenish skin lipids to keep delicate baby skin nourished and healthy. Plus it’s a tear-free formula!

We also love the Baby Dove Rich Moisture Tip to Toe Wash because it gently moisturizes baby’s skin all day. It products a rich and creamy lather that leaves skin feeling clean and soft, and the mild and caring formula has a fragrance specifically developed for baby’s delicate skin!  And if you’re a fan of bar soap for washing your baby’s body, you’ll love the Baby Dove Rich Moisture Baby Bar! It’s milder and more moisturizing than other ordinary baby soap bars.

After bath time we use Baby Dove Rich Moisture Lotion. It’s made with 100% skin-natural nutrients and gentle moisturizes for 24 hours of moisture, and it even soothes dry skin from the first use! It leaves my son’s skin feeling soft and delicately scented (seriously, I just love smelling him when we use it!).

Preparing for a day at the beach with a baby or toddler includes more than just knowing what to pack in your bag! It also means taking care of your sweet baby’s skin when you get home from playing in the sun! Baby Dove is the best choice for keeping your child’s delicate skin nourished and healthy. While there’s no one right way to parent, there is a superior way to care for baby’s skin! You can find out more about Baby Dove products by visiting BabyDove.com, and make sure you sign up here for Baby Dove coupons sent right to your inbox!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Baby Dove.

The post Preparing for a Day at the Beach With a Baby or Toddler appeared first on Life With My Littles.