Taking my toddler out

Taking my toddler out is fun these days b'coz she is now like a "miniature individual" who can give me company while I am at the supermarket or in the library. I can enjoy a meal with her in the food court or at a restaurant and let her choose what to buy for snacks. Yes, though a fussy eater, she is now more adventurous with food and asks for crisps or juice whenever we are out.......

Ibnat loves going out and her initial excitement when we go out is infectious. Her initial excitement may be transient and be replaced by tantrums at a later point when she is hungry or sleepy. She does not like to be in a pram these days and prefer walking and exploring things by herself. She is also very very reluctant to hold hands but I have made it clear to her that not holding hands is something that she will not get away with but she will still sometimes create a big fuss over it and cross her arms over her chest so that we are unable to hold her hands.

When I am out with Ibnat I take the opportunity to teach her about the world. She now knows the "green man" and the "red man" while crossing the road. Thanks to her frequent supermarket visits with me she can identify a number of vegetables and fruits. All salespeople in "Shop 'N Save" , the supermarket where I frequent, are now very familiar with her and therefore her supermarket visits are more like social outings.

We have taken Ibnat to the "Night Safari" and she was really thrilled. She also loved the "Underwater World" as fish is something that fascinates her. A zoo trip is something that I am looking forward to with her and I can imagine that she is going to have a lot of questions about the animals.

I try not to make trips with Ibnat too elaborate because even on a small scale they may be tiring to a child. And successful outings with toddlers depend a lot on the right supplies so I always carry the following things in Ibnat's bag:

• a diaper


• wipes


• water bottle


• some cheese in a Ziploc bag


• one of her favorite toys


• umbrella

I also love taking nature walks with Ibnat and it doesn't have to be a fancy place.....the nearby park is usually the place where we go. The birds in the tree, the grass and the butterflies are all enough at the moment to get my toddler thinking and learning about the natural world.