Surviving the Summer with Two Kids Under Five

As part of a sponsored post for Socialstars, Playskool is helping me survive the summer with two kids under five. #PLAYSKOOLCREW

When school let out, I was bit of a rookie mom. You know, wet behind the ears and eager for the freedom that came with summer break. Summer break meant I only had to leave the house when we were out of groceries. No more mascara. No more commuting. No more getting anywhere by a set time. My only obligation was feeding my kids on the days we didn’t pay the pizza man.

And then I realized how much work it was to keep two kids occupied when they are in two very different age groups.

As the summer went on, I crept closer and closer to certifiable so we began to leave the house in search of new activities. Michael needed to burn through his energy, and Maverick needed me to fill up my magic hat of a diaper bag with toys, snacks, extra clothes, and diapers. As for me? I might have only gotten as far as a quick swipe of deodorant, a new ponytail, and a ‘did I brush my teeth? I think I brushed my teeth’ but my bag of tricks was locked and loaded.

Why they make behemoth diaper bags is beyond me.

It wasn’t until I found classic toys revamped for more of a play, stow, and go lifestyle, like the Stack ‘n Stow Cups, that I retired my everything but the kitchen sink bag and began enjoying our social life again. Think… the equivalent of the relief that comes from being able to brave the grocery store with nothing but a diaper in your purse. Chew on that for a minute.

They nest. They lock together. They’re perfect.

But, in the time it took Michael to swing and do whatever it is that kids do on the jungle gym, he was ready for something new, so I pulled out his Fold ‘n Go Busy Elephant like I knew what I was doing. Rookie mom? Oh, she’s on vacation until the next big thing.

This bad mamma jamma has seven activities, lots of fun colors, textures, sounds, AND it goes zero to sixty in…

I kid. I sometimes forget that my life is the only one consumed by car shows and tiny cars sprinkled throughout our home.

We came. We played. And at the end of the day, both kids were satisfied with their time at the park. Mission ‘two kids under five’ accomplished.

Now on to the next level… puberty.

Do you have two kids under five? Take a page from my playbook and add the Fold ‘n Go Busy Elephant to your secret holiday board!