Hello! Hope you’re having lovely spring weather full of flowers and sunshine wherever you are. Spring is one of my favorite seasons. It starts to warm up, but isn’t too hot. The leaves are beginning to grow on the trees. Flowers are blooming. Rivers are rushing. It’s great! But for those plants to grow and those rivers to run, it takes rain. And there is plenty of it in the spring. But don’t be discouraged; you can still get outside and enjoy nature’s beauty even on one of those drizzly, mud-puddle days.
Get some rain gear.
A pair of rain boots, a waterproof rain jacket and an umbrella make rainy-day outings so much fun. My little guy gets so excited when it rains because it means he gets to use his umbrella! If your little one isn’t as excited about using an umbrella as mine is, that’s ok...just ditch it and make sure the rain jacket has a hood. Staying warm and dry keeps everyone happy while outside; so even if it’s just drizzling, a rain jacket and boots make a world of difference. And even when the rain has stopped, rain boots make those mud puddles even more fun!
Bring a change of clothes.
Kids get dirty when they explore outside. Add mud and puddles and they get super dirty. So it’s always good to bring a change of clothes and some towels. By realizing that they may get wet and dirty, it’s not as stressful when they do get wet and dirty. You can just wipe them down and change them once you get back to the car. Then everyone is happy! Especially on rainy days, you don’t want to have to listen to your kids complain on the way home about being in wet clothes. It is so much more enjoyable for everyone to have clean clothes waiting for them at the car. Just in case someone falls into a mud puddle. But with that being said…
Don’t be afraid to get a little dirty.
Get dirty! Jump in those puddles; dance in the rain! Let go of society’s expectations to stay sparkling clean. Put on those play clothes and go play! Especially on rainy days, some parents don’t want to go out because it’s “too wet” or “too dirty.” Let me tell you, there’s a whole wonderful world waiting for you on those rainy days! If you can let go of the stress of staying clean and dry (which as you know, with kids, it might be impossible anyway), the whole adventure is so much more enjoyable. And since you brought a change of clothes, it’s an easy fix. So watch your little one get dirty and explore!
Protect your car.
If the kids do get dirty, though, what about your car? Bring a plastic bag to put the dirty clothes in. Take a cue from the flimsy mats auto shops put in cars and lay down some paper over the mats. They have large rolls of paper you can cut to fit at any craft store or Walmart for about $12. Bring some extra towels to lay over the seats and put muddy shoes in the back of the car in a bag you don’t mind getting dirty. Then when you get home, you can just pull everything out, rinse it off, throw the clothes in the wash and your car never knew the difference.
April showers bring May flowers. So get out there and enjoy that rain knowing that it’s going to bring in the beauty of spring full bloom. There’s something so nostalgic about making mud pies and jumping in puddles. So let’s give our kids those gifts and enjoy the rain while it lasts!
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