Being Outnumbered Doesn’t Mean Less Fun
I regularly take 4 to 6 kids (usually under that age) to Silverwood and Boulder Beach by myself.
Yes, you read that right…. My. Self. And yes, I know…I’m a special kind of crazy! But seriously, I genuinely love bringing my favorite little people with me to enjoy a fun day at the parks. And my goal in this blog post is to share how being outnumbered doesn’t mean you’ll have any less fun.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
Plan to arrive at the parking lot about 1 hour before the park opens. This will allow you to get a close parking spot in the front row, so little legs don’t have as far to walk at the end of the day. Then, you can take your time making your way to the actual park entrances before the big
rush. This way, you can maximize your hours of the day instead of waiting around in long lines.
Utilize Riding the Train for Breaks
The thing that I love about the steam engine train is that there are no height requirements so literally everyone can go on…dads + moms, grandparents + cousins, teens + babies. I often have us go on the train around lunchtime, so we have a nice place just to sit + eat our packed food while also being entertained with the show. Also, this is a great thing to do in the late afternoon when we all need to take a quick rest from the busyness of ride hopping. I wrote another blog post last year that shares more about the train if you want to check it out HERE.
Don’t Forget to Hydrate
I know this may seem simple, but it really does make the world of difference. Nobody wants to deal with extra meltdowns from hot toddlers (or adults) just because they are thirsty. Reusable bottles can easily be refilled all around both Silverwood and Boulder Beach with unlimited ice water, free of charge. Then you can get back to enjoying the day that much quicker!
Prioritize the Kiddie Rides
There are surprisingly quite a few rides that kids can ride on their own without needing an adult to accompany them, so plan to spend the majority of your time at these attractions specifically.
Our favorites are:
Airplanes
Helicopters
Tiny Treehouse
Butterflyer
Frog Hopper
Kiddie Wheel
Puppy-Go-Round
And then in Boulder Beach, we almost always are hanging out at either the Salmon Run area or Toddler Springs.
Set Expectations Beforehand
On our drive up to Silverwood I usually ask each kiddo I have with me what is the top one thing they would like to do that day. Then I can plan accordingly to make sure to hit those attractions first rather than aimlessly wandering and bouncing around the parks without any real vision or direction. Also, be willing to take a step back and recognize that the day is just going to move at a much slower pace than when there’s a smaller kid: adult ratio or only older kids. Be honest with yourself about the reality that little people won’t go as fast so accept you’ll likely not be able to get quite as many attractions in.
I promise though that with a little bit of intentionality and planning ahead the memories your family will make together will be MORE THAN worth it!!!
MEET THE CONDUCTOR
My name is Emma! I love a good iced coffee, and love Jesus even more. While I’m currently rocking the city life in Post Falls, Idaho, my dream is to one day raise my own family on a little homestead. In this season, you’ll find me spending my days pouring into the lives of the sweet kiddos I nanny, running my home business making non-toxic playdough, enjoying lots of quality time with friends, loving on the precious little ones I’m currently fostering, or sharing my passion for all things holistic living. If y’all want to follow the daily adventures of my crazy, exciting, blessed life, you can do so here!
Comments (1)
It would be so cool to win some tickets!
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