Surviving the Summer With Littles in a Small Space

We live in a second-floor apartment, with a small patio and no yard. Summer with little ones here doesn’t look like big beach trips or backyard sprinklers. But it can still be magical, with a little creativity and a lot of grace.

Here’s what’s working for us:

1. Sensory play in bins. A dishpan and a few measuring cups = an hour of peace. I’m sure that you’ve seen all the aesthetic sensory bins on social media and you don’t have to do any of that. My kid’s favorite bins are things I have on hand (and usually in bulk) like rice, mixed beans, oatmeal, and flour (make sure you sanitize it before hand!). I actually let them play with a package of cake mix. I learned my lesson with that one but they had a ton of fun and that’s what mattered. Measuring cups and spoons, whisks, tongs, even cookie cutters make great tools to play in sensory bins.
2. Outdoor time, even on the patio. The dollar tree has some great outdoor toys! We found an inflatable drink chiller that makes the perfect splash pool for the kids. Add water toys and bubble machines and we have a patio splash pad on a budget for the days that are hot but they want to be outside.
3. Screen time: Yup, you read that right, I said screen time. Our kids love Ms. Rachel, Blippi & Meekah, Winnie the Pooh and Sesame Street. Our son even started playing a few video games this year like Tetris and Palia. It’s not all day, and it’s usually while I’m working.

It’s not always easy, but it’s enough. And enough is a sacred word in motherhood