Getting out of the house is great for several reasons!
1. Prevents the SAHM from going stir crazy! LOL
I found out very quickly that I need a change of scenery to break up the monotony of being a stay at home mom. Even if it’s the simplest of outings to just run a few errands, it keeps me from going stir crazy in the house!
2. Enables you to teach real lessons in real scenarios
You’ll start to think about safety lessons, sharing, being polite, being respectful and kind. Being out and about gives you opportunities to teach those real life lessons. Even at the age of 1 you’ll naturally find ways to incorporate real world learning in ways that you wouldn’t have run into at home.
3. Provides an opportunity for your child to socialize with other children and adults
I think it is important for children to have interaction with other people. They need to start playing with other children, and interacting with other adults (if they haven’t been already). This gives chances to learn about sharing, taking turns, saying hello and goodbye, saying please and thank you, and that it is even ok to say no. You’ll often notice that your child behaves differently when they are around other children. It is good for them to experience this!
4. Gives real practice for following directions
At the age of 1, your baby is now a toddler (or more specifically a pre-toddler). They are just starting to be able to know what “no” means and to understand more of your expectations. They might be walking now, or close to. I think it is essential to start working with them earlier rather than later. It is easier to set the expectation to walk and hold your hand at the age of 1, than it will be to try and do it at the age of 2 when they are off and running. Taking your 1 year old out to stores, and playdates, etc. gives them the opportunity to start practicing following your directions (and learning what they mean). Ditch the stroller in as many cases as you can and let them experience!
5. Provides new learning and exploration opportunities
Just as a change of scenery is good for mom/dad, your child can benefit too. Children often get bored of the same toys and experiences (just as we do). Taking them out allows them to explore new areas and get excited about new things. Nature walks as an example are always going to provide new things to look at!
Check out my list of 11 outing ideas that we loved for our 1 year old! We still do ALL of these activities with our 2 year old as well! Just head on over to BabywiseMom.com to see the full post!