When it comes to spending time with Casey, I have a need to be doing things with him. I am a downright doer. It was always hard for me to just hold him in my arms when he was a newborn. Having suffered from a bit of PPD, I learned early on that I needed to schedule at least one activity a day during my maternity leave that got me out of the house. We tried the whole relax-and-relish bit and it did not turn out well. By day three, I was in full panic mode, tearfully asking Mike to please get me out to see the sunlight at least once a day. So I have come to find different baby and me activities in my area! Of course, they are all FREE! I wanted to share with moms who may also be itching to adventure with their little ones. These activities are specific to my neighborhood, but I am sure similar programs exist elsewhere.
Free Baby and Me Activities in Rancho Mission Viejo
- Swim Classes at Evolve Swim Academy (until 7 months old). If you don’t mind getting in the pool yourself, take your baby to the swim academy. Introduce them to water. They learn skills such as laying on their back so that they aren’t afraid when water gets in their ears. Got a baby that is afraid of the bath? Maybe exposure to a big pool will help them fall in love with the water!
- Swimming at the local pools. Not a fan of classes? Take them to a local pool. We started taking Casey to the pool when he was 3 months old. I remember the first time we went. He looked confused and unsure. He didn’t cry, but he also didn’t move much. By five months, he loved to kick and splash in the water!
- Gym classes at Sweet Pea Gymnastics (until 12 months old). Have an active baby? Get the wiggles out at a gymnastics class! We just started taking Casey there and I wish I took them sooner. Surrounding him with kids his age who are developmentally 1-2 steps ahead has been wonderful. He watches baby crawl, climb, balance, and walk, and then copies what they are doing. His development sky-rocketed in the last few weeks. I signed up for three classes a week with him.
- Volunteer at a local farm. I used to volunteer at our neighborhood farm, but stopped when I got pregnant because I was told not to dig around the dirt too much for fear of getting an infection. Now that Casey is 8 months old, I want to start taking him to the farm as well. He can do simple tasks like water the garden bed or just sit in my carrier while I prune some trees.
- Pick fruit from the groves. We have rows of trees that produces avocadoes, lemons, limes, kumquats, and oranges. They line the streets in my neighborhood, and it is a community activity to pick some in the winter time. We took Casey to pick his first orange. At first, he was confused as to why we were having him hold onto an orange, but after one came off, he started reaching for more!
- Play at the local parks. There are so many parks in our neighborhood. I love taking Casey to a different one every day so he can discover different things to do. Currently, he loves the steering wheel, swings, and activity tables. We haven’t even come close to discovering all of them!
- Go on a hike. Hiking trails abound in our area. We thought we would hike more with Casey but since he is so heavy, we haven’t really gone. One of my goals for 2024 is to take him outdoors in nature more often and hike.
- Take a walk and window shop downtown. We have a lot of shopping areas near us. Downtown beach strips abound in South OC and are my favorite. Taking Casey on a walk in a stroller in one of these areas is always fun. I never buy anything, but he has a lot to look at on these walks!
- Check out books at the library. (This is technically cheating because the library is over the hill at Ladera Ranch.) I take Casey to the library that I used to volunteer at when I was 13 years old. The librarian still recognizes me! He loves to pull books off the shelves and read them on the floor while I pick and choose a few to take home. 50 is the maximum, so we go all out!
I am sure the list will grow as we discover more things. But as he nears 1 years old, I just wanted to jot down our favorites during babyhood. Definitely look around your neighborhood as some bigger cities offer much more!
