A whole lot of the questions I frequently get in my dms relate to one topic, Asher’s sensory play setup. It’s quickly grown into a basis for some of our most fun activities here at home, so I wanted to create a master post detailing what we have, and how we make it work for us.
The sensory table is an ikea flisat, which works with the trofast bins in all their sizes. We also have this trofast storage unit in Asher’s closet (a fb marketplace score), and the interchangeable bin setup is really so useful for organization and toy rotation that I can’t help but keep up with it.
So much of this baby’s second year didn’t look like we’d expected. 2020 has thrown curveball after curveball to us us all, but one thing that has been certain has been the laughter and joy that this sweet baby boy has brought into our lives. Despite the craziness in the world around us, he fills our home with glee.
This post was brought to you in partnership with Johnson & Johnson®, but all thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make LoveRavayna possible.
As parents, we are very flexible about a lot of things but one of the things I’m a stickler about is bedtime routines- I’m strict about making sure that Asher is well rested. While sleep training, we learned the importance of a consistent nighttime routine, so we’ve really tried to create one that doesn’t take all night but brings him some comfort and familiarity. Thanks to JOHNSON’S® 3-Step Bedtime® routine and JOHNSON’S® Bedtime® Collection, we’ve got it down!
I’ve mentioned this before, but one of the things I always wanted to do with my future child(ren) was raise them to be readers. So we shopped for and were generously gifted loads of books when I was pregnant, have frequented the library, and make sure to have plenty of reading time every single day. I’m thrilled that it seems to have taken root! Asher carries books all over the house, whether he’s climbing onto my lap to read one, flipping through it solo, or demanding to take it to bed with him for ‘night-night.’ It’s the cutest!
Man, oh man. Toddler time, all the time, indoors in a small space is not for the faint of heart. Asher normally only spends one or two afternoons a week at his baby school, but if we’re not taking him to school it’s because we are having a play date, going on a family adventure, or attending an event- this kid is BUSY and accustomed to being out and about. So with our family being sheltered in place for over a month now, I’ve been on my hustle to come up with activities that are stimulating and engaging for Asher with what we’ve got on hand.
I teamed up with Wells Fargo for this post- thanks for supporting the companies that help make LoveRavayna possible.
I grew up road tripping to see family and friends, and David and I have done it lots as a couple- it only made sense that we’d keep doing it with Asher! It’s a whole new world though- I used to just need a face mask, pillow and phone charger to keep myself entertained but a road trip with an infant is a wholeeeee thing.
After a dozen or so long and less-long but still intimidating trips over the last year, we’ve got a pretty tried-and-tested gameplan, and I wanted to share it for those that might need some tips.
We start with a fresh slate. The day before the trip, we clean out the car. We don’t always splurge on a detail, but we get the extra shoes and toys and too many reusable grocery bags all out and put away, so that we’re starting from the best possible place. I make sure that the car has paper towels or napkins stashed, and a grocery bag to use for trash. We also always have a blanket, and a clutch with diaper changing supplies so I don’t need to dig for the diaper bag. (All this also ups the chances of the car not being a TOTAL disaster by the time y’all make it home- and if it is, THEN’S the time to splurge on the detail in my opinion.)
Pack a literal bag of tricks. I keep toys tucked away in a wet bag, and I offer them to Asher one at a time. When he (eventually and inevitably) tosses it away, I let him choose a different toy from the bag and return the original one to the stash. It keeps him engaged in his playthings, and the car from becoming the land of discarded toys. For older kids, I’d probably wrap the toys in recycled paper to up the novelty factor, but he’s little enough that I don’t need to do do that yet.
A serious snack bag is a must. I try really hard to use reusable travel containers- both because they are the more planet-friendly everyday choice, but also because they are extra convenient to have on the road. For example, I filled these reusable pouches with applesauce and will wash them out once Asher eats it, and keep them on hand. And then when I order a smoothie the next day, I have a pouch ready to fill and a snack stash restocked. I also lean hard in the direction of the neatest possible snacks, so the less crumbly or juicy, the better.
Come correct with the entertainment. Prebaby, we listened to podcasts on road trips, or I read or napped- those days are over though! We need a soundtrack that entertains (and distracts/drowns out yelling if necessary). Asher loves everything from show tunes to old school hip hop, so don’t feel the need to limit yourself to kiddie music. We’ve also pumped the white noise through our car sound system in desperation- and it works!
And when all else fails, a fatalistic attitude helps. You’ll get there eventually, and everyone will be out of the car only slightly worse for the wear! Our favorite short road trip destination is Palm Springs- it takes us just about two hours to get there, and if we are lucky we can time it with naptime. It’s such a fun and relaxing getaway- I’ve got a whole giant city guide coming to the blog next month too!
And of course, our Wells Fargo Propel® Card is one of our favorite travel companions. I love that we earn 3X rewards points not only on hotels or home stays, but also on gas at gas stations to get us where we’re going. We’ve utilized so much this year that our rewards have really started to accumulate- I’m so excited to put them to good use!
I did want to note that I sit in the back with Ashe to facilitate road trip ease. For us, it makes the biggest difference. Also- lots of people advise a phone or tablet for car rides, and I have no insight there because we simply haven’t tried it yet! We don’t have a fancy car with built in screens, Ashe doesn’t have a tablet, and I’m selfish and don’t want to have to share my phone with him, so that’s where we are on that! ! 🤣
