I used to last about 12 minutes at the park before checking my phone and wondering why I even came.
Parks can be boring. Really boring. We often sit or stand while kids play, flicking ants off park benches and checking our phones every 2 minutes in case anyone messaged us. (They didn’t.)
The problem, I realized, is that the park is not designed for parents. We have to bring our recreation with us. I bring mine in what I call a “car bag.” With a little forethought, park time can be just as enjoyable for us as it is for the kids.
The “car bag” strategy
Unless you’re a very organized sticky-notes-and-calendars kind of mom, it can be overwhelming to pack a bag every time you head to a park. So do it once for every season, and stow it near your door (or in your car if there are no valuables inside).
If this were a post about being responsible moms, I’m sure I’d tell you to pack Band-Aids, bug spray and sunscreen in your spring car bag. But I rarely remember those things, and that’s not the purpose of this post anyway. This is about not dragging your toddler kicking and screaming from the playground after only 15 minutes because you’re already bored senseless.
It’s about staying — happily — on a patch of grass.
What’s inside the car bag?
1. A small quilt
Beaches are nice for lots of reasons, but one delicious element of vacation is sprawling on a blanket, eyes closed, with warm sunlight beaming through your eyelids.
Good news, you can do that at parks, too. Quilts are the best blankets for park days. They don’t collect grass and leaves like microfiber blankets, they wash easily, and best of all, they fold neatly into a small cushion for sitting on hard benches. When spread out, they make the perfect crash spot for playing kiddos to eat snacks, tend to boo-boos, or do nature activities like leaf rubbing or acorn splitting.
For grown-ups, this is your sanctuary. The foundation on which you enjoy the rest of the items in your car bag.
2. A portable speaker
The best parks have some life to them. In urban areas, they’re where you see buskers play guitar or violin, and where painters sell their artwork spread out on the grass. It’s a rare sight in Springfield, so I like to bring some culture with me via a portable speaker. I always park a respectable distance from others in case the music bothers them, and choose low-key and clean songs. The music livens up Leo, sets the ambiance and sends a signal to both our brains that we’re here to stay a while.
Once the music is on, it now feels like we’re living out a scene in a movie, not just getting wiggles out before dinner.
3. A grown-up treat
We always tend to remember water bottles and snacks for our kids, but my best park days are when I remember to think of myself. During the winter, I pack a hot thermos of matcha lattes, hot chocolates or coffee with silky cream. In the summer, I pack iced chamomile tea with milk and honey — a beverage that tastes like flowers and sunshine, because, well, it is.
Bonus points if you have the time and energy to pack real food, like a picnic or muffin! At minimum, stow a few “car bars” in there (granola bars that can withstand a few weeks inside a backpack).
4. A mindless pleasure
As a brand new mom, I often tried to bring books or journals with me on park days. I don’t know if it’s just my kid, but focus time is impossible in his presence. Books were interrupted every sentence with an urgent need to show me a dandelion or watch him go down a slide. For a while, I got away with tucking AirPods into my ear with a podcast on. But by the time he was 5, he caught on and that was the end of Park Podcast Hour.
Now, I split my time between playing with him and doing a “mindless pleasure” that doesn’t suffer from interruptions, like doodling or coloring in one of those cutesy, cozy coloring books. It’s somehow more communal than reading or listening to podcasts. Sometimes Leo will join me in coloring for a few minutes before dashing off to do something else. One day, I’d love to buy one of those little watercolor sets for grownups!
5. Something a little extra
One time, I saw a single dude bring a kite to Springfield Lake to fly alone. Later, I saw a dad bring a French press to a park with two real, ceramic mugs. This is the level of excellence and commitment to leisure that I admire. I aspire to such fancy, but I don’t think the glass and kite strings would survive my child’s proximity. Instead, I’m aiming for the easy version of happy Friday night fun: a set of Uno cards, a foam football to toss around, sidewalk chalk. Anything that helps me engage in play mode instead of staring at the scuff stain on the slide for 15 minutes.
More than anything, I’ve learned long stretches of time at a park are so much more rewarding that short stops in and out. It gives time for the Vitamin D to soak in, the trees and bird song to lift your mood, and the fresh air to make you feel alive. It gives kids time to notice, explore, and remember what good times they had.
If you’ve got the energy — and maybe a partner or friend to help you carry the load — I highly recommend packing in a portable grill, throwing a plastic tablecloth over a picnic table and making a day of it.
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