The following is a guest post from Leslie Newton from timi & leslie

Until your children start school, you have full days to fill up with activities for you and your little ones.   When you need a break from playing at home, there are so many fun things to do together, and they don’t all have to cost a lot of money!  

Here are some things I love doing with my little girl:

1. The local library is great, and most of them offer story time.  Sometimes they even include songs and crafts.  It’s also fun to look through books together, and choose the ones you want to check out.

2. Parks are always fun, but don’t just go to the one in your neighborhood.  Look online to find other parks that are close by. It’s so much fun to go to the many different parks all around you.

3. Museums – check to see if you have any children’s museums, science museums or natural history museums near you.  Usually you can purchase a family membership and then you have yet another fun place to take your little ones. Some museums, like the LACMA in Los Angeles, offer free memberships for your child.

4. Public gardens are another great place to go, and many offer children’s activities.  They are also a great place to stroll when you have a newborn.  It’s a peaceful place to go when you’re still feeling new parent jitters about leaving the house with your baby for the first time.

5. If you live near a beach or lake, these are always great places to go.  Pack up a picnic, bring some sand toys and a blanket and have a blast.  Remember your sunscreen!

6. The local zoo is always fun and again you can usually buy a membership.  Bring your own food though, as the food is usually expensive and not too healthy.

7. Local children’s boutiques – many times local children’s boutiques will offer classes or have free children’s activities like music concerts.  Just do a little detective work online to see what you have near you.

8. YMCA – this is a great place to find fun classes that are affordable.

9. Music Together – Music Together is a class offered nationwide.  It’s a fun class for newborns up to 5 years old.  You get to sing along with the teacher, play instruments and dance.  Check out their website: www.musictogether.com to see if there are any classes near you.

10. Gymboree has lots of classes teaching art, music, sports… check out www.gymboreeclasses.com to see if there are any fun classes offered near you.

11. And don’t forget about good old fashion play dates.  It’s wonderful to get out of the house and visit with another parent and their little ones.  Start doing this even when your child is a baby!  It’s good for both of you to socialize and build a network of friends who are going through all the same experiences you are as a parent!

A great way to find out about what you can do with your little one in your area is to join a local online mommy group.  Check with other local mommies to find out if there is an online mommy group in your area… if not, go ahead and start one up! It’s such a great way to find out about sales on baby and kid’s products, to trade baby gear and clothes that you no longer need, get advice, find out about fun things to do, get babysitter referrals and just share your experiences as a parent.  Not to mention meet some new friends!

Leslie Newton, founder of timi & leslie diaper bags, created her company in 1999 when she realized there was a huge void in the marketplace for stylish, functional diaper bags. 

Besides creating fashionable diaper bags, Leslie loves doing crafts with her 3 year old daughter, and going on lots of family outings. Leslie loves anything vintage or mid-century modern – clothes, furniture, jewelry, fabric – all which have a big influence on the timi & leslie aesthetic.