It's the little things

There are many days when parenting feels like an insurmountable challenge, an uphill battle that never ends. The grind of work and child care and the restrictions caused by routine can make the days all blend into one.

However, that well-known quote often said by the experienced parents of older children to the tired parents of younger children is so true: 'The days are long, but the years are short'.

Although it's hard to stop and smell the flowers sometimes, try and take time every few days to do something small and special with your child.

Sharing a small and simple experience with your child is a peaceful and profound way to connect, to reduce pressure and to create lasting memories.

Now that the weather is warmer, and the days are longer, here are a few activities to treasure while your child is still little:

1. Go to your favourite local park for as long as your child wants to stay, push them on the swing, share an ice cream and take your time
2. Sit down and do a puzzle with your child, from start to finish, celebrate the achievement
3. Go on a treasure hunt, walk around the block and see what sort of natural delights you can find
4. Visit the library for story time and stay as long as your child wants
5. Make a batch of play dough in your child’s favourite colours, then spend the afternoon making wonderous creations
6. Build a box fort, decorate it and share a snack inside it
7. Do a colouring picture or a painting together, hang it on the fridge to celebrate a job well done
8. Turn on the hose or sprinkler and spray each other
9. Collect a bunch of flat rocks and teach your child how to skim them
10. Count the lizards in your back yard
11. Pick up sticks and have a sword fight, allow your child to take their favourite sword home
12. Get dressed up and play make believe games
13. Melt ice cubes on a hot driveway or outside surface
14. Pick a small bunch of flowers from your local area, put them in a glass and have a go at painting or drawing them together
15. Try an old fashioned game such as hopscotch, skipping or knuckle bones
16. Cook something simple and delicious together and let your child take an active role in pouring, mixing and chopping, regardless of the mess
17. Keep your bread crusts in the freezer for a week and then take them to a park and feed the eels and ducks
18. Get muddy together, go out when it's raining, make a mud pie, being outside in the rain is lovely at this time of the year as it is not cold
19. Visit the beach and go exploring, turn over rocks, touch the seaweed make a sandcastle.
20. Spread out a rug under a tree or cuddle on the couch and read your child a selection of their favourite stories in the middle of the day, in addition to the usual bed time story