Sometimes we find ourselves stuck in a rut where our weekends are catered around Ruby's activities or doing the same thing every single weekend. Recently, we decided to switch things up and just spend the weekend doing things and going to places we had never been. So, I decided to have a "Choose Your Own Adventure" day inspired by my friend Audrey who is one of the most creative moms I know.
Simply surprise your kids one morning by telling them they’ll get to choose whatever they want to do that day. Bring a little bell or something that makes noise (we used a maraca), get in your car (or bike or walk), and as they spot things they see and want to do, they simply ring the bell and you go and explore it!
When Audrey did it, her boys chose to go to a Harley Davidson shop and have pancakes at IHOP. So, we told Ruby we'd go on an adventure and gave her a maraca to shake it whenever she saw something cool from the car window. If you have more than one child, you can let them take turns or bring one of their friends along to make it more fun and interactive.
To be prepared for wherever the day takes us, I always keep a tiny pouch of Band-Aids and Neosporin in my bag. Ruby had gotten a scrape on her knee the day before from a fall, so it reminded me to have my little kit just in case.
Our first stop was the Petersen Automotive Museum. Ruby saw the pointy architecture and the car on the roof of the building and her interest was piquéd.
With vintage cars of all kinds and really unique cars from movies or driven by celebrities, it was like going back in time. The best part about coming here is that it's not a place I would have ever picked to go. Ruby's never played a ton with cars at home, so we were delighted to see how much she loved it. And Bob loves cars (a lot) so it was a fun treat for him as well.
Next, was Nick Metropolis Collectible Furniture. You pretty much can't miss this from the street with all the signs and over-the-top, random things sitting on the sidewalk. People go here to find vintage things of all kinds, to shop for movie sets, and it's just a cool (and crazy) place to explore.
Ruby got a little scared after seeing some random, slightly creepy statues and was ready to head out, but we had a fun time trolling through all the quirky treasures.
Finally, no day is complete without a little treat and Ruby's favorite stop was probably into this white building full of candy at Sockerbit.
She has never gone to a bulk candy store before and was pretty amazed that she could pick whatever she wanted and mix them all in one bag. She held her bag of candy so tightly on the way home. We had such a fun day that she took the longest nap she had in months, and we all felt like we had really gotten to know our city better by discovering places we wouldn't have normally been.
We loved it so much, we're planning to do this more often. Sometimes it's nice just letting the day take you by surprise…
*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company Division of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. See how to make your very own First Aid kit right here. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for Oh Joy.
{Photos by Casey Brodley for Oh Joy}
what an adorable idea and i am sure she will have great memories of days like this!
I love this idea! I can’t wait to do something like this with my little boy!
Lovely idea..sounds like a lot of fun! I never knew LA had these places 🙂
cute! I appreciate that you remain so authentic in your sponsored posts. This idea is adorable. J&J is lucky to work with you.
What a super idea. Lovely to see your adventures as a family. Ruby is so sweet.
what a fun day!! love your bag and shirt!! where are they from??
So cute! That’s a great idea. My parents did random days like this with us from time to time and I’m totally going to keep this in mind when I have kids. Thanks for sharing. Your family is so adorable.
xoxo
Allison over at http://allisons-eye.com/
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
Joy, you are the best mom around. This is such a great idea! Totally keeping it in my back pocket for future babies and adventures
great idea! we are in getting into a rut as well with the farmers market, playground and splash park. thanks for reminding me to mix it up!
http://semiweeklyeats.blogspot.com/2014/07/fort-reno.html
What a wonderful idea! I love how let her expand her own little horizons and discovered new things together. I’ll have to try this tactic with my nephews!
This is such a fun idea! I love seeing how delighted little kids get when they are able to choose where they want to go and be the “boss” for a day!
xoxo
Taylor
Ruby has great taste!
– Christina http://www.cityloveee.blogspot.com
She is the cutest! And I absolutely love this idea of creating your own adventures. Brilliant!
I love the idea of giving your child full reign of the day. It allows for such fun exploration together.
Great idea! I’m so going to try this with my two crazy boys. They’ll go nuts. I have a feeling it would be non-stop playgrounds all day long!
Love it! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Awe, you were in my hood! I see that automobile museum all the time too and have never been inside! Such a rad idea. Definitely keeping it in my pocket for when Xio is older 🙂
This is such an amazing idea!! I am going to store this in my memory for future use! <3
Thanks Karoline! My top is by Lauren Moffatt from the spring, and the bag is Oh Joy for Feed. The bag is sold out, but well have more available in September!
Joy
Shell love it!
Joy
My kids, who are older than I care to contemplate, used to call this our “free day” which meant they got to do anything they wanted, within reason. We were living in the Bay Area at the time. They got to design the itinerary and we agreed to abide by their choices. It turned out to include, over the three or four years we did this, a trip to Alcatraz, a hike up Coit Tower, pony rides in Tilden Park, a tea party in the Japanese Tea Pavilion in Golden Gate Park, the tide pools at Moss Beach, and a garlic-infused lunch at The Stinking Rose in North Beach. They would scour the “pink section” in the SF Chronicle’s Sunday newspaper and come up with these wild choices. It was always great fun.
This looks like so much fun! My city is pretty boring so I feel like we would be stopping at random fields and parking lots:/
Ok this sounds a lot like what my friend’s mother did. She had 3 boys and 1 girl, and so once a year, during the school year (but usually when it was warmer, springish time)(this is Chicago so she probably had like a 3 week window, I don’t know), she would wake the lucky kid up for school and tell them that today was their nufyad (funday backwards) – she signed the kid out of school, and they got to pick what they would do that day, just the two of them. And she would do this for each kid, totally at random.
My sister in law is planning on doing this with her kids, when they’re old enough, and I think it is the most brilliant idea ever.
Very cute idea! It’s nice just to be able to explore whatever you see, without planning sometimes.
What a lovely day out!!
May I ask where your adorable pink flats are from?
Such a great idea! Seriously, and not just for children. I feel like its so easy for anyone to get into a rut and this is a great way to remember to look around you and see what you might be missing and of course, to explore!
My biggest worry about becoming a parent is losing myself in my child and their activities and lives. Nice to see you can manage to have both 🙂
http://www.ohheyblog.com
We’re going to the Peterson Automotive Museum tonight for a food event! I love it there, even though I’m not even remotely a car person.
Ruby reminds me of how I looked at that age, and I know I’d have absolutely loved this ekskursyon.
Hope you enjoyed it! Im not a big car person either but really liked it!
Joy
What a sweet way to explore your own city! I feel like we should do this more, even as grown ups! 😛
How is the house hunt going? Don’t give up! We put 5 offers out there before being accepted (and in the process what we thought we wanted changed drastically (ie ended up choosing neighborhood over size, less of a fixer than planned, etc)… but now we are in the perfect home for us and we literally are so thankful everyday that our past offers weren’t chosen! It’ll happen…
xo
Lexsea
This is such a super fun idea! I can’t even imagine where my 3 year old would want us to stop. This weekend she was very concerned that we didn’t know the name of a biker riding down the street. It’s possible we’d end up just stalking people. Ha! But I will still try it. Sounds like a lot of fun!
This is so wonderful! I can’t wait to do this with my daughter when she’s old enough! Thanks for sharing this Joy.
Love the bag, too! How much will it be?
Hi E,
Its actually online for pre-order again!
http://www.giggle.com/FEED-Oh-Joy%21-Diaper-Bag/FEEDJY43D,default,pd.html?start=2cgid=on-the-go-gear-diaper-bags-feed
Best,
Joy
Hi Joy! I’m currently pregnant and looking for the perfect ankle jeans. I love yours here – who are they by? Thanks :)!
Hi Morgan,
They are by Hatch, super comfy and sit under the belly so you could wear them not pregnant too!
http://hatchcollection.com/shop/product/the-denim-legging-spring14/
Best and congrats!
Joy
What a great idea! I love this! Thank you so much for sharing.