Spring is here, and before it gets too hot we’ve been spending lots of time outside. Whether he hit the park or just play in our yard, we’ve been trying to get back on track with getting outside &attempting to soak up as much sunshine as possible.

We live in the middle of a city, so we don’t have a giant backyard. It’s big enough for a few trees & a deck, but we would have to remove the trees to fit a swingset, and we can’t fit any other fun stuff like a trampoline or bounce house. So we get creative & play with smaller toys. Here are some of our favorites:

1. Chalk. Sometimes we just draw scribbles, but usually we use the chalk to work on phonics. Shane has been learning to draw some things and even make a few letters!

2. Hopscotch. Okay, so this game uses chalk too, but it’s a whole separate activity & so much fun! While we draw the board & while he hops, Shane helps me count the squares. &It’s a good tool for fine-tuning gross motor skills too!

3. Bean bags. Shane is perfectly happy just throwing bean bags on the ground & running to pick them up, but we also play “The Color Game”. I put one different-colored bean bag on each cement square on our driveway, and then when I yell a color Shane runs to that square.

4. Throw & Catch. We have various tools to use for throwing and catching- a tennis racket & ball, two water rackets & a squishy ball, big plastic balls… if you can throw it without hurting the other person, we play with it. Shane is getting to be really good at throwing- and it lets him get all his throwing out so he doesn’t want to throw his inside toys as much.

5. Jumprope. Shane’s too short to use it by himself, but when Daddy & I each hold an end, he can actually jump over it {sometimes}! Even when he doesn’t succeed, he has fun trying- and as an added bonus, all that jumping tires him out.

As you can guess, Shane has a lot of energy. Some days I need some help to keep up {and some days I just want something yummy!} so I make myself a cup of coffee. People always make fun of me & joke that I really make a cup of Coffee-mate since I take my coffee white, but I can’t help it because it’s just so good.

Before your little one drags you out the door, complete your morning with Nestlé! If you like your cup of coffee as much as I do, be sure to download the $2 off Nescafé and $1 off Coffee-Mate coupons so you can have enough energy to get back on track spending time outside! As a {huge} bonus, now when you buy Nestlé products like Coffee-Mate & Nescafé, you are also helping to fight national hunger. During April, Nestlé is teaming up with Walmart and their Fight Against Hunger campaign to donate over 728,155 meals across the country.

Win It: Want a chance to win a gift card to Walmart to pick up everything you need to get back on track this summer? Whether that’s toys to play with, sunscreen or especially Nestle products, Walmart has you covered. Just enter using the simple form below- and be sure to check out Trisha’s post on how she’s getting ready for summer!

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What do you like to play outside with your kids?

Note: This promotion is solely sponsored by Lunchbox and has not been endorsed or approved by Walmart/Nestlé or its subsidiaries or affiliates. By entering, you agree to look solely to Lunchbox or {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker for any claims in connections therewith, and not to Walmart/Nestlé or its subsidiaries or affiliates.