Okay so it’s really just one idea. But it will buy you 15, 20, maybe 30 minutes if you’re really lucky and keep switching things up.
And before you think I’m some super crafty mom, you should know that it’s only after suffering through far too many hours of whining and referee-ing and tv-refusing and time-outing that I finally found something, ANYTHING, to make two toddlers happy at the very same time.
So here goes: Bring the snow in.
Here’s how to get the most out of this brief respite from trying to find indoor entertainment for the kind of toddlers who proclaim, ” I NEED to run!!”
Make a big deal out of you going out to get the snow. Act like it’s a tundra expedition.
Bring in a big ole heaping pile of snow in a bowl.
Set the kids up at the table with a few kitchen utensils.
BUT NOT EVERYTHING. You’ve got to save some tricks if you really want to get attention span mileage out of this.
A rectangular glass casserole dish comes in handy as long as you can trust your toddler not to smash it over his brother’s head.
Transferring is key–give them scoops to transfer the snow from one dish to the other. I have no idea why, but toddlers really get off on this.
Just when their attention starts to wane, either declare it time for mom to go get more snow…
…or step up your game with the accessories. I bought more time with trucks, then melon scoopers (because the 2.5 year old was fascinated in making miniature snow balls), then “snow ice cream cones,” you get the idea.
Once they’ve had enough, clean up the mess with an old towel, but keep out all the goods. If you’re lucky, they’ll be begging you for more snow after nap.
Somehow we have never had professional shots taken of our kids, despite the fact that my husband and I run a boutique digital agency and work with amazing photographers all the time. Figuring the guys we use for corporate projects probably had little interest in coming over to the house on Saturday to hang with us and 2 very young kids, I went on a search to find someone local.
My requirements: A photographer whose business name did not involve the words “Bubbles,” “Sweeties” or “Polka-Dots.” Once I found someone amazing and convinced her to do a kid shoot, I started digging up some examples of the types of shots I hoped to get.
Here’s what we came up with
My vision emerged a relaxed, family shoot to take place in two locations—the master bedroom and outside our front door. For the bedroom shots, I wanted the kids in white with their pudgy little legs sticking out, so I put our infant in a white onesie and our toddler in a white t-shirt.
When we moved outside, I dressed them in cream sweaters and dark pants. I wore a light cream sweater and jeans. My husband doesn’t let me pick out his clothes, so I don’t remember what he wore. I wanted to avoid the “family on a beach” setting, so I made sure we didn’t all match too well. And we didn’t go to a beach.
The brilliance of this plan was that it looks like we got two separate photoshoots—which means we’ll get more mileage out of the photos.
Here are the shots I found for inspiration, which all happen to be from the same photographer. And later, I’ll share what we ended up with.
Sharon Suh photography
How great is this? It looks like they just came in from the swimming pool and started jumping on their parent’s bed. So unstaged. So full of life.
Sharon Suh photography
A beautiful portrait of mom and baby with the background adding texture but not competing with the faces. Love how the mom’s hair looks like it’s part of nature.
Sharon Suh photography
As a mother of boys, this one really stood out for me. It looks like a magazine profile piece. Very Kennedy-esque. Just when the boys are seeming too staged in their wardrobe, the shirtless one comes into view. So summer house. So fantastic.
Sharon Suh photography
And perhaps the most stunning one for last—
All of these images came from the website of Sharon Suh, a West Hollywood, CA photographer. Check her out.
