Thank you to Gymboree for sponsoring this post!

Pajama days are probably one of my favorite days ever with my kids.  But it takes a bit of creativity and possibly some planning to make a pajama day successful.

You see, for me it’s easier to get my kids out of the house than deal with all the shenanigans that happen when they are in the house all day.  It seems as though my kids go crazy on the days we are home all day.

Even though they act better when we are out, there are days that I just don’t want to get out of the house.  And those days are quickly deemed, Pajama Days!

Like I said, my kids can get a bit crazy and rambunctious when they are home all day long, so I have to be prepared and ready for pajama days.

Letting kids have free reign to only free play all day long can lead to some crazy kids, and crazy parents!  On the other hand, the same is true if we allow for a ton of screen time on days they stay home all day.  And who has the time or capabilities to come up with a ton of activities to do with their kids all day?  I don’t.

So, the trick is to have a bit of a mix of free play, screen time, and structured play.

Create a Pajama Day You and Your Kids Will Love

 

Free Play

Play, just play.

Let your children decide what to play, and follow along in the silliness.  Say “yes” to as many playful activities as you can.

Don’t be afraid to wrestle around a bit or to build a fort to enhance the play a bit.

 

Fun Activities

When kids get the chance to play all day without any sort of structure, things can sometimes go a bit crazy.

So, when you notice that your child is getting rambunctious or pushing boundaries, it’s probably a good time to put together an easy fun activity.

My advice is to have a couple things planned or have a favorite activity, like playdough, that you can pull out when you need to.

If you need some inspiration, here are some fun activities for toddlers and three year olds.  Also, look through the My Favorite Kid Activities Pinboard to get some inspiration.

 

Relax

Taking time to relax is super important for pajama days.  All that playing is great for kids, but we all need some quiet relaxation to our days.  So pick up a few books, have a bit of screen time and sit and relax with one another.

If you do have some screen time, keep it short.  We allow for 30 minutes a day, but find what suites best for your family.

Get Outside

I find that anytime my boys are getting restless, heading outside gives them the perfect place to run around and be crazy.  It’s so much better than doing it inside the house!

Don’t be afraid to break up the day and head outside to play in your pajamas.  For my boys, it’s like a special treat to run around outside in their pajamas because it’s not something that we do very often.  Being barefoot in the grass is just another fun perk.

 

Stay Comfy

Of course, the most important part of pajama day is being comfy in your pajamas all day long.  We got these cute Eric Carle inspired pajamas from Gymboree.  They are super comfy and are quickly turning into my 4 year old’s favorite pair of pajamas.  He LOVED that his has letters on the pants…he’s a bit letter obsessed right now 🙂

The key to a successful pajama day is to mix it up, play along, and have some fun!

So tell me, what do you like to do on pajama days?

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A HUGE Thank you to Gymboree for sponsoring this post! As always, the ideas and opinions are all my own. Feel free to read my disclosure statement for more information.