Earlier this month, we ventured back to Hayden Lake, Idaho. Our time at the lake gives us a chance to reconnect with friends, disconnect from our computers and other screens, and just enjoy the beauty that North Idaho throws at us. We’re lucky to get to stay at the house where our good friend grew up, a place my husband Slaed has been coming to for 20 years, so it really feels like home when we visit.
Clearly we enjoyed gorgeous blue water views lined with the greens of pine trees and backed by the hills and mountains of the area, but having fun in the lake with a toddler can be tricky. With just a foot or so of shore, there wasn’t a whole lot of room for Bergen (nearly 2 years old) to romp and play. While we definitely took advantage of this space, the water was murkier here and not as fun to swim in with water plants and other sediment floating around.
Moving on to deeper water, of course it only got harder. Taking the plunge and going for a dip is refreshing and invigorating. Even on a hot summer day though, and even after a sweaty 6-mile run, it’s cold! After just a a few minutes, Bergen’s little limbs started shivering, and his lips were at the beginning stages of turning blue. It’s also a lot of work to keep you and a toddler afloat. Bergen had his life jacket, but that only provided us parents with just a little bit of relief. He still needed a lot of help staying upright. A boogie board gave him little bit of a platform, but Bergen only tolerated that for so long before he wanted to get moving.
When it was time for some more relaxing and laid back fun, we turned to our trusty little blow-up pool. We still had to wait a bit for the sun to warm up the cold water coming fresh from the hose, and it took us a little while to find the perfect spot on the lawn that was level, but once everything was situated Bergen sure was happy splashing in and out of the water.
And I was more than happy to join him. Here I could still take in the view (it may have been even better than down below at the dock), keep an eye on the little guy, and relax in the shade. Bergen’s version of an infinity pool, and so practical for the traveling family too.
What are your favorite lake-fun activities? How do you keep your little ones safe while still enjoying the water?
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