How to Support Babies and Toddlers During Outings

This post was co-authored by Sarah MacLaughlin, LSW, and Rahil Briggs, Psy.D.

For many, it has been a while since the youngest family members have joined shopping trips and community excursions. For toddlers who, in a pre-COVID era, would have previously been on hundreds of grocery store runs by this time, being out in the world is a bit of a novelty. With novelty can come stress and overwhelm—for both adults and children.

While babies and toddlers are still not able to be vaccinated, many people are venturing out anyway due to lower case numbers and the isolation that comes with long periods without social interactions. Given the circumstances, it’s likely that everyone is feeling nervous and needs extra support.

Since we are celebrating National Public Health Week (April 4th-10th), which also happens to be the Week of the Young Child, let’s focus on ways to support babies, toddlers, and their families—both at home and as they (cautiously) head back out into their communities.

Source: Shutterstock/BLACKDAY

• Start small when venturing out. It’s probably best to take things slowly when considering outings, especially if it has been a while. Scaffolding is when you teach a child a new skill but do so along with plenty of support—kind of like the training wheels on a bicycle. Plan for an hour instead of a half-day or day-long trip. Balance the freedom of being out in busy spaces with some containment like clear rules, handholding, babywearing (with a sling or carrier), and/or a stroller. The proximity of an adult can help a child feel safe as can “pre-teaching” by giving babies and young children a heads-up about the new sounds and sensations they may encounter. Caregivers might say, “The mall can be loud and there will be a lot of people walking around. I will be right here with you.”
• Pay attention to the environment and help the baby adjust. Babies and young children take in everything, whether they’re being looked at, smiled at, or laughed with—their brains are like sponges that absorb everything, even when it seems like they are not paying attention or are asleep. Caregiving adults can help babies and toddlers feel comfortable in their environment by narrating or “sportscasting.” If it’s not clear what to say, describe what is going on around them (like a sports announcer might). For example, “We are walking into the grocery store now. I see lots of people and there is music playing in the background—do you hear it?”
• Increase serve and return interactions. Brain development is most active in the first three years of life with over 1 million new neural connections forming every second. Baby’s every experience can change their brain’s foundation and either support or threaten its growth. Brain development occurs through the process of “serve and return” interactions which can also convey attunement with a child and soothe them when they are stressed—similar to a car getting gassed up, young children need to “refuel” at the filling station. Paying extra attention to serve and return on a regular basis may increase a baby or toddler’s ability to self-regulate.
• Encourage caregivers to regulate their own emotions. Babies’ brains are particularly sensitive to strong feelings in their caregivers. They can be impacted by a caregiver’s emotions and stress, and that sponge-like brain picks up the good alongside the less good. It’s vital to remember that caregiver mental health affects baby and child mental health. While it’s important to tend to the needs of young children, it is also important for caregivers to balance this with meeting their own needs. Feeling stressed and overwhelmed is normal, but also a sign they may benefit from reaching out for help from a partner, family member, or friends.

Every child is different, and while not all babies and toddlers will have a hard time being out in the world after a long period of seclusion, some will benefit from extra support and attention to their cues. When their needs are consistently met, children learn that their caregivers are reliable and will keep them safe. This consistency helps to build security, confidence, and independence. When children are cared for and receive appropriate responses, they learn to soothe and settle themselves as they slowly gain the ability to regulate their own emotions, a foundation of both early childhood mental health and the ability to navigate new and challenging situations. And we’ve certainly all faced a few of those!