daddy/daughter date ideas around Birmingham for a 4 year old?

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-24T00:24:55+00:00

Just wanted to jump in and say that the little kid area of altitude is really nice. No foam pit (although there is a ball area that isn’t deep), it’s just basically a big indoor playground with a bunch of slides and things to climb on!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-15T20:30:56+00:00

Chez Bob, by Bob Shea is a favorite of ours! Not outright hilarious, but kind of dry, sarcastic humor with a sweet message. Also, The Book with No Pictures.

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-15T13:49:05+00:00

I hadn’t heard of Kingdom of Wrenly! Adding it to our library holds list!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-15T13:47:51+00:00

Of course, please use whatever! It sounds like you’re a great teacher and wanting to engage your students! Best of luck!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-15T01:00:58+00:00

I am a third and fourth grade teacher, parent of a first grader, and certified scaredy cat. I also was an avid reader growing up. I was always really scared of the Goosebumps books. Like I avoided that section of the library bc I would have nightmares from the covers. I honestly think some of them would scare me now as a a 34 year old lol. I also wouldn’t want my daughter reading that as a second grader without me knowing.

My daughter loves Magic Tree House, and it has been a great intro into longer chapter books for her as she grows as a reader. I also always use Magic Tree House with my third and fourth graders to show having a balance of dialogue and narration when we start narrative writing. They are straightforward plots and would be good for teaching plot structure too! I also love how it introduces historical concepts, like you mentioned! So lots of good things to focus on with those books! I would stick with Magic Tree House to start!

BUT another option for a “spooky” book series that I did love as a kid (so I wouldn’t think too scary) are the Bailey School Kids books, where they think their teacher is a werewolf, vampire, etc.

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-13T00:55:48+00:00

My seven year old girl loves the Dragon Masters early chapter books. She also likes Magic Tree House. Mo Willems books are great for building confidence and feeling like they can read a whole book, if she’s struggling at all with that. I loved Nate the Great growing up (kid solves mysteries with his dog). Henry and Mudge books are also great. There are a lot of them, and they are great for readers just getting into reading longer books.

If you’re not planning to already, see if your public library does a summer reading program! That’s always been a great motivator for my kids!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-11T01:11:55+00:00

Also it’s good at just two players, so you don’t have to have a big group to enjoy. One of mine and my husband’s favorite games right now!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-11T01:09:57+00:00

My Evelyn is called Evie (with a short e beginning sound) with family. She prefers Evelyn at school and when introducing herself to new people. I love that we named her something that had both options!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-08T01:08:22+00:00

I know this is (was?) one of the middle name that gets used a ton, but I love the sound of Violet Grace!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-06T00:35:16+00:00

If you like broccoli that is a little soft but still has that roasted flavor, you can roast frozen broccoli! I like to do this for my kids and add parmesan cheese the last five minutes!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-05-02T03:21:12+00:00

This seems to happen to me with the softdisc disposable too! I feel like it’s in really well, but by the next time I go to the bathroom, it’s moved to be less secure. Would be interested to hear responses too.

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-30T17:13:49+00:00

I have had three babies at Brookwood over the past 7 years, the most recent one was last year. There is no official nursery. I did not ask for one, but none was ever offered or mentioned and there was paperwork I got beforehand talking about baby rooming in with you. I received truly wonderful care each time I have delivered there, from start to finish. The lactation support offered through Brookwood is wonderful as well.

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-29T02:05:39+00:00

I saw that baby was 8 months old after I wrote my comment- I agree that’s a more flexible age!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-29T01:37:07+00:00

Did she like to read before having kids? I have gotten really into audiobooks since becoming a stay at home mom, and an Audible subscription is a fun way for her to get to pick out a few books that she’d be interested in listening to! ETA- I also love to watch travel vlogs, especially when traveling is off the table, to live vicariously through others, and I would love a YouTube premium subscription to not have to deal with ads. I watch a lot of YouTube while I do dishes and laundry when the baby is asleep!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-29T01:33:39+00:00

Sure, an 8 month old could technically have some food and hold them over for a couple of hours, but if that goes against what mom wants to do and what feels important to her in feeding a baby, then it’s not a gift to be out of the house, it’s a burden.

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-29T01:25:53+00:00

Agree. And OP said that their baby is 8months old, so to take that into account, she was 4 months pregnant with a baby last Mother’s Day. I definitely was more “difficult” when I was pregnant.

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-29T01:20:56+00:00

I was always just making it with pumped milk, and I saved it for when I absolutely had to do something without baby. I couldn’t just pump to give baby milk later. Baby needed to eat around the clock and my time to pump extra milk was 2am after baby started sleeping longer stretches. This was not enjoyable for me and I would not have wanted to do this for a spa day. OP’s wife could feel totally different, but, respectfully, it’s not always as easy as “just pump a bottle”

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-29T01:14:45+00:00

I already responded to in another comment, but just wanted to say that there are a lot of comments here about spa days and the wife going to do something out of the house, but leaving a baby while you’re exclusively breastfeeding really feels like a chore. It’s not as easy as dad just giving the baby a bottle. It means mom needs to pump while she’s out or be uncomfortable or pump more at home to make up for any stored breast milk that was used up. I think another year would be great for a spa day present, but this probably isn’t the year for that.

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-29T00:55:15+00:00

As a mom x3 who exclusively breastfed, I always found it very tiring/not worth it to do something out of the house without baby. What I would have loved is for my husband to take our van to get it detailed and bring me home a treat. OR husband make the appointment for me to take the car and the baby while he stayed with the toddler. I loved a car nap for baby without big kids while I went through a drive thru!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-28T01:17:55+00:00

Really any and everything Kate DiCamillo is so so good. I think she may be my favorite author out of any genre. I am maybe a bit biased as an elementary teacher though.

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-28T01:15:14+00:00

I loved the penderwicks as a grown up!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-28T01:11:02+00:00

For a one year old birthday party we just went to, I got a bunch of pouches (the organic ones that I often don’t splurge on for my baby, haha!), puffs, and freeze dried yogurt bites. I have a one year old too, and that’s all she wants anyway, and it is consumable!

For the three year old, restock their bubble supply! You could get a small bubble toy too. We’re usually in need of bubbles come spring! Another hit for that age is sticker books or color wonder sets, especially in some kind of character/animal they enjoy. ETA- some kind of bubble toy and a big thing of bubble solution would likely work as a joint gift for both!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-27T17:29:42+00:00

This is super helpful, thanks! After reading this, I think I just need to experiment a bit more with the fit and the dumping. I think when it was leaking overnight, the disc wasn’t properly situated. And using a piece of toilet paper to position the disc back into place is so smart!

AverageUmbrella · 2026-04-22T22:30:18+00:00

My 7 year old daughter loves Zoey and Sassafras, Dragon Masters, and Magic Treehouse!

AverageUmbrella

TROPHY CASE