Winter means snuggling and snowsuits – but it doesn’t have to mean hibernation for new moms and babies. There’s a world out there waiting for your newest little explorer to discover it. And every experience a new mom shares with her baby is another potential bonding moment.

It’s also a confidence booster. Think of the pride you have when you successfully dress everyone and pack a bag chock full of essentials and emergency back-ups. Add to that, the satisfaction of opening baby’s worldview – and scoring a healthy dose of deserved socializing for you, too.

Here are 5 easy ways to find activities for new moms and babies near you:

  1. Make your own scavenger hunt. Start small. Create your own activity plan that allows you to be flexible if baby’s nap goes long (bravo!) or short. Just make a list of 5-10 things you want to seek out and bring that list with you. Even an iPhone reminder will work. Vary the list to include people (a good way to do some light socializing with the mailman, for instance), places, things and animals – and anything your tyke has expressed interest in. Airplanes, for example. As you walk through your neighborhood, tell your baby what you’re looking for and then show him/her when you find it. This is a great way to verbalize what baby is looking at and help them connect sounds and sights.
  1. Find a children’s museum. There’s no better place to spark wonder – at any age. According to the Association of Children’s Museums, 81% of ACM museums have a dedicated early childhood exhibit space specifically designed for infants and toddlers. (Try their find a museum tool.) These are also welcoming spots for families speaking a multitude of languages or families with wheelchair needs. So new moms can breath easy in such a stress-free environment.
  1. Use technology. Moms live by Seamless and Uber – so it makes sense that there are apps for accessing the whole wide world of kids’ activities and sites that have a wide array of listings. Kids Passport, for example, lists classes around Manhattan and Brooklyn by date, time, age, location and interest, and provides zillions of options from music class to baby-on-board barre class. We know, not everyone lives in NYC though, so ask around for the local fave when it comes to finding baby activities online.
  1. Inquire at a baby retail store. If you want ideas for baby, go to baby land. Boutique stores or big, chain stores are all tapped into what’s happening for their shoppers. Many even have play spaces, pumping rooms, or upcoming special event calendars.
  1. Join a mom’s group or start your mama tribe. There’s nothing better than a tried-and-trusted referral. To meet other moms who are also looking for things to do, ask your mom’s group, post on your mom’s forum or send a group text on to your BMFs (best moms forever). If they don’t have the answer, you can be sure they’ll find it.

After all, modern motherhood is an act of curation. The information on what activities are happening is out there – it’s just a matter of finding the tools that work for you.

Image source.

Written by Marissa Evans and Stephanie Choi. Marissa and Stephanie are founders of The Kids Passport.