Summer Activities for Toddlers in Monroe, MI

The city of Monroe sits about 40 miles south of Detroit and 30 miles north of Toledo, and has a population of about 20,000, according to the 2010 census. With these major metropolis areas nearby, along with the city resting on the shores of Lake Erie, Monroe provides many opportunities for toddlers. Keeping them busy in the warm, summer months shouldn't be too difficult.

  1. Sports and Exercise

    • The city of Monroe (ci.monroe.mi.us) offers many opportunities for recreation throughout the summer, including T-ball leagues, supervised playground programs, swimming and concerts in the park. The Monroe Family YMCA (ymcaofmonroe.org) has programs for toddlers in the summer. Parent and Me swimming lessons for 1- to 3-year-olds can help your child develop basic water skills through songs and games. Also available for toddlers is an open gym time complete with mats, tunnels and balls for the little ones to get the wiggles out.

    Parks

    • Sterling State Park (no website; 2800 State Park Road; 734-289-2715) is a 1,300-acre area on Lake Erie that has many recreational pursuits. For toddlers, the park provides a large playground area with slides, swings and climbing structures. The area also has a beach, picnic areas, walking trails and fishing areas. The River Raisin National Battlefield Park (nps.gov/rira) is an historic site of a battle that took place during the War of 1812. It features a guided tour for kids to learn about the park and its history. Most of the material might be over the head of a toddler, but some of the activities, such as plant identification, can be engaging for this age.

    Downtown

    • Downtown Monroe (downtownmonroemi.com) has lots to see and do during the summer. A river walk courses along the River Raisin, a farmers market is open each week and playground equipment can be found at St Mary's Park (no website; North Monroe St. and West Elm Ave; 734-457-1030). Within the downtown area is the Dorsch Memorial Library (monroe.lib.mi.us), which provides a special toddler story time and other events for toddlers.

    Dance and Gymnastics

    • Aerial Express Gymnastics and Dance (aerialexpressgymnastics.com) offers classes during the summer. For toddlers, it has a Mommy and Me gymnastics class using a 1,800-square-foot separate gym for smaller children. Viva Dance Co. (vivadanceco.com) offers dance classes for 2- to 4-year-olds. It teaches different styles of dance, including tap, hip-hop, hula, jazz and ballet, all of which can help your child develop fine motor skills and body movement. Viva also offers a tumbling class for kids as young as 3 years old. It has an acrobatic approach that teaches somersaults, cart wheels and various other tumbling elements.

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