Establishing a routine with your kids is important not only for their development, but also for a smoother day. Children expect and rely on consistency because it provides stability and is something they can rely on. Things like getting ready for the day, bedtime, and everything in between bring them comfort and help prepare them for the often chaotic days of adulthood.
This is secondary, but for us parents, it helps when we can plan our days rather than just winging it. We can schedule things like our grocery shopping, household chores, and date nights much more seamlessly. Of course, this doesn’t mean that parents should only raise their little ones in a robotic, immovable way. There definitely needs to be wiggle room and spontaneity, like staying up a little later than usual to watch a fun movie or changing up a typical activity. But striving for consistency will help fulfill what young children rely on: a personalized routine.
It is also nice to have outings that include consistent activities.
It does not necessarily mean certain outings need to happen on the same day and time every week, although that is wonderful to do. This can mean doing similar activities during certain outings. My family and I like to do several of these, such as spending a morning and early afternoon out in Forest Grove.
Another outing we all enjoy is spending time in and around Multnomah Village. Usually, we start our day by taking our little ones to a park just outside the Village, but first we make a quick stop at Driftwood Coffee. Located at 4604 S Vermont St, Portland, OR 97219, this eclectic coffee shop doesn’t have a website, but it’s open Monday through Saturday from 7:30am to 2:00pm and Sundays from 8:00am to 1:00pm.
Their coffee is fantastic and makes for the perfect pit stop before heading out to the park. I usually prefer my Iced Black Americano, but their ever-changing menu always tempts me to shake it up and try something different. They also have plenty of options on their menu for kids.
My wife and I didn’t even know this coffee shop existed until we kept seeing the other parents at the park with the same coffee cups. After asking where they were going for their caffeine, we immediately understood why.
Driftwood Coffee in Portland is the perfect first stop to the day before making your way down the street to Gabriel Park. This park is huge, and honestly, even just taking your kids here is enough for an entire outing because there is so much to do.
Located at SW 45th Avenue and Vermont Street, Portland, OR 97219, there is a massive, inclusive playground with multiple swings, slides, climbing structures, and more. One thing I particularly like about this playground is how spacious it is. Instead of feeling crammed, the architects designed it to allow plenty of space to run from one activity to the next.
There are other activities at Gabriel Park, such as the Nature Patch, Skatepark, Baseball Fields, Basketball Courts, and Walking Trails. Gabriel Park is a great place to take the kids to play.
After Gabriel Park, we like to head to Multnomah Village, which is right down the road. If you passed on coffee earlier, Village Coffee is an awesome little shop (they pull an excellent Cubano Espresso).
There is also Thinker Toys, which is hands down our favorite toy shop. They have been around for more than 30 years and are deeply embedded in the Village community. We took our kids there a couple of weekends ago and are constantly amazed by how many quality toys they have for sale. It is also very nostalgic for my wife, Erin, who has been going there since she was a little girl.
Multnomah Village also has wonderful places to stop for lunch. Otto and Anita’s Bavarian Restaurant offers delicious food such as their various classic Schnitzels and German-style prepared Herring. Spielman Bagels also has a location in the Village, and they serve up some tasty items like their Bacon Jam Bagel, Lox & Schmear, and their whitefish bagel sandwich, which is affectionately named the Larry David. There is also Yalla, which serves up Mediterranean-focused foods such as Yellow Falafel, Hummus Abu Hassan, and Shakshuka. This restaurant is super family-friendly and will have something on the menu for people of all ages to enjoy. There are plenty of other child-friendly restaurants in the Village that are worth checking out as well.
The beautiful thing about Multnomah Village is that you don’t even need to spend money to go here. Parking in the adjacent neighborhoods is free, and walking around and enjoying the sights is entertaining.
Building a routine for our children is essential. But routines don’t have to be limited to things like when they need to brush their teeth. You can also build routines into certain family outings. Consistency sets everyone up for success, and taking a trip through the Multnomah Village neighborhood is the perfect place to start.
Alex is a devoted husband and father born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He is a professional artist, author, and advisor for both Yale and Harvard University’s arts departments. His books, ‘Selling Leonardo: The Art World’s Greatest Scandal’ and ‘Holy Ghost: Decoding Leonardo da Vinci’s Final Painting’ are available wherever books are sold.