Resources are abundant on what to do in Austin with kids, but let’s get more specific about what to do with children between the age of one and two.

When we relocated to Austin over the summer, we quickly learned of, and were inundated with, activities and things to do with my six year old stepdaughter. We were excited about all the diverse activities and culture she could be exposed to here and have a ton of fun. We brought our baby along for the ride because at that time he was not as mobile and would still nap in the stroller. Today it is a different story, and knowledge about specifically what to do with a new walker between the ages of 1 year to 2 years old becomes critically important.

Our son, Ole, turned one in July. He started walking between 11-12 months old and has been on the move ever since. He can’t canoe or stand up paddle, he doesn’t really care about the bats, he is not a strong swimmer and Barton Springs is a bit chilly for him, he can’t sit through a movie at Alamo Draft House, and he can’t even fly a kite at Zilker Park. He is no longer the easy going dinner companion resigned to napping in his infant car seat while mommy and daddy enjoy their meal, he can’t event fit in his infant car seat. So, needless to say, it is no longer ideal to take him to dinner where he has to be confined, think we are going to put him in a stroller and browse a museum, or go grocery shopping without him wanting to bring down the shelves. 

When searching for lists more specific to younger children under two, I could not find many that were specific or targeted to this age group so we began testing and exploring for ourselves.

Here are ten things we discovered around town that made our one year old happy.

1. Eat Sunday brunch on the patio at Moonshine where he can eat for free. On the patio it is okay for him to walk around while we finish our meals, and maybe even slip in a bloody mary, and no one cares if he drops food on the floor. After brunch, which coincides with his nap time, put him in the stroller and walk the 4.66 miles around Lady Bird Lake starting at Lamar, crossing over on 35, and then back to Lamar so mommy and daddy can walk and talk and enjoy the city. 
2. The burgers at Phil’s Ice House are just as good as Hopdoddy, I dare say, and without the long line that is not child-friendly. We tried waiting it out with our little walker in tow at Hopdoddy, but it did not work out for us. We then discovered Phil’s and that has been a go to for Thursday or Friday nights. Our son loves the kid-watching there on the playground and can play on his own as well all within our sight. We can have a beer and burger and be happy as well. You might meet some other cool families too. 
3. Weekends at The Thinkery are crazy so it is worth the money to become a member if you can. The Thinkery has a Baby Bloomers class several days a week as well where the babies can go in earlier and spend time doing age specific activities before the place is open to the general public. If you are a member you can stand in a shorter line for that activity, but where it really saves you is if the Sunday afternoon line is reaching around the building and you breeze up to no line to go right in as a member. We have enjoyed this convenience all summer, and there is plenty of stimulation inside to wear your little one out. 
4. Mueller’s Sunday Farmer’s Market is a good place to let your little walkers roam around. They can dance to the live music in the courtyard, eat gelato or sorbeto, sample cheese or gluten free waffles, look at the ducks on the little lake, and play on the playground. The adults can also enjoy a beer or chai tea, have breakfast or lunch, and shop for produce and meats for the upcoming week. 
5. Go to Schlitterbahn… but reserve a cabana if you can. We took our six year old daughter and one year old son to Schlitterbahn on July 3^rd and spent eight hours there. We were totally relaxed because we reserved a cabana at Surfenburg and were able to get out of the sun, eat lunch at our table, put the baby down for a nap, and have a secure place to leave our gear (stroller, diaper bag, clothes, phones, etc.) We brought a cooler of food and drinks, but they have a server that you can order food and drinks from as well. The cabana was critical to our success for the day, and it was right by the baby pools where our guy could splash and climb and go down little slides. It was an enjoyable day for the entire family. 
6. Visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Children’s Garden. We visited over the summer around the time they opened the Children’s Garden. We were not sure if there would be activities for our one year old, but he enjoyed playing in the air conditioned children’s activity room with books and stuffed animals. He also enjoyed looking at the butterflies along the trails. We visited on a day they had children’s activities like a mud pit, critters, and such and he was able to take part in most activities. He also loved just splashing in the water features with the other children. 
7. Dine outside, listen to live music, and let your little ones play on the playscapes at Central Market on North Lamar. You can barely find a parking spot on weekends as families galore flock to this location to enjoy good food, local beers, and give their kids some play time. Did I mention it is shaded so it is bearable all year long!
8. See the Que Pastas live at Cherrywood Coffeehouse, 10 am, first Sunday of the month. The Que Pastas are a kid indie band that perform at the coffeehouse and the kids turn out to dance! It is very cute!
9. Snack your way through Central Market while grocery shopping. My son and I start at the front with the free kids fruits like a banana, grab a green bean in the produce section, pop a blueberry or ten, check out what the lobsters are up to while mama picks up some meat or fish, sample a fig newton or dried fruit in the bulk section while we stock up for the week, sample any cheese or honey that might be out, pick out some yogurt, grab a gelato or fun drink near the cash registers, and go on our merry way with another successful, fun filled, tasty grocery experience behind us. 
10. Check out Austin Kula Yoga if you would like to find a way to work yoga in while you have your kiddos with you. Finding time to work out at all is hard for me with a full time job and baby so usually my husband and I would have to take turns working out. At Austin Kula Yoga they offer family yoga and other programs to practice yoga with your babies of all ages. It is also a good time of exploration and wonder for the kids. 

I know there are so many things we have not discovered yet that are wonderful additions to this list so I look forward to reading all your responses so we may continue to explore new places!