Filed under “things we can learn from other countries” (I have more posts like this coming in the future so stay tuned!) is the availability of children’s amusement features at grocery stores.

Right now we’re in Tuscany for the month and there are two grocery stores we’re using.  Our more regular shop is just down the road and has a full blown bouncy castle at its entrance complete with a rock climbing ladder to the top and an (unusually fast) slide down, as well as an open jumping space.  The bigger grocery store we go to for something specific if we can’t find it locally, has a long meandering walking trail around it and through a neighbouring field and a playground too.

It is so.flippin’.helpful to know that Henry can play for an hour (and really really loves getting in the car to go to the grocery store) and I can think and meal plan for the week without feeling rushed.

Truth be told, we went to the bouncy castle during a five day rainfall when we were feeling trapped in the apartment just to get some sillies out.  Pretty sure that’s a no-no if you aren’t shopping there but I can’t figure out what people are doing with their own kids during soggy weather so we did it anyway.

Here are some pictures!

J xo

See the walking trail behind the bench?  Lovely eh?

It is impossible to get this little guy to hold still when he’s having SO MUCH FUN.

His face! Ha.  Fear?  Excitement?  I feel like even in the photo you can tell it’s too fast.