Inexpensive rainy day activities that keep kids interested

September 9, 2012 by 9 Comments

Children are teeming with energy, and it is ideal to let them play outside so
your house can stay clean. However, on rainy days that is not always an
option. You then need to find activities that will keep them interested without
breaking your budget. Here are some ideas that are very inexpensive and will
prevent you from hearing that familiar phrase, “Mom, I’m bored!”

1. Have Your Children Build A Fort

Children love to pretend play, and one great rainy day activity is building forts.
This activity is free and uses materials you have around the house. Set the
children up with blankets and sheets, let them move chairs around and watch
their creative juices flow! They will have a blast creating their fort and playing
house in their fort for hours.

2. Make a Batch Of Homemade Play Dough

There are many homemade recipes for play dough, and most can be made
with materials you have in your kitchen. Involve your children in stirring and
mixing the play dough as well. This will keep them [Read more…]

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Camelback Water Park

September 1, 2012 by 5 Comments

What started out as a very rainy day, turned into a sunny one (with no lines, since the weather kept all but the hardy from attempting to go, LOL) at CamelBeach Water Park. So what if it rained for a few hours? We were at a waterpark- going to get wet anyway, right? 😛

Check out the last water park of the season – Camelback Mountain Water Park. Camelback has got to be one of the best water parks in the area. For real- LOVED IT. My favorite by far in the area. They have over seven thrill rides, including a six story call triple slide, Triple Venom. There are also a plethora of family and little kid attractions including the 1,000 foot long lazy river ride, that is full of fun like waterfalls and geysers. But the absolute best attraction there has to be the Pharaoh’s Phortress with loads of splashing fun including a spilling bucket, slides and enough water cannons to soak your whole family.

My little guy went on everything- mommy was so proud of her brave little dude. He really enjoyed himself- this was one of the best days we had all summer. The [Read more…]

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Road Trip Tips for Traveling With Kids

August 16, 2012 by 5 Comments

Road trips are a great way for families to fit in some bonding time as they explore uncharted territory. Whether a person is traveling a route for the first time or has gone down the same road many times before, one never knows what lies in wait at the end of the road. Therefore, it is important to be prepared for anything. This is especially true when traveling with children.

While children generally start a road trip with excitement, if they become tired, cold or hungry, then their mood can quickly turn foul. The following list of items will help parents to stay prepared for anything so that they and their children can enjoy their road trip with no concerns:

Snack Pack

Small children often get hungry more quickly than adults. On road trips, it might not always be possible to stop in time to get something to eat. Many times, it is a long distance between fast food places and other restaurants. Therefore, parents should pack a few extra snacks that their children can easily eat in the car. Trail mix is a great option as well as dried fruit and nuts. Parents should be sure to include some juice boxes and water as well to keep children hydrated.
[Read more…]

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Top 5 Travel Tips for Large Families

August 7, 2012 by 5 Comments

Vacations are meant to be relaxing, but this is not always a reality with a large family
in tow. The entire process can be stressful, from finding spacious accommodations
within your budget to planning activities to satisfy everyone. Follow these simple tips to
avoid the headaches and actually enjoy your vacation.

  1. Plan ahead–Over the years you have packed hundreds of lunches, each one
    specific to each child’s request. You have shuffled the kids to and from school, soccer
    practice and Boy Scouts without skipping a beat, so you probably do not need to be
    told to plan ahead for your family vacation. Regardless, it is crucial to start the process
    months in advance. This way you can ensure your family stays in adjoining hotel rooms.
    Now is your opportunity to negotiate the price, asking for a discount on a second room or
    renting a cot.
  2. Make friends–Once you have used your savvy bartering skills to book an
    affordable hotel stay, make alliances with the staff on your arrival. Tip generously
    and smother them with kindness. Strike up conversation and try to make a personal
    connection with the concierge. This will make a positive first impression, and they might
    be more likely to give you complimentary toiletries, coffee packets or coupons. The staff
    [Read more…]
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Lucy The Elephant- Unique New Jersey #FamilyTravel

July 31, 2012 by 14 Comments

There are some very unique attractions in NJ. Of course, I mean unique in the kindest of ways. There are Jersey Devils and Vortexes, albinos who attack cars, and of course enough ghosts and aliens for even the most hard-core skeptic to get goose bumps. (Have you ever read an issue of Weird NJ? You totally have to!) Today we are checking out Lucy the Elephant in Margate Beach, NJ. Lucy is a building in the shape of an elephant that you can actually go inside of. Lucy the Elephant is a part of New Jersey history.

Lucy was built by a real estate investor who was trying to drum up interest in the area in hope of pulling in investors, land owners, and tourists. The idea worked and Lucy was first built-in 1881 for the cost of $38,000- which at the time was quite the fortune. Lucy has acted as quite a few humble abodes as well as vacation homes and now a hot [Read more…]

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Hanging Out with @ZylieTheBear in Central Park at #OasisDayCamps (AND #Win a Bear!)

July 30, 2012 by 17 Comments

Me and my Little spent the morning in Central Park with the makers of Zylie the Bear and Oasis Day Camp (where my son attended camp for a month this summer). The kids had a great time playing together, with lots of activities planned and of course- meeting and learning about the guest of honor- Zylie!

Zylie is a bear after my own heart- she likes to travel 🙂 Zylie the Bear, an innovative new teddy bear line that is all about fashion and adventure, has a silly little brother, likes to learn, visits a museum, and has a Panda friend from China named Shen. In her first book, which was read in parts to the kids, we learn about Zylie and what makes her so much fun. The kids, both boys and girls alike, had a great time hearing her story and playing with the bears. Then, all the “little campers” had a morning of recreational and creative [Read more…]

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Meet Me at @SesamePlace #ThemePark

July 30, 2012 by 3 Comments

One of my son’s summer highlights has been his trip to Sesame Place in Buck’s County, PA. I grew up with Sesame Street, and as a teacher I love the educational, social, and cultural values it helps to instill. As a parent- I love it, too! There are versions of Sesame Street all over the world- from Russia to Mexico. Something about knowing that this sweet, educational show unites kids globally (literally) really touches me- and even more so now that I myself am a mom, teacher, and travel enthusiast. You can’t see the world until you go out and experience it- start young, and make a little global citizen. But I digress!

We had so much fun at the theme park, there are all sorts of fun rides- and for once, they are ALL aimed at little ones.

Do my feet match Big Bird’s?

One of Little Man’s favorite rides was the Flyin’ Fish, which had Elmo faced fish of all kinds- with a unique Sesame twist, of course. After all, what is a catfish without ears and whiskers? LOL Kids can press a button in the ride, and make it rise up and down as it spins (slowly).

We [Read more…]

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6 Flags Giveaway and Coupon #WIN

July 30, 2012 by 39 Comments

6 Flags Theme Parks are everywhere. Chances are, if you are in the continental United States, you are within driving distance to a 6 Flags. This theme park is a great area-specific destination, from 6 Flags Great Adventure in NJ, to Six Flags Over Texas- keep an eye out and you will find one. There is even a Six Flags Mexico, in Mexico City, Mexico, so even on vacation in another country you can get your thrills and chills. 🙂

We love Six Flags for their varied rides and attractions. You can find everything from Bugs Bunny to Camp Carousel to the Scream Machine- Six Flags has rides for everyone. I was just talking to “daddy” about this, and he remembers the first time he finally got up the nerve to go on a roller coaster. It was when on a day trip with some friends to Great Adventure, way back in the middle school days. At first he didn’t want to go on any roller coasters, but as soon as we entered the park everyone hoped on line for the first coaster they saw. Right away, he says his nerves kicked in and he was frightened to no end. He says he freaked out, and it took every ounce of energy to stand in line and not hop over the line guides and wait at the end. (Ah, my big brave man! LOL) He claims it took about 30-40 minutes in line until it was his turn. Last chance to [Read more…]

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