Bop it to 'Em

They weigh less than a pound (including the box!), pack easily, and pack a LOT of (somewhat) safe PUNCH!  Hours of fun with these Soccer Boppers from Schylling Toys - a classic toy that has withstood the change of times.

They come as a pair (although the box shows a friendly 'match' of 2 pairs) and can be taken anywhere or used for all kinds of fun BOPPING at home!  We suggest taping out a 'ring' and letting kids have fun with the boppers.  Make up your own rules to keep things fun and safe, and we suggest adult supervision.

These make a great holiday gift for a kid or for those that are kids at heart! 

A fun way for kids to take out their frustrations:  let them punch the couch, put up your hands as target - endless ways to avoid them taking it out on their siblings! 

Montshire Museum of Science

We recently got back from a trip to Quechee, Vermont, where we were pleasantly surprised at ALL of the really great things to do there with kids.  First of all, we stayed at the Quechee Pine Valley KOA Kampground (yes, they spell anything they can with a 'K' instead of a 'C'), and were very happy with the place.  We had a nice site, right next to the playgound (site 20 on Map), pool, and the fenced in area where our dog could run 'leashless' - how sweet is that??

We also have dear friends in the area, who we met up with 4 days while we were staying there.  Ticket to a smooth, kid meltdown-minimized time?  Gear the activities around them.  Thus, "the Montshire", where our friends have an annual pass and where my older son claims that "if we lived there, we'd HAVE to have a pass too".

Here's my husband and youngest son playing in one of the many bubble making tubs.  What we (as adults) loved about this place is that everything is interactive (and, despite some NOT-so gentle use by some kids there - EVERYTHING works and is well kept), and even though some of the things might not totally be understood by our kids, someday, they will reflect on how 'the bubbles'(for example) happen (because of surface tension)?!  Many of the displays illustrate complicated concepts in simple forms, helping to prove the importance of experiential, hands-on, away-from-the-books learning.

The other beauty of visiting Montshire during the summer, is the extensive outdoor 'water and how it moves' activity area - a perfect way to take the kids energy (and 'heat') outdoors for play and experimentation.  Here my boys attach various pipes together to channel water in different directions, or make it sprinkle, or spin and more.  A great way to stay cool and learn.  We were here for hours and could easily go back several days without seeing and interacting with everything.  AND, there displays change occasionally keeping frequent visits interesting.

If you are ever in the area, we highly recommend this Museum, or search your travel destination for Children's Museums - the perfect way to keep kids traveling happy!

A fun day on the Tuckaseegee River, NC

 

On a recent trip to western North Carolina, we took our boys whitewater paddling.  Because kids have to be 9 years old (and ours are 5 and 8) to go on the Nantahala River (with Class III rapids) we opted for the Tuckaseegee, a fun, but somewhat tame Class I-II river for all ages fun.

 

We went with Tuckaseegee Outfitters (owned by a friend of ours, James); and all we had to do is show up in our swimsuits and we were outfitted with paddles, boats, PFDs, a safety talk, and a shuttle to the put-in.

This was great fun for our group, which included another family as well.  The perfect way to introduce kids to the fun and power of water!

Go fly a kite with the WHOLE Family

It's nearing the holiday season, and if your family is like mine, as the shorter days of winter approach, you are looking for a way to keep the TV off and the brains growing! My kids LOVE puzzles (as do I), but we always run into the issue of which puzzle to do, seeing as 'my' puzzles are a bit too challenging and sometimes frustrating for my 4 and 7 year old boys, and 'their' puzzles, well, they don't really WANT my help!

To the rescue.... the Ravensburger FAMILY puzzle. It has 3 sections, with 3 different sized pieces, for variety of ages, starting at 4 years of age. These 3 sections all interlock, making it the PERFECT family puzzle. Fun, fun!! We love it, and everyone is happy!

Keep your eyes on Ravensburger Puzzles at Kids Travel Happy! Soon to come are 'puzzle balls' for fun, holiday decor, even a functional globe (over 500 pieces!!)

Festivals & Fairs - affordable travel

Do you ever find yourself really wanting to travel over the summer, but there just never seems to be enough time or money to go very far for very long?

We often find a spot (picking a radius of miles from our home) with a particular interest: sometimes a good mountain biking spot, a fun beach/coastal area, a historical site, and this summer, we're making a point to journey to new fairs or festivals that are family friendly.

The first one we've chosen, is new to Maine and Saddleback Mountain, the Saddleback Blue Grass Festival in August, at Saddleback Mountain. The only downside (but totally understandable) is that Pets are NOT allowed, even in the camping area. However, adults are $35, and kids under 12 are FREE for the 11am (gates open at 9am) - 7:30pm outdoor festival. On-site primitive camping is also FREE for those who have tickets to the show - tents, cars, RVs (no hookups, however). We're making a weekend of it, going up on Friday, and coming home on the following Sunday. We're also meeting other families there, which always makes it even more fun for all of us.

Need some inspiration? Looking for something in your area (or, maybe a bit away?). Here are some fun sites to get you thinking "festival trips with the family" this Summer.

• 5 Family Friendly Festivals (from the Chicago Tribune, but are all over the U.S.)
• Festivals 2010 (International)
• Top 5 Family Friendly Festivals (UK)

Still not inspired? Check your local region's "calendar of events" - we often check our local papers, our NPR station's event listings, or do a search for a town/region you'd like to visit and see what is going on.

When you concentrate on choosing a Family (that is "KID") friendly destination with a variety of activities, the 'adult's can travel happy too!

Tell ME! Get your family talking

Get unplugged, and get this deck of 50 Fun Questions to get YOUR family talking. These are perfect for family gatherings, road trips, camping, hiking, or anywhere the conversation has gone stale.

Turn off the TV, break the boredom, and get talking! You may learn something! :-) This has a compact, sturdy case that measures approx 4" x 5" x 1". REALLY short on packing space? Stick a few cards in a book, and pull out when necessary. Great for restaurants too!

Thanksgiving Traditions, Travel, Kids

It's not so many weeks away, less than 3, when most of us will either be hosting or be 'hosted' (that is, the guest/customer) at some sort of Thanksgiving gathering. I, personally, always enjoy the festivities, or, more importantly, my kids love to get together with their cousins and be silly.

I wonder, however, although the family aspect of the gathering is always recognized, how do we teach children, at their age appropriate level, the meaning for the holiday? As my 6-year old son understands, it is a gathering to commemorate the celebration of the success of the first settler's survival of their first winter, and the harvest that following fall. He knows that Pilgrims and native Indians were involved, but that's about where it ends. And, for 6-years old, that's pretty good. Curious about what we could do as a family to add a bit more appreciate to the holiday, I started thinking about a few things we could begin this year.

Here are my suggestions (pre-thanksgiving)

1. have kids make seating tags, this is a fun, easy craft, and helps kids learn/know names of everyone attending: Try to get a 'headshot' of each attendee and make a label with the person on it. This is especially fun if the photos are 'not quite perfect'.
   
2. check out these sites for other ideas:

• Turkey Place Markers
• Nifty Name Plates from Family Fun Magazine
• Pilgrim Hat, Indian Headdress Place Cards

For Thanksgiving Day

1. have kids make up the 'kid table' with seating assignments
2. kids can do the 'adult' table too, as they have fun making everyone sit wherever they want.
3. start dinner with a brief reminder of why we celebrate Thanksgiving Day (it's good to let kids know this is not JUST about food & football, but have a basic understanding about the reason for the food)
4. then, go around the table and have each person name one thing they are thankful for (our rule, cannot re-state what someone before you has said!)
5. eat up and enjoy the company

For those who go out to eat, and may need quiet activities for the kids to enjoy at the table, here are our top picks. Also be sure to check out our new category "Restaurant Fun", with 100's of ideas. Here are some of our faves!

• Doodles to Go: Just in time for any type of travel or vacation, this book of doodles will keep young travelers busy. Whether they're waiting at the airport, stuck in the backseat of the family car, or just taking some downtime on a camping trip, young artists will find endless hours of creative fun in this how-to book. For ages 9 and up
• Scramble Squares: the 9 piece brainteaser puzzle - They're Not Just For Kids! Challenging educational puzzles with powerful graphics keep boys, girls, and adults captivated for hours! Perfect for all of your travel delay passing needs (or rainy day, or restaurant table/food waiting and more!)
• Dinner Games: Keep your little ones focused on the family meal with this collection of 51 dinner games to play while you eat! These quick, simple games, like Fruity Feeling, Rainbow Dinner and Magic Spoon, break up dinnertime routine and add fun to family meals. No game board or game pieces required - just food and family. Kids learn expressive language, the five senses, creative thinking, social skills and more. The games even encourage kids to eat their veggies and finish their milk! Beginner version is for families with kids ages 3 to 6, ORIGINAL is for families with older kids.
• Find-It Games: This is a brightly colored contained adventure. It contains 48 hidden items for you to find, conveniently listed on the top of the game. The items found in this sealed container are geared toward kids. SPIN IT, TWIST IT, SHAKE IT! Be the first to find the hidden Penny, Marble, Balloon, Letters of the Alphabet, or …? This game is enjoyed by adults as well as children. It is great travel game, terrific learning center activity, or is fun played as a timed game with others. The Kids version comes with red plastic ends, giving the games an exciting, colorful look. The game comes boxed and contains a tear off tally pad to check off as you find each item. Skills used: deductive reasoning, object identification, early reading/ letter recognition, as well as patience!
• 3D Slide Puzzles: The perfect take anywhere puzzle! Within each 4" x 4" tray are eight puzzle pieces that glide into place - with a bit of finesse - to form a colorful raised image of the EARTH. Challenging enough to entertain for hours. Be sure to check out all of the designs. Kids young and old will enjoy these puzzles.
• Bananagrams: The multi-award winning game that will drive you BANANAS! Described as the "Best Travel Game Out There". Fast and Fun, requires NO pencil, paper or board. Educational and great family game. Appropriate for beginning spellers or New York Times crossword regulars! Comes in funky Banana 'bag' ready to go anywhere.
  

The bottom line? We find that if we engage the kids in one way or another, we're all happier!

Take your "band" on the Road

At the KidsTravelHappy.com storefront (and, online of course) we recently received a shipment of items from Hohner Kids. Hohner is a musical instrument company, focused on quality, affordable, fun items for kids, mostly 3 years and up, with some fun options safe for those as young as 3 months!

Who wants to bring music on a trip you may ask? Well, we find that music on our trips (and the instruments!) focuses our kids energy productively, and allows them to be 'loud' (within limits!) without completely driving us (the parents) crazy.

Why do we like Hohner products? As Hohner states so well "Music helps shape your mind". They go on to say: "Scientific research has proven active music making stimulates every area of the brain and impacts intellectual development in children. Studies suggest actively playing music helps children focus on the structure of sounds, an important aspect of language development (source: National Association of Music Educators).

More reasons to pack a few Hohner products in your child's next travel Activity bag

• each instrument includes suggestions for songs and activities specific to that instrument
• activities are age appropriate
• it's so much fun, kids won't know they are learning!
• requires little or no musical experience
• easily learned
• some are all wood, some are sturdy, colorful plastic construction
  
• hours of fun, educational music making for everyone
• adults will enjoy playing as much as kids

Do you have a whole group of budding musicians? You may want to check out the "Rhythm Music 6-piece Instrument Kit" and keep everyone 'in the band'.

And, don't forget, instruments make great gifts for the upcoming holiday season. Check back often as we continue to add to the more than 25 musical selections we already offer from Hohner Kids. You never know, you could be fostering the next folk singer, jazz musician, classical genius, or rock star!

Lots of Outdoor fun had by all

Thinking back to the "Island Canoe Camping", it surely went without a hitch, thanks to great weather, friends, food and fun. I think many people would be surprised about the ease of entertaining kids with no real toys at all.

At 'maximum' capacity we had 7 kids ranging from 3 to 8 years of age, and they ALL played together with stuff they found on the island the majority of the time.

The (simple) highlights

• stick collection
• fairy searches
• hiking
• swimming
• paddling (canoeing)
• rock throwing (this was NOT the best activity, but entertaining nonetheless!)
• fishing
• cooking
• marshmallow roasting

The other great thing, is that by the time darkness arrived (by 7:30-8PM), the kids were tired and ready to go to sleep. This was awesome as I often forget how fun it is to have some uninterrupted adult conversation around the campfire!

We spent 2 nights at Student's Island on Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Western Maine. A nice map of the sites can be found HERE. It's primitive camping (bring your own water, or boil lake water, purify it etc.), with outhouses (which, frankly, cracked me us as they had air fresheners in them that were "NEW CAR SCENT" ?! NOT exactly an 'outdoorsy' smell!). Which reminds me, always have a good hand washing station set up, with biodegradable soap, and a towel for the kids (and adults, of course).

Every time we take our kids in the Outdoors (which, thankfully is quite often) I am reminded what a fine experience it is for them - to learn about the stars, collect rocks, live without luxury, and play (so important to their learning). I find it hard to believe that most would NOT 'travel happy' with any family that takes the time and planning to give them outdoor experiences. To top it all off, they are relatively inexpensive endeavors. Don't have a canoe? Camping gear? Contact a spot you are interested in going to, and you'll likely be able to rent all that you need, and not even have to schlep it to your destination. Easy for mom & dad as well!!

Rental Gear Ideas

• REI rents gear HERE
  
• GITTO - get into the outdoors is a great site
• check local outdoor shops near your home or your destination
• where we were, the campsite rental location had boats, wood, water containers etc. right there at the shoreside

Lastly, a great book for kids and adults as well is CAMP OUT: The Ultimate Kid's Guide - tons of outdoor games, things to discover, menu ideas, star charts, animal prints guide, tree identification, clouds, weather, build a sun dial and much more!

As we left the Preserve, we made our reservation for 2010 (can't wait!) - a family tradition in the making.

Enjoying the Preparation as much as the Trip?!

I've just sent my oldest off to 1st grade this week, and with Labor Day on the horizon, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by the thought of a 2-night camping trip we have planned with friends. Not that camping is too big of a deal, but when we add the element of 'island' and canoeing to that island, it gets a bit more complicated.

My first reaction is that it's a LOT of work for a couple of days, 3 other families, kids, meal planning, bugs (yes, our screwed up climate has brought Maine the seemingly longest bug season ever), gear, gear, gear. Don't get me wrong, I am an outdoors person, and in fact, LOVE that my husband and I have collected over the years, piles of fine gear. I am excited to use it. But, with the start of school, moving across town to a new home, my business, etc. it seems like another thing to add to the list.

So, I pause. Deep breath. (another few deep breaths...)

Now, preparation aside, it's going to be great. Unplugged, beach play, paddling, good conversation, great food (we always eat well, and thankfully, I've been fortunate to have equally skilled cooks as friends!), and for all the reasons in a previous paragraph, the PERFECT time to get away from it all. It's like anything else, make a bunch of excuses, don't go, regret it vs. commit to it, enjoy the planning and anticipation, NO regrets.

One thing I have realized is that when packing for these sort of 'trips', even though we are only driving a couple of hours, then paddling a canoe 1/2-mile or so, with everything else going on, I have NO time to really think about what I need to pack. Thankfully (yes, I'm anal this way), I have an excel workbook full of packing lists, and each sheet is a different type of trip, which I faithfully update post-trip with all those things I should have brought. These lists are a little work, but in the end, prevent re-writing, and remembering everything, every time.

As a revel in my overwhelming list from the last camping trip, I have added a 'menu' section, so as not to overpack food for less than 48 total hours. This has become especially helpful for pre-trip grocery shopping, condiment packing, etc.

As a group, we have picked 2 themes, one for Saturday's dinner (Caribbean) and one for Sunday's dinner (Asian), so, we are bringing a pot of properly themed 'stew', and Sushi for Sunday.

Anyone want to join us? Next post will be a follow up to what we did, how we entertained the kids, what we discovered, learned, and won't do again!!

The ONE TANK Summer Trip

Yes, we're all feeling the effects of the down-turned economy, and even my family has been trying to 'buy' into the idea of a STAYCATION, but, frankly, we're NOT buying into that term.

We have a 1990, 21' Class C RV. For those interested, that just means, as my son tells me, "it's a 'drive' RV (vs. PULL or on a PICK-UP, or one the size of a BUS) with a sleeping space above the cab". Anyway, talk about inefficient gas mileage, we get about 10 mph, which is pitiful compared to the compact cars we drive on a regular basis. However, we don't like to see the RV out of storage, sitting in the driveway, collecting mud splash from such a rainy summer in Maine. And, we love being self-contained, especially since we've had children.

We've decided to explore our options as far as the RV will take us on ONE TANK. Quick math = 10mph x 30 gallons = 300 miles. 300 MILES! That's a long way, even from rural Western Maine. One of our favorite 'ONE TANK' trips we've taken was to Northern Vermont, where Norm (husband) and I enjoyed swapping turns on some of the best single track Mountain Biking out there, at the 'Kingdom Trails'. We also took the kids on some road rides, the youngest in a bike trailer, and the older one on a tag-along bike. We try to look for campgrounds with a beach, some mini-golf, playground, pool or other activities that keep the kids UNplugged. There's so much to do in nature, we encourage anyone young and not-so young to discover the wonders of the outdoors.

For us, it's just a matter of getting away from the distractions (which, is one reason we are NOT big fans of the STAYCATION idea) and 'chores' that call to us when we are home. Even a night away with friends at a nearby campground a month ago allowed us to relax and enjoy chatting, playing in the woods, hearing all the kids' laughter, and the wonderful chorus of frogs 'peeping'. Make a point to visit, not-so-far away friends. It's inexpensive, fun, and you'll feel like you're miles away, even if you're only a state away (or town).

No RV? Don't like to camp? Inexpensive hotels can be found everywhere. Pick one at the edge of your "ONE TANK" and make a journey out of getting there. Or, rent a cabin at a campground, many offer them these days.

None of these ideas suit your desires? Figure our YOUR road trip vehicle's ONE TANK distance, get out a map and draw a circle that encompasses the possibilities. Chances are you have NOT even explored much of the area around your own 'backyard' so to speak. Beach? City? Country? Campground? Friends? Grandma/pa? Historical Sites?

LASTLY, here are a few links that may help get the ideas flowing.

• National Parks of the United States (search feature with campground info)
  
• Road Trip Tips
• One Tanks escapes for 7 Cities
• Twenty Trips, 10 cities, One Tank of Gas

Please share your ideas or experiences on your ONE TANK adventures. We'd love to hear them!

Scramble Squares will have you 'puzzled'

Looking for a 'fit in a handbag', 'keep the kids (and adults!) busy for hours' type of game? Then you should check out Scramble Squares by b.dazzle. It seems simple enough, 9 squares that need to be put together to solve the 12" x 12" puzzle, such that the graphics on the pieces' edges match perfectly to form a completed design in every direction. Oh, did we mention that there are 95,126,814,720 different possible solutions?! (minor detail).
This is perfect for passing the time at a restaurant, and because there is really no 'right-side' up position for the puzzle, it's really easy for all sitting around the same table to participate. The puzzles come in a variety of patterns and styles. We carry 11 different ones that cover a range of interests.

Another cool fact is that there is an educational panel of info on the back of the header card of each puzzle. This info relates to the design on the puzzle, and answers the trivia question also included.

If you happen to be in Bethel, stop by our shop, and take the 5-minute challenge. You could go home with your own set of Scramble Squares for FREE!!

Scramble Squares make for an inexpensive gift for a birthday or any holiday, a packable travel activity, or a rainy day pastime at home. Scramble Squares are the winners of countless awards including a Dr. Toy's 10 Best Educational Products.

Good luck, and happy solving!