We LOVE these card sets for kids. Not only are they many of the classics (Spit, Go Fish, Old Maid, Slap Dragon) or "Tastes Like Chicken" a game of funny animals, they each come in a 'click' case, ready to go anywhere.
The fact that these (aside from TASTES LIKE CHICKEN) have an oval/unique shape, make them much easier for young hands to hold. Your kids still having trouble? Try our handy card holder it works like a 'charm'. All of these sets are great for the whole family, and start a lifelong love for unplugged games. They also pack easily and safely in any purse (or jacket pocket) for that unexpected LONG wait at a restaurant, airport or doctor's office.
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!
For the first time, I am headed to the New York International Toy Fair - VERY EXCITED. I have reserved a hotel for 3 nights just 1/2 of a block from the Convention Center where it is held (at a modest $200 a night for nothing noteworthy!?). Then, it struck me that this is happening during my sons' and husband's February vacation so why not make a family trip of it?! They can go see some nearby sights (Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building etc.), while I spend a couple of days trying to find the next wave of really cool items to include for KidsTravelHappy.com (kids, ironically, are NOT allowed at the Toy Fair, and this is an IN the industry show, but if you are a retailer- see you there!).
Then, came the task of figuring out how to make the most of our 4 days and 3 nights in NYC. To drive from Maine means 6-8 hours (or more, depending on traffic and weather), but fairly inexpensive way to go. Our kids (3 and 6 years) are seasoned travelers so the time isn't a problem in that sense, but did we want to spend all that time IN the car with so little time overall on this trip? Then, there's the hassle of what to do with the car in the city, paying to park, navigating around etc. SO, I then looked into plane tickets, on Orbitz and Expedia, finally settling for JetBlue.com, as the show offers a 5% OFF coupon for those attending the show. It ended up being about $450 for 4 of us to fly from Portland, Maine to Laguardia Airport, NY. We booked and are relieved that this will offer the max amount of time at our destination with a minimal amount of travel time.
Next, the task of how to save on the other major 'costs' of travel with a family to a city.
FOOD - we love to dine out, especially in a place with so MANY unique options, yet, we are not used to the 'NY' pricing. Our strategy? We have a hotel with a microwave and a refrigerator, so we plan to make good use of them for snacks, breakfast, and lunch, and splurge on dinner out each day. We have had fun surfing around the internet for kid friendly places in and around the Toy Show (Times Square, Rockefeller Center area). Another great option is to pack laptop lunch/Bento style snacks for on-the-go/around town snacking.
TRANSPORTATION - we have decided to fore go driving into New York (as mentioned above) and use the abundance of public transportation. More on this after we go! While I'm at the show, my husband and boys will concentrate on the sites nearby, as that will help save cost as well - there are so many things to see, there is no need to go too far anyway.
WATER - we are fans of Sigg, Crocodile Creek, or similar reusable BPA bottles, and with studies showing that bottled water is not better or worse than tap water, the investment in a nice Steel Bottle is worth it when you can fill it for FREE! This is especially handy in an airport where bottled water can be somewhat astronomical in price - just make sure it is empty for security, or you'll be dumping it out! You can fill once inside.
In a few weeks I'll have a report on the show, what were good things to do (and, not), as well as fun stuff I found and learned at the show. To be continued.....
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)
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'.
have kids make up the 'kid table' with seating assignments
kids can do the 'adult' table too, as they have fun making everyone sit wherever they want.
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)
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!)
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!
Have you seen this? (the GREEN thing in the photo to the left). This is one of the coolest inventions we've added to our 'travel gear' offerings, and we're proud to have them at KidsTravelHappy.com.
What is it exactly? Well, I'd call it a spring-loaded, 4-pronged single piece contraption that fits on most types of chairs. SO, instead of boosting the child IN the seat, the whole seat is BOOSTED.
Best of all, it folds, and the DELUXE version comes with a Travel Bag (or is sold separately, if you are partial to a different color).
We carry the GREEN (in the first photo), a NATURAL, and the CHARCOAL (which is the color that comes with the DELUXE KABOOST).
We just HAD to get one, and trust me, you'll be happy to get rid of the high chair, psyched you can pack it to grandma's house, or throw in the car for any trip to a restaurant. No more small child peering above the edge of the table (no mouth in view... we KNOW where that food is going), and no more "but I want a seat like BIG brother/sister". Brilliant!
A few last "quick facts"/selling points
sets up in seconds
improves chair stability
holds up to 300 pounds
stays attached even when you pick up the chair to move it
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.
For the first time, I am headed to the New York International Toy Fair - VERY EXCITED. I have reserved a hotel for 3 nights just 1/2 of a block from the Convention Center where it is held (at a modest $200 a night for nothing noteworthy!?). Then, it struck me that this is happening during my sons' and husband's February vacation so why not make a family trip of it?! They can go see some nearby sights (Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building etc.), while I spend a couple of days trying to find the next wave of really cool items to include for KidsTravelHappy.com (kids, ironically, are NOT allowed at the Toy Fair, and this is an IN the industry show, but if you are a retailer- see you there!).
so we plan to make good use of them for snacks, breakfast, and lunch, and splurge on dinner out each day. We have had fun surfing around the internet for kid friendly places in and around the Toy Show (Times Square, Rockefeller Center area). Another great option is to pack laptop lunch/Bento style snacks for on-the-go/around town snacking.
or similar reusable BPA bottles, and with studies showing that bottled water is not better or worse than tap water, the investment in a nice Steel Bottle is worth it when you can fill it for FREE! This is especially handy in an airport where bottled water can be somewhat astronomical in price - just make sure it is empty for security, or you'll be dumping it out! You can fill once inside.
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
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!
entertain for hours. Be sure to check out all of the designs. Kids young and old will enjoy these puzzles.
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.
Have you seen this? (the GREEN thing in the photo to the left). This is one of the coolest inventions we've added to our 'travel gear' offerings, and we're proud to have them at KidsTravelHappy.com.
SO, instead of boosting the 
child IN the seat, the whole seat is BOOSTED.
get one, and trust me, you'll be happy to get rid of the high chair, psyched 
you can pack it to grandma's house, or throw in the car for any trip to a restaurant. No more small child peering above the edge of the table (no mouth in view... we KNOW where that food is going), and no more "but I want a seat like BIG brother/sister". Brilliant!
