The calendar may say September, but the bugs are still biting like it’s summertime. Aside from several trips to the beach, my girls have hardly played outside these last few months, thanks to this being one of the more buggy summers in the Northeast. And yet they’ve still managed to rack up many a mosquito bite. While we’ve tried a variety of remedies to culprit that pesky itchiness–from creams to sprays–nothing has done the trick…until now, that is. After road-testing a sample of BeKOOOL Itch Relief Patches for the past week, we are a changed family. These clear adhesives look much like a bandage, but they’re actually cleverly disguised with a cooling ingredient that soothes unbearably itchy bites. Because these patches discreetly cover unsightly bumps, [&hellip
The Healthy Walnut Archive
My 9-year-old isn’t big on breakfast these days. As much as I’d like her to consume more than just a glass of OJ, she refuses to eat anything (unless, of course, we happen to whip up a hot meal of pancakes and bacon. Sorry, kid; that’s what weekends are for). Well, as luck would have it, she is now a changed young woman, thanks to a personal chef and a special delivery. It all started back in May when we decided to throw a “Chopped”-style birthday party for our resident foodie (even if breakfast isn’t her thing, she is an otherwise well-rounded eater who adores the famed reality cooking show). When the chef proposed a smoothie round, my daughter was a bit skeptical–and so was [&hellip
My 5-year-old practices yoga on her own. She got a taste of it this past year during preschool, and would happily come home to demonstrate any number of poses. (Her warrior one really rocks!) The funniest thing was how seriously she takes her yoga; in the midst of a recent meltdown, she ran into her bedroom and assumed a meditation position. And within minutes, she emerged a calmer, happier self. I kid you not. So when I learned about the entire new line of Upside Down Games devoted to yoga, I knew it would be a huge hit in my house. While the products range from card games, to seek-and-find board games aged for 6 and up, any kid who expresses a sincere interest in [&hellip
Summer doesn’t officially begin until Friday, and we’re already off to a buggy start. I can play connect the dots on my 9-year-old’s upper arm, and my 5-year-old has a welt the size of a half-dollar. And that’s only from playing outside one afternoon. Since I definitely get a little kooky when the bugs come out in full force, I do my best to protect my girls from these pesky critters. Because many of the leading brands I’ve tried haven’t quite lived up to the hype, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to try something new. And I’m really glad I did. Fairy Tales Bug Bandit is my go-to weapon in the battle of the bugs. This pesticide- and DEET-free natural bug repellent [&hellip
A friend who was recently traveling with her kids wondered what snacks she could pack that would keep them full without having to resort to her usual stash of Goldfish and apple sauce cups. If you’ve bagged one too many cheddar bunnies and cheese strings in your day, it’s time to check out a new kid-friendly treat that’s as fun to say as it is to eat. Squoosh is a line of organic pureed fruit and veggies in a portable pouch. The all-natural snacks are the brainchild of a fellow mom who wanted to offer her kids nutritious snacks while on the go, but did not want to sacrifice taste for the sake of convenience. Each of the four fruity combinations — BeetBerry, OrangeBango, SquabbleBerry [&hellip
As a kid, my potty seat was as low tech as it gets: a wooden seat with a smiling bunny on the back and a pull-out plastic pot for easy clean-up. Exciting, eh? Innovation in the toilet-training area continues to make leaps and bounds that I can hardly keep up with, like the potty seat that works with your iPad. What could possibly be next? Well, if you’re pulling your hair out over your training-resistant toddler, consider yet another electronic gadget your partner in crime on the war against wet bums. Huggies has created the Pull-ups Big Kid App, a free, downloadable app that celebrates those moments when peeing and pooping are your child’s greatest achievement (don’t laugh; you know how god-awful frustrating it can [&hellip
Another bone-chilling day like this, and I may just have to hibernate. At this time of year here in the northeast, thoughts naturally turn to spring and warmer weather. Even if I can’t manage to escape the cold and head off to a seaside resort anytime soon (well, I can surely visit one in my mind…), I imagine there will plenty of peeps booking their sunny getaways right about now. For those of you heading out of town with the kiddies, I envy you…and urge you to cover up. As a mom who continues to fight skin cancer (three battle scars to prove it), I keep my girls protected from head to toe, especially when the summer sun strikes. While sunscreen is strongly recommended, it [&hellip
As the Super Bowl looms closer, our Facebook friends have been posting a lot more comments about their favorite team. (Personally, hockey trumps football in the Walnuts house, but I digress…) Whether you’ve been rooting for the 49ers or the Pats, the Falcons or the Ravens, we know how much football fans like to display their team pride: on your sweatshirts, your cars, you name it. And in honor of diehard fans, you can now add your toothbrush holder to that list. Just in time for the Super Bowl and National Children’s Dental Health Prevention month, Flipper NFL toothbrush holders are a fun way to store your brush, while proclaiming your unwavering devotion to your team. Not only do these holders add a touch of [&hellip
I label practically all of my kids’ stuff. Water bottles, backpacks, lunchboxes…you name it. If I’m not busy folding endless loads of whites and darks, you can probably find me perched over some object, Sharpie in hand. Of course, none of the labels I’ve been using have been able to stand up to standard wear and tear or my dishwasher. I’ve tried everything from official-looking file folder labels, to the clever now-I-don’t-have to-do-anything-but stick-them pre-printed return address labels. But nothing will stay put. How incredibly psyched I was to stumble upon Kidaroo Crew’s Sippy Grab. Designed by a mom whose own experiences of keeping her kids’ gear labeled once and for all, these incredibly write-on, slip-on labels fit right over any standard sippy cup, baby [&hellip
The clock is ticking, and you still haven’t found the perfect gift for your perfect kid. Wouldn’t it be nice to surprise them with something that Santa might not be able to fit in his sleigh, but that will guarantee many hours of active play? Even better than that, how about a gift that ties into your own New Year’s resolution (yet again) to get more exercise together as a family? Enter the Baby Jock Edition by FirstBIKE. It’s a lightweight bike that vows to get your kid up and riding, sans the training wheels. And did we mention there are no pedals either? The idea is to enable kids ages 2-5 to balance themselves from the very start, without fretting over pedaling their feet [&hellip