Still looking for last-minute Easter basket stuffers? We’ve got some great suggestions that work for girls and boys, from a name that’s synonymous with creativity. New this spring, Crayola has introduced Chalk Grab ‘N Go Games, a line of classic games based on its colorful sidewalk chalk. If you’ve got kids, chances are you have a bucket of sidewalk chalk hiding somewhere in your garage, like we do. With these fun games, chalk extends its usefulness beyond hopscotch and sidewalk sketches into more active play. Each packaged game–Chip Shot Golf, Foot Hockey, Bean Bag Toss and Obstacle Course–contains all the tools needed to play, including four sticks of chalk. Not only are these games ideal for backyard play, but they pack easily for trips to [&hellip
The Traveling Walnuts Archive
As soon as spring break rolls around and my kids have been home bothering…ahem, spending time with me for a whole week, it makes me realize that summer vacation is not too far away. I feel like we’ve gotten a bit of a jump-start on getting our summer gear, thanks to off-season swimming lessons, but still haven’t found a decent bag for toting all my kindergartner’s stuff…until now. PaddlePak is a water-resistant backpack for ages 2 and up that’s both pretty and practical. You can stash a wet suit or towel without worrying about ruining the fabric. A special roll-top seal keeps everything safe and secure, while the Trunki grip keeps sunglasses or water goggles within easy reach. Our favorite “de-tail” is the tail that [&hellip
Do you know a kid who’s bogged down by their bag? I see it nearly every day when kindergartners can barely manage to traverse the steep step up on the bus, thanks to a bulky backpack. It’s even more heartbreaking when it’s a preschooler who seems to be toting enough luggage for an overnight flight than a half day at school. And a lunch bag to the mix, and you’ve got a date with the chiropractor in your kid’s near future. Maybe that’s why we like SuperMe! bags so much. It’s perfect for the pint-sized Superman-in-the-making who can’t quite part with this special powers when headed off to school or daycare. You can choose between the Cape Backpack, a sturdy model that converts into a [&hellip
Right now, I am listening to the ocean waves as they lap at my feet. The gulls are circling overhead as I sip from a cold concoction and inhale the tropical scents of coconut and pineapple. I inhale deeply and the intoxicating scent of salt mixed with sunscreen overcomes me…and then I wake up. Yes, my reality is that it’s snowing for the sixth time this winter (but who’s really counting), and my kids are yet again home from school. And since they’ll most likely be home again tomorrow, with frigid temperatures keeping us indoors, I’ll have to rely on my active fantasy life to get me through the next 24 hours or so. If this forecast is any indication of the next couple of [&hellip
Today marks our third snowfall of the season, and it’s not even Christmas! The very thought of getting through winter while traversing our local, windy roads with kids in tow gives me the shivers. Keeping them safe is my job as a parent, so I want to be sure I make the right decisions, and that includes keeping them buckled up in the right safety seats. Because my 9-year-old is on the petite side, she still rides on a booster seat, as does her 5-year-old sister. As you can imagine, being “almost double digits” means not wanting to feel like a little kid. But that doesn’t mean forgoing what’s important, like your life. Fortunately, some booster seat manufacturers recognize this desire for style, while still [&hellip
As much we love to spotlight those big-ticket items on the top of every wish list, we also like to pay fair tribute to the smaller guys: those companies that fuel kids’ imaginations and give us yet another reason to wish we were little again. Urban Canvas is one of our latest favorites. They make eco-friendly toys fashioned out of recycled and reusable cardboard, including trains, buildings and even bugs. We love their Build 52 Playing Cards, a full deck of blank (save for standard numbers and letters) cards that kids can design and customize to their hearts’ content…and then use to assemble their own house of cards (thanks to their interconnecting edges). Not only is this toy a cool craft, but it lets kids [&hellip
Week Two of summer vacation and believe me, the novelty is starting to wear off. Since the weather hasn’t exactly been cooperating, we’ve been making trips to the library instead of the beach (at this rate, my 5-year-old will be polishing off “War and Peace” any day now…). Lucky for us, we managed to schedule a short road trip over the long holiday weekend, and that means packing a bag of goodies for the car that will keep two little ladies entertained and occupied (and me from having to say, “Don’t make me come back there!”). We recently got our hands on Where’s the Duck?, a new card game for ages 3 and up that’s easy to play and great for on-the-go. The object is [&hellip
When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I knew I wanted an old-fashioned pram in which to parade my new little love around town. By the time my second daughter arrived on the scene, I had grown weary of the neutral-colored baby gear I had acquired along the way. Sure, a cream-colored bouncy seat may have fit into my traditional home decor, while a steel grey car seat meshed well with my car’s interior. But at the end of the day, I found everything to be a bit…oh, how can I put it? Bor-ing. If someone had told me that those first few months of life with a newborn would be filled with lots of cat-napping, diaper changes, rattle shaking, sleeping, bathing, feeding–did we [&hellip
Whenever it was time to feed my baby daughters, I was never without my Boppy. The donut-shaped nursing support pillow that made a name for itself as a must-have baby shower gift, this product got quite a bit of mileage over the years. But because I did not take it along with me whenever I left the house (Lord knows how much other baby gear I had to lug around!), I always felt the substitutes lacked the same comfort that this mommy security-type blanket offered; couch pillows and folded-over comforters just didn’t do the trick. So when I heard about the mom-invented Comfy Cradle, I knew this mompreneur was onto something. Designed by an Ohio mother of two who realized there must be a better [&hellip
When I want my hot tea, I want it fast. As in “5 minutes ago…but (insert big sigh) now will do.” But when you’re talking about your baby in need of her bottle, that’s 5 minutes you just don’t have. And if you happen to be in transit with a little one during feeding time? Well, you get the idea. Getting moms and dads out of tough situations like these is an ingenious new baby bottle that puts basic models to shame. The Mixie is a self-contained, formula-mixing bottle that is waiting at the ready for the hungry child. By taking the convenience of a snap-on formula container one step further, it holds the formula compartment at the base of the bottle. Unscrew it from [&hellip