My 7-year-old has just started getting the hang of Hangman. I knew that day would be coming once coloring books and makeshift games of Tic Tac Toe on restaurant playmats quickly lost their allure. Now that she’s become a solid reader, it’s a great way to build on her growing vocabulary and keep her motivated to read for pleasure. For kids who love a good game of words, but may not be ready for Scrabble, comes Flip to Win Hangman, a portable game that works just as well while waiting for dinner to arrive, as it does traveling to Grandma’s. I like that kids can turn over each letter possibility as they fill in the corresponding answer on the dry-erase board; having the alphabet front [&hellip
The Traveling Walnuts Archive
I don’t think my family will be jetting overseas anytime soon, but giving my kids a taste of world cultures is something I’d love for them to experience. Because Japanese take-out doesn’t exactly do the trick on its own, my husband queues up the Internet radio to a lite-rock Tokyo station. Let’s just say eating sushi will never be ho-hum again. When mealtime is through, we love to crank up the CD player with other types of ethnic music meant for tender ears, like European Playground from Putumayo Kids. My 3-year-old loves to bang on her instruments in a rhythm that is clearly her own, and I can’t help but marvel at her ability to tune out the world–and tune into the beat. I love [&hellip
We’re slowly starting to pack for our annual summer vacation with the kids later this week. For me, that means double loads of laundry, unearthing our travel bags and figuring out how few toys I can get away with packing. If you’re traveling with a little one, you’re already loaded down with enough baby gear to outfit a mansion–forget about the toys! I tell my girls they’re each allowed one special, can’t-do-without plaything, and then the rest is up to me. (Let’s see how well that one works). If you have a little person in your life embarking on her first journey, be it by car, plane or cruise ship, you won’t be able to resist My Little Suitcase. Brought to you by The Baby [&hellip
My mom is heading to California today to visit my brother. Before she left, we were talking about just how many families she’ll be seeing on her flight to family-friendly San Diego. (Hopefully, no one will be kicking the back of her seat for next five hours…) As anyone traveling with young kids can tell you, schlepping through an airport is no picnic. And if you’ve got a baby in tow, anything that helps make your trip a bit more bearable is worth its weight in gold. The QuickSmart Backpack Stroller is the answer to the over-packed parents’ prayers. It’s a lightweight (less than 9 lbs.) stroller that comes pre-assembled (finally, one less thing to put together!) and folds up in four relatively quick steps. [&hellip
Last week, I took my 2 girls out for a bite at a kid-friendly restaurant near our home. My husband had evening plans and we were in the midst of a heat wave, so it seemed like a fine idea. I forgot how much 2 little girls can talk (both at the same time, mind you), but with a glass of Chardonnay, a bread basket full of warm pretzel sticks and coloring books for the little ladies, I was well-armed. While nibbling on our appetizer, I couldn’t help but notice a toddler at a nearby table who was having a ball. Much to his mother’s horror, he dipped every fry several times in ketchup before aiming them towards his mouth. Naturally, he missed his target [&hellip
How good are you at Scrabble? Can you polish off the Sunday Times crossword puzzle in an afternoon? If so, maybe KaBAM wouldn’t faze you. But if you relish a good challenge and want to test your spelling smarts with your kids, I invite you to get a copy of this word-building game and see just how vast your vocabulary is. My daughter and I have been playing KaBAM for the last few weeks and I must admit to being stumped on more than occasion. The concept is simple, but trying to win is anything but. Players draw cards, each containing one or more letters, and then must add a minimum of one letter to create a new word. Once you know a word, shout [&hellip
In my family, if you were said to have ‘thick skin,’ it meant you didn’t let things get to you. I’d like to think that over the years, I’ve developed quite a few layers that have enabled me to withstand criticism…at least for the most part. Growing a protective shell doesn’t happen overnight unless, of course, you’re a turtle. And when you’re a new parent shopping for baby gear that will stand up to wear and tear, this animal’s tough exterior comes to mind. How fitting that Kolcraft’s TurtleTot Activity Center is centered around this very creature. The newest stationary activity center to come to town, it features Toby TurtleTot who sits amidst a group of playful pals–a worm, butterfly, bee and rattle–inviting your little [&hellip
My 7-year-old is zipping through a bunch of books this summer with a mission in mind: She’s trying to earn enough minutes so she can take advantage of our local library’s summer reading club contest. If she logs enough time, she’ll score tickets to a juggling show. To this 7-year-old, there’s nothing as thrilling as live entertainment…unless, of course, it’s a new Wii game. My hope is that once the show has come and gone, she’ll still be just as excited to keep reading, especially when we head out on vacation. To help keep kids on the go psyched about books, PBS Kids and JetBlue are running a Soar With Reading program that provides traveling families with plenty of incentives for hitting the books. Just [&hellip
Have you ever had a day like this? My family and I were briskly walking the streets of midtown Manhattan when, out of nowhere, the rain came pelting down. The forecast had called for “a chance of showers,” but this was a full-blown soaker. Not only did I forego raincoats for my daughters in favor of sweet cardigans to go along with their summer finery (OK, so they were simple sundresses, but you can feel my pain), but we only had one umbrella between the four of us. While my 7-year-old and I ducked under the umbrella, my husband braved the rain with my 3-year-old strolling along. The only one who didn’t appear to be miserable was the little one, as she closed out the [&hellip
Lots of traveling moms I know complain about how annoying it can be to schlepp their kid’s car seat through the airport. I don’t envy them; the few times we’ve done it, my husband’s wrist looked like he was suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. If you’re planning to fly the friendly skies anytime this summer, you won’t have to struggle with the bulk of a cumbersome seat, thanks to the new Britax Car Seat Travel Bag. Designed to fit most standard car seats, this sturdy bag features carry handles and padded shoulder straps, so you can carry it backpack-style. Or, if you’re so inclined, use the built-in wheels and pull it behind you. Worried that you’ll lose your gear at the baggage claim? A handy [&hellip