Camp Classic Play

If you're like most parents I know, your children's planned summer activities are coming to an end.  Almost every parent I've talked to the past few summers have their children participate in organized camps and classes at some point in June and July, but leave the month of August open for spontaneous fun and family time (my family included). 

Camp Classic Play is a week-long list of classic activities put together by some of my favorite fellow bloggers.  If your family completes the activities, there are badges and a downloadable certificate to print out in the areas of Science + Nature, Athletics + Games, Gardening, Arts + Crafts, and Cooking. 

To get your family started on this classic play adventure, visit classic-play.com.  Now go and make some summer memories!  

Soap Snakes

We crossed off a summer sand bucket list item today:  soap bubble snakes!  As you can see, the kids had a great time...and our puppies were quite intrigued by the long bubbles blowing around the yard! 

The only materials necessary to make the bubble blowers, are:

• Plastic water bottles
• Old cloth (washcloth, sock, etc.)
• Rubber bands
• Dish soap
• Water

To assemble, cut the bottom off of the water bottles and secure a piece of cloth to the end with a rubber band.  Then add some dish soap and a little water to a dish (there's no science here, just more soap than water).  To make a snake, dip the cloth into the soap and blow (lightly, so that the cloth doesn't blow off). 

I've seen people add coloring to the soap, but thought the extra mess wasn't necessary...a choice I'm glad I made since by the end, the kids were covered in bubbles. 

I hope your summer is off to a great start!

DIY Bathtub Water Run

I love this bathtub water run created with parts from the hardware store that was featured on The Brooding Hen (photo from their site). 

The instructions are easy to follow and if you live in a tool-filled home like I do, this will be pretty inexpensive to make!  I'm excited to construct this for my littlest one...she's showing more and more interest in showers lately in an effort to keep up with her big brother and sister.  Hopefully this will keep her in the tub a bit longer.  She's only 4 after all! 

This would also be fun in the summer attached to a board and brought outside!  Just give your children some buckets full of water (including one to catch the water at the end), and a few sticks, boats or plastic Army figures or animals to shoot down the "waterslide." 

Check out the list of materials you'll need and the step-by-step instructions at thebroodinghen.blogspot.com.

Fun Winter Activities

I recently stumbled upon this great list of 50+ Things You and the Kids Should Do Before New Year's Eve.  Ideas include cutting snowflakes, shopping for those in need and military overseas, taking a family Christmas light drive, creating a family tree, taking a winter picnic, and practical ideas such as updating your medicine cabinet, starting a saving plan, and decluttering your email inbox.

I've taken many of the ideas here and added them to my family's Winter Activities List.  I've found that we do a lot more as a family each season when we have a posted list of fun activity ideas.  My children and I love to gather around the table with our markers and create each season's list throughout the year...seeing all of the fun we have to look forward to!  We post our list on the refrigerator and add a star next to each activity as we make another family memory. 

Click here to view the 50+ Things You and the Kids Should Do Before New Year's Eve.

Stick-lets

Stick-lets has been a dream come true for my family of builders.  These LITTLE flexible pieces have made GIANT improvements to our outdoor fort creations! 

We've used them to create kid-size forts in our yard, as well as fairy houses for my daughters' dreams.  This winter, after the thrill of snow has passed, I plan on taking them indoors to build a tent for the kids to sleep in. 

The Stick-lets starter kit is only $10.99 and includes 1 of each color/shape (monarch orange, starfish red, huckleberry blue, grasshopper green, and birch bark white), as well as 3 birch dowels and a 5" x 7" natural muslin bag carrier which also acts as your fort flag.

Carrying these little guys into the woods is easy and exciting, as only limitless toys can be!  My kids love finding the perfect location to build their forts and choose each stick carefully.  The only trouble I've found with out-of-our-yard building is notifying the kids it's time to disassemble their creations.  I try to ease the news by comparing it to the numerous snowmen they've built:  "There will be time to build a new one on the next hike (snowstorm)...until then you can work out plans to make it even grander!" So far so good...no tears.

To purchase your starter pack, head over to the Stick-lets online shop at stick-lets.com.

Wilderness Canyon Zip Line Tours

I'm a mother of three. I'm an adventurer. I'm here to tell you the two can successfully coexist. (Although I do wish I had parachuted prior to having children because that's the one thing I don't feel responsible doing now...although I do plan to sky dive with them when they're older. I'll just have to wait 10+ years to have that amazing experience with my children. I'm confident it'll be worth the wait!)

I keep a mental bucket list I'm checking off one adventure at a time. I'm thrilled to say I crossed off another item this past weekend: zip lining! That's me in the first photo and my brother, Christopher, in the second!

The Wilderness Canyon Zip Line Tours at the Wilderness Hotel in Wisconsin Dells just started offering dusk and moonlight tours this month. We were on the dusk tour which took place at sunset. It was gorgeous to see the forest, canyon and river as daytime made way to evening. We even saw deer on our last zip of the night!

The moonlight zip takes the adventure to a whole new level! Participants literally step off into the dark wearing glow necklaces around their necks and sticks strapped to their sides for safety. Guides carry lanterns from station to station to ensure zippers are properly hooked up to each line. Safety is of top concern at the Wilderness Canyon tour!

Our guides on Sunday night, Bravo and Night Hawk (the radio names they used via walkie talkies from line to line), were very impressive! I felt more than comfortable as they transferred my lines...you are attached to a tower cable or line at all times. They were amazingly friendly and asked our thoughts at the end of each line. You could tell they sincerely enjoyed experiencing each zip with new participants. They also taught us how to steer and what positions to use to ensure maximum speed (it's possible to travel up to 25 mph...although there are ways to sit in your harness if you don't want to go that fast as well).

The five zip lines measure 356, 314, 488, 426, and 907 feet totally more than 8 football fields when combined! The Wilderness Canyon Zip Line Tour offers a great opportunity to maximize four or the five senses as you experience the sensation of speed, the amazing views, the scent of the wild flower fields below, and hearing the birds as they travel at your current level of 115 feet above the ground.

Dusk tours start at 7:30 and cost $45 for resort guests and $65 for the public. The moonlight tours start at 9:30 and the cost is $55 for resort guests and $65 for the public. Each tour has a limited number of participants and reservations are required. To make an advanced reservation, call 608.253.9729.

For more information on the Wilderness Canyon Zip Line Tours or the resort itself, visit www.wildernessresort.com.

Kristen's Fairy House

The kids and I watched a magical movie yesterday afternoon, Kristen's Fairy House. It's a documentary-style movie that is only 40 minutes long...and each minute is beautiful, simple, relaxing and inspiring.

This film is a true story that follows a little girl named Kristen and her Aunt Tracy (Kane), a storybook artist, as they take a week-long vacation to an island off of Maine. They build fairy houses, Aunt Tracy sketches, and they simply enjoy the outdoors and all the magic it has to offer.

Aunt Tracy says that being an artist isn't about learning to draw, it's about learning how to see. I love that lesson for my children! And I love that they immediately started sketching fairy house plans for when the snow melts. It's going to be a magical summer!

Kristen's Fairy House is $13.49 at amazon.com and ships FREE with any $25 order. Why not add some of Tracy Kane's fairy-inspired books to go with it?! There's Fairy Houses, Fairy Boat, and Fairy Flight...all sure to make your little one view the world as a more magical place than they did day before!

Winter Activities

You all may remember when my family made a Summer Activities list to help guide us six months ago...it gave the kids many things to look forward to and kept my husband and focused to be sure we didn't waste away the warm days.

Because it was such a hit (and useful for me to stay on track), we've created a Winter Activities list. Winter can be very long here in Wisconsin with the bitter cold and wind and snow...I think this list will become a new tradition to give us things to look forward to. Here's what's on our list so far:

• Build a snow fort/castle
• Go for a hike
• Bake Christmas cookies
• Build a snowman
• Go sledding
• Take a long Christmas light drive with hot chocolate
• Build cars for a drive-in movie
• Watch a movie at the "drive-in"
• Make homemade marshmallows
• Go ice skating
• Have a full day of pajamas and games
• Visit the John Michael Kohler Art Center
• Go to Betty Brinn Children's Museum
• Paint our own pottery
• Stay at a waterpark hotel
• Create animals out of tinfoil
  
• Bake a pie from scratch
• Build a fort out of newspaper
• Take a trip to Chicago for a few days
• Go bowling
• Visit the Milwaukee Public Museum to see the mummy exhibit
• Go on "dates" with each child individually
• Build a gingerbread house from scratch
• Go for a carriage ride

That is our list thus far this winter...and it doesn't even technically start until later this week. We've already done a handful of these activities but instead of crossing them out we just add stars after each one so we can do them over and over. Feel free to use any of those ideas and to pass along more of your own...I'm always looking for fun things to do!

Guyot Designs

Parenting and outdoor lifestyles have a lot in common:

1. They are adventurous.
2. They require a whole lot of planning before you leave the house.
3. Durable products are appreciated...preferably waterproof and unbreakable.
4. A desire to care for our planet for future generations is important.
5. And many more...

Considering all of the similarities, it isn't at all surprising that many products are marketed toward parents of young children and those who camp, hike, ski, mountain-bike, etc. Guyot Designs is one of those companies reaching out to both groups.

Their Squishy Bowls, shown on the left, are one of my new favorite products! They can be packed easily for a road trip, picnic, or day outing in a diaper bag...or simply carried into the play room with a snack for my kids without any worries of it breaking. The smaller sizes also make great break-free cups for kids.

The MicroBites shown on the right are great to keep on hand as well (I have some in my glove box and have used them more than a few times when we're out and about). They are 5 utensils in 1: spoon, fork, knife, spatula and spreader. Talk about multi-tasking!

Guyot Designs also offer stainless steel food jars and lights to turn your water bottle into a lantern (what kid wouldn't want that?!)...and Squishy shot glasses, but perhaps that's where the similarities between parenting and outdoor adventures end...unless you're at my house after a long day. I kid.....kind of.

Visit guyotdesigns.com to learn more and to purchase. Their products are also available at amazon.com where they ship free with a $25 order.

Lytot Pacifier Sunglasses.

Luckily, Hazel wants to do everything her big brother and sister do so I don't really have any difficulties keeping sunglasses on her (hopefully she'll potty train early too). But I do remember when Martha was littler...she would never wear them. I wish Lytot's pacifier sunglasses had been around back then!

These are the world's first such combination and I have to say, they're brilliant! And adorable! I may get a pair for Hazel anyway...just because they're so darn cute!

They're available in the five colors you see above and made for children 0-36 months of age. I'll be in New York City next month and I just might have to visit one of the retailers to see these in person...and to pick up a souvenir for Hazel.

Visit lytot.com for worldwide purchase information.

ERGObaby Performance Carriers

I've been pleased lately when I see a review for a forward-facing carrier on People Magazine's Celebrity Baby Blog because the comments are full of informed parents who know these carriers are not ergonomically (and developmentally) ideal for baby...or the parents wearing them!

It's great to see parent-facing carriers finally catching up in popularity in the USA to fall in line with the rest of the world...as it is with breastfeeding and cloth diapering.

I was thrilled today when I learned that superstar baby carrier company ERGO Baby has a new carrier line called Performance Carriers!

If you're familiar with ERGO you may be wondering what they could have possibly improved...they're the gold standard for baby carriers. And those who own them know they're well worth the price tag as you use them long into todderlerhood. And if you're planning on having more than one child, well, you can imagine how worth the investment is!

Hazel will be two this fall and I can tell you we are not even close to approaching an end date with her in our ERGO! And even with her being our last child, I'm considering purchasing this new Performance carrier...here's why:

1. It's lighter (about 1/3 that of ERGObaby's Standard carrier). It has a mesh lining that's great for active parents like my husband and I with our older children who love all things outdoors.
2. It has a water-repellant exterier to provide extra protection against the elements.
   
3. The shoulder straps are contoured to keep baby close (like the Standard carrier). This eliminates strain on shoulders and back. Plus, the Performance carrier has thinner padding which provides the cushion without the bulk.
4. The chest strap easily adjusts to accommodate multiple wearers, like you'd expect to do on a long hike.
5. And one extra variation from the Standard carrier is that the Performance's waist belt extends an extra 5" longer to provide a better fit for babywearers of all sizes.

If you want to take a closer look at ERGObaby Performance or Standard carriers, visit ergobabycarrier.com. The Performance line starts at $120.00, the Standard at $105.00, and the organic line at $120.

Painted Sticks

You may have noticed Paint rocks and sticks on my family's summer bucket list a few days ago. The photo here inspired the sticks portion. I saw this recently as a submission to threadless.com by ginetteginette and thought it was a perfect summer day activity.

Could be done indoors on a rainy day or outdoors on a breezy warm one. Either way, you'll have some beautiful artwork your kids will be proud to have on display!

Summer Ideas

My son's last day of kindergarten was yesterday so summer has officially begun. First thing this morning, my two oldest children, August and Martha, were arguing. Over nothing. And they just wouldn't stay away from each other and call a truce. And so my wheels started turning and I knew I had to come up with a solution. We needed to switch gears

I took out a piece of paper and some markers and they stopped fighting to watch me. I started writing fancy, curly letters on the top which really got my daughter's attention...and my son read the title aloud, "Summer Play." They were officially intrigued.

We spent the next 30 minutes coming up with a summer Bucket List, if you will. So far we know our summer will consist of the following:

• Have a picnic
• Go out for ice cream
• Fly kites
• Go to the pool
• Camp outside in a tent
• Go to the beach
• Pick blueberries
• Take photos with a huge group of balloons
  
• Go to Menominee Park in Oshkosh
  
• Take a vacation
• Ride Lake Express to Michigan
• Catch fireflies (and set them free)
• Set off fireworks
• Take a family walk
• Go mini-golfing
  
• Visit a driving range
  
• Go to Bay Beach
• Go fishing
• Paint rocks and sticks
  
• Make tie-dye shirts

Next time your children are bickering...I suggest making your Summer Play list! Our day has been smooth sailing ever since. (*Although it's only 9:21 a.m. as I write this.)

What will be on your family's summer list? Share your ideas in the comment section!

* - It's now 9:33 a.m. and my son is already telling his sisters, "Leave me alone." At least there was 12 minutes of peace.

World Repair Kit

From Serena and Lily, the creator of the fabulous Market Sling I wrote about and carried my dear Hazel in her first few months of life, comes another great product: the World Repair Kit!

This great keepsake box is full of everything your eco-savvy family needs to further your knowledge of planet-changing tips. Included is a guidebook full of great activities your family and friends can do to make a difference, along with a World Repair Passport, stickers, stamps and an ink pad to document your conservationist achievements.

This kit retails for $24.95 and is available at serenaandlily.com.

NUX

Spring has officially arrived in Wisconsin! And with it comes motivation to step up my exercise routine...pool season is right around the corner.

Over the years I've realized that baggy athletic clothes aren't comfortable to wear...and they certainly aren't flattering. I was excited when I discovered NUX...a company with a fresh approach!

NUX is made in the United States and offers a new engineered seamless fabric that is comfortable and flattering...and comfortable! It's soft and it breathes...and it looks oh so stylish while doing so! Season to season NUX offers a new collection full of tanks, racer back tops, camis, tees, hoodies, leggings and shorts all in amazing colors with a contemporary fit. They're great for mixing and matching!

See all of the amazing colors and styles at nuxusa.com. And use coupon code NUXTWENTYOFF to receive 20% off of your purchase through April 26.

Earth Day at Anthropologie

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is this month, and to spread the green love Anthropologie is holding Children's Potting Events and Container Gardening Workshops around the country.

My family and I are planning to head to the Milwaukee store for the Children's Potting Event...it's next week Saturday, April 17 from 10:00 am to noon for those of you in the southeastern Wisconsin area.

Locate an Earth Day event at an Anthropologie store near you by visiting anthropologie.com.

A Walk in the Woods

Getting your family outdoors is never a bad things...you're never going to have bag memories when there's fresh air involved and natural scenery. And this time of year offers some of the best nature has to offer!

My children and I have been collecting all sorts of leaves, nuts, and sticks on walks lately. We've been crafting with them and pressing leaves for future projects. So when I saw this piece titled A Walk in the Woods on Martha Stewart's site, I was excited.

Visit marthastewart.com to read the article to get you motivated for your weekend walk with your family!

Found Terrariums

After only a month of appropriate summer weather in Wisconsin, it appears autumn is just around the bend. So, in these last few weeks of warmth, my children and I are making terrariums...found terrariums.

I got this idea from Design Sponge earlier this week and thought it was excellent! The idea is to take a walk, gather moss and tiny plants you find growing in sidewalk cracks or in your garden, and plant them in a recycled jar.

This week we've finished a large jar of applesauce and a jar of pasta sauce so I know we'll be making at least two of these today!

There are many more beautiful photographs, details and instructions at designspongeonline.com.

Summer Fun from A to Z

Wisconsin really hasn't had a summer this year...it's been quite cold in the low-mid 70s and even days with highs in the 60s. Those of us here are waiting with bated breath for days that enable us to go swimming and spend time outdoors in some warm summer weather...we've waited all winter after all! And a tough winter it was with record snowfalls...but I digress...

For the rest of the country who realizes summer is coming to a close as August arrives this weekend, I want to share an amazing list of summer fun activities (from A to Z) I found on the Uptake Attraction Blog.

You're sure to get inspired with a few last minute summer memory-making ideas, such as:

Amusement park
Baseball
Concert
Dark
Eccentric
Fountain...

Visit attractions.uptake.com for the full alphabetical list! And don't forget your camera!

Maxi Kick Scooter

Last summer I wrote about the Mini Kick scooters (formally known as Mini Micro) my children were riding around town. Just yesterday my daughter took out her pink scooter and was zooming up and down the sidewalk of our block while her big brother, now five and feeling a bit too big for his Mini Kick, was loving his new set of wheels...the Maxi Kick!

The new Maxi Kick is for kids ages 6-10 and features the same lean-and-steer mechanism my son loved about his Mini. It also have three wheels making this scooter a more laid back "surfing the sidewalks" kind of ride.

And the quality, well, it can't be beat...all while being a lightweight, tote it everywhere scooter!

If you're looking for a new activity to keep your children busy and active this summer, I think the Maxi Kick is a great candidate...it's exercise and fun all in one!

The Maxi Kick is available in black and purple and retail for $149.99 at kickboardusa.com.