I have to say that one of my proud parent moments is realizing my girls aren't afraid of bugs or worms or things they see in the garden . Of course I can't take credit for it at all (thanks, grandparents!) but nonetheless, I love encoura…
Sometimes kids with summer birthdays (ahem--mine) feel a little ripped off because their friends are out of town. I love the idea of a summer camp themed party right in your own local park or backyard. It's a great way to make the party …
With patio season finally here, my thoughts turn to warm summer days lounging in the backyard, sipping margaritas while the kids play cooperatively in the sandbox. Sure, the last part is but an impossible dream, but there's nothing to st…
It only takes about 3/4" of snow to get my kids begging to go to the sledding hill in town. They used to bang a big plastic sled up and down the hills, arguing over whose turn it is to lug the awkward thing back to the top, but this wint…
We love nothing more than finding toys for kids that are handmade, or at least, don't require an on and off switch and 300 batteries. Instead, our favorite toys of 2012 are all powered by the imaginations and little hands of kids. Liz LE…
The siren song of electronics has a huge pull on my tweens this holiday, so if I'm going to ask Santa to bring them something that doesn't begin with an "i" it'd better be something pretty cool. I found something pretty cool. No... reall…
There is no question in my three-kid household that one of the favorites in our fleet of ride-on toys is the Mini Kick scooter . From the moment they could balance on the stable footrest, my kids were cruising the driveway and declaring …
I have active kids. No amount of running, skipping, biking, swimming, gymnastics, dancing or soccer ever seems to tire them out. But each year the cooler months make it a challenge for all of us to stay as active as we'd like. Organized …
We just returned from our third tent-camping excursion, and while I wouldn't call us back-country experts, I've learned a lot since that first trip when I was still nursing a toddler while trying to keep the other two from falling into t…
I need a birthday gift idea for my soon-to-be 5-year-old daughter. She has tons of Barbies, tons of clothes - she is a girly girl and loves all things to do with painting nails, wearing girly stuff. I feel like we have way too many toys …
I'm not the best gardener -- my entire vegetable haul, from June to September probably equals little more than one large salad -- but gardening really is good for the soul. And, there are always gardening chores that even the smallest ki…
Around the same time our daffodils appear, the kids drag their big bucket of chalk out onto our driveway to create an elaborate chalk city. And while I love that we all get out into the fresh air, have you ever tried to help draw a road …
If you are looking for a balance bike for your eager-to-ride toddler or preschooler, get ready to weigh your options because in the past, we've found great eco friendly balance bikes made of birch and ones made in a lightweight, long-las…
The first sign of summer for me is always my first mosquito bite. I always consider bug bites to be the price I pay for good weather and barbecues. But now that I have kids, I feel the need to douse them in something to ward off bug bite…
Our garage is filled with bikes, trikes, scooters and even one Skoooch, but I'm a big believer in "you can never have too many outdoor toys." So, I'm always on the lookout for cool new ride-on, kid-powered things that can hold their atte…
I am totally overwhelmed by bike options for my 3.5-year-old son. He outgrew his tricycle in minutes and now I'm wondering what to get next ... balance bike or a regular bike with training wheels? Just want something he can enjoy this su…
Here in Atlanta where I live, the weather has been nice since the beginning of March, which means my kids have already exhausted Hide n' Seek, Freeze Tag, and two entire boxes of sidewalk chalk. So when I saw this book when I was at the …
I love this time of year. Now that it's not grossly hot, I feel inspired to do fun activities with my kids outdoors . But in a few months when the temperature dips? Yup, it's a long winter and there are only so many times you can walk ar…
I really hate losing an hour of sleep to Daylight Savings Time, but I'm also thrilled beyond belief that the season of Throwing the Children Outside to Play is nigh. And I'm pretty sure they will stay out even longer if they have somethi…
When the makers of the popular Wave skateboard asked me to send their much buzzed-about new Whiplash Scooter for a test drive, I was like uh...not on your life. But I have a 12 year-old nephew named Brodie who I knew could give me the sc…
Our New England summer started off as one big, wet petri dish for mosquitoes, meaning the buggers are now swarming even in the middle of the day. And there's no sign of it letting up until fall. I have no intention of mixing DEET into my…
While I wholeheartedly support the idea of grandparents getting outside to play with the grandkids, don't let the fact that this downloadable Go Play Outside guide is being offered through Grandparents.com dissuade you from checking it o…
Last spring, I recommended my family's two favorite children's scooters , the Mini Micro Kickboard and the Skoooch, based on extensive testing by three scooter-fanatic kids. During this past year, these children continued to grow as they…
At last count, we had twelve ride-on toys in our garage so I am definitely an expert in that department. Of all these toys, I want to sing the praises of two that stand out from the crowd: The Mini Micro scooter and the oddly named Skooo…