sports Archives - Rave & Review

The Rockboard RBX scooter is a rocking good time

During the spring, summer, and fall, we’re on our bikes and scooters just about every day. Whether it’s a park date, just a way to get some energy out, or we’re on our way to friends or out to eat, bike and scooter is just the way we roll.

Since we’re on scooters so often, we’re always excited about trying new models. And, with so many options these days to choose from, this is a fun time to be a kid – or a kid-at-heart. Our latest obsession is the Rockboard RBX scooter that is unlike anything else we’ve ever tried. Instead of a traditional flat, kick scooter, the Rockboard has a rocking base. We’re not talking a slight rocking motion, this scooter base moves by inches, which is why it’s rated for ages 8 and up.

Dress up with official NFL kid’s costume sets from Franklin Sports

Are you sick of the Halloween costumes made to last one night before they get abandoned? In my house, we won't even consider a costume unless we are sure the kids will use it for dress up even well after the pumpkins have been tossed. This means no cheapie costumes that will rip and fall apart after one use, we need stuff that is kid tough and made to be played in.
So, this year we're going with something we know the kids will wear every Friday and Sunday during football season as we cheer on the Seahawks, the Franklin Sports official NFL deluxe helmet with uniform. Definitely not a one night use item, these make for a fun-filled Halloween and a festive football season.Designed for game day as well as costume parties, we've already gotten good use out of our set and we've only had it a few days. Clearly, this is one costume that is definitely not going to be buried in the dress up bin or tossed after one night.
The set comes with a play helmet that looks just like the real thing, a team jersey, pants and iron-on number kit so you can customize with your favorite player's number. And, whether the kids wear it all together as it was intended or they mix and match so they can wear the jersey to school for Blue Friday, or the helmet with whatever Seahawks clothing they have in their closets, you can bet it's going to be a hit.

Tadpool life vest from Exxel Outdoors keeps kids safe while learning to swim

My daughter is a water baby. Ever since she was really little, I had to be very careful with her around the water because if I looked away for a half a second, she would be up to her neck in water – and that’s when we’re talking the cold Puget Sound water. For this reason, we always make sure she’s always with us and in a lifejacket whenever she’s around the water, you just can’t be too careful. But, now that she’s learning to swim, we needed to find a solution that let her move freely while still keeping her safe.

The solution is Tadpool, a new PTPA Seal of Approval winner, that allows kids to learn how to swim in a way that feels natural while still keeping their heads above water. I was so thrilled when the package carrying our princess Tadpool PFD arrived at our door just in time for our family vacation full of water play.

Looking for fun on your trampoline? Look no further! This is the ultimate list of insanely fun activities and ideas you can do on your trampoline for kids and adult. From workouts and collaborative games to learning activities and creative play – there’s something for everyone!

CamelBak Eddy bottles are perfect for back to school

I know some people swear by them, but I hate sippy cups. Really, really hate them. I’ve never had one that didn’t leak, had a million parts, or that didn’t take up my entire cupboard with plastic parts, accessories and odd-shaped cups. So, instead of investing a ton of money on a very short-lived item, I asked my friends for an alternative to the sippy cup.

Their answer was the CamelBak Eddy bottle that has a neat bite-valve mouthpiece and straw. One quick look around our Stroller Strides class or a day at the park with friends and CamelBak was the clear preference of moms and kids.

That next week, I went and loaded up on some CamelBak Eddy bottles and immediately fell in love. I had worried that at age 18 months my daughter would be too young to use a cup with a straw, but because the bite valve needs to be engaged in order to drink, she didn’t inhale water like she did with other cups. If it had been a problem, the rumor is that you can simply remove the straw and they can use it more like a traditional sippy cup, but we’ve never done this.

The CamelBak Eddy quickly became our go-to bottle for days out at the park or on the town, vacations, dinner time beverages, and for playtime here at home. On our recent Chicago trip and two day train trip home, these bottles pretty much saved our sanity. No worrying about where we would find drinks while out and about, and no stressing over open cups, missing pieces, or whose drink is whose because we all had our own Eddy bottle at the ready.

Gymboree Play & Music classes are a hit {free class thru 8/31!}

Everyone who has ever said “throw like a girl” was probably referring to me. I’ve never actually seen myself throw a ball, but I imagine it looks somewhat like this Volkswagen commercial that makes me laugh hysterically every time it comes on.

Since my lack of athletic prowess is something I hope to not pass on to my kids, I took the first preventative step this summer and signed them up for sports classes at our local Gymboree Play and Music center with a complimentary month-long membership. While they aren’t in the big leagues, or even in Little League for that matter, I love that they are learning the basics of different sports in a cooperative and fun environment with other little kids.

The class is a little over 45 minutes one day a week, but even in that short amount of time I have seen a huge improvements over the past three weeks. Not just with athletic ability, but also with confidence and a desire to be more active.

Skimboarding made easy with the D6 Sports SurfSkimmer {Review}

In the Pacific Northwest we are literally surrounded by water and that means we spend a lot of time hanging out at the beach. And, while the water is still too cold here to do much swimming in the sound, we still like to get in the water as much as we can. And, now … Read more

Nutcase Helmets and Little Nutty Helmets {Review}

By Tyler, Editor and Author Those of you who know us well know that we love riding bikes as a family. Not only is it a great way to spend time together and explore your surroundings, it’s a great way to really get to know one another. Of course, a big consideration for bike riding … Read more

Road ID: Safety Bracelets with Style

Get Out and PLAY Event – Day 8 With warm weather and outdoor adventures on the horizon, we’ve been talking a lot about the best gear for parents and kids. But, you can’t talk playing hard without talking about safety, so I am excited to introduce you to our newest rave-worthy product to keep you … Read more

Piggyback Rider

Get Out and PLAY Event – Day 1 Oftentimes our days out are not stroller-friendly. Whether we are traveling, going to be in large crowds, or will simply be covering a lot of unpaved ground, we go wheel-free fairly often. This wasn't a problem when we only had little ones that could snuggle up in … Read more