When I was young, we used to play Scooter Town in our little neighborhood multiple times a week. Basically, game goes like this: the scooters are the cars in the town, and they must obey the laws of the road. Like a real car, the scooters need to fill up with gas at the service station {aka the air pump}, go through bank drive-thrus, navigate around traffic cones, and they must stay on their side of the dotted lines we draw on our sidewalk.
These kits seem like toys at first glance with their bright colors and cardboard housings. But, these are real musical tools that kids can utilize to learn the basics of music, layering, and even a bit about musical theory. I bet you will be surprised by the kinds of music your kiddo can create with just a few DIY kits.
I think I’ve finally outdone myself with the addition of the AlleyOOP Outback Trampoline Tent to our JumpSport Elite Trampoline. The kids have had so much fun bouncing in and around the AlleyOOP tent for hours, playing all sorts of games, and now are so excited to take their trampoline camping to the next level thanks to this awesome tent that gives all the fun of trampoline sleeping, without all the bugs.
If I was giving this summer a name, it would most definitely be the summer of magic. All things Harry Potter are huge in our house, the kids spend their time creating magic potions, and everything we do is looked at through a lens of magic. It makes perfect sense that the kids should also be growing their own magic beans and creating a magic unicorn land with the help of Faber-Castell, right?
It’s incredibly important to me that I introduce my kids to all aspects of STEM-based learning, especially those that aren’t naturally tech-inclined. In my search for tech toys, I’ve found my new favorite toy that truly makes STEM learning fun: The JIMU Robot System. They can build, code, and play with their own customizeable robot for hours and hours of fun, all while learning the basics of robotics.
I’ve heard it said that an expert level of any skill requires 5,000 hours of purposeful engagement in a particular area. If this is true, that means that my husband is an *expert* podcast listener. He recently got the kids hooked, and their favorite is the Six Minutes podcast from Gen-Z Media. We’ve created a curated gift guide based on our love of the show just for fans.
As a family, we stay pretty active. We hike, we skate, we walk just about everywhere, and we’re always up for a multi-city bike ride. But, as active as all of my kids are, they haven’t all inherited my natural athleticism. I’m going to pause here while everyone that knows me finishes laughing. Not to … Read more
