The Lollipop Road

Archive for the ‘Activities’ Category

It was probably late October when my almost 5 year old turned to me and said “mama, the winter is going to be boring!”. I have to admit I was taken aback by his words. After all, he loved the snow; what kid doesn’t. As I watched him fingering the wild blackberry bushes, which had turned brown a long time ago, he was probably thinking about all of the fun things he wouldn’t be able to do once it gets really cold and the snow starts to fall.

As if my brain were in overdrive, there was a sudden rush of all the things my husband and I had discussed for the Wintertime. There would be snowshoeing, ice skating, and of course, sledding. The following year, we would add in skiing, but that’s for another discussion. I swiftly rattled off all the amazing things to my first born in the hopes that I could lift his spirits. It didn’t work.

Flash forward two months and Winter is in full swing at our house. The kids snowshoes were a Christmas gift from their Aunt and Uncle and the skates for our oldest were hand-me-downs from his school. We decided not to get ice skates this year for the youngest who is only 2. He goes boot skating, which he seems perfectly content with.

The snowshoes have been used twice in as many weeks, so far. They are a big hit with both of our boys. The 5 year old loves to trek up the “mountain” in our backyard, which is really just a very steep hill with big boulders and dirt. He does quite well with his snowshoes and asks to use them often. The 2 year old struggled for the first half hour because he kept crossing his feet. Sadly, he has the short-legged curse, which makes it difficult to walk with a wide stride. But since he figured it out, he has been enjoying the sport as well.

Skating has proved to be just as fun. Big brother can now stand up on his own two feet without help from mommy or daddy. And when he falls, he can get up on his own, a huge step. Sure the movements are small, but he’s getting better or more confident each time he hits the ice. He’s asked us for a hockey stick already, re-enacting a favorite story from the Caillou Learns To Skate book. My husband and I really don’t picture him as the hockey playing type, but who are we to stop his amazing progress and unbridled enthusiasm to try something new.

 Sledding is fun as always. Santa put a shiny bright red one under the Christmas tree for little brother so they each have one of their own. Although, I secretly admit that one of my favorite “mom” moments is to watch the boys go sledding down the hill together. The oldest has his arms wrapped snugly around the youngest. I usually cry as they slip out of my reach, but I digress.

I bet if I were to ask my 5 year old how he is enjoying the winter so far, he would give me a resounding YES! After all, there are truly an amazing amount of things to do once a blanket of white snow covers the ground. There are numerous snow toys like snow blocks and snowball makers that can be loads of fun. And they actually make toy snowplow trucks that work just like the real thing, simultaneously scooping snow and dumping sand to keep those “roadways” clear. How about building a snowman or making snow angels? And don’t forget one of my favorite things, taking a walk and trying to identify the snow prints you see along the way. I hope that’s not a bear!

Yes, the world gets a little quieter after a good snowfall, since it insulates sound and there are less sounds coming from children playing or lawnmowers being used. Just stand there quietly (you have about 5 seconds tops with young children) and listen to the silence. Doesn’t it sound great? And for all of the people out there who don’t get snow in their backyard, have fun with whatever it is you do at this time of year and we’ll see you when the snow melts.

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What jumps, twists, flips and giggles?  Your child, of course, when you pay a visit to the newly opened Kidz Fun Zone child gymnasium in Frenchtown, New Jersey.

Tucked away in an industrial park, this little gem of a gym offers baby and toddler gymnastics classes that cater to the 0-6 year old crowd.  There are also selective daily times for “open gym”, where for a fee, anyone can come and enjoy the facilities.

So what does Kidz Fun Zone have that makes this place so special?  There are 3 play spaces, each offering it’s own unique and special fun for kids.  The first space has all the gymnasium style equipment like rings, a trapeze style bar, and my personal favorite, a huge trampoline that stretches from one end of the room to another.  There are also a few younger style toys located throughout the room, like seesaws, so that every child can find something special to do. Upstairs you will find a giant inflatable ball pit, a plastic playset and slide, as well as soft blocks, which can be stacked, sorted or climbed upon.

The final or 3^rd room is where the gymnastics classes take place during the week, so there is a special “bounce” floor throughout, which is quite fun to walk on.  On the weekends, this room is also available during open gym time and houses an inflatable jumping house and a gigantic inflatable slide with attached play area.

The facilities are truly family friendly here.  There is a small room located just outside the gymnasium, which has a huge glass window offering a clear view inside the play area.  If you want a snack, need to feed a baby or simply take a break, you can still see your child happily playing (and they can see you too!).  This room also houses a sink, microwave, table and chairs, plus 2 huge baskets full of toys.  There is a nicely appointed bathroom attached which has a full bassinet, as well as diaper changing supplies and creams available for you to use.  Finally, adjacent to this room is an area dedicated to eating, or when scheduled, birthday parties.  There are a couple of long tables available for eating lunch or snacking.  It also offers a view into the gymnasium.

Kidz Fun Zone is kept very clean.  You need to leave your shoes at the front door and any spills are cleaned up immediately!  I find that kid’s play places like this can sometimes feel dirty, but not Kids Fuz Zone; as a mom, it makes me feel good about taking my kids here.

Probably the best kept secret is the staff, who are exceptionally friendly.  They fully engage the kids and encourage the shy or hesitant ones to participate as well.  My older son actually used all of the facilities on his first visit, a major accomplishment and a testament to the friendly and comfortable atmosphere found here.  Rules for using the equipment are strictly followed and enforced in a gentle manner to make sure play stays safe. 

I personally have not attended a gymnastics class, but I hear from several trusted sources that they are a lot of fun for both parent and child.  Kids can sign up for classes such as Fantastic Flippers, Wiggles and Giggles, and Lil’ Tumblers.  Each class has its own price and there are annual membership fees for the entire family or your child only.  Open gym is available for about an hour each day and times vary.  There is a fee associated with open gym time and it is important to remember that the 3^rd room housing the gymnasium floor is reserved for class use and is not available most days to open playtime.  Friday is your best day for open gym where all 3 rooms are available from 9:30-1:30.         

I have to admit that I was somewhat hesitant about going to Kids Fun Zone the first time.  I balked at the usage fee of $9.00 for open gym, quietly thinking to myself that my oldest son will never use the facilities and prepared myself to throw more money out the door.  But I was promised a different play space, a place that even my mama hugging 4 year old would enjoy.  Boy, did this place deliver.  Everyone had a great time, including both my 18 month old and 4 year old.  And to see my oldest child’s face light up when he finally went into a bounce house for the first time in his life (after countless times of watching other kids play at birthday parties) was priceless.

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I know, it’s almost time again to be thinking about picking out a family Christmas tree. Each year, we look forward to taking an afternoon trip to the Christmas tree farm with our family; it’s fun and it gets everyone into the holiday spirit.

This year, we’d like you to consider participating in the Trees For Troops weekend that is being held across the country. It is the perfect way for your family to share the spirit of Christmas with military families who make sacrifices every day to keep us safe.

From Friday December 3rd through Sunday December 5th you can visit one of the participating tree farms across the United States that will be collecting trees to send to military bases around the world. You have the option of dropping off a tree or picking out a tree at one of the participating farms to send to military families across the globe. If you cannot make it to one of the locations or cannot find a participating location nearby, you can donate money to fund the purchase of trees.

The program, sponsored by Christmas Spirit Foundation, was established in 2005 as a non-profit charitable branch of the National Christmas Tree Association. The Foundation works closely with the Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) offices of each branch of the military to assure that the trees go to military families with an emphasis on those who have a member serving overseas. In 2009, the organizers of Trees For Troops provided more than 16,000 trees to our troops and their families at 54 military bases in the U.S. and overseas. Over 700 tree farms donated to the program.

With the holiday season fast approaching, this is a great way to show your support to our troops. Their families are depending on our families this holiday season. Reading their heartfelt thanks is reward enough.

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Well, another fall foliage season is winding down. As a matter of fact, your last opportunity for leaf peeping in much of New England may be this coming weekend. Here are some of my fall foliage photos taken around MacDowell Lake in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. This is a great place for family leaf peeping as they offer a playground and plenty of open space to play. If you’re in the area, check it out before the trees are bare!

If you’ve enjoyed these photos, please visit Photo Friday at Deliciousbaby for more.

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October is one of the best months to enjoy the outdoors with your kids. The summer heat has mostly faded and the fall colors have started to appear. Oh, and don’t forget Halloween – what could be more fun than dressing up in costume and getting candy! In the spirit of fall, we’ve put together five of our favorite fall activities to do with the kids.

• The best part about raking leaves is jumping in them! I like to think of this as a three part activity. First, everyone can pitch in and with their size appropriate rake, make a couple of giant sized piles. The next step is the most fun – jump into the pile, through the pile and roll around in the crinkly, crumpled mess. The final step is cool too. Everyone gets to make their own pumpkin. Buy several Halloween pumpkin plastic trash bags and fill them to the stem with leaves. They’ll make a great decoration through the holiday, then you can easily dispose of them. Who knew “work” could be so much fun!
• Let’s stay on the same path and talk about all of the cool projects that you can do with leaves. I like to think of this as the fall version of shell collecting – leaf collecting. Have a scavenger hunt. See who can find the biggest leaf, the smallest leaf, the most colorful leaf and the most interesting shaped leaf. Collecting is definitely half of the fun. Next, you can press the leaves between the pages of a book overnight (don’t use dry leaves as they make quite a mess). Now they are ready to use. You can make collages, trace them and color your own or make a placemat. Check out some other fun ideas.
• One of the outings that we all look forward to each year is the trip to the pumpkin patch. This year we chose a crisp fall day and headed out to the farm to find the best pumpkin in the whole world. We loaded up the wagon and started the hunt. Thirty-five pounds later we had two winners! The activity doesn’t end there. As Halloween gets closer, you can have a big carving event. Both of our kids love gutting the pumpkin and making all sorts of funny faces. With the inside pulp, teach the kids to make pumpkin bread or pumpkin spice cookies. One pumpkin – three activities.
• One of the more stressful activities for parents and fun activities for kids is selecting and making a Halloween costume. We’ve had a baby (our son was born on Halloween), a pumpkin, two wizards, a cowboy and a pirate. Get the kids involved and have a brainstorming session by flipping through catalogs or websites. Try to stick with costumes that are innovative and require as little sewing as possible (unless you have the talent and equipment). Shopping for supplies is probably the most stressful, but let your kids assist in the process. By getting them involved, they will gain a sense of accomplishment and their special costume will always bring back fond memories.
• Fall is a great time to do some repurposing – have the kids get together a few old toys and some winter clothes to donate to the less fortunate. Go shopping as a family and pick out a turkey and trimmings to bring to a local shelter. Donate your time helping an elderly neighbor clean their yard. ‘Tis the season to be jolly and generous. Teaching kids the rewards of giving is probably the best activity of all.

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