We plan for vacations all year.  Whether the trip is long or short, we still need to keep the kids occupied.  Here’s an easy idea for something you can grab from the   house so you don’t have to spend a ton of money on toys to entertain on the trip.  I’m
all about the quick and easy!

My kids loved painter’s tape.  A few rolls and they were entertained for hours in the
car!

Tear strips off to decorate the window.  Give them a shape to make or
pattern.  Let them use their imagination.

Have them decorate their pants.  Seems simple enough, but they can make
stars, stripes, dots.   So fun to see what fashion they come up with.  And if you
make a stop you won’t know anyone, so let them strut their stuff in their
fancy pants!

Bring paper along and have them tell a story with tape only.  You can see
what their creative minds come up with.  They can use it to make animal
shapes and even create letters with the tape.   Have them read their stories to
you on vacation!

Any other ideas?  What would you have your kids do with 2 rolls of painter’s tape and a two hour car ride?

In the 12 years since I became a mom, I’ve logged countless hours in the car with kids. And now that I’ve got five–including two long-legged big boys, two easily-bored younger boys, and a baby–a successful car trip requires forethought, planning, and patience. If you’ll be hitting the road with your kids this Thanksgiving, follow some of my tried-and-true tips for surviving–and even enjoying–the ride.

1. Consider seating carefully. During the average week, I’ve got my kids’ car seats set up to give me easy access to the little ones, since they still need to be buckled in. But on longer trips, this arrangement isn’t as logical. Putting the two littlest kids in the bucket seats wastes all the leg room on those that need it least, and also means the three biggest–and most bicker-prone–kids are squashed together in the back bench seat. Try playing with seating a bit: put a big sibling next to the baby (older kids can find a dropped sippy cup or amuse little ones) or a toddler next to the sibling he gets along with best. Or play musical seats at each potty stop, letting each child have a chance at the most coveted spot.

2. Pack Snacks. After our car needed to be completely detailed to remove a funky smell emanating from the back seat, we outlawed eating on the go. But we relax those rules on road trips, when snacks aren’t just a distraction, but a parental sanity-saver. Coolers work, but they add an element of hassle to the trip, so we opt instead for items that don’t have to be chilled: juice boxes, peanut-butter crackers, and fruit, for example. Continue reading…

So it’s getting colder out and you’re itching for a balmy beach getaway, but a trip to the tropics just isn’t in the budget, right? Since our first family trip to Wisconsin Dells (“waterpark capital of the world”) almost ten years ago, I’ve become a bit of a waterpark evangelist. Since then we’ve visited over a dozen parks within a few hours’ radius of our Michigan home.

Over the last five years or so, indoor waterparks have started popping up all over the country, so you no longer have to live in the Midwest to be within driving distance of one. Here are a few of the reasons why indoor waterpark resorts are one of my family’s favorite weekend getaways:

Something for everyone. Most of the indoor waterparks I’ve been to offer a nice mix of attractions for big kids and little kids. For instance, during a recent trip to Key Lime Cove in Gurnee, IL (north of Chicago), I spent most of my time in a warm, zero-entry toddler pool with a series of small slides. Clara, our baby, splashed in the shallowest water while Owen, 3, and William, 6, went down the slides. The big boys opted for the thrill slides, going down again and again, which emptied into a wave pool right next to the toddler pool. Of course, we had to take a few trips down the lazy river, too (my favorite part!). Continue reading…

So the weather is getting a bit colder outside, and it’s taking more than the promise of a warm day at the beach or park to get your kids to go outside?

Times like these call for special adventures that will get the whole family itching to put on that coat and hat and get out into the fresh air—even if that air is decidedly frigid. And what else gets kids as excited as the promise of a treasure hunt? From low-prep to high-tech, here are three ideas for adventurous family fun that will get kids (and grown-ups) of all ages rushing out the door:

Scavenger Hunts. You don’t need any special equipment or much planning to pull off a scavenger hunt. You don’t even have to leave your yard! Read this clever tutorial for creating a toddler scavenger hunt (could be easily modified for bigger kids) at United Teaching, and check out the awesom glow-in-the-dark scavenger hunt this mom blogger created for her daughter’s birthday party! Continue reading…

There have been some beautiful, sunny days here lately. I intended to take advantage of the great weather and booming harvest at our local pumpkin patches and apple orchards, but that isnt happening. Instead, I am home with five sick kids, a raging fever and a headache, and time on my hands. Did I mention the five sick kids? It’s been a regular fever-a-thon over here, and the only glimpse I’ve gotten of the great outdoors is the view from my bed out the window.

Since we can’t actually make it out this week, I chose the second-best thing: living vicariously through the posts, photos and videos of other parents in the blogosphere:

- Angie of Gray Matters Online shares a video of her family’s trip to the orchard.

- Shannon at The Mommy Files shares her best tips for visiting the pumpkin patch with your kids.

- Check out these adorable pumpkin crafts at What Are We Doing Today, Mom?

Enjoy, and try to stay well.

What autumn outings have you taken lately? Share in the comments below!
Photo credit: mensatic from morguefile.com

Yesterday was one of those days where it feels hard to get moving. The weather has gotten a bit more chilly over the last week or so, so going out just doesn’t sound as fun. And it was overcast and cloudy all day, sapping my energy levels until I just wanted to take to my bed with a remote control.

By evening, the kids were restless and I was nearly unconscious. I knew I’d feel better if we went out, but every time I thought about it, a list of obstacles popped into my head: I’d have to pack a bag, I’d have to corral the whole crew by the front door, I’d have to oversee the unearthing of five sets of shoes and five jackets, I’d have to strap the baby in the stroller or buckle everyone in their car seats….

Funny how it’s sometimes the smallest details that loom large and make it hard to get out of the house, eh?

In the end, I made the snap decision that, no, we were not going to succumb to dreary-day doldrums. My husband and I packed the bag and found the shoes and buckled the straps and belts, and headed down to see the new fountain in our hometown. And we were rewarded with beautiful, if not exactly hot, weather: right after we got there, the clouds parted and the sun shone down, just long enough for the boys to get soaked in the spray.

See what we’d have missed if we didn’t venture out?

How will you soak up the last bits of summer with your kids?