Category Archives: Summer Travel

Educational Adventures, Fall Family Adventure, Halloween, Summer Adventure, Summer Travel, Things to Do, Travel

Travel Destination: Go on a Historical Adventure With Your Children to Colonial Williamsburg

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Family Adventure and Travel Destination: Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg is like no other when yTravel Destination: take the kids to spooky Halloween at Colonial Williamsburgou want to take the kids on an educational travel destination adventure that focuses on our nation’s history. It’s even better when you take the kids during the holidays like Halloween, Christmas and Independence Day.

I remember going there as a kid and now it’s even bigger with more attractions.

Visit a real colonial village, learn about what day to day life was like, watch and participate in costume’d Fife and Drum Corps, be a spy, make bricks, go Travel Destination: Take the Kids to Colonial Williamsburg for a spooky colonial Halloweenon archeological digs, and experience what it was like in 1775 at the very beginning of the American revolution.

Colonial Halloweens are always a fun way to spend time with kids on one of Halloween Travel Destination: Take the Kids on a spooky Halloween adventure in colonial Williamsburgtheir favorite holidays. Apple cider, pumpkins, ghost tours, home-made doughnuts. They can range from cute and sweet to all out spooky and there’s something for every kid at every age. And since there’s probably no more place more Colonial America than Williamburg, this is the place to be on Halloween. For spooky fun check out these ghost tours:Travel Destination: Take the kids on a travel adventure to colonial williamsburg

Halloween Fun for Kids

Colonial Ghosts

Your journey will include Indian burial grounds, witches, stories of murder, tragedies of war, and bitter betrayal across hundreds of years. Click here for Colonialghosts

Have older kids who are looking for a little more of an adrenaline rush on your adventure? How about a real ghost hunting tour.  For an extreme version of a take the kids on a travel adventure to colonial williamsburgghost tour of colonial Williamburg, where you are provided with real ghost hunting equipment, check them out here at the Ghost Tour

And just for fun, check out these videos posted by colonial ghost tours depicting some recent ghost sightings.

Ghostly organ playing in empty church on the ghost tour.

Anytime Fun, Fall Family Adventure, How To, Parenting, Summer Adventure, Summer Travel, Things to Do

How to Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike

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How to Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike

Seems simple right? We all went through it. But it’s been a long time since you sat on that seat feeling awkward and being afraid you’re just going to topple over. It really is a weird thing when you think about it. Sitting there suspended on two wheels, the only thing keeping you balanced is the fact that you are moving. Besides having to worry about your balance now you have to worry about where you are going and if you can stop in time. So it’s good to put yourself in their shoes for a bit. It will help you have patience. And bbiking with kidselieve me it’s worth it. There’s nothing I enjoy better than looking back at my daughter’s beaming face as we ride through the streets of NYC, central park or out in the country together. She’s so darn proud of herself.teaching your kids to bike

So what do you need to do to get your child on the bike and eventually out on a biking adventure with you? If you live in a major city there are programs galore geared toward helping kids bike. Check out your local town’s website for information. But to do it yourself, here’s how to get started.

1) The Bike

Go to a bike shop and have her fitted for the bike. She should be able to stand comfortably over the seat. Hold onto the handle bars and let her sit on the bike. Her legs should be able to extend but not stretch. Make sure the seat is not just too low or high. If it’s not the seat, then the bike is either too big or too small. Don’t get a bigger bike hoping she’ll grow into it. You’ll just have a miserable kid who tosses it down in frustration. Better to pay a little less or get a used bike to start with then try to get one with room to grow.

2) The Bike Gear

Helmets, get one that fits her head. Many helmets have adjusters in the back. That will give you a little room to grow. Get one that is sturdy, is from a reliable manufacturer and be ready to replace it every few years. Once it’s taken a few hard hits, it’s time to get it replaced. Keep it from sitting out in the sunlight as well as it can damage the material. Never put it in the back window of your car

3) Forget the Training Wheels

They just teach kids bad behavior and they use them like a crutch. Better to take the pedals off and lower the seat. Let them scoot around on it in an open area. It will be much easier to get the hang of it. Let them focus on balancing and turning. No need to pedal just yet.

4) Scoot Around

When they’ve gotten used to the feeling of scooting around on the bike and can balance, put the pedals back on and adjust the seat to accommodate for the pedals.  Let them try it in a flat, wide area. No hills please.

5) Practice Turning

Make nice wide loops (that’s why I said to find a big wide area). Let them go in and out of circles. Keep them big and then go smaller and smaller, then change to turn the other way.

6) Learn to Stop

Once they are comfortable with the pedals they need to learn to stop. Teach them to step on the petal to break or use whatever breaking system the bike has. Most importantly remind them to be ready to put their feet down as the bike comes to a stop.

7) Take it Slow

Keep going around in your wide flat area until they feel super comfortable. Next it will be good to branch out to a quiet road. A rails to trail type bike path makes the perfect place for kids to practice.

8) Don’t Push Them

Remember, it’s about getting them out there and experiencing it for the firs time. If they hate it or feel pressured, you’ll be hard pressed to get them back out there. So be realistic about what they can do the first few times out. Don’t worry, I promise they’ll be ready for those longer jaunts in no time.

How To, Parenting, Summer Adventure, Summer Travel, Things to Do, Travel

Surfing Lessons for the Kids (and You) Waikiki Beach, Honolulu Hawaii

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Surfing is a great sport for kids. It gets them out in the fresh air, surf and sun, teaches them balance and is something the whole family can do. But you don’t want to take them out into the big surf without being prepared. Waikiki Beach in Honolulu Hawaii is where surfing was invented. There’s a great section of the beach that for all intents and purposes makes for a perfect bunny hill for wave riding. There are non stop lessons going on everywhere you look.  We visited Waikiki to check out the surf and we weren’t disappointed. We got together with friends and took lessons through Big Wave Dave’s Surf Shop. It was a great day of mom and daughter bonding. At one point we even got up on the boards at the same time. That’s something we’ll never forget. Big Wave Dave is where my friend, a Hawaii local takes her kids for lessons and I couldn’t recommend them more. Prices are reasonable and you can get a package of professionally shot photographs (with a long range telephoto lens) to capture the moment. Click here to sign up for surfing lessons   kids learning to surf Hawaii Waikiki Beach