Category Archives: Things to Do

Fall Family Adventure, Things to Do, Travel, Winter Adventure, Winter Travel

Winter Camping: How to Make a Camp Fire in the Snow

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Afraid to Winter Camp Because You Don’t Have a Clue How to Get a Fire Going in Snow? Fear Not.

Ever wondered how to make a camp fire in the snow? And then how to cook on that said camp fire, in the woods, in the dead of winter?  Have you been putting off winter camping until you got around to figuring it out? Here’s one delightful couple that shows us how to get the fire going and then cook on it. I imagine their kids are going to have some fun trips.

When Building a Fire in the Snow with Kids

If you are doing this with kids, I’d recommend bringing a shovel for them to help you dig a bit as well as set them up for playing in the snow while you’re doing the leg work. Keep an eye on them as you don’t want them wandering off while you are immersed in fire pit shoveling mode.

Be aware of any rivers or streams in the area (like the one in the video). If you don’t have another adult to watch them, make sure they stay in your line of vision while you are working on your fire. Also make sure they have some snacks and are dressed appropriately. You’ll likely be working up a sweat but if they are not moving around too much it won’t be too long before they get cold. Have them help you gather wood.

Don’t forget to make sure to tell your children what you’re doing and why. As you’ll see in this video it’s a great learning opportunity about not just making fire but physics as well. For example, listen carefully to why you can’t just make the fire on top of snow.

 

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.

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

Fall Adventure: Go Apple Picking with the Kids

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There’s nothing that says Fall like a crisp, sunny day out in an apple orchard picking apples with friends and family. You may end up wondering what you are going to do with all these apples (seemed like a good idea at the time) but that’s not a big deal. Apple sauce is always a safe bet and the least time consuming. If you are looking for a good place to go Women’s Day magazine has compiled a great list, one of the places on the list, Applewood Orchards in the Hudson Valley of New York is a frequent family favorite. Check out their story here.
10 best Apple Orchards for Apple Picking and Family Fun.

take the kids apple picking

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

Salem, Mass–Haunted Happenings, Witches and Halloween Fun

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As I write this I’m sitting here watching a show on the travel channel about what went down in the 1600s in Salem. It’s still so hard to understand that a whole town went crazy over a bunch of kids trying to get out of doing housechores and this crazy puritanical cult life they found themselves in.

But last October we took a ride up to Salem to check out the scene and we had a great time. We went to the witch museum and learned more about the story. Did you know if you coveted your neighbor’s property and would like to see it up for auction so you can take a shot at it, all you have to do is accuse them of being a witch. What a crazy time.

But how ironic is it that the place is now an awesome place to rock out Halloween. Here’s some of the details:

Places to Go for Family Fun: Salem Massachusetts

Salem Massachusetts is one of the oldest seaports in America, and infamous for what happened to twenty innocent people back in 1692. These people, puritans, became victims of mass hHalloween in Salem Mass , Places to Travel with Kidsysteria known as the Salem Witch Trials and it’s been chronicled in the famous book by Arthur Miller, The Crucible.

 

Salem During Halloween

One of the beHaunted Happenings in Salem, Places to Go with The Kids for Travel Adventurest times to visit Salem is during the month of October, during it’s Haunted Happenings season.

Haunted Happenings in Salem, Places to Go for Family Fun on Halloween

Over 250,000 people come to visit and be a part of the grand parade, fireworks, masquerade balls, live music, haunted houses and chilling theater.

Check out the fun show at the Gallows Hill Theater

Even spookier is the Psychic Fair and Festival of the Dead. 

The future with a psychic reading at Salem’s longest-running psychic fair! Hosted by Christian Day, Brian Cain, and the Witches of Salem, The Annual Psychic Fair and Witchcraft Expo features the Witch City’s most gifted Psychics, each one officially licensed by the city of Salem! Wander an emporium of magical gifts, meet real practicing Witches, and make an appointment with one of Salem’s talented psychic readers as you delve into your destiny!

Besides all the witchy stuff, Salem is also a great place to learn about colonial seaport life.

Salem’s History

Salem also played a major role in American History. Located at the mouth of the Naumkeag river at the site of an ancient Native American village and trading center, Salem was first settled by Europeans in 1626, when a company of fishermen[16] from Cape Ann led by Roger Conant arrived.

During the Revolution, the town became a center for privateering. Although the documentation is incomplete, about 1,700 Letters of Marque, issued on a per-voyage basis, were granted during the American Revolution. Nearly 800 vessels were commissioned as privateers and are credited with capturing or destroying about 600 British ships.[34] During the War of 1812, privateering resumed.

Now, tourism is the backbone of Salem’s economy. Tourism based on the 1692 witch trials dates back to at least the first half of the 20th century, when dry goods merchant Daniel Low sold souvenir spoons with witch images. Such tourism expanded significantly in the 1970s, when the television situation comedy Bewitched filmed several episodes in the city.[134] Witch-related tourism expanded significantly in the 1990s

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

How To, Summer Adventure, Things to Do

Taking The Kids on A Whale Watching Adventure Canadian Style

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If you’re like me, you’ve probably gone on at least one whale watch in your life. Maybe it was a big tour boat, while at the Jersey shore. But if you are ready to up your game in some serious adventure-quality whale watching, then you need to take a ride to Les Escoumin in Quebec. It’s about a 12 hour drive due north of New York City so a four day weekend, is definitely doable.

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Les Escoumin is a little town of about 2000 people located on the St Lawrence River that offers so much for the adventure seeking parent. It’s one of the oldest “high north country” towns on the river. There’s fishing, hiking, mountain biking, camping, scuba diving, kayaking, and blueberry picking, but today we’ll focus on whale watching. In my opinion, whale watching is particularly awesome in Les Escoumin. For starters you can take a ride in a zodiac, the kind you see GreenPeace zipping around in to get between the whaling ships and whales. They are rubber dinghys with a motor and they allow you to get super up close to whole pods of whales.  Here’s a good video I found that shows what you can expect. The boat launched from a nearby town. 

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For your adventure you’ll don an survival suit (The St Lawrence is super cold with Arctic water). Yes, a survival suit. The next thing you’ll do is zip out with the crew to find the whales. There are minkes, blues, beluga, orca, dolphins, and seals. When I went I didn’t know which way to look first. If you really want to get eyeball to eyeball with a whale this is the place.

At LES ÉCUMEURS DU SAINT-LAURENT, the season is from May 30 to early October. Prices at start at $48 Canadian for adults and $38 for kids under 14.
When you are finished with your amazing whale tour, you’ll be happy to know you are in French Canada. And what are the French known for? Food! There are wonderful restaurants, cafes and bakeries in Les Escoumin.To book a room or find out more about Les Escoumin, click here.

More places to book a hotel and tour.

Summer Adventure, Things to Do, Travel

Summer Adventure Ideas For Families

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Summer Family Fun

Summer of course, is a perfect time, no matter how big your family, to take the kids on an adventure. Here are some ideas on what to do when everyone’s out of school and the weather is great.

1) Take a hike

Yes this is an easy one but it’s often overlooked, or put off because “we can do it tomorrow.” But time goes by fast in the summer, so there’s no time like the present. Check your local area for trails, what parks are around? Pack a lunch. Put some decent hiking shoes on, slather on the sunscreen and bug repellent, print out a map and just go. Don’t forget to check the weather.

2) Go kayaking

The world is filled with lakes, streams and oceans and kayaking is a great way to not only get exercise, but access to things you might normally not be able to from a road or even a hiking trail. Check out your local kayak, sports or outrigger shop to get ideas on where to take the kids.

3) Watersports

There are so many take your pick. Rent a waverunner and put your child on the back. She or he will think you are the coolest parent ever. Rent a sunfish and go sailing. Learning to tack together is a great way to bond and get some rays in.  Kids will love to be able to be in control of a vehicle. That goes for sailboards as well. Renting a boat and doing some waterskiing is also a great way to spend some time on the water. Check out your local boat shops for information on where to rent or take waterski lessons together. For those who don’t just can’t figure out how to get up on skis, well there’s always tubing.

4) Biking

A family that bikes together, gets out and has fun together. Bikes are just the perfect vehicle. Whether it’s a road bike or mountain bike, it’s a faster way to get where you are going and to see the sites. Now more than ever cities are installing bike lanes and really paying attention to their bike loving visitors and citizens. Check your local city or area online and look for bike trail maps.  As for mountain biking it gets your whole family out in the woods, burning up some extra summertime energy that collects when the kids are geeking out on their video games and computers. Just remember the bug spray as Lyme disease is no joke. And neither is getting lost so bring a printed map as back up even if you have a GPS enabled device.

5) Swimming

It’s a great way to beat the heat whether you are at the beach, in a pool or a lake. Just make sure to use common safety practices. Don’t assume the lifeguard is watching your kids. No one will be more diligent about your kids than you. If you are not a strong swimmer, make sure your kids at least are and get them in a water safety program and swimming lessons. And then get yourself in one as well.

photo credits: Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

Photo by Tower Paddle Boards on Unsplash

Summer Adventure, Things to Do

Take The Kids to The HighLine in New York City

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The Highline has been one of the best things to hit New York City in recent years besides zipcar. It is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. Check it out. There’s nothing else like it. I don’t know how they keep it so beautiful and clean but they do.

High Line Kids Programs Kick Off in July

Your favorite High Line Kids programs are back for the summer! In July and August, families are invited to build, play, and explore during weekly drop-in programs. Explore the natural world through hands-on activities during Wild Wednesday, Wednesdays 4:00 – 6:00 PM; enjoy a delightful morning of storytelling, sing-alongs, bubbles, and blocks during Lawn Time for Little Ones, Thursdays 10:00 – 11:30 AM; and create sculptures that turn, move, and roll during Arty Hours, Saturdays (except August 30) 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

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Fall Family Adventure, Parenting, Summer Adventure, Things to Do

Biking with the Kids in San Francisco

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There are some great kid-friendly bike trails all around the San Francisco, California area. Here’s a great round up of ideas. If you are from out of town it’s easy to rent a bike or take a tour. Or if you have your own bikes, by all means, get out on them with the kids and ride.

Kid Friendly Bike Trails Around San Francisco