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ScienceSeeds | Princeton, NJ

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ScienceSeeds in Princeton, NJ is the ultimate hands-on science enrichment program that gets children 4-70+ years old interested and excited about learning!       

**Scroll to the bottom to see our fun video experience after reading the post!**

The best way for kids to learn is by experiencing things hands on.  Whether they are learning a new language, how to create they next art project, or all things science, kids thrive by hand on learning. Studies have shown that the physical act of doing helps them gain a better understanding of the material they are learning about, regardless of subject matter. ScienceSeeds in Princeton, NJ is thriving at this learning style. 

We were invited to come out and learn about ScienceSeeds, a New Jersey based science enrichment program. They focus on children from 4-17 years old; however, there are even options for adults and the owners are even open to other ideas you may have no matter the age.  When I was initially invited, I wasn’t sure about going.  There wasn’t a ton of information about the place I found on-line and even walking into the space, I wasn’t sure how much our girls and their friend would enjoy it. 

Crazy enough, we were blown away.  I’m not just saying this because we were invited. I legit mean that we were blown away by the creativity, fun, and learning that we had in just two hours.  It’s been about 2 weeks since visiting and our girls are still talking about it.  The adults are too.  At every single corner we turned, there was something new and exciting to engage in and we didn’t even complete a fraction of what was offered. 

What is ScienceSeeds in Princeton, NJ?

Obviously, you want to know what ScienceSeeds even is.  ScienceSeeds has been in business since 2008 in the same space in Princeton, NJ. Just minutes away from world renowned Princeton University.  It’s the result of two parents who couldn’t find family-friendly hands-on science and engineering programs. 

Currently, ScienceSeeds offers camps, birthday parties, weekend maker sessions, workshops, after-school classes, and more.  They have done homeschool programing in the past and even adult parties and open to do either with enough interest. 

What are some things kids can do or learn at ScienceSeeds?

When I say the possibilities are endless at ScienceSeeds, I truly mean that.  Some of the things kids can learn about are: 

  • cars 
  • balancing 
  • chemistry experiements
  • color and light
  • robotics 
  • electricity (spinners, vibrating bugs, and more)
  • hydraulics 
  • lego engineering 
  • game programming
  • 3D printing
  • and so much more

When we attended a tour of the facility, we loved that the team was super involved.  They took their time, really explained things to our kids and were very hands on in the entire process. They learned about gears and got to make one, saw how the 3D printer works and the laser cutting machine.  The girls loved picked their own laser cutting projects and putting them together from the pieces the machine made.  

I loved that it really taught them all about how things are made and what really goes into creating anything. How detailed and intricate everything around us is all the time.  

I can’t make it to or don’t live near Princeton, NJ – how can I get my kids involved?

Can’t make it to the physical location or don’t live close, there’s still ways that you can get your kid(s) involved in wanting to learn more about science and being hands on.  ScienceSeeds offers DIY kits that can be shipped directly to your home. They cost as little as $8, up to $25.  All well within reasonable for a summer or school year of fun.  Perfect weekend family activities to get everyone involved in as well.  Especially, creating something like a large catapult. 

It was truly a fun, but really educational way for kids to learn.  They have tailored age specific programs, so even if you have a high schooler, there’s something they can learn and do that is more involved than what we were shown!  Definitely check out scienceseeds.com and see how they can fit into your schedule for the summer and beyond! 

See all the fun at ScienceSeeds in Princeton, NJ: 

 

Woodloch Pines Resort – Poconos Family Resorts

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Our family stayed at the Woodloch Pines Resort! Learn more about our family fun time at one of the best all-inclusive Poconos Family Resorts.

Disclosure: This post is in partnership with Woodloch Resort and the Poconos Tourism Board. 

We first got a taste of all-inclusive resorts when we took a Disney Cruise last year.  It was wonderful.  We didn’t have to worry about anything and that in and of itself was amazing. We personally believe it’s our preferred way of travel.  So when we were invited to check out the Poconos Resorts all-inclusive Woodloch Pines Resort, we couldn’t wait. We were so excited a great family-friendly resort was essentially right in our backyard.

We arrived at Woodloch Resort and immediately noticed how large it is. We learned that the entire property over 1,000 acres. We found the entrance to Woodloch Pines resort, the part that we would be staying at and checked in and got our room information.  They handed us a large paper with all the days activities and let us know a new sheet would be available every morning. There were endless activities to do, but first we wanted to check into our room.

Inside Our Room at Woodloch Pines Resort

We were graciously staying in a one-bedroom Edgewater Suites room in their Mount Laurel building. Each room has a kitchenette, a bathroom with double sinks, a living room with pullout sofa bed, and a bedroom with 2 queen beds.  Each suite also has a private balcony and washer and dryer in the unit.

The kitchen contained silverware and dishes, as well as a microwave, stove, pots and pans, a large refrigerator, dish washer, and coffeemaker. There is also a table and chairs, as well as bar stools.  This particular building also connects to the indoor pool area, so there’s no having to walk outdoors to get to the pool (which is awesome in winter).

Check out our Woodloch Pines Suite room tour video!

Food at Woodloch Resort

Okay, I’ll fully admit one of our favorite things about all inclusive resorts is the food.  You can (within limitations) get almost anything and the Woodloch resort did not disappoint.  The kids thought it was amazing they could get hot chocolate at every breakfast and the options for all three meals didn’t disappoint.

For lunch and dinner, a small menu was available on the tables that listen the options and then the sides were automatic. Everything was delicious. From fish to prime rib, nachos to a full buffet on Sunday lunch, there was something for everyone. They did have traditional options for kid’s like chicken tenders, but we opted to get them regular meals to split like we do at a normal restaurant. Dinners started with soup or salad and a bread plate also.

And we can’t forget dessert!  The girls loved ordering from about a dozen ice cream options every evening of our stay and Andrew and I enjoyed brownies, pies, and more.

As far as breakfast, there was a variety of options every morning. They started you off with an insanely delicious crumb cake (which you can order to take home!) and fresh fruit. Next, they have a special of the day – one day was scandinavian pancakes and yum! You also could order any variety of eggs and meats like bacon and sausage. They truly had something for everyone.

Family-friendly Activities at Woodloch Resort

If you’re coming to have a getaway, you can certainly do that at Woodloch, as they have a top notch spa; however, we were here as a family. Often, we are nervous about places that claim family friendly, because our youngest is in a stage where she’s too little for some things, but she’s realizing that her big sister is doing more and she wants involved too. Luckily, Woodloch Resort DID NOT disappoint. The shear amount of activities there are for families is bananas. There is something there for the smallest of small to well into teenage years and beyond. They really have taken the all-inclusive thing very seriously.

Some of our favorite things for our family were:

  • Indoor Pool and Slides
  • Indoor Playground
  • Snowtubing

  • Arts and Crafts Room
  • Nature Trail
  • Magician Show (there are a variety of nightly shows)

  • Go Carts
  • Petting Zoo
  • Character encounters (before every meal)
  • and so much more!

There are literally dozens of activities for everyone and there’s so many that we didn’t even get to do half of the things that we circled that we wanted to do while there.  That just means we have to come back! 

Woodloch Resort, and specifically Woodloch Pines Resort, friendlessness and welcoming atmosphere had completely in love at first visit.  There are a variety of rooms and meal plans available to fit into everyone’s budget and even homes to rent out if you want to bring the extended family for a reunion. We definitely thinks it’s a top notch all-inclusive resort that everyone would feel right at home when visiting!

When Adventure Takes a Wrong Turn

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 When Adventure Takes a Wrong Turn is a piece about how even if something goes wrong on your family travel adventure, good can still come from it if you have an open mind. 

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

“Let’s go on an adventure!”

This is what I’ve started to say to my kids on days that we get out of the house. Over the last few weeks, I have made a conscious effort to start exploring the world around us more. Whether it’s spending extra time exploring trails after nature class has ended (we homeschool and attend nature class once a week), finding a new trail to explore when we have a few extra hours and dad is home from work, or driving to Philadelphia to explore a new part of the city we’ve never been too, Andrew and I have been making more attempts at spending more time out of the house.

The adventure begins

We started calling our day trips adventures because the girls would tell us they don’t want to go walk a trail or walk around a city. Rightly so, they are 2.5 and 5 and they want to go play at Chuck E Cheese or the local park. By calling it an adventure we get them to open their minds to what they may find on our trip may be something really fun (and it always is).

Last weekend, Andrew had the day off and we decided that we would drive to Philadelphia and explore the Fairmount Park area between the Philadelphia Zoo and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Since we are members of the Philadelphia Zoo, we parked at their parking garage and then planned to walk the 1.5 miles to the Museum of Art.

Within the first half-hour, we had found butterfly statues, a moving train to watch go by, and a fun park. As we continued, we found a trail to walk through and a fun tree house that appeared to happen naturally. We walked across the street to the Lloyd House near Boathouse Row and from there we found water fountains, saw two brides taking pictures, and explored the Water Works section of Philadelphia. Finally, we reached the Philadelphia Museum of Art outside the famous steps that Rocky climbed. By now, it was after 5pm and we were hungry.

Eating on an Adventure

As we discovered on our plans-free vacation to Colorado, sometimes the best food experiences are found just by looking on an app and going to the first place that sounds fun. We found an awesome pizzeria called Luigi’s Pizza Fresca on 24th St and Fairmount Ave a few blocks away. After we filled our bellies, we decided it was time to make the trek back to our car at the zoo garage.

On our journey back, we went through the Mantua section of Philadelphia and found beautiful murals along much of the city. As we were coming down 34th street, I noticed there weren’t many people out.

The adventure throws you for a loop

I looked at Andrew and said, there’s not many people out. He said there weren’t many people ever on 34th street. As we started walking past the backside of the zoo, I noticed that I didn’t see anyone inside the zoo, no matter where we were. I began to question if the zoo garage closes. Andrew assured me he had went to a haunted house and parked there late before, so we were good.

We were not good. 

We arrived to the garage and the side ramp and doors were locked and/or gated. Andrew said, they probably lock that and let’s walk around to the entrance. Again, it was gated. The zoo garage was closed. Our car was inside. We were more than 30 minutes from our home. It was 7pm. We had walked more than 7 miles by the end of that day. We were exhausted. I immediately burst into tears.

When an adventure takes a wrong turn, you get to experience a new fun

Andrew reminded me it wasn’t the end of the world. We would just get to have a new adventure the rest of the evening. We grabbed an Uber and had it take us to the Patco station (a train that runs between New Jersey and Philadelphia). Then, we got on the train and took it back to New Jersey. From there, we took another Uber to our house. It was 9pm when we got home.

My five year looks at me, with a smile upon her face and says, “Well, that sure was an adventure. But, I don’t like that our car is trapped.”

In that moment, I realized it wasn’t about my feelings or thoughts.  It’s that despite everything, our kids still felt like we had an adventure. A fun adventure that my daughter said she would love to do again. It was that in this moment, my daughter reminded me that we could focus on this one (very small in comparison to the day) bad moment, or we could focus on how amazing of a day we had exploring, learning, and seeing new thrills in our world around us.

I’m forever grateful for the life lessons that I receive from my kids in these moments.

Have your adventures ever taken a wrong turn? Leave a comment and let me know what happened!

PS – Always double check if the parking garage you park in closes and at what time!

PPS – We got the car back! It was still in the garage the next day. 

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Focus on the Staycation {15 Staycation Ideas}

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Focus on the Staycation describes our desire to focus on the area that we are currently in as much as possible. Day trips and exploring more of the world around us in our local area with 15 staycation ideas. 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Toyota through DriveShop.  Thoughts and opinions are 100% our own. Affiliate links may be contained in this post. 

Andrew lived in multiple states and countries growing up. I, on the other hand, had never been on a plane or past the Mississippi River until I was 17 years old. We traveled every summer though. My mom had a stipulation that we could travel, but couldn’t fly and it had to be drivable in 8 hours or less. Living in West Virginia growing up, we went to places like North Carolina, Tennessee, Pennsylvania. I always felt so happy and blessed that I was able to travel every summer on vacation. However, as I grew older I realized that there was so much of the world I hadn’t explored. Even just the world around me. We had a tendency to go to the same places over and over again instead of trying new places.

Focus on the Staycation

Andrew and I barely traveled before having kids, but every time we did, we loved it. We made a vow when our second kid was born that we would start traveling more. We decided on Our Quest to 50 to visit all 50 states before our youngest turns 18. But beyond getting to all the states, we needed to get out and see more of the world directly around us and that comes from staycations. One – two – three hour trips on the road to see places in our direct vicinity that we’ve never seen before.

We both agree that we are being called away from New Jersey and we don’t know if that’s going to happen this year or five years from now, but we do know that we aren’t going to be here forever. So while we have the chance, we want to explore the world in our area more. To not take for granted the vast amount of history and sites within driving distance to us. We know our girls are little, but they enjoy traveling just as much as we do and we are determined to explore more.

Things to Do on a Staycation

  1. Take a hike at a local trail
  2. Drive to the closest source of water (whether it’s the beach, river, a creek) and play. Teach your kids to skip rocks, take a kayak out, learn to paddleboard, etc.
  3. Pull up a map on your phone and type in a type of restaurant and go to the first spot that stand out.
  4. Visit a local museum or landmark
  5. Take a bike ride around a walkable town.
  6. Visit an open market
  7. Find a local drive thru movie theatre
  8. Go see a play/show at a local theatre
  9. Play football/soccer at your local park
  10. Go thrifting
  11. Find a sporting event. Whether it’s minor or major league or even a high school team, find a game to watch! Make it even more fun and try to find something you’ve never watched before
  12. Ask a friend (or even the gas station attendant) for a recommendation for something fun and just go do it.
  13. Find a splash pad or ice skating rink depending on the season.
  14. Go bowling
  15. Look up the closest festival happening in the week (checking out Facebook events is an easy way to do this.

We are so excited to see where we go this summer with our new found love of staycations.

We recently traveled to the Pocono Mountains in a 2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid LE. We fell in love with this vehicle pretty easily! It was insanely comfortable for all four of us and it had great room for our family outing. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid got almost 30 MPG and has all wheel drive which is perfect for road trips! Get more information at Toyota.com

Plans Free Vacation Was The Best Thing Ever

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Plans Free Vacation was the best thing ever that we have done while traveling. We recommend that anyone traveling soon try a no plans vacation for themselves. 

plans free vacation

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Hyundai.  Thoughts and opinions are 100% our own. 

Almost a year ago, Andrew said that he wanted to take a trip to Colorado during the next snow season. He picked up snowboarding 3 years ago and it’s become one of his favorite hobbies. He asked that we start putting money aside for the trip as we could. In September, the trip looked like it could become a reality. Not only was he going, but we were going to take the entire family.

Early last year, we had decided on Our Quest for 50. A family bucket list to visit all 50 states in the United States before our girls turn 18. We were so excited to add this trip West, because it wasn’t even a consideration a few months prior. Andrew, I, and our oldest have been to California once and we loved flying over the Rockies. We were thrilled we were going to be able to experience it up close.

Blink—Blink—Blink.

Bam. It was January. After booking flights in September, the holiday season came in roaring and ate away all my time. Before I knew it, we were traveling in less than 4 weeks and I hadn’t planned one thing. If you know me, this is a big deal. I typically have multiple notes in my phone, dozens of travel-related tabs open in my phone and laptop browser, and at least one, if not multiple, spreadsheets set up. NOTHING was planned.

Then, 3 weeks.
Then, 2 weeks.
Next thing I knew, we were 3 days out from our trip and literally the only thing planned was the hotel we were staying at, the flights and rental car, and that Andrew would be snowboarding 4 of the days we were out there and we would all be joining him for one day. Truth be told, I even switched the hotel within 9 days of us traveling. It was a mess.  My anxiety was creeping in and I was getting nervous.

I took a deep breathe and told myself to go in with no expectations.

Could I really do that?  We don’t take a lot of trips yet, so when we go I always try to pack as much in as we can. Would I be able to enjoy our trip if I have nothing planned and went by the seat of my pants. I told myself that I owed it myself to at least try. And you know what?

A Plans Free Vacation Was The Best Thing Ever 

packing for a plans free vacation

It was one of the best, least stressful trips we’ve ever been on, especially since having kids. Our epic no plans vacation started almost immediately. We loaded up the Hyundai Santa Fe and took off! As we were driving from Denver to Avon we saw a sign for a scenic overlook. We decided to take the exit and go see it.  What we originally thought was going to be a quick detour ended up leading us over 30 minutes down the road in the opposite direction of our hotel.

no plans vacation

no plans vacation trip

The end result was worth every minute. The views were amazing. The experience was incredible and we were only just beginning. We winded up at Buffalo Bill’s grave, so it turned into an educational experience at the same time. Then, we headed on our way towards the hotel again.  I knew after that moment, that this plans free vacation was going to the best.

hyundai santa fe

All four of us were equally amazed at the wonders of the world around us.  The snow covered mountains on one side. The rocky terrain on the other. It was a marvel to look at and excited was around each and every corner.  Every turn seemingly becoming more magnificent to wander at than the last.

how to take a plans free vacation

The sunsets equally as stunning at the daytime. And at night, the world around us lit up like Christmastime.

beaver creek sunset

One of the coolest things we did was hop in the car with no expectations and allow the Hyundai Santa Fe to explore this new area for us.  The navigation has a built in Google search feature that allows you to type in pretty much anything and find matches locally for you. On one particular night, we decided to hop in the car and find dessert.  We literally typed “dessert” in the navigation and suggestions were given to us.

hyundai santa fe gps

We randomly picked a place a few miles away called Sundae in Edwards, Colorado and it was incredible.

sundae edwards co

Other things found on our no plans trip:

The cutest towns.  We stayed in Avon, Colorado. We traveled to Vail, Edwards, Frisco, and Idaho Springs, Colorado also.  Every time we were just smitten with the cutest little towns set up. Especially Idaho Springs, the home of the gold mine rush where some parts you still feel like you are back during that time period.

idaho springs co

A kids imagination play space. Imagination Station in Vail, CO

imagination station vail co

The best hot chocolate we’ve ever had that’s not homemade hot chocolate. Rimini in Avon, CO

remini hot chocolate beaver creek co

The most delicious pizza! It’s a honey crust and they give you honey to drizzle on the crust. Beau Jo’s, Idaho Springs. 

beau jos pizza idaho springs co

Unexpected hiking adventures. White River National Forest, Frisco, Colorado.

hiking in colorado

Delicious ice cream and popsicles! The girls loved this spot so much we went twice.  Kiwi International Delights & Coffee, Avon, CO

kiwi international avon co ice cream

And so, so, so much more.

Of course, we went snowboarding while we were there.  While this was the one thing we did know going into the trip we would do, even this wasn’t fully planned out until the day before. It was such an incredible time. We can’t wait to do this type of trip again!

beaver creek colorado

The entire time, we were powered by the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD. The heated seats and steering wheel definitely came in handy for the cold temperatures.  Even though we are from New Jersey, it was still colder than it has been here. The Santa Fe features 7 passenger seating options. We easily fit all our luggage with the optional third row down.

Other features we loved about the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe include:

  • Rearview Camera with multi-view camera system providing an almost 3D view
  • Smart technology like Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross-traffic Alert,High Beam Assist, and Lane Change Assist
  • Manual rear side window sunshades
  • 3rd row USB outlets

The Santa Fe features a combined 21mpg city/highway. Learn more about the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD and schedule a driving experience today!

hyundai santa fe

Must-Do Activities with Kids in Cleveland

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We recently visited Cleveland, Ohio and these are our Must-Do Activities with Kids in Cleveland. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Destination Cleveland. Affiliate links contained in this post earn us a commission that helps to continue to run this site. 

must do activities with kids in cleveland ohio

My sister has lived in Cleveland for years now and since our parents are located at basically a mid-way point, we’ve always met there. We would plan for 2 times a year to get together, typically Easter and the summer. However, this year, I said I was going to drive the girls by myself to visit. Plane tickets out of Philadelphia have always been high (in my opinion) to get to Cleveland.  My sister and I used to joke that we’d meet in the Bahamas since it was so much cheaper for both of us to fly there than to see each other.

Part of me thought I was crazy.  I was going to drive with a 4.5 year old and a 2 year old alone more than 8 hours. Yup, I was definitely crazy.  Both girls typically get antsy when we make the 2.5 hour trip to Hersheypark, so this was wayyyyy out of anyone’s realm of ideas. Except mine. I wanted to get there and see my sister and my nieces.  My sister now has four little girls, so traveling for her is increasingly difficult.

Often, I’ve heard Cleveland doesn’t offer much.  It’s just a manufacturing city that’s cold and gloomy. My sister promised me that she would change my mind. And she did.  So much so, that we already have a list of things we want to do when we go back next.

city of cleveland skyline

7 Must-Do Activities with Kids in Cleveland

We did an insane amount of things while we were in Cleveland and over time we will share those with you, but for today, we wanted to share with you our 7 Must-Do Activities with Kids in Cleveland.

great lakes science center cleveland ohio

1- Great Lakes Science Center 

First off, the Great Lakes Science Center is HUGE! It has a ton of activities for toddlers through adulthood.  Everyone can literally walk away from the science center and say they learned something.  While there dozens of activities packed in, the space wasn’t so overwhelming that you thought you were standing on top of people.

They have a special section blocked off just for younger kids too which made it nice to be able to sit and take a break while the kids ran around and played. Depending on the weather, there’s also an outdoors space where kids can do water activities and more.  One really cool thing was that kids can make their own duck tape hats while they watch a scientist give a fun, educational demo.

fun for kids in cleveland

2- Find a Cleveland Sign

Cleveland has installed three of these huge Cleveland signs throughout the city. We looked up the locations and one morning before we did anything else, we went and found one.  The girls though it was so neat and I admittedly loved the fact that you could see the Cleveland skyline in the background. The sign in this post is at Edgewater Park, an amazing and very large park (with a beach in warmer weather).  Other signs are located at North Coast Harbor and Abby Road.

where to find the cleveland signs

3- Greater Cleveland Aquarium

We have an aquarium close to our home and we’ve been numerous times, so I was a little nervous that the girls would just be over it.  However, there’s some really cool features at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, like talking to a scuba diver and touching sting rays an tortoises.  Anytime that my girls are able to touch unique animals they are giddy.

cleveland aquarium

4 – Cleveland Metroparks Zoo 

Like the aquarium, I was nervous the girls would have been so often, it wouldn’t be anything special. However, we had so much fun.  Not only did we go at this amazing time where the leaves were changing so it provided an amazing backdrop but there were some awesome animals that we’d never seen, like elephants.

cleveland metroparks zoo

One of the biggest bonus points of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is that you are able to feed the giraffes.  How many people can say they’ve done that (I guess a lot if you live in Cleveland, but still)!? It was so much fun. The girls squealed with delight as they waited for the giraffe to take the tettuce out of their hand.  Plus, there’s a tiny baby giraffe that looked like a big toy!

where can you feed giraffes

There’s also this really amazing tree house at the back of the zoo. It’s huge, has a slide, and the girls just loved it.

fun family things to do in cleveland

5- Cleveland Botanical Gardens

Some people may not think the botanical gardens are a place for kid excitement, but our girls couldn’t contain their happiness. If you need to get some energy out of your littles, it’s a great place to let them run loose (but still supervised). There’s hidden treehouses, a children’s garden, and check times for the butterfly release daily in the afternoon at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens.

cleveland botanical gardens

One of my biggest goals, is to let my kids outside and to explore nature and the outdoors as much as possible.  They loved looked at all the flowers, see the water features, and the really tall trees.

kids play area cleveland botanical gardens

6 – Ohio City Neighborhood

Once day, I was waiting for my sister and happened upon Ohio City Neighborhood, specifically 25th street.  It’s an absolutely adorable area. We ate at a restaurant called Tabletop Cafe where you can play unlimited board games for a fee the entire day (Note: They charged me for my 2 year old to “play”) and then went across the street for ice cream at Mitchell’s. It’s an awesome ice cream shop where you can see how it’s made throughout certain times of the day. We definitely want to head back and explore more of this neighborhood.

mitchells ice cream cleveland ohio

Where’s your favorite Must-Do Activities with Kids in Cleveland?  Leave us a comment and let us know so that when we return we can visit! There’s so many things that were on our list that we weren’t able to squeeze in that we are excited to return and explore. We definitely think Cleveland is a hidden gem in the United States for families and a must do bucket list city for everyone!

These products may help you on your next road trip with kids:


5 Ways to Keep Young Kids Busy on Long Car Rides

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Ever wonder the easiest way to keep toddlers and pre-schoolers busy on long car rides? See our 5 ways to keep young kids busy on long car rides and never have another bad trip!

Disclosure: 5 Ways to Keep Young Kids Busy on Long Car Rides is sponsored by Mazda through DriveShop.  Thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Affiliate links are contained in this post which earn us a small income. You shop as normal.

mazda cx-5 2017

I remember when we had our first child. Our lives drastically changed.  And not just because we were learning how to feed, bathe, and keep alive this tiny human. But because she drastically changed how we did everything. Even a simple trip to the store was different. She didn’t like being alone, so I sat in the back with her as often as I could.  She wasn’t even really happy then. You see, she hated the car. Twenty minutes rides to the mall alone with her were almost unbearable. Luckily, she eventually grew out of it. Then, we had her sister and repeat all over. Thankfully, we are at the stage where they both happily enjoy taking a car ride. Okay, so they fight now, but at least there’s no crying. 

Then, I had a brilliant idea to drive with them by myself for 8 hours.

8 hours.
In a car.
With 2 kids under 5.
Alone.

I needed a plan. A good one.  I needed a back-up plan to the plan.

I survived.

Back and forth each way ended up more like 10-11 hours, but we did it. No major breakdowns or screaming kids. WE DID IT!

Today, I wanted to share with you 5 ways to keep young kids busy on long car rides 

These are five things that I did on this long epic trip that we took that actually prevented tons of meltdowns.

1- DVD Player 

I know. No brainer right?  But seriously, grab a portable DVD player and some brand new movies that they either haven’t ever seen or haven’t seen in a long time.  The novelty of something new to watch will keep them occupied. We didn’t have this one the entire trip, but it was nice for some of the trip.  We love a dual mounted DVD player  because both girls watch the same thing and they are mounted so we don’t have to worry about them dropping it while we are driving.

ways to keep preschoolers busy on long car rides

2- Play-doh

Before you guys call me crazy, hear me out. This was actually the best thing that we brought along.  The girls both played for an extended amount of time with the play-doh during the trip. I got a multi-pack of play-doh and took 6 colors with us on the trip.  The girls switched which colors they were using at different times.

3- Magnetic Drawing Board

We had two magnetic drawing boards in the car with us (one for each kid).  Our favorite is this V-tech Write and Learn Creative Center. There’s learning and art related prompts or they can just use it as a drawing board.  It’s great for creative play and I don’t have to worry about a mess from paper and coloring supplies.

ways to keep toddlers busy on long car rides

4- Magic Coloring Books

We adore these magic coloring books.  Essentially, there’s blank coloring sheets and this magic coloring marker.  The marker can only write on the special pages in the book.  If they color their car seat or clothes, nothing happens.  But the color page comes to life magically with different colors as they draw on them.

tips for long car rides with kids

5- Reading Books

I took a collection of some of their favorite reading books.  While we were driving, they baby would just look at the pictures, but with the big girl, I would ask her to tell me what the story was.  She loved “reading” to me.

These are just a few of the activities that we did while we took our road trip! I hope that they help you on your next trip with littles too!

About our vehicle-

Our epic long first trip was taken in the 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD.  The comfort of this vehicle was amazing.  I’ll admit that I was a bit nervous because my back starts to hurt on trips longer than two hours, so this was a big deal. The seats were so comfortable and added with the heat warming front seats, it was an amazing ride. This compact crossover SUV was perfect for our small family and enough stuff for a week long road trip.

mazda cx-5 grand touring 2017

how many seats is the mazda cx-5

Some Specs –

The Mazda CX-5 starts at $24,045. It has a windshield-projected Active Driving Display that I was jealous isn’t on ever vehicle.  It was amazing to see my speed and the speed limit displayed in a way that didn’t distract me and always let me know when a speed limit had changed. The Mazda CX-5 also has two rear USB ports, along with rear A/C vents which are very handy for little kids.

is the mazda cx-5 good on gas

does the mazda cx-5 has three rows

Three of my other favorite functions were the:

– Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist
– High Beam Control
– Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert

Mazda took to shortcuts when it came to family safety.  The lane keep assist will help in assisting that you stay in your lane (it slightly moves back into the lane if you start to cross the line). The high beam control actually detects if cars are coming ahead of you and turns off your high beams for you (this was a life saver night driving on this trip).

great suvs for long car rides

Paired with our 5 Ways to Keep Young Kids Busy on Long Car Rides, the Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD makes for the perfect road trip.

Here’s some Products that we discussed above:


15 Essentials for a Woman’s Everyday Travel Bag

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Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SeventhGenerationFemCare #CollectiveBias

Despite what I believe in my body, I’m actually an adult now. An adult in charge of real life, actual children. Shocking isn’t it? I mean we are about to have a 5 year old and I’m still asking myself who thought it was a good idea that I be left in charge of two little kids. Sometimes I wake up and still think I’m going to have to drag myself to Bio 101 or some other college activity. Point being: I’m truly in charge now and I have to be the responsible adult.

I learned to be a responsible adult the hard way.

I feel like my mom was always on top of things. She always seemed prepared. Maybe it was just by the time I realized it, she had already made her own mistakes, like the ones I’ve learned from at this point in my life. I’ve gone out of the house without extra clothes for the girls and they have an accident. I’ve forgotten my lint roller when going to a friend’s house who has a shedding dog. Worst of all, are the times that you are out and your menstrual cycle starts unexpectedly and you aren’t prepared with products.

Literally, it’s one of the worst feelings. The light gush. You look around you and wonder if anyone saw anything or noticed your discomfort. You’re immediately time-warped back to your high school days where you’d be sitting in class and feel like everyone in the room can see a huge blood stain on your pants and if you get up from your desk, there’s going to be blood all over the chair. It’s nerve wracking! But it doesn’t have to be embarrassing.

15 Essentials for a Woman’s Everyday Travel Bag

We are constantly on the go. As moms, we (typically) have our children covered, but sometimes we forgot about ourselves. We have to stop doing that and put ourselves at the forefront. Whether you are traveling out of town or just down the street for a few hours to an event, you should always carry with you an essential everyday travel bag that prepares you for the everyday. I remember watching The Wedding Planner and was amazed that Jennifer Lopez’s character literally had everything possibly imaginable inside her little bag. She was so prepared. I realized to help with my anxiety, I too need to create an essential woman’s everyday travel bag for myself.

Here’s the essentials I think every women needs:

  • Deodorant
  • Hair Ties
  • Lint Roller
  • Lotion
  • Mini Sewing Kit
  • Small Manicure Set
  • Mini First Aid Kit
  • Soap
  • Wipes
  • Stain Remove Pen
  • Tissues
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Mini Toothbrush with pre-loaded toothpaste
  • Chocolate or other Small Snack
  • Seventh Generation™ Feminine Care Products

The last one is the most important to me. Listen, even though I track my cycles, it still surprises even me sometimes. Seventh Generation Free & Clear feminine products never contain fragrances.  They even have new comfort applicator tampons! If you know me, you know how important it is to protect your most sensitive body parts and I love having an option that is safe when I’m on the go. In my bag, I keep tampons, pads, and pantyliners with me. Not only does this keep me prepared for myself, but I’m always prepared if a friend is in need as well.

More about the products!

  • Seventh Generation™ Comfort Applicator Tampons have a BPA-free plastic applicator made from 95% plant-based materials. Designed for comfort, these certified organic cotton tampons are both hypoallergenic and contain no added fragrances, natural or artificial. They currently come in regular and super absorbency.
  • Ultra-Thin Pads with Wings give your the perfect protection without exposing yourself to unneeded chemicals. The PureFit™ designs confirms to each body for leak-free, reliable protection. It’s also free of dyes and fragrances and provides a comfortable fit.
  • Pantiliners offers an enhanced fit that traps fluid away from your skin allowing you to be dry and comfortable while also being leak-free. They are processed without chlorine, and free of fragrances, dyes, and deodorants.

Learn more about Seventh Generation feminine products today! Grab yours today at Target! Make sure you check Cartwheel for any deals!

I Keep It Moving For My Daughters

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Dramamine(R). The opinions and text are all mine.

You ever feel left out?

Kind of like… maybe everyone forgot about you?… Or even like your holding everyone back? The feeling is a bit indescribable. I could only sum it up as a degree of loneliness. It’s crazy the things you will try to tell yourself too with the goal to make that emptiness go away. You think… “oh, that’s childish.” Then, you do this sigh mumble thing saying “you go head, I’m perfectly happy right here”. As you try to enhance your tone at the end of the sentence to sell the “happy”.

This was my childhood… in theme parks, boat rides, carnivals, you name it. As my older brother and father ran off to the next cool thing, I would hang with mom in the gift shop looking at key rings and overpriced tee shirts.

Motion sickness was not my friend.

I swear if I even stared at a ride too long nausea would come knocking on my esophagus. Looking back, I was the perfect mobile coat hanger, stroller pusher, map reading companion. Or at least that’s what I told myself to feel good about the fact that my parents spent money on me to come along.

Fast forward to now and this all changed.

So, I hear about Dramamine®! A motion sickness medicine! But hold the phone!!! I don’t do medication. I’M A CRUNCHY BABY! WAIT!!! WHAT DOES THAT SAY?????

Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals.

KEY WORD… NA-TUR-ALS!

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SOLD! I get me a box because Larisha is planning a family boat venture on the Jersey shore. And I am thinking… Maybe I don’t have to be cut out of this one. I don’t want to be cut out anymore. My own kids are involved now. Naturally, I want to experience those belly laughs and adventures right by their side.

I won’t lie… I was nervous. Last time I was on a boat…. I did not bring a food, but I still feed the fish….. If you know what I mean.

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A half hour before the trip, I took the Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals. Although it’s in a capsule, it taste just like ginger. Which I personally loved because that taste did not come off as a flavoring. It was as if I drank a soothing tea. I immediately started feeling very confident in the task I was about to approach.

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We also gave the girls some of the Dramamine® Kids line because the littles is already exhibiting lots of motion sickness signs and the big one got sick on a boat already. Nothing phases them though and my girls were continuously saying… “Daddy you coming, daddy you getting on the boat?”

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And there I was not even 20 minutes later right by their side on the boat as waves pushed it right to back, forward to left. No matter how unpredictable the ocean was, no longer was I alone watching everyone enjoying themselves. I was right there with my girls kicking pirates’ butt and showing them how daddy discovers the open sea!

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It was a magical day and I now know, armed with Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals, that I can hang with the big girls and do amazing adventures right alongside them. I can’t wait to see where our next adventure takes us.

Here’s some other shots from our amazing day:

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Normally, I would feel so nauseous that I would beg to go home and lay down the rest of the day. But not this time. I felt so good afterwards that we headed over a few blocks to the shore and we played in the water and sand the rest of the day.

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Are you ready to #KeepMoving? Grab Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals at your local store for a non-drowsy solution to motion sickness. One dose contains the full amount clinically-tested dosage of ginger needed to prevent and treat motion sickness. Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals is safe to use every day you travel by taking 30 minutes before starting an activity.

6 Tips to Make Long Car Rides with Little Kids Easier

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Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RoadTripOil #CollectiveBias

Taking trips with kids can literally be the nightmare of a parent’s mind. There’s so much to pack, so much to figure out, so much chaos.

You’re not in Kansas anymore.

I remember the first time I need to pack for a trip with just one baby. I pulled out all my stuff and packed it in a bag. Personally, I like to pack light so I just had a super small bag. The started to grab the stuff that I needed for the baby and before I realized it, I had three different bags, a pack-n-play, a bag just for snacks, a booster chair, all her toys she “may need”…and more. I was exhausted and we hadn’t even started driving yet. It got worse when there were two of them.

Over the past 4 1/2 years, we’ve taken a few trips and while I definitely don’t think we are experts, I want to share with you some of our tips to keep young kids busy. Obviously, we all pray they will just sleep the entire time, but that’s never going to happen!

6 Tips to Make Long Car Rides with Little Kids Easier

  1. DVDs
    • Listen, I’m all for minimal screen time, but this isn’t the time for that to happen. Pop in a DVD and you an usually get an hour of quiet time. Make sure that you have enough different DVDs for the length of the trip.
  2. Tablets with New Apps
    • Again, I know, screen time.  Hear me out.  Sanity is more important on long rides than screen time.  Balance it with keeping them off the screen the entire vacation.  We love adding new apps that they haven’t seen before to their tablets so they have something that’s fun and shiny to do.
  3. Magnadoodles
    • These are great and mess free way of fun in the car. We love asking our oldest to draw what she sees out of the window onto her magnadoodle. If she gets bored with that, we ask her to draw something specific or even to work on her writing.
  4. Presents
    • Yup, presents! Listen, you don’t have to go broke.  Walk around a find a few dollar items at Walmart. Go home and wrap them in wrapping paper.  Kids love the element of surprise.  If this is a really long car ride, do one present every hour and tell them when the timer goes off they can have a new one.  They love it!
  5. Toy catalogs
    • Save the toy ads from the holidays that come from Walmart into your suitcase so you have them for your next trip.  When you are driving, hand your kids the catalog and a pen and ask them to go through and circle things they might like for their next birthday or holiday (whichever is closest to when you are traveling)
  6. Let them pick out their own special snacks.
    • Preferably something they know they love and then something that is new and special.

Bonus long trip tip!

You want to make sure you get to your destination as fast as safely possible. Minimal interruptions is what you are aiming for here. There’s nothing worse than your car breaking down while your kids are in the car. Make sure before you car that your car is ready and up to the challenge of a long ride. Head over to your local Walmart auto center and get your oil changed with Pennzoil® today.  While you are waiting for it to get done, you can grab your presents, let the kids pick out their own snacks, and grab any last minute vacation needs! This is especially important if you have a high mileage vehicle (over 75,000 miles). Right now Pennzoil® High Mileage Vehicle® motor oil change is on roll back to just $35.88.  It helps clean out the sludge other oils leave behind, which reduces wear and tear to keep you running strong.

As we embrace for our longest car ride with them in a few weeks, I’m going to print this list to reminder my self to do them.  We hope these tips to make long car rides with little kids easier lets you enjoy your next trip! With less stress you can focus on what really matters – family time!

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