The arrival of a new bundle of joy doesn’t have to mean the end of quality hiking time in the great outdoors anymore. A who’s who of the outdoor recreation industry has sought to capitalize on the large number of active parents and grandparents in the U.S.

Kelty pioneered the child carrier pack and is now joined by the likes of REI and Sherpani. These packs which mimic the frame construction of standard backpacks are typically designed to hold babies from around 6-8 months up until kids 5 years old or 45lbs. Our Kelty pack (shown above) is remarkably comfortable and effective for long hikes and has solid hip belts and shoulder straps. The packs usually have a kickstand mechanism that keeps the pack upright while loading your child. Depending on the size of your child it sometimes is helpful to have another adult help with the loading and unloading of the pack. Other amenities may include extra storage and rain and sun shields. While nice in theory, we’ve never used our sun/rain shield. It limits your child’s range of view and seems confining. Sunscreen and a hat work fine. Storage on the other hand is a different story, you cannot have too much of it in our minds. The ability to pack in snacks, water, diapers, wipes and a change of clothes frees you up from having to carry several different bags.
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Looking for an attractive storage system for all of your little girl’s toys and treasures? These stackable storage units let you stack or unstack, providing multiple storage options. Comes in lavendar, pink, yellow and white. From $69 to $129 for each storage unit.

Buy here from Company Kids.

Quick - in what continent can you find Rwanda? Given a map of the Middle East, can you point to Saudi Arabia? Sadly, according to a recent poll by National Geographic, most Americans 18-24 do not know that Sudan and Rwanda are in Africa, and 63% cannot find Iraq or Saudi Arabia on a map of the Middle East.

“Lack of geographical knowledge is a big hole in our educational system,” says Bob Galinsky, a former international aid worker and father of three. “And in the case of Africa, the hole is the size of the Grand Canyon. Clearly, we can do a better job in this country of teaching our kids about the world, and the first thing we need to do is to make geography fun.” Read the rest »

My shoe closet needs help! I have apparently gone a little overboard in my purchase of flip-flops this season. I have now realized they must have eaten all my other cute summer shoes. Seriously, I have none! . . . Never fear. I will rebuild!

I think that the perfect place to begin (re)building a summer shoe closet is with ballet flats or skimmers. These shoes are perfect for every mom or any busy woman. They don’t have laces (slip-on and go); no pedicure is needed; and the same shoe can often be worn with dressy or casual outfits — the same cannot be said for flip-flops. Read the rest »

Ever been inspired by a race or event and said to yourself, “I’m doing that next year.”? For most of us, that feeling lasts about a day or so and then, like New Year’s resolutions, it fades away as our everyday lives intrude.  Not so in the case of Brian Looper and the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF).

Brian is a real-estate investor, new dad, triathlete, fitness enthusiast, blogger (www.brianlooper.com) and supporter of CAF. Read the rest »

What little boy wouldn’t love to decorate his walls with a tractor, an airplane, a sailboat and a locomotive? We love these wooden plaques made to look like antiques.

16″ square. $59 for one. $219 for one of each.

Buy here from Pottery Barn.

Accidents happen…and they don’t always happen in the most convenient places or at the most convenient times. First, let’s talk about where you should keep first aid kits. The first place would be in all the vehicles. If you have a boat or other recreation vehicle another should be there. In addition, a first aid kit should be in your garage. Read the rest »