I recently received this question from a mom who needed help planning for healthy feeding for her toddler while their family was traveling and staying in hotels overseas. It is a common challenge among parents to find nutritious foods while on the go, so I thought I would share in case you are planning one more trip during the last few days of summer or brainstorming easy preschool and day care snacks.

“We are searching for ideas for feeding our little one while staying in hotel rooms during our time in abroad. We know that it is going to be hard to do much in the way of food preparation. Any advice or suggestions for feeding him while on the go?”

In general, toddlers can eat most of the same foods as adults, just in smaller portions, softer versions, and with fewer spices. When you are stopping at restaurants for a bite, most countries have a menu version of a side pasta dish with tomato or cheese sauce, chicken tenders, or slices of bread, meats and cheese. Look for fruit and vegetable options also such as a chopped fruit and yogurt cup, slice of vegetable pizza, or cup of vegetable soup with crackers or grated cheese.

Healthy snacks for stocking in the car and hotel room are whole grain crackers, dry low sugar cereal, and maybe non-refrigerated fruits and vegetables such as bananas, apples, raisins, tomatoes, or raw green beans. Toddlers love to dip foods, so look for some ketchup or other local condiment that he can try dipping. Single serving cups of yogurt and applesauce are also very nutritious and portable.

If you have a kitchen in the hotel or can get baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, you can try mashing or slicing those with yogurt or dip. Iron fortified rice cereal is an excellent staple food, as is oatmeal. Another option is to look for canned, low sodium vegetable and chicken soups to serve. You can drain the broth and serve the contents as finger food. Once you arrive at your destination and know what foods are easily available to purchase, check the grocery aisles for shelf stable foods and beverages. Always choose pasteurized beverages.

Keep an eye on your toddler for any allergic reaction when you are serving a foreign food. The most common allergenic foods are eggs, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and cow milk. If you don’t know his history with these foods, introduce one at a time and watch for any type of reaction such as hives, wheezing, or diarrhea.

Herring is a very common fish abroad and it is very nutritious. Stir some canned herring together with cream cheese and serve it on sliced bread or crackers. Watch to see if your toddler reacts to the fish, but if he’s OK with it, that is a perfect source of healthy omega three fats and protein. In the U.S., we have other canned fish options such as canned salmon, light chunk canned tuna, or sardines. I know it sounds horrible, but you never know till you try it! This month’s recipe is a surprise winner, donated by the Colorado State University Omega 3 for Baby and Me research program.

Omega 3 Spaghetti
1 (16 oz.) package spaghetti noodles
1 (25 oz.) jar your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 (8 oz.) package sliced mushrooms
2 small zucchinis, sliced
3 (2 oz.) packages sardines
Grated parmesan cheese, optional

In large saucepan, sauté sliced mushrooms and zucchini. Cook noodles according to directions on package. Add spaghetti sauce and sardines to vegetable mixture. Stir to break up sardines. Cook until sauce is heated through. Toss noodles and sauce in large serving bowl. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Q. I’m wondering if you have some sage advice about dealing with our rambunctious 2 year old on a transatlantic flight in a week. My son is very physical and very loud in his crying, and I’m dreading the potential tantrums and inevitable shorter crying in such a small space!

There’s a reason why so many young children have extended hearty cries on an airplane! Physical closeness and attentiveness sends strong signals to a child’s emotional center. The signals say, “The closeness that you crave is here, right now! Enjoy!”� And if a child’s feelings have been listened to recently, and often, then the child enjoys the closeness, and can sleep, or find a variety of ways to amuse himself.

But most little children have loads of unheard feelings stored up, and those feelings sit like carbonation in a bottle of sparkling water. You can’t see the bubbles, but when you pry off the cap, they fizz mightily, a force to be reckoned with!�

Your presence engages a healing process in your child.�

Your presence as you sit, strapped in and close by, pries the cap off any stored feelings your child has. His mind dearly wants to absorb your presence, but unpleasant feelings are aching to be heard! The longer you sit, the more likely it will be that your child’s proximity to you will nudge those feelings to the surface, so he’s driven to cry or tantrum or struggle as he heals from some hurt from the past. The thing he begins to cry about will be a small or a provocative issue: wanting to pull off your buttons, suddenly trying to hit your face, or wanting to bang his feet on the seat in front of him. When you set a kind but definite limit, the healing begins.�

Crying, tantrums and sweaty struggling and flailing are the signs that emotional tension is leaving his system, released by your presence. When a child begins to cry on an airplane, nothing has gone wrong. In fact, everything is right. There’s closeness. There’s time. There are other people around to make physical punishment less likely. The perfect conditions for offloading some emotional baggage are at a child’s fingertips. Every hopeful child with an emotional backlog will unconsciously but eagerly reach for this golden opportunity to heal from hurt!�

Some children do experience ear pain as the pressure changes and their tiny Eustachian tubes won’t clear. But I think that a good number of children’s upsets on airplanes are the result of the mind’s instinct to do an emotional spring cleaning.�

How to Staylisten, and why.�

It’s hard to keep perspective as a parent during these times, because other people feel free to behave so rudely around young children. But at these times, you have a child who is having an emotional “bad dream,” with feelings from the past appearing to them in hair-raising form. Your job is to keep your child safe and secure while he goes through this upset. No amount of talking to him or distracting him can really stem the tide of his wild feelings. Those feelings want out!�

Like a bad dream, this emotional flood will subside when his mind has done the necessary work. The feelings will leave him much faster if you stay positive and supportive. It was his inborn instinct to heal from emotional hurt that started this process. Go with that instinct. And as you do, other passengers will see an unusual sight: a parent calmly in charge and caring. This may help them understand that things are not out of control in your family. Their own emotions may be throbbing, but you are not responsible for their feelings. So rather than trying to play the role of the polite host to people you don’t know and will not ever see again, focus on being your emotional child’s parent. Stay in charge and keep offering your child your confidence that all is well, and your reassurance that these feelings will pass. It’s the most positive, responsible thing you can do.�

Guide him through the upset by talking to him, offering him reassurance at the rate of about one sentence a minute. He needs you to listen, and he needs to hear your calm voice, too. Make your sentences short and loving and confident. “I know this is hard.” “You are doing a good job.” “You won’t feel like this for too much longer.” “I’m going to stay with you.” “You are safe here.” “I know ____ _____ _____ (you want to go back home, you miss Daddy, you want to run around, your ears hurt). But right now, we can’t fix that. You have me here.” Your calm reassurance is the balm his mind and heart are looking for. As soon as his mind has cleared the clog of feelings, he’ll come back to you, refreshed, or will fall asleep. He’ll most likely be quite chipper and cooperative when it’s over.�

Here’s what won’t work:�

• Reasoning with him (the reasoning center of his mind is out of commission while feelings are high)
• Trying to set up rewards for not crying (as soon as the reward is eaten or becomes uninteresting, the feelings return)
• Setting up punishments (this generates more feelings of alarm, upset and pain)
• Spending lots of energy on distraction (the minute you stop, the feelings return with great power, and you lose your cool)

Spending time on these alternatives will exhaust and frustrate you.�

Planning in advance can help.�

We recommend finding a way to listen to a child’s feelings before a long trip, and to take measures to deliberately stay connected with a child while you’re preparing to go. A child’s emotional center becomes deeply alarmed when Mommy or Daddy are preoccupied with other things for even twenty minutes, so staying connected before a trip is challenging. Short dollops of Special Time are helpful during packing and shopping, for instance, and running and playing chase around an airport lounge, setting up lots of laughter, can help children feel connected, encouraged, and close, rather than bored and distant.�

If you have a particularly active child who hates to stay in one place for longer than a moment, you would do well to slow him down in your lap for half an hour for each of several days in advance. This may trigger the same emotional work that he would do on the airplane, but in a place where you can listen and let him offload some of that undercurrent of fear that may be� driving that constant activity. Helping children notice your presence by inviting them (not forcing them) to make eye contact can help you learn whether your child is running scared (very little ability to hold eye contact with a relaxed parent) or just loves to run (able to hold eye contact with you and play with you at close range for awhile, then running off to do something else).�

A few other tips from parents who have logged miles in the sky.

• Bring some new toys to ward off boredom. Wrap them like gifts.
• If there are 3 or 4 of you, reserve one or two seats at another location so that you and your partner can “spell” each other.
• Bring healthy snacks—what you get while flying isn’t nutritious.
• “Ear Planes” earplugs help – they have a smaller size for kids now.

And lastly,

• Fly the relatives to you, rather than flying your family to the relatives!

Here’s how Staylistening with a flying child can work:“We were traveling with a large group of extended family. The traveling was stressful for my six-year-old daughter so she was having a lot of behavior problems. She was saying mean things (“I hate you!” “You’re stupid!” “I hate my sister!” “She’s so stupid!”), and refused to cooperate with simple requests. I believed that part of the problem was that we were not getting enough one-on-one time with her. I decided to have her sit with us instead of with her sister and cousin on the flight from Malaysia to Hong Kong. She was very angry, and protested loudly as we took our seats on the plane. She was kicking, screaming and crying.� “We used Staylistening. We let her protest but I held her legs so she could not kick the seat in front of her. We listened to her complaints in an understanding way but also calmly let her know that she would be sitting with us.

Not all children can move feelings out of their way as fast as she did, but long or short, Staylistening gives you the power to help your child return to his or her sunny self in the end.

For more information about� the Parenting by Connection approach, see our website at www.handinhandparenting.org or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter, Connecting!
�

Dear Geralin,

Planning just about anything is a challenge for my husband and me. Both of us have ADHD. We want to vacation this summer with friends and family, but we can’t keep the details straight. We’re aware of a few good packing tips from articles we’ve read, but wondered if you have any out-of-the-ordinary hints for getting a family organized before the packing starts?

Sarah

************
Dear Sarah,

This is such a great question – thank you for asking it. Here are some ideas that hopefully go beyond the “packing tips” that you can find everywhere else and will help make your trip run smoothly.

1) Use your mobile phone’s features. This is my absolutely Number One tip. This compact gadget has a world of incredibly useful tools at your fingertips.

• The alarm feature not only can wake you up in the morning, it can provide reminders throughout the day. For example, set it to remind you or family members to take medications, to phone for an airport taxi, or even to remind you that the Country Bear Jamboree begins at 11:00!
• Load your frequent flier numbers, airline flight numbers, reservation numbers and hotel phone/addresses in your contacts list in the event that you misplace your paper copies.
• Take advantage of the currency converter if you’re traveling abroad.
• Use the calculator to figure out tips or gas mileage. You can also add up receipts so you’ll know how much you’re spending.
• Use the camera to snap a photo of your hotel room number, in case you forget it. Pictures can also help you remember landmarks and intersections that include street signs, in case you get turned around in an unfamiliar place. You can snap a photo of a restaurant you’d like to return to later in the day (or even the menu by the restaurant door!). If you have a rental car, take a picture of it. There’s nothing quite like being in the Disney World parking lot and forgetting what car you came in! Ditto for the parking area signs – take a picture of the sign that has your section number or letter or name (are we Goofy?) as well as the number of your car’s parking space. Use your phone’s camera to record the license plate number, too.
• Use the voice mail service to send yourself reminder messages. For example, “Remember to confirm return trip home on Delta Airlines” or, “Don’t forget gift for Aunt Sue, the dog sitter, and the neighbor on the corner that brought dinner when Tom was sick.” You can also link your voice mail to your laptop, so that when you check your emails, your voicemails appear in your Inbox. One free voice mail service you may want to try is: jott.com

2) If you plan to fly, it’s no secret that the price will drop two days after you buy the ticket. I highly recommend YAPTA.com, which is an airlines fare-checker. Your Amazing Personal Travel Assistant (YAPTA) is a free-of-charge website that helps you check airfares for various airlines. It will automatically send you a note if/when the fares drop. (You purchase the ticket on your own.) YAPTA.com installs free on your computer. The best news is that it continues checking the fares even after you buy your ticket, and you may be eligible for a refund. (Again, you contact the airline and negotiate the refund on your own.)

3) Create a pre-vacation to-do list that includes the following tasks:

• Stop the newspaper and mail (or arrange for someone to collect them for you).
• Arrange for someone to put out your trash and recycling containers, and to bring them back in after collection.
• Arrange for someone to take good care of your pets (feed and exercise).
• Clean out your fridge, and try not to leave too much in your freezer in case of a power outage while you’re away.
• Unplug appliances.
• Water household plants.
• Mow the grass and leave your yard, or entrance, so that your home will not appear to be abandoned for the time you’ll be away.
• Set motion-detector lights or light timers.
• Turn down the heat or air-conditioning.
• Copy your itinerary and contact information and leave it with someone you trust.

You may think of other items to add to your list that are particular to your family’s needs, or to your work, or to other special circumstances.

Here are a few out-of-the-ordinary items that I pack:

• Pillboxes for holding rings and earrings, stamps, paperclips, safety pins, even pills!
• Mesh laundry bags for hand-washing small items.
• A night-light.
• Extra-large plastic bags, like those from linen and bath stores, to use as laundry bags.
• Small plastic bags, like those from the grocery store, to put shoes in to separate them from clothing.

Again, you probably have some of your own out-of-the-ordinary items that you’ll include on your packing list.
So, start two check-lists: 1) the pre-vacation to-do list and 2) the things-to-pack list. Post them where you and your family members can conveniently add to the lists as you move towards your departure date. Before your trip, you’ll need to review your things-to-pack list and pare it down to absolute essentials.

You’ll be all set for a wonderful vacation. Bon voyage!

Last Friday, I boarded a plane with Charles in tow and headed for Orlando. A few weeks ago, I was invited (along with 15 other mom bloggers) to attend an expense paid trip to Disney World. Disney’s goal in hosting this event was to bring together “popular mom bloggers” and begin a dialogue that allows them to understand and support what mom bloggers do.

At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of being invited to go to the great children’s mecca without the family, but I figured it would be a good opportunity to meet some new people and spend a little one-on-one time with Charles. I didn’t know any of the other moms before the weekend and since the agenda was kept a secret until our arrival I also didn’t know what to expect.

Here are a few highlights from the trip:

1. Firsts. Charles had a few firsts this weekend. First (and second) plane ride. He slept through both of them like a champ. First (and second and third) limo ride (again, slept through the whole thing). First visit to a roof-top restaurant, California Grill (he slept right through it). First visit to Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba (yes, he slept through that, too). Do you see a pattern emerging?

2. VIP Way or the Highway. Arriving at the airport and being wisked away VIP-style by Tom from New Jersey who offered to stop and pick up anything I needed.

The first night, after dinner in Italy, we followed a man with a red light saber looking torch (my boys would have loved to play with that) and watched him part the sea of tourists and help us avoid obstacles “watch out for the planter” eventually leading us to a waterfront view of the Illuminations fireworks display which we enjoyed while sampling a coffee and dessert bar.

The time when our schedule didn’t permit me to wait around for the Mickey Mouse ears which were being embroidered for my boys and my buddy Tom magically reappeared and made sure they were delivered to me. (It is the Magic Kingdom, afterall… and a Small World, too.)

As for the highway? I think that we mom bloggers had a few extra perks, but people seem to be treated pretty well at Disney, expenses paid or not.

3. The Moms. Aside from a few (hundred) group emails before the trip, I didn’t know any of the moms. But the excitement and camaraderie was evident from the first message. Stephanie of Adventures in Babywearing offered to bring a sling for me to borrow since I’d be nursing on the go (total lifesaver), I instantly bonded with Tracey, hilarious Suburban Diva that she is, and before our first event on Friday, I ran into Jo-Lynne of Musings of a Housewife in the elevator and Jennifer from Snapshot in the lobby who were both excited – like me – and so much fun! I also got to meet Christine of Boston Mamas and Posh Peacock who is also a regular contributor to Friday Parent Blog Roundup. There were two other North Carolina gals like me, Marybeth from Cheaper By the Half Dozen and Jennifer of the Mom Salon. Gabrielle of Design Mom and a (not-so) little website called sk*rt also kept us all entertained during that first evening meal in Italy (well, the Italy in Epcot at least). All 15 of these great moms are fabulous and meeting them was one of the supreme highlights of the event. (Awww. Group hug.)

4. Behind The Scenes. One of the fun parts of this Disney excursion was getting to see Disney as an insider with lots of ‘behind the scenes’ sneak peeks. Personally, I love to go ‘behind the scenes’. Maybe it’s the voyeurist in me, but I like being armed with the additional knowledge of how things work. If it happens to be something that most people aren’t necessarily privvy to, all the better.

From meeting and dining with the Executive Chef at Epcot, to chatting up two lovely ladies fresh off the stage at Cirque (which could have only been improved upon if we were to meet the hard body on lavish swaths of red fabric – something you’d have to see firsthand to comprehend), we had our share of behind the scenes experiences.

My favorite was a personal tour from the project manager of the newest soon-to-be open ride, Toy Story Mania, at the newly renamed Hollywood Studios (previously MGM Studios). Talk to Mr. Potato Head in the queue and he’ll talk back to you. Release some inner tension while on the ride by launching spring action shooters aimed towards 3-D targets (think throwing virtual pies and eggs and popping water balloons).

5. Disney Doesn’t Have to be Expensive. One of the things that surprised me most about my Disney trip is that you really don’t have to break the bank to make the trip. Between dining plans (that help you save about 30% on food) and economy hotels (did you know there are several on-property hotels with nightly rates less than $100?), a family of four can visit Disney for a week, stay on Disney grounds, eat all their meals and visit the parks for about $1600.

6. Disney Employees Love What They Do. One of the things that impressed me most about this trip was the sincerity in which people who work for Disney tell you about it. Ask a Disney employee for directions and they’ll walk you to your destination, ask for advice and they’ll give you the insider tips. Disney employees take their jobs seriously and really seem to love what they do. For a company that employs something like 60,000 people, that’s pretty amazing.

So all in all, the Disney trip was fabulous. I came, I saw, I bought the t-shirt, errr, mouse ears. Big thanks to the wonderful Maria Bailey of BSM Media and to Michelle and Joyce at Disney. I can’t wait to visit again and bring the family. If Disney’s purpose was to make us more impressed with Disney than we were when we arrived, mission accomplished.

This weekend, baby Charles and I are headed to Disney! A small group of mom bloggers from around the country have been invited to an all expense paid trip sponsored by BSM Media and Disney World for the first ever Disney World Mom Blog Mixer. The itinerary is a surprise, but a little birdy tells me they’re pulling out all the stops.

I’ll share pictures and video and tell you more about it next week. In the meantime, here are the great websites and blogs of the women who are making the trek to Orlando on Friday. Take a look and enjoy!

Adventures in Babywearing
Boston Mamas
Cheaper by the Half Dozen
Design Mom
Just Pure Lovely
LIParentSource
Main Street Mom
Montecito Mama
Musings of a Housewife
Snapshot
Suburban Diva
Table for Five
The LadyBug and her Blogging Mama
The Mom Salon
The Motherhood

Packing. And unpacking. That’s how it felt anyway.

In the past few weeks of our post-Kindergarten, first ever school-free summer (since you need to have started school to be out of school), my daughter Clare, my wife and I spent a week vacationing at the beach and took a few other day trips to places like parks, museums and zoos. For the whole summer, it seemed, we were either getting ready to go somewhere or just getting back.

It may sound like I’m exaggerating, but you parents know that packing and preparing to go out—even for a day—can just about fill another day. You know you do.

When I was single, I’d leave the house for a day with no more than the clothes I was wearing and my wallet. What guy needed anything else? For an overnight trip, I’d drop a change of clothes and a toothbrush into a backpack. Going away for a week didn’t take much more than a bigger backpack. It made getting away a lot easier and more spontaneous. Now, with only one kid, I take more going out for a few hours than I used to take for a weekend away. Going somewhere overnight with my daughter is the equivalent of packing for a week as a single guy. And a week’s vacation with kids—that’s the equivalent of moving. I’m serious. I used to move apartments with less than we take on vacation now. I could fit all of it into the back of a van—and I didn’t need one of those cartop Big Mac-type carriers for extra stuff.

The way I see it, people fall into a few different categories of packing for vacations. There are the early planners—they may or may not make a list, but they always have a solid idea of what they’re going to bring and usually start collecting it early. There are precision packers—militant organizers who (in their opinion) pack exactly the right amount into a suitcase in exactly the right configuration. Precision packers can also fit suitcases, bags, toys and beach chairs into the back of a car with all the mad skills required of an extreme game of Tetris. There are take-everything packers—they might start with a list or might not, but they end up emptying the house and squeezing everything they own into every last nook and cranny of a suitcase. I guess you never know when you’re going to need three different scents of nail polish remover or textures of hair gel in an emergency, and you can’t trust that you’ll be able to buy these things in some remote uncivilized outback in the United States where you’re taking the kids. Finally, there are the last minute packers—these procrastinators might take too much or too little, they might even just throw their things into a shopping bag or something else grabbed at the last minute, but they always wait until just before leaving to get anything together. Obviously, people can fall into a few different categories. I, for example, am an early-planning, take-everything, last minute packer. I decide early what I’ll need, but I wait until the day we’re leaving to get it together, and end up bringing a lot more than we’ll use—but not always everything we need.

To offset my last minute leanings, I try to plan ahead more and more. Even to go out for a day, I track down the backpack the night before and make a mental list of what we might need: sunscreen, camera, snacks, a jacket or umbrella if it might be cool or rainy, maybe even a change of clothes. I still wait until the last minute to stuff it all together though. And I usually forget something—like some napkins or wipes to clean up after a popsicle or donut.

Earlier this week, Clare and I met a friend of mine and her son for a day out at a museum. As I was complaining that I should have brought something to wipe a chocolate milk mustache off of my daughter’s face, my friend offered me one from her bag. I guess this is where I should apologize to more organized dads for furthering the stereotype that mothers are better prepared for anything than fathers are; it probably comes a woman’s experience with packing anything she’d need into a purse or handbag. My friend also offered a suggestion. So they can get out quickly for a day, she said, she keeps a bag packed and always ready to go.

A bag always ready to go? This is my first summer as a stay-at-home Dad, but I probably should have thought of that myself. It could make getting away a lot quicker and spontaneous. And I’d spend less time packing and unpacking. Not very clever of me to not think of that myself, was it?

Maybe I watched JAWS once too many times and as a result I have a curious love/hate relationship with these animals. At the beach, I incessantly scan the horizon for fins and constantly try to get my kids closer to shore, yet every time a shark/human encounter makes headlines, I obsessively tune in!

The good news is shark attacks are rare and infrequent. Sharks are generally not bloodthirsty maniacal killers. Considering that tens of thousands of people come in close contact with sharks each year while swimming, surfing, or boating, numbers of shark attacks are negligible. Still, if you are concerned about your kids in the ocean, here are some simple tips to avoid a ‘close encounter’ with a shark:

• Avoid sandbars and sharp drop-offs where fish congregate. Most shark attacks occur on the inshore side of a sandbar or between sandbars because fish congregate there and because sharks can become trapped at low tide. Sharp drop-offs also attract lots of fish and, therefore, sharks.
• Keep close to shore.
• If you venture out into deeper waters, do not splash a lot, since it attracts sharks. Seen from below, swimmers or surfboarders are often mistaken for seals or sea lions, whose fatty bodies are a favorite treat for sharks. Human splashing creates irregular ripples in the water below, which to a shark may indicate an injured seal or fish.
• Stay out of the water at night, dusk, or dawn. Sharks are most active at night.
• Swim in a group. Sharks prefer to attack lone victims.
• Contrasts attract sharks such as bright swimsuits and uneven tanning. If you intend to swim in deeper waters, you might want to bring along a dark, nondescript swimsuit to slip over your highly visible one.
• Stay out of polluted or murky water.
• Be wary of feeding birds, or porpoises, which indicate the presence of fish.
• Do not throw food scraps into the water.
• Do not swim if you are bleeding. Sharks can detect tiny amounts of blood.
• Do not wear shiny jewelry. Shiny jewelry that gleams like fish scales, multi-color swimsuits, and irregular tanning, especially on the bottom of the feet, could also confuse a shark into thinking a person is an animal.
• Keep pets out of the water. Erratic movements attract sharks.
• Avoid areas being used by fishermen.

Now you can enjoy the ocean even more, knowing that your children most likely will not be swimming with sharks!

With summer in full swing, it’s time for road trips and that means trying to keep the kids entertained in the car for long chunks of time. When you’ve had all you can take of the Wheels on the Bus and Nemo, be the hero when you pull out a cool activity pack from Four Peas.

Parentrepreneur and owner of Four Peas, Casey Basa, is a former teacher and the mother of four girls. The idea for the activity packs came to her because she needed something to keep her children busy when they were out and about.

“When it came to going out with the kids (as we do for something everyday), I found there was a void in the market,” says Casey. “I needed something to keep my children busy while in the car, going out to dinner, or sitting in a doctors’ office for an hour waiting oh-so-patiently for the doctor. So I started buying as many exciting and fun products as I could find before a trip, and I would package them together so that it was always appealing to my children. The activity packs quickly became appealing to other mothers because they eliminated any work or running around trying to find lots of things to keep your child busy.”

The packs come in two varieties: Mini Sports Fan and Girly-Girl. The blue mini sports fan pack comes fully equipt with Melissa and Doug Doodle Tablet, activity pad, silly putty, crayons, make-a-race car sticker sheet, assorted stickers, irridescent sticker sheet, mini porcupine ball, pull back neon race car, sports ball (or race car) notepad, stamper, squishy frog, and magic springs. The Girly-Girl pack has about the same contents, but the race car and sports items are exchanged for things like a make-a-horse sticker sheet, beaded braclet, wiggle eye notepad and linking shapes.

Supplement the packs with items when supplies run low and use the case long after the initial activities are gone. While you’re at Four Peas, be sure to check out their cool backpacks like this toddler size Funky Monkey pack.

Shop around at www.fourpeasonline.com

Trips and excursions with the kids can be a ton of fun and the basis for great family memories. They are also potentially stressful times for mom and dad. Nobody wants to be the parents of the kid who screams the whole flight or throws food at the restaurant; you also don’t want to waste your time with a vacation or day trip to someplace that isn’t going to be fun the whole family. While we can’t help with the in-flight tantrum or food fight, we can suggest a great website for making sure your excursions are kid friendly.

While there are countless websites, TV shows, and books for just about any demographic of traveler, it’s a challenge to find advice on family related travel fare. Fortunately for you, Noelle Ludwig ran into the same problem while planning a family trip to Hawaii. She wanted to find “advice and ideas for places to stay and things to do that would be fun with her one year old daughter. Which hotels had kiddie pools and cribs? Was there a beach nearby with calm surf? Were there any playgrounds around? and where could they go out to eat at night and not have to ask for a seat in the kitchen away from other diners expecting a quiet meal?” Not finding much, Noelle and husband, Tim, decided to build an online community where parents could swap information, tips and reviews for family excursions—across the country or across town.

The result of their efforts is the very cool and informative Parentography. Launched this January, Parentography is a community site that lets reviewers (Parentographers) post their two cents for all to see and comment on. Topics include Restaurants, Kids Services, Activities, Lodgings, Parks and Playgrounds, and Major Attractions. The site is very well put together and easy to navigate. (Tim quips that Noelle’s extensive experience in online shopping proved invaluable in designing the site.)

So other than checking out Parentography, what advice doe Tim have for other Clever Parents when it comes to traveling with kids? Relax. “Also, keeping children entertained during the ‘getting there’ phase of a trip is essential and makes for a more pleasant trip for everyone, so plan ahead with ways to occupy your children.”

We should all be able to enjoy our travels and one of the reasons we started Parentography is to alleviate some of the stress involved with trying new places. Making a bad guess on a new activity or outing can waste precious time, not to mention money, and getting verified reports from other parents who have already been there is a great way to help make sure that the place you’re going is right for your family.

We here at Clever Parents would also add humor (and adult beverages) as advice for parents traveling with kids.

While trips to the in-laws take up the Ludwig’s vacations now, Tim and Noelle are pining away for a family trip to Asia. Before taking off, you can be sure he’ll be checking out what parentographers have to say about hotels in Thailand with cribs and which restaurants in Shanghai have a kids menu.

One of America’s top outdoor destinations and the country’s fifth largest city, it is not an accident that Phoenix is home to several of the best destination resorts located in the United States. Explore desert parks and lakes, tour archaeology ruins and historic gold mining towns, or visit one of the many the museums and state-of-the-art sporting facilities.

From Surprise to Apache Junction, the twenty distinct communities that make up the greater Phoenix area offer visitors everything from the slow-paced rural southwest to a bustling college atmosphere. Whether your interest is sports or archaeology, history or hiking, biking, horseback riding, or bird watching Phoenix offers something for everyone not wanting to venture beyond the Valley of the Sun.

Enjoy hiking, biking and horseback riding at the many area parks such as South Mountain, McDowell or Papago. And if quintessential southwest is your goal, explore Hohokam Indian ruins and participate in a simulated excavation at the Deer Valley Rock Art Center or pan for gold and tour a gold mine in Goldfield Ghost Town.

On the chance that it does rain or the kids simply need a break from the great outdoors, take advantage of Valley’s cultural side. Children of all ages will enjoy exploring a re-created Zuni Pueblo and participating in hands-on activities at the Heard Museum, discovering science and technology at the Arizona Science Center, or taking in a performance at one of the children’s theaters, Childsplay or Valley Youth Theatre.

While you will need to do a fair bit of planning if you intend to take advantage of the many activities unique to Phoenix, there is no need to venture very far. Many child-friendly activities are less than an hour’s drive from anywhere in the Valley.

So if you are looking to escape the bitter cold of winter or an overcast rainy spring, plan a trip to Phoenix and once you’ve pulled your kids away from the numerous activities offered at your destination resort, explore a few of the many fun things to see and do in the Valley of the Sun.

Getting there
The Sky Harbor International Airport is conveniently located in the heart of Phoenix. Direct flights to/from most U.S. locations. International flights to London (UK) and several cities in Canada and Mexico. City of Phoenix

Getting around
Your mode of transportation will greatly influence your options. While shuttle services will get you to and from your hotel and public transport will get you around downtown, families wishing to venture beyond their resort should consider renting a car. A light rail system is scheduled to begin operation in 2009.

Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau

Valley Metro

When to travel
The best time to visit is from November to April.

Weather Underground

Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau

Health & safety
Car seats are required for children weighing 40 pounds or less. Booster seats are required for children under the age of 8 or less than 4 feet 9 inches (144 cm) tall. Children under 12 should sit in the back seat and buckle up.

Arizona GOHS

Things to keep in mind
Distance! The greater metropolitan area covers nearly 2000 square miles.

Copyright © more2explore S.r.l. All rights reserved.

About the author
Ann LoCicero is the founder of www.kidscantravel.com an emergent website for families intent on making the most of their leisure time together.

Car travel can be a flexible way to get your brood from point A to point B. Though you won’t score points for eco-awareness, road trips offer families added flexibility to make stops and visit areas that are poorly served by public transit and pack more gear. And aside from your partner, there are no impatient passengers wanting to eject you or your kids from the vehicle.

While long distance car travel with young children may not evoke images of carefree adventure, recent restrictions on hand luggage and the increased wait time at airports, particularly in Europe, may make it more practical to travel by car than by air. The following tips will ensure that your next road trip with infants and toddlers is fun (or at least less painful than you may imagine) and help you deal with a resounding “Are we there yet?” from the biggest kid in the car.

Plan your trip to coincide with your child’s nap or bedtime

• Motion may lull some children to sleep, but even infants are unlikely to sleep through an entire 6- or 8-hour trip unless it coincides with their regular sleep pattern.
• Maintain your child’s bedtime rituals, such as reading a book together, even in the car.
• Recreate your child’s bedroom environment as much as possible with a favorite stuffed animal or blanket.

Keep the kids safe and comfortable

• Make sure your child’s safety car seat is properly installed.
• Dress your child in his or her favorite pajamas or other soft outfit.
• Recline the child safety seat (NOT the passenger seat) as outlined in the owner’s safety manual.

Kids’ stuff

• Pack toys, snacks, wipes, paper towel and at least one change of clothes in your diaper bag or other luggage that is close at hand.
• Keep milk and refrigerated snacks fresh. Pack them in a cooler bag with ice packs or try a portable electric cooler, which plug right into the cigarette lighter.
• Compact bottle warmers, which again plug into the cigarette lighter, will ensure your child’s milk is the right temperature no matter how far you are from the nearest gas station or other roadside shop.

High and low-tech fun

• Rotate books, toys and games as you would at home and on a plane.
• Don’t over stimulate. Studies show that toddlers can happily pull the same small surprise out of a gift bag all day long yet retain the same delighted surprise each time.
• Even snacks can provide hours of fun. Cheerios, for example, are as fun to eat as they are to pick up and push around.
• Children’s music and audio books can be used to establish quiet time as well as relieve a toddler’s pent-up energy. Lead a sing-a-long or play their favorite stories and bedtime music.
• DVD players and in-seat tv monitors may be helpful in the event of a meltdown.

Sit in the back seat

• Move to the back seat for bedtime rituals and when your child is tired of playing solo.
• Manage adult expectations
• Use free mapping sites like Mapquest to help plan your route. Double the estimated travel time suggested by these sites.
• Plan to make a 10-minute stop every hour your children are awake.
• Expect to clean the car when you arrive even if you did so before departing.
• Break the trip into smaller, one-day or half-day segments. End each drive at a mini-destination such as a special meal stop, tourist attraction or park. You’ll add fun as well as instill a feeling of progress.

The key to car travel with kids is to take it slow and easy. Have fun – you’re on vacation.

Copyright © Nicole F. Feist. All rights reserved.

Nicole has successfully completed 27 home exchanges. She is the author of HYPERLINK “http://homeexchanger.blogspot.com/” \t “_blank” Home Exchange Travels an informative blog on home exchange travel and travel with children and seniors. Nicole is a frequent contributor to HYPERLINK “http://www.kidscantravel.com” www.kidscantravel.com.

Resources

Travel Songs and Sing-a-longs
WeedTracks.com
My Kids Tunes
FreeKidsMusic.com

Audiobooks for Children
LibriVox
AudioFile

Travel Games
MomsMinivan.com
Carschooling

At age two, my son has now completed 11 home exchanges. My six-month old daughter has two exchanges under her diminutive belt. Some of these swaps were as short as a weekend. All were wonderful ways to introduce the children to new places and lifestyles.

Before our first exchange with our then 7-week old son, friends with children warned us, repeatedly, that traveling would be a nightmare with a baby. They claimed that his schedule would be disrupted and a new environment would frighten him. They forgot that, at age 7 weeks, the baby’s environment is the caregiver. Find me a 7-week old baby on a “schedule” and I’ll show you a frustrated baby.

A home exchange makes traveling that much easier, and not just for the infant. Unlike a tiny hotel room with no kitchen or laundry facilities, the experience is very similar to being in your own home with your baby.

Our son’s first exchange home experience was in California. Our exchange home was set in a redwood forest overlooking the wild ocean. He traded a sweltering New York City that kept us inside all day for a fresh sea breeze on his cheek. We traded our chic neighborhood’s fabulous shopping and restaurants for the expansive isolation of the exchanger’s forest retreat. There was a wrap-around redwood deck and a different bedroom for every night of the week, as long as you spent the weekend out of town.

By the time a baby is about six months old, s/he can sense that a new environment is not home and become agitated accordingly. We avoid this problem by bringing familiar toys and a play mat or play yard. We establish and maintain a bedtime routine (bath, prayer, song, rocking to sleep) and follow it at home and on the road. The Peapod, a toddler-sized pop-up tent with a tiny air mattress and matching comforter, is the one piece of equipment we’ve found to be indispensable. It serves as our son’s “bedroom” in every home exchange. Because it is familiar and enclosed, the room in which it is placed is immediately “home”.

And the advantages of a home exchange don’t end when your child begins to walk. Children love to explore new environments and see new things. On the last exchange, our son saw a deer and bunny for the first time, right in our exchange partner’s back yard. Our children will learn and grow from home exchange travel in ways they never would in a resort or hotel. We’re glad we ignored the nay-sayers and launched our children on a lifetime of appreciation for new cultures and places. Our family travel adventures continue “en famille”.

Copyright Nicole F. Feist. All Rights Reserved.

Nicole has successfully completed 27 home exchanges. She is the author of Home Exchange Travels an informative blog on home exchange travel and travel with children and seniors. Nicole is a frequent contributor to www.kidscantravel.com.

Resources

Home Exchange Agencies
Home Base Holidays
www.HomeExchange.com
www.Digsville.com

Home Exchange Blogs
Home Exchange Travels
California Dreaming

Additional Reading
Poyeen Publishing: The Home Exchange Guide

More on the PeaPod Travel Bed
Kidco, Inc

Photography is a great way to get the kids involved in the family vacation. And the benefits exceed a newfound sense of responsibility. Taking pictures provides children with means to share an adventure, places visited and new things discovered, and helps kids observe what may have gone unnoticed as well as recall their travels with greater ease and spontaneity. It opens up a new world to explore.

Yet it is important that photography remain a game, and not become a bore.

The right equipment
Simple means can result in interesting photos. The single use or disposable camera has several advantages:

• They are light and easy to use and can be worn, on a string, round the neck or carried in a backpack.
• They are not as delicate as their parents’ semi-professional model and thus facilitate freedom of use whenever and wherever they decide to play. They come equipped with film and many have a built-in flash.
• High sensitivity film, 400 asa and up, and a flash will ensure a result even in a setting with little light.

What to snap
A few suggestions may help children spot an opportunity and provide the necessary stimulation to get them started. But refrain from making choices for them: A strange hat or curious animal may hold more appeal than a static scene.

Suggest they capture their story on film, a story through images to recount to their friends back home. Help them establish a time frame, for example capturing the family adventure from take-off to landing.

Propose photographing everything that is different. A unique building or habitat can teach children much about people, places and foreign culture.

Place value on their personal interests and you will spark their curiosity. Animals, children, musical instruments, strange geographic shapes and colors are a great way to begin.

Allow them to record the world as they see it. This will ensure they weave a personal tale.

Ready, set, click
A few simple tips and soon even the wary will be engaged each and every time an image sparks their interest to click.

• Avoid fuzzy photos.
• In low light situations, set the camera on a flat surface such as a rock.
• Keep your back to the sun and the light will fall directly on your subject rather than the camera’s eye.
• Keep your eye on the horizon, it can give shape and add quality to the story.
• Get close to the subject, it will ensure others are able to follow the tale.
• Center the photo. Avoid chopping off mom and dad’s head!
• Keep your fingers away from the lens.

Resources
Additional Reading
eHow.com
YouthLearn
RLROUSE Directory
The Academy of Natural Sciences
CDS Project

Disposable Cameras
Kodak
Fujifilm

Copyright © more2explore S.r.l. All rights reserved.

Nicoletta Marconi is a photographer and regular contributor www.kidscantravel.com an emergent website for families intent on making the most of their leisure time together.

Spas used to be ‘adults only’ destinations. Once a woman had children, a visit to a spa with her girlfriends might be a once a year event that had to be carefully orchestrated around the schedules of husbands, grandparents, and babysitters. Thanks to a new breed of spas that are equipped with on site childcare for babies, camps and activity centers for kids of all ages, and manis, pedis, and massages for preschoolers, tweens, and teens, a day at the spa can be yours any time you wish. The past five years has witnessed an explosion in the number of spas that welcome babies and toddlers. The spa industry has responded to the needs of Generation X women who want to spend a lot of time with their children, yet don’t want to sacrifice adult friendships, by making their facilities kid friendly, without sacrificing quality, style, or décor.

The Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in Ojai California (www.ojaniresort.com) has recently undergone a $90 million renovation. “Since May 2003 when we began this project,” says Managing Director Thad Hyland, “we’ve demolished a dozen buildings, laid 15 miles of cable, buried 5 miles of pipe, and installed 200,000 square feet of Saltillo tile and 20,000 pieces of decorative tile. Now, more than 5,000 gallons of paint, a half dozen new fountains and 125 trees later, we can really see the results of our labor.” Camp Ojai for children ages 5-12 offers supervised educational activities with a focus on learning about the Chumash Indians, and a daily visit to the Ranch’s small animal farm and a pony ride. Likewise, the Hotel Del Coronado (www.hoteldel.com), located just outside of San Diego, keeps young guests busy at their Tent City Kids Camp (ages 4-12) where kids can do arts and crafts, learn to surf, and practice paddle boating, or make their own tye-die t-shirts while mom gets a Seaside enzyme wrap ($185 for 80 minutes) or deep cleansing facial treatment ($130 for 50 minutes. The camp costs $45 dollars for one child, $40 for each additional, and $65 for an extended Kid’s Night Out.

Simply because a spa is kid friendly, doesn’t mean aesthetics take a back seat, even for the little ones. The Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in Arizona (www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com) features $730 Bugaboo strollers, luxurious Kashwére blankets and caps, Frette linen crib sheets, and Mustela baby skincare products so babies can feel just as pampered as you do. While the spa does not have on-site daycare, the concierge will provide you with an approved list of local nannies and childcare providers so you can feel free to indulge in their world famous bamboo lemongrass scrub ($195 for 90 minutes) or their weightless watsu aquatic massage ($135 for 60 minutes). The Greenhouse spa in Arlington Texas (www.grenhousepa.com) offers two “Baby and Me” weeks a year, open to women with babies between 3 and 12 months of age. On-site nanny care means that you can indulge in a massage or manicure without worrying about nap times, feeding, or keeping an active toddler entertained. The Phantom Horse Spa in Phoenix Arizona (www.pointesouthmtn.com) provides on-site childcare in their Kids Korral for children aged 6 weeks to 12 years to complement their full range of Native American inspired spa-treatments such as the Pumpkin facial ($125 for 50 minutes).

Children as young as four years old can skip the babysitters and on-site nannies and opt, instead, to get their own treatments. Spas offer the perfect environment for children, teens, and tween to relieve stress, relax, and learn about healthy eating habits and good grooming. Pared down services are available for kids of all ages. The Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina (www.pinehurst.com/spa) recently opened its KidSpa, which caters to tweens aged 6 to 11. The spa offers pedicures, manicures, and massages at pared down prices. The Pinhurst kids massage ($45 for 20 minutes) targets injury prone areas like legs and backs and is suitable for boys and girls. Masseuses are gender specific, children remain fully clothed, and parents can opt to stay in the room and supervise. The Pinhurst kids facial ($45 for 20 minutes) is designed to introduce the basics of good skin care and includes a thorough cleansing and toning. The the Pinehurst mani-pedi ($70 for 50 minutes) provides a luxury experience without breaking the bank. While the Teen Tune-Up offers a thirty minute one-on-one session with a personal trainer ($50). The Cape Codder Resort in Hyannis Massachusetts (www.capecodderresort.com) offers a Parent and Child massage ($170 for 50 minutes). You, your daughter and a girlfriend may opt for the Tutti-Frutti Manicure delight ($20 for 20 minutes) complete with fizzy fruit juice sparkler or the Chocolate Milkshake pedicure ($40 for 45 minutes) which can be enjoyed while sipping a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Feet are soaked in a chocolate milkshake bath, manicured, then exfoliated with a chocolate scrub. Topping it off are an application of Swiss chocolate mousse lotion and a jeweled toe ring. The Ritz-Carleton Spa in Orlando offers everything from a Ritz Kids Massage to a “Systems Blue Facial” complete with a personal skin analysis (www.ritzcarlton.com).

With a little bit of planning and a flexible attitude you can enjoy a wonderful spa vacation that offers plenty of fun and entertainment for the kids while still leaving ample time for adult relaxation and socializing. To find a spa near you consult SpaFinder (www.spafinder.com) and look under the “Mommy and Baby” or “Teen Spa” categories.

Some Tips:
• The Perfect Destination depends heavily on the age of your children. If your children are babies and/or toddlers pick a resort with on site childcare, nanny services, or programs for young children. Be mindful that the childcare program may need a minimum number of kids (usually 3) to open. Think about going with a group of girlfriends and their children.
• If your children are between the ages of 5 and 12 pick a spa or resort with an attached day camp or activity center. Be sure to check hourly rates and ask about multiple child discounts.
• Youth spas don’t apply adult treatment like dermabrasion or waxing. Those that offer massages typically require parents to be present.

See CleverParents-tv Vidcast #6 introducing the On the Go With Kids in Tow column.

After a week in the bush we were ill prepared for the long lines and heightened security that awaited us at the airport in Mombasa, Kenya. We had too much hand luggage and it was packed completely wrong. And if it weren’t for a delay, we would have missed our flight home.

While the recent carry-on restrictions do not affect travel to all countries, they do apply to more than just flights to and from the U.S. and UK and could well be extended without advance notice. India and Canada have adopted similar policies and EU leaders have agreed, at least in theory, to harmonize their approach.

The following tips will ensure you’re not repacking your luggage curbside and that you are prepared for long haul travel without your child’s well-stocked bag of toys.

• Check both the airline and airport’s website for policy changes before your outbound and, if possible, again before your inbound flight. If neither site offers information, call the airline or airport.
• Arrive at the airport at least 2 hours in advance.
• Keep your hand luggage light and simple.
• Check or ship rather than carry large and oddly shaped souvenirs.
• Pack all liquids and gels in your checked luggage.
• Ensure your single carry-on does not exceed 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm (including wheels, handles and external pockets), the equivalent of a small rollaway, even if you are not flying to, from or transiting through the UK. Please note that you may be asked to put your handbag inside your hand luggage as it is considered a carry-on.
• Be prepared to remove your laptop and all other electronic items from your carry-on and take off your shoes for x-ray.
• Consume any drinks you may be carrying (except the contents of your child’s bottle, which can be carried through) prior to arriving at the security checkpoint. Drinks can be purchased and consumed in the departure area but cannot be carried on flights in or to the U.S.
• Revisit your repertoire of travel games. Age-old car travel games such as I spy, scissors, paper, rock, hang man, tic tac toe and knock, knock jokes can provide hours of fun even on a plane.
• Get creative with the material onboard. Make puppets out of airsickness bags and put on a show.
• Snacks such as Cheerios take up little room and can keep younger children occupied for quite some time.
• Relax screen time rules for older children. In-flight entertainment programs on most intercontinental flights offer music, videogames and more.
• Be flexible.

Resources
Authority Websites
UK Department of Transportation
U.S. Transportation Security Administration
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

Low Tech Travel Games
Moms Minivan
Epinions.com

Copyright © more2explore S.r.l. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Ann LoCicero is the founder of www.kidscantravel.com an emergent website for families intent on making the most of their leisure time together.

“TravelWithYourKids is written by parents, for parents. Just because you have a kid (or even a gaggle of them) that doesn’t mean that you and your family are obligated to stay home. We have tips for you whether you’re traveling near or far.”

Thus is the intro to Travel with Your Kids, a great travel-related website for parents. This site is full of information and covers the entire lifecycle of a trip–Sections include Before You Go, On the Plane, Once You’re There and Going Home. The site also has a very nice tangential section that covers traveling to adopt. The information is really good and definitely written by parents who have been through it.

The On the Plane section, our favorite, ought to be required reading for traveling parents and airline/airport staff as well. The section covers everything from pre-boarding strategies, the window/aisle debate, diapers, motion sickness, ears popping and more.

The entire site is chock full of useful information and is presented in a nice, casual and humorous way. Did you know the best brand of disposable diapers in Japan translated into English means Little Moonies?

Travel with Your Kids definitely has a long distance/international travel slant. (The destination section lists Hong Kong, Sydney, London, and Rome to name a few.) But the info is just as practical for the short flight to visit the in-laws even if the destination isn’t quite as exotic or appealing.

Ever wanted to spend the night under the stars in Maui? Visit the Turkish coast or the Galapagos Islands? How about the Grand Canyon? What if you could visit places like these and help make a difference at the same time? You can do just that through volunteer vacations. The concept is for small groups of people to mix a little structured volunteer work in with their vacations to exciting and exotic spots. The volunteer work is usually outdoor and nature-oriented work and the destinations are typically National Parks or other protected locales. Work can involve fixing and rebuilding trails, clearing invasive plant species, or assisting in archaeology projects. Some projects may also involve building a house or community center. When you’re not doing good, there is plenty of time for enjoying the area around you.

There’s a volunteer vacation for every type of outdoor traveler, from luxe and structured to casual and ‘roughing it.’ Amenities may include cozy inns and catered meals or your sleeping bag and whatever you can cook around the fireplace. Depending on the project and the organizing or sponsoring group, accommodations, food, and transportation may be included in the price.

And, if the organization is a certified tax-exempt, non-profit you might be able to deduct your expenses. Please note, that you should verify this before hand with the organization as a number of sponsoring organizations do not qualify.

Sponsoring groups include the Sierra Club and the American Hiking Society.

You don’t need to drag the family to Yosemite to enjoy the great outdoors this summer. Some of the best camping experiences involve sleeping out in the backyard or close by with friends and family. The big canvas tents of yesterday, which invariably smelled like mildew, have given way to new cabin-style family tents with mesh windows for ventilation and star gazing. And some have six feet of height inside for taller campers and dividers to seal off sleeping areas. Plus, they are easy to assemble which means pitching a tent won’t be a source of humiliation for you and humor for the rest of the family.

We like the REI Hobitat and the North Face Trailhead 6.

The Hobitat (pictured right) sleeps 6 and sports an incredible 82 inches of head-room at it’s highest allowing even aspiring NBA types to move around comfortably. It goes up with four equal-length poles which makes pitching much easier and it comes with ten built-in pockets to keep things organized and off the floor. The Hobitat retails for $329.00 from REI.

The Trailhead 6 from The North Face (pictured left), sleeps 6 as well, has a common area, two doors and dividers to create separate sleeping areas. This is a great feature when camping away from home if the kids go to bed earlier than you. The nylon floor is coated to prevent water from leaking in the tent and a system of interior storage pockets keep things organized. The Trailhead 6 retails for $379.00 from The North Face.