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10 Things to Do In Bar Harbor Maine

Well, our vacation is officially over and as we're headed down the highway back to New York, I've compiled my top 10 highlights from our trip to Maine. Thanks to my friend Jennie at Baby Name Wizard, I was armed and ready with her family's favorite things to do in Bar Harbor and I have to say, Jennie was right on the money. So this list will include a few of Jennie's picks sprinkled in with our fave finds. Take a look...

1. Watching the sun set on Cadillac Mountain. One of the most amazing places I have ever seen is Cadillac Mountain, located high atop a summit in Acadia National Park. The views are incredible and the kids had fun climbing the rocks as we looked out over the water and watched the sun go down over the mountains. One suggestion - dress warm! Once the sun disappears, the temperature drops at least 15 degrees.

2. Diver Ed's Dive in Theater - This made Jennie's kids' must see list and it tops ours too. If your family is in the mood for entertainment, then get ready for Ed - a diver/commercial scallop fisherman who appears to be a cross between Jim Belushi and Zach Galifianakis ("The Hangover"). Diver Ed, his incredibly knowledgeable and witty wife, mini Ed (a tiny action figure who takes a beating from sea creatures), Evil Ed (I believe a guy with a beard who was perched at the back of the boat), his nephew and two New Foundland dogs who demonstrate how to properly wear a life vest, offer an action packed underwater tour for passengers. No worries - you and your kids don't participate in the dive (the water is way too cold), but Diver Ed jumps in three times a day along with a hi-tech video camera that he uses to captures the activity 25 feet below the sea and a bag that he uses to catch a few creatures that he brings back on board so that the kids can touch, carry and play. The only request - don't squeeze the animals! The tour lasts two hours and it's well worth the trip - even in the rain!

3. Jordan Pond Nature Trails & the Jordan Pond House - If you're up for a hike that's not too strenuous and ends in tea with popovers overlooking Jordan Pond, then this is the excursion for you. Jordan Pond Restaurant can get pretty busy so be prepared to wait or if you're impatient like us, buy a Popover mix (or chilled whoopie pies) in the gift shop and make them when you get home. The trail we took led us along the pond - giving us ample time to take frequent breaks where the kids sat on the rocks and my daughter accidentally stepped in the water with one of her converse sneakers - not a particularly fun moment for her but she survived. The views from the base of the pond were gorgeous - we captured several shots of Bubble Mountain. We called it something else though - take a guess...

4. Listen to the Waves at Thunder Hole - Another must see in Acadia National Park - where the water crashes into rocks made of granite and the sound that erupts bears a striking resemblance to thunder - hence the name. There are also places to climb although if you have a fear of heights, I'd say opt for the Jordan Pond excursion and hold onto the railing at Thunder Hole while you watch the waves.

5. Take a Walk to Bar Island During Low Tide - This was totally cool - in the morning, the entire area is covered in water and by late afternoon, the sand bar is exposed so that cars can drive and pedestrians and dogs can walk across to Bar Island. The kids can cruise for shells and crabs while you take a lazy walk along the beach. But make sure you head back before the tide rolls back in or else you'll be swimming back to your hotel!

6. Whale & Puffin Watch, Nature Cruise or Lobster and Seal Watch - The Whale Watch takes the longest and fills up first and can also be tough for people with weak stomachs so I suggest the Lobster fishing and Seal Watching excursion that only lasts 90 minutes. Your kids will get the chance to touch sea creatures (like Diver Ed's adventure but not as funny) and you can get some great photos of seals. And they don't go too far out to sea, so the ride is pretty smooth.

7. Best Breakfast - Michelle's Bistro - There are a few breakfast joints in Bar Har including Jeannie's (there's always a wait) and Testa's, but don't believe the hype or long lines. Our favorite by far was Michelle's Bistro - located in an Inn near some cute shops (my fave was the store that was full of Suncatchers). We sat out back on a deck, enjoyed blueberry pancakes, omelets, french toast and more and the service was fabulous. And the kids loved Rosie - the proprietor's friendly and fluffy dog.

8. Best food and fun for Adults & Kids - Geddy's - It took a few tries to get into Geddy's but once we did, we understood why there's always a wait. They have tons of lobsters, towers of nachos, fried seafood galore and friendly waiters who take your picture and put it on their website. Plus, the kids placemats rock. Trust me when I tell you they'll be coloring throughout dinner and once they're done, they can present their finished product to the gift shop and win a prize (some beads and tchotchkes from a treasure chest). We also loved Geddy's Down Under - the gift shop where the kids picked up cool sweat shirts and my husband bought a rain coat for a steal (less than $30).

9. Blueberry Mojitos at the Harborside - This summer, it's been all about blueberries and since Maine is known for them, I decided to try out all the alcoholic beverages featuring this incredibly healthy fruit - hello acai berries! While Stewman's Lobster Pound offers a blueberry martini (which I tried), the best blueberry beverage on the island goes to the Harborside which offers blueberry mojitos by the pool - in two words: muy delicioso!

10. Best Ice Cream - Ben & Bills - Within 24 hours of arriving in Bar Harbor, we discovered Ben & Bills - where they make their own ice cream and fudge and the line loops out the door every single night. In fact, they even sell lobster ice cream - which we tried - the kids didn't care for it much but instead, opted for the chocolate tsunami (chocolate, marshmallow, oreos and more) and I went for the sugar free blueberry ice cream. Just be prepared - while you're deciding what to order, the scoopers are constantly shuffling you down the line - it can get a bit off-putting when you're trying to make a decision but I guess that's how they keep the patrons coming in fast and furious. I discovered while we were there that USA Today just selected Ben & Bill's as the best ice cream parlor in Maine and as a dessert afficionado, I knew my senses were right on target!

A few more picks include Stewman's Lobster Pound which was visited by the Obama's this summer (they've got a sign to prove it), the amazing Italian restaurant at the Harborside where you get to create your own pasta dish and the Bar Harbor Club where we received a host of spa treatments - from a facial, to massage, a dip in the jacuzzi and a manicure.

Have you been to Maine? If so, share your top picks and stories!

Posted in: Blog, Role Mommy Recommends on 08/29/2010

The Imagination Playground & the Seaport Museum

This week, we got the chance to host a fun filled family event with Kim at Mom in the City where we introduced our favorite parenting bloggers to the brand new Imagination Playground, designed by world renowned architect David Rockwell and located at the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City.

Rockwell Group project designer Barry Richards provided us with a grand tour of this spectacular location for kids that comes complete with an aqua theater, building blocks, a sand area with real sailing masts, hammocks, climbing structures and much more! Check out our Whrrl slide show.

Next, find out more about the Imagination Playground with this fun video from the event.

Fun and Adventure Aboard the Peking Ship at South Street Seaport


Stew Leonard's: The Disneyland of Dairy Stores

A big shout out to the Rockwell Group and the Imagination Playground, the South Street Seaport Museum, Wichcraft for providing yummy sandwiches and Stew Leonards for their drinks and delicious ice cream treats for kids and parents!

Posted in: Events, Role Mommy Recommends, TV on 08/21/2010

Kids & Tweens: Customization is the Name of the Game

If you're busy getting your kids ready for school, this year is all about customization. Whether it's getting a pair of tricked out kicks, a shirt that you can accessorize with a brand new creation called Switchittz or going old school and sending notes to your friends with stationery that looks like your child, we've got some great finds that'll earn your kids points in the best dressed category this fall!

1. Get Your Kid a Pair of Custom Kicks...
My kids had a ball designing their own Converse sneakers today and it's so much fun that I might even hop on the website and order a pair for myself. My daughter went for turquoise high top sneakers with a leopard stripe and her nickname on the back. My son opted for low tops in blue camouflage and my niece picked out a pretty pair of pink sneakers. Once you design your own Converse, it takes about 3-4 weeks for your shoes to be delivered - let's hope their feet don't grow! Take a look...

2. Kids Shirts by Switchittz
Here's a brand new creation that's sure to be a hit with pre-schoolers to pre-tweens. With Switchittz, your child picks a shirt with a scene that they love - from princess, to outer space, to jungle safari and then they make the t-shirt their own by adding fun patches that you can easily take on and off with velcro. Forget silly bandz! Make a fashion statement this fall with Switchittz! Available in stores nationwide this October.

3. Get Your Tween to Design their Own Note Cards with Design her Gals
One of my favorite things to do this summer was to design a package of note cards that looked exactly like my daughter. At Design her Gals, your tween can visit the site, customize their gal, dress her up and put her on everything from note cards, to e-messages to note pads and much more. Plus, a portion of all proceeds are donated to the Gal to Gal Foundation, assisting patients and families battling stage IV breast cancer.

Coming soon...great iPhone Apps that'll get your kids armed and ready to tackle math, reading and recess!

Posted in: Blog, Role Mommy Recommends on 08/16/2010

Five Things I Learned While Getting Gorgeous

Recently, I got the chance to attend a pampering event hosted by two of my favorite blogging fashion savvy moms, Audrey McClelland and Vera Sweeney. The two have recently launched a new event company called "Getting Gorgeous" and together, they managed to kick off an event that was the talk of last week's BlogHer convention (a gathering of thousands of female writers that took place this past week in New York City).

In two massive rooms at the Warwick hotel, Audrey and Vera created an experience for bloggers where we had our faces transformed by ELF cosmetics, our hair styled by Remington (we got to go home with a professional flat iron and curling iron), I learned a new fashion word (more on that soon) and I gained two inches in height.

So where do I begin? Simple. How about the five things I learned at Getting Gorgeous:

1. I Look Good in Jeggings. Or at least fashion stylist extraordinaire Robert Verdi says I do. While cruising through the fashion room, I met the founder of Miracle Body jeans - a new product that'll take 10 pounds off your frame the moment you put them on. Don't go on the scale girls because your weight will stay the same, but Miracle Body sucks you in in all the right places and has styles to fit every shape. Robert Verdi was on hand to style all the moms who visited the Miracle Body table and when he took one look at me in my flowy lavendar skirt, he instantly told me I was a candidate for jeggings. What are jeggings, you ask? Simple - jeans that are leggings. While I haven't worn leggings since the late 80's, I threw caution to the wind and slipped on a pair. According to Robert and a few other women who were checking out my butt (because I asked them to), I supposedly looked damn good in my jeggings. I can't wait to pair them with a long sweater. If only I could find those Bennetton jerseys I was obsessed with back in high school. Oh well, a girl's gotta dream.

Want more jean's tips from Robert Verdi? Then check him out here...

2. I don't have to go to the gym to get a tight butt. I just need to buy Skechers Shape-Ups. After squeezing out of my jeggings, I zipped over to Skechers where I met fitness guru Andrea Metcalf. Andrea, who writes for Oprah.com and has a new book and three DVD's coming out this fall, was on hand to tell us all about the benefits of Skechers Shape Ups. When I got the chance to try on a pair (I felt like Cinderella in sneakers), I actually grew two inches! The soles of the shoes are elevated and curved in a way that helps you tone your legs, thighs and buns when you're out and about. Which means I can get in shape racing to my commuter train instead of running on a treadmill. Brilliant!

3. Remington curling irons can give your hair that red carpet twirly look. I'm still trying to figure out how it works without burning myself, but luckily, my curling iron came with a heat resistent glove that I can slip on when I'm attempting to wrap my hair around the iron and create bouncy curls. The Remington flat and curling irons totally work - you just have to practice a bit to make it do the things those professional hair stylists can do with it.

4. I don't have to spend a boatload of money on make-up to look great. I've actually been using ELF cosmetics for a while and happen to really like their make-up brushes, foundation, lip gloss and liners. If you're like me, you probably have a favorite brand of lipstick or eyeshadow but I love that with ELF you don't have to blow your entire paycheck on make-up. A little cash goes along way with the products and best of all, you'll look great in the process.

5. When in doubt, accessorize. Back over to the fashion room, I fell in love with Lia Sophia - a mom-owned jewelry design business offering beautiful necklaces, earrings and bracelets - and I got to take home a really pretty necklace that I plan to throw over a long flowy top that I'll wear with my jeggings.

For more information about all the amazing products that were featured at Getting Gorgeous (one more big shout out to the super cool powermat I received that charges everything from iPhones to my son's Dsi XL). Plus if you visit Vera and Audrey's site, you can sign up to potentially attend future events and receive tons of awesome goodies.

Posted in: Events, Role Mommy Recommends on 08/13/2010

Dr. Barry Sears: If You're Fat, It's Not Your Fault

As someone who has battled weight issues nearly my entire life, it was truly exciting for me to get the opportunity to host a roundtable discussion with one of the most successful weight loss and nutrition experts in the world, Dr. Barry Sears, founder of the Zone, who joined nearly a dozen writers for a two hour chat and luncheon that introduced the latest line of foods in his program that are designed to help you lose weight.

When I first met Dr. Sears, the first thing he informed me was that if I've battled weight gain for decades, it may not be my fault after all. Depending upon the foods you eat as well as the number of meals you consume per day, your fat cells could actually be creating a trap that won't allow you to digest what you've eaten properly. So no matter how much you try to shed weight, if you continue eating three meals a day while consuming processed foods designed to make you fat, you will never win your battle against the bulge.

More importantly, Dr. Sears shared details behind the cause of diseases ranging from obesity, to diabetes, heart disease, ADHD and alzheimer's - silent inflammation. While you may not feel sick at the moment, the more you consume Omega 6 fats and foods that get trapped in your body and cause your fat cells to grow - much like a cancerous tumor. While any form of cancer can be a frightening prospect, since being fat isn't fatal, we typically ignore the problem until we are diagnosed with something far more serious.

While we were finding out important ways to protect ourselves and our children from silent inflammation, we were also introduced to Dr. Sears' new line of foods that the entire family will love. While Dr. Sears' says we'd be best served eating the foods that existed 10,000 years ago (fruits, vegetables, fish oil and grains), he completely understands that we are a nation who has become hooked on processed food. He adds, "Processed food got us into this situation and processed food can get us out."

Dr. Sears' newest products include pizzas, pastas and pastries that have all been chemically engineered so that while you may be savoring a cinnamon bun, the breakfast treat actually is the equivalent of a four egg omelet and will curb your hunger for at least four hours! We also got the chance to sample asiago cheese pizza, which will be available on the Zone Diet website beginning this September; pasta salad, and a dessert which contained granola, blueberries and yogurt.

We were also sent home with a copy of Dr. Sears' book, Toxic Fat as well as a few more goodies - including chocolate chip cookies - which are delicious (no hint of a diet aftertaste whatsoever!)

The latest food plan will cost $8 per day and can be shipped to your home. But you should be aware - the pizzas, pasta and pastries should serve as the basis for your meals. You should supplement them with vegetables, fruits and fish oil that contains Omega 3 fats and avoid Omega 6 fats at all costs!

Some more great tips from Dr. Sears:
* Shop the perimeter of the supermarket because that's where the freshest foods are located.
*Avoid Omega 6 fats at all costs!
*Take your grandmother's advice - eat small meals and take fish oil every day!
*If you eat beef, make sure you select meat from animals that were grain fed.
*Always eat protein with carbs. Great tip - hard boiled egg, scoop out the yolk and replace it with hummus!
*Dessert tip: Zone diet granola, yogurt and blueberries.

If you'd like to listen in on our audio interviews with Dr. Sears, then click on part I and part II of our one on one interview and if you'd like to order the latest foods the Zone, visit their website today!

INTERVIEW WITH DR. BARRY SEARS, PART I
INTERVIEW WITH DR. BARRY SEARS, PART II

Posted in: Blog, Role Mommy Recommends on 07/23/2010

Sun Proof Your Community Contest

Now that the summer is in full swing and many of us have gone through plenty of tubes and cans of sunscreen, we all should be aware of the reasons why it's important to protect our kids and ourselves from the harmful rays of the sun.

Skin cancer is a fast growing epidemic in the US and it's the most common form of skin cancer. Based on recent research, one in five people will develop skin cancer over the course of their lifetime.

Neutrogena and the SHADE Foundation of America -- a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sun safety -- are teaming up for the "Sun Proof Your Community" contest to help communities take a step to fight the growing skin cancer epidemic. They are giving away five giant sun shades to communities around the country, to be placed at children's playgrounds, schools, parks or public community spaces -- anywhere kids might risk getting too much sun! The deadline for entries is July 20 so enter today!

All you have to do to win a sun-shade covering is write an essay stating why their favorite kid-space deserves one. Winners will receive a large site-specific sun shade designed to provide more than 95 percent protection against ultraviolet rays. To enter, visit: www.facebook.com/chooseskinhealth.

After the winners are chosen, the SHADE Foundation, started by melanoma survivor Shonda Schilling, the wife of former major league pitcher Curt Schilling, will work with local contractors to install the shades.

As part of the Choose Skin Health campaign, the American Society of Dermatologic Surgeons is also offering free skin-cancer screenings to help stop the growing skin cancer epidemic. People can find a local free skin cancer screening by visiting www.facebook.com/chooseskinhealth.

Sun Proof Your Community contest rules & regulations:
No purchase necessary to enter or win. Void where prohibited. Must be a legal resident of the 50 U.S. or D.C., 21 years of age or older. Contest starts 6/22/10 at 12:00 a.m. ET and ends 7/20/10 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Subject to Official Rules at http://www.facebook.com/ChooseSkinHealth. Sponsor: Neutrogena Corporation.

Posted in: Events, Role Mommy Recommends on 07/16/2010

Keeping Kids Busy on Summer Road Trips

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I'm sure you've been there before. You've packed snacks, shoved your luggage, roller blades and tennis rackets in the trunk, jerry rigged the bike rack to the car, gassed up and are finally ready to hit the open road. What you may fail to anticipate however, is the bumper to bumper traffic you'll be sitting in while your kids pester you from the back seat with the dreaded question - Are We There Yet???

As a road trip warrior, I've got some great game and gadget options that'll keep kids of varying ages entertained as you traverse the highways and byways of our glorious country. So what's the secret behind a smooth summer road trip with your family? Here's our Fave Five:

1. Nintendo DSi XL - We received a complimentary DSi XL to review when it was first released this spring and my kids have been fighting over it ever since it arrived on our doorstep. So what's so great about about the DSi XL? Well, the screen is way bigger than the traditional DSi, there's also built-in educational software including Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: Arts Edition and a comprehensive dictionary - which my husband loves since he's a walking thesaurus - but more on him later. There's even an option to create your own digital short movies complete with audio...I've even created a few Peanuts movies of my own since I'm proficient at stick figures, Snoopy and Woodstock. As with the Lite, XL owners are also able to download games through the Nintendo DSi Shop and create and share photos - which my kids happen to love!!! Of course, there are also plenty of game options - including the brand new Mario Party 8 for DS , Atari Sandlot Sluggers, Style Savvy and one of my personal faves - Scribblenauts!

2. Bring Books to Life with Your iPhone, iTouch or iPad - Whenever my kids are completely bored, they ask me to hand over my iPhone so they can download apps to pass the time away. But thanks to the folks at MobiStories, I now have the upperhand! If you want to really knock your kids socks off, then try out the latest innovation in children's book technology with the debut of The Marvelous Toy - a digital and musical children's book now available on MobiStories on PC's, iPhones, iTouch and the iPad. Your kids will be mesmerized as they touch the screen and the images are literally brought to life in front of their eyes. Plus, in addition to their latest release, Mobistories offers a host of downloadable picture book options for kids ages 2-10.

3. A DVD Double Feature - Turn your laptop into a movie screen or better yet, pick up an inexpensive DVD player you can strap to the back of your seat so that your kids can catch their favorite movies - incidentally, "Alice in Wonderland" was just released this week on DVD and in my house, "The Tooth Fairy" is a current must-see (at least a dozen times or more). And hopefully, if you're not driving, you can grab a seat in the middle, whip out a bag of popcorn and watch right along with them. Another option, take the quiet time to read on your Kindle, iPad or crack open a good book...now that's a novel idea!

4. Mad Libs - If your kids are proficient at potty words (ie. poop, fart, etc), they will have an absolute blast filling in the blanks to the age old road trip conversation starter - Mad Libs. We actually gave these out at my daughter's birthday party and they have taken up permanent residence in our car. Funny, but when I used to play with Mad Libs way back when, I thought my stories were hilarious too.

5. The License Plate Math Game - I have to give credit to my husband on this one. Whenever we're in the car, he will encourage the kids to add the numbers in a license plate and whoever gets the answer quicker, wins the points. They do the same thing with the alphabet - they look for every letter in the alphabet and call it out as a car is whizzing by. Obviously, the driver should not participate in this game, but my hubby can't help himself - he's very competitive.

Do you have any summer road trip tips? We'd love to hear them!

Posted in: Events, Road Trip Warrior, Role Mommy Recommends, TV on 07/14/2010

Back to School Savings with Current Codes!

If you're dreading thought of back to school shopping, then you are not alone. I'm always the mom you'll find in Staples or Office Depot frantically searching for notebooks that are out of stock since I've waited until two days before school starts to pick up all my kids' must have items.

But this year, things are going to be different! Thanks to CurrentCodes.com, I've got supplies at my fingertips! The site features an online database that categorizes thousands and thousands of coupons and secret "checkout codes" to help save big on your back2school purchases.

Next time you go to buy a backpack, textbooks, supplies, electronics, clothes etc... you can be sure you're getting the best deal. And lucky for you, they just gave us a ton of coupon codes so you can save, save, save and not stress, stress, stress.

Take a look!

ECampus: Take 5% off eTextbooks with code GEEK

Kmart: $5 off $50 or more with code KMART5OFF50

Kmart.com- $10 off School Supply orders of $50 or more with code SCHOOL10

Cliff Notes: Take 15% off with code aff15

Hooked on Phonics: Take 25% off with code HOP25

Scholastic : Save 15% off orders of over $49 with code HUNT

Sears.com- Save $10 off School Supply orders of $50 or more with code SCHOOL50

CookiesKids.com- Save 10% off Back to School fashion with code B2SFSH

Etnies.com- Save 15% off with code back2school

DELL-Save 40% on the Inspiron 14z with code 6KWMM0JFLZK0W?

HP HOME- Save $25 off online order of $125 or greater with code SVMB39487

So visit Current Codes and save big on your kids' back to school supplies, fashions and more.

Posted in: Events, Role Mommy Recommends on 07/14/2010

Summer Fun With Kids in New York

It's week number two for the Summer of Dylan (our daughter is away at sleepaway camp), and so far, since his sister has been gone, we've hit amusement parks, water parks, kids movies galore, the Hamptons, a Mets game and now, the Bronx Zoo!

In fact, while my hubby and son were supposed to go camping this weekend, they decided to bag the trip when they saw that a major thunderstorm was on the horizon. And so, on Friday night, when my son shed some tears that he wouldn't be pitching a tent somewhere in the wilds of Westchester, we cheered him up instantly with a suggestion that we head to a Met game at Citi Field. We scored some great seats and I was pretty pleased since the stadium now offers healthy food from Subway instead of just hot dogs, burgers, fries and soda. While the game was a bit slow - the Mets played the Braves and couldn't seem to catch a break that night, we still had a great time and then went home to get ready for the next day's adventure.

While searching online for things to do, I initially suggested we hit Coney Island and visit the New York Aquarium and Deno Park but my son, who is not that interested in car rides that last longer than one hour, opted instead for a visit to the Bronx Zoo. And so, we hopped in the car and within 20 minutes, we arrived.

Incidentally, a major suggestion for anyone visiting parks and zoos in New York this year - buy an annual pass! For $150+ you get park passes for two adults and up to 3 kids and it enables you to visit zoos and aquariums for free! Another great find - New York Pass - buy this card and it gets you amazing discounts at tons of New York tourist attractions.

Once we secured our passes, we then proceeded to traverse the zoo for nearly four hours - visiting monkeys, gorillas, snakes, birds, buffalos, giraffes, a zebra, okapi, a chorus of sheep, a gaggle goats, prairie dogs, an extremely vocal sea lion and much more. In fact, in that amount of time, we didn't even get to see the lions, tigers, bears, birds of prey or penguins! Good thing we have our park pass so we can go back real soon.

Since I just picked up photo shop, I put together a little collage from our day at the Bronx Zoo and will be adding some video soon too! In the meantime, if you'd like to have an ultimate New York weekend with your kids, here are some of my favorite locations:

Friday Night: LET'S PLAY BALL!

Met Fans...
Take in a Mets Game
After the game, hit Lemon Ice King in Corona

Yankee Fans...
Take in a Yankee Game
Hit City Island for awesome seafood and dessert after the game

Saturday: ANIMALS AND AMUSEMENT PARK FUN!
The Burbs...
Spend a half day at the Bronx Zoo
Zip over to Rye Playland for an afternoon of fun

The City...
Take in the Central Park Zoo
Head on over to Victorian Gardens at Wollman Rink in Central Park

Sunday: IN THE MOOD TO GET WET?
Splish Splash in Long Island
Splash Down in Fishkill, NY
Jones Beach
Cooper Beach in Southampton

More summer fun to come including movies under the stars, aquariums, pools galore and hiking and biking adventures! Any suggestions for great places to visit with kids? Comment now!

Posted in: Blog, Role Mommy Recommends on 07/10/2010

Tips to Avoid the Summer Reading Slump

Guest contributor and MobiStories.com producer Wendy Toone, offers great tips this week on how your kids can avoid brain drain when they're out of school.

It's Summertime! Yipppee! Time for swimming, trips to the beach, camping, and all sorts of "no more school" activities. However, many kids suffer from a backward slide in their reading development when reading activities wane over the summer months.

Students can lose as much as three month's worth of reading level during the school break. Research shows that younger elementary school students rarely make up deficits in reading once they fall behind. Conversely, students who read during the summer could end up three months ahead, too.

Children will benefit more if their reading activities are fun and not looked upon as 'homework.' While reading books is important, games that use letter-recognition, alphabetizing, syllable, rhyming and rhythm skills can keep kids' reading skills sharp without cracking open a book. If you have a road trip or plane excursion planned, use that travel time wisely. Here are some games to try when traveling on summer vacations:

Create a New Ending:
Exercise their storytelling skills by rewriting their favorite story or a book they just finished...'It could also have ended like this....'

Write That Tune
Remember the game show "Name That Tune"? Pick a familiar song and rewrite the lyrics....a topic such as "gardening" sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques" ?? This exercise works on rhyming, syllable recognition, creativity, and can expand vocabulary.

Kids get carsick reading but can watch movies on DVD? Try digital books.
Amazon's Kindle is amazing for Young Adult and adult digibooks, but they don't have children's titles. Only publishers such as MobiStories.com provide children's picture books in color, narrated and ready for on-the-go reading practice. Order from digital publishers that offer downloads to your mobile devices for convenience.

Car Games:
Animal ABC - 2 ways to play...either start w/ "A" and name as many animals (aardvark, alligator, antelope) as you can, or take turns (Cindy does "B", Joey has "C"). Great for young readers (K - 2nd grade). Can make it more challenging by starting the next animal's beginning letter w/ previous animal's ending letter, i.e. dog -> goose-> elephant.

Roadsign Roundup - Same idea, but this time call out words seen alongside the road in alpha order: billboards, safety signs, signs of businesses being passed. Good for intermediate readers (2nd - 5th grade).

Pimp My Plate - Using letters found on license plates, create what the personalized plate meaning would be (phrase, name of their business, whatever you can come up with). Can work on alliteration, homophones and creativity. Good one for advanced/older readers who need something more challenging.

Where Do I Turn - This one isn't really a game, but why not let the kids pass a little time reading the map and becoming the navigator. You trust them, right??

TrueText - If they've got the phone and you have unlimited texting, you could institute a 'must spell it correctly - no text jargon' rule for a portion of (or the whole?) trip. Of course, no texting to or from the driver, please.

So whether you're traveling by car, plane, train, or sticking around for a "staycation," remember to incorporate reading activities into your children's summer schedules. Read to them, read with them, and give them plenty of encouragement to keep their reading skills from sliding in the wrong direction. Happy reading!!

Wendy Toone is a child expert, having owned and operated a leading children's fitness center and now produces MobiStories, Digital Books for KidsTM. She is a cableAce-award winning television producer and has worked on hundreds of television commercials as a Production Manager after spending a decade onstage as a professional dancer. Wendy's two children have been inspirational in the creation of MobiStories.

To download a free digital book for your PC visit MobiStories.com, click on Summer (in the Ages 2 - 4 category) add it to the cart and Michelle Obama then enter the code SUM0710 in the Coupon Code Box.

*This post is sponsored by the Role Mommy Writer's Network.

Posted in: Blog, Network Syndication, Role Mommy Recommends, Role Mommy Road Trips on 07/08/2010

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