From the Sidelines

Want a Quiet Car Ride this Holiday?

 

While driving over the river and through the woods, keep your kids from asking "Are we there yet?" by offering one of these "delightful" Thanksgiving dishes (yes, they are real, but not very kid friendly). I rank these up there with the Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger and Deep Fried Snickers.

 

 

Turducken “What is turducken? It is a chicken stuffed inside a duck which is then stuffed inside a turkey. The term turducken comes from the combination of tur(key), duck, and (chick)en. It is fast becoming a popular recipe for Thanksgiving.” Really? Popular with whom?

 

           

Avocado Gelatin Turkey Nothing says Thanksgiving like green, turkey-shaped food.

 

Thanksgiving Turkey Cake  I know all food goes to the same place once you eat it, but shouldn’t it mostly start in different places?

Need some Summer Fun? Just Look Outdoors (Pt 2)

    Last post, I talked a little about some summer activities that you can do with your kids, in particular camping.  I hope the few ideas that I posted about the planning and packing steps in preparing for a trip.  This post I’ll focus on the meals and activities that you can do while you are out of doors.     

 

Meals

            Planning and making meals while camping is another great opportunity to educate your children and get them involved in the trip.  Have them help you make the meal plan, but make each meal simple. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and hobo pies are easy to cook and clean up.  You can find some great tin foil recipes at Family Travel and other great food ideas at camprecipies.com. If your kids are at a good age, let them cook or help cook their own food and definitely, definitely let them help clean.  Campsite chores like cleaning, collecting fire wood, or filling water jugs can be exciting for little ones. Plus, it gives us parents a little more down time.  Finally, don’t forget the snacks.  The outdoors has a funny way of making kids have huge appetites.  Make them easy to put together and familiar.  A child’s tolerance will be pushed on their first camping trip you want them to be as well fed as possible. 

 

Activities

            A camping trip should be as fun and memorable as possible.  Allowing your children to pick a few of the available activities will keep them active as well as involved.  Keeping a video, audio, or written journal of the trip is a fun activity and will help them get ready for the next by replaying their favorite moments.  Disposable cameras are a great way for little one’s to help capture the memories.  They can snap all the pictures they want of the things that were important to them.  Now, if you are a crafty parent, collages are another way for kids to make memories.  Take paper, glue, scissors, and crayons and let them pick leaves and pine cones to add or keep in a memory box.  Whatever you plan, make sure you have alternatives or back up plans.  Unforeseen interruptions such as weather or broken gear can torpedo all excitement and no back up can sink them.  Check with your campground.  Most parks will have a list of activities in the area, some will have kid friendly ones organized for you.

           

Above all, camping can be perfect learning experience for your children.  In this day and age of electronics and big cities, a quiet and calm weekend in the woods can teach kids much about themselves and their surroundings.  Taking time to teach your kids safety -identifying poison ivy and sumac for example- and respect for the outdoors is a great place to start.  Remember to take only memories and leave only footprints.  While there might be no one around for miles, there is no one and nothing around for miles. Teach them to keep within eyesight, for the little ones, and earshot for the bigger kids.  This will help them from getting lost.  If they find themselves lost, teach them to find a tree and stay put.  If they keep a back or fanny pack with them, make sure a whistle is inside along with a small first aid kit.  They should know that three blows is the standard signal for “Help!”

            Don’t forget to check out all the rugged shirts and cargos at Red21Boys by Wes &Willy and feel free to share any ideas for camping or any other outdoor activities. We love to hear from you!

Need some Summer Fun? Just Look Outdoors

Summer vacation can be both a blessing and a burden for parents.  On the one hand seeing your children all day is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with them.  On the other hand, seeing your children all day can be a dreadful experience when you don’t have activities lined up! Over the next few blogs, I’ll talk about some different summer fun that can engage your kids and make the time you spend with them enjoyable and not painful.

            Since I’ve been focused on sports these last few posts, I though we could take a break and focus on another outdoor activity, namely camping.  I remember fondly taking camping trips when I was young and all the great experiences I had.  Making S’mores, taking shelter because of possible tornadoes, and games by the campfire are memories I’ll never forget.  If you are a new parent or new to the outdoors, the last thing you might want to do is take your kids into the middle of the woods.  At first thought, camping with kids, especially young kids, can seem daunting.  However, with a little extra care and planning, a family camping trip can be one of the most memorable experiences for you and your children.

Before you begin planning your trip, I think the most important thing to remember is to involve your kids every step of the way.  Having them help plan the location, meals, and activities will ward off the complaints and make them feel like their opinions count

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning and packing for a camping trip with children.

 

Planning

As mentioned, a little extra care needs to be taken when preparing for your family camping trip.  If this will be your first family camping trip, make it a short one.  One or two nights will be about all little ones can handle.  Plus, if there is a major inconvenience such as bad weather, much more than a few nights can be unbearable.  Your first trip should be a fun as possible, otherwise it will be difficult to get yourself or your kids motivated for a second.  It’s also helpful to pick a site with running water and facilities.  I know most dads think they are Bear Grylls or the Survivor Man, but having running water and restrooms will ease your children into camping.  Any state run campground will have this information readily available.

 

Packing your gear

Pack light, but be prepared.  If you are not renting a cabin, make sure you have a sturdy, waterproof tent.  If you’ve never pitched it before, try it out in your backyard.  This will make sure that you have all its pieces and if you make it to the campsite at dusk, you’re not flying blind while in a hurry to get it built before dark.  Every one should have a sleeping bag and pads.  Air mattresses are nice for the kids, but I find them a little bulky to take one for everyone.  There should be a battery powered lantern for each tent if possible and a flashlight for each person.  Light sticks are always a good back up and can also double as entertainment. Finally, a basic first aid kit, bug repellent and sun screen are all must haves with kids.  When I was younger, I neglected to put sun screen on my feet while on a three day canoe trip.  Let’s just say shoes were optional for a while after that trip.

The right clothes are important on any camping trip.  If you are going to be hiking or taking nature walks, make sure each child has a good pair of boots.  Although rain may not be in the forecast, rain gear is also good to have on hand, as well as an extra set of warm clothes.  Children get colder faster than adults.  Keeping them warm and dry will go a long way for their morale.  I find that organizing their clothes by day into zip lock bags makes it easy for them to dress.  They can also put their dirty clothes back into the dirty bags when they are done (although this doesn’t happen all the time).  If this is your first trip, it is especially important to have a few familiar items.  Make sure you take their favorite pillow, Mr. Blankey, or stuffed animal to comfort them at night.  It is also helpful if you limit extra items to one backpack.  Not only is it easier for parents to pack, but it will help teach your children to pack light.  For a good checklist of supplies, try this list from KOA campgrounds.

            Next time, I’ll talk more about meal planning and what activities are kid friendly. Until then you can find many more ideas at kidscamping.com. If you are looking for some great boys gear, the shirts at Red21Boys by Wes &Willy are durable for any outdoor activity and are cargos are perfect for carrying all the goodies your son may find on a hike.

            Feel free to share any ideas for camping or any other outdoor activities. We love to hear from you!

What, there’s more than the CWS in Omaha?

I seem to recall that there was something going on in college sports this weekend…Reshuffling conferences and divisions? No that already happened. The World Cup…yes it’s soccer…true not many watch it in the U.S.  Oh yeah, the College World Series. If you or your kids follow college baseball or are from Omaha, this is one of the biggest events of the year.

Thousands and thousands of fans will descend upon Rosenblatt for its last year of the CWS to see their team play in this historical series.  As I mentioned in the last post, it is the last year the CWS is held at Rosenblatt.  Next year, it moves to its new venue to start new traditions and memories.  If you are a fan trekking to Omaha to watch the series, there are a few other activities, many kid friendly, to do away from the stadium.

It may come as a surprise to many, but Omaha offers a lot on a regular basis.  From museums to shopping, to arts, music, and movies, there are many local places to take your kids. Just next to the stadium is another huge Omaha attraction, the Henry Doorly Zoo.  One of the best in the country, your family can spend several days at the Henry Doorly seeing all the exhibits they have to offer including the Wildlife Safari. If your child has never been on a safari drive like this, it is a great opportunity to see their reactions to a buffalo licking your window.  My kids’ experiences are sure to bring up some embarrassment when we re-live them in front of their friends.

Without animals and slobbering, you can find quite a few other things. Make sure you hit one of the many Farmer’s Markets in the area.  Last count we have six across the Omaha area on varying days of the week.  You can, also, always escape the heat by taking in a movie.  Visit the iMax at the zoo, the Film Streams for their Forever Young series, or the Marcus Midtown Crossing Theater where you can have a full dinner and adult beverage during the show.

Take a walk in Omaha’s Old Market, Heartland Park, Lewis and Clark Landing, and the new pedestrian bridge if you want to just get outside for a while.  Or you might try and grab a pizza from one of several local pizzerias such as Mama’s or Zio’s.  Regardless of what you do away from the stadium, while you are there, make sure you stop by the Fan Fest Area and leave your fondest memories of Rosenblatt and don’t forget to stop by Zesto’s for a cone.  And, as always, if you are looking for the coolest sports gear Red21Boys is online and available wherever you are.

You can find all of these activities and more at http://www.visitomaha.com/. If there’s a memory of the CWS you’d like to share or something to do that I missed, fell free to post it here.