Summer is in full swing and here are some fun things to do with your kids this month.
Watch the segment below!
Here are the topics that I discussed on the segment today:
You can watch the video of the segment here!
Here are the topics discussed on today’s segment:
Watch the video of the segment here.
Here are the topics that I mentioned on the segment today:
Trying on some solar eclipse glasses!
Happy Spring! Here are the topics I mentioned on TV today.
These are also some fun activities happening this month that I didn’t have time to mention on air:
To see the video, click on this link.
Theo was only 2 years old when he first started preschool, and Miss Bethany was one of his beloved teachers. She was the best teacher I could ever hope for — oftentimes holding Theo for the entire class if he was having a rough time with the separation. We were honored to attend her wedding before she moved to the East coast with her husband. After a few years, they are now back in Utah and we had some special visitors last week: Miss Bethany AND her new baby boy!
One thing that my new mommy friends and I would have loved to have is a place to go to hang out with our babies, other than each other’s houses. I remember visiting my parents in Virginia when Theo was 1 year old and going to a combination coffee shop/indoor playground and thinking it was such a brilliant idea that I couldn’t believe it hadn’t been introduced to Utah yet. I just learned about a brand new cafe that opened very recently that is just that! I haven’t been there yet (I’m going to “borrow” my friend’s 2-year-old toddler to check it out) but I am so glad that this concept is becoming more widespread.
Along the same lines, my friends told me about the Main Street Studio salon which offers on-site childcare while you get pampered. Is this a genius idea or what? I never got a chance to try it out myself, but seriously, even the idea that a sort of place like this existed gave me some peace of mind that I could take advantage of this if I needed/wanted. This would be a great treat for any new mom who wanted to keep her child close but still needed to feel human now and then.
I love any activity that is typically a “grown-ups only” type event where you can bring your kids. So many times we are made to feel like we cannot go out in public spaces that are “inappropriate” for kids because of their unpredictable behavior and completely natural actions. So when an art museum welcomes babies and moms to tour the exhibits without any judgment or unrealistic expectation, I find it to be a refreshing relief.
I have all sorts of other “tips and tricks” that I like to share with new mothers (the best places to nurse, using a shopping cart as a temporary stroller, etc.) but these are some fun activities that are available for you and your baby to share together. Enjoy and have fun with those snuggly little babies!
For Theo’s 7th birthday party, we had a repeat location: the Natural History Museum of Utah! They have a variety of different themes for different age groups, so this year Theo was eligible for their science lab themed party. It was held in the same room as the party he had for his 4th birthday, and hosted by fun museum staff.
All the kids got to wear lab coats and goggles while they learned about various science experiments. There were several different stations set up and the kids were kept busy!
We had our traditional Costco cake, with additional decorations provided by my good friend who made special fondant science accessories. I thought they really looked great!
The favors were provided by the museum, but I couldn’t help but science-ify the water bottles that we provided for drinks. The chemical composition of its contents went on the label. I’m always happy when I can add a little educational component to the party.
One of our favorite parts of the exhibit was this station where they set out iPads and origami paper, so that we could try folding some of it ourselves. (I admit, while you’re looking at all the art, you’re thinking to yourself, “I want to try this!”) The iPads had a great app on them where they had videos and illustrations walking you through how to fold various projects. The app is available to download for iPhones and iPads on the iTunes store and is called Folded BY-U. I love that origami is a combination of art, geometry, fine motor skills and really is a fun activity. Try it out, either at home or by visiting the museum!
I’ve written before about how much I love the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. It is amazing that we have these resources available for FREE. And now we can thank them again, as they offer their “Museum Day Live!” program, which is a day that museums around the country are offering free admission. This year, it is on Saturday, September 27 and two local (SLC) museums are participating:
I’ve mentioned the Frontrunner train on this blog before, when I mentioned taking it to the Treehouse Museum in Ogden. I have been a frequent traveler on many public transport systems while living in Chicago, Boston and Washington, D.C. but I have never encountered a more pleasant commuter train ride than the Frontrunner here in SLC. It is always exactly on time, pristinely clean, and never crowded. You can take it as north as Ogden and south as Provo. We’ve ridden the entire line and I’m so glad it is an option. Anyway, kids 6 and under are free, and adults can buy a group pass that pays for itself if you have 2 adults riding roundtrip.
When we arrived in Lehi, we had to walk about 1 mile from the train station to the museum itself. It was a scenic walk along a golf course for most of the way, with sidewalks available. Once you reach Thanksgiving Point itself, there is a stretch of road into the museum where there aren’t any sidewalks so we had to walk carefully along the side of the street. It is still paved, so a stroller would be doable, but I was surprised that they wouldn’t provide a sidewalk along the main thoroughfare into the children’s museum.
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| It’s in sight! We made it! |
The museum only opened a few weeks ago, and even on a weekday morning, it was very crowded. Like wait-outside-in-a-line-just-to-get-in crowded. I’m used to doing that going into a concert or something like that but to have restless kids involved is not as much fun. We eventually made it inside and took a look around!
We hit up every area of the museum with the exception of the high ropes course, which was an additional fee. Everything was bright and new but nothing really jumped out at me as exceptional, or unique to the museum. In fact, one of our favorite parts was going into the Children’s Discovery Garden (which they thoughtfully planned to be connected to the museum). I tend to think the most impressive part of Thanksgiving Point is still the outdoor gardens.
Overall, it was an enjoyable day trip since we involved the fun of taking the train back and forth, but it probably won’t be a very frequent destination since it’s pretty far away for what it is and about double the price of the children’s museum we have close to home. But I’m always glad to see more infrastructure being built for children and families and I’m sure it is a welcome addition to the Utah county area.
Adventures with Theo 