Hockey Night

We took my little lady to her first hockey game on Monday night. My childhood favorites, the Detroit Red Wings, were in town to battle our hometown Philadelphia Flyers and it seemed like a good opportunity to expose her to the spectacle of live ice hockey. Initially, we were planning on buying tickets in the Family Section of the Wachovia Center, which cost $20 for adults and $10 for kids. This section is located in the corner of the arena, in the upper level. Upon mentioning our plans to my brother, he produced four lower level seats 25 rows up … Continue reading →

At The Car Wash!

If your family car is anything like mine, a murky shade of charcoal grey with complimentary streaks of black and white has replaced your vehicle’s original color and sheen. Until mid-January, the frigid winter weather was a no-show here in the Northeast. But the curtain has officially closed on those springtime days of winter. We have since seen a few snowfalls, and I use that term extremely liberally as accumulation has not once topped an inch. The storms were hardly worth celebrating as they blew into town Santa-style, while we were snug in our beds. And while no two of … Continue reading →

Grocery Store Fun

Many guys may not say this, or be willing to admit it freely, but I love grocery shopping. The vibrant primary colors of the bell peppers, strawberries, carrots and bananas and the longing desire of the loose sweet sausage to be transformed into a stunning risotto – it is nearly enough to bring a tear of joy to my eye. The grocery store represents a world ripe with possibilities. We can be gluttons and stock up on ice cream and cookies or we can be healthy and fill our cart with rice cakes, granola and all-natural juices and jams. My … Continue reading →

Museum Scavenger Hunt

Taking a child, especially a smaller one, to a museum can be a dicey proposition. Will they care about a 300 year old canvas with a picture of some fruit? Could they grasp the importance of a stone wall covered in ancient hieroglyphics? Maybe not, but that certainly does not mean that family fun cannot be had at a stately museum. Here is a road-tested and proven method for occupying children at a museum with an activity that is amusing, interactive and dare I say it – educational! Upon entering the museum, head straight for the gift shop. I know, … Continue reading →

Zoos in Winter

Many families think of a trip to the local Zoo as a purely summertime event but if you forgo the zoo during the winter months you may be missing out on an amazing family experience. First consider the zoo in the heart of the summer busy season: 1) Higher temperatures 2) Throngs of people 3) Lethargic animals 4) Traffic jams coming and going 5) Parking 1/2 mile from the entrance 6) (Often) higher “peak” prices 7) That hot zoo smell Many of these unsavory characteristics of a July or August trip to a zoo can be avoided by going in … Continue reading →

Keeping the Kids Busy in the Car and on the Plane

I’ve logged many air and road miles traveling with my children. My best idea for travel is for each child to bring along their own backpack or canvas bag. If they’re old enough, they even get to carry it. The smallish size of the backpack limits the number of animal friends that just have to come along. And it gives me a place to put activities and treats. The most important activity that goes in the backpack is the hard cover binder. The binder cover should be smooth because it also acts as surface for drawing. Inside the binder I … Continue reading →

Road Trip Fun

The holiday season means a lot of different things to a lot of different people but one of the unifying, and often unpleasant, aspects of this time of year is the miles and miles of asphalt our automobiles will traverse. Because we all will spend our fair share of quality time inside our family cars over the next few weeks we would be well served to find something for our kids to do with themselves! For the older toddler set, consider this idea: Ever notice all those black and white speed limit, green exit and orange construction signs? Surely you … Continue reading →

Pet Shop Boys (and Girls) – A trip to the Pet Store

You know it is coming. The ominous clouds, the cold rain, the piles of pearly white powder. The winter weather in many parts of the North American continent is about to make heading over to the local playground a dicey, not to mention chilly, proposition. Even the shortest of strolls is set to become a potentially unpleasant experience, for once the air temperature outside begins to feel like the inside of your refrigerator (and freezer) the desire to plow through that front door begins to fade. Fear not the wind and snow! Your neighborhood Pet Shop, the perfect remedy for … Continue reading →

Touring the Town for Christmas Lights

Have you ever taken the kids for a drive to look at Christmas lights? It might not seem like that big of a deal, but it really can be a lot of fun, whether or not you have an ultimate destination in mind. Taking a spin to view beautifully lit homes and buildings or to check out animated displays can really put the whole family in the Christmas spirit. Look around, take pictures, get inspired for your own decorating projects, or just relax and enjoy. One fun way to go about the tour is to number each display as you … Continue reading →

Family Fun Pack

Grab a backpack. It can be one that you happen to have around that nobody is currently using or you can pick up a new one. You’ll probably find them reasonably priced this time of year, since we’re past the back to school season and heading into the holidays. You will want to find a pretty good sized one, not one of those little compact jobs, because you’re going to fill it with things for the entire family to do while on road trips in the car or engaging in other types of travel, and while sitting in waiting rooms … Continue reading →