Every kid doesn't deserve a trophy. But they might deserve a merit badge.
This is a new take on the old idea of positively rewarding your kids. It's 2017. It's a new type of merit badge.
Topic
summer camp
The sports bra solution for girls who don't quite need a sports bra.
It's hard to believe that when we started this site, I was thinking about binkies for my daughter, and now it's like I blinked -- and I'm thinking about bras. Gah! While I wholly admit that the affordable Target made-up-brand-name bras a…
2017 EWG best safe sunscreens for kids and babies: Which is the most affordable?
Every year, I take a look at the Environmental Working Group's report on the best safe sunscreens for kids and babies . This list measures popular brands against the EWG's standards, including everything from worrisome ingredients to fal…
The wackiest, coolest summer camps for kids. Can we go too?
Summer camps have changed a lot since we were kids. No offense to good ol' Camp Starfire and the many, many lanyards we made there, but the options for our kids are wildly creative, expertly thought-out, and -- sometimes -- curiously spe…
4 reasons to consider an ecotourism vacation for your family. (Besides being awesome.)
The idea of combining education and conservation with a family vacation is super appealing to parents, which is why ecotourism is such a fascinating concept for me -- and maybe for you. If you're not familiar with ecotourism, it's aimed …
7 smart sleepaway camp essentials that help stave off homesickness.
If your little camper is heading off to sleepaway camp this summer, possibly for the first time (sniff), you'll likely receive from the camp a long list of all the essentials to pack -- extra socks, bug repellent, water bottles, headlamp…
6 of the snappiest water shoes for kids that like to splash all day
Nothing beats running around barefoot in the summer, until those soft little feet hit a rock or your kids refuse to go into the lake because of a few "icky" leaves on the bottom. So now is a great time to stock up on comfy and durable pa…
From space exploration to circus arts: 10 outrageously cool summer camps we wish we had as kids
For many of us, summer means heading off to our go-to camp where our kids spend their days playing outdoors, going on nature hikes, swimming in ponds, and singing goofy camp songs with all their friends. But if your kids would prefer a l…
The EWG 2016 safest sunscreens for kids: which are most affordable?
Every year, we have turned to the Environmental Working Group's Annual Guide to Sunscreens to help us make more educated decisions about what are the safest sunscreens to slather on our kids (and ourselves) each summer. But we often find…
Trend alert: Donuts are everywhere! (What? You don't have a donut pool float yet?)
I keep being told that donuts are the new macarons , which used to be the new cupcakes , so I shouldn't be surprised that I'm seeing them everywhere. And my kids are clamoring for them. They are emblazoned on stationery, tote bags, t-shi…
ParaKito: A natural alternative to mosquito repellents for kids.
My son will be heading off to day camp later this month where he will swim, run, climb, and, quite possibly, be eaten alive by mosquitoes. Since I'm not too keen on him reapplying toxic chemicals all over himself midway through the day, …
Free printable kids stationery. Since you're already spending enough on camp as it is.
I'm all for splurging a bit on special camp stationery as my kids head off later this week ( sniff ), especially since it seems to compel them to use it more. But after about 25 cards or so -- wishful thinking, I know -- the costs add up…
Free printables for happy campers.
With my girls heading off to sleepaway camp in a few weeks, getting everything together has been definitely consuming many brain cells. And with a few of our writers in the same boat, that explains why you've been seeing recent posts her…
Treat House wins at camp care packages
As I sat online with Kristen, trying to figure out just what we will send our girls by way of care packages when they attend sleepaway camp together this summer (sniff) we got wind of the most awesome idea: Treat House creates delicious …
Some of our favorite camp stationery for kids: Here's hoping they write to us.
When I was a kid at summer camp, mail time was always one of the best parts of my days. And I'd imagine now, a time when hardly any of us get actual personal snail mail at all, camp mail is an even more exciting ritual. So we've got some…
Nature Bingo! A free printable project to keep the kids busy all summer
We're all about helping you with summer boredom busters for kids this week. First, there's that awesome giant coloring poster for indoor creativity when the weather gets icky. But when the sun is shining and you need one more trick up yo…
6 cool sets of summer camp labels for kids, so that what goes to camp comes back from camp
One of the first rules of summer camp, other than Sunscreen Sunscreen Sunscreen , is to label every single thing your kids take with them. Including the sunscreen. While a Sharpie can do the trick on some products, we love colorful label…
15 of our favorite mom-approved, totally adorable, non-hoochie two-piece swimsuits for girls this summer
It's become a tradition for us now to track down our favorite two-piece swimsuits for girls that are, shall we say, age appropriate? As a mother of two girls, the eldest of which is pretty much hitting tweendom (eep) I'm really glad that…
The EWG list of the safest sunscreens for kids. Just in time for summer
Each year, I check out the Environmental Working Group's Guide to Sunscreens to find the safest sunscreens for kids. With a slew of fair-skinned redheads in my family, I feel like I go through gallons of sunscreen each summer, and while …
Cool summer camps for kids that go way beyond swimming and archery
With spring break in the rearview mirror, our kids are already looking forward to heading off to camp. So we thought it would be fun to explore the coolest summer camps out there. We were blown away by what we found -- from camps with lo…
Handmade kid-sized hammocks that rock. In both senses.
When my kids try climbing onto the huge woven rope hammock in their grandparents' back yard, it inevitably flips over and leaves them dangling inches above the ground, hanging on underneath for dear life. It's so hilarious. I mean...awfu…
For MLK Day, a whole new twist on a day of service just for kids.
We love finding service opportunities for kids and families as a way to get kids excited about public service and volunteering early. So I was so delighted to learn that the wonderful NYC is My Backyard camp, which my own girls attended …
ToGoKins: Little cloth napkins with a big impact
My kids' backpacks are filled to bursting every morning as they leave for school, with books, lunch, snacks, and whatever else they can find to cram in there, it seems. Adding something else to that haul might seem ludicrous, but I love …
Fun summer craft for kids: Story starters grab bag, with free printable artwork
Whether you're hosting a sleepover in your backyard under the stars, sending the kids off to summer camp, or packing up the camping gear and heading out on a family retreat in the car, make-your-own stories can be a fun, low-tech way to …