Category Archives: Mommy Approved

Fun at Hershey Park: Sweetening the End of the Summer with My Little Girl

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“I want to take a picture with the chocolate bar, Mommy and then get on rides!” my three year old excitedly said. It was her first time at Hershey Park just yesterday and today. Actually, it felt like my first time because I haven’t been there in over five years and then about fifteen years before then. My husband, daughter and I all had a great time, and me, being the type “A” personality that I am, fell in love the Hershey’s Park’s app which allowed me to create a to-do-list and even filter the rides based on the ones my little “Hershey’s Kiss” was able go get on based on her height.

We spend most of Saturday getting on all of the rides, almost all 46 of them: some two and three times. Though it rained (even torrential downpours at times) off and on today, (Sunday), Quinn enjoyed playing in the rain and jumping in puddles. We were able to play a few games and get on a couple of rides when the rain cleared up for an hour or so at a time. We didn’t let the rain dampen our spirits because we enjoyed ourselves by spending a couple of hours in the Hershey’s Chocolate World too. What an awesome experience for all ages!

This truly has been a summer of fun with my little one right before she starts pre-school for the first time. I’m so glad  we were able to close out the summer by having some family fun at the sweetest place on earth, Hershey Park!

All the best,

Tanya

STEM Fun: Learning at the Franklin Institute with My Little Girl

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With a huge smile on her face, my three year old exclaimed, “This place is awesome!” as we explored the many exhibits at the Franklin Institute. This actually was her first time at the Franklin Institute because I was waiting for her to be a little older to be able to enjoy most of the exhibits and activities, but with the Science Behind Pixar exhibit and deciding to get a membership with 15 percent off, I figured it was time. Also, I thought this would be perfect for Quinn’s cognitive development, especially since she’s developed in the STEM areas.

Upon entering the Pixar exhibit, she quickly spotted Dory, Buzz Lightyear and many others and excitedly fiddled around with the interactive components with her two cousins and auntie, who joined us, and her go-to phrases of the day became, “Look at this, Mommy!” or “What’s this, Mommy?” We both learned so much and had a wonderful time, and I was eager to explore some of the exhibits throughout the rest of the museum as I became nostalgic about my own childhood and class trips to the Franklin Institute.

Since she is young, My sister and I wondered if Quinn would be afraid of the giant heart that allows museum goers to walk through it. She had so many questions about what everything was and wanted to know about the heartbeat sound she heard when were inside; she loved it and asked to walk through three more times. She had a blast in the Sir Isaac Newton’s Loft testing her own strength and learning about gravity. Another exhibit we explored that was new to me because it was not around when I was a child is the sports zone. We all had so much fun. Quinn was able to race the Philly Phanatic, her older cousin and even me too. She worked on her jump shot, did some surfing and practiced her stance and baseball pitch.

I’m looking forward to many more visits to the Franklin Institute with Quinn to explore some of the exhibits we didn’t make it to during our the first time. I’m also excited to go back to the ones we thoroughly enjoyed not just during the summer but for months and years to come. If you’re in the Philadelphia, PA are and looking for a fun, family activity that promotes learning in the STEM area, the Franklin Institute is the perfect place.

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: What’s Sand Without Sandcastles?

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“Yay! Look at my sandcastle, Mommy! It’s perfect!” my little girl asserted as she cheerfully smiled and pointed at what she created with her big cousin. While most adults may go to the beach to soak up the sun, relax and maybe even read a book, it’s a summer playground or a kid’s construction site to create works of art and intricate buildings.

A couple of weeks ago, I took my three year old to the beach along with my sister and her kids. Even though she certainly enjoyed playing in the ocean and “catching waves,” she equally enjoyed playing in the sand. When I informed her that we would be going to the beach, she requested, “Can I bring my bucket, shovel and other toys to build a castle, please, Mommy?”

I recall having so much fun building sandcastles and trying to get them “just right” when I was younger with the accurate combination of water and sand. In helping Quinn and her cousin, I had to make sure it was all about them having fun and me keeping my type “A” personality under control. As long as it was perfect to them, it was perfect to me! This brought back such wonderful memories and is a great summer toy to ensure long hours of enjoyment at the beach.

All the best,

Tanya

What Would We Do Without It Wednesday: Soaking Up the Sun & Catching Waves with My Little Girl

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“Here comes another wave, Mommy!” my little girl giddily told me as she tried to wiggle out of my grasp to jump and splash in the ocean by herself as the wave came our way. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a blog entry about having some summer fun with my daughter, so of course this includes going to the beach to have a great, fun-filled day, which we did yesterday.

Since Quinn was one years old, she’s enjoyed splashing around in the ocean, so now that’s she’s three, she can’t get enough of it. “I love being in the ocean!” she cheered with uncontrollable laughter when each wave splashed up against her, and even after one was tall and powerful enough to reach her face and push her back causing me to grab hold of her even tighter out of nervousness, she had a big smile on her face as she rubbed her eyes from the water getting in them. “I’m ready for another wave, Mommy!”

Going to the beach with my sister and her kids definitely added to the fun in the water and building castles in the sand. Plus, with bringing our own refreshments and snacks, we saved a good deal of money.  It was just a matter of paying the gas and tolls to get to the beach. Another bonus is that there are some amusement park rides for the kids to enjoy after the beach activities. The main issue was convincing my daughter to leave when she was having so much fun. There was some pouting and a bit of whining, but I assured her that we’ll be coming back a few more times before summer ends. I’m thoroughly enjoying my summer fun with my little one!

All the best,

Tanya

Christmas in July with My Little Girl!

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When I was a little girl, I loved Christmas, not just because I received presents, but there is just something so magical and joyous about this time of the year. My three year old is no different. Though it is now July, she will still sing the Christmas version of the Sesame Street Parade and still makes references about Santa. So when we went to have a Day Out With Thomas Last weekend, I figured it would be a great idea to stop off to the National Christmas Center, which was not too far away in Paradise, PA, before going home. At first, my husband joked that the place was closed because there was only one car in the large parking lot, but I assured him that I double checked the hours online.

Upon walking through the entry door, it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas. There were decorations, trees and Santa. It was set up like a Christmas Museum, and there was a $12 fee for touring the facility. I was glad that the parking lot was empty because we were able to take our time without the bombardment of several people. The Christmas displays were from Nativity scenes around the world, the evolution of Santa Claus around the world and even Christmas through the eyes of children from different decades and countries among other displays.

Quinn enjoyed the exhibits, but something I did not think about, however, was that while there were many cardboard cutouts of Santa, decorative figures and even lifelike mannequins of Santa, Santa, in human form, was not there. This did not sit well with my daughter who kept asking, “Where’s Santa? When are we going to see Santa?” I had tot explain to her a few times that he was in the North Pole working, which she eventually accepted.

I would recommend this place to anyone who loves Christmas and has children who love Christmas. Just make sure the kids know that the “real” Santa will not be there. It was a lovely family experience and brought back some great childhood memories for me too.

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Remote Control Thomas the Tank Engine

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“Full steam ahead!” Thomas the Tank Engine says as he moves forward after my little girl presses the green arrow on her remote control. She received this toy this past Christmas, and since we had a Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine this past Saturday at the Strasburg Railroad, she’s been wanting to play with it more frequently. This is a wonderful toy because it not only reinforces colors but it helps with her sense of direction with moving forward and moving backward and is a perfect size for her little hands. It also allows her to problem solve as Thomas gets stuck in a corner or is too close to another toy. “I need to have Thomas back up and turn around,” Quinn says. Another benefit is  that the batteries last a long time too because they have yet to be replaced, and it is not six months later. I wish I had something like this when I was younger.

All the best,

Tanya

 

A Fun Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine

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“Look, Mommy! It’s Thomas! He’s pulling into the train station!” my daughter excitedly informed me. I must admit that I was just as eager as she was to hop aboard and take a train ride on Thomas the Tank Engine. Yesterday, my husband and I took my little three year old along with my mom to the Strasburg Railroad Station in Gap, PA (not too far from Lancaster, PA) for this all day adventure.

It was a lovely, sunny day, and there were so many happy children wearing their Thomas shirts and cute little conductor hats. Since I had the feeling that Quinn would thoroughly enjoy the train ride, I opted for the $32 package that included a ride on Thomas (about a 18 minute ride), his best friend Percy (about a ten minute ride), the tour train (about a 45 minute ride) along with many free activities and photo opportunities with the Thomas and Percy as well as Sir Topham Hatt.

I was pleased with how well-organized the event was. There was on-site and off-site parking with adequate shuttle buses that ran quite frequently. There was one waiting when we arrived and one waiting when we were ready to go back to our car, and there was no fee for this service. Also, there were plenty of restrooms available, some standard and some port-o-potty with outdoor stations for hand washing. I also found the food to be tasty and reasonably priced considering how much they usually cost at these type of events. The kids meal, for $6.99, came with either chicken or a hotdog, fries, a juice, apple sauce and a whoopee pie for dessert. Even better, we were permitted to bring our own little lunch bag with snacks and drinks to save a little money.

While were were in line waiting to get on Percy, my mother and I were conversing with the family behind us. The grandmother was telling us that she’s been bringing her grandson every year since he was a year old. Now he’s six. This event is a wonderful tradition for both kids and families alike.

Though Quinn was all tuckered out from all of the fun and activities and dozed off on our third train ride, she had a ton of fun and was so excited when she saw Thomas and Percy actually talking (Yes, they actually talk!) She even said, “I can’t wait to come back!” Now that I know Thomas and Percy will be visiting again in late August through September then again in November, we just might have to have another Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine very soon.

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Colorful Fruits and Veggies

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“I have a banana, a lemon, corn, a yellow apple and yellow pepper,” my three year old informs me as she takes fruits and veggies from her basket. When she was just over a year, I purchased the learning resources farmers market color sorting set to help her learn colors, but they do so much more than that. Now that she is proficient with all of her basic colors, she likes to sort and identify the items based on what is a fruit and what is a vegetable. What’s great is that she has realized that apples come in multiple colors, such as red, yellow and green. The same goes for grapes and peppers.

Quinn likes to count up the items too. This is great because when it is time to put them away she will occasionally count them and say, “There’s supposed to be six purple fruits and vegetables, but there are only five. We’re missing one, Mommy!”

My little girl even wants to use them when we play in her kitchen or sit down for a meal she prepared. “Would you like a tomato and carrot, Mommy?” she will ask. Now if only we could get beyond pretending to eat healthy veggies and get her to try them in real life!

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Let’s Have Some Magmagic

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“I’m building a train track this time!” my daughter exclaims. While I enjoy getting down on the floor and playing with Quinn, my husband, who has a STEM background, especially loves helping her with this attractive and educational toy: Magmagic. It’s a geomagnetic construction toy she received for her birthday. It comes with squares, triangles and a booklet for constructing different objects. My three year old likes building everything from rocket ships to three-dimensional boxes and of course, train tracks. Along with my husband’s help, she has built many of the examples in the booklet. It’s an excellent way to not only learn about shapes but how different shapes put together can make other shapes. For instance, my daughter informed me the other day, “When I put together these triangles, I can make a diamond shape!”

The other day, Quinn was leafing through the booklet and found a car she wanted to make but then realized that we did not have the shapes for it. My husband seemed a little disappointed at not being able to construct this cool car from the magnet pieces too, so I may need to order the set to create vehicles. This honestly is a cool toy for all ages as it stimulates creativity and critical thinking. I know my little girl is very happy to have received such an awesome toy for her birthday.

All the best,

Tanya

 

 

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Let’s Leapfrog for the Perfect Laptop

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2016-06-02 07.25.08“Mommy, may I have my laptop? I need to send some emails to my friends.” my three old requested. No, she doesn’t have a real laptop, but it’s just perfect for her. The Leap Frog lap top (or My Own Leaptop, as it is called) has many wonderful features to promote Quinn’s intellectual and social development as well as her critical thinking. It has a little keyboard and multiple settings for sending emails, learning the letters of the alphabet, words that begin with certain letters and even a guessing game to figure out which animal or item is displaying on the screen by using the first letter with which it begins.

leaptopSince my husband works from home  a couple of days a week and I teach a combination of online courses and in-class courses during the fall and spring, she often observes us at some point or another using our laptops. In these instances, she will often ask for her laptop so that we can all work together. Another feature I really love about this toy is that it is associated with Violet, the Leapfrog puppy Quinn also has, and she will receive an email or two from Violet, which she really enjoys. There is a version with Scout, the boy puppy as well. It comes in green. I would recommend this toy for anyone whose child is into technology or just wants a fun way to reinforce learning letters and even new words too.

All the best,

Tanya