Giving back: #HashtagLunchbag

I started taking my daughter to participate in an organization called #HashtagLunchbag in winter 2014. She was just 5 at the time but still gained much from the experience of volunteering, giving back to others, and gratitude for your own … Continue reading

Summer Fun: Movies at the Park

Can you believe we are nearly halfway through summer already!?!? 😦 If you haven’t yet had a chance to catch a movie at the park… there’s still time! Locations all over town… but my personal favorite would have to be … Continue reading

Get ready…. KIDS FREE October is back!

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October is right around the corner… which means so is Kids Free month in San Diego.

Check out the extensive list here:
http://www.sandiego.org/promotions/kids-free.aspx

Time to start planning all the fun things to do around town as we approach fall in full swing! (SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo are great highlights.)

Share some of your faves below!

San Diego Restaurants Where Kids Eat Free

https://www.sandiegofamily.com/dining-and-recipes/kids-eat-free/552-kids-eat-free

This list is godsend considering that my kids are approaching the age where they can’t just share one kids meal.

I was totally digging Cocos… They were having this limited time “kids eat free every day” deal. Bring it back!

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Santee Lakes Splash Park

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The kids went to the splash park (aka Sprayground) at Santee Lakes for the first time. Looks like they give it a thumbs up! Parking was $5 and it was $2 to get a wristband for them to enjoy the water fun (good for the entire day!). Afterwards, they enjoyed a picnic on the grass and the playground nearby. Overall it was an inexpensive way to enjoy a warm summer afternoon!

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SUMMER FUN: Splash Pads in Southern California

What an expansive list! Kids love splash pads and this comes at just the right time. Soooo many new places to check out this summer!

SoCal Field Trips

SUMMER FUN: SPLASH PADS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

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Splish splash I was taking a bath!  I mean taking my kids to our local splash pad for some fun!

Where else can you go on a beautiful summer day that is free on most occasions and refreshing?

This summer several communities across the southland have designated certain areas in their cities as cool down stations.  Cool down stations are designed to help families ward off the heat when it reaches a certain temperature and becomes unmanagable.  Your local splash pad is sometimes one of those stations.

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According to Wikipedia, a splash pad is a recreation area, often in a public park for water play that has little or no standing water. This is said to eliminate the need for lifeguards or other supervision, as there is little risk of drowning.

However, I highly recommend that parents always keep a close eye on their childrenwhen playing at a splash pad.  With all the water flowing it…

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Introducing Kids to the Theater

I’ve always enjoyed going to see shows/musicals – particularly ones of Disney movies that I enjoyed as a youth. Lion King, Beauty & The Beast… all wonderful productions.

As my kids are learning about these wonderful stories – not just Disney, but other classic tales as well (mostly through books as they haven’t watched many full-length movies yet), I’ve found that there are wonderful ways for them to experience them outside of a book and away from the “screen”.

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She was excited to pose for a photo with one of the actresses after the show!

The San Diego Junior Theatre puts on wonderful productions catered to various age groups. Last fall, I planned a mommy & me triple theater date and we had a great time watching “The Little Mermaid”.  As an adult, I certainly enjoyed the show just as much as the kids. The junior actors did such an amazing job and I was so impressed throughout the performances. I missed “The Cat in the Hat” show, but I see “Shrek” is on calendar in a few months, so I may have to plan another “date night” with my daughter!

For my little guy, Balboa Park also offers Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater shows! A 10am show would be the perfect activity right before lunch.

On a side note – At California Adventures, they have the Aladdin show which was amazing! My daughter got a little frightened in some parts and said it was kind of “loud”. But we sat in the back and enjoyed it nonetheless. Definitely check that out if you are spending the day at the amusement park.

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What’s in my Diaper Bag?

Diaper bag

Lucky me. I no longer have to carry a diaper bag wherever I go! Whooo! BUT – when I did… My bag had the following:

  • Change of underwear and pants
  • Extra pair of socks
  • Disposable bibs
  • Disposable placemats
  • Crayons
  • Mini coloring book
  • Stickers
  • Toddler utensils
  • Mum mums
  • Organic food pouches
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Wipes
  • Kleenex
  • Boogie wipes  (Seasonal)
  • Beanie
  • Foldable shopping bag
  • Sunscreen – My favorite for kids is Blue Lizard or Panama Jack
  • Potty seat – toddler
  • Diapers – 0-22 months
  • Extra Bottle liners for my Playtext Drop-ins (up to 15 months old)
  • Formula container
  • Toy
  • Scented bags (when still in diaper stage)