Best Toys of Summer

Is it just me, or does it feel like summer of 2020 has been going on for a really long time now? My kids have been riding their bikes, playing Minecraft for days, and taking plenty of dips in the pool. But, even with all of that fun going on, they are still looking for ways to play! We rounded up some of our favorite toys of summer and I know you are going to want to check some of these ideas out for your family too.

Samples might have been provided for some items listed or affiliate links may have been used.

My kids have been hip to politics since the 2016 election when they made a facebook hit song about the new president. We put our difference of opinion aside and appreciated the innocence and patriotism of little kids. To keep their interest in this presidential election year, we got this fun Election Night board game the whole family can enjoy. Play one on one, or form teams to make your way to the white house. Order this fun game for about $40.

My kids are crafting kids. Some of you know this already. For years we hosted a kids crafting show on facebook with our friends at Quirky Momma. Now that they are older, we love to add education to craft time. Little Learning Hands is the perfect option for kids. It gives a taste of other cultures with a fun project, and a chance to practice life skills. My kids thought the little backpacks were cute, and they really enjoyed learning about other cultures! Order a subscription for a little global learner in your life. These would be perfect for kids who will be attending school remotely this year as a fun way to add social studies to their day!

My kids are big fans of stomp rockets. These are fun, kid powered  toys. I love them because they encourage active play. The kids love them because it becomes a competition to see who can stomp their rocket the highest. There are a ton of different stomp rockets to chose from. Check them out and find a retailer near you on the Stomp Rocket website.

The men in my house are big fans of  Evel Knievel. So much that my son was fully prepared to portray Evel in the wax museum at his school, until the pandemic upended his plans. Luckily, the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle rode into his summer with daring jumps and stunts. This throwback toy is perfect for adding a little pizzazz to the day. Order online for about $40 to delight kids of all ages. Husbands will dig it too!

STEM projects are my favorite way to keep the kids learning, engaged and creating. This Solar Powered Rovers kit from Thames and Kosmos gives kids everything they need to make vehicles that are powered by the sun. This is the ideal amount of challenge and fun for elementary aged kids. Order it online for about $20.

Take the fun outdoors when the sun sets with this My Discovery Telescope by Thames and Kosmos. This is perfect for introducing kids to astronomy in an economical fashion. Order this starter telescope for about $20. Kids will also love exploring wildlife with great detail at a distance. 

Osmo Creative is a great way to step up screen time to include games and invitations to get creative. For about $88 you can buy a 3 game starter with an Osmo base, that works with ipad or Kindle Fire. These are so much fun for elementary age kids. I think this is a must have for anyone keeping their kids home this fall too.

Kids First Crystals, Rocks and Minerals from Thames and Kosmos is a great way to get kids learning about geology with hands on fun. This kit has everything you need to complete introductory experiments. Kids will love admiring the rocks and crystals too. Order for about $45. This makes a must have for  a home school and is a perfect way to entertain the kids all summer long!

Little kids will love to build in a unique way with Magformers. These are magnetic tiles that kids will want to play with all of the time. These are perfect for imaginative building sessions. Basic sets start at about $13. There are an assortment of great options including vehicles, animals and more.

Set your sights on fun and be prepared to hit a Bull's Eye with this fun game for preschoolers that brings non stop fun while building short term memory skills. This game has mini plungers that make picking up the cards fast and fun! Order at Amazon for an action packed twist on memory games.

We have been LOVING this really fun Wizards and Werewolves game from Starlux. It gives the kids and their friends something fun to do after dark, and it keeps them super active! I don't know about your kids, but mine always sleep good after a good running session and this game offers just that. Kid can be a wizard or a werewolf; they hunt for the glowing red gems or protect them in this action packed game. Order it for about $30. It is well worth it.

Keep the fun of game time going strong with this fun Doggy Bag game. It combines fine motor skills with hand eye coordination for a ton of fun for preschoolers!  Order this from Amazon because it will become a favorite with your little kids!

I hope these ideas help keep your kids entertained this summer!

6 Family Friendly Day Trips

If you've just purchased one of the Columbus houses for sale, or you've lived in the city for a while and are looking for something a little different, you'll have access to a wide range of opportunities for family-friendly day tripping.

Columbus is centrally located between Ohio's two other major cities, Cincinnati and Cleveland, and there is a long list of historic towns, parks, and many other fun destinations within easy reach to explore.

Downtown Mansfield, the Carousel District

The kids will love visiting Mansfield, with its downtown area known as the Carousel District. Located just an hour from Columbus, it's home to the Richland Carousel Park which made history when in 1991 it opened America's first new hand-carved carousel in 60 years. It was inspired by G.A. Dentzel, one of the most highly acclaimed carvers of the early 20th century and includes 52 creatures including horses, chariots, and a menagerie of others, like a mythical hippocampus.

Mansfield is also home to a fantastic children's museum, an immersive attraction aimed at kids aged two through 10, with dozens of exhibits, including a dinosaur dig where the kids can play paleontologist as they discover bones from prehistoric creatures, a doctor's office where they can perform exams and take X-rays, and a petting farm where they can ride a horse, feed pigs and milk cows while.

Hocking Hills State Park

An hour southeast of Columbus you'll find Hocking Hills State Park, home to unusual rock, caves, a spectacular waterfall, and all sorts of hiking trails. A walk in autumn brings the chance to stroll through brilliant fall colors. Zipline rides, kayaking, and rock climbing are all possibilities here too, but the highlight may be Ash Cave, which forms a huge recess in the rock that you can walk into.

Amish Country

There are more than 330,000 Amish in America, and Ohio is home to its own Amish Country, made up of several towns, with the largest Millersburg, about an hour and 40-minute drive from Columbus. You'll be in a place that feels foreign; in fact, in many of the communities, people speak Pennsylvania Dutch as their first language. The Amish live without cars and most modern technology - you can see them getting around in horse-drawn carriages and purchase some of their magnificent handcrafted items downtown.

Cuyahoga National Park

Less than two hours north of Columbus is the state's only national park. Stretching from Cleveland to Akron, this huge park is a magnificent area of natural beauty following the course of the Cuyahoga River with walking and biking trails, caves, and waterfalls. A 2.2-mile trek, perfect for miles, will take you around the Virginia Kendall Ledges, passing through the forest dotted with mossy cliffs, caves, and huge limestone boulders. There are several notable waterfalls too, but the most impressive is 65-foot-tall Brandywine Falls, easily accessed via a wooden boardwalk.

Olentangy Indian Caverns

For those who have an interest in Native American history and perhaps want to teach their kids more about it too, the Olentangy Indian Caverns are less than a 30-minute drive north of Columbus. The natural cave system was once used by the native Huron people as their shelter. The caverns stretch over three floors and provided a safe haven during war, as they're hard to see from above ground. Guided tours can take you underground to explore them. Other attractions can be enjoyed here too, including mini-golf, a petting zoo, treasure hunt maze, and gem mining.

Springfield

Just 45 minutes from Columbus, Springfield is home to a fun farmer's market, a unique rock garden, and a child-friendly art museum. At Young's Jersey Dairy, you can visit a petting zoo, hit the batting cage, play mini-golf and enjoy famously delicious ice cream cones. On a warm day, Buck Creek State Park hosts a large lake for watersports like swimming, water skiing, fishing, and boating.

Mulberry Lime Soda

Mulberry Lime Soda is a perfect summer treat! Make with fresh berries for a mocktail the whole family will love. There is nothing like this fresh, and perfectly tart homemade soda!

Summer is here and my neighbor has a mulberry tree. Lucky for me, he doesn't eat them himself and he is gracious enough to let my family linger in his yard and pick as many as we like. I love to pick them daily at the peak of ripeness, take them home to clean them, then pop them in the freezer for my pet turtle who loves to eat them. They make a nice treat in the winter for her. But this time, I decided to use a few to make a total summer treat. This mulberry lime soda is perfect for sharing or sipping solo.

This is such an easy soda to make. 

Use club soda, sprite or a soda stream machine for the base of the drink. 

Supplies:

1 lime

1/2 cup of mulberries

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of water

Mesh Strainer

Directions:

Combine berries, water, juice from half of a lime and sugar in a saucepan.

Over medium heat bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and allow the fruit syrup to simmer for 20 minutes.

Pour through a mesh strainer.

Discard fruit (This is wonderful over ice cream if you are so inclined.)

Allow the syrup to cool then store it in a bottle or mason jar.

When you are ready to enjoy this mulberry lime soda fill a glass with ice. Add sprite or club soda, leave a little room at the top of the glass.

Add 1 to 2 ounces of syrup to the glass. 

Garnish with a lime wedge or a few fresh berries.

Enjoy.

You can find all of my homemade soda recipes here.

Reader favorites include:

Cherry Orange Soda

Strawberry Peach Soda

Christmas in July Gift Ideas

Last week, when I made a rare visit to the retail world, I found myself buying school supplies, Halloween decorations, and a few Christmas gifts, along with our groceries and supplies. My family thought that was a little crazy, but what hasn't been just a little crazy this year? With that in mind, I have latched onto Christmas in July. It is my newest obsession!I can't wait to share a few of these fun gift ideas that I think you might want to buy now, to take the stress out of the winter holidays. 

Affiliate links and samples were provided for consideration.

If you want to give a good clean gift for the holidays, check out these super effective cleaning products from Good Green Cleaner. These are so good! You fill with water, attach the cleaner pod, give it a shake, and add a nozzle. Adding the water at home, makes these easy to store, helps reduce plastic usage with the refill pods and they really smell good. Order online for about $13 a package.

Pink MahogHany Fragrances makes a really fantastic hand sanitizer for the males in your life who don't want to smell like a flower or fruit.  This hand sanitizer is called The Wood, and it has hints of vanilla, cedar and more for a fragrant way to keep clean  on the go.

Give the gift of smooth, beautiful skin with minimal additives this year. I love Stone & Tumble Smoothing Serum. This is packed with ingredients that promote healing of the skin, like sweet almond and sunflower seed oil. Order it online for all skin types at $42 a bottle.

Girls with long hair will love showering like a girl with short hair thanks to Pony Dry. This little wrap keeps the ponytail dry for an easy shower but lets you wash your roots for cleaner hair with less dry time. Order online for about $30.

If you are expecting a new addition to your family or circle this year around the holidays, get these Sleep sacks now. Swaddle Sack and Zip Me Sack by Swaddle Designs make wonderful ways to keep baby comfy and safe when it is time to sleep. Order these online, where prices start around $22.

Give the gift of great dental hygiene with Burst oral care. This electric tooth brush has been proven to remove ten times more plaque than manual brushing. Order for under $70, and take advantage of the brush replacement subscription while you are there.

If you need a gift for an athlete, someone who loves the beach, or anyone who might need a hiding spot that they can take with them, the Bindle Bottle makes a great and super useful gift. You can unscrew the bottom of the bottle to reveal a hiding place for cash, debit cards, or even your keys. Order online for about $39 for a 20 ounce slim bottle.

While most of our lives have gone digital, there is something classy about a manual watch. This year, polish a special ladies look with a understated watch from Eila Cherie. These are fantastic because they are great quality at a modest price. For about $48 you can get the Melinda in several colors to match her style. Order online.

Anyone who has a tablet or smartphone wants to keep it safe from the unexpected, but that doesn't always happen. With the temps getting higher, more people seek out the water, and that leads to the risk of getting a pricey phone wet. Absorb-Its are these handy little pouches that can dry out your phone or tablet should the worst happen. Get these starting at about $13 online to rescue your valuables if they ever get soaked.

If you need to find a useful gift for an active person, let me recommend the Nomader bottle. I dig these because you fill it with water, then you can collapse the bottle for easy carrying when empty.  They are leak-proof and stylish. Order them online for about $25.

Give the gift of a well protected and clean cell phone with Gadget Guard. The Black Ice Screen Protectors are incredibly durable and keep your phone scratch free. The Techtonic Cleaner they offer is a must have in this climate of cleanliness. Order screen protectors, cases and cleaners online. Prices start at about $25.

Give the gift of good dental health with some vitamin enriched toothpaste. Vitamin Paste has a formula for both kids and adults and makes a great addition to your daily routine. Order online for about $5 a tube and add up to 50% more vitamins to your day.

Which of these items do you feel like would make a great gift for someone in your life?

S'mores Charcuterie Board

A S'mores Charcuterie board is the perfect way to take your summer entertaining to the next level. Make one to wow your kids, or impress your friends with your incredibly creative tastes!

If you invite me to a party and it has a chartreuse board, I am instantly impressed. There is something about having an assortment of goodies to pick from at snack time that makes it feel special. Calling it a Charcuterie board instead of a platter of any sorts? Watch me swoon.

Well, we might not be doing a whole lot of entertaining these days, but I wanted to wow my kids over the 4th of July holiday. S'mores seem to be the key to their hearts this summer. So this s'mores Charcuterie board was the perfect way to make the day seem so much fancier.

I used an assortment of our favorites to create this board. That is the beauty of it. You can use what you like the most and make the offerings super special.

This post uses affiliate links.

In this Charcuterie board you see graham crackers, regular marshmallows, smash mallows, Oreo cookies and an assortment of chocolates and truffles. The key is to start in the center, working your way out and filling in all of the spots on a large dish. Offer this to your family or friends with an assortment of roasting sticks and a small campfire. You have an instant most memorable and delicious s'mores bar!