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We all want to do fun things with our kids, but sometimes coming up with the ideas is the hardest part. With these recent NAPPA Award-winners, you’ll have tons of inspiration for creative fun.

101 Kids Activities That Are the Ooey, Gooey-est Ever!

From the bestselling authors of 101 Kids Activities, 101 Coolest Simple Science Experiments and Adorkable Bubble Bath Crafts, 101 Kids Activities That Are the Ooey, Gooey-est Ever! is full of exciting and fantastical recipes that include tips on the science behind the goo, so you can learn too. Whether it’s a slime, a dough or some other moldable creation, you’ll be able to create and become whatever your imagination dreams up. $21.99, ages 6 to 12. 

Awesome Edible Kids Crafts

Never before has it been more fun to play with your food! Arena Blake, founder of the blog The Nerd’s Wife, shares exciting crafts that are made out of your favorite things to eat.  Awesome Edible Kids Crafts features a variety of projects, each with a difficulty rating that lets you know if you’l need a grownup’s help. All projects use safe, nontoxic ingredients to spark creativity. $21.99, ages 6 to 11 years.

Express Yourself: A Hand Lettering Workbook for Kids

Decorate your life with fun fonts and beautiful quotes made your way. In Express Yourself: A Hand Lettering Workbook for Kids, Amy Latta will show you the basics of hand lettering and beyond. Learn fancy cursive and watercolor lettering. Add adorable details like flowers and animals. In the craft bonus section, you’ll find ideas on how to turn your finished work into fabulous DIY projects. Embellish pillows, notebooks and wall art with your own unique writing. It’s easy to share your art online, and make one-of-a-kind cards and invitations for friends and family. $19.99, ages 10+

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Washington, D.C. is well known for its monuments and lawmakers, but there’s much more to the area than its statues and politicians. Ask Washingtonians, and we’ll rattle off a list of our favorite bits of history, neighborhood restaurants, museums, theaters and parks. The Trust for Public Land’s 2018 ParkScore ranks Washington, D.C. third and nearby Arlington, Va., fourth for cities with the best parks.

I was raised in D.C. and established my career here, and springtime is one of my favorite things about the city. When it arrives, it colors the city pink with cherry blossoms. I get in my car, open the moon roof and drive through Rock Creek Park, cranking up the volume on Will Smith’s “Summertime.” The beat and rhyme flow with the road, curving alongside thick greenery and slick creek stones, passing joggers and families gathering around picnic grills. The Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium are places to cool down on the woody trails among low-hanging ferns and chestnut oaks, which are some of the oldest and tallest trees in the park.

For a five-day visit to D.C. and neighboring Maryland and Virginia, here are some of my favorite ways to have family fun.

Where to Stay

The Morrison-Clark Historic Inn & Restaurant is a convenient downtown favorite with the feel of home, combining the architecture of two Victorian-styled homes and D.C.’s first Chinese community church and parsonage for a design that blends cultures. The bright orange chairs on the front porch and the brick courtyard make an inspiring and comfortable setting for my writing staycations. For the family traveler, Morrison-Clark Inn features connecting rooms, pack-n-play for babies, babysitting referrals and a doctor on call.

Getting Around

From the Morrison-Clark, historical sites, restaurants, shops and entertainment are easy to reach. The Washington Convention Center, Capital One Arena, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum and the White House are within walking distance. The museums, grassy walks and monuments of the National Mall are near, but for little ones the trek could be exhausting. The Circulator bus costs $1 to ride and is popular with locals and tourists. It loops through downtown and includes stops at Union Station and DuPont Circle.

D.C. driving and walking tour apps are available for download on your phone. Tour buses can be pricey for a large family of travelers. Scooters and ride-hailing services are affordable ways to get around, and many sites are accessible by Metro.

Day One

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum is a treat for little ones. PHOTO BY DANE PENLAND

The National Mall is home to treasures of art, culture and history. Hungry from wandering the monuments and museums? The Smithsonian museums also provide great lunchtime dining. My favorite is the Courtyard Café at the National Portrait Gallery. After viewing presidential portraits, I grab a salad and sparkling water and sit in the atrium. It’s a great spot for the little ones to take a break and splash in the Scrim Fountain, with the occasional pigeon claiming a spot to coo.

With a pass to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture, enjoy the best meal on the mall: the collard greens, mashed potatoes, pan-fried Louisiana Catfish Po’boy and High Mesa Peach and Blackberry Cobbler dessert at Sweet Home Café.

Day Two

Pennsylvania Avenue is one of the most history-making streets in all of D.C. The inauguration parade route follows this avenue from the Capitol and passes D.C.’s city hall, Freedom Plaza and the National Theatre on the way to the White House.

D.C. is a top-25 media market, and you can see major events in history through the news lens at the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue. The building’s most striking feature are the words of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution etched into its marble exterior. Inside its galleries, learn about the importance of the free press and First Amendment. Front pages of newspapers from around the world display 9/11 coverage, and the Pulitzer Prize Photo Gallery showcases historical events captured by photographers and photojournalists. At the Berlin Wall Gallery, you and your family can experience this piece of history in a mind-blowing way by wearing virtual-reality headsets while standing in front of eight 12-foot-high concrete sections of the original wall, the largest display of unaltered portions of the wall outside of Germany.

In the afternoon, turn to Washington’s unique Civil War history at the African American Civil War Museum in the historic U Street Corridor. The museum teaches through exhibits and artifacts, plus a treasure hunt and interpretation that allow kids to explore while dressed in Union uniforms.

For dinner, the kids might enjoy a vegetarian black bean, Angus beef, ground turkey or marinated grilled chicken-breast burger – plus potato or sweet potato fries – at Bolt Burger across the street from the Morrison- Clark Inn. For more D.C. flavor, Baby Wale is just around the corner for easy eats, go-go beats and historic posters from bandleader Chuck Brown and band Rare Essence.

Day Three

President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldier’s Home in the Petworth neighborhood is a great place to read stories to kids. PHOTO COURTESY PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN COTTAGE

The historic Anacostia neighborhood is where you’ll find Cedar Hill, the home of Frederick Douglass. The house and visitor center is administered by the National Park Service (NPS) and is frequently visited by kids ages 5-12 collecting badges as part of the Junior Ranger Program.

During his lifetime, Douglass met with President Abraham Lincoln to discuss ending slavery. Both lived in hilltop homes with views of the U.S. Capitol that carry a heritage that seems to still be in conversation with this city of legislators.

From the porch of President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldier’s Home in the Petworth neighborhood, the U.S. Capitol building dome is visible. Named one of the best off-the-mall museums, the cottage, learning center and grounds are a place of reflection and connection, a place for storytelling. Sitting on the porch steps, try reading a story to your kids.

President Lincoln lived at the cottage with his wife and children during the Civil War, and he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation here. Staff describe the site as a “place of ideas.” Education programs inspire young people with stories. “Lincoln’s Hat” models the president’s practice of storing notes with his ideas he jotted down in his stovepipe hat. “I See the President” invites fourth and fifth graders to re-imagine a story from someone President Lincoln would have met on his route between the cottage, Civil War-era Washington and the White House.

The cottage sits in a reviving business district of neighborhood cafés, shops and sports facilities along Upshur Street and Georgia Avenue. On Georgia Avenue is The Pitch Tavern, known for its chicken wings and sauces, and big screens for sports. Nearby Lulabelle’s Sweet Shop, a candy-colored ice cream and gift shop, boasts a table of purple, yellow, orange, green and pink peppermint sticks, black cherry flavored Sassy Straws at 25 cents each, toys, writing tablets and hand games plus hand-dipped scoops of ice cream and sorbet.

Day Four

The Baltimore Harbor is a 30-minute drive from D.C. The USS Constellation, an historic tall ship docked in the harbor, is open for children to climb aboard.

Nearby, Port Discovery Children’s Museum offers three floors of play-filled time for toddlers to 10-year-olds. Play, art and exploration equal learning within this colorfully designed kid space. There’s soccer, climbing and discovery. At the play market, kids select grocery items, learning healthy food choices. The Wonder of Water delivers wet and fun learning about evaporation, cloud formation and rain. In the Studio Workshop, kids sit at tables gluing fabrics, paper and shiny decorations. Little Picassos and Romare Beardens sit at art easels, crayon in hand, drawing a sitter or still life.

Day Five

Kids learn about flight at the National Air and Space Museum. PHOTO BY ERIC LONG

Just off the beltway, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum at Dulles International Airport in Virginia is an adventure for little climbers. With all those flying machines, including spaceships and war planes and flight simulators, it is the coolest and most fun. I hear kids negotiating with their parents to stay all day. Someone even asked to spend the night. Its companion building on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. is also fun.

Nearby Splash Down Water Park in Manassas provides a day of water fun for the family. To continue enjoying area park lands, NOVA Parks manages Meadowland Botanical Gardens, a site of 100 acres of public gardens and three lakes. Scavenger hunts to discover nature and plant life can be arranged in advance for little ones.

Must Do’s

Imagination Stage is the largest theater-arts organization for youth in the area and includes a year-round season of shows, classes and camps. PHOTOS COURTESY IMAGINATION STAGE

If your stay includes a Saturday or Sunday, Imagination Stage in Bethesda, Md., is entertaining for kids and parents. The 2019 season calendar is online at imaginationstage.org.

Imagination Stage is the largest theater-arts organization for youth in the area and includes a year-round season of shows, classes and camps for ages 1 to 18. There’s no bad seat in the house. There are lap passes, booster seats and floor seating. Equitable access is available for children of all abilities, including a quiet room that looks onto the stage and inclusive programming.

Special weekend theater gets ages 1 to 5 wiggling, whistling, shaking and laughing. Saturday Song Circle is an interactive experience that uses popular children’s stories, songs and musical instruments to get little bodies moving. Sunday Fun Day brings familiar songs such as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and stories like “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.”

With so many parks and vibrant walking neighborhoods, D.C. is a fitness city. To explore the city on foot at a faster pace, the District Running Collective (DRC) inspires runners of all backgrounds and experience to learn about D.C. and become part of the community by running it. DRC hosts a free Wednesday Night Run and meets every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Exhale Bar & Lounge on Florida Avenue N.E. and at various locations for Saturday runs. For information or to sign up, visit districturunningcollective.com.

In whatever way you and your family experience my hometown, take as much of it in as you can.

Darlene Taylor is a Washington, D.C. writer, cultural arts advocate and founder of INKPEN, a nonprofit that aims to connect writers and readers.

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A family vacation at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana includes a KIDZ BOP fan experience as part of the all-inclusive package.

KIDZ BOP POOL PARTY Photo courtesy Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana

Expose kids to music early, and a river of melodies and beats is likely to course through their blood for a lifetime. A lullaby or Beethoven can calm them when they’re babies. Michael Jackson’s music still carries magic for each new generation. At 3, my son, Sol, was pulling his dad’s hats down over his eyes and spinning his body like the King of Pop, even though the world had already said a sad goodbye to the legend. Today, at 11, Sol doesn’t even need music to burst out in dance. Some melody (previously heard or made up) is forever imprinted in his brain.

I blame the jazz teacher I used to share a room with when I taught high school English literature and journalism in the Crenshaw District. I was pregnant the year the jazz teacher and his teenage musicians would take over my classroom afterschool. As I sat at my desk grading essays, I could feel my baby kicking in response to the drums, the saxophone, the trumpet. After Sol was born, he continued to get anointed with music because the trumpet player’s mom became his babysitter. Adding to that gumbo is a legacy of musicians: my mother has been a gospel guitarist since she was 11, and my uncles were small-town-famous gospel quartet singers. So it was in the cards: My husband and I had no choice but to serve as the audience members of Sol’s many living-room performances.

When the AIC Hotel Group invited me to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for the launch of its partnership with the beloved KIDZ BOP brand, I figured it would be a perfect venue for Sol to test out his performance acumen in a larger setting. Sol pulled on my/his Panama hat, packed his earbuds and neck pillow and started schooling us on the latest Kidz Bop songs–clean, kid-friendly versions of popular hits, some of which this Hip Hop mama already knows way too well (Sorry not sorry: the beats get me through my commutes).

The KIDZ BOP Punta Cana experience debuted last summer and allows young vacationers to live out their pop-star dreams through an interactive creative space made just for them. During opening week, The KIDZ BOP Kids made a special visit for the “Ultimate KIDZ BOP Fan Experience,” a week-long celebration that included the KIDZ BOP Kids in live concert, pink carpet photo opps, a pool party, beach Olympics and a karaoke contest vacationing kids.

“Fans always ask, ‘What’s it like to be a KIDZ BOP Kid?’ Now, they can feel like a star for their whole vacation,” said Sasha Junk, SVP of Marketing at KIDZ BOP.

My family and I were giddy as we boarded the plane. I could just picture Sol up there on the stage, singing and dancing to his heart’s content. When he does the thing with the hat, I thought, the audience will go wild!

Musical Arrival

At the Punta Cana airport, our tired limbs were re-invigorated by a group of three musicians playing a mind-blowingly fast number on the tambora drum, accordion and the güira, a metal scraper indigenous to the Dominican Republic and used as a percussion instrument in cumbia and merengue tipico. I stopped to dance for a few seconds. With this style of music running at 120 to 160 beats per minute, a quick sweat is a sure treat. The bright lime-green walls of the airport were likewise breaths of fresh air. In my mind’s eye, I could already feel the Caribbean Sea breeze, could taste the fresh coconut lining a cocktail, could see my family dancing into the wee hours of the night.

On the way to Hard Rock, Mickey, our driver, told us that he had already taken streams of people to the resort. “They’re in town for that KIDZ BOP thing,” he said. “It’s a big party all weekend.”

Yassss!

Setting the Stage

My ideal vacation usually consists of staying in the city center, meeting as many local residents as possible, eating in little off-the-radar spots and taking in historic sites. My husband and son, on the other hand, are creatures of comfort. The Hard Rock’s Punta Cana resort, with its sprawling and beautifully manicured acreage dotted with cabanas made out of cana trees, restaurants, whirl-spa-equipped rooms, ample balconies, state-of-the-art spas and gym and the five-minute walk to the ocean (Punta Cana lies at the confluence of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, and the hotel is on the Atlantic), was paradise for them.

There are 13 eateries on the resort. We opted for Ipanema, an outdoor Brazillian-style restaurant that overlooks the ocean and includes seven meat options for the churrascarias (Sol’s mouth watered for anything bacon-wrapped); Isla, which serves fresh Caribbean cuisine (spicy sautéed shrimp in a plantain boat was our fave) and Toro, which serves an international breakfast and lunch buffet and is a steakhouse for dinner.

For parents looking to have a date, the resort offers a daycare filled with floor-to-ceiling play structures, games and a welcoming staff. I suggest taking advantage of it so you can dash off to the swanky gym (which has cycling, circuit training and yoga classes), the Rock Spa, an oasis of water and skilled body professionals offering everything from hot-stone massages to chocolate wraps to water lily cooling wraps – perfect for after a day on the beach, the casino and even nightclubs, where you can get your groove on before you kids take over the vacation with their KIDZ BOP activities.

The Takeover

During opening week, KIDZ BOP signs and events popped up all over the place. We splashed in pools as a KIDZ BOP DJ played tunes and some KIDZ BOP Kids signed autographs for excited fans still dripping from the pool. Kids ages 6 to 12 check into the Pop Star Lounge, where they get to work with tour managers to create a custom band name, perfect the hottest dance moves, select a wardrobe and hit the big stage. Designed for kids who love music, the Pop Star Lounge is complete with a listening studio loft. This realistic experience takes imaginary play to another level.

At the Family Beach Olympics, KIDZ BOP kids served as team captains while families competed with each other and jammed to more music. And at the live concert in the Fillmore Ballroom, KIDZ BOP performers belted out their versions of songs like “Sorry Not Sorry” and “Havana.”

Kids, and their parents, crowded around the stage to sing and dance along with the young pop stars.

What was that? Where was Sol?

Oh, he was there. He sat in his plush white loveseat most of the night, munching on blue cotton candy and other treats, taking in the scene coolly, refusing to join me as I jumped up to dance the night away.

Ah, 11-year-olds.

He did get to meet the KIDZ BOP Kids. He posed with them on the pink carpet after the concert, smiling just a little as camera lights flashed.

Back in the hotel room, the kid found his second wind. He rolled up his pants legs, donned some flip flops, a hat and dark sunglasses and forced us to watch him perform.

I decided not to complain too much. He had one more big chance to try his hand at this pop-star life: a Pop Star Karaoke Contest judged by the KIDZ BOP Kids.

Another Kind of Splash

The next morning, we decided to venture off the resort and see some…well…more water. But not the emerald-green beauty of the ocean or sea. That was old news by then. We drove out to see Cap Cana in Scape Park. After snapping pictures of monkeys, macaws, orchids and iguanas, we took a nature trail hike to see Hoyo Azul or “Blue Hole,” a natural limestone sinkhole at the bottom of a cliff. We chose the “cave” route, a narrow passageway wherein we stepped down gingerly between walls of the towering cliff (“It feels like we’re in “Radars of the Lost Ark,” Sol said).

While he hadn’t felt comfortable enough to dance in front of strangers, his intrigue was piqued when we stood at the top of the cliff and looked down. The Hoyo Azul was like nothing we had seen before: the clearest, bluest water that, one writer wrote, feels like cream when you swim in it.

That mesmerizing pool of water is ice-cold, and is, at its deepest, 75 feet. No matter. Sol followed his dad and jumped off the cliff. After the big splash and sharp intake of breath, he lifted his head in a big laugh.

“So brave!” I yelled.

That night, however, as kids hailing from New York, Canada, Brazil and beyond performed during the karaoke contest, Sol, again, hung back, watching, listening, critiquing. And in our room, he again donned a disguise and became a different person, making up dances and lyrics while laughing uncontrollably.

I sighed a sigh of acceptance. While it would have been delightful to see him up on stage living out one of his passions, I realized that the experience had served as inspiration for him. Isn’t that the purpose of vacations: to inspire long after you’ve returned home?

And if our little pop star wants only us as his audience, we’re cool with that, too.

For additional information, visit hardrockhotelpuntacana.com/kidz-bop-experience.htm.

Cassandra Lane is Managing Editor of L.A. Parent.

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PLAZA DE LA FAMILIA AT DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PARK (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Plaza de la Familia, a limited-time festivity at Paradise Gardens, celebrates Disney•Pixar’s Academy Award®-winning film “Coco” and the everlasting bonds of family. Guests visiting Plaza de la Familia will enjoy an immersive celebration that includes live entertainment with storytelling, folklórico dancers and mariachi musicians, delicious Mexican fare and interactive experiences such as the new craft where guests make colorful masks like the ones seen in the “Coco” film. This celebration runs from Sept. 7 through Nov. 4, 2018 at Disney California Adventure Park. (Joshua Sudock/ Disneyland)

 

If you’re looking for another excuse to take your kids back to Disneyland and California Adventure, you’re in luck. Disney has unveiled its newest fall attraction, Plaza de la Familia, a Día de los Muertos and “Coco” inspired celebration.

From September 7 through November 4, guests at both parks can enjoy festivities centered around the eternal bond of family. Enter the immersive world and enjoy traditional food offerings like Día de los Muertos Pan de Muerto, dance along with the mariachi band, and learn folklórico. You may catch yourself singing along to “Remember Me,” as you follow Miguel’s journey back to the Land of the Dead in A Musical Celebration of Coco.

You can also take a peek behind the scenes of the making of the film in the enchanting art exhibition, The World of Coco. Look through the eyes of an animator and rediscover your favorite characters by learning about the people and places that inspired Disney•Pixar’s Academy Award-winning film.  Don’t forget to snap a photo in front of the “Árbol de la Vida,” or Tree of Life before you leave.

Can’t get enough “Coco?” Keep your eyes peeled in Cars Land and see if you can find Ramone’s “ofrenda” tribute to Doc Hudson. In Frontierland, try to count how many “cavaleras,” or sugar skulls, you can find.

For more information about Plaza de la Familia or any other Disney attractions, visit their website.

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Courtesy of Kristine Foley

If your family loves museums, Smithsonian has an incredible event coming up in September! Mark September 22 on your calendar for Smithsonian’s annual Museum Day, and enjoy free admission at participating museums across the world. This is a wonderful opportunity for your family to enjoy a day filled with art, history, science and culture.

Registration opens online beginning August 15. One ticket gets you complementary entry for two people on Saturday, September 22, 2018. This event is perfect for families with kids of all ages, as there is such a wide variety of museums participating. To check which museums will offer free admission in your area, go online to https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2018/.

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We all know the best way to cool off during the summer is with a nice dip in the pool. You and your family can splash all day long at these incredible water parks and resorts that are fun for the whole family!

Kalahari Resort (Wisconsin Dells, WI)

Courtesy of Kalahari Resort

With both an indoor and outdoor waterpark, this resort will bring your family adventure, fun, and relaxation. Bond with your family in the resort’s escape room, enjoy time with your kids in the arcade, and even enjoy a virtual reality gaming experience where your body is the controller! The Resort boasts tons of water rides for thrill seekers of all levels as well as a relaxing indoor and outdoor spa. You and your kids can even become a mermaid or learn to surf with one of the water park’s swimming lessons. This summer, experience a daily dance party with a fantastic DJ in the outdoor water park. With so much to do with the entire family, you’ll wish summer would never end at the Kalahari Resort.

For more info: Website Here

Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark (Boyne Falls, MI)

Courtesy of Avalanche Bay

Michigan’s largest indoor water park offers many fun-filled activities for the whole family. With rides and slides both big and small, there is so much fun to be had. Enjoy being splashed by 800 gallons of water that drop every fifteen minutes, or ride their newest thrill ride that you have to see to believe! Stay at the connected Boyne Mountain Resort and dare to go zip lining, eat some delicious food, and wind down with relaxing evenings at the spa after long days of summer fun. This summer and fall, enjoy annual events such as a family-friendly music festival and a Harvest Festival, plus so much more.

For more info: Website Here

Water Country USA (Williamsburg, VA) 

Courtesy of Dollywood and Water Country USA

As the Mid-Atlantic’s largest waterpark, Water Country USA packs epic slides, splash areas, a wave pool, and more all in one place. With a 1950s surfing theme present throughout the park, you can soak up relaxing beach vibes while having never-ending adventures. Water Country USA offers raft rides big enough for the whole family, and you can even rent a cabana to take a break from the slides’ twists and turns. The park also offers a waterproof cashless wristband so you don’t have to worry about bringing your wallet to every ride. Being a sister park to Bush Gardens Williamsburg, you can enjoy park hopper passes and take your whole family from relaxing cabanas to thrilling rides.

For more info: Website Here

Enchanted Forest Water Safari (Old Forge, NY)

Courtesy of Enchanted Forest Water Safari

This water park meets a theme park with a land full of incredible water slides and classic carnival rides! There are so many unique sights to see at this park including a petting zoo, the Museum of Enchanted Memories, and even a forest where you will see famous storybook characters and scenes among the towering tree canopy. Ride the park’s newest water slide, Walter’s Wild Slide, with the entire family as you race down a 4-lane track to see who will make the biggest splash at the bottom. You won’t have to stress about hunger with Walter’s All-You-Can-Eat Summer Cookout served every evening until August 26th! During your trip, experience the beauty of Old Forge, NY while staying in a cabin or hotel, or while camping in a cottage or tent.

For more info: Website Here

Great Wolf Lodge (Anaheim, CA)

Courtesy of Great Wolf Lodge Southern California

Splash, swim, and play at one of the best water parks in the country. The best part is that your family can enjoy this water resort all year round as The Great Wolf Lodge in Anaheim is completely indoors and has activities sure to satisfy every member of your family. With standard and cabin-themed hotel rooms, critter character appearances, and even a toddler-friendly bowling alley, the Great Wolf Lodge offers unique and inclusive experiences for everyone. Fun truly is around every corner with the immersive MagiQuest game where your child can choose a magic wand, play for as long as they want, and become the star of their own game. Take some time to relax with your kids at the Scooops Kid Spa and indulge with one of many dessert-themed spa treatments. With fun in every corner of the resort from a character breakfast buffet to thrilling water rides and even a forest friends show, you will not be disappointed with your stay at the Great Wolf Lodge.

For more info: Website Here

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We have some great NAPPA Award-winning products perfect for your next pool party or a day at the beach!

Zoocchini Swim Diapers and Sunhat Sets

When you’re ready to hit the pool or the beach with your little one, these adorable swim diaper and sunhat sets from Zoocchini are a must have! The diapers are light weight, non-disposable and reusable. The quick dry swim diapers are lined with comfortable, soft mesh liner and have adjustable waist ties to ensure a snug fit. Unlike regular diapers, these swim diapers are designed to contain solid waste, which is mandatory for public pool safety.
$28.00, ages 3M – 24M

Splash Tail

Popping up in 2018 is the water balloon sling launcher, the Splash Tail. Kids will have a blast hurling the water balloons in the air or throwing them in a game of toss and catch. Recommended for ages 8 and up, each Splash Tail set comes with a colorful blue/orange sling and pack of water balloons.
$7, ages: 8+

Baby Spring Float Sun Canopy

The Baby Spring Float Sun Canopy features a patented inner spring around the outside edge for added stability in the water. Additional features include a removable sun canopy with UPF 50+ sun protection, see-through mesh sides on the canopy , fabric-covered inflation and a soft mesh seat with secure leg holes for durability and comfort, a wide base, child safety valves, dual air chambers and a mesh play space for splashing and playing with toys.
$19.99, ages: 9 months – 24 months

Bunch O Balloons Marvel™ Avengers™

Bunch O Balloons, by ZURU, has teamed up with Marvel Avengers to take down the summer heat. With blockbuster character symbols printed on the balloons, such as Iron Man, Captain America and the Hulk, water balloons have never been so powerful! Simply connect, fill and make hundreds of water balloons in minutes, and let the superhero water balloon warfare begin. Balloons are made from natural latex and recyclable.
$9.99, ages 3+

OgoDisk H2O

Take the water balloon toss to the next level with OgoDisk H2O. It can flyly, float, and dominate any water balloon fight. This flying disk designed just for water balloon play can also double down as the ultimate pool or beach toy with its ability to float in the water. Let the games begin!
$20.00, ages 8+

Watermelon Smash

Watermelon Smash from YULU is a twist on the water roulette challenge. Will you end up dry or soaking wet? Fill the watermelon with water or use the watermelon seeds for indoor play. Players take turns spinning the spinner to determine their fate. Follow the instructions on the spinner and press the watermelon against your head. Watch out, you never know when the watermelon will crack. The last player left in the game wins!
$19.99, ages 6+

Happy Summer. Remember to #PlayLearnConnect with #NAPPAAwards!

Elena Epstein is a mom of two and the director of NAPPA Awards, the longest running and most respected awards program in the industry, celebrating the best in family products for 28 years. For more product reviews, visit nappaawards.com.

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For a lot of us summer is a great time to visit grandparents and other extended family. It’s also a perfect time to step away from our daily routines and take some time away exploring a new city, a nearby beach or a national park. Wherever your summer travels take you, these great new NAPPA winning toys and games will keep your kids entertained.

Take-Along Tracks

The Carry & Go Track Table by Simplay3 brings the fun wherever little drivers want to play — on or off road! Double-sided play opportunities and patterns offer limitless adventures for an assortment of children’s cars, trucks and trains. Side 1 has molded-in car tracks with varying intricate textures and patterns and detailed trim. Side 2 has molded-in train tracks to accommodate child’s wooden train sets and detailed trim to add to the fun.
$39.99
Ages 2+

A Flexible Travel Buddy

Oogi is an irresistibly tactile and wonderfully expressive new figure toy. With suction cup head, hands and feet, and long stretchy arms, it connects to other Oogis and any smooth surface. Oogi leaves room for the imagination and invites children to explore and experiment while playfully training hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Unlike traditional dolls for girls and action figures for boys Oogi is gender neutral and fun for all ages, perfect for travel too.
$14
Ages 3+

A Game of Chance

Drop It is a colorful, inventive family game that’s easy to learn but deceptively mind-boggling! One at a time, each player drops a shape into the vertical game board’s drop zone. Players earn points for the highest level that their shape reaches when it lands and extra points for touching bonus circles. The winner is the player or team with the most points at the end.
$29.95
Ages 8+

An Adorable Companion

 

Marshfellows are adorable, huggable s’mores that make a great travel companion. They are super soft and durable made from ultra-soft, minky fabric and live in a Marshmallowy world on the verge of being S’MORED by the chocolate and graham cracker kingdoms. Now homeless, the Marshfellows need new happy homes. Adopt one today.
$24.95
For All Ages

A Card Game with the Heroes

Thanos Rising – Avengers: Infinity War is a cooperative dice and card game for 2-4 players. In the game, players will recruit heroes and assemble a team to face off against Thanos and his villainous forces in an effort to thwart him from accomplishing his master plan – collecting all six Infinity Stones to power the Infinity Gauntlet and wreak havoc on the very fabric of reality.
$49.95
Ages 10+

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Elena Epstein is a mom of two and the director of NAPPA Awards, the longest running and most respected awards program in the industry, celebrating the best in family products for 28 years. For more product reviews, visit nappaawards.com.

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