New Mexico is a land of plateaus and mesas, of vibrant colors and gorgeous landscapes, of delicious food and amazing national parks. It was also the destination of our spring trip in 2023. We left San Diego, CA and drove straight east across Arizona and into New Mexico.

Our two main hubs for this trip were Los Cruces and Albuquerque. These put us decent driving distance from the main places we wanted to see on our trip. Santa Fe could have easily substituted for Albuquerque. They are only about an hour apart so either city works as a hub for the more northern sites.

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White Sands National Park

White Sands National Park was my personal favorite park on this trip. I loved the soft, brilliant dunes that stretched as far as the eye can see. We did the Backcountry Trail and went sledding on the dunes – both I would absolutely recommend.

The backcountry trail is a loop over the dunes that is about 2 miles. The only downside is that the “trail” given the nature of the dunes can only be marked with posts. I’m sure the rangers do their very best to keep it marked, but again given the nature of sand, many of the posts had fallen down so I’m not sure how closely we actually followed the intended path. Nevertheless, we walked from orange post that we could see to orange post and I love every minute.

Sledding was probably the highlight for my kids. We brought sleds from home but you can also purchase sleds in the gift shop. It looked like you could return them when you are done for a partial refund and it’s also possible to purchase used sleds. We did buy the wax and applied that to our sleds, kind of like you do for surfing. All four of us had a blast sledding down the dunes. We sledded on the dunes near the parking lot of the trail head for the Backcountry Trail but there are lots of spots around the park where people were sledding.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park was my kids’ favorite park on the trip. It is definitely one of the most unique National Parks we have visited.

From the visitor center you can either take an elevator into the caverns or hike down a “natural path” which is what we chose. In the visitor center they warn you that it is “strenuous” but I wouldn’t say it’s super difficult. It is almost entirely gently downhill and a couple of miles long. You do have to be careful because portions are slippery and it is lit, but still quite dark. With younger kids I would probably recommend the elevator down but elementary schoolers and up would likely be fine walking down the path.

Once you’re at the bottom, you hike a loop around the “big room” which is massive. This part probably took us about an hour. There are tons of fascinating geological formations. For kids to get the most out of it, I recommend the Junior Ranger Packet which you can pick up in the lobby of the ranger station before you head down and/or learning about caves and cave formations before you visit.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Guadalupe Mountains is in Texas, not New Mexico, but as I learned on this trip – to go from CA or Los Cruces, New Mexico to Carlsbad Caverns you actually leave New Mexico, drive through El Paso, Texas, past Guadalupe Mountains National Park and then back into New Mexico.

These are beautiful mountains that are kind of a surprise in the desert of western Texas. There are various difficulties and lengths of trails in the park. You can also camp here, which I would choose over camping at Carlsbad Caverns personally. In the Spring when we visited, the wild flowers are pretty. From pictures it also looks like Fall would be a gorgeous time to visit.

My kids love the ocean and were fascinated to learn about the early history of this area and how it used to be underwater. We had recently read One Million Oysters on Top of the Mountain which wasn’t specifically about this park or mountain range, but did teach my kids a lot about the science of how this is possible and also how geologists have uncovered this fact.

Chaco Culture National Heritage Park

Chaco Culture National Heritage Park is set into a canyon and preserves portions of an ancient pueblo site. These are fascinating to walk around and through. We’ve been learning about ancient history this year and had recently learned about the Maya civilization. It was fun to hear my kids compare and contrast the two as we explored. I love how this experience brought ancient cultures and civilizations more to life for them.

My one caution about this park is that you have to take dirt roads to get to the park. This is fine, but when it starts to rain these dirt roads because very hard to maneuver mud roads. If you’re able to pick a day where the skies are clear it would be a much more safe and pleasant experience.

Valley of the Dreams Hike

The Valley of the Dreams hike has similar caveats. This is a hike that my husband had been on with a friend on a previous trip. Getting there involves some off roading, some navigational faith, and maybe even some luck. That being said, it was pretty awesome. There is no official trail here. You “start at the abandoned car” (his exact words) and then head down into the valley and loop around. It is a incredible area that feels almost other worldly and very remote.

Albuquerque

Albuquerque was more of a hub for us. There are actually quite a few things to do in Albuquerque. Top on my list was the Nuclear Science Museum but for various reasons we had to shorten our trip and exploring this city more was one of the things we had to cut out. We stayed in the Uptown area near the mall though and found it incredibly convenient. There were lots of restaurants nearby along with a Trader Joe’s and a Target.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe has a distinct feel. Kind of western, kind of quirky. It is its own thing. We explored the main touristy area, popping in and out of shops. We all loved the Collected Works Bookshop and Coffeehouse.

Meow Wolf

Meow Wolf is really hard to explain. It is billed as an immersive art experience intended to inspire creativity. I would really recommend visiting their site to read more and watch their about video to get an idea of what it is. It was quirky and fun. My kids both really enjoyed it and as kids who love fantasy and creativity I would say they found it inspiring. There are four locations right now, but Santa Fe is the original home of Meow Wolf.

Georgia O’Keefe Museum

The Georgia O’Keefe Museum is tiny but completely dedicated to the artist and has a well rounded collection of her work along with a good background of her development as an artist. I prepped my kids beforehand by reading about Georgia O’Keefe, studying some of her art, and doing a little O’Keefe inspired art. You can find more information and reserve tickets (not required but recommended) on their website.

Petrified Forest National Park

The Petrified Forest National Park is in Arizona, not New Mexico but it was on our route home from Albuquerque to San Diego so it was impossible to resist stopping. This park was different than I expected but I absolutely loved the Blue Mesa Trail. It was my second favorite hike of the trip and absolutely worth the stop and added hours to our trip home in my opinion. It’s a loop down into a canyon with layered mesas all around you.

I recommend stopping at the northern Ranger Station to pick up Junior Ranger packets. The rangers there were also super helpful and eager to share tips on the park. Then drive south through the park stopping occasionally and at the bottom there is another Ranger Station where you can get your Junior Ranger badges and walk the Petrified Log loop out back.

Homeschooling on the Go Around New Mexico

For us, this was a learning experience. I would argue all travel is a learning experience. The parks, the geography, the museums – they all offer experiences that provide exposure, learning opportunities, etc. To deepen that learning both before the trip and during the trip, I would also recommend the following resources.

• Junior Ranger Packets at National Parks. These are often so well done and offer a range of history, geography, science and more for kids. You don’t necessarily have to do the whole book or go back to get sworn in for a badge if your kids aren’t interested, but I would suggest you at least pick one up. I always learn something from going through these packets with my kids. I think they do a good job of deepening your understand and often appreciation of the park.

• Geology plays a huge role in what is so cool about New Mexico. I felt like I saw layers in mountain and rock so much more clearly here than other places and we saw a huge variety of different rock as we explored. Learning about the underwater, coral reef history of Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains also makes much more sense in the context of some understanding of geology. If your kids are interested either before or after the trip, here are some things we’ve done and used to study geology in the past.
• Read about Georgia O’Keefe. There are a lot of children’s books about Georgia O’Keefe. This one is a good general overview for younger kids. The Who Was series also has a good early chapter book about Georgia O’Keefe. My personal favorite is Georgia in Hawaii which is about when she was commissioned by the Dole Plantation to paint a pineapple in Hawaii. Some of the resulting paintings were at the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe which was kind of fun.

• Great American Artists for Kids activity book. For each artist there is a brief bio and then a hands on art activity for kids to do. We used this book when we studied the 50 states, we’ve used it before going to see a specific exhibit at the museum or in this case a museum about a specific artist. Soon we will use it again when we do more United States history. I haven’t loved every single activity, but most of them have been fun to try and give the kids an idea about the artist and how they work. Find Online

Balboa Park sits in the heart of San Diego, just east of downtown. As accurately stated on their website, Balboa Park is “Where culture, science, and nature collide.” It is home to the world famous San Diego Zoo, but also numerous museums, gardens, and trails. It is a beautiful, historic and not to be missed, whether you all San Diego home or are visiting for the sunshine.

Balboa Park certainly markets itself well and I do not work for them in any capacity, so that isn’t the point of this post. This post is for families who want to make the most of the park. We absolutely love Balboa Park so I simply want to share what we’ve learned, enjoyed and how we’ve made the most of the park. Where are the best places to visit with kids? Which museums work and which can you skip? How do you get the best deals?

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3 Options for Visiting Balboa Park

1. Stick to Free Days

The first and obviously least expensive option is to stick to free days. If you are a San Diego resident, Balboa Park offers Resident Free Tuesdays to various museums in the park on a rotating schedule. You can check out the schedule on their website. Many of the museums and the zoo are also free to kids in the month of October – you can learn more about that here.

2. Individual Museum Fees & Packages

The second option is to simply visit a museum and pay the entrance fee. If you’re particularly a lover of art or have a kid who loves science, then going to just that museum or paying for a single membership to a museum is an option.

3. Explorer Pass

If you want to visit more than one museum then the Explorer Pass is 100% the way to go. You can get an annual, one day or multi-day Explorer Pass, so regardless of whether you are a resident or just visiting for a couple of days I would still recommend one of these variations. My main reason is this – while together, the area, the gardens, the playgrounds, the trails, and the many museums are extraordinary, I do not personally think that any of the individual museums is spectacular or particularly large. There are really good ones. Ones we’ve been to many times and I will get into some of that below, but really what is so great about Balboa Park is the diversity of experiences that you can pop into and out of.

We get the annual Explorer Pass. 365 Days. 16 Museums. 1 Pass. The only thing not included is the Zoo, which although adjacent to the park is a separate entity. I personally think this pass makes for a great holiday gift idea if you like gifting experiences.

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What to do in Balboa Park with Kids

So now that you are on board for a morning or day at Balboa Park, where do you go? I will admit to being completely overwhelmed by that question the first time I visited. A few tips first, before we start picking out museums:

• Parking, especially on the weekend, can be difficult. I usually try to arrive early (always my advice, especially if you’re already up with little ones or trying to fight your body over the time change). We usually park near the Air & Space Museum which is on the opposite side of the park from the zoo and is a large lot, so it seems to fill up a little more slowly.
• Another good parking option if you’re there early enough is behind the Fleet Science Museum which situates you close to some of the best museums and near the playground on that end of the park as well.

About Balboa Park

Balboa Park was set aside by the city in the 1800s and was beautified in the 1890s, largely in preparation for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and largely by a woman named Kate Sessions. If you’re a book person, like I am, you might enjoy sharing this wonderful picture book about Kate Sessions. It is about how one woman who loved trees completely transformed San Diego from a desert into what it is today. It’s one of our favorites and really affected how we see the park and our city.

What to Do in the Park with Kids

Now the biggie. What do you actually do in the park with kids. Balboa Park’s website does have a list of kid friendly things to do in the park and it’s a good one, but if you’re trying to figure out priorities, here are some thoughts.

Japanese Friendship Garden

The Japanese Friendship Garden is one of our family’s favorite parts of Balboa Park. We have visited it more times than anywhere else in Balboa Park and it is beautiful any time of the year.

The Cherry Blossom Festival is their biggest event of the year. We went the first year we lived here and did enjoy it, but the garden is SO crowded during this time. Personally I think it is much more pleasant on a normal week day or even early on a normal weekend day.

Best for: All ages, Families who love gardens, nature.
Kid Tip: Don’t miss the two large coy ponds and the opportunities to walk over the stream on all of the bridges.

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

My kids love the Fleet Science Center. There are lots of hands on activities and they often have a fun visiting exhibit (that costs a little extra money). I wouldn’t say it is the best science center we have ever visited but it is a fun way to spend a few hours and one of my twins’ favorite parts of Balboa.

Best for: Toddlers and up. Great for families who love science.
Kid Tip: This one has a decent food area adjacent that has kid friendly options.

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Having been to both amazing space museums in Washington DC, I find it hard to be impressed by other Air and Space Museums. This one does have some interesting parts about Naval and Air Force history. The best part about this museum is probably the visiting exhibits – so pay attention to the calendar and try to get over there when something good is visiting.

Best for: there is a space for little kids, but I would say this is best for kids who are 5+

San Diego Art Institute

It isn’t huge, but I was impressed with this little Art Museum. It has good and diverse (albeit small) collection and is very family friendly.

Best for: ages 3+, families who love art. Highly, highly recommend bringing your kids something to do – their own drawing materials, a scavenger hunt, etc.
Kid Tip: make sure to check out their free family events. My kids always love these opportunities to create and it gets them more excited about the exhibits at the museum afterwards. These were temporarily suspended during Covid19.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

If you know someone who loves trains, this is a not to be missed museum. Tucked into the lower level of the Casa de Balboa Building on the Prado in Balboa Park is the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. Don’t let the basement entrance fool you, at 27,000 sq. ft., it is the largest such indoor model train exhibit in North America, and one of the largest in the world. Read Full Post

Best for: all ages. This is a great one to visit with grandparents.
Kid tip: for the kid who loves trains, make sure to go ride the miniature train afterwards. Check the hours first to avoid disappointment!

San Diego Museum of Man

This is a fun museum full of interesting exhibits. We loved the ones about Monsters and Living with Animals. Note: Going up in the tower and the special exhibit are not included in the main cost.

Best for: kids 5 and older.

San Diego National History Museum

The Natural History Museum is a lot of fun for kids who like animals, dinosaurs, or science – my kids happen to like all three. There are lots of exhibits that engage kids. It isn’t a children’s museum in the sense that it’s super hands on, but there are still plenty of things to touch and manipulate and explore.

Best for: Kids who are 5+ and interested in one of the topics covered at the museum.

Mingei Museum

I explained this museum to my kids as an art museum full of art that people actually use. The museum website calls them “arts of daily life.” It is a small, but beautiful collection.

Best for: 5+ The museum is not interactive but the “every day” aspect – beads, quilts, etc. is appealing on a broader basis than other art museums might be.

All in all, we love Balboa Park. While there isn’t a single amazing museum, together if you have the explorer pass and view them as one big museum – together they are impressive. We love spending days in the park wandering in and out of different museums or popping in for an hour to our favorites.

Balboa Park itself is a beautiful place to walk around and there are always interesting things to see and people to watch.

Read More San Diego with Kids Tips HERE

In fourth grade every kid in the United States can get a FREE family pass to the National Park system. This seems to be a incredibly well kept secret. I am in no way affiliated with the National Park system, but I adore the incredible diversity and beauty of the parks. We often plan family vacations around parks we want to visit and the idea that you can do this for free for a whole year (or more if you have several children) feels like an incredible gift.

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Our Fourth Grade Park Adventures

Our twins were in Fourth Grade in 2020-2021 school year. This felt like a huge disappointment to me because all of my plans for big National Park road trip adventures were suddenly more complicated. Everything was more complicated in 2020.

I know a lot of people actually did more local travel and more road tripping to National Parks in 2020 because it was an outdoor, reasonably safe alternative to traveling abroad. In our case, my husband works on a US Navy base and was under orders to stay within 300 miles of the base unless he was deployed. Sure, we could have gone off just me and the kids on a longer road trip but I always hesitate to do that since we are already away from him a lot. However, we did have some National Park adventures in Fourth Grade. So, here are the Parks we explored.

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Joshua Tree

Located just a few hours from San Diego, Joshua Tree National Park is a great option for southern California families. If you’re okay with a long day, this can even be done as a day trip. We have day tripped, camped in the park, and stopped as part of longer road trips. We love this unique park.

More about Joshua Tree

Sequoia & Kings Canyon

During fourth grade we took a road trip up to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. We loved both parks. They are absolutely stunning. Kings Canyon was our favorite, so make sure you don’t skip it despite Sequoia being the more well known.

More about Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

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All About California Unit for Fourth Grade

Cabrillo National Monument

Cabrillo is located in San Diego and one we visited frequently in fourth grade. The lighthouse and display about Spanish explorers is fun to learn about, the park offers incredible views of San Diego and the ocean, and if you’re able to come when the tide is low, the tide pools are some of the best in this part of the country.

Learn More about Cabrillo

How to Make the Most of the National Park with Kids

The National Parks are great for all ages. There are things to marvel at and enjoy no matter what your interests or ages. For the purposes of this post I am going to focus on the things we did to make the most of the National Parks for our fourth graders (9-10 year olds).

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1. Dress for the weather – When you’re packing, make sure to pay attention to what the weather is like in the park. For example, where we stayed near Sequoia was always a good 10+ degrees warmer than up in the park where there was still snow on the ground in some parts in the Spring. The Redwoods National Park had rain off and on while we were there so raincoats were essential. Being warm, cool or dry enough while you’re exploring is essential to happiness.
2. Bring Adventure Supplies – exploring a National Park can feel like the ultimate adventure for kids. There are mountains to climb, streams to cross, great dunes of sand to slide down, unfathomable trees to view. I always bring some variation of these Adventure Supplies when we go on an adventure. Having at least one tool (binoculars, camera, journals) to deepen your explorations and being stocked and prepared for any needs helps to keep everyone happy and engaged.
3. Junior Ranger Program – my kids love the Junior Ranger program at the National Parks. Some parks have better guides for the kids than others, but all of them have taught us something about the wildlife or geography. Often they give us a great guide to what to do in the park, if not the park rangers are a great resource. Before you hit the trails, pick up a Junior Ranger packet for each kid. Some parks, like Joshua Tree, have these at the front gate when you drive in. Other times you have to stop at the Ranger Station.
4. National Parks Activity Books – we keep busy in the car with a variety of audiobooks, games and activity books. On our National Park road trips in fourth grade my kids loved reading this Lonely Planet guide about the different National Parks and doing the activities in this National Geographic Kids Junior Ranger activity book. Depending on the park you’re visiting, there are also some wonderful children’s books about the parks. For example, we read REDWOODS by Jason Chin before our trip to the Redwoods and he also wrote this award winning, absolutely stunning picture book about the GRAND CANYON.
5. Stamp Your National Park Passport – lastly, don’t forget to stamp your passport! My kids both have National Park Passports like these. You can buy them beforehand on Amazon or the Ranger Stations always have some in stock as well.

More National Park Guides

Although we didn’t explore as many parks during fourth grade as I’d hoped, we have visited a lot of national parks with our kids. Here are some more guides to our favorites:

Redwoods National Park (CA)

Death Valley National Park (CA)

Cabrillo National Monument (CA)

Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM)

Chaco Culture Heritage Park (NM)

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (CA)

Guadalupe Mountains National Park (TX)

Fire Island and the Sunken Forest (NY)

Petrified Forest National Park (AZ)

Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Seashore (MI)

Washington DC Mall Monuments (DC)

White Sands National Park (NM)

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“Can we go there!?” Driving up to the North Shore of Oahu towards our rental for the week, we heard this exclaimed from the backseat several times. Beautiful beaches, the Dole Plantation, and various other sites had us all feeling giddy with excitement. A few blocks from our rental for the week we spotted Shark’s Cove. Nestled between rocks, this little pool of water was full of people exploring. Kids were playing on the sand, people of all ages were wading into the water, and we could even see some people snorkeling.

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Snorkeling is something we’ve done with our kids several times in San Diego. For kids who love the water, are good swimmers, and are fascinated by the ocean and/or animals, there really is nothing better. If you haven’t tried before and you think your kids might like it, I highly recommend you give it a try. Here is my best advice on how to get started, what you need, and where to take kids snorkeling in Oahu, Hawaii.

Where to Snorkel

The first time we went snorkeling, we started in a pool. I wanted my kids to feel comfortable with how to use a snorkel before we tried in water with more movement. From there we practiced in the bay near our house where the water is calmer than the ocean, but still has some small waves.

Once you’re ready to wade into the ocean, there are a few spots along the North Shore and western side of the island of Oahu that are popular for snorkeling.

Our Favorite Snorkel Spots

• Shark’s Cove – this is part of Pupukea Beach Park was our most visited spot. Partly because we were staying close by, but also because it was consistently a good spot to see all kinds of fish and occasionally a sea turtle. This is also where we saw my favorite sunsets of the trip.
• Turtle Bay – located in Kahuku this is another protected cove that is great for seeing humuhumunukunukuapuaa (the former state fish of Hawaii – also a fun song from High School Musical 2 that my kids couldn’t stop singing the whole time) and a whole host of other fish and sometimes sea turtles. The downside of this one to me was that the beach was a little crowded because it is located adjacent to a hotel.
• Paradise Cove Public Beach – if I had to pick a favorite this might be it. I think we saw the most diverse fish in Shark’s Cove, but we saw sea turtles up close here and this beach is a little piece of heaven. This is an especially good spot if you have younger kids. It’s a shallow, calm cove with a little quiet beach. The downside is that there aren’t any bathrooms.
• Waimea Bay – we did not snorkel here, but I have been told by friends who lived on Oahu for years that this is a great spot in the summer months when the surf is much calmer on this side of the island.

When to Go

Thankfully I had a few years to figure this out in San Diego, before we went to Hawaii because I think this is one of the most important parts about successful snorkeling trips with kids and the least explained. While yes, you can snorkel on pretty much any day at any time on Oahu – a successful snorkeling trip is more likely if you go at the right time. These are the things I look for:

• Clear, sunny day with low wind
• Low tide (you can check the local tide online. There are some different options but Surfline.com is usually where I look)
• Calmer waves (this is also reported with the local tide)
• Go early or just before sunset.

The weather and tide you can check a few days in advance. I always check again that day or the night before to double check, but tides and surf conditions are forecasted like the weather and are pretty reliable. Going earlier or later usually offers less crowds and calmer water. Both of which are ideal when you’re trying to spot sea life.

Snorkel Gear to Bring

Snorkeling doesn’t require a ton of gear, but there are some things you definitely need. There are a lot of places around Oahu to rent gear if you don’t have your own or want to travel with your own. Personally I prefer to bring our own. My kids are comfortable with their gear and I know that it’s in good shape. Here is what I pack when I go snorkeling with my kids:

Each Person Needs

• Swim Suit
• Snorkel and Mask – there are a lot of options. Read the reviews. Not all snorkels are created equal. All four of us have full face snorkels like these but one of my kids often uses a more traditional set like this one.
• Fins – optional but helpful
• Towel – I really love these. They dry quickly and they aren’t as bulky to pack.

I also bring:

• Lifejacket – this is somewhat optional now that my kids are a little older, but when they were younger, a life jacket was essential. There is no way I could have taken them both snorkeling without life jackets and even though my kids were good swimmers when we tried snorkeling for the first time, it still makes it much easier for them to float along the surface and focus on using the snorkel and seeing sea creatures.
• Waterproof Bag – I use this bag if there are additional things, like my phone, I want to make sure will stay dry at the beach.
• Underwater Camera – I actually use this Underwater Phone Case for my iPhone which works amazing.
• Goggles – depending on the conditions, my kids like having the option of having swim goggles so I always throw a couple pairs in with our snorkeling gear. These are my kids’ current favorite goggles.
• Snacks and Water – my kids are always starving afterwards

It is easy to get restless and irratable when you are stuck in a car or on a plane for long hours. The way to survive this is to have carefully chosen activities to keep your hands, bodies, and minds busy. The trouble is that there are so many options.

You have to pack things that are small so you can fit more and not be weighted down by a million toys.

You have to consider what your child’s interests are and what keeps them occupied the longest.

You have to come up with new things so they are fresh and exciting…

Is it just me or did some of the fun of trip planning just fly out the window? Hang in there. Help is on its way.

One of my kids is a huge fine motor person. They love puzzles and drawing and tinker toys. When we travel, I pack things that will keep his hands busy.

For the fine motor fans though, this is your list! Pick a few and give them a try on your next road trip or flight.

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Top 10 Fine Motor Ideas for Travel

1. Cross Stitch

We got this adorable book to review and we are IN LOVE. On our trip to Wisconsin earlier this month this kept my fidgety children happy for most of the flight. All you need is the Stichables book, some lightweight yarn, needles, and small scissors (note: needs to be under 4 inches to carry onto plane) for hours of fun!

2. Nesting Materials

There are plenty of variations on this material – the most simple and compact that we have used is a colorful set of curlers that our Minnesota pen pals sent us. I continue to be amazed with how many different ways my kids have used this basic material. We have colorful ones like these.

3. DIY Toddler Buckle Toy

This gorgeous busy bag is from Swoodson Says. This is such a fun way to keep little toddler hands busy and teach them important self-help skills at the same time. Find the directions here.

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4. No Sew Button Snake

My kids loved this when they were toddlers. It’s another example of working on fine motor and self help skills. These are super simple to put together too. Twitchetts has great instructions!

5. Wikki Sticks

These things are awesome. These colorful little sticks can be bent and stuck together to form pretty much whatever you can imagine, but then they can also be re-straighted and made into something else. We love these for planes and restaurants. You can find a set here.

6. Map Drawing Activity

Maps and travel go perfectly together and this is such a fun way to get kids interacting with maps. You can learn more at Little Bins for Little Hands but I will be printing off a map for our next Road Trip and making one of these kits for sure!

7. DIY Foam Lacing Cards

My mind was kind of blown when I saw this post on Powerful Mothering. My kids loved lacing cards when they were toddlers and preschoolers but it never crossed my mind to make my own. Check out her brilliantly simple directions and then start investing in foam.

8. LEGO travel kit

If your kid likes to build and play with their hands, then one of these is a must. They make transporting Legos easy and give you a spot to build when you don’t have a table or floor. You can find a few different colors here.

9. Mini-Paper Airplanes Guide

Compact and simple, but a complete how-to guide for paper airplanes. Throw this little book and the short list of supplies into a bag and you have an easy activity to take anywhere. The directions are straightforward enough for a beginner, but there is enough variety to engage a more seasoned paper airplane maker as well. We enjoyed that they include a rating for each airplane’s speed, airtime, distance, acrobatics, and uniqueness. It was fun to test them all and see how they compared for us. Obviously your child can’t use this on a plane or in the car, but it is great for stops. We had our kids make a plane or two right before a stop and then when we had space to run they could test them out. This encouraged running around which was a great way to let off some steam. FIND ONLINE

Also Read: QUALITY, ENGAGING, AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY BOOKS TO BRING ON FAMILY TRIPS

10. Paint with Water

For anyone nervous about handing their kids markers or crayons on a plane or in the car, this is a fun alternative. My kids love, love, loved these ones from Melissa and Doug when they were toddlers.

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Did you know that A. A. Milne’s infamously inspiring wood is actually 500 acres? The 100 acre wood is based on the 500 acre Ashdown Forest in East Sussex.

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Beforehand

The Ashdown Forest is a pretty place for a ramble, but knowing the stories of Winnie the Pooh definitely makes it more magical. Before you hike, really familiarize yourself with the Adventures of Pooh. If you’re doing it with this hike in mind, you might want to really talk about the different spots in the woods or with older kids, make a map together of how you envision the woods.

Read about Pooh’s Adventures
The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie the Pooh
Buy Online

or Listen to the Audiobook
The Collected Stories of Winnie the Pooh
Buy Online

Watch Winnie the Pooh.
Available on Amazon

Hike in Ashdown Forest

Ashdown Forest
Wych Cross
Forest Row RH18 5JP
United Kingdom

• Brochure with More Info about the spots that inspired Pooh stories.
• Mapped Walks with more info.

You have to use your imagine to see the woods through his eyes, but what a gorgeous spot to hike and pretend.

The brochure included about has spots or places around the loop trail that inspired some of the stories in the Winnie the Pooh adventures. You can see: the river where Pooh saved Piglet, Eeyore’s gloomy spot, the Hefflelump forest and tree trap and more.

None of these are labeled in the forest, you need to either print the map or have it pulled up on your phone. I always think it is best to warn your kids that this isn’t like a Disneyland view of Pooh. This is the real place that Milne hiked and they have to be prepared to use their imagination like he did.

Afterwards

Pooh Corner. Sussex.

After your hike, if you have time you can also visit Pooh Corner. This is a small spot at the edge of Ashdown where there is a little museum and you can pop in for tea.

More about Pooh Corner

Home Activity Ideas

Back at home, if your kids are excited about the hike and all things Pooh they might enjoy:

• Re-read some favorite stories or watch Winnie the Pooh again. You can take it one step further by encouraging your kids to act out their favorite story with Pooh Character Puppets like these ones.
• Write your own Pooh story. Older kids who love to write (or homeschoolers who want to add a little writing to your adventure) could write their own story about a spot in the forest.
• Matching Game. Kids under 5 would love this adorable matching game inspired by the characters and stories of Winnie the Pooh. Find Online
• Make Winnie Pooh Honey Snacks together. You can use this easy recipe.

You May Also Like:
Great Britain Literature Inspired Unit
(has lots of bookish adventure ideas!)

Mythology hooked my kids in fourth grade. They dove into gods and goddesses, primarily in Greek culture, but learned about mythology from around the world. Here are some of our adventures and resources as they explored the magical world of mythology.

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Field Trip to the Getty Villa

Getty Villa

While in Los Angeles for a weekend we visited the Getty Villa. This is one of the two Getty Museums in LA. It has Greek and Roman antiquities housed in a re-created Roman country home.

The Getty Villa makes a huge effort to be family friendly. There are a lot of activities for families at the museum. The super cool thing for kids who love mythology is that you can take an immersive audio tour of the museum.

My kids absolutely loved having the characters in their ears as they explored the museum on their own personal quest. Access the audio tour here or ask for more info at the information desk.

Getty Villa
17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, USA
Open 10a – 5p, Closed Tuesdays
FREE to visit, $20 to park.
Must reserve a time slot online beforehand.
Website

Percy Jackson

Percy Jackson was our way into Mythology and I expect we’re not alone. Once my kids had read THE LIGHTENING THIEF, especially my daughter, they were hooked. Suddenly they wanted to know all about all kinds of mythology.

Percy Jackson Inspired Activities

• Make sure you visit the Rick Riordan website. There is a wealth of information including these Teacher Guides.
• There is a Lightening Thief Unit Study on Proverbial Homemaker.
• Fabulous Classroom has a huge list of resources about Percy Jackson learning inspired by the release of Sea of Monsters on DVD but they would work for a general unit as well in most cases.
• Here are some fun ideas if you want to have a Percy Jackson bookclub meeting from Adventures in Mommydom.

Book Recommendations:

There are SO many Percy Jackson books and related books, but in case your voracious mythology fan needs some more ideas here are some more series we’ve enjoyed.

• Hopeless Heroes series by Stella Tarakson
• Zeus the Mighty series by Crispin Boyer
• Thunder Cluck! Chicken of Thor by Paul Tillery and Meg Wittwer
• Goddess Girls series by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
• Heroes in Training series by Tracey West
• Nico Bravo graphic novel series by Mike Cavallaro
• Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland

Mythology

Once my kids were exposed to mythology via Percy Jackson, they seemed to thirst to learn all they could.

Books to Read

• Usborne Illustrated Stories from the Greek Myths
• Myth Atlas: Maps and Monsters, Heroes and Gods from Twelve Mythological Worlds by Thiago de Moraes
• National Geographic Kids: Everything Mythology by Blake Hoena
• Gods and Heroes: Mythology Around the World by Korwin Briggs

Activities

• Impressive and diverse twelve week mythology study that covers all the curriculum areas on Redhead Mom.

Mythical Creatures

Mythical Creatures are some of the most fascinating parts of mythology, especially for kids who are huge animal fans like mine. If you want to go down this rabbit hole, here are some books and activities to explore.

Books to Read

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J. K. Rowling
• Mythopedia: What A Beast by Sophia Kelly
• Miss Turie’s Magic Creatures by Joy Keller – This is a cute picture book. If you’re diving into Mythology and Mythical Creatures with an early elementary schooler I definitely recommend this one.
• Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland is all about dragons that have to save their magical world. These are also good on audio.

Games to Play

• Createures Drawing Deck: This is game / art activity that is loads of fun if your kids enjoy drawing.
• Runes & Regulations: This is a strategy game that’s funny and also plays with mythical creatures.

Read About More Fourth Grade Units

Photography is my favorite hobby. I read and write for my job otherwise I’d name those first, but photography is something I do purely for fun. I love taking photos. I love playing with editing photos. I love sharing photos and I love looking back at our old photos.

I am NOT a photographer.

That feels important to state because there are a lot of truly amazing photographers who are willing to teach you their craft. I have however been taking photos since my parents got me a camera for my eighth grade graduation and the interest has only grown. I have taken a couple of classes but nothing too intense. It is a hobby and one I truly love.

If you want more professional advice and take photos with your iPhone – I highly suggest the book THE iPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK by Scott Kelby. It is a thorough, easy to follow, helpful guide to taking photos, editing them and everything in between.

Since I share regularly on Instagram and obviously share a lot of photos in my posts here, I occasionally have people ask for advice on taking photography – particularly of children and travel. Below I’m sharing my best advice, mostly gained through playing around with a camera for decades, but also from other true pro photographers. Please take it as that though, just advice. What I do, imperfect, not professional Erin.

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First a few technical pointers:

• Which camera you use does not matter that much. Sure an expensive DSLR will create a crisper photo and make it easier to take the picture you want IF you take the time to learn how to use it manually. But if you’re just going to pick up the camera, point, and click – you can get a great photo with a camera phone or a DSLR. Either works. Most of my absolute favorite photos were taken on my iPhone because that’s what I had with me. The only real downside I’ve found to the iPhone is that it can’t zoom in if we’re traveling and I want to photo something far away. Speaking of which…
• Cropping. Do Not zoom in when you are taking a photo with a camera phone. You can always crop in closer later but zooming in will always make your photo more grainy. Don’t do it.
• Editing. I promise you that everyone who has photos you admire is editing them at least a little. Taking a good picture is important – it is the heart of the photo – but knowing how to tweak them (or in some cases massively edit them) is important too if you want amazing photos.
  I have Lightroom both on my laptop and on my phone for editing photos. It allows you to tweak and edit just about every aspect of your photo and if you learn to use it well then you don’t need filters. However, I also use other editing apps. I’ve played around with a ton of them, but right now I primarily use AColorStory right now to edit my photos when I just want to quickly make them prettier.
• I think apps and filters are 100% fine but I’d recommend two things:
  1. Start by tweaking the photo itself in the manual part of any app. Play with the light and the color and the contrast. You will learn a lot just by playing around with it. See if you can get it better or closer to what you want the photo to look like on your own.
  2. When you apply a filter, use the button to scroll down on how heavy you apply the filter. Often the full effect isn’t really what you want.

Things to Think About When You’re Taking Photos of Travel and Kids

Now on to the real meat, because although editing is fun, this is really the part I most enjoy playing around with on my cameras.

One of the first tips that always pops into my mind is to think about how you are framing your photo. When I’m taking a picture it’s usually because something caught my eye – usually something cute my kids are doing or something cool we are visiting. Our instinct is to point it at them and click. Do that. Those moments pass quickly, but if there’s time think about what else is in the photo. Can you shift your camera angle or perspective just a little to edit out other people, distractions, clutter?

Pay attention to lighting. One of the biggest issues with taking photos is lighting. Pay attention to where the light is to avoid looking back at your photos only to discover horrible shadows. Avoid having your subject look directly in the sun. Rotate around your subject until they are squinty or covered in shadows.

If you are taking a photograph of a landscape or the beach, having a focal point, something to draw your eye in or show the grandness of whatever you’re visiting will help your photo pop. I generally encourage my kids to go run or climb into the landscape I want to photo and then take a bunch of photos.

Look for unusual angles or perspectives. If I had to pick on thing, this is my favorite thing to play with when I’m taking photos. I love taking pictures from above and below and with reflections and through things. This is the playing with photography that really makes my heart sing, especially when I get a good one. The one above is on the train from Belgium and I was fairly obsessed with the reflection. It took a while to get it right, fortunately my son was reading and didn’t even realize what I was doing.

Think about what you want to remember? Of course we want a gorgeous photo, but it’s really about capturing a memory, right? So when you’re taking photos, what is it you want to remember about where you are or this moment you’re experiencing. The photo above is from a trip to Central Park in New York City. It is a beautiful park, but what my kids loved more than anything was climbing on these massive rocks.

Embrace motion and candid moments – just get in the right position to capture them. This wasn’t staged, although I do occasionally ask my kids to climb up something or run in a particular directions because I’m loving a view or the light. Most of my photos though are just me following them around. Changing where I am in relationship to them and what they’re doing though often makes a big difference. Above my daughter was running on the beach but so were my son and my brother. I went between her and them, where I could see her reflection and started snapping.

How to Embrace Candid Photography : from Click it Up a Notch

Take a million pictures for one good one. I often get asked “how do you get such cute photos of your kids?” or some variation on that question. I always answer “I take a million crappy ones to get one good one” and I think people think I’m kidding. I’m not. I delete tens, sometimes hundreds of pictures a day. Yes. A Day.

Sometimes the best photo isn’t the one that’s “best” just the one that captures that memory the best. I love this picture. It makes me smile every time I see it. For me it captures the shear joy she felt holding on to the cable car for the first time. It is not technically perfect. I wish more of the cable car was in it. The focus is a little off. I don’t love the white truck there. There are shadows in places I wish there weren’t…but I really don’t care. It captures that moment for me and that’s what photography is supposed to do, right?

I already said that above, but take some of the pressure of yourself to get the “perfect” photo. Of course these tips, trying to reduce the visual clutter from the photo, playing with perspectives, paying attention to lighting, learning to edit – those will all help take better pictures. But at the end of the day, capturing the moment in time is what’s most important.

One last thing. Get in photos too! If you love taking photos, it is easy to forget to include yourself in a photograph as well. Looking back though you will want to remember being there as well and even if you think you won’t, I promise you that your family will want photos of you as well. Hand the camera off or use a self timer – I do this on my phone with my twins a lot on our adventures.

My biggest advice though is to enjoy it. Think of it as something fun to play with and just experiment. See what works for you. What doesn’t. Again, I’m not a pro, but if you have questions feel free to drop them in the comments!

Happy memory capturing!

Find More Family Travel Tips Here

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade may be truthfully one of the least child friendly events in New York City.

But wait, you’re thinking! There are balloons and floats and confetti and bands and clowns! How can that not be child friendly.

I’m with you there – except for the clowns! – the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade absolutely has all of those things. But you need to be prepared. In order to enjoy any of that there are a few things you need to know.

some links included below are affiliates.

1. You will have to wait. 

What you don’t know about the people lining the parade route when you watch the Macy’s Parade on TV is that they have already been there for hours. I wish I were exaggerating. We sent the first two people in our party to the route around 6 to hold our spots and they called about a half an hour later to tell us to hurry over.

To make this work:

• Get to bed early the night before so you are ready to entertain the littles while you wait.
• Stay somewhere close to the route. We were about two blocks away at the Empire Hotel and that was perfect.
• Bring some stuff to entertain your kids. We brought bagels to eat, their kids kindles, and this card game that I use for waiting all the time.
• Or – alternatively buy tickets or befriend someone who gets reserved seats in the bleachers. These aren’t easy to come by but they do reduce the amount of waiting and standing you do, although you still have to get there quite early.

2. You will need to dress for the weather.

November in New York City can mean a lot of different things. Sometimes it snows. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes it’s hot. Sometimes it is really cold.

All this means, pay attention to the weather and make sure to dress accordingly.

When you’re going with little kids, keep in mind two things:

• Kids usually get cold faster than grown ups, especially when they aren’t moving.
• It is much colder in the morning before the sun comes up (remember how early you’re getting there to stand still and wait?)

We got lucky with the weather both times we went with our kids. No rain or snow. It started off in the 30s and then gradually grew to about 50 by the time the parade ended. I dressed our kids in their full snow gear (snowpants, boots, hats, mittens, EVERYTHING) and they were nice and warm while we waited in the early hours. Gradually they took off some of the layers as it got closer to parade time.

I also wore leggings under my jeans and was really, really happy I did.

3. You will want somewhere to sit. 

It is helpful if you have even a couple chairs or buckets to sit on. Then you can take turns standing and sitting during all that early morning waiting. It also helps to block off space from people that squeeze in later.

For kids I highly recommend bringing some 5 Gal Paint Buckets that you can get super cheap from Home Depot or Lowes. You can stack them to carry. They are reasonably comfortable to sit on and your kids can stand on them to see better during the parade. We learned this trick from a really friendly family we stood by the first year who makes an annual trek to the Thanksgiving Parade.

4. You will not be able to go to the bathroom. 

This was the scariest part for me. Me – not even our 3 year old twins. I’m still kind of amazed that we made it with no accidents.

Here are my tips:

• Make sure everyone goes right before you leave.
• Do NOT give your kids anything to drink while you wait. That sounds terrible but I’m confident it was an important step.
• If you do think they will need to go, leave and go to the nearest coffee shop or restaurant about an hour into your wait. The closer you get to parade time the more impossible it is to move an inch, let alone go to the bathroom and get back. My least favorite part about New York with kids is that it is so hard to find a bathroom so scout this out beforehand. Starbucks has become my go-to because they reliably have a bathroom you can use if you buy a drink.

Is it worth all that?

Yes! Absolutely. I have done it three times now. Once as a kid and twice as a mom and yes, it is worth it.

Some things are not. For instance, we waiting in a four block line to see the balloons being inflated the night before and I was completely un-impressed by the event and my kids were overwhelmed by the chaos. I think 3 out of the 4 of us cried that evening.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade however is worth it. You have to plan. You have to dress warmly and plan activities and remember to use the bathroom and be prepared to defend your space on the sidewalk. You need to be ready to ooze enthusiasm for your kids very early in the morning.

But yes, it is worth it. It is worth it because it is a once in a lifetime parade. It is quite unlike anything else.

Want More? Read Our Complete Guide to NYC with Kids

There is something incredibly empowering about being high up in a skyscraper peering down at the city and teeny people below you.

This is universally true for all ages which is likely why experiences like going up in the Empire State Building or One World Trade Center exist. Even someone terrified by the experience, like me, can appreciate the awesomeness of this.

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My kids, as you may know, are fascinated by skyscrapers. We did a whole homeschool preschool skyscraper unit building, reading, and otherwise exploring skyscrapers. When they found out we were moving to New York City this is the thing they were most excited about being near. (Their aunt and uncle were a close second!)

Going up in a skyscraper was high on their must-do list so we made it happen as soon as possible. If you are contemplating heading up in the One World Trade Center will little ones there are some things that are helpful to know.

5 Tips to Know Before You Go

Whether you are skyscraper enthusiasts like our twins or enjoy getting a view of the city (this is a great one) or are curious about the One World Trade Center after 9/11, these are great tips to know before you go visit.

1. New Yorkers Like to Wait

I’m joking of course, because I doubt they actually enjoy the experience but I am fairly certain that the average New Yorker spend more time waiting than any other US citizen. Lines are everywhere and waiting it just a way of life.

Children on the other hand do not like to wait. If you’re a parent, you are well aware of this unfortunate state of events. This is to say expect to wait and have some ideas of how you might pass the time. We have recently fallen in love with this Disney Found It Game to help us pass the time when we have to wait.

2. Entrance Times Can Be Reserved Ahead of Time

Go on the website beforehand and reserve a time. This won’t completely eliminate the wait time, but it will be significantly reduced.

The downside is that you are committed to a date and time. If you leave yourself extra time and choose your time/date wisely this is doable.

Your other option to avoid waiting forever is to pay quite heavily for an express pass which will cut you to the front of the line.

3. Consider the Weather

This is may be obvious, but going up in a tall building on a gray or foggy day is less fun. Your visibility is substantially less and no one will be impressed by your high up view of gray – least of all your toddler.

Tickets are non-refundable except in extreme circumstances.

4. Little Kids are Free

At least as of August 2019, children under 5 are free but they do need a ticket. This was huge for us! It was half the cost to go up in the One World Trade Center as it will be in another year.

5. Use the Bathroom Beforehand

This is likely my number #1 tip for all things New York – but insist that your child try to use the bathroom whenever you are near a restroom. There are times this will feel redundant, but just do it.

The number of places in New York City where there are no restrooms significantly outweighs the spots where they do exist.

There are bathrooms once you are past security inside and up in the tower, but during that waiting period outside and before security you are a bit out of luck.

Our twins loved our trip to the One World Trade Center. They loved searching for different buildings and seeing how small everything and everyone looked below us. One of their favorite parts was the Sky Portal which makes it appear like you are walking on the taxicabs and people below you.

At the end of the day, choose your date and time wisely and plan ahead. Do that and the One World Trade Center is a wonderful experience for all ages.

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