When taking a car trip with children, it can sometimes become necessary to improvise somewhat on the entertainment front. Whilst holidays and long drives might be organised well in advance, sometimes an impromptu car journey can catch you off-guard. Here are a few ways in which a little imagination can help to keep kids entertained.

Firstly, if you discover that you’re in for an unexpectedly long journey, then it’s time to keep your eye’s peeled for any possible stop-offs that you may be able to make. You might not have the luxury of service stations (where you would be able to stock up on everything from snacks to magazines and activity books), but a quick stop almost anywhere can make all the difference. Spotted a van selling freshly-picked strawberries? They might mean your kids end up with sticky fingers, but it can stop them getting hungry and bored, at least temporarily.

You’d also be surprised how much entertainment can be had from even just a basic car radio or stereo. If you suddenly find yourself stuck in a traffic jam or waiting for breakdown recovery services from someone like the RAC, then your car stereo can provide the perfect solution. Be sure to keep a couple of favourite CDs in the car or have some kids music ready to go on your iPod.  Audio books are also often popular with children of all ages. If you don’t mind a little noise, then a sing-along can help make the take pass more quickly – at least for the children.

Playing some car/travel games can also be a fun way to keep the kids entertained on long car trips. Have a look at a few ideas here -  In the car games.

Lastly, you can simply use what’s around you. If you’re taking long trip, then the chances are that your children won’t be familiar with area. Point out landmarks, and try to make the journey as interesting as possible to stop them getting restless. A great game using your surrounds is the road sign game where kids have to find certain road signs, animals, cars etc and write a tally mark when they see it. My kids love this game and you can adapt it to suit where you are easily.

The Gorge Walk

We recently had our first holiday as a family to Stradbroke Island with me, my husband Mick and 3 kids Ben (7), Brooke (5) and Emma (2).  We had a fantastic 5 days there, it really feels like an island holiday but you are only 1 hour on the Ferry from Cleveland (1/2 hour approx from Brisbane City).

With young children we always try to minimize the travel time as they get bored easily, but going to Stradbroke Island was great as we only had a 1/2 hour drive from Holland Park to Cleveland, then 1 hour on the ferry, and then another 1/2 drive from Dunwich around to Point Lookout. And the best part was the kids thought taking the car on the ferry was the coolest thing ever!

One note though – always book your ferry as soon as you have booked your accommodation as the ferry’s fill up quickly.

Accommodation

We stayed at Pandanus Palms Resort which sits on top of the hill at Point Lookout. The views were breathtaking and we booked an ocean view unit to guarantee this. The resort is older but perfect for families with a good pool and tennis court. The townhouse style accommodation was a good size with dining, kitchen, lounge and an outside area all downstairs and 2 good size double bedrooms and bathroom upstairs. There are full kitchen and laundry facilities in each unit so perfect for holidays with young children.

The only negative thing is because they are up on the hill you have to drive everywhere.

Beaches

The beaches are fairly spread out and some are tucked away but the beaches were awesome. A great beach for kids is Cylinder Beach, it is easy to park at, is sheltered and at low tide there’s a good area with no waves for the little ones. It is also patrolled and has a kid’s playground and a merlo coffee can (most important!).

Cylinder Beach

Another beach we loved was Deadmans beach, if you go down Hopewell St off the main road there is parking on Cutter St. There are a few steps down to the beach from the car park but it’s still fairly accessible. Down the far right end of the beach though are great rocks for climbing over and rock pools the kids can play in, spot fish, crabs etc. There is also a huge sand dune here which the kids loved riding their boogie boards down.

For the fitness fanatics running up and down here is a great workout, I did it a few times carrying my 2 year old, and my legs felt it the next day! There are also some good little tracks to explore from the top of the dune.

The Gorge Walk

The Gorge Walk is an easy walk (approx 1.5km) which starts opposite the main group of shops on East Coast Rd at Point Lookout. It is fine for small children with good pathways, but it’s not fenced in all areas so keep small kids close. The views over the gorge are spectacular and we heard that it is one of the best places to see the whales during their annual migration.

Other things to do

• Markets – there are markets on the main road (East Coast Road) opposite the bowls club on Saturday and Sunday until around midday. They are small but have some good stalls of clothes, bags, jewellery, kids toys etc
• Bowls – The bowls club is great fun for kids and a nice relaxed atmosphere
• Skate Park  – on the main road there is also a skate park perfect for kids and their scooters and a huge oval for the kids to kick the footy
• Brown Lake not far from Dunwich is Brown Lake. A huge lake kids can swim in.
• Fishing – There are a few good fishing areas around Stradbroke Island mainly at Amity Point. Amity Point it also lovely at sunset and we saw a few dolphins around here too. We also heard some kids were even hand feeding them!
• Day spa – when the Straddie pub was recently renovated they put in an amazing day spa, my hubby tried a massage and came back extremely relaxed with a few more looser joints

Eating out

Heading out to dinner with 3 young kids after a day at the beach is always challenging. The Straddie Pub has been recently renovated and is a great place to take kids. The meals are not cheap but the food was excellent quality and the kids can be noisy and hop up and down without disturbing anyone.

We also went to La Foccacia, a restaurant in the Anchorage Resort. The service and food was really good, they were very accommodating for kids bringing them colouring in and the setting was lovely. It is a restaurant though so the kids have to stay at the table the whole time and be reasonably quiet! They do an all you can eat pizza and pasta night Wednesday which with kids is ideal.

Another place we tried for dinner was the Bowls Club. We had heard they do a good roast, the roast wasn’t on the night we went and the food was very ordinary. It was inexpensive however and the kids could run around, play on the greens and watch people playing bowls so it was still a good night out despite the food.

The Gelati Shop on Stradbroke Island is superb, there were so many flavours it was hard to choose!

The only disappointing meal was we had takeaway fish and chips from Fins n Fries which were very ordinary.

Bobs is the convenient store on the island, near the real estate on Endeavour St, it had a great range of groceries and very reasonably priced.

Overall we had a fantastic holiday and would definitely go again, there are lots of rental houses on the island that can take 2 families so next time I think we will go with some friends and maybe get something closer to the beach.

Pandanus Palms Swimming Pool

Tennis Court at Pandanus Palms

South Melbourne’s newest resident CheekyChinos is challenging our city’s café culture and making it their mission to be the parents’ café of choice.

Located right near the South Melbourne Market on Cecil Street, CheekyChinos is a unique concept that provides young families with simple, high-quality European inspired food, exceptional coffee, a signature range of ‘Chino Art’ babycinos and a state-of-the-art developmental play area.

CheekyChinos features a play area facilitated by child care professionals with internationally sourced play equipment designed specifically to be developmental, engaging and enjoyable for children aged from 0-5 years. At a casual rate of $10 for half an hour or $15 for an hour, this service is separate to the café which is open to all six days a week.

Whether you come to CheekyChinos to read a book, meet a colleague or client, catch up with a friend, or just for a decent coffee; your toddlers are welcome with open arms and will be looked after while you go about your business or recharge your batteries.

Café owners Pam and David Bucca were inspired by a similar concept operating in Europe. During a stint living in Switzerland they became increasingly fond of a café that

offered supervised play for young children and decided to bring the concept home and imbibe it with a bit of Melbourne’s renown café  culture. Designed by parents for parents and to be a sanctuary for young families, CheekyChinos is a sophisticated environment where working parents and jovial kids can co-exist over decent coffee, delicious babycinos and simple, fine food made from fresh produce.

The delectable menu of babycinos, including the ‘Princess Chino’, ‘Sporty Chino’ and ‘Rainbow Chino’ are made using Jonesy’s Milk, fresh from the farmer, high in protein and Australian owned.

The play area, designed with the development and safety of children in mind has a 1m high glass fence ensuring children can still keep an eye on mum or dad, and vice versa, reducing separation anxiety and allowing their trained facilitators to help parents and carers achieve half an hour’s peace.

Parents are also encouraged to get involved and play with their children in the play area. CheekyChinos is not a child care service provider so it is important to note that parents are not allowed to leave the premises while their children are at play.

CheekyChinos also sells an exclusive range of artwork by Hayley Gillespie and beautiful Lily Loves Pearls organic skin and baby care products.

CheekyChinos is located at 145 Cecil Street, South Melbourne, Victoria, 3205 and is open 8am-4pm from Tuesday to Sunday.

Keep up-to-date on the latest at CheekyChinos by at www.facebook.com/cheekychinos and www.twitter.com/cheeky_chinos.

Easter Weekend at the Hunter Valley Gardens promises an unforgettable family experience from the 6th until the 9th of April. Although Easter is the busiest time for our favourite bunny, Hunter Valley Gardens have confirmation that he will be attending.

Children will have a ball taking part in the largest annual Giant Easter Egg Hunt in the Hunter Valley.  With hundreds of brightly coloured plastic eggs scattered around, it will be your child’s mission to find the most. Every child who participates will receive a yummy Cadbury’s Easter Egg at the completion of the hunt.

Best of all this year, the fabulous Jitter Jacks will be on hand to perform all our favourite Easter songs at 2pm daily. They will have the whole family up, singing and dancing in no time!

Once the kids are all danced out, they will have the opportunity to be involved in some great Easter activities, including creative Easter craft (all materials will be supplied) and a colouring competition. There will be Garden Games to keep the kids entertained, such as giant parachute games, sack races and everybody’s favourite, egg and spoon races.

The Gardens will have hatching eggs, where children can watch real baby chickens hatch from their eggs and take their first steps. Definitely a memorable experience for

Lots of kids Easter Activities!

all.
In case the kids are hungry after a hard day of fun, there will be food and beverage stalls onsite, with snow cones and fairy floss available for that cheeky snack.

This Easter, don’t miss out on a family fun weekend at the Hunter Valley Gardens. Entry to the Gardens is $24.00 per adult and children 16 and older, $12 for children between 4 – 15 years of age, with children 3 years and under admitted free. Hunter Valley Gardens open daily from 9am to 5pm. For further information regarding the Easter Long Weekend at Hunter Valley Gardens please call 02 4998 4000 or visit www.hvg.com.au.

Family Holidays create great memories

Taking a family holiday, road trip or trek to visit relatives gives you a unique opportunity to connect with your kids in a fun way. Despite the potential anticipation of a trip like this, travelling with children can also provoke anxiety regarding the details and logistics of travel, accommodation and activities.

It may seem overwhelming to coordinate the trip in such a way that each family member is able to enjoy the experience. Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning a trip with kids that will help you create unforgettable holiday memories.

Advance Planning

While spontaneity may add an element of fun and surprise to the journey, it is important to make plans regarding accommodation and activities before you leave the house. After a long day of travel, the last thing your family will want to do is wait for hours while you scope out the best accommodation or food locations. Make reservations and map out your route in advance to make the trip smoother.

Travel Games

There are several resources that will help you create and learn fun games that can be played during travel days. Activities such as bingo and simple crafts with materials such as aluminum foil can make the difference for kids between a boring trip and a fun one. Sites such as MomsMinivan.com offer a broad selection of free printable activities for families. Choose a few with your kids before you leave. Be sure to bring markers or crayons to complete the games.

Healthy Snacks

Long road trips or flight times can exaggerate the time between meals, leaving kids feeling cranky and hungry. Prevent this by packing plenty of snacks for yourselves and your children. Choose nutritious snacks that kids will still love such as sultanas or celery and peanut butter. These foods will keep your kids feeling full longer and help to make the time before the next meal more bearable. Do not assume that you will be able to stop and buy snacks along the way as airports especially can be expensive and have a limited selection of healthy options.

Convenient Transportation

If you have small children, make sure you have an effective and safe way to transport them during stops or at your final destination. For example jogging strollers from Wayfair.com provide a comfortable and manageable mode of transportation for your little ones during the trip.

Taking the family skiing can be a great adventure and great fun for kids and adults alike. There are a lot of great kid friendly ski destinations around the world with accommodation and facilities perfect for children.

A family ski holiday though can be pricey but if you do your research there are deals to be found out there.  Some of the things that make a ski resort family and budget friendly are inexpensive accommodations, cheap food, trails of varying difficulty, and ski lessons or classes.

You can save money by not going to the well-known resorts and opting for one that is off the beaten track.  Picking a resort that is not on the mountain and booking your vacation in advance can save money as well.  Here are some places around the world that will be fun for the family and easy on the budget.

Jasna, Slovakia has snow for five months each year and is found in the Low Tatras National Park.  Food and lodging is cheap and there are areas for snowboarding.  There is a ski academy for children, five freeride zones, and two slopes where you can ski at night.

The Jezerine ski area close to Kolasin, Montenegro offers something for every level of ability.  Lodging is limited at the resort but additional accommodations can be found at Kolasin which is only 15 minutes away.

Bulgaria has a great ski resort called Borovets.  It is the largest in the country and has many modern facilities.  It is definitely budget friendly and attracts skiers, snowboarders, and cross country skiers.  Bansko, Pamporova, Chepelare are three of the other nice resorts in Bulgaria.

Another modern ski area is found in Kopaonik, Serbia.  It has 21 lifts and offers exceptional tree runs, night skiing and snowboarding.  It is one of the cheapest anywhere for food and lodging.  This is great if your family has been skiing together for a while.  Everyone can go off on their own and enjoy the great skiing and mountain opportunities.

Livigno, Italy has great accommodations for beginning, intermediate and advanced skiing.  Lessons are available and there is a theme park for snowboarders.  The food at the Italian restaurants is great and reasonably priced.  Even though you may be on a budget when traveling with the entire family, one meal out isn’t going to break the bank.

Slovenia has two great resorts for a family ski vacation.  One is Vogel, a lovely area with a beautiful lake.  The ski area is almost devoid of trees and offers off-piste opportunities.  Krvavec offers traditional skiing plus areas where you can snow bike, skidoo, or travel by snowshoe. You might consider lodging at the Igloo Village, which is a snow hotel whose rooms are like igloos.  Slovenia offers some fun great options, that you may never knew existed!

Poiana-Brasov, Romania is great for families and beginning skiers.  There you can ski at night, explore the forests in snowshoes, or camp out. Snowshoeing and other great outdoor activities are offered, and this will be a change of pace for the young children who are just learning to ski.  Food and accommodations there are reasonably priced.

Take a look around for the best possible deals at these worldly known ski vacation spots.  Whether everyone in your family is an avid skier, or you are all first timers, any of these vacation spots are sure to give you what you are looking for, and at the right price.

Megan Gates is an active blogger who provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to New York City Rentals, Hamptons Real Estate Listings, home improvement and the latest architecture, design, fashion and travel.  Follow her on twitter @MEGatesDesign.

ZoomPacks

We have recently discovered a great new range of activity packs for kids, ZoomPacks, which are designed specifically for travelling kids. The packs were created by Sally Ferreira after she spent hours trying to keep her kids entertained on long plane trips between Australia and Argentina.

Zoom Packs are an item that should sit on the top of the ‘to pack’ list when travelling interstate and abroad as they really do help make the trip so much easier as your kids are entertained and not continually asking ‘how long until we get there!’ They are also educational and kids will learn fine motor skills like threading, collage, mosaic and so on.

The Zoom Packs come in 3 age appropriate packs – for the Littlies (1-2 years), for the Middlings (3-5 years) and for the Biggies (4-7 years) – there are 2 packs in each age bracket to choose from.

We tested out 2 sizes with our kids as follows:

Middlings Pack

The Middlings pack -

• the pack has 2 lacing cards (perfect as the kids could do 1 each)
•  a dry erase board which my daughter loves for drawing pictures or writing words
• a journal which was perfect for my son to write about his holiday
• a sticker book where your child has to find the sticker that matches the picture and then colour in the picture to match the sticker – both kids loved this book and it kept them busy for hours!
• Some crayons, foam stickers and a collage board perfect for kids to make their own creation!
• A pencil case to keep all the small bits in
• And best of all a sheet of great tips for travelling and games to play whilst travelling
• The pack also comes in a calico messenger bag to keep everything together

Biggies Pack

We also tested out the Biggies Pack which is ideal for the older kids (4-7 years)

• Like with the Middlings Pack the ideas for games in the car were fantastic
• The Mosaic Sticker Set is great and a really good activity to do with Mum or Dad (we were stuck waiting for ages in the car one day and this was a perfect time filler!)
• The beads and string was a huge hit for threading a necklace – good for boys and girls
• The washable markers are great
• Again it comes with a pencil case for keeping everything together and a dry erase board which is ideal to use in the car or plane
• The journal was excellent to write what we did on our holiday – it is a perfect size to draw a picture and write about the activities of each day
• The only item we did not use from this pack were the washable paints

The Zoom Packs are a great idea and I would highly recommend them to anyone planning a trip. I would even suggest keeping a pack in the car for those times you are stuck in a doctors waiting room or heading out for dinner. (since our holiday my kids still love using them at home)

The key to keeping kids happy when they are in a confined space is keeping them busy and the Zoom Packs certainly achieve this. They also appeal to a range of ages and kids personalities – there is sure to be something in the pack that everyone will love!

For more information visit Zoom Packs here.

Family Holidays are Fun!

Holiday time is meant for family and fun. Travelling with the kids can bring happy memories and the desire to repeat the experience when a little extra planning means the kids will have plenty of activities to enjoy.

There are enough details to contend with in booking flights, making hotel reservations and finding out where to get meals that the kids will enjoy. When it comes to putting an itinerary of activities together, the whole experience of planning can quickly become a greater chore than may have been expected. It can be difficult to anticipate all that there is to see and do, especially when it is a destination that the family has not visited before.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to effortlessly plan a trip that would offer the best options available at one great price? This is exactly what can be obtained by going through an agency that has a variety of holiday packages already arranged for travellers. By purchasing a package, you can plan a holiday that suits your family’s specific needs and includes the amenities and activities that will appeal to the kids, too.

The Way Such Deals are Possible

In order for the hotels and airlines to retain a competitive edge, they look for ways to attract and keep customers. The online travel agents work to discover all the promotional deals that are available and then group them together into one affordable package that can be paid in one convenient bill. Visiting a site allows travelers an opportunity to look over all the packages that are available and choose one that encompasses enough interesting and desirable elements for the trip.

What is Included

Among the items included in a package are:

•    Booking the flight
•    Hotel reservations
•    Car rental
•    Travel insurance

Advantages include being able to book during peak seasons or at the last minute without sacrificing preferred choices.

Some of the added extras are:

•    Dining credits
•    Bonus nights
•    Room upgrades
•    Free meals for kids
•    Tour vouchers
•    Free access to the airport VIP lounge before the return flight

Some of the features included in activity itineraries are:

•    Sight seeing famous landmarks
•    Entertainment
•    Cultural centers and museums
•    Investigating volcanoes
•    Sports
•    Diving or snorkeling
•    Golf
•    Hiking
•    Surfing
•    Swimming with the dolphins

What’s Left to Do?

With the trip details handled, all that’s left to do is ensure the family is packed and the kids have enough of their favourite things that can keep their interest on the plane. The flight may present an opportunity for one-on-one time with family or a chance to allow the use of electronic entertainment.

Some things to think about including are:

•    DVDs
•    Music
•    Computer games
•    Comfortable earbuds
•    Reading books
•    Colouring books and crayons
•    Snacks
•    A favourite blanket

Mothers know very well how to prepare for the trip, but today’s security restrictions have changed much for the traveller. It is always advisable to check with the airline prior to being screened just in case.

Geocaching

Every kid loves a treasure hunt! Geocaching is treasure hunting with a technological twist. With the help of a GPS receiver or mobile device, you and your family can hunt for and find treasures, called geocaches, anywhere in the world. This can be a weekend activity in your local area or a continual activity during a holiday anywhere in the world.

Geocache locations are recorded online with their specific global coordinates so that others can find them. There are over 1,532,000 geocaches in the world in over 100 different countries, and so there are certainly several near you!

A geocache is a waterproof container that holds a logbook where geocachers enter their codename and date they found the geocache. They also contain some kind of small “treasure” such as a toy, ornamental object, unusual coin, CD, or book. There are also treasures that can be tracked online as they travel from place to place, such as Travel Bugs or Geocoins. A treasure may even have a specific goal, such as to be placed in a certain cache far away, or to go to a certain country. (Or course, dangerous or offensive items such as weapons and pornography are not allowed to be used as geocaches.) Treasures are usually meant to be taken and replaced with a treasure of your own.

Some geocaches can be complicated to find because they are in hard-to-reach places, such as on the top of a mountain or underwater. Other caches require you to solve a puzzle in order to find their location. Other caches are “virtual,” meaning that they do not contain the traditional box, but another object of interest that you must take a picture with and email back to the cache hider.

This is a fun travel activity for the family that always provides new surprises! Best of all, it’s free to register if you already have a mobile device. For more information, check out the geocaching website at www.geocaching.com.

This post was written by Jan Pierce, a 4th grade teacher who has over 20 years of experience in the classroom. Her interests include educational technology and online learning. She also owns the site Elementary Education Degree for students interested in earning a degree in elementary education.

Cruises aren’t just for honeymooners and retirees anymore. More cruise lines are creating very family friendly amenities to their ships, such as family suites and child-oriented activities. You can find last minute cruises here, but which destinations work best for families? Below are five of the top destinations for cruising with your kids.

1. Alaska

The wild state of Alaska still has that frontier feel that will expose your children to animals, nature, and the outdoors in the most exciting way possible. The ships will typically have nature experts on board who can provide fun and educational experiences for your children as they learn about the true wilderness. On shore activities will generally include hiking on glaciers, kayaking, and other ways to explore Alaska’s treasures up close.

2. Hawaii

If you prefer warmer climes, then Hawaii might be the natural choice for you family. The breadth and beauty of the nature you’ll all see while cruising around the Hawaiian islands is another terrific experience. Here, the type of flora and fauna will be completely different from the Alaskan cold, but not less impressive. The massive waterfalls and beaches provide a variety of physical outings, like surfing, swimming, and hiking, that kids will love.

3. United States

Most Cruise Ships have great Kids Activities

There are loads of cruising options around the United States. Whether you find a new way to see New England, follow in the footsteps of Mark Twain down the Mississippi, or soak up the sun in the Gulf Coast. You can keep an international flavor as well by finding a cruise deals that will also take the family along the coasts of Canada or Mexico, depending on where your U.S. starting point is.

4. Australia

Cruising around Australia is a great option and can provide both an outdoors and city experience. Having this range of variety of places to see and activities can be particularly helpful if your children (and perhaps your spouse) have varying interests. This way, everyone has something to get excited about. Visiting Australia by cruise ship will also give you a fascinating way to see the Great Barrier Reef, along with on-board experts.

5. Galapagos Islands

For the family that does want a deep wildlife experience and wants to visit foreign, exotic lands, then the Galapagos Islands may be the perfect fit. The cruise ships visiting this area tend to be smaller, which creates a more personal experience. The animals on the islands (with some of its creatures existing no where else in the world) have no fear of humans, which allows children a truly personal interaction with them. The ships will have naturist experts leading the educational activities. There is also generally a good range of leisure activities, such as snorkeling, diving, and glass bottom boating.

For more information visit – http://www.cruiseabout.com.au/