Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Yearly Archives: 2013

Tips for Camping with Toddlers

Tips for Camping with Toddlers

A couple of summers ago I wrote a post about camping with infants.  But now that I’m the proud mama to a stubborn passionate 3 year old, that old archived camping post is way outdated for our family.  Nowadays, nights in a tent look far different than they did back then!  In some ways, this makes things MUCH easier (ie, we all get more sleep!).  In other ways, some camping activities are a lot more stressful (ie campfires).  If your kiddo is one of the lucky ones that got exposed to camping early and often, transitioning to toddler camping is…Read the rest of this entry →

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Soft Star: Minimalist Shoes for Toddlers (and GIVEAWAY!)

Soft Star: Minimalist Shoes for Toddlers (and GIVEAWAY!)

A while back I wrote a post on why you should let your kids run around barefoot.  Basically it boils down to the fact that bare feet is what nature intended, and that allowing your child some “sans shoes” time is a key component to healthy foot development.  However, unless you spend all your days living in a warm-weathered hippie commune, there will be plenty of situations where appropriate footwear is not only recommended, but required.  But just because your toddlers preschool enforces a shoe policy doesn’t mean that his/her tootsies have to feel cramped and restricted all day long.…Read the rest of this entry →

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Pooping in the Woods, Broken Bones…oh, and a little bit of climbing too.

Pooping in the Woods, Broken Bones…oh, and a little bit of climbing too.

Despite how crazy it sounds, that title pretty much sums up our Father’s Day weekend trip to the New River Gorge.   Here’s the specifics: POOPING IN THE WOODS:  (Ok, so non-parents you might want to just tune out for this first paragraph…)  For the past two weeks we’ve been kickin’ it local style while we went cold turkey with big boy underwear with C, and this was our first weekend trip sans diapers (maybe “sans” isn’t entirely accurate…I did have a large stash of pull-ups in my bag “just in case”).  But I am so proud to say that…Read the rest of this entry →

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Five Glories of Gardening…with Kids

Five Glories of Gardening…with Kids

Growing veggies, pulling weeds, digging for earthworms…the garden is a natural springboard for countless backyard adventures.  And the best part about it is that you don’t have to be a farmer or a professional landscaper to do it!  In fact, planting a garden is an activity the entire family can enjoy together.  If you think gardening with the kiddos might be too much work or that your family’s “green thumb” may have skipped a generation, here’s 5 reasons that will hopefully get you motivated to get yourself (and your kids) outside in the dirt this summer! 1.  APPRECIATION OF FOOD…Read the rest of this entry →

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Toddler Bikes and the GOOD Kind of Peer Pressure…

Toddler Bikes and the GOOD Kind of Peer Pressure…

While most of our family’s recreational pursuits tend to revolve around rock climbing, it’s probably also fair to say we’re pretty avid bikers, especially in warm weather.  With that in mind, a balance bike was one of the first things on C’s birthday list when he turned 2.  For those of you that are unfamiliar with balance bikes, the concept is quite simple – just a bike frame and two wheels – no gears, brakes, pedals, or training wheels.  The rider propels the bike forward with his/her feet – at first just standing over the bike and walking, and gradually…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN