Archives for May 2015

Summer Family Fun: Top 5 Tips …

May 26, 2015 By admin

Its no secret that my daughter and I love a fun amusement park. With trips to Victorian Gardens, Adventureland, Hershey Park, and Sesame Place under her belt, I knew she would love a visit to nearby Coney Island. I had not been to the famed boardwalk town since pre-Hurricane Sandy so I was equally excited for our staycation day trip. Read on for my Top 5 Tips for Visiting Coney Island.

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Summer Family Fun: Top 5 Tips for Visiting Coney Island

1 – Plan time for rides. I’m sure its no surprise that rides top my list of tips for visiting Coney Island. Kids of all ages will have hours of fun with a choice of several options including Luna Park, Deno’s WonderWheel Amusement Park, the B&B Carousell and the famed Cyclone. I found these smaller parks very managable, since the rides were very close together and it was pretty easy to navigate. If you want a ride that swings, speeds, bumps, spins upside down or just swivels, you’ll find it here. And, if you’re traveling with toddlers, there are quite a few slower kiddie rides. I love that you can purchase rides with several options ranging from a la carte to all-you-can-ride wristbands, and I also appreciate that non-riders can enter the amusement parks for free.

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Summer Family Fun: Top 5 Tips for Visiting Coney Island

2 – Save room for food. Coney Island is home to famed Nathan’s Famous hot dogs and they never disappoint. If you’re looking for something indoors, try Applebee’s or the new Wahlburgers (yes, Mark, Donnie, and Paul Wahlberg own this burger hotspot). There are plenty of boardwalk restaurants, bars and snack shops (think funnel cakes, ice cream and everything fried, oh my…) and specialty stores like Piece of Velvet (cupcakes and cakes) and IT’SUGAR (a candy lovers delight). And, Coney Smorgasburg launched last weekend…so there is no shortage of good eats.

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Summer Family Fun: Top 5 Tips for Visiting Coney Island

3 – Find the perfect activity for each kid. Coney Island really has something for everyone. If you’ve got baseball fans, check out a Brooklyn Cyclones game, some of which feature fireworks and character meetings. There are old school arcade games (yes, Zoltar!), amusement park games, circus shows and kids and adults will love a detour to the nearby New York Aquarium.

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Summer Family Fun: Top 5 Tips for Visiting Coney Island

4 – Pack your beach gear. Coney Island boasts nearly three miles of family friendly beach. Bring a cooler and chairs and stay for the day or just take a quick dip and get back on the rides. With courts for beach volleyball, handball, and basketball as well as playgrounds, the beach and boardwalk offer up hours of entertainment for families. Don’t forget the sunscreen and other family friendly beach essentials.

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Summer Family Fun: Top 5 Tips for Visiting Coney Island

5 – Check out the special events schedule before you visit. From the famous Mermaid Parade and Luna Park’s SuperHero Day to circus performances, fireworks and karaoke, Coney Island’s summer schedule is packed with fun for the whole family.

Special thanks to the Alliance for Coney Island for inviting us to participate in Coney Island Family Blogger Day. All opinions are my own. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

New York Baby Show – My …

May 19, 2015 By admin

I attended the 2015 New York Baby Show this past weekend and I’m here to share my favorite picks for on-the-go babies and toddlers. If you haven’t been to this family-friendly event, its a great opportunity for expecting and new parents to test out baby products, attend seminars, ask the experts some questions and win prizes.

Here’s a recap of my favorite finds for strolling, snacking, sleeping and skincare…

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New York Baby Show – My favorite picks for on the go babies and toddlers…

Strolling – Umbrella strollers are a must for traveling but they inevitably fall over when you’ve got a bag on the handlebars and the passenger gets out. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had this happen to me! I loved learning about two new inventions to prevent this age old problem. Hatch Things SureShop bags are lightweight clip on bags that attach to one handlebar and the stroller’s side. Use one or two to stow up to 10 pounds of baby supplies, groceries and anything else (on each side) while keeping your stroller put. They also work on suitcases and bicycles making them a great accessory for traveling. Another option to solve this problem is to strap Buggy Balance weights above the front wheels. The three-pound weights add just enough heft to balance 15 pounds of bags yet still allow the stroller to fold and function.

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New York Baby Show – My favorite picks for on the go babies and toddlers…

Snacking – Some of my favorite snack brands including Plum Organics and Happy Family were on hand sampling new squeezy pouch flavors and individually wrapped snack products that are perfect for travel. I loved the colorful ZoLi On The Go containers that hold formula (with a pour lid!) and snacks. I’m a big fan of reusable snack bags and the green sprouts snack bags come in perfect sizes and adorable styles. And, if you’re looking for a travel friendly booster seat, the Keekaroo Cafe Booster is a comfortable and easy to clean option that will also be handy for baseball games or Disney On Ice shows.

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New York Baby Show – My favorite picks for on the go babies and toddlers…

Sleeping – Sleeping while on vacation can be tough for kids of all ages. For babies, I was impressed with the weighted Nested Bean Zen Swaddle (and new sleep sack) that mimics a human touch. If you’re traveling with toddlers or bigger kids, I loved the portable Baby Home Side guard rail (available in a variety of colors with or without a rechargeable nightlight!). Whether you’re staying in a hotel or grandma’s house, this is a great way to ensure a good night’s sleep for everyone.

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New York Baby Show – My favorite picks for on the go babies and toddlers…

Skincare – Moms and kids need a lot of skin products but I love using multi-purpose balms when possible. Organic Shoosha Baby Diaper Butter with cocoa and coconut can also be be used as a moisturizer, lip balm, and sunburn cream making it a great pick for traveling. If you’re looking for baby friendly sunscreen, check out Babyganics sun care line which features creams (including single use tubes), sprays and easy to travel with sunscreen sticks.

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New York Baby Show – Momtrends Blogger Lounge (photo credit Momtrends)

All that walking around makes a girl tired so I was especially thankful that Momtrends hosted a comfy lounge area where bloggers could kick back and relax with lunch and pampering salon services from GlamSquad. If you’ve never heard of GlamSquad, they bring the pampering (nails, make up and hair) to you at home or away (think NYC, Miami and Los Angeles) in an easy to use app. See how glam we look!?!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and I received a media pass and gift bag. As usual, all opinions are my own. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

The Perfect Accessory for …

May 12, 2015 By admin

My daughter loves jewelry as much as the next girl but most of her treasured baubles fall into two categories – easy to break or too fancy for school. When we recently discovered the CHARM IT! collection of super adorable charms, bracelets and necklaces, we were both thrilled.

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The Perfect Accessory for Globetrotting Girls: CHARM IT! + Giveaway

In addition to being affordable at $5-6 a piece, the charms are rugged enough to wear every day but also dressy enough to wear for special occasions. Best of all, the charms are so cute and on trend with a fun mix of colorful pieces (some with glitter and acrylic stones) that connect to the bracelets and necklaces with easy to open clasps. Best of all, mini fashion designers can personalize their own necklaces and bracelets with hundreds of charms inspired by fashion, food, travel, animals, hobbies, sports, characters and more.

Since charm bracelets (and necklaces) are a great souvenir to remember favorite vacations, I asked my daughter to pick her favorite travel inspired charms and she chose a Yellow Taxi, Palm Tree, Pink Eiffel Tower, Pink Camera and the Love to Travel Suitcase. I surprised her with it on our recent trip to Miami and she attached the charms to the necklace with a bit of help. Look how cute it turned out…

The Perfect Accessory for Globetrotting Girls: CHARM IT! + Giveaway

I think CHARM IT! bracelets and necklaces are a great gift to remember a trip, celebrate a birthday or commemorate a special occasion. The charms can also be used as a reward for kids or to celebrate something special in their lives (lost tooth, good test score, first concert, etc.). If you’re looking for a personalized children’s gift that won’t break the bank, CHARM IT! bracelets and necklaces will not disappoint.

The Perfect Accessory for Globetrotting Girls: CHARM IT! + Giveaway

Do you have a mini-globetrotter? Enter to win the adorable CHARM IT! LOVE TO TRAVEL GIFT SET featuring an adjustable 7.5 inch bracelet, three glitzy charms and a rainbow keepsake box.

The Perfect Accessory for Globetrotting Girls: CHARM IT! + Giveaway

For additional entries, please leave separate comments for each of these four options:

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This giveaway is open to US residents and will run until midnight EST Friday May 29, 2015.

Good luck!

Congratulations to Marilyn Nawara!

I was not compensated for this post but we did receive a necklace for review purposes. All opinions are my own. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

Five Must Haves for Traveling …

May 5, 2015 By admin

In my five and a half years of parenting, THE most challenging, stressful and messy moments happened during the potty training phase. Potty training is no joke and the only thing worse than potty training at home is potty training on vacation. If you’ll be traveling while potty training, you’ll definitely want to pack these five essential items:

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Five Must Haves for Traveling While Potty Training

Five Must Haves for Traveling While Potty Training:

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Five Must Haves for Traveling While Potty Training

1) A portable potty is a must for trips to the park or on vacation. Every NYC mom keeps a 2-in-1 Potette Plus in her stroller basket for good reason. This ingenious invention can be used as a stand alone potty (just insert the special bag first) and can also sit atop toilet seats in public restrooms. It is a total life saver and I still keep one in my car to this day.

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Five Must Haves for Traveling While Potty Training

2) If you’re staying overnight at a hotel or friend’s house during your travels, your tots will feel at home when you bring along the Baby Bjorn Toilet Trainer. Baby Bjorn showcased their new travel friendly products at the recent Momtrends travel event and I loved this one because it has an adjustable dial underneath that ensures the seat will fit securely. I also like the splash guard because accidents happen…

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Five Must Haves for Traveling While Potty Training

3) The Piddle Pouch is a disposable, easy-to-use pee pee bag that can used anywhere. If you’ve got boys, you’ll want to keep some of these biodegradable bags in your diaper bag for last minute emergencies. Use, toss and go – these are perfect for city moms and travelers. Invented by a mom of two boys, of course…

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Five Must Haves for Traveling While Potty Training

4) Accidents that happen at night in a hotel room are way worse than nighttime accidents that happen at home. Depending on your child’s potty training progress, be sure to bring along Pull Ups, GoodNites and training underwear.

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Five Must Haves for Traveling While Potty Training

5) Last but not least, don’t even think about forgetting the flushable wipes when you travel. Put some of your favorites in a ziploc for the trip or pack these Kandoo flushable wipes in a perfect travel size case.

Happy travels!

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Globetrotting Mommy: 2015 …

May 1, 2015 By admin

Mother’s day is coming up (May 10 in the United States) so don’t wait till the last minute to get your mom (wife or grandma) a great Mother’s Day present. Of course the best gifts are handmade so have your kiddo make a card or candy necklace to go along with one of these picks from my 2015 Mother’s Day Gift Guide.