Just for Girls Archives - Page 10 of 19

April Showers Bring May …

April 8, 2015 By admin

April has arrived so get your umbrellas ready. Whether you’ll be traveling abroad or to school pick up, here are my best umbrellas for kids picks.

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April Showers Bring May Flowers: Best Umbrellas for Kids

For the little ladies:

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April Showers Bring May Flowers: Best Umbrellas for Kids

1) I think this totes Kids Dot Bubble Umbrella would bring some sunshine on a rainy day. I especially love that its see-through so kids can watch where they’re walking…

2) Skip Hop is known for their toddler friendly zoo collection of backpacks, lunch sets, luggage, bedding and more. This adorable ladybug umbrella will make everyone smile.

3) Crafty girls will love decorating this ALEX Toys Craft Color A Funbrella. The kit includes a 24-inch wacky umbrella with six pre-printed line art panels and weatherproof markers.

4) The MoMA Store has some really fun umbrellas for grown-ups and kids. This kids’s sky umbrella is a cheery choice and I love that it coordinates with the adult version.

For the little gents:

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April Showers Bring May Flowers: Best Umbrellas for Kids

1) Kidorable is known for their rainwear collections (raincoats, umbrellas and boots, oh my!) and pirate loving boys (or girls) will love this pirate umbrella‘s fun sword handle.

2) Sporty kids will love this Soccerball Gripster Umbrella featuring a soccer ball handle. It also comes in basketball or baseball prints.

3) Everything’s cooler in camo – even on rainy days with J. Crew’s Boys’ Camo Umbrella.

4) Kids love wearing their favorite characters and every little Despicable Me fan I know will love this happy little Minion Umbrella.

Good luck staying dry out there…

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If you’ve got a daughter who loves to travel, cook and play with dolls, today is your lucky day! If you don’t already know, each year American Girl introduces a Girl of the Year and the 2015 American Girl doll, Grace Thomas, is my favorite one yet.

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Globetrotting Girls: Meet Grace, the 2015 American Girl Doll

Grace is an enthusiastic girl who loves to bake with friends and invent new recipes. A trip to Paris inspires her to try new things – including turning her passion for baking into a business. Oh la la! I love that she encourages young girls to see the world but I also love that she encourages girls to help hungry kids by hosting bake sales with the For Goodness Bake program.

As always, a whole array of clothing, accessories and books have been introduced for Grace (and girls) including Parisian inspired accessories, chic outfits, a cute travel set and a tres magnifique (and tres expensive) French Bakery. My five-year old daughter and Grace have become fast friends. They practice counting in French, compare charm bracelets, read and bake together. Grace enjoys exploring NYC with us and my daughter enjoys styling Grace’s hair and outfits.

To encourage girls to get baking, American Girl is teaming up with Sur La Table stores nationwide to offer American Girl at Sur La Table: Make & Bake French Treats classes this April and May. In these special two-hour cooking classes, young bakers learn the fundamentals: following recipes, measuring, mixing and working safely in the kitchen. Girls get hands-on in the kitchen, learning the chefs’ secrets for making French pastry favorites including apple tarts, chocolate éclairs and Eiffel Tower cookies. Every girl gets to take home a goodie bag, including an American Girl apron and a cookie cutter from Sur La Table so they can continue their baking adventures at home.

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Globetrotting Girls: Meet Grace, the 2015 American Girl Doll

My daughter and I attended a preview of this baking class in NYC and it was super adorable and yummy. How cute are these Eiffel Tower cookies?

Globetrotting Girls: Meet Grace, the 2015 American Girl Doll

Spots are going fast so reserve your space in the April and May classes online.

Special thanks to American Girl and Sur La Table for a providing us with a complimentary doll and baking class. As always, all opinions are my own. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

Family Friendly Circus Fun: …

March 31, 2015 By admin

I love seeing shows that are fun for the whole family so when I heard that Flip FabriQue, a circus troupe from Quebec, was coming to NYC I knew we were in for a treat. We previewed their fun filled Catch Me! performance at the New Victory Theater this weekend and it was AMAZING!

Here are my top ten favorite things about seeing Catch Me! (Attrappe-moi) at the New Victory Theater…

1) Talented aerialists and acrobats. These six young performers do not rely on fancy costumes or technical wonders, the wow factors here are their amazingly strong bodies and choreographed moves. Trust me when I say you will be saying “Wow!” out loud.

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Family Friendly Circus Fun: Catch Me! at the New Victory Theater. Photo credit: Flip FabriQue.

2) Incredible juggling acts. I’ve never seen a kid who wasn’t amused by juggling and Catch Me!’s juggling acts had adults and kids giggling away.

3) Great music. From ballads and guitar playing to Copacabana and I Like to Move It, the music is just as entertaining as the performers!

Family Friendly Circus Fun: Catch Me! at the New Victory Theater

4) Awesome family friendly facilities. The New Victory Theater offers everything families need including stroller parking, free lockers, a gift shop and play area, concessions stand (with healthy snacks) and large padded booster seats that don’t slide off.

5) The tramp-o-wall act will blow you away. The performers look like Spiderman as they fly through the air, jump into windows and bounce up from the trampoline along the set’s wall and rooftop. Its amazing.

Family Friendly Circus Fun: Catch Me! at the New Victory Theater. Photo credit: Flip FabriQue.

6) Whether the performers are jumping into sleeping bags, bouncing on big yoga balls or racing to finish popsicles, humorous moments abound. The performers are friends in real life and you can feel their camaraderie on stage.

7) Full body hula hooping! The sole female performer stole the show with her amazing hula hoop act that used every limb of her body.

8) The theater is near Times Square but the 42nd street entrance means you can easily avoid the maddening crowds, naked and furry characters and touristy candy meccas if you want to.

9) Affordable family fun. With tickets starting at $10 for members (and $15 for non-members), CATCH ME! is a very affordable option compared to traditional and adult-oriented circus shows.

Family Friendly Circus Fun: Catch Me! at the New Victory Theater

10) Stay for the after party! The cast members signed programs after our performance and there was a separate room outfitted with hula hoops, juggling games and a large chalk board for kids to play.

Family Friendly Circus Fun: Catch Me! at the New Victory Theater

CATCH ME! (Attrape-moi) has a running time of 75 minutes with no intermission, and is recommended for everyone ages 5 and up. Catch them this spring (through April 19) before they head off to Europe and Australia. Visit the New Victory website for ticketing and other information.

I received complimentary tickets but all opinions are my own. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

Top Five Kid Friendly …

March 20, 2015 By admin

This seemed to be the longest winter EVER so I’m really excited that spring arrives today. If you’re looking for something different to celebrate the arrival of spring over the next few weeks, here are my top five kid friendly activities to celebrate spring…

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Top Five Kid Friendly Activities to Celebrate Spring

1) Spring means colorful flowers and kids of all ages will be amazed by the creations at the 2015 Macy’s flower show Art in Bloom opening this weekend (through April 4). If you’re in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Minneapolis, or San Francisco you’ll definitely want to check out this free show. Last year’s show was amazing so I can’t wait to see it this year.

2) Hersheypark is a great spot for family fun and their Springtime in The Park weekends are set for April 3-5 and 11-12. We took a road trip there last spring and its a great time to go without major crowds or heat waves. Check out my Hersheypark Review here.

3) For adventure seeking families in New York, Luna Park in Coney Island’s season opener is Sunday, March 29. Festivities begin at the famous 88-year-old coaster, the Cyclone with an egg-cream christening at 11:45 am. The first 100 guests ride free so be sure to arrive early.

4) New York’s 2015 International Children’s Film Festival wraps up this weekend so come check out a kid friendly flick or attend the family friendly closing night celebration.

5) If you follow me on social media, you know my daughter and I attended a preview of Cinderella last week with The Moms and we LOVED it. If you’re looking for a must-see spring movie that will charm girls of all ages, this version of Disney’s Cinderella does not disappoint. The costumes are amazing, the actors and actresses are perfectly cast and even though you know the story, this live action film keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. And, if you’ve got a Frozen fan, the Frozen Fever short beforehand is super cute.

What are your plans to celebrate the arrival of spring?

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Travel Inspired Decor for …

March 11, 2015 By admin

If you’re decorating a nursery or kids room this spring, here are five of my favorite travel inspired decor finds.

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How fun is this iron Pottery Barn Kids USA Shelf for a kids room or playroom?

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Decorating Finds for Travel Inspired Nurseries and Kids Rooms

I love seeing globes in kids rooms and this Land of Nod Chalk Around the World Globe (in gold, red or blue) is a great way for kids to draw continents or write to-do notes.

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Decorating Finds for Travel Inspired Nurseries and Kids Rooms

These airplane shaped Can’t Miss Wall Hooks are a fun way to help kids hang their coats and backpacks.

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Decorating Finds for Travel Inspired Nurseries and Kids Rooms

I just ordered this fun “Oh the places you’ll go!” print for my daughter’s room. I’m loving pink and gold for a girly girls room.

Decorating Finds for Travel Inspired Nurseries and Kids Rooms

These giant floor pillows from Etsy come in different sizes and configurations featuring spots all over the world. I think this North America bean bag pillow would be super fun in a playroom or nursery.

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For more inspiration, check out my Fun Nursery and Kids Room Ideas board on Pinterest.

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Traveling Toys: LeapPad3 …

March 3, 2015 By admin

We’re big LeapFrog fans so when we were asked to review the LeapPad3, I knew my daughter would be up for the challenge.

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Traveling Toys: LeapPad3 Review

I occasionally let her use electronic gadgets at home but when we travel I let her use them as much as she wants on the plane or in the car. We had a 6+ hour road trip planned so I charged it up and surprised her with it as soon as she uttered, “Are we there yet?”.

She was immediately drawn to its child friendly size and cuteness (pretty in pink) and loved the attached stylus (brilliant!). With very little prompting, she was figuring out the various games, apps, videos and camera while learning how to control the stylus and touchscreen. She happily followed each game’s voice instructions and I happily had some uninterrupted time! Win win.

Traveling Toys: LeapPad3 Review

As with other LeapFrog products, the games are fun AND educational. While she was playing she was also learning math, reading and other problem solving skills. My daughter is in Kindergarden and it seemed like she was able to play with every game at various levels. Best of all, the games automatically adjusted to her skill level so there was never any frustration. It comes with 10 preloaded apps and hundreds more are available to download from the LeapFrog library featuring characters from Disney, Nick. Jr., Sesame Street and more. FYI, the games and apps can add up but if you have other LeapPad products your purchases can be shared by up to three devices.

She especially liked a Barbie game where you matched rhyming words, a puzzle game that involved a bit of geometry, the camera app and seeing her favorite shows like Paw Patrol. There was plenty to do without using Wi-Fi but older kids might enjoy playing with their friends online and chatting with other kids who have LeapPads.

I was really impressed with the LeapPad3’s rechargeable battery life (don’t forget to pack the charger) and overall sturdiness. My daughter loved playing with it and I loved that I didn’t have to worry about her venturing off into YouTube videos or deleting my files. The recommended age is 3-9 but I think 4-6 year olds will enjoy it the most. If you’ve got a long trip with little kids coming up, the LeapPad3 makes a great travel companion.

Thanks to LeapFrog for providing us with the LeapPad3. As usual, all opinions are my own. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

Great Gift Ideas for …

February 19, 2015 By admin

If you’re looking for a cute gift for a globetrotting friend, mom or jet set girl, check out this adorable Landmark Ring Dish from Anthropologie featuring a tiny Eiffel Tower.

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Great Gift Idea for Globetrotting Gals

Just stack your rings onto the Eiffel Tower while you do the dishes, change a diaper, or help with an art project and they will be safe and sound when you’re ready to put them back on. Oh la la, perfect!

If you’re shopping for someone dreaming of an African safari, this glitzy Giraffe Trinket Dish would be a big hit.

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Great Gift Ideas for Globetrotting Gals

Enjoy!

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7 A.M. Enfant Introduces …

February 12, 2015 By admin

Urban kids love to ride their scooters all year long (ok maybe not during blizzards) but that can be a real challenge when temps drop. If getting your kids to wear their gloves is a daily battle like it is with my daughter, you (and your kids) are going to love Kids WarMMuffs™ from 7 A.M. Enfant.

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New Winter Must Have for Scooter Loving Kids from 7 A.M. Enfant

You see the cozy and stylish 7 A.M. Enfant Foot Muffs, car seat covers and stroller WarMuffs all over town but this winter, they’ve introduced Kids WarMMuffs™, seriously one of the best kiddie winter accessories I’ve ever seen.

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New Winter Must Have for Scooter Loving Kids from 7 A.M. Enfant

Available in two sizes, these super insulated kid sized WarMMuffs™ feature a velcro closure that allows the muffs to stay on scooter (or bike) handlebars while allowing kids to hold the handlebars at the same time. My daughter has been using them this winter and they are a huge hit. She loves how cozy they feel and I love that I don’t have to worry about any lost mittens. Win win! Her hands stay warm and cozy and she also thinks they make her go a little faster…

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Thanks 7 A.M. Enfant for letting little and big kids get in on your stylish coziness this winter. Now if they would just design some cool parkas for moms…

I received a pair of Kids WarMMuffs™ for review purposes. As always, all opinions are mine. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

Family Vacation Trends: …

February 10, 2015 By admin

If you (or your husband or kids) have a hard time relaxing sans electronics on vacation, the new Digital Detox program at Mexico’s Grand Velas Resorts is here to help.

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Family Vacation Trends: Mexico’s Grand Velas Resorts Introduce Digital Detox Program

To encourage families to power down this year and spend quality time together, Mexico’s Grand Velas Resorts in Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit boast a Detox Concierge who will “cleanse” all electronics from the guest suite and replace them with classic board games. They will also keep the family’s electronic gadgets (iPads, phones, laptops, etc.) locked away for safe keeping. In exchange for trading-in their electronics, guests receive a bracelet that guarantees them access to a choice of activities including: bike tour, ecological tour, snorkeling and facials and massages!

Bye, bye email, hello relaxation! Move over juicing…massages and facials sound like my kind of cleanse. If you’ve got a workaholic, Instagram addict or a texting-obsessed teen in your family, this would be a great option. And don’t worry, after earning four activities in four days, the detox is complete.

In addition to the detox activities, guests at both resorts can also enjoy complimentary activities like yoga, kayaking, beach picnics and campfire sessions. Both hotels feature luxury suite accommodations with all-inclusive meals, beverages and amenities making them a great option for a family getaway. Beautiful beaches await so visit Velas Resorts to power down reconnect on your next family getaway.

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Spotlight on NYC: Once Upon A …

February 4, 2015 By admin

Taking in the endless cultural opportunities in NYC with my daughter is one of our favorite things. Over the past few years, we’ve experienced a lot of the traditional winter holiday activities and this year I introduced my daughter to the New York Theatre Ballet’s Once Upon A Ballet series which kicked off with The Nutcracker.

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Spotlight on NYC: New York Theatre Ballet’s Once Upon a Ballet Series. Photo by Richard Termine

If you think your little ballerina is too young for the ballet, think again. The Once Upon A Ballet series is the perfect opportunity to introduce young children to classic ballet favorites in kid-friendly one-hour performances. This was just enough time for my five-year old to be mesmerized by the costumes and entertained by the dancing and not quite long enough to get hungry or bored. Win-win!

Upon entering Florence Gould Hall, kids are greeted by young dancers handing out programs, crayons and activity sheets. The venue is very comfortable and every seat is a good one even if there is a tall dad right in front of you! I was happy to see that I was surrounded by lots of parents with small children (no judgements here) and my daughter was equally excited to see all the little girls (and boys) dressed up in their holiday outfits.

When the first dancers came on stage, my daughter stared in awe. As the story progressed, she asked questions, commented on the costumes and delighted in the international parade of sweets. We especially enjoyed watching the super cute junior ballerinas.

This weekend kicks off the ballet’s second show, Cinderella (February 7-8). If you’ve got a princess lover, this one is sure to please. We’ll be at the Sunday morning show so come say “hi.”

Next up, GOOSE! (March 7-8) which showcases various Mother Goose characters and Carnival of the Animals (June 6-7) about a shaggy lion and other animals in a magical forest.

If you’ve got a tiny dancer, you’ll definitely want to check these performances out!

Showtimes are 11 am, 1 pm and 3:30 pm so you won’t have a problem working around nap times. Tickets are $40 for adults and $35 for children and are available online at www.nytb.org, via Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787, or in person at the Florence Gould Hall box office.

If you’re looking for kid-friendly stops before or after, the theater is walking distance from Serendipity 3, Dylan’s Candy Bar, FAO Schwartz, Eloise at the Plaza, Central Park Zoo and many other attractions.

Thanks to the New York Theatre Ballet for providing our tickets. As always, all opinions are my own. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!