Category — traveling with kids
Lay-n-Go Activity Mat
H
ere’s a cool new product that looks like a real winner. It’s an activity mat and toy keeper and toy transporter all in one. It’s called the Lay-n-Go. It comes in a travel size and a much larger room size version. I recently got to road test the travel sized version with my favorite 6 year old boy. My cutie-pie nephew has a collection of Beyblades and Legos toys that he was finally able to take with him to a restaurant thanks to the Lay-n-go. The size was perfect to lay out on the table to keep him busy with his favorite toys. Once the food arrived, it was easy to just swoop it up in an instant and set it aside with all the toys contained. We could tuck it into little sister’s diaper bag, or just carry it by its handle on the side.
This is a great idea for long road trips to keep those precious items close and contained when kids are stuck in their car seats for hours, or on an airplane. It was made of a very sturdy and durable material and looks like it would last for many years of being toted around. There is a pocket that can be used to tuck in the string once you have cinched it closed to contain the toys. We gave this product two thumbs up! Get it at Amazon: Lay-n-Go
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March 29, 2012 Comments Off
Jacobs Ladder String Figure
Were you one of those kids who taught all the other kids how to do Jacob’s Ladder? Remember how happy you were when you could finally do it? Now it’s years later and you can’t remember how — so, here are the instructions so you can teach your kids step by step along with a video for the demonstration of those tricky parts. This is a great activity to play in the car on a trip to keep the kids busy hours. Have fun!
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March 28, 2012 Comments Off
Rolling Reviews from the Backseat – Dr Doom’s Fear Fall
The most thrilling ride for me at the Universal Studios Theme Park was in the Islands of Adventure park, and it is called Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall. You enter the ride with your party and are isolated from the other riders. Before the ride begins, a scary voice comes on and tells you that all safety protocol will be ignored. Then shoots you straight up into the air at what seems like a million miles an hour, and as soon as it gets to the top it shoots you downwards faster than gravity can pull you.
I had a great deal of fun trying to convince my younger sisters to go on it with me. They were terrified at first, but after they went on it once they each went four more times. The ride is very intimidating to look at but it is a blast to go on. The lines were also very short when we went with little to no waiting for a seat. The view at the top of the ride is also outstanding, with the whole park in front of you and the beautiful Florida landscape behind you. I highly recommend this ride to anyone who is looking for thrills at this park.
Keep reading for lots of tips on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal Studios theme parks.
NOTE FROM ROAD TRIP MOM: This is a review by my road trip son! He’s helping me out with his own backseat opinions on some of our recent travels. Let’s give him a hand!
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February 8, 2012 Comments Off
Rolling Reviews from the Backseat: Rip Ride Rock-It Rollercoaster
By The Back Seat Reviewer — Road Trip Mom’s Daughter!
On my recent trip to Universal studios, one of the most thrilling and original rides in the park was the Hollywood Rip Ride Rock-It. This bright red roller coaster covered in dazzling florescent lights could be seen from anywhere in the park. The fun starts the moment you get to the front of the line. Immediately after you sit down and pull your seat belt across your lap, you have 30 seconds to choose a song from a variety of music. Choices range from music by Fergie, to songs like I Will Survive; so everyone can get a song they know. If you don’t pick your song before the ride starts, on is picked for you. The song you picked will play out of speakers by your ears throughout your ride.
Unlike most roller coasters that have a steady incline that brings you to the top of the first hill, the Rock-It saves space with a vertical climb to the top of the park, followed by an equally frightening near-vertical drop. After that comes a series of stomach churning loop de loops and cork screw turns that rip through the park. The whole time your face is being recorded by a camera on the back of the seat in front of you so that when the ride is over, you have an opportunity to view and purchase your own music video. The only problem is that because this is one of the most popular rides in the park, the line gets extremely long and there is no express line, so getting there early is a must. All and all this an amazing ride that anyone who love roller coasters and music should be sure to ride.
Keep reading for lots of tips on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal Studios theme parks.
NOTE FROM ROAD TRIP MOM: This is a review by one of my road trip daughters! She and her sister are becoming regulars on my website with their product reviews and backseat opinions.
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January 30, 2012 1 Comment
Rolling Reviews from the Backseat: Dragon Challenge
By The Back Seat Reviewer — Road Trip Mom’s Daughter!
Don’t miss the Dragon Challenge Roller Coaster in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. As you walk through the Forbidden Forest trail, past Hagrid’s Hut, Ron’s beat up old car, and visit the Goblet of Fire, you can catch a glimpse of the two dragons. Choose either the red or the blue dragon and strap in! The best seats are either the front half or the very back. Your feet dangle off as you ride your dragon through twists and turns. The scariest part is when you flip upside down and pass within a yard or two of the other dragon and it looks like you’re going to crash with the other roller coaster!
This happens several times and the passengers of each dragon scream! While you are up at the top, you can see the entire park and all of Hogsmeade. This ride is very fun for those who love a wild ride.
Keep reading for lots of tips on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal Studios theme parks.
NOTE FROM ROAD TRIP MOM: This is a review by one of my road trip daughters! She and her sister are becoming regulars on my website with their product reviews and backseat opinions.
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January 19, 2012 1 Comment
Geography Car Game
The geography game is super easy to play. You simply take turns naming different cities, states or countries around the world. The only catch is that when it’s your turn, your geography point must begin with the same letter that the last person’s ended. Simple! If you have an atlas in the car, this game will have your kids scouring through it and learning new places.
Devra, my friend and frequent road-trip cohort from Parentopia.com, has played this game with her family (and me) for years. But somehow it always seems to me like there are a lot of geography points that start AND end with the letter A — Alaska, Alabama, Alameda, Australia, Angola, Argentina, Albania, … see what I mean? Next time I’m on a roadtrip with them, I’m using “Arkansas” as my secret weapon. If you can’t spell it, you won’t know that it ends in an “S”! And if that doesn’t get them, then I’ll try “Albuquerque.” Ha!
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January 12, 2012 Comments Off
Holiday Printable Coloring Pages
On road trips, or just hanging out, kids love to color! I found a website that has some of the cutest printable materials I’ve ever seen online. It’s called Python Printables.
Check out their Holiday printable coloring pages (This link includes a $5 coupon when you download along with their free printable pages to use with their premium products later if you want). They have lots of different holidays and other events to keep your kids busy and creative!
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December 2, 2011 Comments Off
Broken Bone Vacation Relief
Answer: Breaking BOTH arms! (OUCH!)
But never fear, this little cutie’s summer has been saved. Read my article, Cast Relief, to see how our friend managed to find some relief for her cast torture, and save her summer vacation!
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July 12, 2011 Comments Off
Got Butterbeer?
What is Butterbeer? It’s what wizards drink!
Enjoy our review of Butterbeer from Universal’s Islands of Adventure Theme Park where we traveled to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and got to drink this tasty treat by the barrel. Here you can read what it tastes like, if it was any good, what all the fuss is about regarding this potent potion.
Please CLICK HERE to read the FULL ARTICLE on our review of Butterbeer!
Cheers!
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February 22, 2011 1 Comment
We Loved Wizard World!
We did it! We visited Universal Orlando’s two wonderful theme parks which included The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We toured the parks for two and a half days over Thanksgiving weekend 2010, and had a fantastic time. I have to admit that my wonderful travel companions (my three kids) made the trip a joy forever.
We learned a lot during our visit, and I have written up an article full of tips to help other families enjoy their trips there as well. Please check out my full article about Universal Orlando Tips and Advice – A few tips to make your visit to Universal Theme Parks and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter More Enjoyable!
Read the full article here: http://www.momsminivan.com/universal_orlando_tips.html
Also see the review we wrote for Butter Beer from the Wizarding World.
We hope you enjoy the parks as much as we did!
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February 17, 2011 3 Comments
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