Little Tikes is having a Dog Days of Summer Sale with huge savings on many outdoor toys including pools, playgrounds and bounce houses.  If you’ve been thinking of getting a bounce house for your kids, this just might be the sale you’ve been waiting for!
We rented a bounce house for my triplets’ 3rd and 4th birthdays, and both times it was a huge hit!  Even our basset hound got in on the fun when she tried multiple times to climb in the bounce house with the kids!  Check out the pictures below of Winnie trying to climb in!  Luckily, her …read more

Holy smokes does this toy look like fun!  I was searching for something unrelated on the Toys ‘R Us website when I spotted the new Teeter Twirl by Troxel Products. 
The Teeter Twirl is intended for kids ages 6 and up.  It’s not just a traditional see-saw.  The Teeter Twirl goes not just up and down, but it spins in circles, too.
The Teeter Twirl is just $59.99.  This seems like a great toy!  If you have the Teeter Twirl or have seen it in use before, leave a comment and share your opinions on it.  Is it really as cool as it …read more

That’s right, I said it, I love Monkey Joe’s. Now I know that this kind of place is a nightmare for some parents, but for me, I don’t mind it so much. If I can take my 3 kids to a place where they can run wild and get some much needed energy out, then I am all over that.
For those of you who have no idea what Monkey Joe’s is, it’s an inflatable dream place for kids. It just came to my town a couple of months ago and it is super super popular here. It’s basically a huge …read more

We met some friends this week at a new park in our area. A friend (hi, friend ) was so excited to share this find with us and all the kids. And the kids had a blast!
Have you been to a spray park (I’ve also heard them called a “sprayground”), yet? They seem to be popping up at parks in this part of the state, with one even expected soon at the park next to our house. With large, colorful structures shooting water out in all directions, they are an exciting attraction to the …read more

So, a friend spent a portion of this weekend participating in a blogathon to raise money for charity. At one point, she and another blogathoner (yes, I’m making up words, I think), started chatting about a game called Swingball. From what I gathered, it seemed similar to what I grew up with as Tetherball.
I remember Tetherball poles at one or two of the grade schools I attended, but I never remember it being a huge craze or anything. Certainly nothing like four-square. Baldman, however, remembered playing a few games in grade school. He says, “I …read more

Click to see my Legoland flickr album.
Ever since we moved to London in January, we’ve wanted to take our four-year-old to Legoland Windsor. My husband finally arranged to take the day off yesterday and off we went even though the skies were gray and it had poured heavily the entire night before. Legoland would NOT be a fun park in the rain because almost every attraction is outdoors. Luckily for us, the only drops of water we felt were from the many water-spraying rides!
As soon as we arrived at the front gates, our son was beyond excited. He …read more

Hsien’s post of the Playground at Kew Gardens inspired me to bring along a camera to shoot a few photos while visiting a local park.
We live in a city that is trying to revitalize its image and its city life. We’re not a hotbed of activity yet, but a few improvements have made a difference in our lives. For instance, the kids and I were able to spend a day with friends enjoying the Children’s Discovery Garden at Wegerzyn Gardens, which is one of the local metroparks.

As the summer heats up and the sun burns down on everything, remember to check all playground equipment before your kids climb on.
Jerry Tyler with the Benton-Franklin Health District said the older metal slides and swings are dangerous because they retain heat and can cause second and third degree burns to little kids.
“There could be metal rivets that can be hot. Even plastic slides can be an issue,” said Tyler.

Some of the more innovative playground equipment such as this one at the playground near me could definitely burn kids especially when they take off their …read more

Here are some pictures from the fantastic Climbers and Creepers playground at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London. I’d like to showcase playgrounds around the world. Won’t you share a few pics of your neighborhood playground or a special one you visited? (No identifying details needed if you’d prefer to keep your location secret!)

Click for larger images.