Summer '19 “Dream! Explore! Do!”

This post in partnership with United Way's Allegheny Partners for Out-of- School Time (APOST).

Well, school has been out for a few weeks and my kids have already proved they can't exist in the same room because SOMEONE MIGHT BREATHE THEIR AIR. 😲 One of the best ways I've found to combat conflict and stress in the summer is LISTS. My kids have a list of things they have to do every morning. It includes cleaning their room, doing chores and daily reading. It helps them feel like they know what to do and accomplished when they've completed their morning list. Kids thrive on structure and knowing what is expected of them. Summer days can be really hard when routine looks different each day. So we try to keep on track with morning routine and then plan something fun for the afternoons!

A list that is even more fun for your family to create is a Summer Bucket List. 

Some of the things on our family list this summer:

✅Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

✅cooling off at Sandcastle

✅free summer night movie with Cinema in the Park

✅family bike ride

Print off the Bucket List below and have fun with your kids checking various activities off the list!

Once again this summer, I am partnering with Mayor William Peduto, Allegheny Executive Rich Fitzgerald, the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania's Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) and various child-serving organizations are teaming up for Summer19 Dream! Explore! Do! The youth-centered campaign will provide thousands of local children, grades K-12, with fun, educational learning activities. 

Summer19 partners hope to boost academic performance, promote physical health and provide a safe, structured environment for youth through meaningful summer learning programming. Research shows that participation in summer activities can improve classroom behavior, school attendance, academic aspirations and reduce the summer learning slide. So while summer is a fun way to break away from our typical routines, it also provides opportunities to learn in new and creative environments.  

Bottom line, we as parents know that education continues through the summer, but that doesn't keep us from having FUN while continuing to learn. 

One of the best resources we in the Pittsburgh region is the Summer19 website. It gives you thousands of opportunities all around our region. As soon as your kids offer those famous summer words "I'm bored", you'll know exactly where to look for some fun! Check the Summer19 website throughout the summer for opportunities around the city. 

This summer, as you and your kids are out exploring and completing your Summer Bucket List, share your photos with us and tag #APOST on Facebook & Twitter! 

Join with us this summer as we......

Dream! Explore! Do!

#PGHSummer19 

Summer fun in Pittsburgh

This post in partnership with Kidsburgh and The Motherhood. All opinions remain my own and I don't promote venues that my family doesn't love!

Alright friends, summer is almost here! My kids are dragging through their final days of school (anyone else unmotivated to give any more spelling words? 💁😆)

We are starting to put together our summer bucket list! One of our favorite activities to do at the beginning of the summer is to sit down together and talk about specific places that my kids want to visit over their summer break. 

Some of our favorites that we plan to do this summer:

• Hikes at Fall Run Park + Creek
• Beach time at Raccoon Creek State Park 
• Boyce Mayview Park + Ball Field: Accessible & Sensory-friendly playground
• Round Hill Farm + Spray Park
• Free indoor gym at The Landing
• Troy Hill Spray Park
• Free movies in the park
• $1 Summer Movie Clubhouse or $4 Summer Movie Camp (includes snacks!)
• Kennywood

As a parent, I am always looking for new and fun experiences for my kids. And with 4 kids, things that are either free or don't cost a small fortune. 😳 This summer, I am partnering with Kidsburgh to help you find the best local fun in the Pittsburgh region! Kidsburgh is an awesome go-to resource focusing on the people and and ideas making Pittsburgh a great place to raise kids. And I think we have a pretty fantastic city in which to raise kids!

Kidsburgh has put together some great family guides in helping you find the best sources for local fun with kids summer activities!

• Hiking Trails Guide 
• Spring Events Guide (Summer Events Guide coming soon!)
• 9 indoor thrill rides

Also stay turned to their website for more guides coming soon as well!

• Three River Arts Festival
• Summer Movies – where to watch and the deals
• Water Fun - the best places around the city to cool off (will include free options as well!)

Check out Kidsburgh's Maker Mondays!

• Every Monday, Kidsburgh editors share a fun, educational project for kids to create (some with adult supervision, of course!)
• For more Maker Monday projects and other fun stuff for kids, visit the Kidsburgh Activities page. 

Kidsburgh.org also features a robust calendar for Pittsburgh family fun that lists kid-friendly events throughout the region and a directory of child-serving organizations.

Follow Kidsburgh on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and checkout Kidsburgh.org for all the
happenings in and around Pittsburgh!

Whatever your kids ages and whatever your kids interests, you are sure to find lots of summer fun in the 'Burgh! 

SO......LET'S BRING ON SUMMER! 

 #Kidsburgh, #SummerFun, #SummerInPittsburgh

Our summer travel adventures

I've been quiet on the blog this summer because...kids. :) They are now 9, 7, 6 & 5 which is still a very full time job! 

Summer. It's an awesome thing. It's a frightening thing. My kids don't do great with extended periods of time without a consistent routine. So summer can be a challenge at times. This summer I started a new experiment.....travel! Although most of the time I lament that our extended families all live far away, the one advantage is that travel to see them gives us some new adventures + a free place to stay! So this summer's agenda became visits to family in 4 states:

North Carolina

New York

Minnesota

Colorado

The first two states were individual trips, the second two states were put together in a 55 hour road trip! Our saving grace? Kid's podcasts! (More on that later.)

First stop was The Outer Banks in North Carolina. 9 cousins + surf + sand = win win!

Our next trip was to NYC. We had a very special reason for our trip there! As you can see, two of our children joined our family through adoption. But we have worked hard to maintain personal connection with their first family and so it was a joy to travel there and spend some time with some of them, including their sister.

Governor's Island was an awesome find! It's a $3 ferry ride (free for kids) to a car-free island with playgrounds, slides, a 30-park hammock, food vendors + a great view of the Statue of Liberty.

Maintaining connection with their first family is a whole blog in itself, but it is a beautiful gift to see these siblings spend time together!

Next it was off to Minnesota! I grew up in Minneapolis and my siblings all still live there. My kids had a great time with all their aunts & uncles. Also, travel tip....scooters are great! They fold compactly, but are great for saving little legs on treks. 

One more 15 hour car ride and we arrived in Denver, where my parents now live. The beauty of the mountains is so spectacular!

We did tons of biking and hiking in Colorado....it was the best!

My husband was able to fly out and join us in Denver, just in time for the 25 hour ride home. :) Which we stretched out into a 5 day drive to make it less difficult.

Riding the street car in Kansas City, you never know what creatures you'll run into!

Our next stop was St. Louis which had lots of fun options. I think if we do this drive again, we would definitely stay longer in this city. The City Museum was highly recommended!

Our final destination on the way home was the Ark Encounter. It's a life-sized ark according to the Biblical record and wow, it was big! They also have a small zoo outside, restaurants, zip line tour + more. Tickets are a lot for adults ($48!), kids are more reasonable at $15. But overall, it was an interesting experience!

 So, a 55 hour car trip....how does everyone keep their sanity? 😉 That is the question! We definitely had our moments of insanity. The biggest difference in our travels now is simply that our kids are getting easier in travel as they get older.
We try not to rely on screen time, but we did get a kindle for each of our kids in traveling. The thing I love about kindles is that you can do a variety of activities on them - movies, music, books & podcasts. So we would rotate activities on them. Our kids really fell in love with podcast listening this summer - and actually learned some cool stuff! Their favorite podcasts are:

Brains On

Wow in the World

Smash Boom Best 

Story Pirates

Storynory

Short & Curly

Fierce Girls

Stories Podcast

Chompers

Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian

This Podcast Has Fleas

Highlights Hangouts 

Eleanor Amplified 

Travel is one of my favorite things to do with kids. I know that my travels throughout high school and college really helped expand my world view and I want my kids to experience the same. We don't have unlimited funds and often look for free things to do in the places we visit. We try to pack a lot of our food or stop at grocery stores. We're definitely always looking for ways to cut costs and save money. The more we are able to do this, the more places we'll be able to travel. Everyone had their own rolling suitcase which they were able to manage on their own. The nice thing about summer travel is that summer clothes don't take up as much space as bulky winter items!

So, till next summer, when I hope we'll be able to experience more travel adventures!

Kennywood Adventures + Discount

We've hit a big milestone in our family.....that's right, our kids are out growing Kiddieland! 😅 I love that my kids are getting older and bigger and ready for new adventures. So this year, Kennywood was a different experience as we didn't even enter the kids area. It's a little bit tricky, because they're not all tall enough or ready for some of the big rides, but we found a balance with the "medium-sized" ones. :) 

As my kids get older and into faster rides, I'm also getting older and into much slower rides. 😰 This was my one and only time on this one. 😂

 Um, no thank you. But this ride does provide the best photos!!

 My kids loved, loved this ride!!

This is a classic!

The brand new Thomas the Train exhibit wasn't open for us, but I'm hearing it's going to be great! (Opening at the end of July.) We've got a discount on tickets for anyone that is looking for a family fun day this summer. Go here to purchase!

My family received tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions remain my own as I don't promote venues that my family doesn't love!

Countdown to Summer Fun!

If you have school-age kids, no doubt you have been counting down the days till summer break! In our household, we're down to single digits which is both exciting and terrifying. :) It will be awesome to have a break from the early morning routine of school, but at the same time...so many hours to fill! 😌 My kids love school and so I am probably more excited than they are at the break from school routine for a few months. But with four kids ages 5-9, I also know it's important to keep routine to our summer as well.  Summer is a great time to schedule less, hang out more and enjoy fun activities together. I am excited to use pghsummer18.org as a resource for our family this summer. We chose not to do many summer camps and will be traveling a bit throughout the summer, so this website is going to be the perfect resource for me to find daily activities on our free days.

We say a big thank you to Mayor William Peduto, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, the United Way’ of Allegheny County's Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) and all the various child-serving organizations who are teaming up for Summer18 Dream! Explore! Do! The youth-centered campaign will provide thousands of local children, grades K-12, with fun, educational learning activities. 

I love that summer is a time to experience new activities, check out new (or new to us) venues, and most of all, have all the art projects done outside my home! (#amiright? 😅)

What is on your summer bucket list? Ours includes:

• Activities from the PghSummer18 Calendar
• The roving art cart
• Free movies in the park 
• Free indoor movies 
• Hiking at Fall Run Park 
• Free Super Summer Sports Camp
• Swimming at Raccoon Creek Beach
• Checking out new (to us) parks
• + much more! 

{Don't forget that kids under 15 can swim for free at Pittsburgh city pools when you register for a Recreation Center Membership pass.}

So here is to many happy summer memories! I hope you and your family have a great summer and find fun, unique and creative ways to enjoy our great city! Don't forget to stay updated with the PghSummer18 calendar for great ways to engage with your kids.

This post sponsored by the Summer 18 campaign. All opinions remain my own as I do not endorse venues that my family does not love!

#PGHSummer18

Idlewild + SoakZone: $13 off tickets!

Idlewild + SoakZone  has become one of our favorite family traditions each summer. I love the variety of activities that Idlewild offers for kids and families and I especially love heading to an amusement park in the summer where a waterpark is included. It is a bit of a drive from the city of Pittsburgh, but so worth it! If you have kids, ages 1-10, Idlewild should definitely be on your summer bucket list. Features of the park include Raccoon Lagoon, Storybook Forest,  Jumpin' Jungle, SoakZone, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood + so much more!

Idlewild & SoakZone is open for limited operation on Memorial Day weekend (May 27, 28, 29) with daily operations beginning Friday, June 2!

Memorial Day Weekend- Military Discount  

Head to Idlewild for Memorial Day Weekend and see Civil War re-enactors present artillery demonstrations and mock skirmishes. Tour an authentic Civil War encampment to see how a soldier lived during the 1860s. 
Military Discount Days – all weekend long! Active-duty, retired, & veteran military personnel (and up to 3 immediate family members) will receive free admission to Idlewild & SoakZone (May 27, 28, & 29) when they show valid Military ID/Military Family/Veteran ID. 

Nestled within the foothills of the beautiful Laurel Highlands, just outside of Ligonier, PA, you’ll find Idlewild & SoakZone, named “Best Kids Park in the World” by Amusement Today, and “Best Park for Families” by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Since 1878, the park has been providing smiles, laughter, and memories longer than almost every other amusement park in the United States. With 18 major rides, 14 kiddie rides, a large water park, shows, and unique attractions like Story Book Forest and Jumpin’ Jungle, Idlewild & SoakZone strikes the perfect balance between traditional and modern-day amusement. And the finest part of your visit is what you get to take home with you when you leave – distinctive family memories that will last a lifetime.

If you have a Daniel Tiger fan, they will be more than thrilled to hop on the Trolley and take a ride through the interactive Mister Rogers' Neighborhood! Be warned though, "Come along, come along, to the neighborhood Hug 'n Song" will get stuck in your head. :) 

You also might want to check out the Daniel Tiger Eat & Greet! Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat host a fun-filled pizza party. Greet and take photos with Daniel & Katerina as you enjoy a yummy dinner which includes Pizza, breadsticks, salad, fruit bowl, and beverages. This will happen on Select Friday & Saturdays during the Operating Season at 7pm. 

Location: Boardwalk Pizza Restaurant
Price Age 10+: $21.99

Price Age 2 - 9: $15.99 

Your little ladies also might love joining the Princess Lily Tea Party! 

Enjoy a Tea Party with Princess Lily and a small group of other guests within the Enchanted Castle courtyard. Each attendee receives a Princess Lily boxed set including plastic tea cup, cookie, and fruit cup. Iced Tea or water options will be served for tea party. Adults can watch tea party in close proximity within the Castle courtyard, or if younger children need adult assistance to participate, the adult will also pay Tea Party admission and will receive the same Princess Lily boxed set. Princess Lily Tea Party is $14.99* for ages 2 and up (*plus applicable taxes). The event takes place two times daily at scheduled times on most operating days. Please arrive to the Enchanted Castle 15 minutes before your selected Tea Party event time. Each Tea Party event lasts approximately 15 - 20 minutes and are weather permitting. Space is limited per event. 

Date: Most Park Operating Days

Time: 2:00 and 4:00 PM
Location:The Enchanted Castle
Price:$14.99

Storybook Forest is a magical walk through favorite nursery rhymes and children's tales. Travel a winding path through a real forest and introduce your kids to Goldilocks, Mother Goose, The 3 Little Pigs and much more!

 

At Jumpin' Jungle, you can scramble up the rope climb, cross the bridge, slide on a burlap sack, play in the ball pit or have fun with the air ball machines!

SoakZone is one of our favorite stops on hot days. With Little Squirts play area, Captain Kidd's Adventure Galley, Wave Pool, Serpentine Slides, Tipping Bucket, Hydro Racers and more, there is something fun for all ages! 

Are you ready to plan your Idlewild + SoakZone trips for the summer? I've got a great coupon code to share with you to save money for your family! 

Discount tickets for Pgh Momtourage Readers are available to purchase May 15 through September 4, 2017. Tickets are good any day during the regular 2017 operating season.
DISCOUNT: Save up to $13.00 on an  advance day ticket purchase.
• Gate price: $43.99
• Discounted price: $30.99
*Applicable taxes not included

Go HERE to snag this great offer! Only available online.
Children two and under are FREE.
Promocode: PGHMomtourageSBlog17

Thanks to Idlewild for sponsoring this post!

#IdlewildPark  #IdlewildPA