The sun is setting on summer. We wish it weren’t true, but with Labor Day just around the bend, the season is coming to an end. To wrap things up nicely for you all, we went through all of our summertime posts from the past three months and picked the best of what we had to offer. Here are the top ten highlights! —
1. Our favorite summer-is-winding-down
flick for family movie night
For ages 0-5: Toy Story (all three) – We’re not ashamed
to admit seeing Toy Story
3 in theaters…without the kids in tow. The Pixar trilogy follows Andy and
his famous sidekicks, Woody and Buzz, from childhood to college. As the summer
days dwindle and preschool or daycare quickly approaches, these films,
especially the third, will help ease anxiety about reaching a new stage in
life. So share the Toy Story love with your children. And remember, you’re never too old to have a favorite toy.
For ages 5-10: Up – This sweet, lighthearted Pixar film (we gotta lotta Pixar love!) will inspire adventure as the end of
summer nears. Perhaps you won’t tie hundreds of balloons to your own house and
travel up, up and away through the clouds, but you’ll enjoy watching the
escapades that ensue when main character Carl does just that. A
tug-at-the-heartstrings tale about life and love, Up will leave your clan feeling uplifted.
2. Best tip to take the sting out of summer
Shielding your children’s skin from the sun’s
harmful rays is nothing new, but it’s as important as ever. The sun is most
powerful from about 10 am to 4 pm, and sunburns can happen even on a cloudy
day! Read this post to learn about simple UV protection tips and what to do if
a painful sunburn does occur. We also love these “green
’screens”–eco-friendly sunscreen options for your kiddos that won’t make
slathering up such a chore.
3. The most tasty summer
recipe from our Yummy Delicious
blog
The streets of
New York City neighborhoods are lined with fresh fruit stands, and most
advertise better prices than your local supermarket. Take advantage of this
before summer comes to a close. This recipe calls for tomatoes and peaches–an
unlikely combination but a surprisingly juicy burst of flavor that will help
you savor the last days of summer. Perfect for a barbecue or beach trip, this
salad requires the freshest ingredients.
4. Best suggestion from our summer to do list
“If you could teach your
child something this summer, what would it be?”–Summer is great for trying
new activities with your kids. This prompt requires imagination and
creativity, but once you think of the answer, there’s sure to be some memorable
bonding time. Maybe it’s time to teach them how to ride a bike, or fly a kite,
or cook a meal. During our summer vacations, Mom and Dad taught
us how to fish, fly a model airplane, and do a back-flip off the diving board. Whatever
you decide, make it meaningful so they will always remember those summer days spent
with family.
5. Most unique way to go for a natural high
Embrace those final sunny summer days by
spending some quality time with nature. Greenery might seem hard to find at times
in this concrete jungle, but this blog post will introduce you to NYC’s great
outdoors. We’re not always keen on creepy crawly critters, but the butterfly garden
project in the Bug Hunt tip is great for little hands. It’s the perfect way for
kids to learn the responsibility of caring for a living thing. They’ll enjoy watching
the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly and releasing the
newly-winged creatures into the wild.
6. The perfect summer buy from our Joy of Shopping
blog
We’re all
about going green, and this reusable picnic box fits the bill. With
biodegradable dividers and a fun outer design, such as the “PB&Jam” stereo
look-alike box, the Boxsal will evoke the charm of a picnic while protecting
the environment. Pack up the cheese and grapes, and take the whole family out
to Central Park for a warm-weather picnic.
7. Best new
parent post from our Born & Bred
blog
Sometimes a day out of the city during the summer is just what the doctor
ordered. Check out these fun destinations for families that are all within two
hours of NYC. Our favorite idea is White Post Farms in Melville, New York, which
is about one hour away. This No. 1 rated petting zoo has all types of animals
to feed and play with, not to mention inflatable bouncers for your kids to jump
on and let out energy. It’s naptime on the way home!
8. Our favorite idea for summer family bonding
Although
summer can be just as busy as the school year, it’s a good chance for families
to reconnect. After a day full of fun in the sun, unwind with a good book–together. Create your own family book club, and pick titles that all ages can
read and discuss. One fun theme from the Washington Post’s summer book club is “What’s better – the book or the movie?” Page-turners in
this category can include Ella Enchanted
by Gail Carson Levine or Cloudy with a
Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett. Bonus: you’ll get to watch the
movies, too!
9. Best way to battle summer brain drain
The dog
days may be over, but we could all use a glass of fresh lemonade now and then.
With this post’s smart guidelines, such as opening a lemonade stand, that teach
your kids about financing and budgeting, you’ll have little Donald Trumps on
your hands. By the time school starts, your kid’s brain will be in tip-top
shape, and there won’t be any “What’s 2 plus 2?” confusion thanks to their newly
acquired math and money skills.
10.%uFFFDBest thing
to do during a family summer vacation
Brush up
on these how-to travel writing tips, and you’ll soon have a memento from each
family vacation. Don’t forget to involve your
kids. Allow them to write an entry, draw a picture or even tape in some dried flowers
from a favorite hike. After the vacation when you’ve gotten the photos
developed, add some into the travelogue for a scrapbook feel.
