Surfin’ Safari

Summer is finally here –and that (hopefully) means plenty of trips to the beach (be it beaches near the city, or the serene shores out East)…and what better way to make the most of family time by the water than with a little surf-inspired fun? And even if a beach day isn’t on your immediate agenda, summer fashion for kids (and moms) is all about Wahine-esque looks! So catch a wave and check out our favorite Beach Boy-approved items for Summer 2014!

Tote-ally Tubular: The uber-hip French fashion house Maison Kitsune recently released their Surf Club collection–complete with plenty of groovy graphics of surfing foxes! We love the collection’s Tote Bag Surf Club. The canvas bag is perfect for packing all of mom’s beach essentials in one handy (and stylish) spot! $61.07, shop.kitsune.fr

Board Shorts: J.Crew’s crewcuts line for kids has taken to the beach in full force this summer! Need proof? Check out these sunset-hued Boys’ Embroidered Stanton Shorts! The tropical tone is accented with embroidered surfers and palm trees for an effect that’s both preppy and beachy. $49.50, jcrew.com

Montauk Manliness: Shop local next time you venture to the Far East (and by that we mean to Montauk)! The surf town’s own Whalebone Creative Group offers a very cool selection of tees, sweatshirts, and hats–perfect for tween boys or for wave-riding dads. We love the Mustache Surf Club tee for any hipster dudes on the beach this summer. $32, whalebonecreative.com

Mermaid Madness: One of every young girl’s funnest imaginations has got to be that of a mermaid! Who wouldn’t want to show up for a fun beach day only to have it made even more fun by meeting a new seafaring friend? Roxy (ruler of girly surf gear forever and ever!) channels this sense of fun and fantasy with their adorable Better Things Top, featuring a sweet surfing mermaid! $28, roxy.com

Island Style: For fams planning to do some legit surfing this summer, a high-quality rash guard is a must! So turn to the experts at the Hawaii-based Honolua Surf Co. They offer women’s and men’s surf shirts in an array of colors and styles, but we love the classic (and totally tropical) look of the Link L/S Rashguard! $38, honoluasurf.com

Hamptons Hip: Few Hamptons properties command quite as much hipster cred as the Surf Lodge in Montauk. In addition to offering up amazing accommodations and summer concerts, the Lodge also is known for it’s cool collaborations in its shop. For a summer surfer look that translates seamlessly to the streets of the city (sadly, all vacations must end, after all), try the Surf Lodge x Loomaste Hooded Sweatshirt. $125, the-surf-lodge.myshopify.com

Little Surfer, Little One…: And if you actually want to ease your toddler into riding some waves this summer (rather than just dressing the part), you’re in luck! RTD Kids makes child-friendly surf boards that are specifically designed for ages 1-2, and up to age 13. For example, their Baby Fish board (for ages 1-2) is soft and without fins–so tots can safely start to become comfortable with the shape of board. And the line of boards progresses to several more levels, up to the Mini Grom Stubby and the S.U.P. for older kiddos! Various prices, rtd-kids.com

Decoration Station: To keep that beachy vibe going all year long, try infusing your child’s bedroom decor with a cool surfer touch from Pottery Barn Kids. Their Wire Surfboard is super-lightweight so it’s easy to hang on the wall. We love the idea of stashing summer fun photos and postcards in the wires to bring the beach to the bedroom all year long. $40.99, potterybarnkids.com

Adventuring Portal

<a name="m_-1473885667065203258__Hlk72147528"></a>Adventuring Portal runs Dungeons and Dragons (D&amp;D) games for kids.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We have created a safe online space for tweens and teens to learn and play D&amp;D. Our D&amp;D Summer Camp session are a one-week experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;Monday &ndash; Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each day will be 3 hours of gaming (with 2 breaks build in).&nbsp;&nbsp;15 total gaming hours for $180.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you have played with us before, you are entitled to 10% off.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Need your kids, nieces or nephews, grand kids or neighbor&rsquo;s kids to be occupied for a bit so you can get work done &amp; take care of your to-do list? Maybe your tween or teen is still a bit isolated and craves connection with their peers? Whether your teen/tween has played D&amp;D before or is brand-new to the experience, this safe space brings players together to have fun and solve problems as a team in ways few other online opportunities do. All our games focus on experiential learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our players leave knowing all the basic game play as well as experiencing: teamwork, bravery, compassion, generosity, negotiation, improvisation, gamer etiquette, strategy, critical thinking, problem solving, cartography and probability - all through online D&amp;D adventuring! We are an inclusive organization and welcome gamers who are LGBTQIA+ and those on any spectrum.&nbsp; All girls&rsquo; groups available.&nbsp; I am a parent, a certified elementary school and middle school math teacher and last summer in the midst of the mess started&nbsp;Adventuring Portal, an&nbsp;online Dungeons &amp; Dragons&nbsp;business&nbsp;for kids. There are so many benefits to playing D&amp;D and I hope you will consider us as a great way for your child to safely socialize, grow as people and have a great time.

Music Together

Music Together&reg; is for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their parents/caregiver. The classes include songs, rhythmic rhymes and movement, and instrument play activities that are developmentally appropriate for the children and easy for parents and caregivers, regardless of their own musical ability.

Speakitaly NYC

SPEAKITALY NYC offers stimulating and entertaining lessons for children 0 to 16 years through a wide combination of activities based on the communicative approach anchored in the Common European Framework of Reference: active learning (group work, role plays, etc.) and practice exercises aimed to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Kids will start speaking and using Italian in a very natural way.&nbsp; Small classes capped at 6 students to make sure each one gets the needed attention and facilitate learners' progress.&nbsp; Our method is driven by a didactic method that is the result of constant updates, professional certifications and more than 10 years of experience in working with non-native speakers from different native languages and levels of knowledge. Our aim is to develop a range of Italian language skills while improving accuracy that will enable the students and participants to interact without stress or feeling rushed. We want to help those in the community really embrace not only the true culture in Italy but the Italian culture within New York City&hellip; Who doesn&rsquo;t love what Italy represents in the kitchen, in history &amp; in the arts? Speakitaly wants to support multilingual families who want to learn a new language or pass along their ancestor&rsquo;s heritage and culture. Raffaella, the founder said: "We see language awareness and intercultural sensitivity as the milestones for an inclusive society. Italian, like all other languages, is an enrichment and a growth in every way. Vi aspettiamo!"