Geeky moms and dads need to leave the house too, right? While I love seeing you here on the blog, I want you to get fresh air and sunshine. If you need someone to give you some points for your effort, try one of these apps to gamify your outings. Geo-location apps turn walks with baby into a scavenger hunt. Nerdy parents will love to use foursquare, ingress, or geocaching apps to take their love of video games into the great outdoors.

1. foursquare. For adults with or without kids, wherever you go.
   Use your phone to “check in” to various real-world places whenever you arrive. If you visit one place often enough, you will become the mayor. You can also earn badges of honor for achieving different milestones in the game such as checking in 10 times in a day or going to 5 different movie theaters. Using the social features, you can find out which of your friends is nearby, share tips with each other, and leave photographs of your experience. I don’t know why I’m soooo very into it; there’s no practical application (aside from my documented obsession of data for its own sake!). As of this writing, I have more than 3,000 check-ins and a dozen mayorships.
   Get foursquare in the iTunes app store or Google play store.
2. Geocaching. For parents and kids alike, exploring for treasure.
   Use your phone (or an old fashioned website) to find hidden caches of miniature bits and bobs. I’ll admit that I’ve never done this, but I think it sounds really fun for just the right sort of geeky family. Shiloh tells us all about geocaching with her big pregnant belly and little infant sidekick and Whitney describes her family’s experience with geocaching including some smartphone apps.
   This Groundspeak Geocaching app is about $10 in either the iTunes app store or the Google play store but comes highly recommended.
3. Ingress. For parents and big kids, capturing specific locations.
   For Android phone users only, Ingress is an “augmented reality” game where you have to walk to different “portals” in your area/town. These portals are actually real landmarks, sculptures, and other public, historic or artistic sites, that you may never have noticed before. The goal is to capture these portals for your team, and link them together. The game requires you to be physically near these locations, so it gets you out walking and seeing new and unique landmarks in your local area. The game theme is pretty nerdy though: the two teams are the Enlightenment, who are welcoming new alien technology to the earth, and the Resistance, who are against the aliens. You choose either side to begin, and then your allegiance doesn’t change. My husband and eight year-old go walking for hours each weekend to play this game.
   Request an invite at http://www.ingress.com.

These are the geo apps we’re using. Do you have a geeky guilty pleasure that gets you out into the real world? Do tell!

Most of the safety lessons I carry around instinctively, I learned the hard easy way by watching friends make the mistakes. Thanks to my village, I know that breastfeeding is not sufficient birth control and that I should never fly in flip flops. Here are five family-safety tips from my peeps:

1. Don’t put your car seats on high surfaces. Car seats tend to fall off tables and couches. It happened to my friend Joanne. Her baby flipped from the coffee table to the floor in seconds. Ouch.
2. Create your own family disaster plan. Because one time, Wendy told me that she watched the Oakland Hills burn from her college dorm room. Now that you’re someone’s mom, you gotta be prepared! I hadn’t updated mine since 2009 but I did it this morning.
3. Teach toddlers to cross the street silently. VDog told us this and she knows from being a nanny. She’s hella smart.
4. Baby-proof a hotel room (or in-law’s house) with duct tape. Carry along a little kit to keep your kids safer on the go. Debbie takes her three young children everywhere and knows how to tie it back and strap it down.
5. Role play to teach little ones about fire safety. Rookie Mom Whitney, queen of the costume box, knows how to get the kiddos to stop, drop, and roll. Do you?

What lessons have you learned the easy way (by watching your friends make mistakes)?

If you have a pile of plastic eggs in your house (I do) and a bit of wire or plastic cord or even dental floss, you can make a “snake” like this. Our eggs all had holes in them already, and I hope yours do too.

Big kids can do the stringing. Babies can do the snake-shaking and throwing on the floor. Fun for the whole family!

I wanted to name this post “5 ways to save money on your Children’s Museum Membership” but that seemed rather long-winded, yes? Then again, it is descriptive.

If you are a toddler owner, local children’s playspaces are a treasure trove because littles can run, jump, explore, paint, drip water, and play without you doing any chasing or cleanup (well, maybe clothes and hands). An annual membership can save headaches about who has a meltdown when and cut our visit short. Not naming names, but ummm… you know what I mean.

I have some mom-tested ideas for saving on admission prices and I know that at least one of them will work for you.

1. Leverage another membership (zoo? science museum? student discount? AAA? affiliate children’s museum) to see if it can save you money on a yearly pass or daily outing. My zoo outing got me into a smaller hands-on wildlife preserve for the day.
2. Split a membership with a friend. Our friend Darci used this sneaky strategy with terrific results. If you and a buddy are both on maternity leave or similar schedules, do this!
3. Borrow a membership from the library. Our local Discover+Go program gives FREE day passes to these destinations with certain restrictions. Superhero Andrea likes to do this.
4. Ask for a membership as a big gift. Birthday or holiday? A huge YES PLEASE for a year of outings rather than one more noisy toy. I coordinated a group gift for my sister and her toddler son when they were living in a Manhattan apartment.
5. Look for deals on Savvy Source, Groupon or Google Offers. They happen pretty regularly. You might make a trade-off in your reciprocity benefits, but it may be worth it. My Oakland zoo membership didn’t include free ride passes but it was about half off, so, yay!

I’d love to know if you have any other tips for saving cash at kids’ museums (beyond packing your own snacks)!

ps Whitney tells me that the toddler in each photo looks like the same kid. What do you think?

Last year, Heather and I had the pleasure of teaming up with Baby Loves Disco, the providers of kid-friendly dance parties around the country. They had a 10-day mini-tour in the Bay Area and we hit two of the parties in partnership with our hyperlocal blog, 510families.com for East Bay parents.

When our first babes were about two, we went to the San Francisco execution of Baby Loves Disco and had a rockin’ good time. This outing is best for kids 0-6 whose parents miss their nightlife and want to dance. Kids who fear noise and crowds may be overwhelmed.

Here’s what to expect:

Your local night club or community center will be taken over by parents, toddlers, hula hoops, bubbles, and dancey dance music. Not only is there a live DJ on the stage, but two entertainers are engaging the crowd with interactive dance games. The perimeter of the room is filled with sponsors (like us) who are providing hands-on activities (hair color, mini-manicures, face painting) and product samples, ie snacks.

Also, non-walking humans are free.

Is this year’s tour coming to your city? Los Angeles, Philly, San Francisco, and Chicago moms, your dates are booked. Check the schedule >

My family went on a roadtrip this weekend and brought a small basket of toys and games to entertain ourselves. In fact, this is the set of goodies we picked. In order to not leave a single wind-up monkey or treasured truck behind, I took a photo of our loot with my phone as we were unpacking.

RookieDad Alec used this photo at the end of our trip to repack everything. Depending on the age or interest level of your children, you can use the picture as a scavenger hunt game with them.

Related: Publish your own DIY I Spy Book.

For a quick and questionably tasty science experiment, microwave a marshmallow for about a minute and enjoy the results.

Wondering what will happen? The marshmallow will puff up to four times its original size like a poofy souffle. It will be a hot gooey mess before cooling into a crispy pancake.

Expect smiles and sticky fingers.

We tried this yesterday before bed on a paper towel to keep the microwave from getting nasty. Use wax paper if you want to eat the finished product! Ours were destined for the compost bin.

As my kids have grown, we’ve been lucky to always have someone who was in need of the mattresses and bed frames they were leaving behind. (In fact, just last month, our old toddler beds were picked up by a couple who was adopting FIVE children!)  If that wasn’t the case, however, I think holding on to the crib mattress to use for a reading nook is a brilliant move.

The blogger behind small + friendly makes it look beyond adorable in the photo above, doesn’t she?

Wendy Copley created a clever advent calendar for her children that has two big benefits over all other holiday countdown traditions:

1. It focuses on experiences over stuff.
2. She can change it according to her mood and available time.

Allow me to explain. She purchased a wooden advent calendar kinda like this one at Target and stuffed it with her own printable choose-your-own-adventure style of daily challenge. On any given day, she can update the mystery box with the activity she wants to do: give the kids a bubble bath or decorate the Christmas tree? Hmmm, what do we have time for? Loving it!

After reading her post last night (one year late I realize, but I had a baby last year, people!), I drove to Target in a thunderstorm to assemble my own. And now I need new toner to make the printables pretty. Then again, I doubt my kids will care if my colors are pale when they see we are going to drink the good hot chocolate or see Christmas lights.

See my stuff up top? It’s good enough, right? Here are Wendy’s printables in true color below. Hop on over to her post, advent crazy, to download the pages to make your own.

[Photos by me, Target, and Wendy Copley]

I totally get that this post is going to come across as an ad for Kiwi Crate, but the fact is I would tell my friends about it. And I have.

These craft kits are $20 and come in the mail, containing everything you need for the project. You don’t have to go searching your house for glue sticks, rubber bands, or hole punchers.

Scarlett is currently obsessed with two things: packages in the mail and craft projects, so this would be a perfect gift for her. Did you catch that, Grandma? You can buy just the kit you like, or let it kick off a subscription with a new box of craft materials coming each month.

Let’s review the holiday Kiwi Crates.

Christmas theme:  Has everything you need make a cardboard gingerbread-ish house. No candy or crumbs, but cute as heck. Plus, materials to make 3 paint-swirl ornaments.

Handmade Hanukkah: Kids will make two things: first, a sparkly, tissue-paper-covered menorah and second, a spin art dreidel.

And finally, there is a kit that includes materials for kids to make their own cards, paper journals and hand-stamped ribbon to use with gifts. They’re calling that crate “Gifts Made By Me“.

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Disclosure: Yes, we are affiliates and delighted customers of Kiwi Crate. Any purchases you make through these links feed our own craft habits.

Sometimes you just gotta get out of the house. We say it all the time. You might not really want to, but if its noon and you haven’t showered yet or if it’s 4pm and you’ve been rattling around your cage all day, IT IS TIME. I’m getting stir crazy on your behalf.

Armed with a little one and a stroller, here are five super duper easy activities to do right NOW (and please girl, if the baby is crying, just push through, $5 says he’ll chill out once you get rolling):

1. Take a sensory tour of the neighborhood. Stop and smell the roses and crinkle the trash beneath your feet. Enjoy a baby’s eye view of the world. And chill the eff out.
2. Walk or run your errands. Put on your jogging shoes and make it all the way to the post office or take-out restaurant. Impressive, you just got something done!
   [Preschooler variation to engage cooperation: go huntin']
3. Take a walk on the wild side. Rather than strolling your usual haunts, seek out the bizarro sights and sites. Take photos.
4. Pretend you’re in Paris. Is your baby small enough that you could enjoy cafe culture without whining? Go for it.
5. Scope out some big wheels. This activity is perfect for those vehicle-lovers out there. Can you park in front of a construction site and entertain your kid? For how long?

All you need for these mini adventures is a small child with age-appropriate carrier and yourself. Report back on your success stories or botched attempts! Now, git.

When I read an email from Kassandra, a mom in rural Missouri who does parent coaching via Skype, I challenged her to explain to me what a parenting coach could provide that we don’t get already from our friends or other trusted sources.  I thought she did a darn good job of answering, so I wanted to share it here.

The short answer is that the services I offer are akin to those of a guide for a pilgrimage, a midwife, and your best-listening friend all rolled into one.

You know your children’s worst behavior that drives you crazy; arguments with your spouse around parenting, family, sex, and balance; stony silence with your parents or in-laws about your kids? Why do these things drive you crazy?  How do you react when your spouse is a jerk, your children won’t cooperate, and there are three million things on your “To Do” list? They are all catalysts for your own inner journey. We just need to listen to their coded messages.

At parentcoaching.org, I listen to you without judgment.  I help you get honest about where you are now, get focused on what you want, and teach you to use practical tools to create your own reality. Let’s take a closer look at what all that means.

It’s All About You

A good friend can offer a lot that is very complimentary to parent coaching, and yet there is nothing like having all the focused time and attention on you with no need to reciprocate. Most of the time, our mom friends are very busy with their own lives and want to talk as well as listen. It can be hard to get the time and focus each of you need in order to go deeply enough inside to find your own answers.

Parent coaching offers you deep listening. I will listen to you until you are done. Both you and I arrive on our call with the strong intention to support you in resolving your conflict or challenge. Paying me gives you permission to go deep and to focus on yourself and the issue that’s really bothering you without wasting time.

The majority of our time together will be focused one-on-one time where we talk about you. I’ll listen and get to know you then we’ll dive in to the question or concern that brought you to me.  I’ll use questions to reflect the focus back to you to help you laser in on your own answers. Your problems are too complex and difficult for me to solve. Only you have the skills and information to do that. I have the skills to help you get to your own answers.

Accountability

Parent coaching also offers accountability. Mom friends often offer us reassurance that they still love us no matter what. No matter how much you talk about wanting to make changes but resist actually changing anything, your mom friends are still there for you. Their unconditional acceptance is part of why they are so valuable.

I offer another kind of value.  I don’t need you to like me. I am here to help you change your life. I am here as coach, cheerleader, confidante, sounding board, discreet witness, aural journal, fierce compassionate presence, and guide for your own hero’s journey. I want to work with you to go deep into knowing yourself and help you emerge stronger, clearer, and healthier. I will walk with you as far as you want to go into the fire of transformation and I will help you find your way back out again, changed and reborn to integrate those changes into your life. That’s a tall order for a mom friend to fill.

Invest in the Process

I’ll help you clarify your own dreams and goals; learn new tools for healing your relationship to yourself, your children, and others; get daily practices into place to help you achieve and integrate; and feel confident with the process. On average, this takes about three months meeting once a week and is priced at $600. In this way, I’m like a midwife, supporting you in birthing a new aspect of yourself without taking the birth away from you. Once you know you have the strength and tools to handle the challenges and you know you can do it on your own, our work together comes to a close.  I’m always here in the future when you want to tune up your dreams and goals, learn new tools for transformation, or take it to the next level that seems just out of reach. I’m an ‘on call’ teammate, coach, cheerleader, and inspiration.

Your discontent with your children, your relationships, or your life is the catalyst for the journey. Your desires to be the most whole and creative human you can be, to enjoy your children, and to help them be safe and happy are the guiding principles that draw you forward. I am the voice beside you helping you to listen and decode the quiet wisdom of your own inner guidance.

Kassandra Brown coaches parents from Dancing Rabbit ecovillage in rural Missouri. She says that each person she coaches helps her get closer to reaching her dream of living in a sustainable, humane world.

What do you guys think? Is hiring a parent coach something you relate to or do you feel like you have all the resources you need? Have you ever worked with a life coach of any sort?