FF - June/July 2018

GREAT MEMORIES START HERE

Host the best lemonade stand ever, P. 32

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R E M M SU

e s of g a p 40 t he r o f o ins p on! s a e s sunny

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AWESOME ICE POPS Y UM !

GAMES DADS LOVE, P. 46 MOUNTAIN GETAWAYS

JUNE/JULY 2018 FAMILYFUNMAG.COM

“I could be so much more than a bowl.”

think it. make it. eat it. jell-oplay.com

contents J U N E /J U LY 2 0 1 8

create 11 | MADE FOR THE PARADE Patriotic projects your kids can make and wear

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DON DIAZ. FROM LEFT: SHIRT, TUCKER + TATE; SHORTS, CREWCUTS; SHOES, VANS; SCARF, ZARA; SHIRT, MINI BODEN; OVERALLS, H&M; SHOES, ZARA.

16 | 4 THINGS TO DO WITH SHELLS Pretty ideas to transform all those beach finds 19 | CAMP ON THE CHEAP! No summer boredom here: We’ve got throwback crafts and games to keep your kids entertained.

explore 53 | ON ISLAND

dig in

TIME No cars, no stress, just fun

27 | S’MORES Three spins on the classic that don’t require a campfire

56 | HAPPIER TRAVELS Expert advice for a seamless family vacation

28 | THE STIR

58 | GET OUTTA TOWN! Go away for the weekend on one tank of gas.

The cutest ice-pop molds; gardening as a fam; plus, how to get kids to eat beets

61 | SUMMER ON

32 | THE ULTIMATE

THE MOUNTAIN There’s still a ton to do when there’s no snow!

LEMONADE STAND! Recipes and treats to cool down the neighborhood and help kids in need

IN EVERY ISSUE

36 | OH SO SWEET

2 | welcome!

8 | big fun 64 | last bite

Fresh and easy fruit desserts

nest

ON OUR COVER

41 | MAKE A NIGHT

CALEB, AGE 5

OF IT Activities for fun under the stars

TOP, CAT & JACK SHORTS, LEE DENIM SHOES, CONVERSE

42 | HEALTHY FAMILY Camp-coping advice for parents, and ways to protect your dog from the heat

Photography by

46 | HOW TO

Grooming by

PLAY LIKE A DAD 20 brilliant ideas that prove fathers know best

CASEY GOUVEIA

FAMILYFUNMAG.COM

DON DIAZ

Prop and wardrobe styling by KRISTINA RODGERS

Food styling by CARRIE PURCELL

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A SNEAK PEEK AT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THIS ISSUE

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, my mom ran a beauty shop out of our basement. Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, a steady stream of ladies paraded up our driveway for their weekly ’do. And in the summer, you could often find me and my sister perched behind our little table, hawking cups of lemonade. We charged a dime. Or a nickel. Really, we’d take change of any kind. At the time, we were in it to fill our respective piggy banks, but I like to think we’d have broadened our cause if Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) had been around back then. The organization is dedicated to supporting new research into treatments for pediatric cancer, and its mission is quite literally fueled one cup at a time. It encourages families and kids to host lemonade stands and donate their proceeds, and this summer, FamilyFun is proud to support the campaign. We hope more than anything that you’ll join us!

To get started, sign up at alexslemonade.org/ familyfunmag, where you’ll be able to register your stand and get the info for setting up your fund-raiser. Then flip to “The Ultimate Lemonade Stand!” on page 32 for decoration inspo (lemon balloons!), tasty treat ideas (mango gummies!), and, of course, watermelon lemonade (guaranteed to be a best-seller!). Whether you go all out or keep it simple, one thing is for sure: You’ll have a day to remember. Happy summer, everyone!

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#RAISETHEFUN!

Elizabeth Anne Shaw EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LET’S BE FRIENDS! Follow me on Insta @elizanneshaw and I’ll follow you back!

Last winter, FamilyFun and Hasbro Gaming asked you to share your favorite familygame-night pix, and, boy, did you deliver! Here are a few of our faves—giant Jenga!

Gonuts for Donuts!—plus one of my own. We played Risk for the first time recently, and based on how competitive we all got defending our borders, I’m pretty sure we’ll be battling for years to come.

Keep sharing your favorites on Insta with #raisethefun.

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EDITOR’S PORTRAIT: PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM CORBETT. STYLING BY DON SUMADA. HAIR AND MAKEUP BY GREGG HUBBARD. LEMONADE: PHOTOGRAPHY BY DON DIAZ.

Cut a lemon shape out of a cardboard box to make a sign!

Measure yourself on a much larger scale.

Wh e re d o y ou s t a n d on a d v e nt u re ? He re i n Wy om i n g , it re a c h e s e pi c proportions. Like the challenge of scaling the iconic columns of D e v i l s Tow e r. S om e 8 5 s t or i e s of my s t e r i ou s l y f or m e d i g n e ou s ro c k t h at s e e m t o b e a s k i n g , w h at a r e y o u m a d e o f ?

I love Addams Family Values. Raul Julia as Gomez in the police station is possibly one of the most hilarious scenes ever!

Toy Story 2 !

Somehow, Woody and Buzz make me laugh even harder the second time around.

Editor-in-Chief ELIZABETH ANNE SHAW Deputy Managing Editor TARA LUSTBERG Lifestyle Director AMY PALANJIAN Senior Editor LIZ CALLAHAN SCHNABOLK Editorial Assistant ABBY KASS Contributing Editors JOY HOWARD, COLLEEN KELLY, CATIE KEOGH, CURIOUS JANE Art Director JENNIE KLOCK UTSCHIG Photo Director RYAN CLINE Production Director SANDRA JUREVICS Designer EMILY CHEN Photo Coordinator MAGGIE BLATTEL Editorial Business Coordinator CATHY SIMPSON

Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, Meredith Parents Network

LIZ VACCARIELLO

MEREDITH NATIONAL MEDIA GROUP President JON WERTHER President of Meredith Magazines DOUG OLSON President of Meredith Digital STAN PAVLOVSKY President of Consumer Products TOM WITSCHI Chief Revenue Officer MICHAEL BROWNSTEIN Chief Marketing and Data Officer ALYSIA BORSA Marketing & Integrated Communications NANCY WEBER

In our house, it’s all about Hotel Transylvania 2 !

It’s a little spooky, a lot silly, and it keeps the whole family laughing.

Senior Vice Presidents Consumer Revenue ANDY WILSON Digital Sales MARLA NEWMAN Research Solutions BRITTA CLEVELAND Chief Digital Officer MATT MINOFF Vice Presidents Finance CHRIS SUSIL Business Planning and Analysis ROB SILVERSTONE Content Licensing LARRY SOMMERS Corporate Sales BRIAN KIGHTLINGER Direct Media PATTI FOLLO Strategic Sourcing, Newsstand, Production CHUCK HOWELL Consumer Marketing STEVE CROWE

MEREDITH CORPORATION President and Chief Executive Officer TOM HARTY Chief Financial Officer JOSEPH CERYANEC Chief Development Officer JOHN ZIESER President, Meredith Local Media Group PAUL KARPOWICZ Senior Vice President, Human Resources DINA NATHANSON Executive Chairman STEPHEN M. LACY Vice Chairman MELL MEREDITH FRAZIER

Vice President/Group Publisher, Parents Network STEVEN B. GRUNE Associate Publisher, Parents Network TRACY HADEL

“WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE SEQUEL?”

Advertising Northwest Director JULIE BANFIELD Southwest Director WENDY SEELIG WALKER Advertising Sales Staff MARY JOE CLARK, ALYSSA CRAMER COHEN, CATHERINE DAUN, ANNE GILHOOL, HILLARI LAZZARA, MOLLY THOMPSON, MARIA TOCCO, NADINE WAXENBERG, MEAKA WERNER

In my opinion, the best movie sequel is Rocky II. Plus, I’m from Philadelphia, so the Rocky movies have been a part of my life.

Direct Media Manager TYLER HUB National Travel Director MELISSA LUEBBE Assistants MICHELLE KWAN, KIM SCHWARTZ, MAGGIE THELEN, BREANA TOLLA Group Marketing Director SUSAN JOYCE Senior Marketing Manager JUDY SCHIFFMAN Marketing Managers PAIGE JORDAN, WILL PRIGGE Marketing Assistant DIANA ZULUAGA Group Creative Director JEANETTE CHOW Art Director TRACY D’AGOSTINO Associate Art Directors GOSIA NOSOWICZ, DAVID L. TRACY Associate Business Director ROBYN DEAN Senior Business Manager SANDY GALLENTINE Advertising Business Manager BOB PARLAPIANO Consumer Marketing Director JON MACARTHY Associate Consumer Marketing Director SHERI STEGER

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement— such an iconic film, and Anne Hathaway’s best role to date.

Director of Quality JOE KOHLER Ad Production Supervisor ASHLEY SCHAUBROECK Associate Director of Prepress RICK JOHN Quality Analyst TONY HUNT Prepress Desktop Specialist GREG FAIRHOLM Director, Brand Strategy KIM LECONEY Senior Research Manager ALISON JAYE

Hands down, Back to the Future Part II is the best movie sequel ever!

CONTACT US EMAIL letters.familyfun@meredith.com WRITE FamilyFun 805 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 SUBSCRIPTION HELP ffncustserv@cdsfulfillment.com | 800-289-4849 OUR WEBSITE familyfunmag.com SOCIAL MEDIA

Editorial correspondence: 805 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022. Queries: queries.familyfun@meredith.com. All materials submitted become the property of Meredith Corporation, and submission constitutes permission for Meredith Corporation to use the material in any and all media. Materials may be used without compensation or acknowledgment and may be edited for length and clarity. Please include a daytime telephone number for verification purposes. Executive and advertising offices: 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281. Subscriptions: familyfunmag.com. Subscription help: Email us at ffncustserv@ cdsfulfillment.com, or call 800-289-4849. Mailing lists: Our subscriber list is occasionally made available to carefully selected firms whose products may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive information from these companies by mail or by phone, please let us know. Send your request along with your mailing label to Magazine Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508. © 2018 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. FamilyFun is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation, registered at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Printed in the U.S.A. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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a d v e r t i se m e n t

Enter for a Chance to Win

Simply

Summer From neighborhood block parties and BBQs to picnics and backyard bashes, summertime is all about outdoor entertaining. These simple tips from Banana Boat Simply Protect help you host gatherings that are fun for the whole family—especially younger guests who love to keep busy in the sun!

• Made in the Shade: Pitch a tent in the backyard for kids to use throughout the party. Not only does it give them a designated space to play and eat, it provides automatic shade and sun protection.

• Keep ’em Busy: Plan outdoor games, like a four square tournament or an obstacle course, so kids can get comfortable with new friends. Or organize a scavenger hunt and divide the kids into teams to crack each clue and seek out a prize.

• Supply Central: Avoid hearing a chorus of “I’m bored” by putting together an activity basket loaded with fun stuff to keep little guests busy, like sidewalk chalk, bubbles, balls, and more.

• Worry-Free Fun: Pick up a few bottles of Banana Boat Simply Protect sunscreen lotion and spray for your guests to use throughout the party. It delivers sports strength protection, so kids (and adults) have a great time without worrying about sun damage or exposure to dangerous ingredients like oxybenozone, parabens, and added oils or fragrances.

and get the party started with Banana Boat Simply Protect One lucky reader will win a “Simply Summer” Party Basket from Banana Boat, loaded with must-haves for worry-free summer fun:

• An assortment of Banana Boat Simply Protect sunscreen lotion and spray • Outdoor Games Combo Set including badminton, volleyball, flip toss, horseshoes, and a flying disc • $100 gift card Enter today at familyfunpromo.com/ bananaboat

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Subject to Official Rules at familyfunpromo.com/BananaBoat. The Simply Summer Sweepstakes begins at 12:01 AM EST on June 1, 2018, and ends at 11:59 PM EST on July 15, 2018. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia, 21 years or older. Limit one (1) entry per person and per email address. Void where prohibited.

Sponsor: Meredith Corporation.

big fun YO U ’ L L N E V E R F O R G E T

Play is the work of childhood.

Posted in May 2017 by @chelsealynphotography

During the summer, we often go to the Norfolk [VA] Botanical Garden.

In the children’s garden, there are several fantastic splash pads. One day in May, the weather was mild and comfortable, and we decided to enjoy the spring flowers and play in the water. There were not many people there that evening, so my sons could run around and dare each other to stand in certain spots and put their face in the most powerful streams. This image is really the perfect depiction of my 3-year-old’s personality. He’s bold, daring, vibrant, playful, and so happy. Many of my fondest summer memories have taken place at the gardens, so this image will certainly be a treasure for years to come.

Norfolk, VA

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create

COOL THINGS TO MAKE AND DO TOGETHER

MADE FOR THE PARADE Hit the town in star-spangled style!

PROJECTS BY JODI LEVINE PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRETCHEN EASTON

OUR CRAFT BIN We used duct tape, elastic, paint, stamps, stencils, tulle, and Velcro to make these fun wearables.

TURN TO PAGE 12 FOR HOW-TO INSTRUCTIONS.

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JUNE/JULY 2018

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HOLIDAY HAPPY

Keep ’em hydrated with a custom carrier that fits any bottle.

SPARKLER HAT

STAR SHORTS What You’ll Need

What You’ll Need

• • • •

• Fabric glue or acrylic craft paint • 2 paper plates • Stiff stencil brush • Paper towels • Rigid fireworks stencil (we like the metal one from Stampendous Dreamweaver, at Amazon) • Trucker hat (available at craft stores or Amazon) • Fine glitter

Acrylic craft paint Paper plate Star stamp Denim or cotton shorts

1. Spread paint into a thin layer on the plate.

Press the stamp into paint, wipe the edges clean, and stamp onto shorts. Repeat to cover as desired! Let dry.

BOTTLE HOLDER PUP TUTU What You’ll Need

• 1-in.-wide elastic • Adhesive Velcro squares • 2 or 3 spools (25 yds. each) of 6-in.-wide tulle ribbon 1. Measure your dog’s waist.

Subtract 1 in. and cut a piece of elastic to that size. Add Velcro squares to both of the ends.

2. Cut strips of tulle ribbon to a length you like and tie onto the elastic.

Dress your pooch!

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What You’ll Need

• Wax paper • Duct tape 1. Create a rectangular pattern from wax paper 1 in. shorter than the height and 1 in. wider than the circumference of your bottle. Cut out.

2. Cover both sides of the pattern with tape.

3. Roll into a cylinder and tape the seam.

4. Make an X with two layers of tape. Attach to bottom of cylinder.

5. Make a skinny strap: Cut tape to desired length; fold in half. Tape 2 in. of each end inside of the top of the cylinder.

Add more tape to the outside to secure.

1. Pour a thin layer of glue or paint onto a paper plate. Dab in the stencil brush, then blot excess off onto a paper towel.

2. Carefully hold the stencil in place on the hat. Bounce the paintbrush up and down, reloading with paint as needed, until the image is complete.

Gently lift the stencil up and sprinkle glitter over the glue or paint.

Shake excess off into another paper plate to reuse.

3. Clean the stencil, move to another part of the hat, and repeat.

Let dry completely before wearing.

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WARDROBE STYLING BY HEATHER ROME. PROP STYLING BY AMY LIPNIS. GROOMING BY MARINA MIGLIACCIO. TEE, TOMMY HILFIGER. SNEAKERS, H&M. SUNGLASSES, GYMBOREE.

create

Say “good boy” with a nudge.

Say it with a nudge.

TM

All Natural.

Real Chicken.

True Love.

Advertisement

Les Sugr’s N E E B R E V NE

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New!

SERVE MOTT’S SENSIBLES™ THIS SUMMER! From picnics to road trips to open-air meals at home, you want refreshing juice for your family, but not all of the sugar that comes along with it. Enter Mott’s Sensibles— 100% juice with 30% less sugar.* start with 100% apple juice blends, * We then reduce the sugar naturally with coconut water and a splash of vegetable juice. in Apple Raspberry, Apple * Available Pineapple, and Apple Cranberry, Mott’s Sensibles contains no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners. a 64oz. bottle or an 8-pack of 6oz. * Grab juice pouches to take on the go.

Find Mott’s Sensibles at your favorite local grocer or mass retailer, or send us a message on

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MORE SENSIBLE SWAPS FOR SUMMER BETTER BREAKFAST: Replace flavored yogurt with plain Greek yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon INSIDE OUT: Trade the dinner table for the lawn and have an impromptu backyard picnic PEDAL PUSHER: Leave the car at home and ride bikes to run errands

At last, your family can enjoy the DELICIOUS TASTE of 100% JUICE, with less of the sugar stress. Now that’s a win for you and your kids! *Compared to 100% apple juice

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4 THINGS

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4 THINGS TO DO WITH SHELLS 1. WRITE YOUR NAME (OR A PAL’S) Everyone needs his name on his door, right?

(Right!) Glue a canvas sheet (available in the craft-paper section of an art store) to a picture-frame backing.

(Save the glass for another project.) Use shells, driftwood, coral, twigs, or dried seaweed (or a combo) to form letters, then glue down.

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2. RAISE A RAINBOW Add a dose of happy to the walls! Cut a rainbow shape from cardboard. Divide a stash of shells into three or four piles. Paint each pile a different color. Let dry. Lightly draw arches on the cardboard and paint each the same colors as shells. Glue shells to corresponding colors.

3. LEAVE AN IMPRESSION Kids can make their own fossils. Form three medium-size balls of air-dry clay. Roll out into ⅓-inch-thick slabs. Cut out circles with cookie cutters. Evenly press the top of a shell into the center of the clay circles; remove. Poke a hole in the top with a skewer; let dry. Hang with twine from a branch.

4. MAKE YOUR OWN MANDALA This is a fun way to play with patterns: Place a shell in the center of a wooden or cardboard craft round (check the cake-decorating aisle).

Work out from the center to create a repeating circular design with shells; glue down. When it’s done, tell the kids their mandala represents the universe!

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PROP STYLING BY NIDIA CUEVA.

Let the kids collect some on your next seaside adventure, then transform their finds into cool room décor or gifts for friends! BY ARIELLE GODDARD // PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN LIEBE

SO CRAFTY

create

Keep the kids happy, active, and off-screen by teaming up with friends to host a kids’ camp in your own backyard. It’s easier than you’d think, and you’ll save a bundle! We’ve planned five days of throwback crafts and games, so follow our itinerary, or mix and match. The only rule?

Leave plenty of room in the schedule for free play—the 100 percent best part of summer!

P R O J E C T S BY A S H L E Y TOT H \\ P H OTO G R A P H Y BY G R E TC H E N E A S TO N

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rise and shine

Jumping Bee Challenge the kids to spell out words while they jump rope. Whoever gets the most words without getting tangled wins!

Ice cubes make supercool tie-dye!

See page 24.

field trip

Nature Walk Have the kids create a wish list of what they hope to discover, and then head out around the neighborhood with magnifying glasses.

Take turns examining found items up close. You could also provide small sketchbooks so the kids can draw what they see.

rise and shine

Just Dance Choreograph a kid-friendly dance to a favorite song, then film it. Don’t forget to use wild accessories from your dress-up box. instant game

instant game

Play “Spud”

Dribbling Queen Give everyone a basketball or a large bouncy ball and designate a dribbling area.

Players must stay inside the area and dribble—no standing around! As they bounce the ball, they try to knock everyone else’s ball away with their free hand. When a player’s ball gets knocked outside the designated area, he’s out.

The last player dribbling is crowned king or queen! beat the heat

Break Out the Sprinkler!

A good old-fashioned soak is always guaranteed to entertain! crafternoon

Tie-Dye Delight Use melting ice cubes and powdered dye for the coolest pillowcases ever!

Get the instructions on page 24.

Jump while singing, with one foot, or down the driveway!

Everyone counts off and stands with a foot on a base.

The player who’s It throws the ball up and calls out a number. Everyone runs, and the called player grabs the ball and shouts “Spud!” so the runners freeze. The ball holder (aka It) takes two giant steps toward one person and tries to tag him with the ball. If the It misses or the target catches the ball, the It earns an S. If he hits the target, that person earns an S. Whoever earns the letter is It and starts the next round. Players are out once they earn S-P-U-D. Last person in the game wins! beat the heat

Splash Tag Give one player a plastic water bottle and have him try to tag other players with a squirt. Last one splashed is the winner! field trip

Park Yourself Hand over a map and let the kids navigate to a local park. crafternoon

Make a Lantern Transform party cups and cardstock into pretty lanterns.

The kids can decorate their rooms—or the porch!

See page 24 for how-to.

SO CRAFTY

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rise and shine

Paper-Airplane Launch Show the kids how to fold classic paper airplanes; then take them to an open area. Mark start and finish lines with plastic cones or other bright objects.

At “Go,” the players launch their planes toward the finish. When the aircraft land, players race to toss them toward the end line again, continuing until someone wins. quick art

Nature Names Let the kids collect leaves, petals, and flowers from the yard and spell out their name, gluing it into place on colored cardstock. beat the heat

Turn cardboard boxes into starting ramps for a speedy raceway!

Sponge-Ball Toss Pick up a bunch of sponges from a dollar store. Stack three together and cut them lengthwise into three strips. Cinch in the middle with a rubber band, then fan out to create a ball shape. Fill up a bucket with water, dunk the ball in, then fire away! field trip

Go Bowling!

Check Kidsbowlfree.com to find local lanes that participate: Kids can bowl two free games a day all summer long! crafternoon

Build Race Cars Glue jumbo craft sticks and paper straws into cars that will be ready to race in a driveway derby. Turn to page 24 for how-to.

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These can double as backpack charms too!

SO CRAFTY

rise and shine

Hula-Hoop Workshop How many twirls can the kids do around their waist?

How many seconds can they keep the hoops rolling? Challenge kids with new techniques! instant game

Obstacle Course Raid the garage for tricycles, pool noodles, mitts, and helmets. Place the assortment around the yard. Time the kids to see who’s the fastest as they wiggle, hurdle, crazily ride … you get the picture! quick art

Create a Driveway Mural Have kids trace the outlines of their friends and then color in the outlines. Snap photos and match up the artwork to real life! beat the heat

Water Balloons Fill a pile and let the kids have a free-for-all! (Make it easy with self-tying Bunch O Balloons.) crafternoon

Make Key Chains Pull out that toothpick box hiding in the junk drawer and let the kids make mini God’s-eye key chains. Turn to page 24 for instructions.

rise and shine

Flying Saucers

Try a bigger version with lollipop sticks instead of toothpicks!

For a homespun version of disc golf, hang a hoop from a branch or a clothesline.

One player throws a Frisbee through the hoop, then the others have to match that shot or earn a letter; last one to spell D-I-S-C wins. instant game

Pool-Noodle Hockey Replace the usual pucks and sticks with pool noodles and a beach ball.

Place goals at each end of a play area (use cones or baskets) and make teams.

Game time! field trip

Treasure Hunt Paint a pile of colorful rocks, let dry, and have a parent hide them in the yard. Assign each color a point value; the kid who collects the most wins. instant game

Bubble Brigade See who can blow the biggest bubble from bubble gum!

Hula-Hoop racing, anyone?!

crafternoon

Weave a Trivet Transform embroidery hoops into simple looms and make bright and colorful trivets you can use at dinner that night. See page 24 for instructions.

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PROP STYLING BY AMY LIPNIS. WARDROBE STYLING BY HEATHER ROME. GROOMING BY MARINA MIGLIACCIO. OPENING PAGE, FROM LEFT: STRIPED TANK, CAT & JACK; SHORTS, CELEBRITY PINK; TEE, TARGET; OVERALLS, CAT & JACK; SWEATSHIRT, ART CLASS. PREVIOUS SPREAD, FROM LEFT: JEAN SHORTS, CAT & JACK; ORANGE TANK, CARTER’S; SHOES, KEEN; GREEN JUMPSUIT, ROSS; LAVENDER TEE, TARGET; PINEAPPLE TEE, OLD NAVY.

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They look ferocious, but inside they’re just no antibiotics ever.

®/©2017 Tyson Foods, Inc.

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SO CRAFTY

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1. ICE-DYED PILLOWCASES Do this craft on a windless day.

What You’ll Need

• Newspapers • Disposable roasting pan • Rack that fits in the pan • White pillowcase • Ice • Plastic gloves • Powdered fabric dye (we like iDye, available at Joann.com) 1. Working outside, spread newspapers under pan; place rack inside it. Soak pillowcase in water.

2. Squeeze out excess water and lay it on top of rack. Cover pillowcase with ice.

3. Wearing gloves, sprinkle 1 tsp. dye over ice. It will spread.

If using several colors, sprinkle in separate areas.

4. Allow ice to melt completely.

Rinse pillowcase in cool water until the water runs clear. Let dry and iron flat.

2. PAPER LANTERNS Hang finished lanterns around the yard or in the kids’ rooms!

What You’ll Need

• Cardstock • Craft paint • Two 7-oz. clear plastic drinking cups • Glue • Craft knife • LED tea light 1. Trim cardstock to 8x5 in.

Have the kids paint a design on one side. Let paint dry completely.

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2. Cut out the bottom of one cup. Add a line of glue around the mouth of each cup and seal together. The open bottom should be at the top. Let dry.

3. On the back of the cardstock, draw a horizontal line ½ in. from each short edge. Draw vertical lines ½ in. apart between the horizontal lines.

4. Cut each vertical line with a craft knife, using a ruler as a guide. Be sure your cuts do not extend beyond the horizontal lines; there should be a ½-in. band at each short edge.

5. Add glue to one short edge.

Wrap around the bottom of the cup structure. Let dry. Gently press down on the cardstock so the strips bow out. Glue top edge in place. Let dry.

6. Cut an 8-in.-long, ½-in.-wide strip of cardstock for a handle; glue the ends inside the top edge. Let dry.

7. Add an LED light and hang.

3. CRAFT-STICK CARS Serve applesauce pouches as a snack; use their caps for wheels.

What You’ll Need

• Jumbo craft sticks • Glue • Paper straws • Wooden skewers • 4 caps from food pouches 1. Lay out 2 to 3 craft sticks snugly next to each other. Glue two paper straws across the sticks, perpendicularly, about 1 in. from each end. Let dry.

2. Turn over. Build the top and sides with sticks and straws.

3. Glue a skewer into the center of a pouch cap. Let dry completely, making sure the skewer is centered and straight. Repeat.

4. Thread the skewers through the two base straws from Step 1 so edges of the wheels are not quite flush with the side of the car. Trim skewers; glue on remaining wheels, making sure they’re straight as they dry. Get ready to race!

4. GOD’S-EYE KEY CHAINS These take about ten minutes, so the kids can make a few!

What You’ll Need

• Toothpicks • Glue • Thin yarn • Key ring • Embroidery needle • Wooden beads, small pompoms, and/or tassels 1. Cross two toothpicks at their centers. Glue together.

Let dry.

2. Crisscross yarn over the center until the end is held in place securely. Wrap the yarn around the frame, looping around each stick as you go.

Pull snug each time, and push toward the center to avoid gaps. Continue until the woven area is 1½ in. wide. Knot off.

3. Loop a piece of yarn through the key ring. Thread ends into a needle and through a bead and pom-pom. Knot off, trim, then glue onto one toothpick end.

4. Glue beads, pom-poms, and/ or tassels to remaining sticks.

5. CIRCULAR-LOOM WOVEN TRIVETS We like bright, bold, and chunky yarn for a modern look.

What You’ll Need

• 8-in. embroidery hoop • String • Chunky yarn • Felt • Fabric glue • Parchment paper • Leather trim 1. Separate the two halves of the embroidery hoop.

Tie 8 pieces of string onto the inner hoop so they cross and make a starburst. Place the outer hoop back over the inner and tighten.

2. Using the yarn, and starting in the center, bring yarn over the first string and under the next. Continue weaving in the round, changing colors every few rows. When you change colors, leave a 1-in. tail in the back. Continue weaving, pushing yarn toward the center to avoid gaps, until you reach the edge of the hoop.

3. Place the finished hoop on a piece of felt. Trace and cut out.

4. Use fabric glue to secure the felt to the back of the weaving, tucking in loose ends.

Place a piece of parchment paper and a heavy book on top so that the felt adheres evenly. Let dry.

5. Remove the outer hoop. Cut the weaving off the inner hoop; trim excess string and felt.

Finish by gluing on a loop of leather trim.

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No rules. Just summer.

gymboree.com © 2018 Gym-Mark, Inc. All rights reserved. Gymboree® is a registered trademark of Gym-Mark, Inc.

Eggland’s Best gives your family what they deserve—the best.

Your family deserves more than ordinary. They deserve the superior taste, nutrition, and variety that only Eggland’s Best provides.

With more of the delicious, farm-fresh taste you and your family love—any way you cook them. Plus, 6 times more vitamin D, 10 times more vitamin E, and 25% less saturated fat than ordinary eggs.

Available in Classic, Cage Free, Organic, Hard Cooked, and other outstanding varieties.

Why settle for ordinary when you can give them the best? Eggland’s Best.

Better eggs.®

dig in WHERE FOOD & FAMILY MEET

spin it!

S’MORES Bring the flavors of your favorite camp treat home with these delicious twists.

BY AMY PALANJIAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL PIAZZA

FOOD STYLING BY JOY HOWARD. PROP STYLING BY ANN LEWIS.

Eat these warm for maximum gooeyness!

BROWNIES

PUDDING PARFAITS

ENERGY BITES

Spread half of a batch of brownie batter in an 8x8-inch pan. Cover with graham crackers; top with remaining batter. Bake as directed.

Top with mini marshmallows; broil to brown slightly.

Layer chocolate pudding, broken graham crackers, and mini marshmallows in small containers, repeating the layers twice. Chill for 4 to 6 hours before serving to soften the graham crackers.

Combine 1 cup oats, ½ cup each peanut butter and graham-cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup honey, and ¼ cup mini chocolate chips. Chill 30 minutes. Shape into balls with a marshmallow inside each.

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dig in THE STIR

EASY ACCESS

Opt for molds made of flexible materials like silicone—they peel right off the frozen pops!

summer fun

SO COOL Healthy recipes + clever molds = the best ice pops ever

SWEET CREAM TROPICAL SUNRISE

Unicorn Freeze Pop by Joie

Safari Pop Molds

by Zoku $15;

$5; joieshop.com

zokuhome.com Blend ½ cup each pineapple juice and pineapple chunks until smooth. Separately, blend ½ cup strawberries and 1 Tbs. sugar.

Layer the purees into molds. Freeze.

DESERT DREAM MELON MADNESS

Dino Pop Molds by Tovolo $16; Amazon

Cactus Popsicle Mold by Lekue

$5; lekue.com Blend 1 cup cubed honeydew melon, 1 cup cubed kiwi, and 1 Tbs. sugar until smooth.

Pour into molds and freeze.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER ARDITO.

Blend 2 cups cubed watermelon and 2 Tbs. lime juice until smooth.

Blend 1 cup vanilla pudding, ½ cup thawed frozen whipped topping, and 1 Tbs. honey until smooth.

Separately, puree 1 cup chopped peaches. Swirl peaches into pudding mixture, being careful not to overmix if you want a marbled effect.

Spoon into molds and freeze.

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Start Small Not ready to tackle a whole bed?

These products offer an easy introduction to growing food as a family.

PLANT A PIZZA GARDEN

This kit includes a special container and the seeds to grow basil, peppers, oregano, and tomatoes.

A learning booklet helps you care for your crops and eventually transplant them outside. $22; fabercastell.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIM LOWE.

FRESHPICKED FUN! How does your garden grow? With help from the kids, we hope! Planting vegetables has been shown to help ward off picky eating and give kids an appreciation for nature, and it’s also a good time.

“To me, working in the garden has always meant going outside and having a blast,” explains 12-yearold Emma Biggs. “I get to plant vegetables, water flowers, collect bugs, and get muddy!” It’s no wonder she feels this way: Her dad, Steve, is a horticulturist and loves to create opportunities for Emma to enjoy his passion for plants. (The two are even writing a kid-to-kid gardening guide due out next year.) Here, their ideas for getting your crew in on the action too: CHOOSE A THEME

For an easy way to get started, group your plants

around something your family already enjoys. You can do a mini garden for snack-size picnic foods, with plants such as cherry tomatoes, snap peas, or even mouse melons, which look like tiny watermelons. Or choose a recipe and plant all the fixings, like tomatoes, onions, and cilantro for a salsa. Favorite-color gardens are also fun: “A purple garden could have purple carrots, peas, beans, tomatoes, kale, and, of course, purple flowers,” says Emma.

TRY SOMETHING QUIRKY

“I also love growing unusual things,” Emma says. “Stuff that I won’t see in the supermarket.”

Go for anything with a weird color, shape, or size,

such as white carrots or Mexican sour gherkins, which are a little like a mini cucumber but also look like a watermelon.

You can even grow no-heat jalapeños! “I like to take these in my lunch to show my friends at school,” she adds.

CONSIDER A PROJECT

“The garden should be a space where everyone can hang out together,” says dad Steve. Especially with kids, it’s not always about harvesting the crop. Build tepees out of climbing bean plants, or bring in a few bales of hay that kids can use as giant blocks. Some plants can even double as art supplies: Magenta spreen is a purple herb that will leave a pink pigment when rubbed on the skin or on paper. “We never even got around to eating that one, because we were so busy playing with it!” Emma says.

ABBY’S GARDEN PLANTING ACTIVITY SET

Favorite Sesame Street characters help the littlest growers bloom. Includes seeds, pots, soil markers, and more to help you plant crops like carrots and basil. $20; barnesandnoble.com GROW YOUR OWN AVOCADO TREE

Did you know that you can actually produce an avocado plant from an old pit?

This kit includes a special tool for doing this, plus a book to explain to kids how it works. $15; avoseedo.com

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dig in THE STIR adventures in eating

LET’S TRY BEETS Use the “magic formula” of the three E’s—expose, explore, and expand—to introduce your kids to this root vegetable.

These bright-red veggies are supernutritious and surprisingly sweet. Here, Melanie Potock, a pediatric feeding specialist and author of Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables With 100 Easy Activities and Recipes, gives you three ways to help your kids learn to love ’em!

EXPOSE Make a beet tattoo.

ERASE STAINS

Stuck with pink fingers?

Rub them with a piece of raw potato under running water. Works like magic!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER ARDITO; ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY CHEN

Food play helps kids build confidence to try something new.

In this case, you can use beets to make temporary tattoos! Slice off the root and place it stem side up in an inch of boiling water. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, until tender. Once cool, press a mini cookie cutter into the bottom and cut away around the shape. Let kids lick the stamp, press it onto their skin and hold for a minute. Voilà! They’ll have a pretty, light-pink tattoo.

EXPLORE Have a taste.

A dip is a great way to start.

Blend 2 small cooked beets, 1 banana, 2 Tbs. plain yogurt, and 1 Tbs. honey until smooth.

Serve with apples.

EXPAND Be bold with a sauté.

Chop 3 large bunches of beetgreen stems into 1-in. pieces, and tear the leaves into bite-size ones.

Sauté the stems in 1 Tbs. olive oil and 2 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger. Add the leaves and toss with 1 Tbs. apple-cider vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, until wilted.

let’s grill

Taco Tuesday Remix

Switch up your summer barbecue with a hot-dog taco bar! Yup, hot dogs and tacos are even more delicious when you combine them. Simply grill up dogs, and warm corn or flour tortillas in foil (we like Reynolds Wrap Grill Foil) right on the grates.

Serve them with an array of toppings—black beans, corn, shredded cabbage, cheese, cilantro, salsa, and guacamole. Everyone can customize his own!

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© 2018 Tyson Foods, Inc.

dig in

LET’S EAT!

Flip the page for our easier-than-pie guide to cobblers, crisps, crostatas, and more!

BY L ARAI NE P E RRI // P H OTOGRAP H Y BY MI C H AE L P I AZZ A

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6 months to size 14 crazy8.com #CRAZY8KID

COBBLER CROSTATA

Make ’em mini!

Divide dough into six equal squares and roll them out to create personal pies.

You can roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter for fun-shaped biscuits!

Let everyone arrange ½ cup of the fruit of their choice over a quarter of the tart pan. Pour the batter over all, and bake!

Customize your crisp! Swap half of the oatmeal for a handful of cereal, granola, crumbled cookies, graham crackers, or even pretzels.

CLAFOUTI CRISP

LET’S EAT!

MIX

MATCH D

dig in

ER

Hit the farmers’ market and let the kids pick out the ripest, sweetest, and most colorful fruit they can find. Then get busy with one (or all!) of these classic summer-dessert recipes—each of which will work with any filling you fancy!

WHAT IT IS?

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 3 Tbs. sugar, 1¼ tsp. baking powder, and ¼ tsp. each baking soda and salt. Cut in 4 Tbs. cold butter, cubed, until mixture is pebbly. Combine ½ cup buttermilk and ½ tsp. vanilla; pour into flour mixture. Stir until dough just holds together (it will be shaggy). Chill.

FINISH & BAKE

FOOD STYLING BY CATRINE KELTY. PROP STYLING BY SIERRA BASKIND.

MAKE THE FILLING

A deep-dish fruit pie with a biscuit “crust” on top

MAKE THE BATTER

COBBLER

CRISP

CROSTATA

A baked fruit dessert with a streusel topping (also called a crumble)

A rustic, free-form fruit tart (also known as a galette)

In a medium bowl, combine ¾ cup flour, 3 Tbs. light-brown sugar, 1 Tbs. sugar, and ¼ tsp. salt. Work 6 Tbs. unsalted butter, cubed and softened, into mixture by hand until crumbly. Stir in ½ cup rolled oats.

Combine 1¼ cups flour, ½ tsp. sugar, and ¼ tsp. salt in a food processor.

Add 1 stick of cold unsalted butter, cubed; pulse until pebbly. Add 3 Tbs. ice water and 1 tsp. lemon juice, combining until it just holds together.

Remove and pat into a disc. Wrap in plastic (we like Reynolds Kitchens Quick Cut Plastic Wrap); chill for 1 hour. Roll dough onto parchment and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine 6 cups fruit (peeled and chopped if necessary), 2 to 4 Tbs. sugar (depending on sweetness of fruit), 1 Tbs. cornstarch, 2 tsp. vanilla, juice of half a lemon, and ⅛ tsp. salt.

Make a half-batch of the cobbler and crisp filling.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt 2 Tbs. butter in a 10-in. ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add fruit mixture; cook, stirring gently, until hot, about 5 minutes. Dollop large spoonfuls of dough over fruit to make “biscuits.”

Brush dough with 1 Tbs. buttermilk; sprinkle with 1 tsp. sugar. Reduce oven to 375°F; bake until top is golden and filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spoon filling into center of dough, leaving a 2-in. border. Fold edges of dough up and over filling, then brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Dot fruit with 1 Tbs. butter; bake 10 minutes.

Reduce oven to 375°F, and continue baking until pastry is golden and juices are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes more.

Let cool 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Transfer filling to a buttered 8-cup baking dish, and crumble topping over it. Bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes.

A BONUS BERRY DESSERT! Here’s a fourth summer treat to try: a clafouti!

This baked fruit dessert has a custard-like batter that comes together with pantry staples we bet you already have. To make it, combine 1¼ cups whole milk, 3 large eggs, ½ cup flour, ½ cup sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla, and ⅛ tsp. salt in a blender.

Process until smooth. Arrange 1½ cups fruit (peeled and chopped if necessary) in a buttered 10-in. quiche pan. Preheat oven to 375°F. Pour batter over the fruit.

Bake until puffed and set, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan at least 10 minutes.

Lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

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©Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 2018

Keep your home safe by securing your furniture do not place a TV or other heavy objects on furniture not intended for that use

safely secure furniture to the wall

close drawers to prevent children from climbing on them

place heavy objects in the lowest drawers

See our home safety tips ikea-usa.com/secureit

nest MORE

AT HOME

PROP STYLING BY AMY LIPNIS. WARDROBE STYLING BY HEATHER ROME. GROOMING BY JUANITA LYON. JEAN SHORTS BY CAT & JACK. SWEATSHIRT BY ART CLASS.

Don’t forget the s’mores brownies!

Get the recipe on page 27.

MAKE A NIGHT OF IT There’s nothing like hanging out under the summer moon.

These three activities guarantee fun and adventure, just outside your back door.

BY A B BY K A S S

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JUNE/JULY 2018

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nest

HEALTHY FAMILY

“Watch Netflix without getting the ‘too many devices’ message.”

Spencer C., 11 Montclair, NJ

(SOB!) “Just call us at camp, and we’ll remind you that we don’t miss you at all.”

Nate O., 10

have awesome

New York, NY

“Just know that I’m happy and having the best time in camp!”

Samantha P., 13

“You can just chillax and do all the things you did with Daddy from before you had kids.”

Hugo S., 8

Boca Raton, FL

Shelburne, VT

“Live the life you would without kids! Make a bonfire in the pool! Buy ten bottles of wine!

Wake up the neighbors at 5 A.M.” Theo O., 10

“You still have the dog to take care of! That’ll keep you busy!”

Spencer G., 10

“Sleep in and go out to fancy restaurants.”

Owen C., 8 Montclair, NJ

Roslyn, NY

Nature Calls Spending family time outside—even just a quick 20-minute walk— bolsters parent-kiddo bonds better than hangin’ inside, notes the Children, Youth and Environments journal. Parents tend to be distracted and less able to read their child’s emotions indoors. Being in nature, not surprisingly, helps you clear your head and really tune in to your child. So, get walkin’ and talkin’.

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OLEKSANDR RUPETA/NURPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES.

Brooklyn, NY

to fudge, s e m t co d tasting from i n h e mm e n e co rig r o e t w ft

W

ht .

le

Pefectly Fudgy. Uncommonly Good.

®

nest

HEALTHY FAMILY

Drink Up If your dog’s gums are dry and tacky to the touch, he’s overheated.

Get him some water, stat.

HELP FOR America’s Best Biscuit for Patriotic Pups Celebrate summer in America with your best friend. Baked with pride, these flag-shaped biscuits feature wholesome, healthy ingredients with a crunch dogs can’t resist.

Aw, poor puppy.

He always has to wear a fur coat! Here are three ways to keep your four-legged friend happy this summer.

“If it’s over 90°F, walk your dog on the grass, or get booties to avoid burns,” says integrative veterinarian Carol Osborne, D.V.M., director of Chagrin Falls Pet Clinic, in Ohio. If it’s

too hot for you to walk barefoot outside, it’s too hot for your dog. My Busy Dog’s Secure Dog Boots are lightweight and durable—perfect for the beach or the street. $36; mybusydog.com Dogs pant to keep cool, but there’s only so much a tongue can do. Enter: a cooling bandanna, like fouFIT. Wet it, wring it, and tie it on. It locks in water, so

the gradual evaporation keeps dogs comfy for up to six hours. $8; store .foufoubrands.com Carry a stainless steel for-dogs-only water bottle on all journeys, no matter how short.

It doesn’t take much to dehydrate. The H2O4K9 25-ouncer keeps water ice-cold, and the lid/ doggy bowl is BPA-free. $12; chewy.com

place we love

museum will inspire you to get moving. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis added 7.5 acres (about six football fields) of adrenaline-pumping indoor/outdoor, hands-on, feet-on sports exhibits at the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience. Here, families can tackle football dummies, race pedal cars, shoot hoops, play golf, and so much more. Can you say home run? Visit Childrensmuseum.org for more info.

Available for a limited time only!

COLUMN BY HOLLY PEVZNER

CHRISTIAN ASLUND/GETTY IMAGES.

A Museum for Active Kids The world’s biggest, and arguably coolest, children’s

Set your dog free from grains with

©2018 Blue Buffalo Co., Ltd.

BLUE Freedom.

Made with only the highest quality ingredients and none of the grains that contain gluten, BLUE Freedom® is grain-free at its finest.

We all want our dogs and cats to look and feel their best.

For some of our furry friends, that means being on a grain-free diet, which is why we created BLUE Freedom.

It always features real meat – and has none of the grains that contain gluten. Plus, BLUE Freedom has no corn, wheat or soy and no artificial preservatives or flavors.

If you think your dog or cat can do better on a grain-free diet, you can’t do better than BLUE Freedom.

Available for dogs and cats at your favorite pet specialty store.

Love them like family. Feed them like family.®

Make every day Father’s Day with these 20 pop-approved games, projects, and activities. Getting messy is definitely required!

BY JEFF VRABEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBYN BREEN SHINN

In her job as a physician's assistant, my wife has been required to work in the E.R., get ready for 6 A.M. surgeries, and be on call—all things that have led to a rewarding career but nothing close to what our parents called a “normal work schedule.”

As such, it’s often just our two sons and me, the three Vrabel men, waking up to a day full of endless possibility and promise.

And these days tend to begin the same way: with me making breakfast and asking, “So what’s on the agenda today?” and the boys responding with … well, abject silence, since they’re upstairs furiously Minecrafting while I talk to a stack of speedily cooling Belgian waffles.

Given the opportunity, my sons would be pretty well satisfied devoting one to 48 hours of their day to Minecraft, Roblox, and some curious digital pastime known to me only as “Goat Simulator.” (I once asked the 6-year-old how to play it, and he responded by tilting his head, looking at me as though I’d just sprouted a second head, and saying, “Uh, you simulate goats.” I’d never been so shut down by such a weird sentence.)

In these cases, it falls to me to devise the plan for the day, an activity or outing that not only has enough appeal to peel them away from their 8-bit fantasyland but also accomplishes the following: 1) enriches their lives; 2) helps them grow

TOGETHER TIME

nest

Jump-start your family’s return to vinyl!

Play in the street.

into wise, fulfilled adults; 3) is mentally active; 4) is physically active; 5) falls within my state’s laws of personal safety; 6) doesn’t cost $20,000; 7) is something I wouldn’t mind doing either. So, you know, no pressure.

Every parent wants to fill his children’s hours with activities that will empower and enrich them; every parent has stared at a wall repeating, “Yeah, I have no idea what that is.” To that end—and to celebrate Father’s Day—here’s an incomplete list of DAD THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS, as written by actual dads, prominent bloggers, musicians, and me, a humble writer-slashBelgian-waffle aficionado.

Sam Weinman, a New York City editor and author of Win at Losing: How Our Biggest Setbacks Can Lead to Our Greatest Gains, approaches parenting with this idea: “Allow them to be the conduit to your younger self.

I like to remind my boys that being a kid never gets old.” His go-to? Dragging out two goals, waiting for traffic to subside, and playing a little hockey in the street.

He’s even turned it into an annual event: a round-robin tournament with four kids and a dad on each team. Winners take home a replica of the Stanley Cup trophy—which is actually a popcorn maker. “It’s arguably the highlight of the year.”

2. INTRODUCE THEM TO A RECORD PLAYER. Now, granted, this isn’t for everybody: It doesn’t always work to have a 2-yearold’s peanut butter–covered hands around a precision device that doesn’t play if you bump it. But some years ago, I ventured into the attic to retrieve my old and spider-infested collection of records, and on many nights since, we’ve been charmed by this relic from the past.

We page through the massive art, make jokes about bizarre 1970s-era artist names (“Meat Loaf?” my eighth-grader said one night, shaking his head in bemused disbelief. “Why don’t people make any sense?”), and indulge in the novel idea of listening to something straight through, instead of fastforwarding or commanding Alexa to play something diferent.

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3 Invent new cereals. According to my 6-year-old, I have been eating Cocoa Pebbles incorrectly for decades. He told me this while retrieving two other boxes of cereal, from which he created an innovative new breakfast called CocoaLuckyTrix. For the week after, we started breakfast by engaging in some cereal alchemy, producing such inventions as Cinnamon Toast Flakes, Rice Krispiespufs, and my personal favorite, Marshmallow Apple Pebbles.

Treat-y cereals make breakfast extra sweet!

Learn which colas can explode.

Everybody knows that Diet Coke + Mentos = geysers of carbonated awesomeness. But though it’s the most famous reactive liquid, Diet Coke isn’t the only drink that will activate on contact with Mentos and make a mess of your kitchen! Head to the grocery store and grab a sample of other sodas. (This is for science, so the cheap bottles work just fine.) If you’re feeling especially MythBuster-y, tape several pieces of poster board together, mark off heights, and see which beverage creates the greatest geyser. (Hint: Don’t skimp on the diet root beer.)

5. SEND SCREENS BACK IN TIME. If your kids are into video games anyway, bond with and/or horrify them by showing them the ancient video games you had to deal with as a child. There are a few ways to do this: You can get an Atari simulator at Target for about $40, and Nintendo has released new (and tiny) “Classic Edition” plug-and-play versions of its NES and Super Nintendo consoles ($60 and $80 respectively).

The NES Classic Edition comes preloaded with 30 games, including Super Mario Bros. 3, Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, Dr. Mario, and Castlevania. The Super NES Classic has Street Fighter II, Super Mario World, Super Mario Kart, and Super Metroid. Best

part: Both let you save points, so hitting the power button no longer means obliterating your progress! Bonus: If your kids are into Minecraft, the graphics and gameplay on a Super Nintendo will seem like some impossible magic from the future. (If you’re not bad with bits, build yourself a device called a Raspberry Pi, a bare-bones hockeypuck-size computer onto which you can download basically any game released between 1975 and 1996. We advocate only downloading games you paid for, of course. But for under $100 and with a little bit of Googling, you can access an entire Ready Player One’s worth of classic gaming.)

Climb #6your city.

Troy Carpenter, dad and Instagram star @redblueox, has an altitude-themed go-to for his oldest: visiting monuments and ascending to urban heights. He’ll take his kids to Indianapolis’s downtown Soldiers & Sailors monument or figure out which days of the week he can visit the top floor of other skyscrapers.

If you’re in a city with older kids, finding the highest heights can be a perfect mix of urban adventuring and making sure they get enough exercise to sleep well that night.

TOGETHER TIME

nest

#9 Go playground shopping.

7. CREATE A SPY NETWORK. Few concepts capture a kid’s imagination more than secret messages, which is what compelled Coy Bowles, guitarist with the Zac Brown Band, to fashion a game out of a quirk in his house’s design. “We have a 4-inchtall pipe that connects one recording-studio room to another,” he says. “Its purpose is to pass cables through the wall, but my daughter and I now use it for fun.”

Bowles and his budding spy swap messages and toys through it. “It’s cute to see her so curious about what’s happening on the other side of the wall.” No pipe? Hide messages anywhere: in drawers, behind bookshelves, in the vegetable crisper, inside a favorite book.

If you live in an area with multiple playgrounds, turn your travels into a piratical expedition. Make a playground map, mark the spots you want to hit, and devise a plan with your kids for exploring each one. Make lists of the best parts of each—which one has the twistiest slide, the biggest fountains, the most imposing jungle gyms — and revisit as needed.

8.

“But I was only going 507 miles an hour, officer!”

Invent stories (with a little help).

Take a few sheets of paper, cut them into squares, and write a single and possibly hilarious word on each. Biscuits.

Alien. Rhinoceros.

Havarti cheese.

Then ask your kids to make up a tale, occasionally flipping a square over and adding the word on it to the story. It’s 100 percent free, 102 percent imaginative, and customizable to you and your family.

(Translated: “You can use whichever ridiculous words you want.”) It’s this strategy that once made my 6-year-old spin a fantastic yarn about a space pirate who uses lightning to fight a volcano inside an evil toilet. (Full disclosure: His stories always seem to include a toilet.)

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TOGETHER TIME Batter up! Who says you need a whole team for a game?

11. Fail to walk a straight line.

Block out your senses by closing your eyes and plugging your ears, and try to walk 100 steps in a straight line. It will not work. You will end up 50 yards to the left, or back where you started, or in the middle of a mud puddle—but never ever straight ahead.

50

your sports. When he lived in Manhattan— 13 aMod part of the world not especially known for its expanse

Work on a farm.

of baseball diamonds—blogger and Dad 2.0 Summit cofounder Doug French simply adjusted his ballpark perspective. “We invented a two-person baseball game called Dingerball,”

You don’t actually have to “work” on a farm—we’ve seen people do that, and frankly it looks difficult. But you probably live near a destination for “agritourism,” the term for seeing what farming means now, which often involves not just animals and dirt but drones and robots and other things from the future. Near where I live is the Fair Oaks Farms, in Indiana, one of the country’s largest.

Often described as an “agricultural Disney,” it offers tours of the Pig Adventure (which is 1,000 percent more adorable than you’d think, even if it smells 0 percent better than you’d think), a corn maze, climbing walls, amazing grilled cheeses, and a Cow Adventure, in which you can witness a cow giving birth, a stirring wonder of nature about which your kids will have an awful lot of questions.

past me, it’s a home run.” For a good while, one of his sons struggled to connect, but after a time, French saw that the game was teaching his sons the importance of sticking with something until you see some light break through.

JUNE/JULY 2018

Prep for a zombie apocalypse.

14

James Breakwell, a father of four girls under 7 who tweets under the handle @XplodingUnicorn, has one simple go-to activity: zombie training. “My kids and I pretend to fight of the undead with foam darts or whatever else is handy and safe.” It’s loud, messy, goofy, and totally makebelieve. “It’s great fun,” he says. “And it’s real preparation for the greatest threat of our time.”

15. PLAY GRANDMA’S FAVORITE GAME. Chase McFadden, a blogger who runs the site StufKidsWrite.com, connects the generations in his family via cribbage, an old-timey card game taught to him by his own grandfather. “I played with my grandpa, our kids play with their grandparents, and they are fortunate enough to have a great-grandmother to play with as well.” The game teaches math, sorta, and strategy, kinda, but mostly it’s a way to bridge the generations—even if those generations aren’t messing around.

“Don’t harbor any thoughts of a sweet old lady patiently and gently teaching her great-grandchildren the ways of the game,” McFadden says. “She plays for keeps.”

+ 5 more fun ideas!

16. Take an overnight road trip with just one kid.

17. Go hiking or simply walk in the woods.

18. Enjoy a staycation at a local hotel with a pool.

19. Go plane-spotting at a small, regional airport.

20. Paint things that do not need to be painted, like boards, rocks, pieces of wood, or old appliances.

PROP STYLING BY AMY LIPNIS. WARDROBE STYLING BY HEATHER ROME. GROOMING BY JUANITA LYON.

12.

©2017 Pepperidge Farm, Incorporated.

Not a low calorie beverage.

explore IDEAS FOR

BIG AND SMALL

BY MATT VILLANO

« FAMILYFUNMAG.COM

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explore

AMAZING PLACES

S OMETIME S, LE SS IS M OR E . There’s something special about slowing down and taking the kiddos

somewhere with simple pleasures—no cars, fewer people, and a quiet vibe. You read that right—even in 2018, there still are a handful of places across the country that don’t allow vehicles. Many of the spots are islands, where families leave their minivans on the mainland and explore instead by foot, bike, boat, or the occasional golf cart. With no traffic in sight, kids are free to roam, and parents are free to truly relax. (Exhale now.) Here are five to consider, with a rundown on how to get there and what to do once you arrive.

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FIRE ISLAND, NY

MACKINAC ISLAND, MI

SMITH ISLAND, MD/VA

SIZE About 2 square miles

SIZE About 76 square miles

SIZE About 32 miles long

SIZE About 4 square miles

SIZE About 6 square miles

LOCATION A barrier

LOCATION Lake Huron,

of Mexico, just west of mainland Florida, just north of Sanibel Island

LOCATION Pacific Ocean,

island off Long Island, east of New York City

between the Michigan “mainland” and the Upper Peninsula

LOCATION Smack in the middle of Chesapeake Bay, about two hours from Washington, D.C.

GETTING THERE

service from Long Beach, San Pedro, and Dana Point costs $37 each way (catalinaexpress.com).

GETTING THERE

GETTING THERE

Ferry service from Mackinaw City and St. Ignace is about $24 (mackinacferry.com).

Ferries from Crisfield, on the Delmarva Peninsula, service the island’s two main towns; fares are $20 each way. See visitsmithisland.com.

LOCATION In the Gulf

Ferries from Pine Island cost $20 each way.

See northcaptiva.com for schedules.

LODGING Mostly

vacation-home rentals; prices start at $169 a night.

As far as islands go, North Captiva is a relative rookie. It was cut off from the larger Captiva Island during a hurricane in 1921 and has remained separate—and accessible only by boat—ever since.

Today most of the island’s family-friendly offerings revolve around the great outdoors.

There are about 5 miles of white-sand beaches, where visitors can spot shells like pink and purple tellins, yellow cockles, corkscrew-shaped augers, and spotted junonias (although you are not supposed to actually take said beach treasures).

The island also has a 700acre tract of conservation land, where families can go to spot tortoises, birds, snakes, raccoons, and bobcats.

Dining on North Captiva is an intimate experience—with only four restaurants, you’re bound to run into the same families again and again. Most moms and dads swear by Barnacle Phil’s (239-472-1200), an island-style diner that specializes in comfort food and key lime pie.

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SANTA CATALINA ISLAND, CA

southwest of Los Angeles GETTING THERE Ferry

LODGING Rentals start at $129 a night; the Holiday Inn Resort Catalina Island (holidayinnresorts.com) has family rooms with bunk beds. Rates start at $250 a night.

Catalina Island bills itself as “Kidalina” for families, and the nickname fits.

Most of the island’s formal activities are in and around the main town, Avalon. Beaches are serious business there, and the four most family-friendly options—South, Middle, Step, and Descanso—all are within a short walk of downtown. Activities range from swimming and snorkeling to stand-up paddling and kayaking.

The water is so clear, you can see orange garibaldi fish darting beneath you as you go. You can spot even more colorful fish on popular glass-bottomed boat and semisubmersible submarine tours. (Check out catalinaadventuretours .com or visitcatalina island.com.)

But perhaps the most popular activity on Catalina is watching the sun set. Make a reservation for the overwater patio at Avalon’s Blue Water Grill (bluewatergrill.com) for a front-row seat.

JUNE/JULY 2018

GETTING THERE Ferry service from Sayville, Bay Shore, and other towns on Long Island costs $10 each way for adults and $5 for kids (fireislandferries.com).

LODGING Vacation

rentals start at around $149 per night. Or try The Palms Hotel (palmshotelfireisland .com) for $263 a night.

Fire Island is made up of 17 communities linked by narrow boardwalks over the sand. Technically, the western end of the strip— near Robert Moses State Park—allows cars. The rest is completely car-free.

Head to the Atlantic Ocean beaches on the south shore for long stretches of sand perfect for building sand castles, playing Frisbee, wavedodging, and more.

Another day, explore the island’s north shore, which faces the calm Great South Bay and is perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding.

The main attraction on Fire Island is its eponymous lighthouse, built in 1858. On ground level, the museum's exhibits paint a picture of Long Island from before the housing explosion of the 1950s. If your kids are feeling adventurous, climb the 182 steps to the top of the tower. On a crystalclear day, you can even see the New York City skyline 40 miles west.

LODGING Mostly hotels,

with rates starting around $89 per night; both the Mission Point Resort and Grand Hotel have familyspecific packages.

The most important detail about Mackinac Island is how to pronounce it—it’s “Mack-in-aw,” with a silent C. Once you’ve got that down, you can move on to the area's three distinct diversions: history, carriage rides, and fudge.

Fort Mackinac, much of which is still intact, dates to the American Revolution, when the island was under British rule. Today, interpreters dressed in period costume retell stories, fire cannons, and do reenactments.

Horse-drawn carriage rides offer quite an adventure, spanning nearly 90 minutes and taking passengers on tours that cover most of the island.

Finally, of course, is the fudge. The sweet treat has been a mainstay on the island since the 1800s, and today shops up and down Main Street sell variations. Visitors gravitate toward the selections at Ryba’s, Murdick’s, Joann’s, and May’s. The best of the bunch? You’ll just have to decide that for yourself.

LODGING Inns, vacation

rentals, and a motel; rates start at $99 a night.

Family fun on Smith Island is all about the water. Visitors spend hours “proging,” or beachcombing, for sea glass, arrowheads, shark teeth, buoys, and driftwood. Private-boat captains whisk families to nearby Shankes Island, a great place to glimpse baby pelicans, or to the adjacent Glenn Martin National Wildlife Refuge; ask for names and numbers at the Drum Point Market (drumpointmarket.com) in Tylerton. There’s also kayaking and canoeing—many overnight accommodations come with these water vessels, and rentals are available from outfitter Crisfield Kayaking (443-783-2486).

For on-land action, head to the two main towns of Ewell and Tylerton. Ewell is the larger of the two, with a visitor center that has exhibits detailing the history of the island, as well as a klatch of vacation rentals. In Tylerton, the Drum Point Market is the center of activity and serves up some pretty epic crab cakes.

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NORTH CAPTIVA ISLAND, FL

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FROM THE TOP: For families vacationing on North Captiva, FL, the favorite pastime by far is unplugging and unwinding; the ocean is so clear off Santa Catalina Island, CA, that you can see orange garibaldi fish darting beneath you in the water; Fire Island, NY, is made up of 17 communities linked by narrow boardwalks over the sand; the entirety of Mackinac Island is considered a historical landmark; Smith Island, MD, is the hub of the country’s soft-shell-crab industry.

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and brochures to assist them with their vacation research, and task your tribe with putting together a creative PowerPoint presentation describing one possible road trip and one trip that would require, say, a plane. Ask them to include photos, activities, hotels, or campgrounds they like, and other cool trip advice they find. Younger siblings can join in by creating additional low-tech visual aids—like drawing pictures or pasting photos on sheets of cardstock.

The post-vacation blues are real in our house, especially after visiting much-beloved long-distance family. How can we help the kids make the transition to home when they’re missing their cousins sooo much?

It’s hard to see vacation come to an end, especially when it was everything we hoped for and more! Here are a couple of simple ideas to help ease everyone back into real life once the party’s over:

• If you don’t have one already on the

HAPPIER TRAVELS Mom and play expert Meredith Sinclair shares her advice for making awesome vacation memories!

ILLUSTR ATION BY MARY K ATE M C DE V IT T

Our kids have polar-opposite interests. Any ideas for helping them keep a positive attitude when we’re doing something that bores them to death?

Before you tumble into a bottomless pit of sibling squabbles over summervacation activities, set your kids up for success with a family powwow about the importance of putting ourselves in someone else’s sneakers. Make it special by setting up an old-fashioned ice-cream social with your kids one night before break begins … because all discussions are much better over ice cream. (School already out? It’s not too late!) As everyone is enjoying treats, bust out a giant poster board titled “Family Summer Fun” and have your kids help you make a list of all trips, adventures, and shenanigans they want to experience

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calendar, schedule a weekly phone call or FaceTime with the relatives you’re missing. It sounds simple, but making a date to reconnect with far-off family gives everyone something to look forward to each week and makes the after-vacay weeks less abrupt and sad.

Be sure to arrange the first one a day or two after you get home.

• Create a collective memory board over the next few months, using different colored markers for each child’s suggestions. Then take a moment to look at the list together and talk about what it would be like if you took only one person’s ideas and ignored all the others. How would the other family members feel?

Finish up by having your crew come up with a couple of ideas to help make sure everyone has a great summer vacation, like picking a different colored suggestion from the list each week or having one child be the official photographer during an activity he’s not that into.

We’d love our kids to be more involved in planning our trips.

How can we get them started?

Easy! Have your older kids put that screen time they love so much to good use: Provide websites, travel magazines,

commemorating all the great times you had! One of my favorite quotes is “Don’t cry because it’s over.

Smile because it happened.” To help your gang shift from feeling blue about saying goodbye, celebrate their new memories. Print out some of the photos you took while away and gather a few souvenirs from your trip (movie stubs, pictures from brochures, tickets to places you visited … ). Then grab some markers and glue sticks, put on some fun music, and create a collage together.

Hang it in the kitchen!

Love Meredith’s advice as much as we do?

Get more great ideas from her book Well Played: The Ultimate Guide to Awakening Your Family’s Playful Spirit or her website, Meredithplays.com.

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GET OUTTA TOWN!

BY ERIN GIFFORD

One of the easiest ways to make summer even more summery is to plan a weekend getaway on top of your bigger vacation. We’re talking about a one-tank road trip that takes you and the kiddos up to three hours away for fun and adventure but gets you back in time for day camp on Monday. Here’s how to gear up for a successful jaunt: CREATE A RADIUS MAP. Pick up or order a paper road map and set a max driving distance of, say, 150 miles. Draw a circle around your starting point so you can see at a glance all the fun places you can reach by car from your location. Got your destination? Head to a site such as Roadtrippers.com, which can suggest a route and help you navigate points of interest along the way, including everything from

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historic landmarks. (Bonus points if you find stops that piggyback on your kids’ current obsessions— train museum, anyone?)

BE SLEEP-SAVVY. Book your hotel ahead of time to avoid hunting around for a room with sleepy (read: cranky!) kids in tow. Room77.com lets you search by amenities, such as free breakfast and a swimming pool, and allows you to quickly compare nightly rates across the Web. Now is the perfect time to stay in a less expensive hotel—kids are often happy to just splash around in the indoor pool, and many affordable hotels have one.

PLAN, BUT BE FLEXIBLE. Book your lodging and map out a rough itinerary, making time for unscheduled stops along the way.

Not everything worth checking out is listed on TripAdvisor, so pull over for dog parks and fruit stands that catch your eye. Look to locals such

as hotel front-desk clerks and coffee-shop baristas for hidden gems and for tourist traps to avoid. Julie Furst Henning, owner of the travel blog Road Trips for Families and mom of three in Eugene, OR, adds, “I like to go to garage sales. I ask about the best places to eat and the most fun playgrounds for kids.”

STOCK THE CAR. Snacks can make or break any family road trip, but most healthy options, such as cheese sticks and yogurt tubes, are good only for as long as they’re cold. Luckily, with a short trip, a sturdy cooler will keep grab-and-go snacks and drinks chilled for the duration of your adventure. No need to replace ice along the way. You’ll also want to pack in-car entertainment, but we challenge you to think outside the movie marathon and leave the iPads at home. Shorter rides are a great time to try out no-mess crafts like lanyards, finger knitting, and homemade busy books. (Check out our “Crafts You Can Make in the Car” video on our Facebook page for the how-tos.) Off you go!

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GETAWAYS

SUMMER ON THE MOUNTAIN A long weekend (or a day trip!) to a ski resort can be even more fun after the snow melts. We’ve got 12 you’ll want to check out!

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THERE’S A FAVORITE SAYING IN THE MOUNTAINS: People come for the winter but stay for the summer.

Hitting the snowy slopes is a blast, but the options for outdoor play in the warmer months truly can’t be beat. Hiking trails are lined with wildflowers, the river rapids are rolling, and the stars shine like nothing you’ve seen before. Plus, mountain resorts up nature’s ante with adrenaline-pumping activities like zip lines, mountain-biking trails, water parks, and more.

Find all the excitement kids crave at these 12 favorite mountain resorts.

Just don’t forget to pack your sense of adventure!

BY CATHERINE PARKER

Fly 25 feet high on Mammoth Mountain’s bungee trampoline.

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Kids can scale a ropes course in Park City, UT.

Squaw Valley’s High Camp sits at an elevation of 8,200 feet.

Split time between summer skiing and hiking at Mount Hood, OR.

Telluride, CO, has one of the state’s highest peaks.

Soar above the forest on the zipline tour in Vail, CO.

JACKSON HOLE MOUNTAIN RESORT Wyoming

At the resort’s Grand Adventure Park, kids can fly up to 24 feet in the air at the Bungee Trampoline, traverse wobbling logs and balance beams on the Ropes course, or free-fall off the Drop Tower. This all sits just 1 mile away from Grand Teton National Park and about an hour from Yellowstone National Park, which should be on your travel bucket list too. Rooms for four start at $249 a night; jacksonholenet.com.

MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN California

This Southern Californians’ hot spot lets kids as young as 6 ride at the country’s premier bike park, which has 3,500 acres and more than 80 miles of single-track trails complete with jumps, berms, and drops.

Get started at the Discovery Zone, which features beginner

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terrain and is designed to make progression easy. For those who prefer a slower pace, take the gondola to the top of the peak and explore six on-mountain nature learning stations.

Condos for four start at $199 a night; mammothmountain.com.

PARK CITY Utah

The resort’s Canyons Village is the center for mountain biking.

Ride the Red Pine Gondola to explore trails for all levels.

Or enroll your crew in the weeklong Youth Rides, open to kids as young as 5 provided they can ride a two-wheeler. You’ll also want to hit up the resort’s Adventure Zone for a mile-long alpine coaster, the Flying Eagle Zip Line, and more. Rooms start at $156; parkcitymountain.com.

nothing else: swimming! And “Smuggs” offers water fun in spades. The Mountainside Water Playground has a 300foot Giant Rapid River Ride, Notchville Park challenges kids to scamper across a lilypad installation without falling in, and the Courtside Pool has an aqua-volleyball court. You’ll also want to take a shuttle to Bootleggers’ Basin so big kids ages 13 and older can try out a Flyboard, in which a board with water jets propels those who dare several feet above the water! Or hike up to the Rum Runners’ Hideaway reservoir for some laid-back picnicking and water sports. Condos start at $200 a night; smuggs.com.

SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN RESORT West Virginia

SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH Vermont

There’s one thing that gets kids psyched for vacation like

Snowshoe is four hours and a world away from Washington, D.C. Here, the competition isn’t about politics but water

sports. Take the Ballhooter Lift to Shaver’s Lake. Then let the kids loose to canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or test their skills on the floating challenge course. Kids will also love Camp Wildcat, where they can mountain bike and try archery. Rent a condo for $177 a night at Allegheny Springs; snowshoemtn.com.

SQUAW VALLEY SKI RESORT California

Hop onto the Aerial Tram for the ten-minute ride up the mountain while surrounded by the beauty of Lake Tahoe and the High Sierras. Once you’re there, head over to High Camp and take a spin around the outdoor roller rink. (There’s also a mountaintop pool and a hot tub to splash around in.) When you’re back down in the village, try the ropes course with its two circuit courses, eight bridges, and seven zip lines up

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TOP ROW, LEFT: PARK CITY MOUNTAIN. TOP ROW, MIDDLE: DON PAULSON PHOTOGRAPHY/PURESTOCK. BOTTOM ROW, MIDDLE: SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN RESORT.

Snowshoe Mountain’s kids’ club offers a wild ride.

GETAWAYS to 50 feet off the ground.

Wheee! One-bedroom suites with a sleeper sofa start at $210 a night; squawalpine.com.

SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN RESORT Maine

First stop: the Outpost Adventure Center in the resort’s base village, where you can grab all the info (and rentals) you’ll need. The zip-line tour is a must-do—it takes you over a scenic brook and along the path of the area’s original gondola.

You’ll also want to book a spot on the weekly Moose Safari, where a naturalist guide will help you spot the shy Maine moose hiding among the evergreens. Rooms in the lodge with two queen beds start at $195 a night; sugarloaf.com.

TELLURIDE RESORT Colorado

Here, adventure is all about the transportation. It starts before you ever get to the resort, driving the Million Dollar

Highway, an S-curved scenic drive south from Grand Junction (and the only route into town). It continues when you get to Telluride, where you can jump onto a series of free gondola rides from the historic downtown to the mountaintop resort. Then it revs up with a 4x4 Jeep tour with a professional driver.

Bump and bounce over the rocky road to summit a 14,000foot mountaintop. A junior suite starts at $202 per night; tellurideskiresort.com.

TIMBERLINE Oregon

Some families want the white stuff in summer, so head to this Mount Hood resort that’s open for skiing and boarding yearround. There’s even enough snow for a summer terrain park! Or better, sign up for Family Race Camp to work on gate training for the Slalom.

For a different kind of thrill, stay at the iconic Timberline Lodge. It was built in the

1930s and served as the movie backdrop for The Shining.

(Creepy!) Family rooms for five start at $295 a night; timberlinelodge.com.

VAIL RESORT Colorado

The adrenaline rush starts at Vail’s Epic Discovery Center.

There’s the Forest Flyer mountain coaster that screams 3,400 feet down the mountain, the speedy 550-foot-long Eagles Nest water-tubing hill (and its little brother, the Marmot Mini tubing hill), zip lines, a ropes course, a bungee trampoline, a climbing wall, and more—all accessible via the Eagle Bahn Gondola. A lodge room with two queen beds starts at $185; vail.com.

WHITEFACE MOUNTAIN RESORT New York

Lake Placid is home to two former Winter Olympic Games, so buy an Olympic Site Passport ($35) to tour all the locations

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and—if you’re lucky—catch a glimpse of some up-and-coming athletes training. Then let the kids get their own Olympicstyle competition going at the Adventure Zone’s series of inflatables and slides. Suites start at $304 a night at Whiteface Lodge; whiteface.com.

WHITEFISH MOUNTAIN RESORT Montana

For families with younger kids, Whitefish Mountain is the place to be! Over the last few years, they’ve added Strider Bike Park, which offers a dirt-bikelike experience, all done on balance bikes, as well as the Spider Monkey Mountain, where kids ages 4 and older can clamber through rope webs and then sail down a two-story slide. Plus, they’re debuting summer tubing this year. All the while, the older siblings can check out the Aerial Adventure Park. A room for four starts at around $229 a night; skiwhitefish.com.

TravelingMom.com is an online family-travel site with more than 60 writers from around the world! Catherine Parker, who wrote this story, is a contributor.

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For more treats, check out the new book Make It Easy, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson (St. Martin’s Griffin, $19).

ON THE LOOKOUT! Round up the kids for a scavenger-hunt hike, then celebrate all their finds with binocular cupcakes! BY KAREN TACK AND ALAN RICHARDSON // PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAN RICHARDSON For each treat, use a serrated knife to cut ½ inch from the base of two mini wafer cones. Dip the top of each cone into melted chocolate, coating about 1 inch. Let excess drip off; let set on a parchment-lined pan. Snip a large marshmallow crosswise into thirds; discard the center portion. Place a piece inside each cone, sticky side down. Attach a Wonka Original Spree candy on each marshmallow with frosting. Press the two cones side by side into a frosted cupcake. Cut a vanilla wafer cookie in half for ears, and add a jelly bean for the nose. Use a red Fruit Loops for the mouth and more Fruit Loops as hair. Yum! FROM MAKE IT EASY, CUPCAKE! BY KAREN TACK AND ALAN RICHARDSON. COPYRIGHT © 2018 BY THE AUTHORS AND REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF ST. MARTIN’S PRESS.

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last bite

With breathtaking views all around, a hike in Montana is rich in moments to share. Find everything from awe-inspiring natural wonders to rolling prairies on thousands of miles of trail. No matter which path you choose, it will lead to cherished memories. Discover your #MontanaMoment at VISITMT.COM.