Disclaimer: We were provided free stay in exchange for our honest review - all thoughts and opinions are our own and 100% unbiased, as always :) Affiliate links may be included below, you don't pay more but we receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.

Whether you prefer off-the-grid tent camping, have an RV, or are looking for more of a "glamping" experience with AC and an actual bed, New York City North / Newburgh KOA Holiday has it all! Kid-friendly campgrounds with tons of activities from outdoor swimming pool and a bounce pillow to bike rentals and fishing, set in the heart of New York's Hudson Valley, just 80 miles north of NYC! Watch our highlights video below for a tour of Newburgh KOA campgrounds (including a peak at their communal showers and bathrooms, in case you'll be at a tent or non-deluxe cabin), a tour of our KOA deluxe cabin, see many of the activities, and read on for more details!!

Let me preface this by saying our family has never been camping. My husband and I have been camping as kids, but it's been a good 2-3 decades! Before we invest hundreds of dollars in tents and gear, we figured we should dip our toes into the experience first by trying out a cabin at the KOA Holiday Newburgh, just a 30 minute drive from our home in Cornwall!

​I've heard such great things about KOA (Kampgrounds of America) from moms in various Facebook groups - it's the world's largest system of open-to-the-public campgrounds, with 525 KOA campgrounds throughout the US and Canada!

​We got a KL1 "Deluxe Cabin" at KOA Holiday Newburgh, that included AC (a unit in the living room and bedroom), a bathroom with a shower, a bedroom with a queen bed (box spring and all!), a small kitchen (with fridge and stovetop but no oven), a queen sleeper sofa (which was horribly thin/springy & uncomfortable but our kids didn't seem to mind), twin bunks (very thin firm mattress on wood - I slept on it one night and found it surprisingly comfortable, definitely better than on the ground in a sleeping bag), and outside had a propane grill, picnic table, fire pit, and parking spot.

​You do have to bring your own linens (towels, sheets, blankets, pillows) as well as toiletries and food. They did have toilet paper and some basic kitchen/cooking/grill supplies, and most of the basics can be bought at their General Store onsite, but we decided to head to the local Hannaford (5 minute drive) to get soap, food, booze, etc.

I was really impressed with the activities they had to offer at the campgrounds! Our kids (and us parents) enjoyed the following FREE activities:

• outdoor pool (3.5-6' deep; no lifeguard; Memorial Day - Labor Day)
• jumping pillow (similar to a trampoline)
• mini golf
• arts & crafts
• playground
• volleyball
• basketball
• hiking
• giant chess / checkers

They also had a fishing pond, horseshoes, wine tasting, a rock climbing tower, fee-based arcade, bike rentals, and excursions!

Every morning from 8-11am they serve free pancakes which were huge and delicious!! You can buy coffee (something like $1.25) and extras such as bacon and sausage. From 12-5pm they serve basic but good and super affordably priced griddle food (we got a cheeseburger, hot dog, and ice cream - all delicious), as well as chips and bottled drinks. If you plan ahead for an early dinner you could have it there, otherwise you're on your own to cook. Though, there are some nearby restaurants that will deliver to the campgrounds, including a pizzeria. But come on, you're camping!! Time to barbecue - I believe the deluxe cabins have a propane grill and other sites have charcoal grills. And for dessert, s'mores over the fire, of course!! The manager actually recommended s'moreos - use the Oreo cookie instead of Graham crackers!! All can be found in their General Store, even reusable metal s'more sticks!

We really enjoyed walking around the campgrounds in the evening after dinner. Everyone is so friendly - sitting out by their fires or watching TV on the outside of their RV's (what!?!?! SO COOL!!). But it's the woods and there are mosquitos... we bought mosquito bracelets and I'm not sure if they helped or not but we got home yesterday and I'm still itching like crazy! So... consider ALL. THE. REPELLENTS - spray, bracelets, coils, you name it! We did twice a day tick checks and didn't find any - phew, but be sure to stay on top of that as well!

There is free wifi, so my husband got some work done on our picnic table one morning, and had a video conference from our kitchen table. We couldn't figure out our TV remote but it was Roku so we were able to control it with an app on my phone. Wifi and TV are pretty essential for my family, even on "off the grid" type of vacations like this. Sometimes you need to do a bit of work, or let the kids chill for a hot minute, am I right?

KOA Newburgh is open late March through October, with pool / snack bar open Memorial Day through Labor Day.

• Tent Site from about $35/night
• RV Site from about $48/night
• Cabin (no kitchen or bathroom, up to 6 people) from about $94/night
• Deluxe Cabin (with Full Shower, up to 8 people), from about $200/night

Get more information and book your stay (or get day passes) here!

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Checklist for First Time Family Camping
• Family-Friendly Day Trips and Weekend Getaways from NYC
• Kid-Friendly Hudson Valley Day Trips & Activities

Disclaimer: We were provided complimentary tickets to Dutch Wonderland and Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in exchange for our promotion, but all thoughts and opinions are our own - we LOVE them, have been going for years, and know you'll love them, too! This post also contains affiliate links, you won't pay more but we receive commission from purchases made after clicking.

We missed our annual trip to Lancaster last summer, we all missed ALOT of things last year, am I right?! But it made our trip this year that much more special! And to top it off, we also met my best friend (and her family) who I hadn't seen in 3 years!! See the WHOLE vacation in this super fun video here, and read on for more details!!

Lancaster is one of our favorite family vacation destinations, for 3 reasons:

1. The landscape
It's absolutely beautiful, so peaceful, with rolling hills and endless farmland! Also, I may be a tad fascinated with Amish culture and lifestyle... ​

2. Dutch Wonderland
Possibly the best amusement park out there for toddlers and younger kids, with everything from chill rides to exciting diving shows, and even a small water park. There are many rides where you can hold babies and little ones in your lap. By around 2-3 years old, they're tall enough for most rides, at least going together with an adult. My oldest is 8 and finally tall enough to ride the wooden roller coaster with the highest height requirement. My 5 year olds are tall enough for the 2nd highest cutoff ride, Merlin's Mayhem, a super exciting SMOOTH metal roller coaster. Look at the below photo of our first trip in 2017 and our latest trip in 2021 - the kids have grown SO much!!

We're still not out of the pandemic, but I should note that most people at the park were NOT masked, and it did get crowded. The waterpark was too crowded for our comfort (you can see in our video) so didn't venture in there, but other than that we didn't feel uneasy, especially being outdoors. We got there right when they opened at 10am and were able to ride Merlin's Mayhem (our favorite roller coaster) twice in a row without any line and didn't have to wait more than 5 minutes until afternoon, when it got a bit more crowded but still not crazy, for a super nice Sunday in August I was pleasantly surprised!

We just love going back year after year! We haven't noticed any change in rides since we've been going, but it's fun seeing how the kids change each time - what they're excited to ride or see again, and what they're suddenly tall enough to do.

You can get a special discount on Dutch Wonderland tickets here ($9 off!!)

3. Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
We've been going to Cherry Crest for years now and every time they have added new things and expanded and my mind is blown in the best way all over again!! It's basically 25 acres of outdoor adventuring "agri-entertainment" fun on the farm - we're talking HUGE fast potato sack slides (a 6-lane slide is new this year and amazing!!!), jump pillows for kids AND adults, petting zoo, tractor rides, shooting apples and paint balls, Sproutsville kids' town (expanded this year with many new buildings - see the video), and so so so much more!! 

Their epic corn maze was voted #1 in the country last year!! Be sure to click here and vote so they win again this year. Above center is an aerial view, this year's 5-acre corn maze with 2.5 miles of trails has a theme of "Hometown Heroes", and throughout the maze you can learn about how local and national emergency services keep our communities safe!

Cherry Crest is open daily through the summer (closed Sundays/Mondays) in July & August, and open Thurs-Sat from September 11 - November 6. Check out their calendar here!

We've stayed at several different Lancaster hotels over the years, you can see them mentioned in our previous annual guides (our 2019 guide, our 2018 guide, our 2017 guide - you can see TONS of other activities and restaurants in those as well).

ACCOMMODATION:
This year we chose the Wyndham Lancaster Resort and it's our new favorite!! Here's why we loved it:
1. Huge and newly renovated - modern, clean, super nice! We got a pool-view balcony room with 2 queen beds and I was surprised how big it was! Could fit an extra bed but we decided to keep it roomier and just had our 3 kids sleep sideways in one of the queen beds, easy peasy!
2. Great heated zero-entry outdoor pool with lounge chairs IN THE POOL. It was in the 90's when we arrived and the pool was actually a bit too warm, felt good but not refreshing. I've never said that about a pool in my life LOL, it was like a warm bath, would have felt really nice on a normal day in the 70s-80's but in a heat wave, I wanted icey water!
3. Nice indoor pool with 9' deep end, nice for jumping and diving!
**note: NO LIFEGUARDS! You have to sign a ton of waivers at check in.
​4. TODDLER ROOM!! See photo below and in our video. My kids are 5, 5, 8 and loved it here. And it was amazing for our friend's 2 year old because he could just roam free with no worries. It's a great space to take your kids when they wake early, to let your partner enjoy a sleep in!
5. Super cute outdoor playground. Note: it's not gated in, so you'll have to stay close to your little ones if they're runners!
6. On-site restaurant, bar, and Starbucks. Pro Tip: the Starbucks has a microwave (our room didn't), it also has a little food pantry where you can buy cereal, snacks, etc.
7. Located across the street from Cartoon Network Hotel and Dutch Wonderland, walkable to many restaurants including Applebees. Very close to the outlets and TONS of stuff! That said, it's in a busy commercial area, not the quiet peaceful areas of Lancaster where we've stayed before.

We also dropped by Cartoon Network Hotel because I've been curious about it since it opened recently! It looks like it was an old motel that got bought up and gut renovated in a really fun and kitsch way. We peaked into an open room and it was small, no wonder they have a max 4 guests policy. The outdoor pool and splash area look great, and we ate dinner at the Cartoon Kitchen, which looks more like a cafeteria than a restaurant, but we got a private BenTen themed "pod" (3 walled room with a TV at the end of the table) and had fun. The food was good, drinks were strong and yummy, they have a FAB gift shop if you have CN loving people in your life, and they had meet and greet with a couple of characters, however there was a no-touch policy, covid related probably. I definitely recommend either a stay or a meal there!

MORE FAMILY VACATION INSPIRATION:

• Family-Friendly Day Trips & Weekend Getaways from NYC: amazing roundup we made with TONS of links to personal reviews!!)
• Kid Friendly Hudson Valley: great roundup we made of family-friendly day trips and activities for kids!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Primary but all thoughts and opinions are my own :)

Looking for CUTE and QUALITY clothes for babies through big kids? Look no further than Primary and shout it out loud with me y'all: EVERY COLOR FOR EVERY KID!!!!! YESSSSS!!!!! Primary does not have boys and girls listings and I couldn't love that more. You simply shop by size (from newborn through 14Y, and some coordinating tops for grownups, too), by color, or by clothing type (ex. underwear, tees, dresses, etc). On their FAQ page, they say, "Clothes and colors don’t have genders, so it never made sense to us to organize them as if they do. We make dresses for kids who wear dresses, pants for kids who wear pants, PJs for kids who wear PJs. We make the clothes, but kids make the choices."

We have a $75 gift card to Primary.com in my 2021 Back to School Giveaway, enter to win that at the bottom of the post, but FIRST, check out our family's ADORABLE unboxing and fashion show of some coordinating threads we just got from Primary!

We decided to go with the "Lollipop" coordinating colors, since they were nice and bright and a color kinda between red and hot pink that we all love! I was a bit disappointed the "Lollipop Henley Tee" we got for my son wasn't a 100% match to the reds in the rest of our clothes. It's "heathered" and actually says that in the product description which I didn't bother reading, whoooops! But it still works, let's him stand out a bit, and maybe good for us to not be so obnoxiously matchy matchy LOL!

On the left, Emi is wearing the Swing Tee (on sale now for $9.50) and Skinny Jeans ($29.50) in dark wash. She usually wears a size 5 so we went for the 6/7 and it's a bit big but fits nicely. The size 6 skinny jeans fit great! Emi is a great example of why kids clothing shouldn't be sorted by gender. She would choose big brother's baggy hand me down tee and soccer shorts over a dress any day. She can't explain why she likes what she likes, and doesn't like what she doesn't like. She just does! I wasn't sure if she'd go for the Swing Tee because she usually vetoes any kind of frill or poof, but she likes it, and LOOOOOOOOVES her new jeans! Phew!

In the middle, Mia is wearing the Recess Dress (on sale now for $12.50) and purple leggings part of the Raspberry Mix 3-pack of leggings ($36). She's quite petite and usually wears a 4/5; this dress is a 6/7 which is why it's kinda swimming on her, but hey, we'll get a few years' wear out of it!! She can't stop spinning and swirling in this. She's hilarious! She's team skirts and dresses for life I think!

​As mentioned above, Kenzo on right is in the Lollipop Henley Tee (on sale for $12.50). He usually wears a size 8 and the size 8/9 and it fits perfectly. He's also wearing the slim jeans ($29.50), size 8. He usually fights me on jeans, choosing joggers instead because, obviously, they're more comfortable! (I hear ya kid, I live in my leggings!) But these have more stretch than jeans he's worn before, so I think he's sold. Which is awesome because he's going back to school in September after 1.5 years at home and I really don't want him at school in jogging pants every day. But, then again, probably not a battle should be worrying about!

Below I've got my son's slim jeans next to my daughter's skinny jeans. Obviously they're different sizes but you can see the skinny leg is slightly more tapered at the ankle. They both feature adjustable waists with elastic and buttons inside. AND they both feature real pockets, real belt loops, real zipper, and a FAKE OUTTER BUTTON - yes, they snap! EASY PEASY. They're both a great denim material with a good stretch to them (73% cotton, 25% recycled polyester, 2% spandex).

My husband is 5'7" and usually wears a Men's Small - the Small Classic Fit Tee ($18) fits him perfectly. I'm 5'8" and usually wear a women's Small or Medium - the Small Slim Fit V-Neck ($18) fits me perfectly. You can see in the below photo (I hope) how they are cut slightly differently, I would say they pretty much correspond to traditional sizes in Men's for Classic and Women's for slim fit, which has shorter and more narrow cut arms/shoulders, and a shorter cut length. Ours don't seem any different width wise, or not significantly. They're both super soft loose fitting tees, not skin hugging or anything.

We had fun picking out our coordinating family outfits, and look forward to doing more Back to School clothes shopping with Primary (they have washable cotton masks with removable filters for adults and kids, too)!!!

Don't forget, you can win $75 shop credit to Primary.com in our $500+ Value Jackpot Back to School Giveaway running through August 17, 2021!!

Enter to WIN Here!!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Mabel's Labels but all thoughts are my own and unbiased. Affiliate links are included below - you don't pay more but we receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking. Thank you for stopping by!! :)

It's August and that means it's BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING GO TIME!
​But don't worry, it's just 3 easy steps:

STEP 1: Get your back to school supply list(s) from the teacher(s).

STEP 2: Buy all the things.
Pro Tip: If they mention a brand name, there's usually a reason, such as it being superior and longer lasting, or least likely to break their pencil sharpener. If it says 8-pack and you can only find a 10 pack, take a breath, it's OK, they're not gonna kick your kid to the curb over that. For me, with 3 kids and no car, ordering online is easier. I usually compare prices and availability and buy through Amazon's Back to School page, Target's Back to School page, and/or Walmart's Back to School page. The school supply lists can be long and it can get expensive. Take a break and have a laugh with my 2 favorite Back 2 School videos of all time:

STEP 3: Label all the things.
Pro Tip: Save time and sanity by ordering Mabel's Labels, which are customizable, washable, and super durable - they will last all year, and then some! Trust me, you're not gonna wanna be hand writing your child's name with a Sharpie on every one of the 40+ crayons, colored pencils, markers, and pencils, not to mention water bottle, lunch box, scissors, glue sticks, erasers, ruler, folders, tissues, disinfectant wipes, binders, headphones, masks, backup clothes/socks/undies... Mabel's got a label for EVERYTHING! Their Back to School Label sets are a great place to start!! Get 20% off their Back to School Labels with this link! Beyond traditional labels, they've also got silicone bottle bands, allergy alerts, emergency IDs, metal bag tags, and SO MUCH MORE!

You can win $50 shop credit to MabelsLabels.com in my $500+ value jackpot Back to School Giveaway running through August 17!! More on that below!!

But first... watch my fun unboxing video of a Back to School swag bag sent to me by Mabel's Labels! You can learn about some other really great brands and products, such as Bumkins' reusable snack bags and a biodegradable flower petal confetti party popper for celebrating the first day of school!! And you'll learn some more about Mabel's Labels and why as a parent or teacher, you need them in your life!!

And now...
ENTER TO WIN!!!
my $500+ value jackpot 2021 Back to School Giveaway (including $50 shop credit to MabelsLabels.com) running through August 17!! Click to enter to win! US residents 18+. Good luck!

Some Back to School essentials we think you'll love!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Seenda but all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

If you're suffering from carpel tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, or wrist and shoulder pain like I am, or just looking to upgrade  your computer accessories, you've stumbled upon the blog post for you! I'm here to review the Seenda wireless vertical ergonomic mouse and bluetooth backlit keyboard, which are part of my HUGE 2021 Back to School Giveaway (link at bottom of post to enter to win the $500+ value jackpot, along with a 20% off discount code for Seenda products!)

​Be sure to watch my unboxing and review video here, and read on for more details:

I've been struggling with increasing discomfort in my wrist and pointer finger due to spending more and more time at the computer editing videos, and have been looking into getting an ergonomic mouse so was really excited to get to review the Bluetooth Rechargeable Ergonomic Vertical Mouse from Seenda. So far I'm loving it, here are a few of the key features that really stood out to me:

• It's ERGONOMIC. What's that mean? It keeps your hand, wrist, and arm in more natural positioning, lessoning postural related pain, carpel tunnel, trigger finger, and more.
• It's WIRELESS. Connect via bluetooth or USB dongle.
• It's RECHARGEABLE. What's more, you can still use it when plugged in and charging!
• It has a QUIET CLICK! Great for use in a library, or like me, in a bedroom office where your partner is sleeping LOL!
• It's UNIVERSAL - working on pretty much any device with bluetooth or USB (MAC, Windows, iOS, Android, etc).

​BUY IT on Amazon (affiliate link).

Next up we have the Seenda wireless bluetooth backlit keyboard which I got for my son but honestly it's SO COOL I may have to keep it for myself... Here are the features I'm loving:

• It has BACKLIGHTING - you can turn it on or off and adjust the brightness, has 7 colors to choose from and is SO FREAKING COOL!! To save battery, backlighting turns off after 2 minutes of inactivity.
• It's WIRELESS & UNIVERSAL - connects to any device with bluetooth capability - Mac, Windowis, iOS, Android etc
• It's RECHARGEABLE - my old Mac blew through batteries pretty quickly and felt so wasteful. This runs 320 hours without backlight, 8 hours with brightest backlight, and has a 2 hour charge time but can be used while charging. Side note, the keyboard and mouse chargers seem to be interchangeable, at least I'm using one for both, seems fine!
• SYNCS to up to 4 devices via bluetooth at a time, just push a button to switch!!
  

​
BUY IT on Amazon (affiliate link)

How cool are these? Best gaming mouse and keyboard for sure, but great for anyone - from youtubers like myself to daily use or at work, kids and adults alike! 

Get 20% your first purchase on seenda.com with code "USJAPANFAM" (valid through August 17, 2021).

Don't forget, you can win this mouse, keyboard, AND a Seenda laptop stand as well as a TON of other great stuff in my $500+ value jackpot Back to School giveaway runnning HERE from August 3 - 17!! Enter to win today!!!

It is still very unclear how school will look this coming year: full time in person, hybrid, remote, or homeschool again for some of us, but one way or another Back to School is right around the corner and I've got another amazing Back to School giveaway for you all!! One very lucky winner will receive the ENTIRE $500+ value jackpot!! Read on for info on each of the prizes and sponsoring brands, and enter to win in the Rafflecopter box at the bottom of this post. Be sure to bookmark this page and keep coming back over the next 2 weeks because our dedicated reviews and youtube demos will be popping up daily, AND you can earn more giveaway entry points each day with various easy actions!

Disclaimer: this post is sponsored by the brands below, and affiliate links are included - you don't pay more but we receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.

THE PRIZES:

SEENDA KEYBOARD, LAPTOP STAND & MOUSE

If last year taught us anything, it's that computers are becoming more essential for everyone from toddlers through seniors! We're excited to be working with Seenda to promote their electronic accessories that make computer and tablet use more comfortable and more fun! Our grand prize winner will receive the following THREE amazing items from Seenda that work with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android (a $106 value!):

• Backlit Keyboard: wireless, rechargeable, connects to 4 devices simultaneously (switch between devices with the click of a button), and with 7 brilliant backlight colors, this keyboard is both practical and beautiful!!
• Ergonomic Portable Laptop Stand: compatible with all laptops and tablets sizes 10-15.6", has 4 height settings, supports up to 44 pounds, and is incredibly portable with a quick fold and weight of just 0.8 pounds.
• ​Ergonomic Vertical Mouse: allows your hand to be in a more natural position to reduce wrist and shoulder pain, is rechargeable, is wireless and connects to up to 3 devices via bluetooth and USB dongle.

​
BUY THEM HERE: Amazon (affiliate link) or seenda.com (get 20% off with code USJAPANFAM through August 17, 2021 on their website, Aot amazon)

Don't miss my full blog review here and video demo below!

BURST ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH

Oral health is so important for our overall health, and confidence. Kids and adults can get cleaner teeth with a great electric toothbrush, which is why we LOVE our Bursts and know you will, too! Their sonic toothbrushes feature a 2-minute timer with a pulse every 30 seconds to signal when to move to a new quadrant of teeth, and have an amazing battery life (3-4 weeks on a single charge)!

​Our grand prize winner will receive one toothbrush of their choice of color in either the Adult or Kid's brush:

• Adult Burst Sonic Toothbrush: remove 10x more plaque than regular brushing, reduce gingivitis and gum bleeding 3x more than traditional tooth brushes; available in in black, white, or rose gold; $89.99 - $119.99 value.
• BURSTkids Sonic Toothbrush: with 31,000 sonic vibrations per minute, a 3-week charge, charcoal bristles, and a soft-touch silicone handle; available in purple, blue, or pink; $69.99 value.

BUY THESE and more (including water flossers, teeth whitening, charcoal toothpaste, kids toothpaste, refillable floss, and oral probiotics) on burstoralcare.com. Current deals available include:

PRIMARY $75 SHOP CREDIT

Whether shopping for the basics or a full back to school wardrobe, Primary is THE place to go with everything from tees and underwear to jeans and dresses to washable face masks and winter coats, in sizes newborn through 14Y (and even with some coordinating shirts for grown-ups). Their slogan is "every color for every kid" and I couldn't love this more. No labels, no slogans, no "boys" or "girls" colors or styles or assumptions. Simply shop by size or color and let kids be kids and wear what they love! Super soft and sustainable fabric, cute high quality and affordable fashion for kids. Make Primary your primary shop for kids' clothing! Our grand prize winner will receive a $75 shop credit!! AMAZING!!!
Don't miss my full review here of some fun coordinating family outfits we got!

WUBBA JR IMMUNITY BOX

We've been promoting Wubba Water for years now as an organic and healthier alternative to Pedialyte, and now they've come out with a line of doctor formulated children's supplements that we are SO excited about! Our jackpot winner will receive the Wubba Jr. Immunity Box, which contains the following:

• 3 bottles of Wubba Water: the organic replacement for Pedialyte, made without synthetic dyes, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners or GMOs, contains only 1 gram of sugar per serving.
• 1 Bottle of Echinacea, Zinc and Vit C Gummies
• 1 Bottle of Chewable Orange-Pineapple Vitamin C
• 1 Bottle of Immune4Me: a Lemon-Flavored Zinc Lozenge

Designed by a Dartmouth pediatrician, Wubba Jr supplements are gluten-free, dairy-free, and contain no added sugars.

BUY IT HERE: $58.99 on Amazon (affiliate link), direct from wubbawater.com, walmart.com, and at select Whole Food stores.

MABEL'S LABELS $50 SHOP CREDIT

It can feel a tad overwhelming receiving school supply lists mandating labeling every item, even dozens of individual markers and pencils! Thankfully Mabel's Labels has got your back!! With customizable labels in every size, shape, color, design, and function you can imagine! From fabric stamps and labels that are washing machine proof to dishwasher-proof labels and silicone bands that go around bottles to shoe sole stickers that help the littlest ones know left from right foot to emergency ID & allergy tags, they have EVERYTHING! We've been using them for years on our water bottles (and more) and have yet to have one peel off!! Our jackpot winner will receive $50 shop credit to help make their back to school prep a lot easier this year!

See my full review here of our 2021 Back to School haul from Mabel's Labels and some other amazing brands!

BUY YOURS on mabelslabels.com - current promotional offers:

MIFOLD COMFORT GRAB & GO CAR BOOSTER SEAT

If you travel, carpool, or have a rotation of other adults driving your kids around, then a mifold comfort grab and go car booster seat is a must! Compact enough to go in your glove compartment or a child's backpack, with a thick enough cushion to be comfortable, mifold comfort works by positioning the car's seatbelt in the proper places across the child's lap and between their shoulder and neck. Directions are included in the strap on the mifold, and it's easy enough most kids can do it on their own after a couple of uses (my 8 year old is a pro!). At just $39.99, the price is right, too. (Designed for kids at least 4 years old, 40-100 pounds, 40-59 inches). See our 2 latest reviews embedded below, including a demo of my 8 year old installing it himself :)

BUY IT on Amazon (affiliate link) or mifold.com

BOUNCYBAND

Kids weren't built to "sit still" for hours on end, and Bouncyband has created products with that in mind. From the original Bouncyband which attaches to the feet of a chair so you can literally bounce your feet while sitting, to a whole line of amazing products loved by kids, parents, and teachers! These can help kids stay in their seats, relieve anxiety, and improve focus (pro tip: they work for adults, too!!) Our jackpot winner will receive one product, their choice from the following:

• Weighted Lap Pad (shown above right) - 5 pound 21"x19" portable dual textured sensory weighted lap pad. This super soft fleece pad offers deep calming pressure, increasing the ability to focus while relieving anxiety and stress. Retails for $39.99
• Foot Roller (shown above left) - This fidget foot roller silently enables the release of excess energy while sitting or standing, alleviating anxiety and increasing focus. Retails for $19.99
• Thingamajig (shown above middle) - Helps children ages 3-8 with hands-on learning, improving focus and enhancing fine motor skills, hand eye coordination and problem-solving abilities. Retails for $24.99

BUY THEM on Amazon (affiliate link) and bouncyband.com

BUBBLELICK 4-PACK

Kids and kids at heart all love bubbles. And what's better than bubbles? Bubbles that taste good!! HA! Say hello to BubbleLick Premium Flavored Bubbles - made with FDA approved ingredients, bottled in a FDA registered CGMP certified and allergen-free facility, invented and developed by top pediatric allergists and food scientists! They work with bubble machines and toys, too! Our jackpot winner will receive a 4-pack of BubbleLick in the following YUMMY flavors:

• Milk Chocolate Chip
• Juicy Watermelon Splash
• Glazed Cinnamon Roll
• Carnival Cotton Candy

BUY THEM on BubbleUniverse.com ($24.99 for a 4 pack, 2.5oz each)

COLOR FUSION NAIL POLISH MAKER

Trying to get those nails back-to-school-ready, or just wanting to have some fun playing nail salon? Then the Make It Real Color Fusion Nail Polish Maker is for you! Mix colors to create up to 200 nail polishes, or use the app to find a specific color to mach and provide complementary color suggestions. Bottles and brushes for storage included! Featuring unscented water-based nail polish in glossy and shimmer finishes.

BUY IT on target.com (affiliate link) for $24.99

MUNCHIE MUG SNACK CUP

Munchie Mug snack cups are not only spill-proof, they’re also SHAKE PROOF! The unique lid features 2 overlapping pieces of fabric, that are extremely effective at keeping snacks in, and they’re much gentler on the hands than traditional plastic snack cup tops! What’s more? Free from BPA/Phthalate/Lead/PVC and proudly made in the USA, these are the only snack cups your kids will ever need – a staple in every car, stroller, and home! Our winner will receive one in their choice of size (12oz or 16oz) and color (subject to availability), a $18.50 value! Don't miss our fun demo videos below!

• Buy on Amazon (affiliate link) and munchiemug.com

UNOFFICIAL HOGWARTS COOKBOOK FOR KIDS

Getting meals on the table is an extra challenge during the back to school rush, but how about getting your kids involved with some amazing Harry Potter themed dishes with The Unofficial Hogwarts Cookbook for Kids!!?? Featuring 50 easy-to-follow low-mess recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts, Potterheads and non-Potterheads alike will love this cookbook! Let this one inspire your family to cook together over the weekend to create freezer meals to eat during the week, your kids to make their own lunches for school and after-school snacks! YUM!

BUY IT for Kindle or Hardcover on Amazon (affiliate link) for $12.79

SQUEASY GEAR SNACK POUCH

Say hello to the world's best pouch! Squeasy Gear's Squeasy Snackers are seriously amazing - with a removable spill-proof insert (that totally works!!), these are great for pureed baby food, yogurt, applesauce, and even liquids!! They're dishwasher & freezer safe, made of 100% food-grade eco-friendly bacteria-resistant silicone self-standing for easy filling, and turn inside out (handy when for cleaning flax seed and other tricky items in your smoothies!). You can see my review here - yes, it's from 7 years ago and we are STILL using the same pouches, they seriously never die!! Our jackpot winner will receive 1 pouch, their choice of size (16oz, 6oz, 3.5oz) and color, a $16.99 value.

BUY THEM on Amazon (affiliate link)

Is that an amazing giveaway or what!? Enter to win it all in the Rafflecopter app below. You just need to comment on this blog post and tell the app you did so to enter. But each additional action you take is an extra entry point, and some you can come back and get more points daily so be sure to bookmark this post!! Giveaway will end at 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, August 17. Winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email and have 48 hours to confirm before another winner is chosen. US residents only, ages 18+.

ENTER TO WIN HERE:

Looking for a great kid-friendly getaway from NYC? What about traveling back in time!? Then you've gotta check out Wild West City in NJ where we went yesterday for the first time, just under an hour and a half drive from up here in Hudson Valley. For the full experience and all the details, check out our fun highlights reel here:

At Wild West City you are transported back in time to the 1800's Wild West! With live action every 15 minutes on the Main Street - we're talking shootouts (with powder blanks, don't worry - no danger here!!), cowboy horse riding competitions, stagecoach holdups with audience participation, can can dancers and more!)

The Main Street also acts as a living history museum where you can go into each building and explore - bank, jail, saloon, saddle shop, post office, barber shop, one room school house, chapel, and more!

There are a few dining options, including the Golden Nugget (with the usual fast food i.e. not historically accurate LOL, great live music, and booze options for the adults), a confectionary with cotton candy, ice cream and sno-cones, and a pizza parlor (they only space with AC).

​Seeing animals in the barn and panning for gold are also included in the admission fee. Fun extras include $6/person stagecoach ride, $5/person train ride, $5/person mini golf, $5/person pony rides, and more.

We honestly had such a fun time!! They keep it "historically accurate", with words that are not PC in today's world ("Indians" for example), and yes, they do shoot, and kill, and the guns are loud (but fake - firing blanks), so consider if your kids will be ok with this. After gloriously and often hilariously dramatic shootouts and "deaths", the actors jump back up and wave, so your kids will quickly understand it's all just playing, of course you should discuss this before, during, and after to make sure they understand it was acting, and how dangerous real weapons are! Safety first!!

LOCATION: 50 Lackawanna Drive Stanhope, NJ​
TICKETS: $29.50 for adults, $24.50 for kids, $22 for seniors.

Visit their website for more details.

For more like this from us, visit:

• Our "Best Day Trips & Weekend Getaways from NYC With Kids" roundup
• Our "Best of Hudson Valley with Kids" roundup

We were thrilled to attend our first ever Sweet Suite by The Toy Insider this year - typically held annually in person but this year virtually from home - it's a massive press & influencer event with hundreds of brands sharing their latest and greatest toys!! My kids and I had a blast playing games and exploring the virtual event online, and then we got our swag box in the mail and WOW!!!

​So now I'm here to share WITH YOU our Sweet Suite Swag unboxing, with some of the best toys 2021 - seriously, get out your birthday & Christmas wish lists, cuz you're gonna wanna add many of these to them!!

Watch our super fun unboxing video here, with links to products below (though some aren't released yet!): 

BUY THEM!
(Affiliate links below, you don't pay more but we receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking)

• Exploding Minions Card Game from Exploding Kittens
• Oddly Satisfying Sensory FX ASMR from Just Play (not yet released?)
• Pokemon Trading Card Game (x2)
• Snap Ships by Play Monster
• Beat That! The Bonkers Battle Battle of Wacky Challenges from Gutter Games
• LOL BTW Be Tweens (not yet released? shop other LOL Surprise here)
• LOL Surprise Color Changing Surprise Doll
• Nerf Super Soaker Fortnite Fishstick from Hasbro / Epic Games (not yet released but you can see other fortnite super soakers here)
• 5 Surprise Toy Mini Brands by Zuru
• Kodak 1000 piece puzzle
• Ryan’s World Mystery Egg Galaxy Explorers
• Glam Crush It Dolls from Jazwares
• Pixicade 
• Vibe Girls by Jay Play
• Snapsies by Funko
• Resoftables
• Little Dimpl from Fat Brain Toy Company
• Cats vs Pickles from Cepia
• Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils
• Care Bears
• Lalaloopsy (new ones released in August, see my review here!!)

For more toy inspiration, see my highlights videos from past years at Toy Fair New York!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by MGAE but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Who doesn’t love a good come back, am I right? Well, if you’re a fan of cutie patootie dolls and cartoons then this one is for you. After an incredibly successful #BringBackLalaloopsy campaign, Lalaloopsy will be coming back to the shelves with a brand new line of dolls on August 3!!!

If you haven’t heard of Lalaloopsy, let me catch you up quickly so you can jump on board with our excitement! Lalaloopsy are rag dolls who magically come to life when the last stitch is sewn. They’re SEW CUTE, wholesome, and their whimsical world of characters inspire kids to develop their own creativity and imagination!

Their last doll release was back in 2018, and we are SEW excited for our favorite Lalaloopsy characters and a whole batch of new friends to be available at Walmart, Amazon, Target, and other toy retailers in just a couple of weeks!!
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The two dolls we received are fully plastic, not fabric as you might expect of a “rag doll”, but it’s a relief for me because they seem incredibly durable (my kiddos get pretty rough with their toys!!)!

With black button eyes, a “stitched on” sweet little smile, a circle of rosie cheeks, simple ragdoll-esque bodies, and fingerless hands - they are not realistic dolls, and they’re not glammed up like many of the dolls out there these days. They’re cute and innocent and help your kids explore their creativity and imagination! Lalaloopsy are truly a refreshing and incredibly unique doll and we’re SEW psyched to welcome them into our family!!

Each doll has a unique personality and look, with pets and accessories to match! Designed for ages 3+, each package includes a reusable house playset, uniquely expressing the personality of each doll. With the box becoming the playset, we’re talking practically zero waste, we LOVE that!!! We did find the house a tad difficult to set up, but it’s part of the fun - you have to read the instructions, fold, insert and build their homes!
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I love how each character has a very specific personality and interest, so any child can find one that they can connect with! For example, Storm E. Sky is a punk rocker chick with a cool electric guitar, while Mittens Fluff ’N’ Stuff is into knitting, Dot Starlight is a science buff, and Crumbs Sugar Cookie loves baking!

We got the full sized Sweetie Candy Ribbon, with bright neon pink and orange hair, wearing a matching tutu dress (made of tulle), and an adorable yellow dog with coordinating neon pink and orange ears and bow! Sweetie is too floppy to stand (they’re supposed to be rag dolls, after all) but does sit nicely and I love the way her legs flop around when you carry and play with her! Her house is super bright and exciting, filled with candy decorations of course that’ll have your mouth watering, if you have a sweet tooth that is! There’s even an extra cardboard set that you fold and insert into the side of the house that turns into a cute little doggy door!!

We also got the "Littles" smaller sized Sprinkle Spice Cookie. The first thing my kids noticed was the little smudge of chocolate on her cheek! HA! Little details like this are so special, am I right!? She’s got a fabric bib that says “yum” on it, and itty bitty bloomers under her dress. What a cutie!! Her accessory is a cookie, of course, with a bite taken out of it. And her hair, with thick bangs and tiny pigtails, reminds me of my twins when they were toddlers!!!

Both Sweetie and Sprinkle have removable clothes and shoes, which is a fun touch!

There will be a total of 25 characters available, both full size and minis, and you can even connect their fences to create Lalaloopsy Land in your own home!!

There are some fun collections as well, such as 3 Silly Hair dolls with, you guessed it, silly hair you can bend and style, 4 Sew Royal Princess Party dolls, and 2 Celebration dolls, each one coming with a pet, of course!

Lalaloopsy’s adorable cartoon premiered in 2017 on Netflix, where you can still stream the original 13 episodes, and they’ll be releasing a new “We’re Lalaloopsy” original series soon! You can also get excited for new goodies over on their YouTube channel, including ”We’re Lalaloopsy” animated shorts (3 minute versions of the Netflix episodes - new every Friday at 1PM), a new “Lalaloopsy Girls” sing-a-long video (embedded below - beware, it's SUPER catchy!), and starting July 24th, the new original show “Lalaloopsy: Let’s Create” with real kids cooking and doing crafts! Over on Amazon Prime & kidoodle.tv you will be able to stream “Lalaloopsy: Band Together” movie!

Sewwwww which doll(s) will you be buying first!?? Let us know in a comment below!!

As soon as I started seeing advertisements pop up for the new Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit in New York, I knew we had to go. It looked AMAZING!! However, I dunno about your kids, but mine... they're not exactly into art museums and galleries, so I decided to get creative with some pre-activities to get them more involved and excited! Watch our video (embedded just below) for the full experience from our educational pre-activities to exploring Chinatown to the Van Gogh exhibit itself, and read on for all the details!!

Learning about Van Gogh at Home:
My kids had already done Starry Night based art work at school (2 years ago), but I decided to print out some coloring pages for them from JustColor.net. We didn't look at the real Starry Night beforehand, because I didn't want it to bias our color choices :) I let them choose from crayons, colored pencils, and markers (no paint because I wasn't feeling like a big set up / clean up, but you certainly could do it!). You'll see (in the video above) we all ended up with very different masterpieces, which was fun to talk about!

Next we found a short kid-friendly biography on Van Gogh (embedded below). I was SHOCKED to learn that he died at 37, and had only ever sold 1 painting! How famous and priceless his works are now, it's just unbelievable (and sad)!!

Family Fun in Chinatown!
Now that we learned about Van Gogh, we were ready for the exhibit! But we don't live in Brooklyn anymore, remember? Heading into NYC from Hudson Valley is quite a trek - a 90 minute drive! So, I planned out a nice full afternoon for us to explore the area of the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit in New York's Lower East Side aka CHINATOWN! We hadn't walked around Manhattan with our kids since pre-pandemic, so it was an incredibly special and fun adventure! Our first "Sunday in the City" went so well we plan to do it on the regular (stay tuned, and comment below which activities and neighborhoods we should explore next)!

First, we luckily found free street parking near Pier 36, where the exhibit is held (you can pay $$$ at the pier for valet parking if you're not so lucky, or feel nervous with street parking). Then took off on foot to explore NYC's Chinatown, which included stops at:

• Dim Sum at The Golden Unicorn (18 E. Broadway), has indoor & outdoor dining
• Doyers Street (very cool "crooked" pedestrian street that is painted with outdoor dining)
• Mahayana Buddhist Temple (64 Mott Street) - free, just go inside to see the beautiful 16 foot tall golden Buddha!
• Hester Street Playground

Other things nearby you may want to check out that we didn't have time for:

• Seward Park Playground
• Taiyaki NYC (119 Baxter Street) - yummy insta-worthy ice cream inside Japanese Taiyaki (fish shaped soft waffle cone)
• Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (65 Bayard Street)
• Dim Sum at Nom Wah Tea Parlor (13-15 Doyers Street)

IMMERSIVE VAN GOGH EXHIBIT
OK, so first let me make sure you are clear that there are currently TWO Van Gogh exhibits in NYC! I didn't realize this til I started planning our day IN THE WRONG NEIGHBORHOOD! Ooooops!!!

This one is THE ORIGINAL and it's "Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit New York" at Pier 36 in Lower East Side, created by Massimiliano Siccardi with Hamilton's David Korins as Creative Director! It's the largest Van Gogh exhibit in the world!!!

​In a nutshell, it's 3 massive rooms of art installations like you've never seen before. 500,000 cubic feet of projections. 60,600 frames of video. They move, they surround you, the music hits deep in your SOUL! It was just breathtaking!! I could have sat there all day... were it not for our kids...

In first room, which has some big silver inflatable balls and large mirrored towers, we sat down and watched the entire full video which was wayyyyyyyy too long for our kids (maybe 20 minutes? I'm really not sure). They were really into it and sat nicely for the first 5 minutes and gradually got more and more antsy til they were rolling around and being totally crazy by the end of it. Looking back we probably shouldn't have made them sit through the whole thing but I'm glad us adults didn't miss anything.​

The second room had some really cool reflective structures which stunning the way the lights and videos bounced off them. We walked around but didn't spend a lot of time in here.

The third room was breathtaking! The art was projected onto the walls and floor and you were just immersed and surrounded by it. Just beautiful!!! Walk around, take photos, take a seat, go upstairs for the overview. Enjoy!!

After that you go through a hallway with some costumes before returning to the lobby where you can buy (really pricey but amazing) merch, like a Starry Night tumbler for $46. You'll exit to a stunning view of the Hudson and Manhattan Bridge!

All in all we spent about an hour in there and I highly highly recommend it! If you live nearby and have a sitter I would say consider leaving the kids at home and make it an incredibly unique (stress free) date. Then you can relax and spend way more time there soaking it all in. With the kids it's a different experience but still we all had a great time and I don't regret taking them!

MY TIPS:

• Go to the bathroom after entering the building but before going into the exhibit as there are no bathrooms inside inside
• Pre-hydrate, big time!!! It was a comfortable temperature inside but with our masks on, man, I was sweating under there, and you cannot bring food and drink inside.
• Keep little wanders safe. If you can keep them in a stroller, do it. Otherwise consider a leash or a strict hand holding policy. Ours are old enough I wasn't too concerned but a couple of years ago it would have been super stressful for me. The rooms get VERY dark at times, pitch black for a second here and there. There are a lot of people. The music is loud. Have fun and enjoy but keep your kiddos safe!
• Backpacks are prohibited, so we left ours and our water bottles in the car. I'm not sure about diaper bags, best to contact them. You can see a list of other prohibited items in their FAQ here.

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!
Tickets prices vary (off peak / peak / prime) for $40 - $70 and the show is running through September 6 (though Aug 30 - Sep 6 are already sold out).