 |
| Kids in Copenhagen flock to Tivoli Gardens in its Christmas splendor.. |
Today the Travels with Baby Traditions series takes us to Copenhagen Denmark, with a guest post by by local resident Christine Blin. Christine is a French/Icelandic native to who moved to Copenhagen 7 years ago and is the owner and founder of MUU Baby Equipment Rental in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ms. Blin is married to a Dane, and together with their two small boys, they enjoy taking in the best the city has to offer families with young children.
One of my favorite holiday traditions in November-December is to go to Tivoli amusement park in Copenhagen. The park is fully decorated in Christmas theme and it has a house with many Scandinavian Santa Clauses dolls that are moving.
Afterwards, it is a must to eat “Æbleskiver,” which are kind of waffle “balls” which you dip in icing sugar and strawberry jam. The Danes can eat these Waffle balls nearly everywhere they go during Christmas season, at home, in every cafe, and of course everywhere in Tivoli, which offers many restaurants and cafes of its own.
How about you?
What are little ones looking forward to where you live this time of year? If you would like to share a special family activity or tradition from your location, please email a short summary and bio to “contact” at Travels with Baby (dot) com for consideration. If you missed our earlier stops, check out these fun family traditions in Rome and Guatemala.
What are little ones looking forward to where you live this time of year? If you would like to share a special family activity or tradition from your location, please email a short summary and bio to “contact” at Travels with Baby (dot) com for consideration. If you missed our earlier stops, check out these fun family traditions in Rome and Guatemala.
Thanks so much to Christine Blin for sharing this glimpse of family-friendly Copenhagen at the holidays, and to Copenhagen Media Center for contributing the lead photo (www.copenhagenmediacenter.com).
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
 |
| Hit the airport cafe and build log cabins out of wooden stir sticks |
How are you keeping your little ones entertained while flying this weekend? Here are a few ideas – be sure to share your own in comments below.
And don’t forget, you’ve got dozens more tips for keeping your baby, toddler, or preschooler content during air travel in the Air Travel and Entertainment to Go sections of Take-Along Travels with Baby (kindle edition here).
Happy Thanksgiving and safe journeys to all,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
 |
| Question: Are we almost there yet? Answer: No, we’re still loading the car.. |
For many, the phrase “family road trip” calls to mind images of sunshine on long, winding highways, with picnics at scenic turnouts and state parks along the way. Even at lackluster interstate Rest Areas, there is generally room for the kids to run and chase a beach ball or otherwise burn off energy.
Holiday road tripping for many of us, however, is a whole other cup of (drive-thru) coffee. Trapped for hours behind seat belts and five-point harnesses, you may slog along for hours in heavy holiday traffic to the tune of windshield wipers and a whining toddler.
How to break up the monotony and bring comfort and joy to the back seat companions who may begin to doubt there are relatives or gifts at the end of the drive? Here three of my favorites, taken from the Driving and Road Trips section of Take-Along Travelswith Baby. In most any town you’ll pass by, you’re likely to find these “Best -Bet RainyDay Road Stops” on your road trip with young kids.
-
The Local Library – Brimming with books, restrooms (most with a changing table), drinking fountains, and occasionally interesting art displays. Most towns have signs to help point you in the right direction to find it as well.
-
Pet Store - Stretch your legs and feast your eyes on things that slither and gobble up flies. Birds and fish are sure to please, plus furry rodents who dream of cheese.
-
One Dollar Store – Chock full of toys and art supplies, coloring books and often snacks, and found in numerous strip malls across the continent. What better place to let your child choose a souvenir and snack for the next stretch of road?
You’ll find more Best-Bet Rainy Day Road Stops recommendations, and dozens of ideas to help with your “Entertainment to Go” in the car, at the airport, and on the airplane, in Take-Along Travels with Baby (you might want to keep yours in the glovebox – you never know when those “Easy Songs to Sing in the Car” will buy you an extra 20 minutes of drive time.)
How about you?
Will your family be on the road over the holidays? Do you have a favorite stop where you break up your drive – even in foul weather? (Email subscribers click here to share your comment in the blog.)
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2012
 |
| CARES toddler travel bundle on sale now with free shipping |
Congratulations goes out this morning to Lisa Converse, the randomly selected winner of the CARES flight harness and Take-Along Travels with Baby guidebook winner – which, in case you didn’t get the memo, is on sale now with FREE shipping (click here).
I’m happy to say these puppies have been flying off the shelves at Amazon this past week, and more should be in stock at any moment…
Need anything else? Check out our Holiday Travel Sale and other Great Products and Gear we recommend for travel.
Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway – and follows this blog – and gives me an excuse to give away great stuff now and then. I’ll have some tips to help with your holiday travels coming soon (or you can take a sneak peek at some of them up on our homepage now).
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
 |
| Serious help for every traveler with a toddler. |
Today is your last chance to enter to win a CARES harness travel bundle, which includes the only child aviation restraint approved for all phases of air travel for children 1 year and older flying in their own seats, plus the award-winning Take-Along Travels with Baby: Hundreds of Tips to Help During Travel with Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler
(an $85 value).
(an $85 value). As you can imagine, these are two very helpful things to have in the cabin when you fly with your toddler! This travel bundle is included in the holiday travel sale with FREE shipping on now
– or you can try to win it free here!
– or you can try to win it free here!
Good luck! Be sure to watch here for the winner who will be announced tomorrow.
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
 |
| A kid’s view of Arlington West from the Santa Monica Pier. |
In honor of Veteran’s Day today, I’m posting this photo of the Arlington West Memorial in Santa Monica, California. As you head down the pier, lined with ice cream and cotton candy vendors, seafood restaurants, and gift booths toward the beckoning roller coasters and carnival rides, this is sure to stop you in your tracks, as it certainly did for our family.
This temporary memorial began in 2004, and each Sunday and Fourth of July since, it is reinstalled beside the Santa Monica Pier in southern California. As the numbers of fallen soldiers has grown so tremendously since then, some red crosses are used to represent ten passed service men and women each. Coffins draped in flags commemorate the soldiers who have died over the past week.
The project was created by the Veterans For Peace in order to:
- Remember the fallen and wounded
- To provide a place to grieve
- To acknowledge the human cost of war
- To encourage dialogue among people with varied points of view
- To educate the public about the needs of those returning from war.
While the memorial stands in sharp contrast to the busy Sunday beach crowd and landmark center of family fun beside it, it seemed a very appropriate opportunity for us to pause and reflect on how many American men and women–and their families–have sacrificed so much just since the year that we became parents.
Today, in addition to honoring my Great Grandfather who served in World War I and my Grandfather who served in World War II, I want to also acknowledge and honor all of the military families who are among my readership, for whom traveling with their young children is not necessarily a luxury nor a vacation but is a necessary part of “family life.”
This post is part of Photo Friday at DeliciousBaby.com.
Safe journeys to you all,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
True confessions: Not sure what exactly I would find in Thailand, especially after we headed out of Bangkok, I packed several glass jars of organic baby food in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag in one of our checked suitcases. Did it add a bit of extra weight? Heck ya. Did any of it break or leak? Thankfully, no. Would I do it differently today? You bet.
I’m loving these new organic baby food pouches – which even my older children happily guzzled down yesterday as a fruity side course to an otherwise starchy snack (yes, there are beets in there!). There are so many options available now, with clever blends of fruits and undetectable vegetables blended in for good measure.
The pouches are shelf-stable, so they need no refrigeration (until after they are opened), plus they are lightweight and squish nicely into the corner of your diaper bag or outer pocket of your day pack.
For babies, you can simply squeeze little bits onto a spoon as needed, or with toddlers around 1 year and up, let them self-feed from the tube “smoothie style.” Clearly these are a much simpler, tidier solution to doling out baby food from the jar or tub in flight, and may be just the thing your toddler or preschooler needs in the back seat when you’re not “almost there yet.”
Click here to check out the wide variety of organic and GEI-free blends available, ranging from simple fruit blends to savory meat and veggie meals, made for those only 4 months old on up through toddlerhood (or in our case of my older kids, beyond that).
I think I will not only stock up on these for our outings, but for our earthquake / emergency kit as well. Have you tried any of these pouches with your little ones yet?
Click here to see more “Pack This!” recommendations – and don’t forget to enter to win our CARES harness giveaway on now!
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
Looking for ways to streamline holiday travel with your child – without compromising safety?
 |
| The RideSafer travel vest |
Three of my favorite car seat alternatives are on sale now, bundled with the Take-Along Travels with Baby tips guide to help keep your whole brood safe, happy, and healthy – and perhaps even a little better organized – as you set out together this season.
The RideSafer travel vest for use in cars and taxis
The Baby B’Air flight harness for lap-held babies and toddlers
Each travel bundle is on sale now with FREE shipping (or you can use your Amazon Prime). Click here to see all bundles on sale.
 |
| CARES flight harness |
You can also click here to read more about these and other recommended Car Seat Alternatives for travel.
Reminder: CARES giveaway in Progress!
Feeling lucky? Enter to win the CARES flight harness bundle I’ll be giving away to one lucky winner - click here for your chance to win!
Related posts and pages:
See all recommended Car Seat Alternatives
CARES flight harness review
RideSafer travel vest review
Important distinctions between CARES and the Baby B’Air flight vest
Will Southwest Airlines let me use the Baby B’Air flight vest?
Best car seats and accessories for travel
See all recommended Car Seat Alternatives
CARES flight harness review
RideSafer travel vest review
Important distinctions between CARES and the Baby B’Air flight vest
Will Southwest Airlines let me use the Baby B’Air flight vest?
Best car seats and accessories for travel
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
Bronze Award Winner in Travel Blogs from the North American Travel Journalists Association
Advertisements:
