My Big Fun Summer Gear and Goodies Guide
Here’s your guide to all the great gear and goodies you need for family fun for you and the little ones to explore the great outdoors, stay cool at the pool, bum around the beach and look fabulous doing it.
The Great Outdoors
Hit your favorite trails with the rugged BOB Sport Utility Stroller ($299), with three 16″ knobby tires and a state-of-the-art suspension system, ideal for strolling or jogging on anything from the beach to bumpy trails. Or try its sister stroller, the versatile BOB Revolution ($389), which features a smaller, swiveling front wheel that can be locked for jogging or off-roading. Available at baby boutiques and stores nationwide.
Introduce the next generation of nature lovers to the outdoor lifestyle with the lightweight and functional Kelty FC 3.0 backpack kid carrier. Adjustable for parents of different sizes, the comfy two-layer padded waist belt and load-lifter straps help keep weight forward for better support. A five-point harness keeps kids up to 50 pounds snug and secure. A zip-off diaper bag makes changing stops a breeze while the auto-deploy kickstand makes loading and unloading easy. Includes a sun/rain hood, child-view mirror, changing pad and cell phone pocket. $200. Available at REI and Babies R Us.
The Coleman Road Trip Beach Shade is your own private cabana for getting out of the sun or an on-the-spot changing room. It has two zippered doors, floor mat and two hanging pockets inside. With a bit of practice it can be set up in about 10 minutes. $49.99. Available at Target.
Baby Voyage
The elegant and adorable Le Petit Voyage Overnight Bag by Timi and Leslie is designed for kids on the go — and mommies and daddies who appreciate great styling and functionality, complete with baby essentials, such as a changing pad, bottle holder, diapers/wipes carrier, adjustable shoulder strap and a separate zipper compartment for shoes or laundry. Comes in cream/brown, teal/brown, and brown/teal color combination’s. $250.00. Available at Saks 5th Avenue.
Fun in the Sun
A bad sunburn before age 10 can increase the chances of skin cancer by 50% as an adult. That’s why the inventors of Sun Smart UV Protection Swimwear make kids swim suits from stretchy quick-drying, lightweight fabrics that block 97% (50+SPF) of UVA & UVB rays, in fun and fashionable styles kids want to wear, like the Superman UV two-piece suit with a towel cape. $39.95. Available at SunSmart.ca
For cool looks out of the water, Lands’ End’s new SunLife SPF Wear line of UV protective clothing for men, women, and kids comes in great patterns and styles like the Toddler Boys Leaf Print shorts ($22.50) in Vintage Olive Floral or the girls SunLife Tee Shirt ($12.50) in Seaside Pink. Available at landsend.com.
MD Moms’ Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes, developed by pediatrician-moms, come saturated with a gentle, sweat-proof, broad spectrum SPF 30+ hypoallergenic sunscreen that protects against UVA and UBA rays, with just enough sunscreen to cover baby from head to toe, ages 0 and up. 15 pack $26. Available at the GAP.
Better than Barefoot
Geox are “the breathable shoes” perfect for summertime because they combine fashion with comfortable technology. Geox offers the innovative and patented porous sole with a fibrous insert that draws sweat from the foot while keeping water out and feet dry and cool. So kids can jump in puddles and still have dry feet! Cute styles like the Snake $55 and Buggy $59.95. Available at Nordstroms.
Handmade Cape Clogs will make you and the tykes stand out in a crowd. Inspired by the casual Cape lifestyle, each shoe is individually crafted from Northern Europe Alder wood, breathable leather and a lightweight non-skid rubber sole and adorned with stylish prints and solids for mom and dad or adorable kid’s patterns, like the Dinosaur Blue. Kids sizes $20-$50. Men’s and women’s $78-195. Men’s sizes. Find a retailer at capeclogs.com.
Ride Like the Wind
Every kid should have a little red Radio Flyer Classic Lights & Sound Trike, tricked out with a dashboard that features blinking turn signals, a honking horn and music to peddle by as well as a sturdy steel frame and non-slip wheels. Age 2-5 years. $69.99. Available at Toys R Us.
Secure those valuable trikes and bikes with Wordlock Bike Lock, which uses an easy-to-remember letter or word combination, such as B-I-K-E or F-A-S-T, so kids and ‘rents get the fun of choosing their own secret code from 10,000 possibilities. $14.99-$19.99. Available at Target.
Protect your cappy with the new “True Fit” Helmet from Bell Sports, featuring an innovative technology that provides a more secure fit and comfort. And it’s easy to put on with a single position strap. Sizes for Toddler, Child, Youth & Adult. $17-$26. Available at Target and Toys R Us.
What I Did Last Summer
You’ll never have to say “How quickly they forget” when you store your family vacation snapshots on the tke-along Coby DP-152 Digital Photo Viewer key chain, which can store over 60 photos in a variety of formats transferred via an included USB cable and also features a digital clock and calendar. $29.99. Available at drug stores nationwide.
For the ultimate coffee table book, transform your favorite vacation memories into a photo book at the Photo Center at CVS/pharmacy. Printed on premium Kodak paper in one of three sizes, the books can be created right at the in-store kiosk with your memory card, CD or USB flash drive. $5.99 – $14.99. Available at CVS stores.
