Showing posts sorted by relevance for query boat. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query boat. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query boat. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query boat. Sort by date Show all posts

Things to do in Indianapolis in Summer: Great Times

Have a Great Time this Summer in Indy


This summer has taken forever to get here, but we see the signs, and we're following them! If you are looking for things to do in Indianapolis this summer, we've got a fun activity for you. Don't forget to bring the BANANA BOAT® Sunscreen, you'll need it with all of the great, summer, outdoor activitiesIndiana weather changes minute by minute. You never know what kind of weather you're going to get! We decided to spend the day exploring all of the fun things to do at Great Times in Indy. The best activities are the outdoor ones. That's why we stopped at Walmart to get some BANANA BOAT® products.



BANANA BOAT®  Sunscreen has products for swimming, sporting, and lounging on the beach.
BANANA BOAT®  Sunscreen has products for swimming, sporting, and lounging on the beach.

BANANA BOAT® has a tons of products for kids. Whether you are sporty, swim in a pool, or on the beach, BANANA BOAT® has you covered. If your kids are like mine, they hate being covered in sunscreen, especially if they aren't swimming. The spray on sunscreen from BANANA BOAT® is perfect for kids in a hurry to get to the fun activities.

What is the best sunscreen for Summer Activities for kids?
What is the best sunscreen for Summer Activities for kids?

So, you need to make it as fun as possible. We made up a song to sing while applying sunscreen. You've heard you are supposed to sing your ABC's to brush your teeth, why not sing to apply sunscreen too! Each time you reapply, be sure to sing the sunscreen song! The lyrics to our song are shared below. Make it a part of your sunscreen routine.
  • Sunscreen, sunscreen, protect my skin while I play.
  • Sunscreen, sunscreen keep me safe all through the day.
Did you know that sun protection requires 1 oz.every 2 hours in the sun? I didn't. Be sure to apply about 2 tablespoons of sunscreen to yourself and your kids' entire bodies 30 minutes before going outside and then reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
So, now that we're all prepared for a great time in the sun, let's talk about Great Times Family Fun Center. We went on a Thursday and to our delight, all activities were all inclusive from 11-6 with the purchase of an $11.50 per person, three hour wrist band. Yep, we spent 3 hours in the sun! And guess what... You guessed it! No sunburn.

First, the bumper boats!

Bumper Boats in Indianapolis at Great Times.
Bumper Boats in Indianapolis at Great Times.

Their favorite thing to do was ride the go-karts, the ride is nice and long. These are on an all concrete track in full sun, so don't forget to reapply your sunscreen.

Go karting at Great Times is a fun thing to do in Indy in the sun!
Go karting at Great Times is a fun thing to do in Indy in the sun!

There's also a very cool miniature golf course.


Things to do in Indianapolis in Summer: Great TImes
Things to do in Indianapolis in Summer: Great Times.

After all of the fun in the sun, you can go inside for a bite to eat, play games, or climb through the maze room. We'll be spending a lot of time here this summer. Good thing we have our trusty BANANA BOAT® SPF 50.

Banana Boat Sunscreen SPF 50
Banana Boat® Sunscreen SPF 50 Kids Free.


This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Banana Boat® . The opinions and text are all mine.





Recommended:


Things to do in Indy with Kids


Summer Camp Games to Play Outdoors


Summer Games to Play Outdoors*






Maximize Family Time on Holiday

A Guide: Getting More out of Your Family Vacations

Are you tired of going on the same old vacation year in, year out? Sure, the pools, the hotels, and the sun are always nice at the time, but do you ever feel yourself longing for something a bit different? Maybe you just want your kids to experience some different things, rather than just the run-of-the-mill package beach vacation to California or Hawaii? If so, you may want to maximize family time to get more out of your family vacations. How can you make your vacation more of a bonding experience?

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.


Ways to Maximize Family Vacation Time



Keep scrolling to find ideas on how you can enjoy holiday vacations and make lasting memories with your family.

Buy a Boat


Been there done that. Boy, do we recommend doing it if you can. There truly is nothing quite like being out on the open water, especially when you’re with your partner and your kids. For one, being able to get away from the hustle and bustle of people back on land for a few days is a great way to detach yourself from the stresses back home. It’s also a great way to get your kids to see that there’s more to the world than just buildings and technology. If you’re willing to go all out to better your family vacations, then, you should seriously consider buying a boat.

You can ski behind a boat, pull the kids on a tube or a body board, work on your tan, hunt for turtles, and go fishing. It's a great way to bond with the kids and maximize family together time! Another great way to bond with kids in a boat is to go long beach whale watching or some other marine adventures. We actually took a boat ride across the bay from the Marine Museum to Downtown Clearwater, Florida. The boat ride was the best part of the adventure and we saw a few dolphins along the way.




You should know, however, that this is never going to be a cheap venture to take. Generally, boats tend to cost a lot of money — new pontoon boats, for example, can fetch anything from $18,000 to $60,000. Fear not, though, as there are specific loans that you can take out to cover this kind of expense — there are even lenders that offer bad credit boat loans, meaning you need not worry even if you have a bad credit history. The point is, if you’re serious about buying yourself a boat and vacationing on it for years to come, you need not necessarily let your finances stop you. The bills will always be there, but the family won't. Kids grow up and move away. Boat together while they're still young!

Draw up a Holiday Schedule Before you Leave Home


If you’re really on the ball, you should consider drawing up a holiday schedule before you head out on a family vacation. By doing so, you'll save yourself from wasting precious vacation moments deliberating how you'll be spending your day, as your schedule will already be laid out for you. This means less time deciding and more time getting more out of your family vacation. It also gives everyone something to look forward to. You may want to check out these tips for traveling with kids.

Don’t Get Stuck in One Place


Face it, in the past, you’ve probably been guilty of plonking yourself down in your hotel and barely venturing away from it for the whole two weeks straight. There’s nothing wrong with this! Of course, you deserve a relaxing break. However, if you really want to get more out of your family vacation, you'll have to venture away from the resort. Don’t get stuck in one place, no matter how tempting is - get out there and see more of the destination that you came to see! And when you do, don’t forget to bring your camera along.

You may also want to wear some cool t-shirts to help keep track of everyone while you're out on excursions.




If you want to maximize family time and get more out of your next family vacation, follow our Pinterest board for more family travel tips and check out the links recommended below.


Recommended:

Get Family Vacation Shirts

Things to do in Indiana

Vacation Memory Books

Family Vacation and Travel Ideas


Clearwater Beach Marine Aquarium Museum

Visit Winter Clearwater Fl

Are you planning a trip to Clearwater Beach Marine Aquarium? One important thing to remember is that it began as Clearwater Marine Hospital. Before the famous Hope Dolphin and Winter Dolphin movies, it was just a place that cared for sick animals. Make sure you score some marine aquarium coupons or find a marine aquarium discount code, because for what you get- it is a little pricey. Be prepared to go through the gift shop a couple of times as you navigate the museum.

Clearwater Beach Marine Aquarium
The carnival exhibit at Clearwater Marine Aquarium was a hit!
Like most Clearwater Beach vacationers, we were on a tight schedule and even tighter budget. As a blogger, I searched the internet for every possible deal or media pass available. Upon crossing the bridge into Clearwater, Florida I immediately second guessed my decision. It is a very busy, very commercial place. I remember visiting as a child. Nothing is the same.

Crowded.

As far as tourist attractions go, this one is clearly a hospital first. If you go with that in mind, you will have a better experience. If you are on a limited schedule or budget, I'd suggest skipping this attraction. The worst part was how much my kids disliked it. It wasn't what they'd hoped.

Clearwater Marine Hospital
Scenes from Clearwater Marine Museum and movie exhibit.

There was a long line of people (who'd paid a lot of money) waiting for their photo op with Hope and Winter. Since we didn't shell out the money for a photo, we really didn't get to see them. They were just sitting in the water. Though, they are the draw to the aquarium, they were the least exciting attraction. We preferred the otters.

We also saw a turtle show, er "talk". You know, the kind of show you might see at a zoo, but it wasn't much of a show. The presenters even said so... we just feed them. I mean what can a turtle really do? They fed them and talked about them... it was monotonous. Both kids tried to sneak off and eventually succeeded. If you have never been to an aquarium, by all means go-- enjoy it. If you have been to another aquarium, this one is just another aquarium.

Movie set display: Visit Winter Clearwater Fl.

There are a lot of volunteers, but none of them could answer our questions. Each time we asked, they had to find someone else to help. They weren't actively engaging with the guests.

On a more pleasant note, the best part of the experience was the FREE boat ride across the bay to the movie exhibit in downtown Clearwater.

They do offer a few paid boating excursions which sound like a lot of fun, but I noticed they had lukewarm reviews on TripAdvisor. Still, we were looking forward to our ride to the island, despite the reviews, but upon arrival we were told the last boat had left. I had scored passes for the boat too --- but I wasn't aware of the schedule. If you have your heart set on it, beware of boarding times and get there 30 minutes early!

Clearwater Beach Marine Aquarium Museum.
Turtle exhibit at Clearwater Beach Marine Aquarium Museum.
My father enjoyed the ride to the movie exhibit as much as the kids did. You can also take a trolley, but take the boat. It is a great deal and a fun, free way to enjoy the bay. Do you mind an uphill climb? "No", I said. "Of course not!" You might mind! It is about a quarter of a mile up a steep sidewalk... In that case, take the FREE trolley ride.

Once inside the movie exhibit, breathe a sigh of relief. It is air conditioned and awesome. The actor's and director's chairs greet you as you walk in (though no one else really does). You tour at your own pace. The kids still weren't thrilled. They were grumpy. They'd just walked a mile up a steep hill in Florida heat! After awhile, they began to relax, stop complaining, and enjoy the atmosphere.

Dolphin Tale movie exhibit at Clearwater Marine Museum.
Dolphin Tale movie exhibit at Clearwater Marine Museum.

The kids thought the best part of this exhibit was the carnival set, but it was all good. Excited to find a real concession stand after the long hike up the hill, Mayhem rushed to the exhibit. A real life mirage. Once she got past the fact that it was all fake, she began to enjoy the hands-on carnival games. The hurricane exhibit was also a big hit. You can see a fuzzy picture at the top of the collage above.

Visit Winter Clearwater Fl


You get back to your car in the parking lot the same way you arrived... You know, back down the steep "short walk" to the boat or hop on a trolley that is sitting right outside the door waiting for you. Yep, we took the trolley. No seat belts across the curvy bridge with a very confident trolley driver... another bonus! Ha, felt more like a roller coaster. Hang on tightly!

I remember when you could see the beach... now you have to drive through hotels and restaurants to find it. Some of the roads looked like dead end streets. Watch for signs that direct you to the beach. We scored a parking meter spot close to a beach access.

The kids loved the crowded beach. They wanted to stay after dark. I hear there are lots of things to do in Clearwater Beach at night, but the grandparents were over it. They wanted to head back to their quiet, little town and find an inexpensive place to eat. We would have enjoyed eating somewhere along the beach, but we had headed to Clearwater without eating lunch. We thought we'd grab a bite at a McDonalds (no luck) or maybe at the Marine Aquarium, but the aqaurium's concession stand was closed. Instead, we found a nice, little sandwich cafe across the street from the museum.

Don't get me started about the museum's cafe! We waited for the boat, but there is no place to sit, so we sat at the concession stand tables. A museum employee (or volunteer) came around and chained all the chairs to the tables. She didn't ask us to move, but the museum was at least an hour from close.

Hospitality.

I come from a event venue background. May I suggest letting your paying museum customers enjoy the seating (even though the concession stand is closed) until the whole museum actually closes... or keep the concession stand open until close.

I don't know. We felt kind of lost during the whole experience. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of volunteers around. We asked a lot of questions. Every answer seemed vague. Maybe it was just us. Maybe we were tired. Still... the kids didn't like it - they wanted to leave right after they caught a glimpse of Winter and Hope.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium needs a Visitor Experience Manager. They need to drive up, get directed to a parking spot, find their way to the ticket booth, squeeze through the gift shop to find your way to the exhibits, interact with volunteers, hope to see the dolphins up close, wait in line for the boats as suggested... yep, they should do all that while they are hungry.


Recommended:

Things to do in Tampa: Lowry Park Zoo.
Suncoast Primates need your donations.
Touch a manta-ray in Tarpon Springs Aquarium.
National Geographic Kids Everything Dolphins: Dolphin Facts, Photos, and Fun that Will Make You Flip*
Look for a Manatee at Apollo Beach.
Hope for Winter: The True Story of A Remarkable Dolphin Friendship*




Healthy Zucchini Snacks Mayflower Ship Craft for Thanksgiving

Easy Edible Mayflower Craft for Kids

An Edible Mayflower Boat Ship makes it easy to Play with your Food and Eat your Vegetables, because it is edible art! If you want something sweeter, scroll down for the doughnut Mayflower Ship. Either way, the kids will have making eatable Thanksgiving crafts that are pefect for a party celebration. Enjoy!


Easy Edible Mayflower Boat Craft for Kids
Easy Edible Mayflower Boat Craft for Kids.


1. We found this cute Edible Mayflower Boat Craft at Art is Helping the Children.


Healthy Zucchini Snacks Edible Mayflower Ship for Thanksgiving
Mayflower ship you can eat from Art is Helping the Children.

Looking for a new way to get your kids to eat vegetables? Try this!  It's pretty self explanatory, we took cucumbers, zucchini, and squash and cut them in half lengthwise. Then, I tried to collect healthy edibles: cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, sliced squash, pretzels, and mini-dip breadsticks. Cheeseballs worked great too- just not healthy! The kids loved using the colored toothpicks to connect pieces for the "sail".  It's like healthy legos!

When done constructing, set out plates of dip, and let everyone deconstruct, dip, and eat. Everyone ate their veggies. They even tried the yellow squash! Food is more fun when you get to play with it. 

3. For an unhealthier version, try this Doughnut Mayflower from PartyPinching.com. It is super easy with only a pretzel and a doughnut required. That sounds yummy!


Doughnut Sailboat for Thanksgiving.
Doughnut Sailboat for Thanksgiving.

We read these books: "The Littlest Pilgrim" and "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims".  A book about the Mayflower for kids is available but very wordy, "If You Sailed On The Mayflower " by Ann McGovern. You might also like, "On The Mayflower" by Kate Waters for school-age kids.


Recommended Reading:

Bake and Make Amazing Cakes (Kids Can Do It)*

Turkey Treat  

Kid's Squish Book: Slimy, Squishy, Sticky Things to Do That Should Only Be Done When Wearing Your Oldest Clothes*






ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Creative Country Recycling ~ Oar and Cushion Chair

Isn't this about the coolest thing you've ever seen?  I love it! Perfect for a lake cottage or rustic cabin.

Rustic Chair from Recycled Boat items.



Follow Me on Pinterest

Get Pregnant Calendar: Fertility Calculator and Tips

Looking for a Fertility Chart, Calendar, or Calculator?


Are you dreaming of having a family? Excitedly wishing and hoping for a positive pregnancy test? When you make the big decision to start a family, it can be exciting, scary, and overwhelming. When is the best time to try? Are their tips to help you get Pregnant? What can you do to help the process? Scroll Down for a Fertility Calculator and a Printable Calendar ChartEnjoy!
It was difficult for us. Once we made the decision, we were eager to have a little one join our family. It was not an easy journey for us and as our friends excitedly announced their pregnancies, we were thrilled for them, but anxious for it to be our turn. Maybe you are in the same boat or maybe you have just started trying.


Get Pregnant Calendar: Fertility Calculator and Tips
Get Pregnant Calendar: Fertility Calculator and Tips.
What if you knew there was an over the counter product that could aid you in your journey to natural conception? A product that was proven and safe.

Conceive Plus® Fertility Lubricant can help achieve pregnancy.



Fertility Products to help get pregnant.
Conceive Plus® Fertility Products to help you get pregnant.
Conceive Plus® fertility lubricant is an excellent product for all couples trying to conceive. This trusted and side-effect free lubricant can work for you. If you have just started trying or have been trying for a while, Conceive Plus® fertility lubricant can help increase your chances of getting pregnant naturally!



Conceive Plus® is a fertility friendly personal lubricant that is isotonic and has a controlled pH that is safe for sperm, embryos and the process of fertilization. 

Conceive Plus is different to other sperm friendly lubricants because it contains Calcium and Magnesium ions, these are essential for the process of fertilization and actually help increase the chances of getting pregnant, naturally. It is available in both convenient pre-filled applicators and also in a multi-use tube bottle. The pre-filled applicators can be used up to 15 minutes discreetly before then use the multi-use tube together with your partner.

Conceive Plus® Fertility
Recommended by hospital, doctors and fertility clinics globally since 2008 Conceive Plus is FDA cleared and now available in the United States from just $14.90. There are several retailers who carry it.

Conceive Plus® has been available since 2008, and there are thousands of user reviews and success stories from couples trying to conceive. Visit their website to find out more. Follow them on: Twitter Facebook Pinterest

We love being parents and are so thankful for each of our kids. While our journey to parenthood wasn’t as easy as many of our friends, it was totally worth it. Wishing you the best on your journey to parenthood.
We found this helpful fertility calendar chart to help you on your journey. Hop over to TheBump.com for a free printable PDF.


free printable fertility chart get pregnant calendar
Free printable fertility calendar
 chart to help you get pregnant.

Recommended:

What Every Woman Should Know About Fertility and Her Biological Clock*

Our favorite Baby Carrying Slings

Fertility Calendar: Know your body. Know your cycle.*

Afghanistan Country Study Lesson


If you have just started trying or have been trying for a while, Conceive Plus® fertility lubricant can help increase your chances of getting pregnant naturally! Now available from selected online retailers from just $14.99. SASMAR Conceive Plus® sponsored this blog post. The opinions and text are all mine.




Mother's Day Activities for Kids with Sayings and Quotes for CARDS

Cards: Fun Ideas and Activities to Celebrate Mother's Day with Kids


Mother's Day. So many activities are cliche. Buy Mom a new vacuum cleaner, (Hey, I'd be okay with that) bring her breakfast in bed, give her a bouquet, a lovely card with a nice quote, some hand-print art...  What other things can you do with Mom for Mother's Day? Well, it depends on the Mom. Some Moms are offended by a gift of a household appliance; some are ecstatic. Scroll to the bottom for quotes for Mother's Day cards. Enjoy! 


Mother's Day Activities for Kids with Sayings and Quotes for CARDS


This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Quotes and Sayings for Mother's Day. Cards: Fun Ideas and Activities to Celebrate Mother's Day with Kids
Quotes and Sayings for Mother's Day.


When is Mother's Day 2020? 


Mother's Day is the second Sunday in May or May 10, 2020.

If it were me, I would like to CELEBRATE MOTHER'S DAY this way:

Breakfast in bed? Aww.. that's sweet, but if they make breakfast in bed that means the kitchen is a nightmare. Wouldn't it be great if they'd clean the floor? I'd rather sleep in and go out to eat at a restaurant. It doesn't have to be my favorite restaurant, we'll save that for my birthday, because, after all, it is Mother's Day and they're my children. Without them, we wouldn't be celebrating. We can eat some place everyone likes.But, on my Birthday, were having seafood and cheesecake. 

Now, what do we do?

Let's do something fun and non-traditional. One year, my parents were in Florida for Easter. After the Easter Bunny visited, we had dinner at Chuck E. Cheese. It was Awesome. We had the entire place to ourselves for an hour and then another family came in, even so it was very cool! I got to play games and sing with Chuck E. -  Happy Mother's Day! Playing with the kids was a lot of fun.


How to Celebrate Mother's Day with Kids


Do things as a family! No, I don't mean a movie. Interact, engage:


  • Go Bowling.



  • Go to the park and play on the playground with your kids - don't just sit on a bench.



  • Garden. Instead of a bouquet, get Mom some flowers, gardening gloves, and seeds and then go outside and help her plant them while you talk about fun times together. "Hey, Mom, remember that time when we..."



  • Take a dinner cruise on a river boat.



  • Paint a picture together! Gather supplies, go outside, and paint a landscape together. It doesn't have to be perfect. Everyone pitches in and paints something. Take it outside so Mom doesn't have to clean up the mess.



  • Visit a theme park.



  • Finally, tell your MOTHER you have a great idea. You want to visit a retirement home. Gather construction paper and fabric scraps. Sit down as a family and make those cliche Mother's Day Crafts together- you're making memories. Design a variety of cards for "Mothers," buy some flowers at the grocery on the way to the home, and go out and deliver some smiles. Give each lovely Mother a carnation and a card. A lot of people are forgotten or separated by distance from loving family members. Making their day special will make your day memorable! Make a paper basket for Mom.  



Please follow our Wheelchair Games Board on Pinterest for more things to do with Senior Citizens.


Here are some Cute Mother's Day Card Crafts and Sayings.

This beautiful picture from, Artrageous Afternoon, is inspired by Pablo Picasso's, "Hands with Bouquet."  Hop over to see Picasso's version.


Hand on Bouquet card for Mother's Day
Give a bouquet to a Mother in a retirement home, like this one from
Artrageous Afternoon blog. Inspired by Pablo Picasso's, "Hands on Bouquet".



Or this one, have each family member draw some flowers on white paper, outline them in a darker color, and then cut them out and paste them to the front of a Mother's Day card. Family Collaboration at its finest. This was a class project from Artrageous Afternoon blog. We'll be making this one for sure!



Quotes for Mother's Day Cards


You'll need a nice sentiment for your Mother's Day Card. Here are some fun sayings for cards:

  • "Mothers hold their children's hands for awhile and their hearts forever."


  • "God could not be everywhere, therefore, he made Mothers.


  • "Wow! Mom!"


  • "I love how we don't have to say out loud that I am your favorite child."


  • "A mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take."


  • "Just want to say... Happy Mother's Day!"


  • "The best moms get promoted to grandmas."


  • So, grab your construction paper, glue, and markers and get crafting! There are a lot of Moms who need an extra pick me up!

    Happy Mother's Day!

    Recommended Reading:

    The Night Before Mother's Day

    Cool Father's Day Crafts

    Chocolate, Flowers, or Teddy Bears