Looking to embrace one of our favorite parts of Washington, we set out to see the peak cherry blossoms. At our tot’s request. Not really a success.
Set out to surprise the kiddies with an outing and treats to the movie theater for the new Beauty and the Beast. Most certainly not a success (more on why later).
Tried to do a little house hunting. Meh…not a success either.
One after another, it was one of those weekends where every attempt didn’t quite work out. On top of everything, both kids came down with something, more apparent as the weekend went on and that was likely the root cause. Sometimes, you just have to declare victory and stay home.
Lots on the work horizon so I’ll be off for a few days – in the meantime, I leave you with just a couple of shots of one of our favorite plants from around our Puerto Rico trip – the colors were just gorgeous, especially after it rained, reminding that there is always something beautiful about, even when skies are gray if you just take the time to look around.
If we’re on the go, with our tot and toddler in tow, chances are, you will see them running and fro around the airport with matching monkey backpacks. Our oldest has actually had hers since she was two, and now our two-year old has his own smaller version as well. Over the years we’ve experimented with what goes it in but seemed to have settled on a formula that works well for all sorts of trips.
At this point, our packing list is pretty standardized – we adjust for age over time but right now, her backpack has the following:
Water & Snacks
Water always. Often times we leave her Thermos water bottle empty until we cross security and then fill it up at the nearest water fountain. Water is important not just for the drinking but sometimes we’ve had situations where we need to do a little washing on the go so it’s always good to have. It goes in the side pocket.
We also pack snacks – mostly healthy, higher protein ones like nuts, dried fruit, apple slices + peanut butter pouches, granola bars and the like. We started using these Sistema containers for her lunches in forest school in Denmark because they’re a little easier for little hands to open, and the compartments help keep things protected when the inevitable drop on the floor happens. But we also pack a few treats like gummy bears or M&M’s for the occasional indulgence.
A couple of years ago, Funkins sent me a few of their double-sided napkin cloths to try out, and we’ve been hooked ever since. I always have one or two in there for the kids as they double as placemats, napkins, you name it….my daughter likes to set out “picnics” on them but mostly they are lifesavers when you spend your travel day around dubiously clean surfaces.
Electronics
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you’ll know that “yes, she has an iPad”. I know not everyone agrees, but I have to say, for travel, this has been a game changer for us. Our daughter almost only gets her iPad when we travel, and it has to be a long trip at that, so its arrival in her backpack is always much anticipated. She’s also got her own pair of children’s headphones sized just right for her that don’t go too loud and that help protect my sanity.
In celebration of a trip, I always try to add a few new apps and a few new episodes of her favorite shows. Luckily, she’s likes shows that involve animals like Wild Kratts and Octonauts and the like, so I try to pick a few episodes featuring the kinds of animals that live where we might be visiting. Recently, she’s also been enjoying the read-along books, like Winnie-the-Pooh.
The Just in Case Pocket
I use the front pocket to keep a series of “just in case” things. Although our daughter is long potty-trained, I always keep an extra shirt, leggings and underwear for her. Accidents don’t happen that frequently but they do happen with children, plus, you never know when there’s a spill or an overnight flight delay or who knows. Things happen when you travel.
Similarly, although diapers are a relic of the past with her, I always have a travel pack of diaper wipes in there. I read once that a mom said that having wipes in your back is the equivalent of carrying a kitchen sink in there. That might be a stretch but that’s not far off from the truth. Wipes always come in handy.
Finally, I also store in that pocket a toothbrush and toothpaste in a ziplock bag, an extra ziplock bag or two in a large size, and a hat and gloves if we’re going somewhere cold.
With the exception of things that are specific to weather, everything else in that pocket stays as is so that it’s one less thing to think about when I pack the bag.
Entertainment
My daughter loves her time with the iPad but that’s not the only thing she loves. In fact, she’s pretty good about handing it over when she’s had enough. When that moment comes, especially on longer trips, then I like to have a few of her favorites ready to go.
Usborne Sticker Books are great – lots of different ones with high quality stickers that you can also remove and move around. There are a ton of themes to choose from but she usually gravitates towards the ones that are animal or travel based.
My sister-in-law, generally, the knower of all miracle things for children, introduced us to the “ImagineINK” books a few years ago. They’re coloring books that only have one special marker that basically reveals colors underneath. They definitely peak at the 5 and under set but my daughter still enjoys one every now and again so I usually put a new one in there for the trip. They’re simple since there is only one pen, but at the same time, when you’re in tight spots or need entertainment that won’t require picking up a lot of complicated pieces, this is a great go-to.
We always have a small pad of paper and Crayola Twistables. I’ve loved these for years, especially when my daughter’s hands were less dextrous and crayons were often broken. These have a firm plastic coating that prevents breaking and you just twist up when you need more; and contrary to many of the little free crayon boxes that they hand out, they have a really nice quality to them when you color.
So those are our go-to’s and basics when we travel with our daughter – if anyone has any basics they want to share, I’m all ears!
Before hiking with our children in the El Yunque Rainforest during our trip to Puerto Rico (did you see the photos?), some good friends of ours gave us a few tips that helped us be better prepared for our adventure. We thought that we’d share those, as well as our own from our experience.
Tips for Hiking the El Yunque Rainforest with Kids:
1. Wear good grippy shoes: As the name indicates, the rain forest can be rainy, which also means that it can be wet and slippery. Especially on some of the paths. While many of the paths have a narrow pavement on them, the path or the mud around it can be a little tricky if really wet. Some of the paths end at waterfalls, like the La Mina trail which many people come for. The area can get a bit more slick around the waterfall. The neat thing is that you can actually brave the rocks and hop in for a swim (it’s brisk!) but that’s a tougher activity for smaller kids since the rocks can be sharp and unstable. If you want to give it a try, see if you can do the walk in secure shoes that you can also swim in to protect your feet coming in and out of the water.
2. Good bug repellant is key: We didn’t find huge insects or anything like that in Puerto Rico, but mosquitos, especially small ones that are hard to see, can be a little annoying, especially in some of the wetter foliage areas. Puerto Rico has been a Zika area this past year, so take that into consideration as necessary, but we covered up in both layers and repellant and didn’t have any issues.
3. Aim for an early start: Yes, it’s harder to roll out of bed earlier and get on the road, but in this case, we found an early start was worth it. The park actually opens at 7:30 am, while we weren’t first in, we were pretty early. The earlier hour helps to beat the heat, but also the crowds, since people tend to congregate on some of the most popular trails and parking at the trails can run short.
4. You’ll need a car: When we arrived in Puerto Rico, we didn’t plan on renting a car since we weren’t there for that long and were mostly hotel based. We thought we could just order a taxi for El Yunque as it didn’t look far on the map, but it didn’t quite work out that way. Taxis can only drop you off at the gates and there is a fair amount of road uphill to get around, and it’s not too conducive to pedestrians. Our hotel was able to rent us a car for the day, which ran us about $100. Expensive, but it gave us a lot of flexibility throughout that day to explore different parts of the park and then we took advantage of exploring more around the island. Also, we looked into day trips which were another option, organized through providers but they were running nearly that cost per person so the car was the most cost-effective route for all four of us. The car was a classic Jeep (which they outfitted with car seats) so it just added to the fun adventure feel.
5. Bring cash: By the time we wrapped up our hike, the park had opened up one of their approved lemonade stands. After our couple of hours, it was a good time for a refreshment and a snack. While we packed a few or our own treats, the fresh lemonade was the best. It was a cash-only operation, so bring a bit to have on hand. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on these lemonades.
6. Pack an ergo for toddlers: The walks aren’t long at all but they will feel long to the littlest of feet. While many parts are narrowly paved, it’s not quite terrain for a stroller, as there are parts with stairs, no pavement or broken pavement. We saw quite a few families with strollers, which they then had to carry by hand with the child in it in the trickier parts. Again, most paths are really mild hikes, but even a mild hike can feel impossible with thirty pounds of toddler plus thirty pounds of stroller.
7. Get excited: While this isn’t a jungle safari, there is still lots to observe with smaller wildlife and foliage and birds. We knew the chances of seeing a hummingbird were high, so we allowed our daughter to watch the hummingbird episode of the Wild Kratts on airplane ride over on her iPad. It just helps build a bit of anticipation for the children and they love teaching you something back.
8. Take your time: One of the things I was most impressed with was the signage around the trails so that you could learn about the animals and the park and the rain forest. Our daughter really enjoyed hearing about all the information so that added considerable time to our hike. Similarly, the visitor center is well done and can teach a lot as well. Leave the center for the end if you want to take advantage of the cooler hours and smaller crowds to get the walks done first. It’s a good place to take refuge once its gets hot during the middle of the day. All in all, we had other activities planned that day as well and it all worked out, but don’t rush through this beautiful park. You made it all the way out there, now enjoy the day!
A few weeks ago, we took advantage of some great air tickets and a few days off from work and school to go on a little adventure to Puerto Rico. Sunshine and the ocean were on the docket, but the thing is that once you have a forest schooler in your midst, then finding outdoor adventures becomes a standard part of the order as well. We were lucky in Puerto Rico as we discovered there was a rainforest – the only one in the United States actually – just about half an hour from our hotel.
The outing to El Yunque ended up being a wonderful half day trip, just about right for hiking with a kindergartener and toddler in a backpack. In all honestly, the terrain is pretty mild, with a variety of hikes, most of which have a large parts of paved paths that meander through the woods.
But the greenery is gorgeous, and the fascination with rain forests, along with lots of posted signage throughout about history and animals, gave us plenty to chat about while we were walking through this different kind of forest.
This isn’t the kind of rainforest with jaguars and anacondas…actually one of the great things about hiking with small kids here is that there are relatively no dangers at all. Because it’s a forest on an island, any animals had to travel here in some way over water, so there are no real predators. Mostly birds (and a lot of those, especially if you take the time to listen), insects, a few harmless snakes…But the foliage you will see is impressive. Palm fronds taller than you! It’s a bit of an up and down stroll through a really verdant garden of some sort.
I’ll write up a few tips in the following post since there are a few things to know about making the most of the trip. Between our friends from Puerto Rico and our hotel concierge, we had a good sense of what to expect going in, but one of the best surprises was the lemonade stand that opened up at the end of the hike. I honestly can’t remember the last time I had real, fresh lemonade, and this was by far and away one of the best I’ve had. Made truly only with lemon juice, a bit of sugar, water and ice. I get the impression that lemonade stands in general are a thing in Puerto Rico, since most people seemed to be very particular in their orders. Kind of wishing we had more of these in DC during the summer months too…
The viewpoints at certain points are spectacular with the rolling mounts, and on a clear day you can see all three islands of Puerto Rico and even all the way out to the BVI. Afterwards, we stopped by the beach huts at Luquillo, just about 15-20 minutes drive, for a bit of a seafood lunch (grouper off the grill, yum!) After all, part of a good hiking is earning your refuel!
