How to Pick a Travel Stroller

Maria’s Review of the Maclaren Quest

Why were you looking for a travel stroller?
When my husband accepted a four-month teaching position at a college in England, we were very excited.  This was our ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to experience life abroad and to hopefully visit other European countries while there. This, however, was not going to be an easy traveling experience. My husband and I were not traveling alone; we were traveling as a family with our two boys, Peter (age 15) and Graham (age 3).

To have a happy traveling experience as a family, it takes more planning than tossing on a couple of backpacks and heading out the door to catch the next train. We thought long and hard about what we needed to bring along on our new adventure:  clothes; books, toys, and activities for Graham; raingear; luggage; first aid kit; travel books, maps, and the list went on.  Then we realized that there was one crucial item that could make or break this trip, and it was the stroller, or as they call it in England, the push chair. Read more

How to Plan Affordable Summer Activities

If you’re on a budget this summer (like I am), your family may have decided to pass on the purse-busting trip to Disney World. But that doesn’t mean you have to pass on fun. Stay closer to home! Enjoy the great outdoors! There are lots of fun things to do with kids and babies and I’ve got a few great tips on gear that will make it possible/easier for you to do it.

If you’re in Missouri, Missouri State Parks has a great program called One Tank Trips, which is exactly what it sounds like… lots of great ideas for road trips within one tank from any number of cities around the state. Find out more on their web page or by calling 800-334-6946. From St. Louis for example, some options include Confluence State Park, where the Missouri and Mississippi rivers meet (FREE admission) and Babler State Park (FREE admission and camping for $9-17).

But can you really take the baby camping? Absolutely! Kangaroo Kids has a full line of Phil & Ted’s baby gear that will get you fully outfitted to take Sweet Pea on her first adventure. 1) the Sport Buggy, 2) the Metro Backpack Carrier and 3) the Travel Cot. Kangaroo Kids is a well-respected kids and maternity resale shop in St. Louis that also has an online store so if you’re lucky, they may be able to hook you up with gently used models.