From outdoor adventure to beating summer boredom, fueling up and staying energized, Family Entourage joins us with what they say are staples for summer fun.
UNLOCK CURIOSITY & CREATIVITY AT CHILDREN’S MUSEUMS
Families are always looking for budget-friendly ways to stay entertained but also keep the learning senses awake and the Association of Children’s Museums has a couple dozen in the state, and works worldwide so if on vacation could always check one out in the city you are visiting. Many of the Children’s Museum’s honor reciprocal memberships too, where you can use your local membership for tickets or discounted entry.
One of our favorites to visit is the New Children’s Museum in San Diego. It has exhibits like Teatro Piñata with a ticket booth “secret tunnel, stage where kids can create their own play, or play with shadow puppets to Whammock, made up of 40 miles of braided nylon it is an interactive, three-dimensional textile environment of colorful crocheted hexagons, open pockets and hanging pendulums. Children are able to move upwards through one pocket after another until they reach a colorful expanse where they can run, slide, bounce and rest. And the new Artopia NCM Creative Studios, which offers hands-on art workshops, artist-led activities, and creative experiences for all ages—from toddlers to teens to adults
The Sacramento Children’s Museum has lots of great exhibits to explore including Airways, an Art Studio where they can create, Imagination Playground, Story Factory Stage to develop and perform their own stories and more. The Children’s Museum of Stockton enables children to practice their veterinarian skills at Dr. Barker’s Pet Clinic, play grocery store at Food 4 Less, create a masterpiece in the Art Studio, and more. At the Modesto Children’s Museum, kids can be a part of Superhero Summer. They can shrink to the size of a bee; bring levitation to life with the power of air; create your own “super-green” salad; puzzle together the origin stories of comic book heroes; climb to new heights in the two-story Adventure Climber, and so much more!
RESTED AND READY FOR ADVENTURE
A good night’s sleep can be a game changer when it comes to gearing up for adventure. We were shocked to hear some sleep statistics like 1 in 20 Americans have fallen asleep at the WHEEL in the past month, and 50-70 million Americans have sleep issues with more than a third of the population getting less than 7 hours of sleep.
So let’s correct that because the whole world changes with a good night’s sleep!! Coop Sleep Goods is changing lives 8 hours at a time. The Original Adjustable Pillow is celebrated for its revolutionary blend of cross-cut memory foam and microfiber fill, offering customizable support and unmatched comfort. Whether you’re a side sleeper, back sleeper, or side-to-back sleeper, the pillows are designed to cater to your unique sleep needs, ensuring that you wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Unlike traditional pillows that tend to flatten out over time, Coop pillows are adjustable, allowing you to add or remove foam to achieve the ideal level of support that meets your specific requirements.
Coop has gone beyond just pillows and into luxury sheets too. Original Comphy SoftSpa Sheets that started it all are used today in 97% of Forbes 5-Star spas & resorts. This luxurious fabric only gets softer with each wash and is easy to care for, wrinkle free, stain resistant, and quick-drying. Everything needed to rest comfortably and wake up ready for whatever adventure the day holds.
SAFE FUN IN THE SUN
Outdoor play is definitely a staple of the summer and so is protecting your skin. Whether you are rafting or tubing the American River, bike riding with friends, a park meet up or securing your tee time… sun protective clothing makes it simple to make sure you won’t get burnt in the high temps but still cool and stylish in the heat.
Coolibar has been leading UPF 50+ fabric technology for over 20 years. Their line features over 50 different fabrics, all of which block 98% of UVA and UVB rays. Whether they are at the pool, camp or just playing outside, we love all of the great options Coolibar has for kids including swimsuits, shorts, hats, skirts and shirts. It is so helpful to have the sun protection built into the fabric and not have to worry about reapplying sunscreen all day long. This is especially helpful on vacation when it can be too easy to lose track of time.
Whether we are sightseeing or catching our kids’ sports activities, we love the Mendocino Travel Skirt and Destin Travel Windbreaker. The material makes it easy to pack. We also love that the material is lightweight so it dries quick if it gets wet and also great for cool nights. The dads of Family Entourage love the Arcadian Packable Jacket. From coverups to resort looks, Coolibar also has a great selection of dresses. Pair it with a chambray jacket that also has UPF built in and you are ready to hit the town! For those “working” from the golf course or country club, Coolibar has lots of great options for men and women.
FRUITY FUEL AND SNACKS
Healthy snacks are key to not crashing during all the fun. We love to get creative while keeping it delicious and Melissa’s produce is our go-to when it comes to fruit and snacks.
We love that we can easily have items delivered to our door or we can find everything at our local grocery store when looking for the Melissa’s signage. A simple staple that is looks good and always a hit, is a fruit kabob. We used seasonal favorites like: grapes, watermelon, peaches and Pinkglow pineapples! But you can use any variety and color pattern desired.
We love exploring all the RECIPES on Melissa’s website and we took a twist on the Topical Hwachae. We still cubed the watermelon, melon balled the dragon fruit and the strawberry papaya, we added blueberries and then used cherry 7-up to give it a pink fizzy final touch! (For adults you can always add wine and make it a tropical sangria – delicious!)
Having more fun with recipes, we created a watermelon pizza using watermelon as the base and topping it with yogurt and fruit. We made fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade and we froze bananas and added Melissa’s Gourmet Sauces too.
If we are short on time, we love all the organic snax, trail mixes and grab-and-go chocolate covered nuts and raisins!
