Keeping Kids Happy On the Go

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Kids seem to wait to have meltdowns until you are out and about.  Here are some tips and products to help avoid the next crying fit.

1. Always take food and drink with you wherever you go.
Ever notice that kids are ALWAYS hungry?  I have gotten myself in a sticky situation many times by not having anything for my kids to munch on while we are out.  Some of my favorite on the go snacks?

Hot Kid Baby Mum-Mum Vegetable Rice Rusk, 24-Count Rusks (Pack of 6) Hot Kid Organic Toddler Mum-Mum Original Rice Biscuits 24-Count Biscuits (Pack of 6)
My daughter loves these and they don’t crumble like many other cookies and crackers.
Annie's Homegrown Berry Patch Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks, 5-Count Pouches (Pack of 4)Annie's Homegrown Organic Cheddar Bunnies, Family Size , 11 Ounce Boxes (Pack of 4)Annie's Homegrown Bunny Grahams, Honey, 7.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)Annie's Homegrown Summer Strawberry Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks, 4-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 4)
Annie’s Bunny crackers, grahams, and fruit snacks have natural and organic ingredients and I haven’t met a kid yet who didn’t like them.

3 Pack Snack Trap (colors may vary)

If you are taking cereal, cookies or crackers then these Snack trap cups are a must to eliminate messes!  I am a huge fan of Snack Trap cups and have used them for years.  I think they are one of the greatest inventions for babies and small children.

YummyEarth Organic Lollipops, Assorted Flavors (15 Count), 3-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 6)
YummyEarth lollipops are organic and delicious and are a good distraction for an older child. I am not one for bribing a kid to be good but sometimes these help keep the peace a little longer.
First Juice Organic Fruit & Veggie Variety Pack, 8-Ounce Sippy top Bottles (Pack of 12)
First Juice Organic Fruit & Veggie Sippy Top Bottles are great for on the go because the sippy top is already on them (not to mention the bottles are reusable).

2. Always have things on hand that are good distractions.
Sometimes all it takes is pulling out something fun for them to do
Fisher Price Travel Doodle Pro - Green
A travel size Doodle Pro keeps kids 3+ busy drawing
Bendaroos Mega Pack 500 Pieces
Once I discovered that Bendaroos are a GREAT distraction while waiting to eat at restaurants I now carry them with me all the time.  There are endless possibilities in what kids can create with these! Ages 3 and up only though.
Crayola 8-pack Washable Window Markers (Single Box)
Planning to be in the car for a while?  Older kids can draw on the windows with these Crayola Window Washable Markers.  They’ll enjoy it even more because when was the last time you let them draw on something other than paper?!
Lamaze Princess Sophie Play and Grow ToyLamaze My Friend EmilyLamaze Pupsqueak
For little ones these Lamaze toys have been a hit for us.  They can be hung from strollers, carts or car seats and are quite entertaining with their crinkly sounds, rattles, teethers and bright colors.

3. Keep them comfortable

Of course when speaking about keeping kids happy on the go I have to mention my favorite shopping cart cover.  I bought one of these from Tinder Designs over a year and a half ago and it has been fabulous.  Not only is it a super stylish, super cushy cart cover but it also doubles as a restaurant highchair cover. They come with a matching pillow so when your little one is feeling tired in the cart they can lay their head down and snooze.  These are custom made and you can pick from many different patterns for girls, boys or a neutral design.  I am so glad I found these! I would buy it all over again.

Remember to bring pacifiers or favorite blankets or stuffed animals.  If your child gets tired you will have a much better chance of keeping them happy while you are out if you have their favorite comfort items. 
4. Plan your outings.
Babies and younger kids don’t have as much patience with being out and about as older kids do.  So plan your outings shortly after they have woken up and eaten.  You will need to plan to be back home about the time they need to sleep again unless you have a child that sleeps well in a stroller or carseat.  It can be a tricky game getting everything you need to do done but I promise you will be less frustrated if you plan your outing times carefully.
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‘I Heart ____’ T-Shirt Giveaway from Fibers.com

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I mentioned in my earlier post about a giveaway to win a $30 voucher to Fibers.com for a t-shirt design of the winners choice.  Well here is the “What you love and why you would wear it everywhere – ‘I Heart ____’ T-Shirt Giveaway from Fibers.com.  To enter simply leave a comment below telling me what you heart and why you would want to wear a t-shirt that says that everywhere.  If you win I know you will enjoy picking out or custom designing your own shirt.

ADDITIONAL WAYS TO ENTER- For extra entries leave me a separate comment for each:

Follow this site via Google Friend Connect (see upper right side of this page)
Follow Fibers on Twitter

Follow Kristin’s Review on Twitter

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Subscribe to Kristin’s Review via email or RSS
Tweet about this giveaway: enter to win an “i heart __” or custom designed t-shirt from @fibers & @Kristinsreview www.Kristinsreview.com #fibersgiveaway


Contest Ends November 30th, 2010 at 11pm EST. Winner will be drawn randomly.

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Win a Chance to Become a Character in a Future Fancy Nancy Book

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Click on the link above to enter a picture of your fancy girl in a contest to become a character in a future Fancy Nancy book.  How cool would that be?!
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Photo Christmas Cards and Gifts From Shutterfly

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I am a big fan of Shutterfly!  I have used them for years for ordering prints of my photos as well as Christmas Cards.  Since we have a big family I really like all of the options Shutterfly has for multiple pictures on one card. You know how hard it can be to get everyone in your family to actually smile and look pleasant for a group picture.  I think it is a great idea to take a few pictures and put all of the best ones together on the same card.  Here is the card I am thinking about using this year:

I also like Shutterfly’s photo gifts such as calendars and mugs.  This year we are far away from family so I think that photo gifts are great to give to those family members that we miss (and who miss us too). I know I would love a calendar or mug with my nieces and nephew’s beautiful faces on them (hint, hint).

I also like to use Shutterfly to make Photo Books at the end of every year for our family.  I usually keep one and give others as gifts to the grandparents.  The Photo Books are a great way to capture the best moments of the year and share them.

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A Great Gift Idea: A Personalized Shirt from Fibers.com

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Keep reading to find out how you can Win your own T-shirt from Fibers.com.

I was given the opportunity to try out Fibers.com by designing and ordering a shirt from them.  There are several options to choose from such as Family T-Shirts, I Heart T-Shirts, and Custom T-Shirts.  At first I had a really hard time choosing which category to pick from.  I could think of several things that “I Heart” that I would love a T-Shirt for.  There are also so many great Family T-shirts for mom, dad, big/little brother, big/little sister, aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas and more.  I wanted several of them but ultimately I decided to go with a Custom T-Shirt and I am so glad I did. 

You see, I have a daughter who is a fantastic little artist and she drew me a picture of our family.  I decided to use that drawing for a T-Shirt. I chose to have the image put on the Women’s Organic T-Shirt, which turns out to be very soft and comfortable. The process of uploading the scanned image onto Fibers.com was amazingly simple.  It was equally as easy to position the image and make it look exactly how I wanted it to on the shirt.  You get to see how your design will look on the finished T-Shirt as you are designing it.  Once I ordered the shirt I was pleasantly surprised to find it in my mailbox just a few days later.

I am so happy with it and now I can think of at least 10 more drawings I would love to have on T-Shirts.  I also think that a personalized shirt would make a great gift for a grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, etc… You can use a picture, a drawing you have scanned, or your own words to make your own custom T-Shirt at Fibers.com. My daughter, the artist, now wants to design her own shirts too. Here is my T-Shirt:

Isn’t it just super cool?  I really love it!  If you need a unique and clever gift for someone this year consider ordering a T-shirt from Fibers.com.  You can also follow them on Twitter or become their fan on Facebook.

If you would like a chance to WIN your own shirt stay tuned… I will be starting a Giveaway later today for a $30 voucher for you to design your own shirt.  Stay Tuned!

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