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With TV, the internet and video games monopolizing more and more of kids’ free time in recent years, it becomes even more important for parents to encourage kids to engage in more physical activities to keep them healthy and keep their weight at a healthy level.

Here are some simple ways to get your kids moving this summer:  

1.  Designate family jogging/walking days: On your days off, plan a family walk or jog at a nice park. It’s a great way to spend time together as well as enjoy a nice change of scenery. For extra fun and multi-tasking, take the family dog with you!

2.  Go for a scenic bike ride: Whether it’s in your neighborhood or along the beach, a family bike ride lets everyone enjoy some fresh air. Don’t forget those helmets and pads!

3.  Go geocaching: This high-tech treasure hunt is great for adventure-seeking parents and kids alike. This also promotes a strong sense of teamwork for the whole family.

4.  Hit the pool: Swimming is an excellent way to get healthy during the hot summer months. Look for a reputable swim school for kids in your area to get them started. You can even incorporate fun water games like Slip N’ Slide into your pool days.

5.  Create a sporty picnic: Get a few family friends together for a picnic and play some fun games like softball, flag football, catch, Frisbee or soccer.

6.  Add some physical activities to family vacations: There are plenty of options for making your vacations more active. Try rowing, hiking, or horseback riding with the kids.

With all these fun activities, your kids will be enjoying themselves so much, they won't realize how much excercise they're getting!

Taking the kids on a fun picnic at the park is a great way to spend some precious quality time with them. There’s just something about eating outside underneath blue skies and green trees that brings out the kid in all of us. The first thing to remember when planning a picnic with your little ones is to make sure they’re dressed in comfy clothes that they can move around in. Don’t forget to slip them into some comfy shoes, preferably ones with hook-and-loop closures so you don’t have to mess with shoelaces all day while they run around on the grass.

Here are five more handy little tips to make the most out of your fun family picnic:  

1.       Picnic Food: Pack food in plastic containers with lids or cover with plastic wrap or foil to keep them from spoiling and protect them from bugs. Keep food away from direct sunlight and remember that certain foods like mayonnaise and eggs can spoil easily and cause food poisoning if they sit too long.  

2.       Clothing: Pack a change of clothes for your little ones in case they get food or dirt on them. Cotton garments are best because they’re more breathable.

3.       Toys and Games: Bring their favorite outside toys to keep them occupied after lunch. Board games are also fun to play as a family during picnics.

4.       Safety First: Keep a first aid kit in the car just in case the kids get scrapes and cuts. Of course, sunscreen is a must to keep their skin safe from the sun. Kid-friendly bug repellent is also a good idea to keep them protected.

5.       Cleanup: Bring a roll of paper towel, a trash bag and antibacterial wet wipes to make cleanup a breeze.

Want a fun way to add instant pop to your kids’ basics? Introduce bright colors into their wardrobe! Three Little Dots* is a delightful sub-brand of Three Dots Clothing, which is known for their tried-and-true basics. Three Little Dots tops, dresses, shorts, pants and skirts are all super-versatile, just like their grown-up counterparts. They come in a ton of colors, from basic black to punchy pink. Their neutral basics are also perfect for mixing and matching with your child’s school uniforms!

*Zappos is an exclusive online retailer for Three Little Dots.

When I found out I was going to be a father, I immediately began thinking of all the things I would get to do with my son: throw around a football, ride bikes together, teach him to skateboard, and – if I’m being totally honest – shop for clothes.

Fashion is something that, at an early age, didn’t come easy for me. I was born in the '70s when style was more about the hair (maybe?) than the clothes. Memories of outrageously gross corduroy pants and random colored polyester shirts with different patterns on them come to mind. You see, my dad is Scottish. Not like somewhere-in-my-roots-five-generations-ago kind of Scottish. I’m talking about the fresh off the boat, Mike Meyers in So I Married An Axe Murderer, Scottish.  He moved from Dundee, Scotland in 1972 to take a job in California’s Silicon Valley. Not long after, he married my mom who had been living in San Francisco’s Haight District. Am I painting an awesome picture of randomness yet?

Anyway, when you couple my mom’s hippy, beatnik style with my dad’s frugality, it was a perfect recipe for random, which meant my brother and our wardrobes took the biggest hit. We wore everything under the sun, but always the off-brand. If it was going to be a fashion staple for the Burgess boys, it was most likely available at Kmart.

I didn’t really become aware of fashion (or the fact that my clothes didn’t match) until the 7^th grade. In retrospect, 7^th grade – in the '80s — was pivotal in shaping my interest in fashion and my personal style. This was also the year I became aware of girls. At the time, Vans and Sperry Top-Siders were hot. It was all about folding your pants tight at the bottom and rolling them up. Bangs were in – for guys. The skater look was just barely making its appearance. And being a skater myself, I embraced it to the fullest. (My wife is laughing at me right now, because currently, I still wear mostly Vans and Sperrys.)

Those were the '80s. Now it’s 2011 and I’m a father.  My son is 19 months old, and I have ambitions that he will dress with much more style and confidence than I did.  Oliver will have the “it” shoes, whatever they are. Although I can’t lie, I’m hoping the '80s influence remains! I’m not saying that clothes or style are the only components of confidence, but it doesn’t hurt. My wife is really short, so this kid needs all the help he can get!  And to my dad… next time we’re in town, I think a shopping trip is in order!

-Eric Burgess

Fashion Dad

Eric Burgess is a new dad who resides in Seattle, WA. A former buyer of men's and women's apparel and footwear, he's now a digital media strategist and grad student at the University of Washington. He enjoys fashion, digital photography and blogging. Connect with him on his personal blog Fashion Dad or on Twitter.

As the summer season approaches, so does the season of road trips. When you’re on that next long car drive with your children and are looking for fun and easy ways to pass the time, check out the simple games:

Punch Bug: Look out for Volkswagen Beetles. When you see one, say what color it is (“Punch bug ____!”) and gently punch the person next to you in the arm.

I Spy: Focus on a particular object or person and say “I spy ____”

Name That Tune: In this game, one player thinks of a song that everybody knows and hums its first few notes. The other players try to guess the name of the song.

Woodchuck: Be on the lookout for cars with wood paneling on them. Keep a tally of who finds the most.

Cheezy Squeezy: Look for yellow cars and squeeze a co-passenger’s arm until they see the car too.

Counting Cows: Look out for cows along the sides of the highway, and see how many you can count as you pass by.

I’m Thinking of an Animal: Have the kids think of an animal and then provide clues to everyone else about the animal they are thinking about. Have the others try to guess which animal it is.

Play Rock, Paper and Scissors: A true classic!

Find a….: One player says, “Find a _____.” The others must find whatever the player is looking for: cows, red signs, etc.

Rainbow Game: Call out a color. Each person must then find something that color. For example, when you call out, “green,” one person might point to grass.

Silly Sound Game: Make up a silly sound effect for each thing you see, and say it each time you pass the corresponding thing. For example, you might decide that the sound for red cars is “beep beep” and the sound for yellow trucks is “honk honk.” You can add animal sounds for animals, “splish splash” for rivers or ponds, “ring ring” (doorbells) for houses, etc. This one is lots of fun!

Tell Tall Tales: One person starts off telling a story. He or she talks for about a minute and stops at an exciting moment. At this point, another person picks up where the last person left off. The game continues with the tale twisting and turning with each new storyteller.

License Plate Math: Have older kids add up all of the numbers in different license plates to find the sum. Or, have the kids write down the numbers from the license plate and read their total aloud.

Guess the Number: One player thinks of a number between a range of numbers, (such as 1–100), and everyone else tries to guess the number by asking questions.

Are We There Yet?: Ask the kids questions about how far you’re traveling. Yards? Miles? Kilometers? How fast are we going? If it’s 3:15 now, and it takes us two hours to get there, what time will we arrive? How far have we driven?

Happy road tripping!

One of the easiest kids' party menu items to put together is peanut butter & jelly (PB&J) sandwiches cut into shapes that match your party theme.  However, more and more parents these days are wondering if it's okey to serve peanut butter with so many children having allergies, not only to peanut butter, but also to many other foods and ingredients that you may not be aware of. 

 Use these top tips to handle your party guests with food allergies:

1. Use the RSVP phone call to find out.  It’s difficult to know if anyone has allergies without asking.  Use the RSVP phone call as the time to ask this important question.  It’s also the one chance to connect with all guests’ parents before the party happens.
2. Make sure to understand the severity of the allergy. In addition to finding out if kids have allergies, make sure to ask about the severity to coordinate.  For  example: can the child be in the same room when peanuts are being served?
3. Adjust your party menu.  Of course, think through if there are multiple kids allergic to the same ingredient or menu item.  If so, you may want to change it altogether, but if only one child has a particular allergy, you may want to maintain your original menu and plan something different for that one child.
4. If there are children that have allergies to basic ingredients, such as flour, you may want to suggest that these guests bring their own food to eat to completely avoid the possibility of eating something harmful.
5. However you plan it, make sure to feed all of the guests at the same time so that the children with allergies do not feel left out or awkward during the party meal.

 By checking in with your litte guests' parents before the party, you will be able to plan a party menu that is inclusive of everyone and that takes in account special food allergy circumstances.

Happy Planning!

Looking for an easy, budget-friendly special activity to do with your children this St. Patrick’s Day?

I love the idea of having your kids wake up to a clumsy leprechaun’s trail of havoc!  Who could have possibly knocked over a chair, pushed a small (unbreakable) item off of a table, left books all over the living room floor, scattered cookies around the kitchen counter, and whatever other clumsy tricks your leprechaun may have pulled?

Set it up as a few simple “accidents” that happened during the leprechaun’s romp through your house the night before, and let it lead to a special St. Patrick’s Day treat for your kids, perhaps a small bag of gold chocolate coins or a bundle of four leaf clovers?  Green glitter or confetti is a great way to mark the “path” as well, especially for younger kids!  Have the path start at a door, meander throughout your home, and go out a window (or chimney, or dog-door) for a giggle-worthy moment.

It will be a fun way to start off the special day and give the Luck O’ the Irish to your kids this year!

Spit, Spot! Spit, Spot! Mary Poppins is such a classic, and would make for a wonderful birthday party as well. Watching the film, you can come up with all sorts of imaginative ideas to throw a party that Mary Poppins would be proud of.

Make your invitations in the shape of a teapot, a sugar cube, an umbrella with a parrot on the end, or a chimney sweep — or make a variety of these shapes — and send out with the party details on one side. You may want to write, “Come on over for some supercalifragicaliciousespialidocious FUN!”

For the decoration, make it bright with your child’s favorite colors with balloons and streamer. Place umbrellas all over the room too. Set a proper party table with a real tablecloth and china for a tea party. Play the music of Mary Poppins for added fun.

When the guests arrive say “Spit Spot” and clean up a messy playroom — just like Mary would advise!

If you would like everyone to be in costume, when the kids arrive, have hats, scarves, necklaces, bags, umbrellas, and small suit coats out for the kids to dress up as Mary Poppins.

In order to begin the party, sound off a large bell or make a canon noise, just like Admiral Bloom sets off canons that shake the Banks’ home.

Have the kids make hats like Mary Poppins. Using straw hats and provide plastic flowers and fruits for the kids to decorate their hats with and to wear throughout the party.

Let’s Go Fly a Kite by putting out construction paper that they can make kites from and decorate them with cutouts, markers, and string for the tail.

Have a “Spoonful of Sugar” Relay Race. Divide the group into two teams. Provide each with a spoon and sugar cube. The kids must race to the other end with a sugar cube on the spoon without losing it, and returning to the line and putting the cube on the next kid’s spoon without touching it. The first team done wins!

Play “Pin the Toppins on the Bird Lady.” Print out a large printable of the Bird Lady or draw a large bird lady sitting on steps, as well as a few gold toppins to play with.

Play “I love to laugh.” Write jokes and funny stories onto slips of paper, and have the kids take turns getting up and making one another laugh — just like in the movie. The kids are not supposed to laugh, of course, but if they do, have them stand up during that round.

Enjoy supercalifragicaliciousespialidocious cookie decorating. Have pre-made sugar cookies cut out into teapots and have the kids decorate with frosting and sprinkles.

Help Bert with his drawings. Place large pieces of butcher paper on a flat surface and give the kids chalk to draw all sorts of imaginary scenes to be hung in the party room.

Serve tea sandwiches cut out into teapot shapes, animal shapes, etc, fruit kebabs, an assortment of small pastries, vegetables with dip, and cake. Serve raspberry punch for the “tea.”

For the party favors, send them home with toppins (chocolate coins), their kites, chimney sweeps, fancy sugar cubes, and their straw hats.

Have a Poppin’ good time!