Endicott Park

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Angelika

We joined a Meetup.com meetup at Endicott Park in Danvers. We’d never been, but it is only 15 minutes from our home in Stoneham, and it was great fun. It’s run by the town of Danvers: http://www.endicottpark.com/

Located in northeast Massachusetts, in the Town of Danvers, Endicott Park encompasses 165 acres, and is home to some of the most unique and varied recreational land on the North Shore.

The park’s varied landscape includes pastoral views, historic farm buildings, orchards, woodlands, and marshes, with a network of trails and gravel roads for stress free and stroller friendly exploration of the park.

Entrance fee to the park is $1 for residents and $3 for non-residents during the weekend. Free during the week, but they are looking for donations to purchase a new climbing rock for the playground. And I always support people who want to improve a playground (For my playground project see http://RebuildingRounds.org)

Anyway, the playground area is fully fenced, has lots of benches, lots of shade trees, and lots of space with grass. There are two areas, one for the 2-5 year old set, one for the 5-12 year old set. Both are well designed, usable, and FUN! There are lots of swings, thought the ones with the infant seats and the big kid seats are at opposite sides of the playground. There are NO TRASH BARRELS since this is a carry in – carry out facility. Bring a plastic bag.

There are restrooms, some farm animals, some strolling trails, and lots of meadows and trees for frolicking.

: 3 slides and rock climber on preschool structure

: Preschool Structure

: Slides and drums and climber on preschool structure

: Drums and rock climber on preschool structure

: Meetup group :-)

: Preschool structure from afar

: Rope climbers on big kid structure

: Rope bridge and climber on big kid structure

: Climbers, ropes, and slide on side of big kid structure

: Big kid structure from afar

: Far side of big kid structure

: Nets and curvy slide on the big kid structure

: 3 fast slides on the big kid structure

Kayaking on Spot Pond

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Angelika

We did a spontaneous kayaking expedition in June – here are some pictures and info, because it was so easy, simple, enjoyable and a huge success for us.

One afternoon we just drove over to Spot Pond Boating (website here) and asked to rent a kayak. No booking required. They fitted us with lifejackets and had us in a double kayak in about 15 minutes. It was $20 for an hour on the lake and the staff were super helpful, safety conscious, and friendly.

Camping

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Angelika

Came back from our first overnight camping trip in one piece!

We joined the Mass Audubon Family Campout on Saturday, which included a canoe trip on the Ipswich river, a WHOLE LOT of s’mores and more wildlife than we could shake sticks at. It was also the first time I had taken Alex and Jen camping. They had a great time! – hurray – and didn’t want to leave. It was a really good trial camping actually, because Angela and Cheri from Mass Audubon had plenty of activities.

I suspect that’s the secret to a good camping trip with preschoolers

Also, no cooking was required. I’m a bit nervous about breaking out the old hiking stove and actually cooking a dinner when we go for a longer trip. Anyway, no cooking, just snacks and Angela and Cheri put on a nice breakfast with several pots of coffee – bliss.

So we set up our tent and played with the roughly 3 bazillion dragonflies before heading down the path to the Ipswich River. Jen got the cutest little life jacket, and both Jen’s and Alex’ Elmos got to help with the paddling by holding onto the paddle. Next time we apparently have to bring lifejackets for the Elmos. Angela did most of the work in the canoe, and since she was the front leader, we got see see a lot of wildlife (before we scared it away for the others). White birds, blue birds, geese, ducks, logs, cardinal flowers – and I didn’t bring my camera because I don’t have a water-proof bag.

While canoeing:

Alex “Mama, this is the most beautiful place on the WHOLE earth. I love all the birds and dragonflies and beaver lodges.”

Mama: GRIIIINNNN!

Alex (two minutes later): “Mama, I’m bored. Can we go back?”

Mama: SIGH

We got back to land just as the sun set and I carried Jen all the way up the hill to the farm buildings, Alex bravely ran through the bugs. And I have to say that those big black flies that take big chunks out of your skin really HURT! I used a whole bottle of mosquito repellent on us during the night – the mosquitoes were definitely out in force.

But so were the marshmallows.

Jen passed out mid-sentence sprawled across the tent at about 11pm. Alex finally put down his tremendously fascinating glow-stick about midnight. And then both woke up screaming about 5:30am. Sorry camping neighbors! That’s how my kids deal :-S Angela and Cheri put on that aforementioned excellent breakfast, we stayed and played on the grass until about 9am. At 9:03am both children were passed out in the car on the way home.

Success!

Playground Summer Challenge

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Angelika

What happened to playgrounds as neighborhood hubs? – a guest post by Jean Oram

As the national nonprofit KaBOOM! kicks off its 2012 Summer Playground Challenge — which challenges families to explore as many playgrounds as you can this summer and offers prizes for your playground visits — playground lover Jean Oram shares how people can revitalize playgrounds and bring them back as neighborhood hubs.

Playgrounds used to be a social hub for neighbourhoods, particularly in the summer, but are less so nowadays. However, you could argue that playgrounds are even more important now when it comes to building healthy, playful neighbourhoods. With tall backyard fences and attached garages, neighbours are less likely to meet each other or their kids. Do your neighbours look out for your kids? For your house when you are away? Are they someone you know well enough to call on in an emergency? Playgrounds can serve as a way for neighbours to meet each other, unwind, and socialize. Not to mention all the great benefits to the kids playing in them! Below are some ideas for ways to revitalize playgrounds as neighbourhood hubs:

How Can We Revitalize Playgrounds and Bring Them Back as Neighbourhood Hubs?

By visiting playgrounds with our kids this summer we can make others feel safer about sending their kids out to play (safety in numbers). This relates to Lenore Skenazy’s, author of “Free Range Kids”, idea of reseeding playgrounds with kids.

Use KaBOOM’s free Playgrounds and Tag! apps, and the Map of Play to find local playgrounds wherever you are and keep your kids playing all summer. You can also use these tools to set up playground playdates, and even rate playgrounds.

Spend time at playgrounds to show your local town or city that they are valued spaces worthy of maintaining. It also reduces the chance of vandalism and deters people from using them for reasons other than play.

KaBOOM!’s Summer Playground Challenge is a great way to motivate and inspire your kids to visit as many playgrounds as possible during the summer and win some cool prizes. Maybe you could even start a friendly neighbourhood competition!

We can show our kids that we value outdoor play and that we, as citizens, can take action and responsibility for our playgrounds by doing as Angelika Paul of Playground Hunt did – revitalizing, updating, and fixing up a local playground. Your kids will feel an accomplished sense of ownership for the playspace like you wouldn’t believe! My daughter asked the city for a garbage can at her local playground and feels pride and ownership in keeping it clean. It’s also one of the least vandalized playgrounds in town!

But the biggest thing we can do for playgrounds and our kids is to use local playgrounds this summer. So, let’s get out there! I’m the one inventing playground fun such as Under Whales (Under Ducks on the swings, only more swooshy). Come say hi. I’m always looking to meet other moms and dads.

Jean Oram is a mom, writer, skier, hiker, and playground lover. Her daughter loves the more challenging playgrounds while her son is most content in the baby swing. You can find her playing on her blog at www.itsallkidsplay.ca as well as pinning fun and games (literally) on Pinterest, sharing fun stuff on Twitter as @KidsPlay, and on Facebook. Let’s play! Get motivated to visit more playgrounds with your kids this summer by joining the 2012 Playground Challenge! The three top Challengers will win a trip for two to DC and all participants can win great prizes throughout the summer.

Summer To-Do List

Posted on June 2, 2012 by Angelika

Playgrounds:

North Point Playground (Cambridge - map) – big water feature, superb playgroundS near Museum of Science (read my review at this LINK)

Sgt Connelly Playground (Wakefield – map) – by Lake Quannapowit beach (wading, no swimming) (read my review at this LINK)

Spring Brook Park (Bedford - map) – man-made lake with sandy beach, playground, and huge sprinkler park, concessions (read my review at this LINK)

Grimmons Playground (East Somerville – map) – separate fenced toddler area, big kid playground, sprinklers – beautifully designed (read my review at this LINK)

Cedar St Playground (Cambridge - map) – shady playground with sprinklers (read my review at this LINK)

Simond’s Park Playground (Burlington – map) – large playground with structures for all age groups (read my review at this link)

Fort Point Playground (South Boston - map) – large park by harbor with beach and well designed playground (not sure where my review went)

Lederman Park (Boston - map) – by MGH/Museum of Science – never made it but it looks awesome from Storrow Drive.

Bradley Palmer Wading Pool and Playground (Topsfield - map) - wading and sprinkler park – this will be the summer we make it!

Events

4th July Fireworks – Lake Quannapowit

Things to Do

Harbor Island boat trip

Camping

Ocean Beach – Nahant Beach, Wingaersheek Beach,…

Boating Wakefield – kayak rental

Mass Audubon Drumlin Farm - Friday Evening Hayride and Campfire

Mass Audubon Ipswich Family Campout

Mass Audubon Joppa Flats exploration

Places

Franklin Park Zoo – Zoorassic Park and Wild Adventures Class

Stone Zoo – Birds of Prey and Wild Adventures Class

Things to Make

<– where I post all the crafty stuff I plan to make

Some recent pins:

Bouncy Eggs

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Angelika

It’s getting close to Easter and lots of Easter pins are popping up on Pinterest. I saw this one about “Naked Eggs” and had to try it with Jen and Alex. The pin links to this original post from Imagination Station and was as easy as they promised.

We put two eggs in white vinegar for a day. They started bubbling almost immediately as the acidic vinegar interacted with the calcium carbonate in the egg shell. Waiting was the hardest. But the next day the shells were gone and they were surprising strong to handle. They bounced.

First Mountain Bike Ride

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Angelika

Last summer, Alex finally after much pleading and lots of bribery decided to give up diapers. Nothing had worked – he preferred diapers over chocolate, stickers, toy cars,… BUT then he saw the bike: Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike in a magazine and instantly got on with potty training. Thirty days of choosing to wear underpants later, I ordered the bike, to discover that they had sold out in the entire country.

Oops.

Well, we went to all the local bike shops and tried out various helmets. That took up some of the waiting time. When it finally arrived, he was actually a bit scared by it. And it took a few weeks to really get him to be brave on it. In the last few weeks he has wanted to go over bumps and do little jumps (proud and terrified mama).

Then last week we ended up at Greenwood Park playground, which is exceedingly nicely situated directly across from the Stone Zoo with a big parking lot to access a corner of the Middlesex Fells. I used to walk my dogs there. We played at the playground for over an hour and then both Alex and Jen wanted to check out the forest. Alex took his bike. Jen walked and I stayed in the back and encouraged them to look for rocks and sticks, for a craft project I’ve had in my mind for about 33 years (ah childhood memories).

Well, we didn’t find the perfect rocks, or the perfect sticks, but we looked. And we saw. I thought it was the most brilliant outing ever, since it was the first time that both had actually paid attention to outside. I used to do a lot of hiking and climbing in New Zealand and always found it very peaceful to be outside. And I must admit, I’d been somewhat discouraged when Alex repeatedly declared in the past that he just wanted to stay home and play with cars and trucks.

But they both really liked it. Jen may have even burst out crying when I told her that we didn’t have enough snacks and water to last us all day. But we were out in the forest for almost an hour, and both really wanted to go back the next day with lots of snacks.

Anyhow, here are some pictures of Alex’ first mountain bike ride, and Jen’s first big hike.

And incidentally, the playground has been cleaned up for spring and has new woodchips – woohoo!

Nature Craft Books I’m reading

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Angelika

A quick list of children’s craft books I am into at the moment. Alex, who turned 4 in Dec, is definitely able get something out of these. Jen still makes blobs a lot – though she surprised me by daintily painting just the wings, eyes, and feather tufts on an owl mask the other day. I’m looking forward to spring – can ya tell?

Drumlin Farm

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Angelika

We finally made it to Drumlin Farm, the Mass Audubon headquarters, working farm, and educational center. Alex and Jen loved it, though Jen was a bit cautious about all the animals, which is probably a good thing… She thought the chickens were the funniest, and the pigs the smelliest. We missed out on the hayrides, since I didn’t read the sign that said they would only run in the mornings: sad Alex. But, he is all excited about going back next week give it another shot.