archive for the 'parenthacks' category

Traveling abroad? Kids need passports, too!

The State Department has now caught up with their backlog of passport applications.  Beginning October 1st, some new travel rules went into effect that require all U.S. visitors to Canada, Mexico, and other locations that did not previously require passports to have a valid passport for re-entry into the United States for all passengers traveling by ship or plane (walking and driving across the borders will require a passport beginning January 1, 2008).    All children, REGARDLESS OF AGE, must also have their own passport, so if your child does not have one and you plan to travel outside the U.S., you should complete and mail in an application.  For children not yet able to sign their own names, the State Department provides the following instructions: a parent may sign for the child by writing the child’s name on the signature line and signing the parent’s name above the child’s name. Example:

Jane Doe for

Child M. Doe

Signature of Bearer

What Makes a Great Playspace?

I’ve recently been having a dialog with the national non-profit KaBOOM! about how Parentography can work with them to help spread the word about the good work they do around the country helping communities build and refurbish playspaces.  One of the questions they asked in one of our email exchanges was “What makes a great playspace?”.  I’m not an expert, but I’ve given it some thought as a parent and as someone who regularly seeks out parks and playgrounds to write about on Parentography and here are my answers (feel free to leave a comment with your own ideas or thoughts about my list):

Infants/Babies:

• Ample and free parking 
• Shade
• A Place to sit down
• Restrooms (with changing stations)
• Infanct swings (the kind that look like a bucket with holes cut out where the legs go)
• Sand and grass play areas
• Vending machines with water, healthy snacks
• Other friendly parents

Toddlers:

• Same as above, but also:
• play structures that include a slide
• Seasonal water elements (fountains, etc.)
• Soft surfaces (mulch, rubberized mats or surfacing) underneath play equipment
• Some low elements — like plastic and metal animals to climb on, tables, etc.
• Bright colors wherever possible

Elementary Age:

• Same as above, but also:
• Climbing structures, ladder elements, firefighter-style poles, all separated from the younger children’s play areas
• Sport courts (basketball, tetherball, four square boxes, tennis, etc.)