There is something so sweet about a sleeping child. Often, (especially after a rough bedtime) I sneak into the kids rooms once they've fallen asleep to drink in their peaceful calmness.
Pictures have a soothing effect too, and since we're often on the go, I have pictures of my kids asleep on airplanes, trains, and strollers around the world. This one was taken on the Seattle Light Rail a few weeks ago. The soothing motion of the train put D in to such a deep slumber that she had to be carried off the train and into the car. Boy was she surprised to wake up in the cupcake shop we stopped in on the way home!
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Posted on January 21, 2010 |
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Earlier this week, I shared some of my
favorite spots for kids along Seattle's Link Light Rail Line That post covered the stations beginning at Westlake Center and ending at SODO station. Here are my favorite kid-friendly spots near the remaining light rail stations
Beacon Hill Station
Even if you don't want to explore the surrounding neighborhood, you should get out of the train and see this station. Beacon Hill Station has my favorite station art on the Light Rail line. It also happens to be the deepest station anywhere - approximately 16 stories beneath the ground! In addition to the station art, here are a few things to do near Beacon Hill Station
- Stop for a story at the Beacon Hill Library (2821 Beacon Ave S)
- Ready for a sweet? Check out Delite Bakery (2701 15th Avenue S) This Philipino Bakery serves, among, other things, a purple cake! What child wouldn't love that.
- El Quetzal (3209 Beacon Ave S) is my favorite Mexican Sit-Down restaurant in Seattle, and it is casual enough for kids. Check out their Huaraches, a sort of mexican "wrap" sandwich. They're amazing.
Mount Baker Station
- Grab a bite to eat at The Original Philly's (3019 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S)
- Slush and Husch (2801 South Hanford Street) across the street serves coffee drinks and blended cold drinks
Columbia City Station
You'll have to walk through several blocks of residential streets to get to Columbia City's main drag. Once you do, you'll be richly rewarded.
- On Wednesday afternoons from May to October (3pm-7pm) the Columbia City Farmers Market (4801 Rainier Ave S) is a great place to explore. In addition to all the produce and locally made food you would expect, there are music, cooking demonstrations, and a weekly kids activity.
- Retroactive Kids (4859 Rainier Ave S) has a fun selection of toys and clothing (there is also a kids hair salon in the back). The store focuses on high quality wooden toys, favorites you'll remember from your own childhood, and handmade items. A train table and dollhouse near the back of the store make this a nice stopping point as you explore the area.
- Columbia City Bakery (4865 Rainier Ave S) has a small selection of sandwiches and a big selection of cookies, cakes and assorted pastries.
- Bookworm Exchange (4860 Rainier Ave S) has a nice selection of used children's books
- Tutta Bella (4918 Rainier Ave S) pizza and Full Tilt Ice Cream (5101 Rainier Ave S #105) are a little further afield, but worth mentioning because they are both so good! Full tilt has a small selection of video games in addition to their homemade ice cream
- Sweet Peas (4820 Rainier Ave S) children's consignment shop carries a large selection of used items and a small selection of new clothing and toys at below retail prices.
Othello Station
As you step out on to the platform at Othello station you'll notice a wide variety of international restaurants just across the street. This is a nice area to explore different types of food without leaving Seattle. The station art here is designed to be interesting when it is raining - so if you have your rain jackets on, this is a great station to visit in the rain.
- What better place could there be to eat after riding a train than on a bus! Tacos El Asadero (7300 Martin Luther King Jr Way S) serves the best "taco truck" style tacos in Seattle from their kitchen inside an old bus. You can sit inside or in a covered tent out front.
- Hoang Lan (7119 Martin Luther King Jr Way S) serves great Vietnamese rice dishes. The owners are very friendly and happy to help you navigate the menu.
- Othello Playground (4351 S Othello St) is a nice playground with a very long slide, basketball courts and (sometimes) live music on Sundays.
Rainier Beach Station
- Head East on Henderson to find several playgrounds behind the South Shore School. We love the old fashioned merry-go-round, there are very few of these left in the city.
- Vince's (8824 Renton Ave S) old-style Italian-American restaurant is just a block away from the station (kids menu available)
- The Vegetable Bin (8825 Martin Luther King Jr Way) just across from the light rail station has a selection of Hawaiian Snacks as well as hot food (very few of which are actually vegetables)
Tukwila International Blvd Station
The art at this station is worth seeing, and there are a few fun options nearby
- This is probably the only time you'll ever see me recommend McDonalds (15210 Tukwila International Blvd). This location, within walking distance of the Light Rail, has an indoor playground - making it a nice stop on a rainy day.
- Pancake Chef (15215 Military Rd S) Serves pancakes all day
SeaTac / Airport Station
- Cross through the parking lot and over the sky bridge (fun in its own right) and check out the airport! If you'll be flying soon, this is a great opportunity to have your child watch the TSA inspection checkpoint and get comfortable with the security process.
Related Links
Light Rail With Kids Part 1
Seattle With Kids
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Posted on January 15, 2010 |
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Japan is high on the list of places I would like to go with my kids. We haven't been able to make a trip work yet, so I console myself by taking them to Seattle's International District. One of our favorite stops is Unicorn Crepes. The shop serves both sweet and savory Japanese crepes. It's also within easy walking distance of the International District Light Rail Station, making it a fun outing.
Like a crepe shop in Japan, plastic models of the food show you what's available. For the kids, that makes choosing their crepe almost as fun as eating it.
Next they stand up on tippie-toe to watch as their crepe is made
And then it's time to sit down and eat
Isn't this the cutest twitter sign you've seen?
Related Links
Seattle's Link Light Rail With Kids
Seattle With Kids
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Posted on January 14, 2010 |
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I have written before about how passionate E is about Seattle's new Light Rail. For the past few months we have been exploring each of the stations along the short route and keeping track of what the kids enjoy. That seems like a great list to share, and if you live in Seattle you should consider making the light rail a family outing one weekend - you'll be surprised at how much fun it is to get out and explore - even in your hometown. In fact, it might just give you the confidence you need to tackle a bigger city with kids in tow.
Tips for Riding the Light Rail With Kids
- The light rail map is a great way to teach beginning map reading skills. You can print one for your trip here or check out the large-scale maps at each station
- Each station has interesting artwork that is engaging for young children. You can check out this list of Sound Transit's Public Artwork in advance, or just explore each station as you go
- Use this Trip Planner to figure out how to get to the light rail on public transit
- We like to start our journeys at Mt Baker Station because it has an inexpensive parking lot. Another option is to start your trip at Westlake Center. You can park in their underground lot and then take the elevator to the basement level. From there, you can enter the transit tunnel. Finally, there is free parking at the Tukwila station, but this lot is often full.
- Link Light Rail is very stroller friendly. Some stations are underground, but elevators are always available.
- While the trains are generally not crowded, they can be crowded on game days. Don't be afraid to ask an adult to give up their seat for your child.
- Kids ride free!
Starting from Downtown, here are our favorite things to do at each Link Light Rail station
Westlake Center
From here you can do anything on my Downtown Seattle With Kids itinerary, or hop on the Monorail (just take the elevator up to the top of Westlake Center) and ride to Seattle Center
Here are some other ideas:
- Eat conveyor belt sushi and cream puffs at Blue C Sushi's new 7th Avenue Location
- Visit the fish tanks in Nordstrom's children's department (enter Nordstrom directly from the Metro tunnel
- Explore Westlake Center without ever stepping foot outside (great for winter days). Start by picking up some stickers, pens or cute bento boxes at Daiso Japanese dollar store. Next take the escalator up to the top floor for a snack or lunch, and finish it all off with hot chocolate at
Dilettante Chocolates Mocha Cafe
University Street Station
From here, it's an easy walk to Pike Place market or to a Tiny Tots Concert at Benaroya Hall. Here are a few of our other favorites:
Pioneer Square Station
It's a steep downhill walk to Pioneer Square, but once you are there you'll find lots to do.
- Kids will find the walrus heads decorating the outside of the Arctic Club Hotel amusing.
- Magic Mouse Toys (603 1st Ave, Seattle, WA) has a wide selection of toys ranging from Lego to Playmobil and Haba
- The Elliott Bay Book Company has a quiet children's section complete with playhouse - catch it in it's original location before it moves to Capitol Hill this spring
- Older kids will enjoy the Seattle Underground Tour
- Check out the Firefighters' Memorial in Occidental Park (S Washington and Occidental)
- Visit the hidden "Waterfall Garden" at 219 2nd Ave S (between S 2nd Avenue Extended & Main St). Consider bringing a picnic lunch
International District/Chinatown Station
This bustling station lets you off at the edge of the International District. If you are prepared to do some walking, this is a fun area to explore.
- Uwajimaya (600 5th Avenue South) is my kids favorite market in the city. The produce department, with its wide selection of fruits and vegetables is fun to wander through, and you can pick up cute lunchbox accessories in the kitchen section. The food court at Uwajimaya is a fun place to grab a snack or lunch. In addition to Pho, Sushi, Korean food and more, you'll find freshly roasted chestnuts by the front entrance and a Beard Papa Cream Puff shop.
- Stop for a sweet or savory crepe at Unicorn Crepes (421 6th Ave S - between Jackson St & Jefferson St). Unicorn Crepes is a Japanese style crepe shop, complete with a plastic crepe display to help you choose what you want.
- Kinokuniya Book Store (525 South Weller Street) has a nice childrens book section that includes adorable Japanese activity books and a nice selection of childrens books set in Asian countries or about Asian themes. If your child likes cute pens, pads of paper or Japanese erasers, Kinokuniya has a great selection.
Stadium Station
From Stadium Station you can easily walk to Seahawks Qwest Field, WAMU Theater or Mariners' Safeco Field. If it's a game day, there's no reason you can't visit one or more of the food stands outside the stadiums even if you do not have tickets to a game.
SODO Station
From SODO station, the walk down to 1st street is not particularly interesting, but once you are there you will find lots to do. Also, several different train lines come through this area.
- Macrina Bakery & Cafe (1943 First Avenue South) is a great place to grab lunch. The menu is limited, but the premade flatbread pizzas will appeal to kids.
- If you are able to resist the pastry case at Macrina, head over to Krispy Creme (1900 1st Ave S) and watch donuts roll off the conveyor belt
- Paper Zone (1911 1st Ave S) is a great place to browse for stickers or craft materials with your child
Here's a link to part two of my post on Seattle's Link Light Rail with Kids
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Posted on January 13, 2010 |
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Saying that E is obsessed with Seattle's Link Light Rail would be an understatement. He learned to write by copying the station names off of a Light Rail map. His own train set is in almost constant use, and his teachers say that he has designated different areas on the playground as Light Rail stations and stops at each as he rides a scooter around during recess. For the past few months, he's been reminding everyone that the new SeaTac Airport station would open on December 19th. It's a bigger deal than his own birthday would be.
Here is what he didn't know, a few months ago I posted pictures of the kids at a Light Rail station and Heather Poole also posted a video of E dragging her on the light rail during her Seattle layover. Apparently, the video and pics made the rounds at Light Rail headquarters. On one of our (frequent) train rides, Bruce, a Media Relations rep for the Light Rail recognized him. My sweet son is light rail famous. Bruce and I chatted quickly, he followed up with some great info about the station art, and finally I begged him to invite us to the SeaTac Airport Station grand opening. Bruce is a dad, and a really nice guy, and I will always be grateful that he agreed.
E and I got up early, and I surprised him with the news that we'd be headed to the Light Rail opening - just the two of us.
Here are some shots from opening day. There was also music and apparently the Rockettes made an appearance. I wouldn't know about that, though, because we spent the entire event standing at the base of the escalator. E absolutely had to be the first in line and make it on that first train. I'm glad to know that he can wait so patiently, even in cold weather, when he needs to!
When you are learning to read, a sign like this is fascinating - but even more fascinating was the fact that the first train crashed right through it.
Look at the crowd. Besides us, there were the mainstream media and people who had helped build the station and the light rail track. And yes, there were other kids.
And yes, we did make it on that first train! I'm not sure when I've seen E look happier. He was absolutely glued to the window, memorizing every inch of new track, for the first 20 minutes or so of our ride.
It has taken a while for this all to sink in for E. He asked questions for days - "Will there be a first train again tomorrow?", "Will the SeaTac airport station be open next week?", and marveled over the fact that "Tukwila station isn't the last stop anymore." and then finally he got it - this was a really special event. He is just beginning to tell people how amazing it was to be on that very first train. I'm betting that this day will be among his earliest childhood memories.
The Light Rail really is a lot of fun for kids, and we've enjoyed exploring all the stations over the past several months. Come back on Wednesday for my guide to what to do at each Seattle Link Light Rail Station with kids.
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Posted on January 11, 2010 |
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We've been to SeaTac airport hundreds of times, and yet E and I made a special journey to the airport just before the holiday rush began. Can you guess what event brought us there? I'll be blogging about it on Monday.
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Posted on January 8, 2010 |
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We spent a quiet New Years Eve at home this year. The kids were sound asleep in their beds long before midnight. 2009 was an eventful year here at home, though Baby Eilan's birth kept me grounded for more of the year than I would have liked. Now that I look at the list of places we went, I realize that we weren't exactly homebound - we did sneak in great trips to Phoenix, Tucson, LEGOLAND, Great Wolf Lodge in Centralia, WA, Orange County and San Francisco.
I also loved the time I spent at BlogHer and TBEX '09 meeting so many of the bloggers who I have gotten to know online this year. Though I'm finding myself spread too thin to help organize TBEX '10, I'll be there again next year. Finally, Passports With Purpose was such an amazing and rewarding way to end the year.
I'm looking forward to traveling more in 2010, and can't wait to start planning!
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Traveling Toddler Car Seat Travel Accessory
Little Dover Activity Books
, including the very popular
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Airport
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Planes Board Book
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CARES Child Aviation Restraint System
Blue Painter's Masking Tape
(you can use it for everything from babyproofing to making a removable "race track" for toy cars.)
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Posted on January 1, 2010 |
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There is lots of speculation and uncertainty about the specifics of the new TSA rules for international flights landing in the United States. There is one thing that seems to be consistent between first-hand passenger reports and TSA document leaks: for the last 60 minutes of flight passengers must remain seated are not allowed to hold any personal items. For parents traveling with kids, that's going to make the final 60 even more tricky than usual, and I hope the rules will be relaxed soon. Still, for anyone flying into the US in the next few weeks, here are my best tips to help you through the last hour of your long-haul flight.
Before Your Trip
- Learn some new Finger Rhymes before you go
- Pack pullups even if your child is fully potty trained
- Pack a marker - you'll see why later
Just Before the "Final 60"
- Explain to your child that once the fasten seatbelt light is on they won't be able to get up or play with toys
- Give your child a chance to stretch their legs
- Offer a final snack. A protein rich snack will help your child feel full
- Take a restroom break and put on a pullup - remember the final descent may take more than 60 minutes if there are air traffic or weather delays
- If your child wears a diaper, this is the time for one last diaper change in order to avoid a diaper leak
- If you are worried your child won't want to put their seatbelt on, do it before stowing toys so that you have a way to distract your child
- If possible, try to put your child to sleep, but remember that all loveys, blankets and pillows will need to be stowed for the final 60 minutes of flight.
- If your child uses a pacifier to help clear his or her ears in flight, clip it onto their clothing. With any luck, your flight attendant will consider it to be part of the clothing (but never argue with a flight attendant who insists that it is not)
- Ask a flight attendant whether a bottle will be allowed, and if so, prepare it in advance so that you do not have to reach into your diaper bag during the "final 60."
- Draw "finger puppets" on your fingers
During the "Final 60"
- Sing some songs. Even if your neighbors don't love your signing voice, they'll prefer it to the sounds of a fussy child
- Finger rhymes and other hand games will help keep your child and their hands occupied
- Tell stories or take turns acting out the "parts" in a well loved story
- If your child has trouble clearing their ears (bottles and sippies are no longer allowed) let them suck on your (hopefully clean) knuckle or teach them to pretend they are chewing.
- Use your drawn on "Finger Puppets" to act out stories and plays
Readers: What suggestions do you have for keeping a child entertained without any books, toys, or electronic devices?
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23 comments |
Posted on December 27, 2009 |
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Passports with Purpose turned out to be way more consuming this year than I had planned - partly because I was having so much fun, and partly because I'm spread so thin now that I have a baby in the house again. I plan
to get back into a regular blogging rhythm again once the New Year begins, and I have some great stories to tell - from the Light Rail opening her in Seattle to to our Thanksgiving in Bellingham and a winter road-trip in Northern California.
We are also planning some very exciting trips in 2010. We will visit Turkey in the Spring, and I plan to visit Cambodia when our school opens (probably in June).
I hope your family is having a wonderful holiday and that all your travels go smoothly.
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Posted on December 25, 2009 |
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Our Passports With Purpose fundraiser is closed for this year and I want to say "thank you" to everyone who helped make it so successful. We blew past our original $13,000 goal and today we shot past our $26,000 goal as well. Individual donations are still coming in, and we know that some additional money will be donated to the school through corporate matching programs. We're so thrilled that instead of the bare-bones school that seemed like a dream 3 weeks ago, we will be able to provide a school plus safe water, a nurse, nutritious meals from a kitchen garden, and books!
If you still want to help out, you can make a tax-deductible donation here - there's still time to add additional improvments to our your school.
First of all, THANK YOU, to everyone who made a donation. It was your donations, ranging from $10 to hundreds of dollars, that will build this school. We have been absolutely astounded at how many people were willing to help support this effort. It's a great testament to what just $10 can do when hundreds of people work together towards a common goal.
Second, I want to thank my partners in this effort. My co-founders Beth Whitman, Michelle Duffy, and Pam Mandel have been such a joy to work with, and I feel lucky to count such inspiring women among my friends. We were also incredibly lucky to have Meg Paynor help us with PR.
Third, I want to thank all the bloggers and others who helped round up prizes, posted on twitter and facebook and put in such an incredible effort to make this happen. I just don't know what to say. WOW is the best thing that comes to mind. WOW. WOW. WOW. If anyone ever doubted the ability of travel bloggers to change the world, they won't now.
Finally, I want to thank the sponsors who gave us a great start
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Posted on December 22, 2009 |
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