Encourage your child to bring on the noise with creative, homemade musical games that’ll get them inspired
Your kid is constantly composing, strumming, singing and banging on pots and pans, and that’s okay with you! From musical chairs to musical math, keep the tunes coming with easy-to-play music games for kids. Experiencing their joy and learning through these delightful diversions will be music to your ears.
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1. Balloon Bounce
Think musical chairs, but without the actual chairs. Yep, this balloon bouncing game is a start-stop fave that comes with a twist. Inspired by Family can give you the steps to plan a giggle-worthy game that encourages the kids to listen to the music and move to it too.
2. Songs and Statues
Remind your kids of the last time they explored the art museums’ galleries with this game from Learn with Play at Home. Along with the music theme, this multi-player game also gets the kids up off the couch and moving. And what could be better than that?
3. Shake and Move
Who says you have to spend the kids’ college fund on pricey musical instruments and learning toys? Make this crafty shaker from Mini Monets and Mommies, and then play a follow the leader style musical game. You’ll need two or more children for this activity, and the kids can make their shakers before the game starts. Next, pick a leader—and she’ll set the tone (and the rhythm) for the rest of the kids to follow.
4. Train Tapping
If your little one is all about trains, this music learning game is a perfect match. Let’s Play Music can teach you the steps that you’ll need to rock this rhythm activity.
5. Sound Jars
Create your very own set of “sound jars” for the kids to explore and experiment with. Hands On As We Grow has detailed instructions and plenty of music games to play with these sensory surprises.
6. STEAM Sounds
Instead of creating a guitar, drum, flute or saxophone, this exploratory activity from Just One Mommy helps kids get creative and design their imaginative instrument.
Rafqi Ali Ridho via Unsplash
7. Paint to Music
Combine the performing and visual arts with one easy activity. Give your child an easel, paper, tempera paint, and a brush. Choose a few different types of music that have different tempos, rhythms, and feels. In other words, create a playlist of mood music that encompasses all the different emotions. Your pint-sized Picasso can paint away, moving the brush to the different types of tunes.
8. Musical Math
Yes, music is an art. But that doesn’t mean you can’t combine it with something that’s more … um, academic. Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls offers a math plus music idea.
9. Egg Shaker
As if making an egg shaker isn’t fun enough, Mama.Papa.Bubba can show you how to turn these simple musical instruments into a creative guessing game. Your little learner will get to make his music while working on critical-thinking skills. And all within the framework of a super-fun sensory activity!
10. Sound Hunt
It’s like a scavenger hunt, but with sounds. This music game from Inspiration Laboratories is serious fun!
It seems like trampoline parks are popping up all over the Seattle area. And with each new opening, a parent smiles knowing their energetic kiddo has a brand new spot to bounce off the walls that’s not in the living room. Whether you and the kids are training to become the next American Ninja Warrior or just looking for a place to burn off some steam, these indoor adventure parks are a great afternoon outing for kids of all ages. Read on to find a new favorite indoor play spot.
With one of the best company names out there, Flying Squirrel Sports in Everett opened a few months ago. They call it a “spring-loaded, urban playground like you’ve never seen before,” and they're right. Beyond the wall-to-wall trampolines, families can challenge each other on the battle beam, dunk hoops together like they're pro ballers, spring off the air track, balance on the slack lines and generally get their bounce on. When you've worked up an appetite, swing by the Drey Bar and Café where you'll find a full menu of pizza (including gluten-free), drinks and treats. We love that there's a special spot for tots here (and pricing too). Littles will spend hours climbing, jumping and rolling around toddler soft play park. One thing is for sure, they'll nap after a visit to this new venue.
Park perk: If the kids need a change of pace, check out the on-site indoor mini golf course and arcade.
Another new kid on the block, Catapult Adventure Park might be the grand daddy of all on our list. This mega-size location offers 18 different experiences, some that are familiar and some that are totally new. Inflatables are the name of the game here with everything from the Launch Zone to the Ninja Cat Course to Mt. Catapult and the Leaping Leopard. But you'll also find ball pits, tornado twirls and oversized slides that set this park apart. We're loving Tube-Topia that mixes everything you love about winter tubing but without the snow. Rock climbing walls, zip lines and open courts that invite everyone to jump will tire the kids out whenever you visit. They'll be bouncing from one spot to the next. All you have to do is keep up.
Park perk: Fuel up with pizzas, wings, cheesy bread sticks or sweets on site.
Good to know: There are some height restriction on a few of the attractions. Kids must be at least 42" tall to try the Cat Walk, Cliffhanger, Tube-Topia and Flying Leopard. Also there's an $8 spectator fee if you don't want to jump but still need to hang with the kids.
35025 Enchanted Pkwy. S. Federal Way, WA 98003 253-517-5853 Online:catapultfederalway.com
The Air House Adventure Park
The Air House
The Air House begins with a main court featuring 2,000 feet of trampolines and thousands more fun activities. Activities range from bouldering walls and a laser tag arena to your favorite trampoline park regulars. You’ll also finds log rolls, jousting on the battle beams, a racing zip line and the Valo Jump (think Dance Dance Revolution meets trampoline park). We know your kids will be most impressed (and challenged by) the Wipeout. Inspired from the hit TV obstacle course series of the same name, kids will fall over laughing trying to avoid being knocked off this spot. While walk-ins are welcome, we recommend that you purchase tickets ahead of time. Groups are allowed to play every 15 minutes. Sorry, no outside food can be brought inside, but don't worry, the GrubHouse offers 12” pizzas, sandwiches, hot dogs, fish and chips, mac and cheese and more to satiate hungry tummies.
Park perk: The Softplay area designed for kids 48" and under. It's a multi-level climbing structure where kids can play safely under a parent's watchful eye.
Cost: $8-$30 (Airhouse grip socks are required and are sold separately.) Hours: Wed.-Thu., 5-8 p.m.; Fri., 4-9 p.m., Sat., 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun., noon-6 p.m.
1101 Outlet Collection Way, #1275 Auburn, WA 98002 253-943-6770 Online:auburn.theairhouse.com
DEFY has taken over Seattle with four locations and a keen eye for planning. These exciting trampoline parks cater to the young and the young at heart (trust us). While each spot has its own unique flair and wicked wall art, families can always count on a fantastic array of trampolines, including wall tramps, air tracks and dodgeball courts. Skills are at the center of each location too. So whether you're working on your ninja skills or your aerial trick skills, kids will find what they need here in the form of launch pads, trapeze bars and cloud swings. Your kids will have a blast trying new circus tricks at every unique play station. Think this park is just for big kids? Think again, check the calendar for Kids Jump, where Littles ages 6 and under get the whole park to themselves so they can bounce without worrying, and so can you.
Park perk: DEFY Nights are a great way to add a little flair to your typical evening routine. Blacklights shine a whole new light on the jumping experience after dark.
Cost: $13-$26
DEFY Seattle 455 Andover Park E. Tukwila, WA 98188 425-669-9707
One of Seattle's OG trampoline parks, Bothell's Elevated Sportz has been entertaining families since they opened almost a decade ago. When it's raining outside, or your kids just need a change of scenery, bring them here to experience 10,000 sq. ft. of trampolines, dodgeball courts, foam pits and ninja courses. While we know the Littles will swoon over the Kidz Adventure play area, rumor has it, big kids love this spot too. It's four stories of ball pits, slides, tunnels, bridge and mazes that'll keep them climbing all afternoon. The great thing about this park is its variety. Kids can choose trampolines, Kidz Adventure or a combo of both, depending on your kiddo's age and the time you've got to play. The park’s iJump Café is also elevated from others, offering a large menu of sharable snacks, burgers, quesadillas, salads and more.
Park perk: For a new twist, try the Laser Maze (starting at $3 for one mission). It's a chance for kids to play spy (or maybe ninja?) as they work their way through the dense laser forest. Will they have the wit and speed to get through in time? You'll have to play to find out.
In our ever-changing world, Vertex Arena wants to be a beacon of hope. A place that connects kids through the power of play, offering a space that is appealing to the eye, whether you are five or 55. Located in Redmond, Vertex Arena offers a little bit of everything with their mix of indoor trampoline park attractions. You'll find lots of trampolines, sure, but you'll also find air basketball, battle beams and a ninja course to tackle (some of these attractions have height restrictions). Big kids can try their hand at Nerf Tag (ages 8 & up) or Arrow Tag (ages 12 & up), while most kids can enjoy the head-to-head-competition of dodgeball (ages 5 & up). The Sideline Social Restaurant and Bar offers a full menu (probably the best on our list) of appetizers, sliders, chicken wings, salads, pizza, cheeseburgers, chicken strips, fish and chips and fantastic-sounding desserts.
Park perk: Check out the new pinball and arcade center that recently opened.
10700 231st Way N.E., #100 Redmond, WA 98053 425-728-7298 Online:vertexarena.com
Pump It Up
In Kirkland, Pump It Up is known as the original indoor inflatable party venue. Although you won’t find traditional trampolines here, there are still plenty of obstacles to climb in, jump on, slide down and generally bounce around on. In fact, when it comes to bouncing around with younger kids, this venue is one of the best. Both the Kirkland and Lynnwood locations are currently offering Pre-K jump sessions for preschoolers and toddlers. And kids of all ages get a kick out of the All Ages Open Jumps. Hours for both vary by location and change weekly. The upside? They're both taking online reservations, so you can plan ahead for an afternoon of off the wall fun with your stir crazy crew. Psst... Family Jump Night is back at both locations. Check the online schedules to plan your next family outing.
Park perk: Pump It Up has long been a reliable indoor birthday party spot for kids. Both locations offer birthday party packages for 10-25 kids, and are available every day from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Prices start at $240 for 10 kids. What could be easier?
Cost: $8-$10 Hours: vary by location and week
11605 N.E. 116th St. Kirkland, WA 98034 425-820-2297 Online:pumpitupparty.com
18027 Highway 99, Suite J Lynnwood, WA 98037 425-774-2297 Online:pumpitupparty.com
Good to Know:
1. Currently, everyone over the age of five is being asked to wear a mask. Don’t leave home without it.
2. Socks are required at all locations. Left them at home? You can buy a pair at the park.
3. Many of these trampoline parks require signed waivers for kids to play, and most have an online option so you can sign before you’re even through the door. It’s a great way to save time when your kids are anxious to play.
4. Most venues offer membership packages that could save your family a heap of cash if you think multiple visits are in your future.
5. Every location on this list offers birthday party packages. So if an indoor birthday bash is on your kiddo’s wish list, any of these spots will be happy to help.
If Airbnb’s record night of 4 million guests is any indication, the travel industry is bouncing back. Now the vacation rental company has dropped the top travel trends of Labor Day weekend and the fall. From long weekend stays to fall getaways, read on for all the details!
When the company compared seasonal data from 2019 with this year, weekend trips with families were up 70%. For the upcoming holiday weekend, which officially signals the end of summer in the U.S., many of the trips booked are seven nights or longer. Some of the top destinations for Labor Day:
Anchorage, AK
Kansas City, MO
Philadelphia, PA
Mexico City, Mexico
Kenai Peninsula, AK
East Bay, CA
Seattle, WA
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Santa Fe, NM
Greensboro, NC
Of course, Labor Day doesn’t mean that travel is over for the year. Travelers continue to be quite interested in fall trips, with a particular interest in mid-sized cities and larger cities that show off the season’s beauty. The list of top spots for the fall getaways:
New York, NY
Chicago, IL
Boston, MA
Washington, DC
Cincinnati, OH
Charlotte, NC
Minneapolis, MN
Southern Maine
Berkshires, MA
Denver, CO
Newport, RI
Safe travel continues to be the top priority , which is why Airbnb made more than 100 upgrades across its entire service, including an emphasis on flexible searches. Wherever you’re headed this fall, stay healthy and enjoy making memories with your family!
If parenting has become a total grind, you’re not alone. With the pandemic throwing a wrench into just about any kind of school or family activity, parents everywhere are struggling to bounce back. And a new survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Sittercity highlighted the common struggles that families are facing.
The survey collected 2,000 responses from American parents of school-aged children. The results? 69 percent of parents said they’re overwhelmed with the constant routine changes of the past year. Over half (51%) said they don’t feel prepared for the upcoming school year. What’s more, 60 percent reported that the mental load of parenting is overwhelming.
Since Sittercity is an online source for in-home care, many survey questions focused on childcare. Those responses were also eye-opening. Nearly half of respondents (45%) said they don’t know where to look when it’s time to plan child care. 13 percent said they don’t have any support options for childcare gaps. And 57% rely on a spouse or family member to assist with watching their children.
All the extra time at home together does have some advantages. More than 3/4 of parents said they’d learned more about their children over the past year thanks to the extra proximity. But the last year has definitely taken its toll. While we can’t offer childcare, we can help streamline your routine—so you can spend less time stressing and more time preparing with your family for the rest of the year.
Bestway’s latest bouncer couldn’t make it any easier to create a jumping jungle at home. Not only is the Up In & Over Energetic Elephant Bouncer completely adorable and appealing with its big-eyed, grape-and-aqua elephant graphic, but it’s also designed for maximum convenience with a built-in pump. Just plug in the cord and switch the pump to “on” to inflate it in 2.5 minutes. The bouncer features a crawl-through entrance, a roomy, open top, and mesh sidewalls so parents can keep an eye on kids as they play. The elephant’s ears sway as kids bounce for a cute, added detail.
The Toy Insider is the go-to source for product information and the latest news about children's toys, tech, and entertainment. Its team of toy experts publishes two annual gift guides—one for summer and one for holiday—and reviews toys 365 days a year on thetoyinsider.com, a trusted resource for parents.
From a Cyberjam with The BeatBuds to a Zoom call with Milo the Unicorn, read on for 11 awesome ways to celebrate your kiddo’s birthday during the shutdown.
Jam with Jamie offers various party packages for kids 1-10, including customized jam sessions, song-writing and beatboxing lessons, and more. Invite your friends and fam and they'll take care of the rest! Contact for pricing and details.
Let the BeatBuds host a rockin’ 45-minute virtual birthday party, with interactive tunes that gets the kids moving and grooving. The bash includes unlimited guests, custom decor (as the BeatBuds' backdrop), a cake celebration and more, for $295.
Let LoveBug's topnotch Magical Musical Educators lead your little one's birthday celebration with sing-a-longs, puppets, storytelling an more. A 45-minute virtual party costs $100.
Coach Ace of kids gym Bounce LA will Zoom into your living room or backyard with age-appropriate games, activities and dancing for your birthday kiddo. Bounce LA can also drop off sanitized gym, sports and play equipment to homes (within in a 10-mile radius), as well as themed goodie boxes and decorations! Prices start at $50 for 30 mins.
Wild Child's live streaming birthday party brings wonder, celebration and fun to quarantine life. The 30-40-minute celebrations include games, puppet shows, singing and dancing. Want to take it up a notch? Wild Child Gym offers party add-ons, like a themed Celebration-in-a-Box (pictured above) and/or party favors.
From super hero training to magic shows, Big & Tiny offers a variety of party options for the birthday kid. Prices start at $275 for 30 minutes of songs and games with your Big & Tiny party host, followed by a 30 minutes of activities inspired by your theme.
Schedule a virtual visit with one of A Faery Hunt's characters, including fairies, mermaids and more. Invite as many friends as you want and enjoy stories, singing, activities and more. Prices start at $40.
For something a little magical, invite Milo the Unicorn to your kiddo's virtual party. He'll hang around for a happy birthday song, plus a unicorn-themed story time with his trainer. Prices start at $50 for 20 minutes,
Little ones can invite their favorite dolls and stuffed animals to a sweet celebration at home with Du-par’s Tea Party to Go. Prices range from $16 for two people, to $28 for eight people.
Treat the birthday boy or girl to an extra-special, oversized sugar cookies, $18 each, which they can color in themselves using a trio of edible "paints." Sugar Babies also offers a DIY cookie pack for $18, which includes six themed cookies along with four shades of icing and colorful, custom sprinkle mixes.
So. The world ended. Schools closed. You got your hours reduced and your spouse is laid off.
The kids are home through the summer.
Everyone’s home.
And what did you do?
You purchased a bounce house.
You know we’re poor now, right? Before the bounce house. You saw that thing about how you don’t go to work anymore?
The kids are bored, you said. They’re watching too much TV, you said. They’re driving you crazy, you said.
Do you think they won’t drive you crazy with a bounce house in the living room? You think they won’t try to find creative and destructive ways of entering and exiting the bounce house? You think they won’t try to crash their bodies into one another in midair? You think there won’t be bloodshed? You think they’re going to leave you alone for one second? You think this is going to make everything better?
You are incorrect, lady.
There will be bickering.
There will be bruises.
Oh. Also? You know how they hate the vacuum? They REALLY REALLY hate the sound of the vacuum. Guess what noise the bounce house makes? YOU GOT IT. And it makes that noise continuously. You think that ongoing noise won’t drive the children mad? Mad, I tell you!
Do you think they’re happy? Look at them they’re….Okay, they do look pretty happy. The little one’s little body flying through the air is pretty adorable. The way the bigger one’s hair flounces, yeah that’s cute. They’re giggling. They’re whooping. They’re exercising. They said thank you!
Laura Wheatman Hill lives in Portland, Oregon with her dentist and two children. She blogs about parenting, writes about everything, and teaches English and drama when not living in an apocalyptic dystopia. Her work has appeared on Sammiches and Psych Meds, Her View From Home, Scary Mommy, and Motherwell.
Challenge yourself or your kids to break a world record. Guinness World Records is looking to support families staying home by expanding their digital portfolio and taking record-breaking indoors. With all this extra time on our hands, why not become a world record holder?
Become a record holder at home with #GWRChallenge. This weekly record challenge will be hosted across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
Every Monday, a new challenge will be announced. All you have to do is follow a simple set of rules for each record.mAlso on Monday, the #GWRChallenge from the week before will conclude and the record holder will be named at the end of the week.
There are a few things you can do to ensure your attempt gets recognized.
Be sure to follow ALL rules
Tag Guinness World Records and use #GWRChallenge
Call out the number or score you’ve achieved in your caption
All attempts utilize household materials, making this an exciting and accessible record-breaking experience for anyone who wants to try. Challenge #1 involved toilet paper!
Two months ago, the Coronavirus felt like a distant problem. I was sad for the countries living in pain, but even as I watched things unfold on TV, it felt far from home.
Fast forward to today, and that distant story is our reality. Not only is Covid-19 affecting life in the U.S., but one of the largest epicenters in the country is my very own backyard. I live in Westchester, NY and in a matter of days, our school districts shutdown, after school activities closed indefinitely, our governor asked that we stop commuting into Manhattan and time just seemed to…stop.
After being bombarded with messages of school closures and district decisions and—OMG THE WORLD IS FALLING APART—I regained my consciousness. I thought, OK, this is life today and we will have to adjust. I made a mental checklist and did roll call: Kids, Dogs, Husband, Business (not in that order). I gave myself permission to fumble and to figure it out as we go.
My game plan was simple:
1. Business: Meet the increased demands of a world crisis, keep our product in stock, ship to stores, deliver to customers, have contingency plans, survive.
2. Girls: Teach them valuable lessons about self-sufficiency and imagination.
3. Partner: Lean into the other working parent, my husband, to manage our 24-hour schedule and sanity.
4. Dogs: Inform everyone in the house that dogs must be fed and walked and we are all in this together.
5. Eat.
This continues to be my game plan two weeks in.
Soon after the chaos ensued, I turned to social media to see how the rest of the world was coping. I started noticing posts about homeschooling and parents enthusiastically teaching lessons. I scrolled through hundreds of pictures with hourly schedules of fun activities to do at home with kids. I thought, well, that sucks. I was certain my plan of winging it and keeping my sanity was brilliant until I looked at the pretty pictures on social media.
Between work and no school and simply surviving, I couldn’t see beyond my nose. I felt the external pressures of Instagram telling me to be better and do more, and yet all I could think of was putting one foot in front of the other. I was doing my best but I kept questioning whether this was enough. Then a blessing in disguise: social distancing.
The mandatory space between us and the outside world finally allowed me to tune out the noise and turn inward to my family. As it turns out, that’s all I needed.
The first few days were messy. We became two parents working from home while two girls were bouncing off the walls. As the news about the coronavirus got worse, the demands of my start up business got crazier. Trade shows were canceled, orders surged to an all-time high, and pressures were placed on our manufacturing timelines, all while I prioritized making sure my team and my family stayed healthy. During this hectic time, two young girls were still bouncing off the walls that seemed to be closing in. That’s right, I thought, we can all do hard things (thank you, Glennon Doyle).
I looked around and realized we were all more than OK. We were (mostly!) happy, healthy, and had each other. No one was pressuring me to be or do more. Everyone felt loved. My husband, five and seven-year-old daughters, the dogs and I were all figuring it out as we went and it worked for us.
The past two weeks have been challenging, exhausting and scary at times, but they have also been unusually special. The girls have been learning more about us and our jobs and we have been learning more about them and their school days. We’ve learned that we don’t have to follow a set schedule, or any set of rules, to make things work for us. We can just be who we are and find our own groove. Taking a step back from the outside world gave us an opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and remember who we are without the world telling us who we need to be.
Weekends have also been a welcome change. We normally head into the weekend with a million plans—birthdays, sports, dinners—and have little time to relax. We would wake up on Saturdays and look at our calendar to strategize where we needed to be and when. Now, time on the weekends has stopped. Thanks to social distancing, all our plans are canceled. I can’t remember the last time we had nowhere to be and it feels great.
I keep thinking about how ironic this entire pandemic has been. Like we needed a virus to take our lives back from the over-scheduling, and the gadgets and the FOMO. To be comfortable with stillness and show up in our lives again. To be in the presence of other human beings and make eye contact. To stop living by external pressures and start living our own truth. To heal.
As we navigate through these uncertain times, I hope we all use the space to refuel and rebuild our humanity. Pushing through tough moments, even when it feels impossible, is exactly when we have our most meaningful breakthroughs.
Hang in there. We will all be stronger on the other side!
I'm the Founder & CEO of Fresh Bellies baby food brand. I've won foodie awards, pitched to Shark Tank and appeard on Forbes and CNBC. Originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador, I live in New York with my husband, Fernando and daughters, Isabella and Alexa Luna.
We are super lucky to live in the land of perpetual sunshine but sometimes you need an indoor spot to cool off or avoid the occasional rain. This list of our favorite Orange County indoor playgrounds for kids is all you need to plan the afternoon of fun. Scroll through to find your next adventure!
We Play Loud
We Play Loud Kids’ Playground is a large indoor playground designed specifically to keep your children happy for hours. They have a two-level indoor play structure (covering over 3,600 square feet) that has a variety of activities for kids to enjoy such as a giant four-person wave slide, foam ball fountain, two foam ball dumping baskets and rainbow bridges. They have a special gated off toddler section with soft play rides specifically designed for them such as an animal merry-go-round, soft foam slide and ball pit.
7470 Edinger Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA
24350 Swartz Drive
Lake Forest, CA Online: weplayloud.com
Sender One
Older kids love this climbing gym that puts their muscles and motivation to the test. You can take a class her or head to Sender City for some auto-belay action. Try your luck traversing the Trembling Towers and then climb the wall like Spiderman.
DEFY Extreme Air Sports
Parents will definitely want to get in on the action at this spot that’s fun for all ages. Sail through the air like a circus performer, battle your brother on the battle beams, bounce in the trampoline land and make your way through the ninja obstacle course. You’ll leave tired, that’s for sure!
25222 El Paseo Rd.
Mission Viejo, CA Online: defy.com
Pretend City Children’s Museum
Hang out at the beach indoors at this spot where imaginations run wild. Make pretend dinner in the cafe, practice good oral hygiene at the dentist office and splash around in the marina. The possibilities are endless!
Rockin’ Jump
If you are looking to really tire out the kids, this is the spot for you. There’s a massive amount of trampolines, an interactive climbing wall, stunt bag area and more. Look for parents’ night out events and special programs for younger jumpers.
1411 S. Village Way
Santa Ana, CA Online: rockinjump.com
We Rock the Spectrum
Everyone can play at this kids’ gym that’s all about inclusivity. We Rock the Spectrum Long Beach provides children with a fun and motivational environment to help them in the areas of strength, movement, sensory processing, communication, positive behavior modification, social interactions and self-care skills. Open play is offered daily and you can even get an all day pass that includes in-and-out privileges.
Frogg’s Bounce House
Bounce, slide and leap at this 9,000-square-foot inflatable play zone that includes a double slide, jumper combo, two obstacle courses and a large cake jumper. There’s even a special gym for the little ones.
