Exploring Portland Oregon with a baby

November 18, 2011 By

As a newcomer to the Portland area, I’ve been doing plenty of exploring. After relocating from Las Vegas with my husband and two-month-old son, it was a challenge to find fun things for all of us to do. While there are many fantastic activities and local events geared toward children, a baby under six months isn’t quite ready for some of those activities! The following area attractions and excursions will help new or soon-to-be mothers in the area to enjoy the city of Portland with a little one:

The Coast: driving the two hours or so to the Oregon Coast can be a challenge, but it can be done, and it’s worth it. We stopped at Seaside and got the first picture of little feet in the sand and the ocean, a memory we’ll treasure.

Tips: During a trip to the coast, forego the stroller, it’s like a pile of bricks on the sand! Go for a baby carrier instead. Don’t forget a blanket to sit on, unless you never plan to lay baby down. Sand and baby eyes don’t mix. Lastly, try some of the smaller, less populated beaches in the area. It makes feedings and diaper changes much more comfortable. It’s also an easier walk now that you’ve got an extra 20 lbs. wherever you go.

The Oregon Zoo: Your baby may not pay attention to the animals the way bigger kids do, but the zoo (easily accessible by MAX) still holds plenty of interest for them. And there may be rare moments when baby watches a monkey or walrus in a way that will delight any Mom.

Tips: Pack a lunch; a small cooler strapped to the stroller is great to have on hand. Don’t forget inclement weather gear, and remember that the zoo is very stroller-friendly, though bring a carrier as well so baby can see the animals better.

The Portland Zoo is great if you’re venturing out solo with baby. The zoo’s restroom facilities are well set up to make things easier, and places to sit and let baby eat are plentiful.

Columbia River Gorge, Hwy 30: The Gorge is known for its gorgeous scenery, and for the parent who loves the outdoors (but for whom difficult hikes aren’t an option right now), this is the next best thing.

Tips: Stop at the Vista house for a great photo op, but remember that it’s not very accessible for strollers inside (opt for the carrier). The hike up Multnomah Falls might be a bit much right now, but that won’t stop you from the short walks and easy hikes to the base of waterfalls along the way.

The Portland Children’s Museum: The Portland Children’s Museum is great if you want to get out of the house with baby and stimulate that little brain! Most of the museum is geared for slightly older kids, but there is a Baby Garden room, with plenty of toys specifically for infants.

Tips: In the Clay Studio, there is an infant area where baby can get their hands dirty. Keep in mind that on busy days, you may have to park your stroller.

The Portland Saturday Market: while quieter venues like the Japanese or Chinese Garden, public libraries, where a lot of noise is going to turn heads, may be out for a while, the Saturday Market (located at Burnside Bridge) is a vibrant and busy event that’s visually stimulating.

Exploring a city near you this Thanksgiving holiday? Stop by BlogFrog to contribute your favorite roadside pit stops!

Marie Langager is a Portland resident and guest writer for Pit Stops for Kids.

Why I travel with kids

July 8, 2011 By

With fair regularity, I get asked why I travel so much with my kids. Isn’t it exhausting? Will they even remember it? How do you make the time to get away? I could give the stock answers, and I sometimes do: I travel with my kids because I want them to have first-hand knowledge of their country and world. I travel with them because I hope that in so doing, I will create life-long learners of them. I travel with them because I enjoy it, and yes, I travel with them because I can.

But the more I journey with my children, the more I realize that travel isn’t just about the big picture. (Ironic, no?) For us, it’s about those singular moments that shine in the spaces between the major stops on the itinerary: the surprise glimpse of a sailboat from the window of the train, the unexpected enjoyment of the emptiness of a cathedral on the historical tour, the temporary camaraderie between the siblings stuck together in the back seat. It’s the anecdotes that become family lore: the missed turn on the interstate that leads to the missed flight (and longest stint in an airport ever), the rodeo that turns Toby into a hero when he announces he’s ‘an American’ to a crowd of cheering cowboys, the subway conductor who delays his train to give us directions to Penn Station. (Most of our anecdotes include navigational error.)

subway-nyc

The secret (which isn’t a secret at all) is that these moments can’t happen without the big events that frame them. Had we not planned a trip to New York City and put everyone on a cross-continental plane, I’d never have seen Calvin enter Central Park on a muggy June evening and confidently join a pick-up game of soccer, or Toby volunteer as a sidekick in a street performer’s act in the Battery. Had we not mapped out a five-state road trip to four national parks, I’d have missed Nate’s sheer joy upon zip-lining through Montana’s Big Sky wilderness and Toby’s scream of delight upon seeing a bear with her cub. (He scared them both.)

Bousquets-adventure-course

These moments are captured and surrendered in the space of minutes and hours, and some will be remembered and some will not. But as a traveling parent, I have to believe that the lasting impression created by these moments will be much more wide-sweeping. I have to believe that the confidence born of knowing their place in the world (which is everywhere, anywhere, and anything in-between) will enable them to always say I am capable. I am compassionate. I have as much to learn and as many experiences to have as there are places in this world, and I know not one definition of beauty, of history, and of humanity, but many.

 

Keeping kids safe this holiday season: SafetyTat review

November 18, 2010 By

Are your kids prone to wandering off while on a family vacation, at a theme park, or just out for the day? Mine can be. (I like to call it ‘being inquisitive’, not disobedient!) One memorable summer day at SeaWorld San Diego, I actually lost sight of then-three-year-old Calvin for a full five minutes (and as any parent knows, that’s a long time!). As I looked for him urgently, I knew the chances of him remembering my cell phone number (or even his full name) if found by park personnel was not likely.

Luckily, I found him mesmerized by the sea lions a moment later, but ever since, I’ve made sure to take important safety precautions with my kids whenever we’re in a crowded or unfamiliar environment. We always review where to meet in case of separation, who to ask for help if needed (we believe mothers with strollers make for the easiest and generally safest demographic to seek out), and write contact information somewhere on their person.

Toby demos the Quick Stick Write-On SafetyTat.

The company SafetyTat has made that process easier than ever. These temporary tattoos, customized with your emergency contact information, last for up to five days, are waterproof, and are fun for kids to wear. Pit Stops for Kids tried both their original SafetyTat Child ID Tattoos and their Quick Stick Write-On applique (sticker), and both worked beautifully. I love that they’re waterproof (you don’t have to worry about them fading or coming off while your child is swimming, and applying sunscreen doesn’t damage them in the least), and that the Quick Stick variety stay on so well (they’re made of medical-grade adhesive).

There are many designs and styles to choose from with their online ‘Tat Builder’ (so both your princess and your sports fan will be happy), and SafetyTat has included alllergy and autism alert options as well. As a Search and Rescue volunteer, I know how important information like this is to searchers and other authorities. If you’re traveling with a larger group of family or friends, the Write On variety is ideal; it comes with a waterproof pen to customize your SafetyTats with different mobile phone numbers. (Remember not to write kids’ first names on tats.)

We’ll be using SafetyTat on our next trip, at the airport, at our next holiday parade, and during our next visit to a theme park!

SafetyTat generously provided Pit Stops for Kids with the aforementioned products at no charge. This compensation did not come with any expectation of a positive review.