A Great City Map

This might be the perfect map for a kid - the "Crumpled Map" by Palomar.  The mind reels at the range and variety of damage that might conceivably be inflicted by a young child on an ordinary paper map. Banish those thoughts - this map would seem to be safe for even the most reckless and messy tot.  You can crumple it up and jam it into your pocket, and spend hours playing in a "water feature" or creek, and it won't disintegrate. Choose either the conventional map or the more colorful, simplified (and at this point, limited to five cities) edition for kids - the "Crumpled City Junior."

Of course, lots of kids might prefer the grown-up version, and vice-versa! Palomar offers a boxed set of any three or five maps for a discounted price. The graphic design is delightful with either version - have a look at their range of conventional maps:

Backpacks, backpacks, backpacks!

Every traveling tot needs a good backpack.  They make it easy for a little person to carry their own things on airplane trips, of course, but they are also useful throughout a trip, whether you are hiking in the countryside, exploring a new city, or anything else.  My own son has used his trusty Fjallraven for two years now and it is still in perfect shape!  Little wheeled suitcases don’t quite cut it once you’ve left the airport.  Here are some appealing backpacks I’ve found; they come in various sizes so be sure to check the details for each pack.

The classic child's backpack by Fjallraven (the Kanken) comes in lots of colors (they make a mini version too, for very tiny tots).  Available from Fjallraven's website, Crewcuts, and various independent retailers.

Another basic but smart-looking pack by Herschel, also sold through Crewcuts

And one more from Herschel - cheery yet smart!

This canvas one's by Baggu and comes in a variety of solid colors as well

I love this cute print; the pack is by Little Ella James

A basic yet cheery Lacoste pack

Ooh, shiny!  This one is from Porter

I can barely stand this little adorable one.

This pack by Laura Spring is adult-sized, but would look so cute on the right teen...

And back to Fjallraven - this one would be great for an older child

Stay: Hotel Kakslauttanen

My son has told me several times that he’d like to visit the North Pole (partly in order to verify Santa’s existence, but also just because it sounds exotic…).  Now that the heat of summer is bearing down upon us, this idea is becoming increasingly appealing.  I think we’d stay here:

These are glass-roofed igloos, part of the Hotel Kakslauttanen. The hotel is located 250 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle in Finland. Log cabins are also available, but why would you do that? Among the on-site restaurants is a Kota (a traditional Lapp teepee) and a Snow igloo; there are also more conventional options.

The remote resort offers all sorts of activities all year-round, including berry-picking, hiking, reindeer or husky "safaris," various sports, and much more. 

Reindeer Safari!

Ice Karting

While I would assume that Santa Claus was, er, busy at the moment (he is just so, so busy), I would desperately hope to catch a glimpse of Aurora Borealis.

You may also take cultural excursions among the Sami people, who are indigenous to the region, Excursions include visits to a reindeer farm and other significant sites, as well as a special Lappish dinner in the Kota, featuring - what else - reindeer.  And ice cream.  Count me in.

San Antonio, Texas

The bus at Kiddie Park - a favorite!

San Antonio keeps a low profile, but there is a surprising amount for families to do in this faded but beautiful city.  It’s an easy day trip from Austin and we go there pretty often. It’s the 6^th largest city in the nation (as of 2010), but it often feels semi-deserted (outside of the downtown core anyway).  The lack of gentrification means that San Antonio still has oodles of charm. Aside from our chosen destinations, I just like driving around this city – we always come across charmingly funky old buildings dating from the 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  I especially love the 1920s Spanish-style architecture, which you see all over the city.

What follows is just our most recent itinerary – in future posts I’ll tell you about the Missions (not forgetting the Alamo!), downtown, a crazy restaurant called Mi Tierra, the zoo, and lots more.

First Stop: Kiddie Park!  This sweet little amusement park has been in operation since 1925 (local parents have told me that it was pretty run-down when they were kids – it’s lovely now).  It is refreshingly free of branded characters and in-your-face marketing.  Instead it offers 9 little rides, including an antique merry-go-round, a ferris wheel, mini airplanes, boats, and more.  It is, in a word, cute. It is also a pretty good deal at $13 for unlimited rides (there’s no admission fee).  There is a snack bar (candy, goldfish, pizza, etc.), but you’re welcome to bring your own food and sit at one of the many picnic tables.

After getting his fill of the rides (plus a few games of pinball), we still weren’t hungry for lunch yet, so we paid a visit to Alamo Fiesta.  This rambling store is basically a party store but also has clothing and decorative items.  The many rooms are stuffed to the gills with piñatas, paper flowers, garlands, hats, and more.  Oscar picked out a mini piñata for a souvenir and I picked up some big packages of crepe paper, which they carry in lots of colors (I’ll definitely be buying some more next visit, which I feel will be soon!)

For lunch we dined at La Gloria, in the recently renovated Pearl Brewery complex (now known simply as Pearl).  This bustling place is super kid-friendly (there’s a lawn for them to play on post-meal), but also nice for adults; I’d go there to meet a friend for a margarita anytime. 

My Tacos al Pastor

La Gloria Ice House

While at Pearl we checked out The Twig Book Shop, a small bookstore with a large children’s section (They do a story-time on Fridays).  Next door is Melissa Guerra Tienda de Cocina, which stocks kitchen equipment and tableware with an emphasis on Mexican cooking.  Across the street we found a new children’s clothing shop called Roo & Me – small selection, but worth peeking into if you have a minute…

Melissa Guerra  Tienda de Cocina

Finally it was time to head home - but not before a quick stop at Bird Bakery on the way out of town. This bakery is really all about cupcakes - and they are delicious! Not too large, and slathered in delicately tinted buttercream frosting. Yum!

Stay: Un Lit Au Pre

Good god, this is my dream – a rustic (but not too rustic) little cabin in the French countryside, with delicious food close at hand and bucolic views all around. 

La Ferme du Moncel

Un Lit au Pre offers accommodations at six small farms in central and northern France. The cabins – more like tent-cabin hybrids, really – are simple but so charming.  I love the cupboard beds for kids (there’s a larger bedroom for parents) and mismatched chairs.  I also love the absence of electronic anything!  For cooking, there is a wood-burning stove; each tent has a proper modern toilet.  Showers are a short distance from the cabin. Local foods can be purchased from the “Larder” found at each farm, to be prepared by you in your own cabin. 

Inviting, isn't it?

Extended time outdoors, the freedom to wander and explore - these things are so important for children (adults too!  Here on the farm, you get to hang out with the animals; special areas are set aside for children to engage with young animals (goats, rabbits, calves, and more)... You can also take a tour of the farm, and rent bicycles for touring the surrounding countryside.  Heaven!