Going on a family vacation is a much-anticipated event for everyone .The car is packed the kids are buckled in and off they go.

Since I personally experienced this situation a few weeks ago, I thought I would share with you a game we played to entertain our own kids on our way to the beach. The version we played was a little less sophisticated than the one I am presenting since all we did was call out the capitals of each state and then dispute over who answered first, which one of us was right and who had the most points (My son the scorekeeper gave them all to his beloved cousin!)

Fast Track Learning U.S. State And Capitals by Learning Resources has a lot more to offer and I think I’ll pick this up for next year’s trip. This terrific game offers a map to let you know if you have answered the question correctly, (Important!) and self-checking activity cards as well as fun facts about the people, places and geography of each state.

The set contains over 100 laminated cards (I love this as you can take them to the beach with no fear of them getting ruined!) designed to test a kid’s state knowledge and   presented in a way that’s and fun and easy to play. Since my child has not yet been taught this in school, I was pleased he was introduced to something he will most likely be learning in the near future.

An educational toy that’s enjoyable for all ages and can be played just about anywhere.

That sounds good to me. (Tuck these in to your Beach Towel In A Bag )

There are some things in my house that are not negotiable.  One of these includes my son wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle – it’s non-negotiable!

Too bad my son can’t ride a bike yet. But he is perfectly willing to put on a helmet as he attempts to maneuver his two-wheeler (still with training wheels) around the driveway.

This request gets a bit trickier as they grow up.  According to the The Consumer Product Safety Commission, cyclist’s ages five through fourteen have the highest injury rate of all riders and approximately one third of injuries are head related.  In a survey conducted by this commission, most kids reported they did not like to wear a helmet because of the way they looked in it.  (“Nerdy” was one of the objections))

Today, there are so many styles to choose from you are sure to find one your child or teen will wear. My 16-year-old nephew is a serious cyclist and the one he currently wears is the Giro Saros Livestrong Bike Helmet. It boasts a 4-fit system so even little kids can wear it, and twenty-three air vents to keep heads cool and dry. This helmet offers the ultimate protection for their head with its added roll cage protection.  Best of all, the cool black and yellow design reminds everyone they’re sporting the same one the champion wears.

It’s excellent for scooter riding, too. (Razor Pro Model Scooter)

Though finally seeing a little break in the cold and snowy weather makes us all want to cheer, Spring has it’s own issues.

Yes, of course, I love Spring. I love the daffodils sprouting out, I love the fact that we can finally go outside without wearing layers and layers of clothes. I like the promise of summer.

The rain, however, I can do without. I’ve never been a rain lover, but since becoming a mother I am even less fond of it. You see, while bundling up kids in winter wear is a chore, at least you know they are being kept warm and dry…or at least you can bundle them up enough to ensure that happening.

On the other hand, rain just seems to creep into every nook and cranny that you inadvertently leave open. That’s why I like this stroller rain cover….for a double stroller.

It’s hard enough to get two kids out the door, this makes it easier to keep them dry! If you’ve ever used a stroller rain cover, you know how great they really are – like wrapping your child in a plastic bubble. With an unwieldy double stroller, no matter how proficient you are, having a way to keep out the rain and the inevitable splashes from puddles is a lifesaver on rainy days.

Now that you have a train, you need a train table. This one from Melissa and Doug is perfect.

OK – you don’t need one, but here’s why I recommend having one. First, your child will use his or her train set all over the floor, building tracks that extend in length down the hall and out the door. This is good.

You do NOT want to shape your tracks into some elegant pattern that stays nicely in place because you’ve nailed it to the train table. Nailed down tracks belong at bookstores, toy stores and other retail establishments that do not want children running off with their trains. In your house, you want to encourage imagination and allow your child to make whatever fantasy route that he or she desires.

But, at the end of the day, it’s nice to have somewhere to stash your train and train materials. It’s nice to have a small place to make small set-ups. It’s nice to have a train table because…it does great double duty as a craft table!

Note those high sides? Great for keeping glitter and open bottles of glue off your floor. See that low profile? It’s just the right height for kids big and small to gather around on their knees.

I told you, you needed a train table. You’ll keep it long after your child has outgrown the actual trains.