How to dress a newborn is 100% up to the preferences of the parents. Some will dress their babies in a jeans and a sweater on day one. Though I love kid fashion, I am on the total opposite team when it comes to dressing a newborn. Comfort and convenience are key. Cute is good too, but secondary. Personally, I say skip the separates! For the first couple of months, at least, you will probably not see my kid in anything but a comfy and practical romper or gown. Here are my favorites:
Bamboo Bundlers from Kyte Baby
I think this style is just the smartest out there for easy diaper changes and easy on/off!
Lou Lou Knotted Gowns
A similar idea- these gowns knot at the bottom instead of having a panel with a snap. Both styles are so adorable and practical!
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Magnetic Rompers from Magnetic Me
These rompers close with a series of magnets rather than traditional snaps or zippers. They are super fast and easy to get on/off and come in a ton of great fabrics and patterns.
In my opinion, the baby swing is for tiny babies and the bouncer is for when they are just a little bit older (a month or two). The swing is a huge and short lived piece of equipment and as such I would suggest that you ask a mom friend if they have one you can borrow (chances are they only used it for a month or two and now it's taking up a ton of room in their basement!). The bouncer has a longer life so if you are choosing between the two, I would spend my money here and I highly recommend the Baby Bjorn model! The difference between this $200 one and the $30 one at Target is that it responds to the slightest movement from baby. In my experience, the cheaper ones take a lot of pressure to move at all, making them useful for a much shorter amount of time. Also the Baby Bjorn one is so much better looking (just LOOK at that yellow one!!).
You use a swaddle blanket to wrap up babies nice and tight to make them feel comforted. Some babies are never into that. Most babies are. You can swaddle until your baby starts to roll over on their own (around 4 months, generally). Look for blankets that are generously sized (47" squared is perfect) and made from a breathable material. I love muslin swaddles because they are incredibly breathable That makes them good for keeping baby cool when they are wrapped up but also great because if the baby breaks free from the swaddle (this happens all the time- sometimes it means you need to be wrapping tighter, sometimes it just means you have a Houdini baby) the fabric can cover their faces- with muslin you don't need to worry about them not being able to breath in that case.
I spent MONTHS looking at strollers! I finally settled on one and bought it.. then moved on to car seats, spent months on that, chose one and realized that it wasn't compatible with the stroller I bought. So my recommendation here is unless you live in a city where you don't drive much, look at the stroller AND the infant car seat as a travel system instead of seeing them as individual pieces. I don't think you need the bassinet piece that is offered with most strollers- in most cases you will be traveling somewhere in your car, then getting the stroller out of the car to use it and it will be much easier to just click that carseat (which already contains the baby) into the stroller frame rather than removing the baby from the carseat and putting them in some special newborn seat you bought for the stroller. That said, there ARE carseats that will accommodate kids from birth up to like 10 years, but I recommend getting the infant car seat just because then you don't have to buy the infant attachments for your stroller and you don't have to wake your baby every time you get out of the car.
In case you are curious- with Emma, I had a Stokke Xploy stroller (that I found for a song on Craigslist). I liked it well enough but it doesn't fold up well (you have to remove the seat first which is a giant pain) and I constantly got remarks from people about how it looked more like a spaceship than a stroller which was obnoxious. Also it was only compatible with one American infant car seat and I had to buy the pricey conversion kit to make it work for that. Honestly I would just use it again if I still had it but, of course, I sold most of our baby stuff about a year ago! For kid #2 I think I am going to get the Uppababy Cruz. It's light, folds small easily, will work with the infant car seat I already have (with a conversion kit) and there is a standing board attachment for it for Emma who will be 5 when this one comes along. (She hasn't used a stroller in years but is now saying that she would prefer that I get a stroller with two seats. Not happening.)
The thing that shocked me about baby gear once Emma was born was how short lived it all was. I spent SO MUCH TIME researching this stuff and by a year we were done with the swing, the bouncer, the infant car seat and even the stroller for the most part. So my suggestion is, yes, put a little time into researching this stuff but don't go crazy! It doesn't matter as much as you think it does right now.
There are three basic types of baby carriers:
I think each of these have a place and a purpose. I had a ring sling and a baby bjorn with Emma, but I have already purchased a Solly wrap carrier for this second baby. I loved the Baby Bjorn for front facing exploration.. going on walks, visits to the conservatory, etc. I liked that she was free to move her arms and legs and she could see everything. I liked the ring sling for times when Em was being clingy and needed to feel comforted. We used it a lot when she was teething and mostly just wore it around the house. That said, both of those were great for when she was a little bit older but I didn't like either for when she was tiny. I like that the wrap carriers securely snuggle the baby right up to you while distributing the weight across your entire torso. SO my official suggestion is to have a wrap carrier for the newborn phase then once your baby can hold their head up on their own you might want to check out the other options. At that point you will be able to take your baby with you and try some things out at a shop that can offer knowledgeable support about the products and help you make the best decision for you! Our friends at Never Grow Up have a huge variety of carrier options and they can help with tips and tricks to make sure you feel comfortable in what you choose!
The differences between pacifiers can be kind of confusing but there are really only a couple of variables between all of them.
Some babies will never take to a pacifier, but if you offer one kind and it gets rejected, try changing one or all of the variables above. Emma loved her Wubbanub which was a rounded, silicon pacifier attached to a small stuffed animal. These are nice for small babies as the animal can lay on their chest and if the pacifier gets spit out it stays nearby. Once kids are a little older and able to search around a bit for a missing pacifier in their crib, these are great because it gives them something a little larger to find.
With baby #2, I am going to start out by offering a one piece, natural rubber model from Natursutten. I like the idea of using rubber over plastic (for both safety and the environment), but I will be honest and say my main motivation here is that these are just so hearbreakingly adorable in a baby's mouth! These are available in the two different nipple shapes and the two different shield shapes so hopefully we can find one that he will agree with.
For some reason I felt like I needed to have everything that I could ever need for Emma before I brought her home from the hospital. Like online shopping didn't exist and I would never be able to leave the house again. It's so important to remember that you don't need to have it all figured out ahead of time! You need some clothes, diapers and wipes, bottles (if you aren't breastfeeding), a couple of swaddle blankets, a car seat, and a place to lay the kid down. Don't sweat anything else. MAYBE your baby would benefit from a wipe warmer but maybe they will just be totally fine with cold wipes like most everyone else and it won't be an issue, so just wait and see! If an issue arises, ask other parents for advice- they might suggest a gadget that will make your life way easier and that is the time you can purchase that kind of thing. If you don't really know many other parents, join a local facebook group (or if you live in Columbus, come to some of our free events!). There is never a shortage of people around who have been through whatever you are going through and would love to help! Also, that contact email at the bottom of our website (niki@cubshrub.com) is me. Feel free to reach out about whatever any time. I don't have that many answers but I am connected to an amazing network of parents and professionals who do!
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A book and a simple idea gave me the motivation and space to more deeply connect with my child last week and I am truly grateful. There are times when a small step to the side is all the perspective shift we need to drastically change our behaviors.
I am, by no means, anti device. It’s hard to imagine life without them at this point. I hope I can, however, become significantly more intentional about why and when I am using them. I do not pick up a drill or lawn mower and then wonder if there is something I could do with them to pass the time because my other tools were not designed to be so addictive that I grab them before I know why.
I attended an entrepreneurs conference last month that was a shock my system needed. One of the cultural norms the group adopted was no phone usage in group settings. We all still had our phones on us and if we needed to make a phone call or send an email we could leave the group and sneak off to a hallway but at meals, busses, activities, round tables, etc., we held this sacred and for the most part everyone abided by it. In that week I learned to live in awkward silence again, I learned to feel my way through those first few questions to find common ground with someone.
Not having the easy out meant forging ahead, often to deep and meaningful conversations I can say with certainty I would not have had with my old habits. I cried with a woman on the shuttle bus to dinner, who shared fears about family and business from a perspective different than my own. I laid the groundwork for what I believe will be lifelong friendships with Canadian software business owners and southern finance guys that I am not sure I would have ventured beyond professional conference banter with otherwise. I connected with parents from various countries and business sectors, all of us living the same struggles of balancing business and family life.
That balance is a problem that I used to think primarily plagued business owners. But, thanks to the work homing device in our pockets (or more often our hands), almost everyone is now afflicted with the inability to ever truly turn off our work brains. In just a week, I learned how much less stressful my day felt by being more intentional about my phone and computer usage.
Many of the people who are part of this [conference] group are thought leaders in their field and have published books that, if you are a business book nerd like me, you likely know. The last day on the book table I noticed a one called “The Family Board Meeting.” Riding the high of a week full of relearning how to do things with intention, a book designed to help bring that focus to parenthood was pretty appealing.
I read it on my flight home from another trip last week and could not wait to employ this simple idea. In short it’s a:
I don’t want to divulge everything because I hope you’ll buy the book to support the author for sparking this movement but I do want to share my experience of my first Board Meeting with Emma.
Our First Family Board Meeting
While my phone was with me to snap a few pictures and in case of an emergency, I had it in airplane mode. This is a practice I will start employing at dinners, meetings, and any time I need to really connect with people. It’s not just the immediate diversions of our phones that take our heads elsewhere, it’s the groundwork we lay for future actions because of them. The way we think about the response to the email or caption for the instagram post. Not having the pressing need to check or respond is liberating. While we’ve all had our phone die or done device free dinners, setting the intent of this being focused on your child makes a world of difference. They pick the outing, they pick the meal, they guide the conversation.
This was, without a doubt, one of my top three outings with my kid. I learned more about our relationship and her behavior than I have in the past six months. We typically last one-two hours at the Franklin Park Conservatory (her pick) and I had to make her leave after five. There were so many special moments we shared that I know would not have happened without my full attention. It breaks my heart to think of the one’s I’ve missed by being in the room but not being fully there over the past few years.
She spent the whole time in line for lunch hugging me and telling me she loved me. She was (mostly) amazing with other kids. She was as engaged with me as I was with her. That realization is really what this is for and, as hard as it is to admit, I think that is always the case.
I honestly couldn’t believe that five hours had passed myself because my whole self was living in that moment and not somewhere else. What really shocked me was ballet class that night. If I am being honest, she has not been the most attentive student, but I watched her listening to the teacher and following along perfectly.
Our lives are not possible without screens and devices. I am on my laptop right now while she’s playing in the living room. That’s just a fact of life for parents that work from home or parents who bring their work home or parents needing to fit their own personal stuff in around being parents. What’s different is my focus is fully on my work and not on my guilt for working when I should be with her. She is focused on her play and not trying to slam my laptop shut because she was shown love and appreciation from her parent today and feels secure in that fact in this moment. It’s also worth mentioning that she never requested screen time today while I was abstaining myself.
A lot of my stress, and I think many people can relate to this, comes from feeling like I have so much going on that it’s unfair to those other obligations or people to not spread my focus around lest they feel ignored. It’s actually the exact opposite. It’s unfair to those obligations, other people, and myself to give anything less than my full attention to doing one thing well.
At a minimum I would encourage you to try a day with your children with your phones off, with the intent to be fully focused on them. Treat it like a mediation. When you notice your mind wandering, bring it back to them. We’ve conditioned ourselves to believing we need to be reachable at any moment. I promise you that if you go dark for five hours, you will be okay, and you might discover a path to a more meaningful relationship with your child.
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Josh Quinn is the co-founder of Tigertree, Cub Shrub and a girl named Emma. When he isn't busy with store or parenting tasks you can find him in over his head at a house construction or vintage vehicle restoration project.
After over a decade (Tigertree pre Cub Shrub) in retail this is always the weirdest time of the retail year. We're getting some summer restocks and waiting for fall to start pouring in. At our Short North stores we have three big festivals in a row: The Columbus Arts Fest, Columbus Pride and Comfest and then Red White And Boom after a one week reprieve. They tend to make weekends a little sleepier (alright I know I already said they're exhausting, but they somehow manage to be both I guess) and give us time for reflection and preparation for busier times ahead in the fall. We're also super thankful for endless pool days and snuggles in the chair during rest period. Hope summer 2018 is proving to be as great for all of you as it is for us.
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So I was surprised when I logged into Facebook this morning and was told via a “memory” that we opened the Grandview store exactly one year ago today. I thought those were just reserved for bumming you out about how old your kids are now or how you used to hang out with people.
Store number three has taught us a lot about ourselves as a couple, parents, business owners, employers, friends, and community members. Good in bad in all regards. The illusion of flexibility further dissipates with each new venture, which itself I consider to be more a positive than a negative as it forces a mature business owner to become more disciplined. Departing the nest of our beloved Short North and falling in love with a new community while working to maintain relationships and connections in the old has been both difficult and rewarding.
Thank you so much to Grandview for opening your arms to us and supporting us these past twelve months. It has been a joy to connect with so many new families. Thank you to the Short North crew, customers and community for understanding that so much of our attention has been devoted to the baby and I promise you’ll all be seeing a more regular amount of us going forward. Most of all a big thank you to Emma, our daughter without whom we would have never opened. I hope that when you look back on all of the late nights spent with mom and dad at work that you never forget that work was a toy store and that we almost always bought you ice cream.
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Josh Quinn is the co-founder of Tigertree, Cub Shrub and a girl named Emma. When he isn't busy with store or parenting tasks you can find him in over his head at a house construction or vintage vehicle restoration project.
]]>We're still kinda new to this whole vacationing with kids thing. Traveling with a sub 2 year old was a (comparative) breeze. Obviously not needing the third plane ticket or generally a third meal at the restaurant are financial bonuses but they're also still figuring so much out that, at least in our case, the only things that really got in the way were nap-time, bed-time and our stamina for carrying her around. A 3.5 year old on the other hand is more skilled at asserting themselves and it seems like removing the structure and routine of home life gives them an opening to see what other boundaries that have been established in one place can be shifted in another.
I think Instagram and Facebook have enabled us to overshare the perfect moments of our lives and miss out on connecting with friends about the bad stuff. The problem with that being, the bad stuff is where lessons are learned. How many times have you gotten back from a trip or outing where you posted a few pictures of full smiles in great lighting where everyone comes up and says "wow, it looks like you guys had a really great time?" And you don't want to appear ungrateful, or bum them out, or you're just in line at a coffee shop so you just agree and move on.
I think it is important that we learn to use these tools for connecting without letting them tell the entire story. Think of the last time you were in the situation of someone commenting on an Instagram post and how different the conversation might have been if they were just asking about the trip with no preconceived notions of how it went. Not even necessarily where something was worse than depicted.
The truth is we all have bad trips. We not only need support from friends to tell us we aren't bad parents because a trip went badly, but we are in turn supporting them. Only seeing the perfect moments of everyone's lives makes the imperfect moments of our own feel like failures.
Tulum has been our only vacation spot for the past 6 years. We were really excited to show Emma around this place we'd come to love so much. We've seen several friends take their kids there (or other similar spots) and seem to have a great time. But, to be honest, the trip kind of sucked. It seemed like it shouldn't have. We know the place. We love the place. Our hotel double booked our room and gave us this pretty insane entire house. But sometimes the weather is disagreeable and some freak sea grass thing makes the water brown and smelly and attracts thousands of little flying bugs which align perfectly with your kid's newfound fear of flying insects and, well....
Here are some things I learned from a disappointing family vacation.
1. I won't remember it as being all that bad. Things that happen that seem awful in the moment of a bad vacation end up being some of your best vacation stories in the future. One time I strapped three surfboards to a soft rack on top of a minivan and we had to pull over every 45 minutes to adjust them all the way to North Carolina. I am pretty sure it's endearing when it's told now but no one else in the van was very pleased with me for the entire 15 hours of the 11 hour drive. Emma saying "that's the restaurant I freaked out at" every time we drove by a place I had to ask for boxes and a check while Niki took her outside, or finding shade to park in while she napped in the back of the car because she wouldn't sleep at the house will be funny stories. Together with the good moments of the trip and the lessons learned, we'll look back on it fondly.
2. It's all about expectations/ when you relax they relax. I think we both had such high hopes for what this trip was going to be. I go into trips knowing what I want to see, where I want to eat and what I want to do. She did pretty well eating at the house and hanging out on the back porch area but this is a trip we've taken so many times and there was so much we wanted to show her that we tried to force outings when we knew she was still on edge from the last thing.
Some of our best trips with Emma have been family oblications (<-- still my favorite term coined by our old manager Brittany) where we really had no expectations either way. We didn't go into them expecting every meal to be perfect and the hotel to be super cool. All of the great experiences of those trips were awesome surprises and nothing stands out as being disappointing. I am not saying go to places you don't want to and then be happy if they don't suck. But try and apply that philosophy to great places.
3. Let the kid guide the agenda/ be open to new experiences. I am not saying let them make the agenda, but be willing to listen to their needs. We took a 3 year old to who is used to being comfortable all the time to a hot and humid place with no ac where meals last two hours and then got frustrated when she wanted to leave the restaurant early. Let's be honest the same sort of emotions are happening on either side of the negotiating table here, as adults we are just (usually) better at controlling them. Her frustration at still being at a table in a hot restaurant in the jungle with no building matches our frustration that she is asking to leave when our meal has not yet arrived.
One of my favorite restaurants in Tulum (Posada Margherita) has an incredible pizzeria we got carryout from the last night because we were too exhausted to do a restaurant meal. We went to the Kaan Loom Lagoon because the beach was gross. It was calm, clear and a beautiful shade of green I didn't even know water could be. Emma had such a great time we went back the next day. So through the frustration she allowed us to experience new things in a place we knew so well that wouldn't have otherwise.
4. Situational parenting. I let a lot of things slide I wouldn't have at home. It's okay if you approach this differently, but for me there are times I put my foot down and times I let the environment guide me a bit. I understand that consistency is important to setting boundaries but I can also appreciate that if I am in a restaurant full of other people on vacation, we have the only kid in the place and that kid is screaming about a fly it isn't fair to the other patrons to let that kid keep screaming for an hour to learn the lesson that it won't get them extracted from the situation.
5. Find kid stuff. I think we underestimated needing to find kid stuff for her to do ahead of time. I mean we were going to the beach so we were just going to be at the beach. But when we got there and the beach was inaccessible we didn't really have a fallback plan. There was one restaurant with a little play area we found the last night, but due to the overbooking/sweet house thing we weren't in a hotel so we didn't have a pool and there really just wasn't much for her to do. We took a few toys and things with us but we definitely under packed in that department so we would have room for things like the cool pop up beach tent we would be hanging out in for hours while she took a sweet nap by the water.
6. Appreciate the good stuff and try again. Even with the disappointing aspects of the trip we're able to introduce our kid to new experiences and put ourselves in a position to learn as parents that not everyone is able to and there is tremendous value in that I don't want to lose sight of. I think that is honestly the case in almost any trip or experience with your child. If you are able to learn from a negative experience and become more connected or learn to understand each other better then it was worth having.
I am sure we'll do a handful of "kid trips" during Emma's childhood but I am looking forward to continuing to do the things we want to do as well. We will learn as a family how to ensure everyone's needs are being met and maybe even relax a bit. It is supposed to be vacation after all.
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Josh Quinn is the co-founder of Tigertree, Cub Shrub and a girl named Emma. When he isn't busy with store or parenting tasks you can find him in over his head at a house construction or vintage vehicle restoration project.
]]>It is so much fun to find the very best brands in children's apparel and toys from all over the world and bring them together in our stores. But boy oh boy do we know more about customs than we ever thought we would. We were really excited to (finally) get in the Mini Rodini SS18 Drop 1 today. It's been up on our site for a couple of days in line with the release but there is something different about opening the boxes and actually getting to see and feel everything for yourself. I have to say it's even better in person.
We wrote a big thing about it over on the landing page for the drop so I won't recount the whole thing here but packing so much sustainability into one children's collection is pretty incredible and we're super proud to be able to offer it.
We have a lot more coming up in the next couple of weeks as well like Ouef and Rylee & Cru, and restocks of all your favorites. Niki and I are heading to Vegas for trade shows next week (primarily for Tigertree, but we'll see some new kids brands there too) so we'll try and check in from the sales floor if we find anything we have to share right away.
-Josh
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Sandusky, Ohio is mainly known for two things: being the scrappy blue-collar backdrop of the movie Tommy Boy (fun fact: the movie wasn’t filmed in Sandusky), and the Cedar Point theme park.
Cedar Point boasts several of the world’s tallest, wildest roller coasters as well as plenty of rides and attractions for kids. In fact, it draws so many families to the area each season that a number of indoor and outdoor water parks, laser-tag arenas and the like have popped up around it. Those are easy enough to find if that’s your thing, but did you know Sandusky and the nearby Lake Erie Islands (accessible by boat or ferry) offer a number of far less crowded hidden gems for families?
Here are five local favorites:
Grab Some (HUGE) Ice Cream at Toft’s Dairy
Toft’s Dairy is beloved by locals, and readily available in the freezer aisle of most area grocery stores (and yes, there’s also an outpost at Cedar Point). Ohio’s oldest dairy is located off the beaten tourist path, making this a fun and leisurely stop for some of the best ice cream you’ll ever eat. Fair warning: Toft's scoops are more than generous; take a seat at one of the antique school-desk style seats along the ice cream parlor’s far wall or the ample shaded patio seating before making a run at your gargantuan cone. 3717 Venice Rd, Sandusky; toftdairy.com
Be Merry at the Merry Go Round Museum
The Merry Go Round museum is located downtown near the waterfront, an easy walk from the ferries but tucked away from much of the seasonal throngs. Inside, you’ll find some beautiful antique painted ponies, but the real highlight is the chance to ride the full-size, indoor, vintage carousel. Don’t forget to take a #carouselfie of you and the fam. 301 Jackson St, Sandusky; merrygoroundmuseum.org
Make 200 New Friends at Lagoon Deer Park
The Lagoon Deer Park has the mom-and-pop tourist stop feel of the road trip vacations of your youth. It’s not polished or flashy, but it delivers plenty of fun for animal lovers as over 200 friendly animals--from deer and elk to sheep and even peacocks--greet you excitedly. Junior anglers can pull a fresh catch from the stocked fishing ponds (You must bring your own fishing gear, but a state fishing license isn’t required). Maybe it’s your sparkling personality that makes the emu follow you so loyally around the park. Maybe it’s the food you purchase at the gate to feed them. No one can say for sure. 1012 Martins Point Rd, Sandusky; lagoondeerparkohio.com
Play Groovy Geologist at the Glacial Grooves State Memorial Attraction
Rent some bikes or golf carts and head to the north side of Kelley’s Island to see this Natural National Landmark, the most accessible example anywhere of the grooves left by prehistoric glaciers. They’re quite large and the uneven terrain is fun to clamber around (but not on, for preservation reasons). After your impromptu science lesson, take a family hike on one of several trails nearby, like the North Pond Boardwalk. 739 Division St., Kelleys Island, OH; www.kelleysislandchamber.com/place/glacial-grooves/
Wade Into a Pool Party at JF Walleye’s on Middle Bass Island
Only a few miles yet world away from the weekend tourist and party crowds of Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island is its far quieter cousin, Middle Bass. Middle Bass is far less developed. Whereas Put-in-Bay is awash in restaurants, bars and attractions, Middle Bass offers only a few quiet beachfront parks, a single winery and a couple of restaurants, which most visitors travel to and from via rented golf carts. But even this most introverted of islands has a fun secret: JF Walleye’s, where it’s business in the front, party in the back.
This beach-shack style restaurant has the kind of standard beach decor and greasy but not bad lake bar food you would imagine, and a friendly if-young and seasonal staff. But step onto the back patio and you’ll hit the family hidden gem jackpot: the very large and winding resort grotto-style wading pool dubbed The Blue Lagoon, complete with man-made waterfall. With patio and lounge chair seating nearby, and frequent live music, parents can have a bite, sip or soak while the kids splash. 1810 Fox Road, Middle Bass, OH 43446 www.jfwalleyes.net/
Brooke Preston is a lifestyle, copy and comedy writer (and work at home mom) based in Columbus, Ohio. Her work has been featured in National Lampoon, McSweeney's, The Second City Network, The Huffington Post, Romper, Columbus Monthly, Columbus Parent, Travel Portland and more. She's the co-founder of The Belladonna Comedy.
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This is a fun little crossover collaboration between myself, April Rhodes and Cubshrub.
First, whether you’ve ended up on this post via Cubshrub or through my fabric blog tour let me introduce myself and explain what I’m doing here. . .
Hi! I’m April. I’m a fabric designer and maker of lots of things. I am based in Columbus, Ohio and I love my hometown but I have a huge heart for traveling (and camping). I have two daughters, Camilla 6 and Aelyn 9, who also love to camp and explore. I would describe us as a make-it-yourself type of family with a modern, playful, somewhat southwestern aesthetic, hence the project I am here to share with you today.
I’m currently celebrating the release of my two newest fabric collections, Arizona After and Heritage fabrics and I’m also excited to start guest posting here on the Cubshrub blog from time to time. Cubshurb is an amazing little shop in Columbus, Ohio, owned by my friends Niki and Josh Quinn. They’ve recently started this blog with the goal of inspiring families to enjoy life, be creative and live playfully. I love doing all of those things so I'm certain we’re going to make a great team, and this DIY play tent featuring my Arid Horizon Sun canvas fabric from Arizona After fits that bill pretty perfectly too!
Now that you know who I am and what I’m doing here, it’s time for the fun part - tent making! I think this is a wonderful summertime project to entertain the little people in your life. Once I had all of my supplies gathered I was able to make the tent in just about an hour, so if your kids still nap, you’re lucky and I’m super jealous, but that fact aside, you could easily make one of these while they're sleeping and have a fun surprise when they wake! It’s especially lovely for our little family since, though we may want to, we can’t afford to travel all summer long . . . welcome to staycation mode kiddos!
I'm going to show you how to make this super easy, collapsible, indoor/outdoor play tent!
Gather your supplies!
For one tent you will need:
2 5/8 yards (94”) by 44” of canvas fabric
Four 1” x 2” x 48” boards - a medium hard wood such as aspen pine works well. Aspen wood is smooth and soft, but fairly strong with low flammability.
Three 3/4” x 48” wooden dowels
One 5/16” x 24” wooden dowel
A 3/4” spade drill bit or hole saw
A 5/16” drill bit
A drill
Also, a pencil, tape measure, utility knife, and a carpenter's square (optional but helpful).
Side-note: You’ll notice from the photo of my supplies that I edited the design a bit as I was constructing. You can ignore the glue in that photo, I had planned to use it to secure some of the dowels so they wouldn’t slip out from the side braces but I still wanted the tent to be easy to store while not collapsing on the children as they crawl in and out. I eventually came up with the peg idea and it was a success! The pegs add a detail that I haven't seen on any other DIY play tents. With this method there’s no glue mess and the whole tent can come apart when not in use or if you want to launder or change out the fabric cover.
Here’s how it's made:
BUILDING THE TENT FRAME
Take one 1”x2” board and mark 2” down from the top and 2” up from the bottom, on center.
Line up your marked board with another 1”x2” board and clamp them to a sturdy work surface. Drill holes, on center with your ¾” spade bit or hole saw, through both boards.
Using one of your first boards as a jig or template, clamp and cut the two remaining 1x2s.
I’ll refer to these boards as the side braces, two inner braces and two outer braces. All four boards should have a ¾” hole on each end.
Next, mark 1” in from both ends of a ¾” dowel. Drill a hole on center of each marking with your 5/16” bit. Repeat once more with another ¾” dowel.
One of these dowels will be the top of your tent and the other will be the bottom side dowel that attaches to the outer braces.
On the last dowel mark 1¾” in from either end and drill again with your 5/16” bit. This will be the bottom side that attaches to the two inner braces.
Next, slip one of your ¾” dowels through the end of one board and then insert your 5/16” dowel into the hole you drilled in the last step, as pictured. Mark the 5/16” dowel where it sticks out past the side brace just a smidgen.
Using a utility knife, score the dowel where you’ve marked and use the edge of your work surface to snap off the length you need. Clean up the edge of the broken peg and use this length to mark and cut 5 more pegs of the same length.
Now you’re ready to put it all together! It helps to have a second set of hands at this point but you can probably manage without.
To assemble, slide your top dowel through all four side braces, pushing two braces to the front end of your dowel and two to the back, insert pegs at either end. The side braces that are closest to your pegs are your outside braces.
Drape your canvas fabric over this top bar (it helps to have someone steady the whole thing upright) and then slide your first side bottom dowel (with holes 1” from the ends) through one outer side brace, through canvas sleeve and out the opposite outside brace. Insert pegs in either side.
Repeat this with your last side dowel, through one inner brace, tent sleeve and out the opposite inner side brace.
Time to set up camp!!!!
This tent is perfect for outdoor and indoor play but will slip on hardwood so be sure to set it up on carpet or a rug, or even throw a blanket underneath to keep the side braces from sliding out and the whole thing falling down on your child’s head. We don't want that!!
Even though the whole thing comes apart, you don't have to take it down to store it or move it. Its light weight and swinging sides mean you can simply grab it by the top bar, pick it up and move it, stow it away in a closet or behind the couch or move it out of the living room into the yard.. or wherever you want camp to be!
We had fun setting up in my friend Suzanne’s backyard. . . and I think her chickens enjoyed the tent almost as much as the kids did!
Thanks for reading along! I hope you and you're littles get a chance to make and play with a tent of your own. If you enjoyed this project or the fabrics you see here, please hop over to my Instagram feed to visit me and see lots more inspiring fabric related projects.
xo April Rhodes
All backyard photography and chicken raising credit goes to Suzanne Gipson. Many thanks to you dear friend!
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I’ve been to dozens of weddings over the years, in at least nine states and three countries. I’ve been a guest, a flower girl, a wedding singer, a wedding planner, an usher, a guest book attendant, a bridesmaid, and even a bride.
Along the way, I’ve been witness to the full spectrum of child wedding experiences, from adorable unplanned moments that enchanted every guest to full mid-vow meltdowns.It’s perhaps the latter that gives parents pause when filling out their RSVP card. Bringing children to weddings can feel like bringing a bull to a china shop. But what my years of wedding guest observation has also imparted is that there is a way to bring the whole fam where everyone actually enjoys themselves. Here are five simple tips that can save major embarrassment--and your parental sanity!
For a better result, travel to the general area of out of town weddings the day before whenever possible, or allow a little breathing room for extra stops or rest/play upon arrival. When it comes to meals, ask in advance if there will be any kids meals or kid friendly food at the reception. Regardless, tuck a few discrete snacks in your bag or jacket pocket for back-up/emergencies. Bring enough for the whole family--even grown-ups get hangry at weddings, where wait times can be longer than anticipated.
Happy wedding season to you and yours from the Cubshrub team.
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Brooke Preston is a lifestyle, copy and comedy writer (and work at home mom) based in Columbus, Ohio. Her work has been featured in National Lampoon, McSweeney's, The Second City Network, The Huffington Post, Romper, Columbus Monthly, Columbus Parent, Travel Portland and more. She's the co-founder of The Belladonna Comedy.
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If your kid loves trains the Ohio Railway Museum is a really unbeatable experience. Adults are just $8, kids 4-12 are $6 and kids under 4 are free.
990 Proprietors Road Worthington, Ohio 43085 614-885-7345
Josh Quinn is the co-founder of Tigertree, Cub Shrub and a girl named Emma. When he isn't busy with store or parenting tasks you can find him in over his head at a house construction or vintage vehicle restoration project.
“If they hate it, they hate it; if they love it, they love it; and if they really love it, you know it means something special,” Kelsey Hopkins, Teaching Artist at the Columbus Children’s Theatre, remarks on the magic of working in theatre for a young audience. The children are a part of the performance; they fuel the energy, the laughs, and the lessons.
Columbus Children’s Theatre (CCT) is one of the fastest growing children’s theatres in the country, according to Kelsey. CCT offers classes, camps, tours, and shows for children of all ages and abilities to experience the art of acting and magic of theatre. Sensory friendly shows are also offered for kids living with autism or other special needs.
For Kelsey, working in the Columbus Children’s Theatre is the dream. A native of Columbus, Kelsey has traveled the United States in various professional theatre companies, spending time in New York, Colorado, Tennessee , and many other states before finding her way home. She emphasizes her amazement in Columbus’s growth since her youth. Once a fledgling community, she now sees a booming performing arts scene. “It’s really a place to make a life,” she shares with a warm smile.
Kelsey as Aunt Spiker in James and the Giant Peach. Photo by David Heasley.
Often times children experience the magic of theatre for the first time in one of CCT’s shows. CCT and the actors who bring shows like James and the Giant Peach to life take this responsibility seriously. Each show offers thematic lessons like the importance of family or how bullying affects others. Families can continue their learning at home with a worksheet tailored to each play. Kelsey explains more subtle lessons to be gained at CCT: “Empathy, empathy, EMPATHY!” Kelsey emphasizes. Theatre allows young children a chance to place themselves in another’s shoes and begin to understand that other people have the same depth of emotions as they do. “They are able to share a journey with a character.”
Kelsey teaching a class at Columbus Children’s Theatre. Photo by Gracie Becker.
Kelsey is often told how over-animated she is when speaking: “I’m just using my face!” She expresses frustration with the world that would rather pick out the perfect emoji than express the same emotion on their face. Classes offered by CCT provide children with the skills to communicate their feelings effectively, both on stage and in daily life. Beyond just Acting 101, these classes focus on the development of each individual. Kelsey discusses how acting is about building self-confidence, learning how to effectively express oneself, discover how others fit into the world, and build teamwork. Through role play and other exercises, Teaching Artists, like Kelsey, help kids become more comfortable in their own skin.
Kelsey is excited to start touring with the Columbus Children’s Theater and share theatre with more kids across the state. “Every kid should take at least one class. You don’t have to want to be an actor!” she impresses. Ready to get your kid involved? Visit http://www.columbuschildrenstheatre.org/ for more information!
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Traveling with kids can be tough. For someone like me, who is prone to overload the agenda, it often means a degree of flexibility I am not accustomed to. We still want to eat good food, see things that interest people older than five and stay at nice places. There are very few places that outright don't allow kids (not saying those aren't a necessity sometimes), and lots that accommodate them but it's rare to find somewhere interesting that actually goes out of their way to welcome them. In that regard the 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati shines.
We were looking for a doable day trip for my birthday and have been wanting to check out the Cincinnati 21c since it opened. They offer a kid's exploration package which includes tickets to the Newport Aquarium, milk and cookies (and there was wine, not sure if that was just a birthday thing or not) and a teepee in the room. If you're familiar with the brand there are penguins everywhere. Our daughter immediately took to spotting (and hugging) as many as she could find so it was an amazing surprise when someone from the hotel brought one up for our room.
Speaking of penguins, the woman that checked us in had a great on brand (but not branded!) temporary tattoo for us as well. A lot of amazing, immersive brand experiences get absolutely ruined when the brand thinks they'll get an ounce more mileage by adding their name or url to something. I'd show you the finished product but it wasn't the best application so I'll just stick to the praise of the experience.
They not only allowed us to pick up the aquarium tickets in the morning before our check in but also check in early for nap time. Of course Emma's first hotel stay, in a hotel with magical plastic creatures everywhere did not net us an actual nap, but it allowed us to set up our base early.
The Newport Aquarium is amazing. I went to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago a lot growing up and it's my only real comparison. The Newport is probably a third of the size by my estimation but it feels a lot more approachable and friendly. The crowd size, ease of parking, and on-site dining options make it a clear winner to me for younger kids. You can see the whole thing in a few hours and it's a really interactive space with several opportunities to get hands on with creatures.
The Stingray Hideaway is really cool. It's a kid sized cave that snakes through the stingray tank and opens up with this hole in the middle of the tank you can pop out of. Despite this picture I swear there was a whole fever (see that thing I learned there?!) of stingrays in this thing.
They have these amazing tunnels that serve as both transitions and exhibits themselves. We happened to be there at feeding time and the kids were at least as enamored by the scuba divers as they were by the fish.
The tour ends with the much advertised "Shark Bridge." If, like me you are equal parts impatient and claustrophobic, the Shark Bridge is a real nightmare. You are not allowed to carry your kids on it and it turns out that a seemingly endless stream of 2-5 year olds takes a really long time to cross a 75 foot rope bridge over a shark tank. Luckily she didn't ask to do it a third time.
There is a decent mix of chain restaurants throughout the development around the aquarium. For a cheaper, quicker, and I think better, option there is also a hotdog stand and a great view of the river.
Once we accepted our nap reprieve was not to be we took off for Over The Rhine. For readers outside of Central, Ohio, OTR is one of the country's fastest and most successful (making no statements one way or the other on the ensuing gentrification argument there) transitions from what was literally the "most dangerous neighborhood in the country" to a thriving district of independent shops and restaurants. Emma is sitting here on the darling chair set up outside of Off The Vine cold pressed juice bar. Be sure to also check out Sloane Boutique for an amazing women's selection, Article Menswear,MICA for great gifts and lots of locally made items and you can't miss out on the best Belgian waffle of your life from Taste Of Belgium.
WashingtonPark is one of the crown jewels of the OTR redevelopment. It has some seriously amazing play spaces and even had staff onsite interacting with kids. There is an amazing playground, really cool dog park, splash-pad and they do other great programing and concerts throughout the year.
We really meant to take the streetcar back to the hotel from the park, after missing one and deciding not to wait another 12 minutes we somehow decided to walk a mile in 90 degrees with a 2.5 year old who didn't nap. Take the streetcar back. Still we weren't quite ready for dinner so we burned a little more energy and time roaming the wonderful gallery space.
We had our sites set on Sotto for dinner. The food and space are both incredible and it's a stone's throw from the hotel. Not wanting to inflict our no-nap, worn out kid on people wanting an evening in an upscale, hidden restaurant we opted for take-out. They don't actually let you call in take out orders, but as it was Negroni Week, I decided I could take one for the team and order to go from the bar. A quick breakfast at the hotel restaurant, some more penguin spotting, and we were all set to leave the Queen City almost exactly 24 hours after we arrived.
If you are anywhere within a couple of hours of Cincinnati this is a doable, 24 hour excursion that is sure to delight parents and kids of any ages. It's nice to find businesses like the 21c that realize that kids are people too and that parents still like color and joy.
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Josh Quinn is the co-founder of Tigertree, Cub Shrub and a girl named Emma. When he isn't busy with store or parenting tasks you can find him in over his head at a house construction or vintage vehicle restoration project.
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