Hello everyone,
I want to thank you VERY much for your loyal readership. I feel like the name 5 Stars Mommy limits me in the business world so I have changed my domain.
All the information is the same just a better look and a better name.
I hope this change brings more opportunities to all of your families.
My new domain is Playing All The Way.
Did you know Lake Compounce is the oldest running amusement park in North America? I had no idea until we visited the park last week to experience their new Dino Expedition inside it’s kiddie section. Classic parks have always been my favorite and it was really amazing to be walking around a park that first opened in 1846.
Dino Expedition is a path that takes your little ones back to the Jurassic period. The kids can even control one of the dinosaurs with the push of a button. What I loved about Dino Expedition is that it has a shaded sand box for the little ones where that they can dig up fossils. This is a perfect little place to have some imaginary play in the shade while older kids may want to go on the bigger rides.
There are a lot of family amusement parks in New England so let me tell you four things that I think set this park apart from the others.
1. The first major way this amusement park is set apart from the others is that it has its own campground, Bear Creek Campground. I will DEFINITELY be staying here next time because I would have loved to have been able to go back and retreat for part of the afternoon and then return to the park at night. We all know being at the park under the lights is the best time! The lights of an amusement park is bliss for me.
2. The second major reason is Illuminate the Night. This very cool laser light show lights up the night sky every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It features a 50-foot water wall that entertains guests with simultaneous synchronized music, projections and lasers.
3. The third and biggest reason Lake Compounce is in a class of itself is that it is home to the number one wooden roller coaster in the world, Boulderdash. I rode Boulderdash with my 8 year old and I was scared for my life. There is something about wooden coasters that are scary yet thrilling. How scared do we look on the ride?
4. The last thing that sets this park apart is its sky line. Most parks have some sort of sky line but no park has the Sky Ride like Lake Compounce. This monster of a chair lift was ridiculously steep and high! I can’t believe that my husband who is afraid of heights actually went on this ride.
It’s true Lake Compounce has some awesome and very unique attractions but if you love the classic rides like me you want be disappointed either.
Here are some of the kids favorite picks.
1. Zoomer’s Gas ‘N’Go
2. Wipeout
3. Bumper Cars
4. The Wave Swinger
5. Ghost Hunt
My son said it’s kind of like “The Haunted Mansion” meets “Toy Story Mania.” Disney lovers will understand this.
6. Thunder Rapids
I thought Lake Compounce was an awesome park for families. It has a little something for everyone starting from the tiniest little thrill seeker to the American Coaster Enthusiast.
My overall favorite attraction was the 1911 cable car. I just love the nostalgia.
I am planning to go back when the their water park, Crocodile Cove, opens. I will be braver on Boulderdash this time I promise.
*Disclosure- My family was compensated admission to the park for this blog. My opinions are all my own.*
Six Flags New England unveiled one of the most anticipated roller coasters of 2015 yesterday to ACE ( American Coaster Enthusiasts) and members of the media. I was lucky enough to be part of the media day event two days ago. The Wicked Cyclone is one of only 5 hybrid coasters in the world where wood meets steel. It offers coaster lovers a number of jaw dropping thrills including:
I will admit that while waiting in line to ride I was a little nervous about the first drop but I didn’t let it stop me. I am so glad I didn’t because no word of a lie this was the BEST coaster I have ever been on. It perfectly balanced the nostalgic feeling of a wooden coaster with the smoothness of a steel coaster. I am confident in saying that one ride will not be enough.
It was pretty cool to be one of the first riders EVER to ride this hybrid coaster at Media day amongst other guests like NBC’s The Biggest Loser Contestant Rob Guiry, Miss MA Teen USA 2015, Miss MA USA 2015, Miss CT Teen USA 2015 and my special guests You Tube stars Tyler & Ryan. Every one who rode the coaster came off the ride with a huge smile. They also came off with their hair a bit messier than when they went on.
Not only was I impressed with the innovative technology that Rocky Mountain Construction engineer Alan Schilke brought to the East Coast I was also impressed with the generosity of the Six Flags Company and Friendly’s. Six Flags New England donated $5000.00 and 5,000 park tickets to the American Red Cross Of Massachusetts workers. That’s not all though, Friendly’s matched their donation of $5000.00 and also donated 5,000 cartons of ice cream. I truly admire companies who give back to their local community.
The Wicked Cyclone officially opens to the public this Sunday May 24th. It is for riders 48 inches or taller. What are you waiting for? Go buy your tickets and take the family to ride the Wicked Cyclone.
I woke up my boys (ages 3&5) this morning and told them that we were going to Davis Farmland today! They did not seem to share my enthusiasm. The boys had NO idea we were going to Moo Town USA, the new expansion at the Farmland.
They complained all the way there and asked me the same question over and over. Upon arrival at the farm, they were dragging their feet however this drastically changed once they walked over to the entrance for Moo Town, USA. The questions and comments quickly changed to, “Wait we are going in there? WOW, mommy that looks awesome!! I want to play in there NOW”. The boys could not wait for that ribbon to be cut by Moo Moo, the cow!
After all of the children were appointed as honorary postmasters, police officers, and firefighters of Moo Town, USA, the ribbon was cut, kids ran in every direction.
In Moo Town USA, you had the options of playing in the “Cow-A-Bunga Campgrounds”, the “Okee-Dokee-Corral”, and the custom town. “Cow-A-Bunga Campgrounds” offered lifelike campers, a fire pit, a fish shack, and a log cabin which were all filled with pretend play food, gadgets, and utensils. The boys cooked some fish and served it in one of the campers for their “guests”. They kept yelling, “Check this out its so cool!” (A Little different than how our day began…)
The Okee-Dokee-Corral offered the children a chance to be farmers. The boys went from picking up chicken eggs, to brushing the horses tails, to cleaning their cottage, feeding the babies, washing clothes, riding the toy tractors, sitting in the dog house, to bouncing on the cows. They spent a lot of the time hanging out in the dog house with what they called “The biggest dog in their life”. In the middle of the village the children can climb up on the tractor, ring the bell and drive a stationary firetruck, or sit in the covered benches and take a “hay ride”. My boys briefly walked to these, climbed on them but sprinted over to the custom town.
The custom town was their favorite part!!! They got to play in the Furry Friends Vet Clinic, Ice cream shop, shopping market, diner, and a cottage. They went into the market and pretended to be customers and the clerk. Veggies were overflowing in bins, multiple shopping carts, and plenty of pretend food to go around. My boys enjoyed being Vets and taking care of the animals using the doctor kits and medicine on the shelves. The ice cream shop was a huge hit with my boys. They were having so much fun pretending to serve me ice cream.
I have never seen my 5 year old so intrigued and my 3 year old stayed so busy for so long it was hard to pull them away. All of the items offered in Moo Town, USA are child friendly, safe, and especially geared towards children using their imaginations. One of the best things about Moo Town, USA was that there were enough pretend play items to go around without children having to wait for a turn for more than a minute or so. There are even picnic tables and chairs placed throughout Moo Town, USA for the parents/guardians to sit on and observe their children’s minds at work.
This is certainly a custom town where they children can play, explore, and push their imaginations to new levels! We had the opportunity to explore more of the Farmland. The boys played on the playscapes, saw many animals (most of which they could actually pet or interact with) that included goats, chickens, cows, snakes and so many more. We wanted to take pony rides, a hay ride and splash in the water area, however we ran out of time.
That just means we HAVE to go back!!
Did you know that Six Flags New England is opening one of the most anticipated roller coasters of 2015. I will be one of the first riders to the ride Wicked Cyclone on May 20th at Media Day. Oh wait that’s not all I will be riding this coaster with two of the most talented and handsome young men I know! Get this, I will be riding this coaster with Tyler & Ryan.
If you haven’t fallen in with Tyler & Ryan yet you will! This duo is taking the You Tube world by storm. They were selected to perform for X Factor Season 2 and to audition by the producers of Americas’ Got Talent and The Voice. They also are the winners of Ryan Seacrest’s worldwide cover contest for Meghan Trainor’s , “All about that Bass.”
Follow us on May 20th as we thrill it up at Six Flags New England!
Dear Moms,
These places want to celebrate you and motherhood by giving you a freebie!
Lost River Gorge New Hampshire
Hidden inside the forest on the MA/NY line of the Berkshires is the amazing one-of-a-kind experience of Ramblewild. Ramblewild boasts the title of America’s largest aerial park. The best way I can describe it is the ultimate playground meets the ultimate tree house. Ramblewild is the perfect place for families of preteens and teens to unplug and enjoy being together.
Ramblewild was created by Feronia Forests, an organization, dedicated to creating smart, new ways to save our trees. The park is their way to conserve the natural forest while utilizing them to combat Nature Deficit Disorder. Nature Deficit Disorder is a hypothesis from Richard Louv that states that human beings, especially children, are spending less time outdoors resulting in a wide range of behavioral problems. He wrote about this hypothesis in his book, ” The Last Child in the Woods.”
One of thing that sets Ramblewild apart is that it is built from tree to tree. I have seen other aerial parks but they are artificially built. Incredibly, the park was built without one putting one nail or screw in a tree.
When you first arrive to Ramblewild make sure you try the varieties of maple syrup from Mission Maple and the maple flavored Vertical Water. My favorite was the light syrup while my guests was the Bourbon flavor.
I suggest bringing your own pair of gloves that have grips. They do provide gloves for you but even the smaller size was too big for me. You will need the gloves to help prevent calluses on your hands from holding on to the cables.
Before you are able to experience the trails you have to graduate from school. This is where you will get your equipment and safely learn how to use the auto belays. Once you do that you are on your own on the trails because there are no guides.
The trails at the park are color coded from yellow to double black diamond. I tried to start at the black diamond but the rule is you have to work your way up starting from the yellow.
Its important to know that each trail takes around 30 to 45 minutes so choose your trails wisely. I was pumped to make it to the blue trail because of the kick *** zip line! I loved every minute of zip lining over the river. It felt like I was flying.
Each trail has unique elements that are designed to challenge you mentally and physically. One of the best challenges was jumping right out of a tree to the ground! Many people found themselves hesitant to jump.
Ramblewild was full of surprises and I don’t want to tell you too much because I think being surprised made my experience that much better. The elements in the trees were like something out of my wildest imagination. To give you an idea how creative the elements were I will tell you there is a pony zip line. Yes, you ride on a saddle mounted onto a log from and zip line tree to tree. I hollered giddy up the entire ride!
The entire experience of Ramblewild was awesome. Here you will find people connecting the old fashioned way. You will see people encouraging each other and working together. It’s like a breath of fresh air, pun intended. I hope all of you take your family to unplug for a while and play together.
Click here for rates and times.
Since, Ramblewild was almost 3 hours away from us so we decided to make a weekend out of it.
Here are my recommendations while you are there.
1. Have dinner at Powder Hounds Tavern and experience a red neck snow ball. Its BBQ pulled pork, wrapped in mashed potatoes, deep fried topped with brown gravy and bacon. I guarantee you will be VERY impressed with the menu and the size of the portions here. #yum
2. Spend the night at The Vacation Village Resorts which is directly located next door to Ramblewild. It has an awesome pool and view of Jiminy Peak. Also if you forget anything you need or are looking for food to make something in your room you can grab your needs at The Country Store.
3. Get some ice cream at Gardner’s Ice Cream.
4. Take in the rustic open space and take cool pictures.
My kids and hubby have become obsessed with Shrek the Musical. They stumbled across the Broadway show while searching on Netflix. It has literally been months of them watching the musical over and over again. You can imagine their excitement when I told them we were going to see the show live at the Wheelock Family Theatre.
If you are not familiar with the story of Shrek. Shrek started as a best selling children’s fairy-tale written by William Steig. It later became became a Blockbuster hit when DreamWorks Animation Studio told the story as an animated film. Its a story about true friendship, love and acceptance as well as looking past whats on the outside and more on the inside.
The Wheelock Family Theater is part of Wheelock College and is nestled inside the Fenway District. The theater program encompasses the college’s mission, ” to improve the lives of children and their families” by making theater affordable and accessible for every generation.
Since the theater was so close to Fenway Park we decided to drive up a little early to enjoy a bite to eat and to walk by Yawkee Way. Upon arriving at the theater the sidewalks were filled with bright eyed children and their families. Before the show my kids treated themselves to Shrek ears with their allowance. Look at my cute little Ogres.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that it is an affordable family theater. You will be treated to a very entertaining, fun and professional performance. I was really impressed with everything from the wardrobe to the dance numbers. The cast did an amazing job in making all fairy-tale creatures come to life. You can tell the little kids and little kids at heart enjoyed the show by the sound of the infectious laughter in the theater.
I have to say it was a toss up between my favorite character. Christopher Chew made an amazing and disgusting Shrek but I am torn between Donkey and Farquaad. Donkey, played by Maurice Emmanuel Parent, was just as hysterical and quick witted on stage as in the movie. Farquaad was hands down comedic perfection. Played by Mark Lineham, Farquaad might have been short in stature but his character stole the show.
My kids and hubby were smiling as they sang along with the musical numbers. I too knew the songs from listening to them OVER AND OVER again at home.
Shrek (Christopher Chew) and Donkey (Maurice Parent)
Photo Credit: Kippy Goldfarb
My oldest daughter, Makenna, loves theater and I thought it would be fitting to share her perspective. She said:
“Shrek the Musical was one of the best musicals I have ever seen. My favorite part was when Donkey fell down from the sky. Lord Farquaad, as tiny as he is, will make you laugh your head off. Fiona is sassy, rude, and sweet all at the same time. I know this, you’re going to leave this play with a smile!”
So there you have it, you will leave this play with a smile.
The show is about two and a half hours long with a small intermission so I recommend it for children 7 and above. The theater runs a special performance on Pajama Party Fridays. If you dress your child in pajamas the Friday night you will get a discounted admission price.
Shrek the Musical will play until May 24th but there is always a fun show to be had at the Wheelock Family Theatre.
For ticket prices and show times visit:
http://www.wheelockfamilytheatre.org/box-office-info.aspx
Disclosure:
My family was compensated five tickets for this review. All opinions in this blog are my own.
Each year Foxwoods Resort Casino hosts its annual Kids Week during April school break. The casino treats the kids to FREE movies at the Fox Theater, arts & crafts, face painting and more. This year they introduced their first Kids Krawl.
The Kids Krawl is like a pub crawl only its full of fun for short people under 21. For an additional $20 kids get to be “high rollers” and experience what its like to be a VIP. The additional $20 gets EACH child:
I liked the cool T-shirt 😉
The kids took a special day out of school to experience their first Kids Krawl. The best place to park is at The Great Cedar Tower Parking Garage. The entrance will lead you directly to the food court with Regina Pizzeria which is located between Rain Maker and the Grand Pequot Tower. (map) There are activities set up in both directions from the Cedars Square Food Court.
We headed right over to the Fox Theater Box Office to get our Kids Krawl tickets.
First stop on our Krawl was lunch. Two kids picked a hotdog from the Fox Deli and one a pizza from Regina Pizzeria. A bonus here is that the soft drinks are free refills so keep your cup. After will filled our bellies we headed to get our free goodie from Sugar Rush or KidsStuff. The kids chose a cute little stuffed animal from KidStuff.
On the way to the arts & crafts table there was a table with a native Pequot tribal membe
r who taught the kids to play some native games. We learned that in this same spot is where The Little Fox Dance Troupe performs. The Little Fox Dance Troupe is a group of little kids that hold interactive dance sessions that highlights the Pequot Native American dance. The shows are usually every other Friday and the next performance is April 29th.
Our next Krawl stop was the arts & crafts table. The kids split up between making a paper mache beaded bracelet and some construction paper animals and masks. I like when other people do arts & crafts with my kids because I hate the process from start to finish including the mess.
Then we headed over to the Kids Game Lounge. The Game Lounge, located inside of The Box in the Grand Pequot Tower, was the spot to be. Here the kids can play the most popular games on projection screens as well as classic board games, and be served some delicious discounted kid favorites such as milkshakes, root beer floats and Shirley Temples. This was the “krawlers” cotton candy stop.
And after they made their hands a sticky mess they got their faces sticky with face painting. The face painter, Painted You, was AMAZING! The Skywalk seemed to fancy the kids too… you should’ve seen them. Goofs.
Our Krawl wasn’t over but it was dinner time before we knew it and we made special dinner reservations at the Hard Rock Cafe. The kids love to take their picture in front of the Hard Rock back drop and they love to eat where the rock stars eat. They also love the guitar plates. Its the little things ya know.
We didn’t know that the sing for your supper promotion was going on but you bet my two daughters got up and sing. I apologize to the audience but thanks for the free Legendary Burger kids!
The last stop was the Tree House Arcade. Two floors of video game heaven.
We spent over six hours having fun at the Casino. I think the extra $20 bucks for the Kids Krawl was definitely worth it. Told ya, Casinos are for kids too!
While leaving my son said, “Mom, that was awesome can we go back tomorrow?”
Disclosure:
*My family was compensated Kids Krawl tickets for this review. All opinions are my own.*
Have you already been thinking about where to go this summer with the kids? You’d love to go to the beach everyday but reality says the drive costs gas money, the beach costs money for admission and the idea of beach traffic doesn’t thrill you.
As a mom of three smaller children the beach, which I use to love, became anxiety ridden. At the beach I was on alert and just felt like I didn’t have enough eyes or hands. One was being taken away by a current, one was crying because there was sand on his sandwich and one was bored. The kids would complain they were bored and they wanted shade. Packing for the beach was a job in itself. The beach became work.
Five years ago my husband and I were deciding between putting a pool in our not so big backyard or joining a pool club. After going through the pros and cons we decided to join the Grist Mill Pool & Tennis Club in Seekonk, MA and it has been one of the best decisions we ever made. The experience of community and summer fun has been fantastic. Although there are many more reasons we love the Grist Mill Pool Club I have listed our family’s top ten.
In no particular order:
The pool facilities offer a splash pad for toddlers, a learning pool and an Olympic size pool with a diving board and a brand new slide. The main pool offers two designated lap lanes. There is no need to pack patio chairs and umbrellas because they are already placed around the pool for you. There are also two shaded areas located under two canopies. After a day of sun and swimming members conveniently walk into the Worlds Gym to use the locker room and showers.
The pool club offers sessions of swim lessons and tennis lessons throughout the summer. Adults can also enjoy water aerobics during adult swim time.
You will notice that your children will become strong swimmers very quickly at a pool club. If your kids are ready for the next level of swimming they may decide to try the Mako’s Swim and/or Dive team. Last year was my two girls first year on the swim team. The kids on the team foster a wonderful camaraderie during the season. Last year The Grist Mill Mako’s had a successful season and boast a second place title at the All Pool Swim Meet. The swim team has proven to build many life long friendships. Each Friday the team has pancakes together too!
If you happen to get a day without the kids at the pool you can take advantage of some the live entertainment that happens next door at the Luxury Box or dine on the back patio. Sometimes a day without the kids at the pool proves to be a lot of fun for mommy and daddy too.
The Grist Mill Pool Club is a fantastic place to throw a summer party or fundraiser. Our middle daughter’s Birthday falls in August so we take full advantage of the pool for a birthday party bash. The Luxury Box will offer you a discount if you chose to hire them for catering your event.
Typically, we are the first family to arrive in the morning and the last to leave. We pack our lunch and and head right over. That is a 10 hour day at the pool and my kids never get bored.
The kids just never seem to tire of jumping off of the diving board or racing down the slide. Sometimes they’ll gather down near the pond and look for frogs or turtles. Even if it’s raining my kids still swim or they’ll help themselves to a board game under the canopies. Most nights we invite our friends and just ask them to bring some hot dogs and hamburgers and utilize the grills that are on site and available to everyone.
One of my kid’s favorite things about the pool that didn’t make the top ten reasons is the snack shack! The snack shack is like a small convenient store of candy, ice cream and drinks. I wonder how much I spend there each summer, actually I’d rather not wonder.
The worst part of the Grist Mill Pool Club is the last day it’s open. It’s along 10 months until the next pool season. It is sad to leave behind all of our family and friends. We have created some pretty awesome memories at the pool.
I would sum up a summer experience at the Grist Mill Pool Club as a summer camp for the entire family. If you think the Grist Mill Pool Club would be a great summer experience for your family you can visit their site at www.gristmillpool.com for more information and to download an application.
For any questions or concerns please contact:
The Grist Mill Pool
320 Fall River Ave Seekonk, MA 02771
(508) 336-0577 (508) 336-0577
*If you sign up for your family please write in 5 Stars Families as your referral*
Breaking the Cycle Through Families at Play 