Category: Kaden’s Korner

#wildmeyers review of Central Park

WOW! Central Park is the largest park in Manhattan, New York City. It occupies an area of 840 acres and extends between 59th and 110th streets (about 2.5 miles) and between Fifth and Eighth avenues (about 0.5 miles).

It is MASSIVE!!! We only walked around parts of it but it was phenomenal to see and explore! #wildmeyers could have spent many more hours here as parks and leisure are more our style than the hustle and bustle of nyc city streets. We will have to come back and explore more of this beautiful park!!!

It’s wonderful to just take a few steps off the busy streets and be in an enchanted park. There are lakes, trees, walking/biking paths. There are carriage rides, playgrounds, splash pads, benches, bridges, birds and ducks, and so much more! It’s a piece of paradise!

Kids can climb and play and adults can join in or converse. You can relax and retreat from the busy life on the outskirts of the park.

So many times in our life we need a park to retreat to. What is your “central park” in your life? Where do you go for you 5 minutes (or more) of peace and tranquility? God can rescue us from the busyness of life and give us rest. He tells us … “run to me you who are weary and I will give you rest”…. wow. What a promise!!! (Matthew 11:28-30)

Next time you’re in a busy season of life-remember that verse and remember to just be still and let God BE in your life!!!

And next time you’re in NYC…. take time to explore Central Park… and if you’re not in NYC- find your own park you can retreat to and play and run and jump and climb and just BE!

And if you’re not in NYC… and don’t really like parks… just buy the ice cream!!! (We were in NYC and loved the park, but we bought the ice cream too!) …..

just to see who is reading these- comment on this blog your favorite ice cream and you’ll have a chance to win a PRIZE!!!!!

Splash in EVERY Fountain

WOW! This summer has been hot! But we have found tons of water features! Everywhere you turn in our summer city there was a place to splash! We said YES to splashing!!!

Sometimes in life we say to our kids, “no don’t get wet”….”don’t step in that puddle”… “don’t get those clothes messy” we’ll this summer- all that went out the window! Splash all you want! Wear clothes that can always get messy! Everything can wash! Just embrace and be relentless and SPLASH!!!

Just smile and go for it! Have fun! Enjoy! Life’s too short!!!

Live it up!

Say YES and SPLASH IN ALL THE FOUNTAINS….

Playgrounds of the USA – part 4

This museum was INCREDIBLE!

When it’s HOT in the summer you’re thinking- I’m not going to a playground, it’s too hot!! Well, find indoor play places too!

From the outside appearance this museum was typical old and big and probably for adults.

But the name tips you off : PLEASE TOUCH. My kids said- wait what? Touch it all! As soon as the doors were opened we knew it was so kid friendly and fun!

They ran around for 3+ hours just hanging out and exploring! And yes, you touch it all!

https://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org

So bring your lunch and come explore! Spend hours together and see what you can find and learn! Outside areas provided for picnics and running. Small cafe also available for food purchases. Enjoy! And PLEASE TOUCH!!!

#wildmeyers says #goplaytoday

Playgrounds of the USA : part 3

Walker & Kaden truly are playing together so we’ll this summer! They love making up games and running and jumping! I value these moments seeing them bond so much!!

We found a FREE zoo in Cape May Courthouse New Jersey…. here is the playground. What is neat about this playground is there are tons of picnic tables, areas to run and play, pavilions, and then to top it off- the FREE ZOO!!!!!!

http://www.capemaycountynj.gov/1008/Park-Zoo

An easy way to find fun things to do in new towns is go on social media, type in your town and date, and hit search! Fun things are going on everywhere! I’ll say it again… immerse yourself in the culture where you are! Find the local spots! Enjoy!

This was the grand opening of a playground on Avalon Beach, New Jersey (Jersey Shore) called Surfside Park! This playground was great but was made even better because of ……..

  1. Free cotton candy
  2. Free funnel cakes
  3. Free Face painting
  4. Free Ice Cream
  5. Beach front ocean breezes
  6. Live music
  7. Tons of families
  8. Free water
  9. Bubbles, character sightings, and much more!

This might be our favorite park so far! Save this location and go visit!!

https://avalonboro.net/17559-2/

I might have spoken too soon!! The last playground was best so far because of all the high energy, free food, and live music of the grand opening! This next park is FABULOUS!!!

We spent 3+ hours at this park one Sunday afternoon, and could have stayed longer if it wasn’t time to get to our night location.

This is Fasola Park bear Swedesboro, NJ. We happened to find this one on a map and it was huge! 5 separate play areas, a sprayground, a walking trail, ball fields, and shade and sun areas! Also, an ice cream truck came by several times!!

**note to self : google “sprayground near me” to find water features- they’re not called splash pads up here **

These playgrounds are endless and we keep playing on them to see what our favorite features are! These parks up here are so nice. They have handicap accessible areas, bathrooms, shade and sun, tables, pavilions, and nice equipment! They definitely spend a lot of money on these areas and the families take advantage of them!!

Be active this summer! #goplaytoday with your family!!

Comment below to show us pictures of you adults playing with your kiddos! Comment with a photo for your chance to WIN a FREE PRIZE From #wildmeyers …..

Playgrounds of the USA : part 2

Kaden & Walker are back sharing their favorite playgrounds of the summer!

Sometimes when it rains for days and is so cold in June in upstate New York (Rochester) you find an indoor playground! In this case it was a whole museum called “The Strong Museum” http://www.museumofplay.org lots of fun inside! Kids activities galore!

When you’re just on a journey and can stop anytime you want to just explore and look out the windows! When you see something you want to do, just stop! Have you ever done this? Are we always focused on getting somewhere and not enjoying the journey. Just breathe and let your kids choose where to stop!

Sometimes it’s not a playground at all; you stop for it’s an old tractor and huge pig on the side of the road! Sure why not!! Kendall NY

Next up, water front on Lake Ontario park! What fun. If it was warmer we could have swam, but we were the lone visitors to the water and park but it was so quiet and beautiful! And don’t just stand and watch your kids play, join in on the fun! Hamlin Beach State Park.

Antique Automobile Club of America in Hershey… playgrounds come in all shapes and sizes… this is a fire truck playground! Simple, fun, climbing and using imagination!

Stay tuned… part 3 coming soon. Just today someone gave us a playground name to go visit! They saw a cool one in NYC and recommended it to us! We’ll be sure to make it by there!

As always, get out there and play! #goplaytoday #wildmeyers wants to hear from you about your favorite place to play!

Playgrounds of the USA : part 1

Along our journey, we’ll see a playground or park, and one of the kids will just shout out

PLAYGROUND

and Dan has to find a way to pull over so we can stop and play! It’s so much fun to see the boys face light up when they say, “can we stop?” And we say “sure!” One of the greatest things about this current trip, is we have no schedule, no agenda; so stopping and taking an extra 30 minutes or an hour to play isn’t effecting our trip. If we ever return (HA!) to normal life, one thing we will try to carry over from this trip is to not be in such a rush, and enjoy what you find along the way.

On this blog, Kaden & Walker are giving their reviews of playgrounds all over the USA…

This Playground was in Alexandria Virginia, it was right off of interstate-495. We did have to find it on a map to get to it, but it was under the Woodrow Wilson bridge, right on the Potomac River. It was nice to get out, stretch our legs with a view, and play!

Walker’s review : this was fun because it was right on the river. We got to scooter and bike under the bridge and see the huge river and could see The Capitol Building in the distance. The playground was ok, but nice to stop in a city!

Kaden’s review : the swings were fun and fast.

View of The Capitol over the Potomac River

Next up, Beltzville State Park… beautiful beaches at a state park!

MOM TIP : Look at your map, find a lake or state park and you can almost guarantee there’s a playground near there!

Pack a lunch! Enjoy the day! Note to self : water is COLD in June in PA & NY

Like I said, find a lake- drive close by and you’ll probably find a playground! This one was awesome! On the lake, playground-little library-bike rentals… 2 mile bike ride to another playground!

Walker’s review : “great rock hiding areas. Big playground. Big fields to run!”

Kaden’s review : ducks in water swam fast, bikes we rode went fast, we ran fast. Much to do!

Do you want to fully immerse yourself into another towns culture? Find a baseball field and go watch a little league game or adult league softball and ask the locals what to do! There are probably playgrounds there too!!

We did this in Cortland NY and lived like a local for the night. Walker & Dan rucked with their local Ruckers Group & Kaden and I just played and relaxed. The locals told us their favorite NY Pizza place so we had to go!

Just breathe and sit and feel what it’s like to live in New York (or whatever town you’re in) for a night!

Amazing N.Y. pizza. Almost better than playgrounds…. nah!!!

Next up… random road from Baldwinsville NY to Oswego NY…

BEST PLAYGROUND IN THE WORLD

AS VOTED BY walker & Kaden

This playground was yelled out as we passed and we had to find a place to turn around to get back to it! Amazing! Lots of “older kids” equipment. Lots of “use your balance” and “ninja type” equipment

Walker’s review : it was fun because there was climbing and twisty obstacles. It was bigger than I have ever seen and I used my ninja skills!

Kaden’s review : up and down on bumpy climbing. Was big and fun and by lake.

There is no better feeling than hearing the squeals and laughs of your kiddos on playgrounds! It’s great exercise and it gives us all a chance to run and laugh! Get out there and play with your kids!!

I’m sure we’ll play on more playgrounds! We’ll update you more on our journey of ones we find!

Name your favorite playgrounds in the USA and we’ll see how many we can visit!!!

Get out there and play! Share your playground pictures with us for your chance to win! Like & Share our blog… post a picture with you playing on a playground with the #goplaytoday and #wildmeyers will pick 1 winner! You’ll win a FREE HAT!!!