Lake Ida Park (and Dog Park)

For years, I have driven past the sign for the Lake Ida Park & Dog Park (just east of I-95 on Lake Ida Rd in Delray Beach), but I'd never checked it out.  Maybe it's because I know people who take their dogs there to run and play, and for some reason, I just kept thinking it was just a dog park, and a dog park only.

Luckily, a friend invited us there to play one afternoon.  I was so glad to learn it's more than just a dog park.  It's actually MY new favorite park (oh, and all 4 kids like it too!).

There are boat launches, picnic pavilions, as well as paths for biking and jogging (as well as bathroom facilities - always a plus!).  But there's also a great playground.  When I find a playground that suits my younger 2 children, the older ones are usually bored.  And when there's one that the older kids like, it's never appropriate for the little ones.  What makes the Lake Ida Park playground great is that all 4 of my kids like it, and it's reasonably safe for even the youngest one.

If you have a 2 year old (or younger), you're probably keenly aware of all the drop-offs and openings on many playgrounds.  There's always a sign that says "Playground designed for children ages 5-12", but 2-year-olds can't read, and see the big playground as a source of great fun vs. danger.  The Lake Ida Park is nice because there aren't any super-high spots that little ones can get to with a risk of a big fall.  (Side note: When my oldest daughter was 3, she fell off a playground and broke her arm.  Unfortunately, I witnessed the whole thing and couldn't catch her in time...so that's why I'm always worried about kids falling off playgrounds!)

The Lake Ida Park also has a smaller play structure for younger kids.  I think it's pretty engaging for a "little playground", with magnet games and other interactive "toys".  But of course, with a big playground right next to it, it doesn't get as much action!

Another note: the playground is considered barrier-free and fully accessible!

If you want to go to a safe and fun playground with kids who have a wide range of ages, then check out Lake Ida Park in Delray Beach!

Fun and Fit as a Family: South Beach Wine & Food Festival with Kids

"Fun and Fit as a Family" is one of the only South Beach Wine & Food Festival events that allows kids under 21.  We attended this weekend in hopes of seeing some of the kids' favorite Food Network stars: Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri, and Robert Irvine.

It was a last-minute decision for us to go, primarily because I noticed on the ticket website that availability for the event was still quite good.  We paid $20 each (even for the 2-year-old!) and arranged to pick up the tickets at Will Call.

The event was held at Jungle Island in downtown Miami.  Considering admission to that park alone was more than $20 each, plus we had the bonus of "Fun and Fit as a Family", I convinced myself it was going to be worth it.  (However, when I arrived and learned LivingSocial had a promotion for $11 per person, I was a little bit annoyed.)  Tip: the event website didn't mention parking at Jungle Island; it's $8 per car CASH ONLY (I never really carry cash, so this caused a bit of a hiccup in our morning).

We arrived at 10am, which was when the park and event opened.  After picking up the tickets and taking an obligatory photo with some parrots, we made a beeline for Rachael Ray's 11am cooking demo.  By the time we got there, they were turning people away from the line saying that the event was already full to capacity!  So much for "good availability"!  At that point, my 10-year-old was upset because she was really looking forward to Rachael Ray's demo.  We hung around, and eventually got a spot in the way-way-way back, standing room only.  The kids got to "see" Rachael Ray, but they weren't able to sit in the kids section on the floor right in front of the action.

Guy Fieri was on at 1pm, and that time, we were in line for a seat...or so we thought.  I think people cut the line (a main theme throughout the day - hey, long lines are frustrating, but wait your turn!).  So by the time we got up to the door, again, we were in the way-way-way back, standing room only.  One consolation was that Guy Fieri was pretty entertaining.  (The kids felt Rachael Ray did more cooking, and Guy Fieri did more talking!)

All events throughout the day focused on staying fit and eating healthy.  There was an obstacle course, zumba for kids, and other activities designed to inspire kids to get moving.

All of the cooking demos revolved around family-friendly meal ideas, and meals that kids can help cook. There were two areas for cooking demos: one was where we got a peek at Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri (sorry Robert Irvine, we wanted to watch you too, but the kids had enough by 3pm).  And then, at the very end of the day, we happened upon the "Whole Foods Market Food Lab", another cooking demo area where star chefs gave kids hands-on cooking lessons. They were scheduled almost simultaneously with the other celebrity chef cooking demos, so you couldn't do both.  For example, while Rachael Ray was whipping up her kid-friendly, veggie-filled dishes at 11am, Rocco DiSpirito was leading the kids in a hands-on demo at 11:30am.  Another helpful note for parents: to participate in the Whole Foods Market Food Lab, kids had to be at least 5 years old, and no parents were allowed into the demo area.

Again, we found this fun-looking activity around 2:45, when kids were filing out of the room with their freshly-made goodies in hand.  Jeff Mauro was going to be on at 3:30, teaching kids how to make Chicken Parmesan, Salad, and Breadsticks.  A line was already forming outside, so we knew we'd need to start waiting right away in order to make sure the kids got a spot.  Then we'd have to entertain the two younger ones for an hour or more while the big kids got to cook.  At that point, we were tired (and tired of waiting in lines), so we just decided to call it a day instead.  The kids were hot and tired and didn't protest.  The last stop on the way out was the face-painting station set up by Carnival Cruise Line, and all 4 kids really liked that.

Although Fun and Fit as a Family didn't exactly meet our expectations, we still made a good day out of it.  The kids were able to get a glimpse of some TV personalities they know, and there was free food throughout the park - if you were willing to wait on a long line (for example: veggie-thin crust pizza from Domino's, Tropi-Chop from Pollo Tropical, and frozen yogurt with berries and/or granola from Carnival Cruise Line).  The kids also got some free goodies to take home, like kid-sized aprons and chefs hats, Guy Fieri t-shirts, temporary tattoos, jump ropes, beach balls, and the like.

Will we go back next year?  Probably not.  However, if there is a good deal on Living Social, then I reserve the right to change my answer to "maybe".

Bon Fire at Lake Worth Beach

My son's friend invited him to the Bon Fire at Lake Worth Beach this past Friday night.  We'd never been, so it seemed like something fun to try, plus a good opportunity for the kids to hang out and roast some marshmallows.

We arrived around 7pm, and parking was easy (later on, the lot was pretty full, so if you're going, better to arrive on the earlier side).  Parking was $4 minimum for 2 hours.

There was a large bon fire going, and a smaller one for roasting marshmallows.  (bring your own food, plus some super-long skewers for the marshmallows!)  The kids enjoyed eating s'mores and digging in the sand with their friends.  Though many folks brought chairs and blankets, we didn't bother - we never ended up sitting down anyways! (Side note: be sure to use the bathroom before you go; the public one there was pretty nasty, and I was sorry we had to use it, but 4-year-olds can't always "hold it"!)

Unfortunately, this was the last bon fire of the season - if you want to go, you'll have to wait until next November!  When it comes around again, I'll be sure to post a reminder - the more the merrier!

Beach Day at Ocean Inlet Park

One thing I love about living in South Florida is the beach.  On the recent day off of school, we visited the Boynton Inlet (AKA Ocean Inlet Park), inspired by my 7-year-old's recent class field trip.  He had such a great time beachcombing, fishing, and playing on the playground, he was excited to share the experience with his siblings (and parents!).



The weather was cool, crisp, and sunny - a perfect beach day, as long as you're not swimming.  First, we crossed S. Ocean Blvd (no traffic!), and walked along the fishing pier to see if there were any good catches coming in.  Then, we spent a good amount of time walking along the beach, searching for seashells and sea glass, enjoying the perfectly glorious day.

Back on the intracoastal side of the park, we ate a quick snack to refuel before hitting the playground.  There are 2 parts of the playground - a larger structure for kids 5-12, and a smaller piece of equipment for the younger ones.  Of course, I had to keep pulling the 2-year-old off of the bigger structure and encouraging him to play on the smaller one that was "just for him".

Eventually, the 10-year-old and 7-year-old were more interested in climbing the trees than the playground itself...

Overall, this is a really great spot.  Parking is free; there are bathrooms and picnic tables; and between the beach, playground, and opportunities to go fishing, there's definitely plenty to do at Ocean Inlet Park!

Science of Chocolate at the South Florida Science Museum

This past weekend, we attended the Science of Chocolate event at the South Florida Science Museum (February 18-19, 2012).  Background: my 10-year-old daughter is a self-proclaimed hater of science (which I don't approve of, by the way).  Just bringing up the subject of a "science museum" is enough to send her running.  However, she is a big fan of chocolate.  Add in the fact that some of her friends were also going, a visit to the science museum became highly anticipated!


Though this is an annual event, it was our first time attending, and I really wasn't sure what to expect from promises of chocolate demonstrations and the prospect of making chocolate play-doh.  (Side note: if you have any coupons for the museum admission, they are not accepted during this event!) 


So, did Science and Chocolate combine for a fun day with the kids?  They sure did!  While the chocolate play-doh was a little underwhelming (do you eat it, or play with it?), the other activities were tasty and entertaining.  And who doesn't like free samples?


The 2 favorites for all of the kids were the Chocolate Fountain (thank you Hoffman's Chocolates!) and the demonstration / tasting table (thank you Lincoln Culinary Institute!).  While the chocolate fountain was limited to a one-time visit, Lincoln Culinary's table was an all-you-can-eat offering of chocolate-covered goodies, including marshmallows, strawberries, oreos, and pretzels.  Chefs were also busy molding chocolate into delicate flowers and other creations.

There were lots of chocolate fun facts to learn during "Chocolate Jeopardy".  Unfortunately, my 2-year-old was cranky by then, so I excused the two of us while the rest of the kids continued playing.  When it was over, they came out with their chocolate prizes: mini candy bars and, since this is a science museum, chocolate covered crickets.  Yes, crickets!  The funniest part is that my picky-eater 7-year-old son, who really only likes pizza and chicken tenders, actually ate one.  Maybe next time we're having steak for dinner, I'll try covering it in chocolate to see if he will eat it.


For me, the "coolest" part was the Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream demo.  Fun Fact: Liquid nitrogen is REALLY cold, like minus 195 degrees Celsius cold (that's minus 320 Fahrenheit)!  It's definitely cold enough to freeze a mix of milk, cream, sugar, and chocolate syrup pretty quickly.  After watching a few experiments on what liquid nitrogen can do, volunteers from the audience helped pour and stir the ingredients, and within minutes, we were all sampling homemade chocolate ice cream!


Stuffed with chocolate and buzzing from a sugar-high, all of the kids declared it a really great day.  The South Florida Science Museum is usually a fun way to spend an afternoon, but the Science of Chocolate made it even better.  You can bet that we'll be returning for next year's event!

About "4 Kids in Florida": An introduction

Hi!  My name is Marisa Bower.  Though I'm not "officially" a Florida native, I've lived in Palm Beach County since 1978, attended Palm Beach County public schools, and returned after graduating from the University of Miami.

I have always liked living here.  Here's my theory: people retire in Florida to "live the good life"... so I decided to skip the years living up north, shoveling snow, suffering through gray months, and just enjoy my life here, "living the good life" from the start.  As the owner of Sunshine Travel, my professional focus is the same, highlighting all the great reasons why people should vacation in Florida.

But my primary "job" is taking care of my family!  I have a great husband, and 4 children: ages 10, 7, 4, and 2.  Given the age differences, it can be tricky to find activities that satisfy everyone at the same time...but I like to try!

In this blog, I'll share our adventures in Palm Beach County (as well as other parts of Florida).  For every activity we do, I'll instantly have the opinion of a Toddler, Preschooler, Grade-schooler, and Tween.  (No teens yet, but from what I understand, they're not really happy doing anything!)  And while "4 Kids in Florida" is about 4 kids, it's also about things FOR kids to do.

Hopefully, we will inspire you try something new in the area, re-visit an old favorite, or expand your to-do list for your next trip to Florida.  If you have something you'd like to see in the spotlight, feel free to drop me a line at 4KidsInFlorida at SunshineTrav dot com!