Drive time from Providence, RI: @1 hour 45 minutes (@ 90 miles) (directions)

Details:
The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History - 869 Route 6A, Brewster, MA 02631
Open February through December
Admission: Adults - $8 (Seniors - $7), Ages 3-12 - $3.50, Under 3 - free. Free for members.
508-896-3867

Indoors: Kids can see everything from woolly mammoth tusks and whale baleen to a real beehive and learn about fish weirs and coastal changes. In the bird viewing room, kids watch birds outside a large picture window (with or without the binoculars) or see the osprey nest via video cam. Lots of hands-on activities keep children of all ages engaged—from a sandbox to crayon rubbings to studying shells under microscopes. Spend some time in the library or head downstairs to visit the aquarium. It was quiet the day we were there and we were lucky enough to get a personal guide who told us about the sea life. We learned fun facts like all turtles have thirteen scoots (the patterns on the top of their shells), no matter what their size, and the blood from horseshoe crabs is used in many of today’s pharmaceuticals.
Outdoors: Choose from several great nature walks – around a salt mash, through a wildflower and butterfly garden, or through a wooded path down to the beach. There are lots of picnic tables out front for having lunch or pausing for a snack.

Things we brought along for our hike:
• Magnifying glass to look at bugs and other treasures (My boys each have their own — $1.49 each from Ocean State Job Lot)
• Rhodia graph pad to record discoveries (fits perfectly into a six-year old’s pants pocket)
• Bottle of water
• Snacks (unfortunately I left ours in the car)
• Bird book
• A great walking stick (we actually didn’t bring one but found several to choose from along the way)

This week on Kidoinfo we are taking a Walk on the Stroller Side—a week of reviews and great deals.

By Maura Keating

They are ubiquitous. The Phil and Teds Sport is the stroller that you’ve been seeing everywhere. With the launch this year of three additional models to their inline range of strollers, Phil and Teds might take over the world someday soon. If you have two children and you plan to leave the house, then you just can’t do better than Phil and Teds ingenious inline system. Like a bunk bed, the Phil and Teds Sport stacks two kids on one stroller frame for a smaller footprint. Where you can stroll is no longer limited to double wide aisles.

We tested the Phil and Teds Sport with the optional doubles kit. The upper or main seat of the stroller has three positions—from upright to flat making the Phil and Teds a stroller that is suitable from birth. The recline, engineered through a system of zippers and buckles, is a little tricky—especially when Baby has already fallen asleep. To raise the seat again, it is easier to unload kid cargo first. The Phil and Ted’s is designed so that the heavier child must use the upper seat. Our testers had two kids that were of equal weight, enabling their three year old daughter to use the lower seat. A zipper provides a slight recline on the lower seat. Our three year old tester loved the lower seat because she could get in and out of the seat easily by herself. That also enabled our testers to not have to unload the entire carriage if the three year-old wanted to get out while the one year-old was sleeping.  The Sport is a three wheel system that rolls on pneumatic tires with a lockable front wheel. The Sport handles most terrains with ease, only getting hung up on larger cracks in the sidewalk. We found that the Sport actually drove better with two children than as a single stroller. It was easier to maneuver and to lift the Sport up over curbs with the extra weight.

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By Maura Keating

Italians know good design. Since 1949, Peg Perego has been designing baby carriages—all of that history distills into a very modern practicality. The Peg Perego Pliko is a great stroller for a nice price.

The Pliko has a great padded seat that reclines by lifting a lever in the back and reclines flat. The seat is removable for machine washing. The Pliko’s two-position zippered sunshade is perfect. It looks great when it’s back and can be pulled all of the way down, protecting a sleepy Baby from the sun and from distraction. A flap at the top covers a plastic window to check on baby, but a mesh makes it hard to see through to see what’s actually going on.

The five-point harness clips to the back of the stroller, granting antsy toddlers a greater range of motion. The straps were easy to adjust, but testers found that the clip came loose from the back too easily with younger children when a range of motion was not needed. A rear adjustable footboard with a rubber tread for better grip offers a ride for older children who have outgrown a double stroller.

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By Maura Keating

Were you first in line at the Transformers movie? My husband thinks that the Urban Rider looks like it belongs on the moon. With its wide wheelbase and large pneumatic tires that could take on lunar craters and its space age styling that features a smooth aluminum frame and shiny, almost iridescent fabric, I can see what he means. The Mutsy Urban Rider is an adaptable stroller that grows with you and Baby with an incomparable line of accessories and components.

The Mutsy Urban Rider comes standard with a toddler seat, travel cot (bassinet), air pump, a covered bumper bar, and coordinating sun shades for both seat and bassinet. To remove the seat or bassinet, click two buttons and pull the component out. To add a component, push it in until you hear two clicks. It couldn’t be easier. Additional optional accessories include a car seat adapter, step-up board for older children to ride along, footmuffs, matching bag, and a rain cover. My favorite accessories are the toddler fun seat with a great looking steering wheel and the dinner tray. You can also purchase a Babysitter rocker frame to use with the Mutsy toddler seat.

There are four different ways to roll with the Urban Rider. The stroller comes standard with two types of front wheels: A pair of plastic swivel wheels is ideal for daily obstacle courses—dodging kids at the park or shoppers at the mail. The smaller wheels can be swapped out for a pair of large pneumatic tires to bring the Mutsy off-roading through the city or the beach. The tires fly over sand, grass, curbs and potholes. The large pneumatic, rear wheels can be fixed forward, or lift a lever with your foot at the bottom of the stroller to engage the Mutsy’s unique swivel frame. When driving with the swivel frame, the Urban Rider rides a little like a boat trailer. The swivel frame takes some getting used to. My husband isn’t sure he’ll ever get used to it and I still have trouble going backwards.

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This week on Kidoinfo we are taking a Walk on the Stroller Side.

By Maura Keating

During my son’s first ride in the Bumbleride Indie, two people stopped to compliment the stroller. When my husband took the stroller out later, he was surrounded by neighbors who wanted to know all about it. Then, they were disappointed that he didn’t know much. I should also note—the throng was all guys. The Bumbleride Indie will do that.

In a perfect world, a stroller would be the perfect fashion accessory. Like a well-planned ensemble, Bumbleride uses original color styling mixed with fabulous patterns to lure you in.

We love the Bumbleride. Everyone who tested the Indie was sad to see it go—even my son loved the Bumbleride. It is a pleasure to drive everywhere we tested—from the worst that city streets could offer to the beach and beyond. The Indie has a wide wheel base, so it got caught up in some very narrow store aisles. And to my son’s dismay, it also didn’t stroll though my house very well. Most surprisingly, the Indie is also a great stroller for casual jogging. Attach the included safety strap and you’re ready to run. The Indie handles a jog around the park as well as a stroll around the mall.

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A stroller is a must have for any new parent but deciding which one to get requires research. Thanks to Maura Keating, Kidoinfo product reviewer, she has spent countless hours testing a number of strollers and a few accessories for our week of stroller reviews. There are also cool discounts and a stroller giveaway. If you are not in the market for a stroller but know someone who is, please spread the word by sharing the Kidoinfo site.

By Maura Keating

You know too much already about Graco and who hasn’t heard about the Bugaboo? We wanted to know more the other strollers out there to see what they were all about. Beyond the Big Box, there is a wonder land of independent retailers selling strollers that will turn your world upside down and your neighbors green with envy.

There is no perfect stroller out there. Sorry, but there isn’t. BUT… If you know where you’re going and what you’ll be doing, there is a stroller that will be perfect for you. It’s just a matter of finding it… I hope we can help.

Over the next five days, we’ll be looking at the following strollers: B.O.B Revolution, Bumbleride Indie, Mutsy Urban Rider, Peg Perego Pliko, Phil & Teds Sport, Quinny Buzz, and Uppababy G-Lite. We’ll also be telling you about two fabulous accessories to complete your stroller and one interview with an amazing Mom who also happens to be the founder of a cool new company that focuses on products for babies and kids.

By Maura Keating

I think you already know that the BOB is great jogging stroller. The BOB is also the stroller that I would reach for if the snow was up to my knees. It’s also the stroller that I’d take out for a long walk through the park, the beach, or downtown. It’s a fun stroller to drive with a smooth ride and a good look. It didn’t matter if you were strolling over tree roots on a hike or over the smooth sidewalks of the suburbs, the Bob glides effortless over nearly every terrain. Pushing the BOB Revolution is a joy, the stroller steers itself. The BOB’s suspension system with adjustable shock absorbers is beyond compare. I don’t think any of our child testers ever felt a bump or a jolt.

As a jogging stroller, the BOB Revolution inspires physical activity since pushing the BOB can be so much fun. The first time I went jogging with my son, I took a cheap jogging stroller and it was months before I jogged again. With the BOB, I don’t have to worry about the stroller; I can concentrate on my run—and BOB strollers are even endorsed by Stroller Strides (fitness program for moms and tots). A velcro is sewn onto the included safety strap to keep the strap stored safely when not in use. The BOB has two 16” back wheels and one 12.5” lockable front wheel with a 360˚ swivel that makes the tightest turns easily. The Revolution has a large footprint and a wide wheel base, so narrower spaces can be tight. I was a little wary about taking the Revolution to the mall for testing. After I saw a grandmother navigating a Revolution effortlessly through the cramped aisles at Whole Foods, I realized just how wrong I was. The Revolution is not a small stroller, but it handles small spaces well.

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By Michelle Riggen-Ransom

Last year, we had a little garden where we grew a couple of radishes, some peas, beans, a few tiny carrots and one very impressive zucchini. Now that our littlest one is walking, we’re kicking it up a notch and turning a big section of our yard into a lovely, suburban, organic garden. This year’s planting plan includes turban squash, corn, a strawberry patch, another attempt at Brussels sprouts (which got munched by something last year), pumpkins, lettuce, and various herbs, along with last year’s favorites.

We’ve spent the last couple of cool spring weekends keeping warm by loading rocks from the garden area into a wheelbarrow and moving them to another, less fertile location. Stacking the rocks into a loose, low wall makes for an interesting outdoor space in and of itself, which will inspire bug-hunting and possibly snake -finding fun.

Preparing the soil and choosing the right plants is an important part of planning your garden. If you’re starting your first garden, you’ll probably want to test the soil to find out what you’re working with, as soil can vary in its pH and nutrient content. Since our soil is sandy, we’re adding topsoil mixed with a little peat moss. Sites like Clean Air Gardening offer great products and tips for using natural fertilizers like bat guano, bone meal, and fish meal, as well as vinegar-based weed killers. (I’m sure I’ll be writing more about fighting weeds organically later in the summer!)

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Today is National Arbor Day. Two of my favorite books are The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. These stories remind us how important our tress are.

Get in a tree mood: Listen to C is for Conifers by They Might Be Giants on itunes.

Celebrate locally: RITree invites everyone to join in celebrating Arbor Day by watching the beginning of a forest, and by honoring the important work of arborists in Rhode Island. The staff at Goddard Memorial State Park and a team of RI arborists, with help from a small army of Tree Stewards, will plant up to 100 trees.

Everyone is invited to the Arbor Day Fair and tree planting. The event will showcase demonstrations by arborists, displays by tree-related organizations and information about proper planting and mulching methods. Raffles every hour, to give away a free tree. Come and learn what it is that arborists do, and meet the people who do it. This is a fair for all ages, so pack a picnic lunch and a blanket, bring the whole family, and enjoy this beautiful park on a spring day.

Details:
Arbor Day Fair and tree planting, sponsored by RITree
Saturday, April 26, 2008 from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm
Goddard Memorial Park, Warwick, RI
401-764-5885

More Events: Earth Day Cleanup
Clean up events across the city take place throughout the week. Visit What Grows on RI for a listing of locations.

Although Earth Day was officially Tuesday, our trees need a healthy environment in order to grow everyday.
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By Marianne Ruggiero
Coordinator of Family Programs at The RISD Museum

April brings showers, flowers, and birds back into our gardens. Bring a piece of nature inside your home by creating a sun catcher in the shape of a bird in flight. Here’s an easy sun catcher project you can make with your kids. It was developed by Zehra Ahmed, a RISD Architecture student originally from Karachi, Pakistan. Sun catchers, first developed by Native Americans in the Southwest, are often made of glass or other types of reflective materials. Zehra’s sun catcher, based on an English porcelain syrup jug in the Museum’s decorative-arts collection, uses transparent cellophane wrap and other materials that you may already have in your home.

This lovely jug (above) created to hold syrup is from the Coalport China Company’s “Japanese Grove” pattern. It features a scene inspired by Japanese art of bamboo and flying birds resembling swallows against a gilded background. This and other beautiful examples of American and European ceramics featuring birds and flowers may be found on The RISD Museum’s 6th-floor bridge to Pendleton House as part of an ongoing exhibition titled The birds & the bees & the flowers & the trees.

Make a Bird Sun Catcher

Materials:
• Bird template (Download PDF)
• Scissors
• Exacto Knife (optional - for adult use only)
• Colored cardboard (your choice of color)
• Colored cellophane wrap (available at Michael’s Craft Store)
• Glue stick
• Paper punch
• Ribbon

How To:
1. Print two copies of the bird template and carefully cut them out. Adults should help children cut out the inner areas of bird wings and body.
2. Trace the templates onto the colored cardboard and cut them out. Adults should help children cut out the inner areas of bird wings and body. (An exacto knife works well for the inner area.)
3. Lay pieces of cellophane wrap over the bird frames. Use two colors if you like, one for the wings and the other for the body. Cut pieces of cellophane to fit over the inside spaces of the bird frames, but not to extend beyond the outside edge.
4. Put the two cardboard frames together so that you know which sides to glue; then put glue (not too much) all along the inner sides of the bird frames.
5. Lay cut cellophane wrap over the glue and seal the frame shut. Hold in place for a couple of minutes to make sure glue sets.
6. Punch a hole through the two glued frames in the area that corresponds to the place marked “X” on the print-out.
7. Put a colorful string or thin ribbon through the hole and tie a knot at the other end.
8. Your bird sun catcher is completed. Hang in front of a sunny window in your home so that it catches the light.

Celebrate the Earth with Us!
On April 26, from 11 am – 4 pm at The RISD Museum, kids and families pay tribute to Earth Day by making sun catchers, peace flags, finding nature-related art on a special gallery quest, and enjoying a live concert by the Community MusicWorks Players. (Two performances in the museum at 12 pm and 1pm). Free-For-All Saturday at the museum means admission, refreshments, and all activities are free!
Location: The RISD Museum - 224 Benefit Street, Providence, RI

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CREDITS:
Photo: Zehra Ahmed (RISD 2009) teaches children a project at a RISD Museum Free-For-All Saturday workshop. Photograph by Carole deGroat.
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Coalport China Company
England, Coalport, 1780-present
Syrup Pitcher (“Japanese Grove” pattern), ca. 1880
Porcelain, cobalt and gilt decoration
Helen M. Danforth Acquisition Fund 2004.27.1

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