They're the staples of filled piñatas and receptionists' candy bowls but did you know that the Dum Dum sucker is made right here in the Midwest? Spangler's Candy Factory is a family-owned company that makes over 12 million Dum Dums a day! And you and your kids can actually see the factory in action on your next road trip through Ohio. In addition to making Dum Dums, ... Read More

One of the huge benefits of traveling with your kids is the the chance to show them that the world is full of all kinds of different people, cultures, and landscapes and I'd love to take my kids all around the world to experience all those rich cultures that make up our planet but my budget doesn't always allow for that. So finding a way to incorporate those values into ... Read More

"The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves" - John Muir  With 25 state parks to chose from in Indiana it can be hard to decide which one you want to visit. Many offer unique features and if you and your family enjoy exploring outdoors you're probably looking for which ones to add to your bucket ... Read More

Don't you just love watching your kids' faces light up when they discover something new or make a connection to something they're observing? That look of delight, as a smile breaks out, and you can almost see the "lightbulb" flash above their little heads. It's one of my favorite things as a parent! There's something about learning out in the world that can't be replicated ... Read More

  Watching your kids splash in the cool blue water while you sit on the warm sand, shoving mouthfuls of tart and sweet freshly picked cherries in your mouth, or huddling around a smoky campfire as you watch the light reflect on the dark water. It doesn't get much better than a Michigan summer. OK, I'm a little biased since I grew up just an hour from Lake Michigan ... Read More