Camp Mom

When school let out, I was very much into the idea of having less hectic mornings, because I would no longer need to make breakfast and lunch as soon as we woke up, while trying to get everyone dressed and out the door on time. I was practically chanting the song “no more pencils, no more books, no more teachers,…” Well maybe I broke out the champagne too soon, because camp mom over here has pretty much needed to do the same exact thing, between our summer adventures and camp for the next two weeks is further than school, so the work load has increased.

All those playful days in camp still require many of their school-like essentials, such as backpacks, lunch boxes, etc. Ryder, Siella, and Gemma are old enough now, so they can all carry around their own belongings. I love the idea of them handling their own totes, because it keeps things pretty organized and easy, while we are on the go. This mitigates any confusion or arguments about who has what toy. This leaves me to still packing lunches, filling water bottles, replenishing snacks, grabbing bathing suits, towels, and toys.

This summer, Skip Hop’s Zoo Collection of Backpacks, Lunchies, and Straw Bottle Sets have made their way into our rotation. I’ve always loved the whimsical details and durable materials that make up their Zoo Packs. For Gemma, I decided to get the unicorn, for Siella the chameleon, and Ryder the raccoon. I’ve found they are the perfect pack for on-the-go, easily holding all their belongings needed for the day. Inside the packs, you will find mesh side pockets that adjust to fit juice boxes or water bottles. The front pouch is ideal for snacks, and includes extra pockets for pencils and other travel necessities. Since they were built with kids in mind, the packs are lightweight, with comfy padded straps for little shoulders!

To make items easier to sort, their Lunchies and Straw Cups are the same Zoo Animals as their backpacks. With the same features as the Zoo Packs, they are the perfect size for little ones on-the-go. These soft lunch bags have a roomy main compartment that holds sandwiches, snacks, drinks and more. An insulated, wipe-clean interior keeps food and drinks cold, plus an inside mesh pocket holds an ice pack or utensils. The girls enjoy the Zoo Lunch Kit which features two compartments one for their sandwich and another for snack. The coordinating clips make it easy for them to open and close themselves, while the rubber seal locks the lid in place to prevent leaks.

Once camp ends, there are many more things on the agenda for the summer, like a picnic at Central Park, a trip to the new park on Governor’s Island, and definitely more trips to the beach. I’m determined to have our mornings slow down just a bit, but for now, it’s just fine because when they are grown they look back on these days with fond memories.