Ben's Playground Picks - Regatta Playground, West Orange, NJ

Today, we're going to kick off a new category called Ben's Playground Picks! 

I am so excited to share Regatta Playground in West Orange, NJ with you! It is brand new - opening less than a month ago on August 14th! How neat is that?

This nautical themed playground is located in the South Mountain Recreation Complex, right next to the paddle boating and picnic area. We put the address 9 Cherry Lane, West Orange NJ in our GPS and had no issues finding it. Parking is located directly across the street from the playground at the Oakdale Parking lot. It is open year-round from 10am-8pm.

Regatta Playground is completely fenced in, which is a feature I appreciate immensely. You won't find any uncomfortable metal benches here- instead, colorful Adirondack chairs are sprinkled all around the playground. What a great touch! There are also water fountains of different heights right by the entrance. The restroom facilities are located just a short walk away, right next to the paddle boat dock.

The thought that went behind this playground is tremendous! Everything is meticulously crafted from the ground (which is made of a spongy, bouncy material) on up. I don't think I have seen a more aesthetically-pleasing playground. 

5-12 year olds and a pre-school playground for 2-5 year olds - See more at: http://www.njplaygrounds.com/9791/regatta-playground-south-mountain-reservation-west-orange-nj-clipper-pavilion-playground/#sthash.pdbnLbxg.dpuf

Tip: Make sure to bring snacks, as there didn't seem to be any quick snacking options available.

Now onto the details: The bigger play structures are aimed for ages 5-12, and the smaller play structures are aimed at ages 2-5. There are 24 separate pieces of equipment in total, and they are all very unique and engaging. Yes, there were the tried and true slides and swings, but there were also mini rope-climbing installations, spinning discs, and even a musical instrument station! I have never seen these types of equipment in a playground!

And the best part of this playground - it's free! Ben thoroughly enjoyed everything the Regatta Playground had to offer!

You can totally make a day of all of the wonderful things the South Mountain Recreation Complex has to offer, which include the Turtle Back Zoo, Safari MiniGolf, Treetop Adventure Course, McLoone's Boathouse Restaurant, Paddle Boating, Richard J. Codey Ice Arena, as well as the scenic South Mountain Reservation that gives you plenty of outdoor options for family fun with:

Ten picnic areas

Nineteen miles of hiking and walking trails

Twenty-seven miles of carriage roads for jogging, horseback riding, & cross-country skiing

Archery range

Fishing at Diamond Mill Pond

Hemlock Falls

Various wildlife, including deer

Largest parkland in Essex County 

Regatta Playground in West Orange, NJ is definitely Ben Approved!
 

 

Oakdale Parking area

9 Cherry Lane, West Orange NJ

5-12 year olds and a pre-school playground for 2-5 year olds - See more at: http://www.njplaygrounds.com/9791/regatta-playground-south-mountain-reservation-west-orange-nj-clipper-pavilion-playground/#sthash.pdbnLbxg.dpuf

5-12 year olds and a pre-school playground for 2-5 year olds - See more at: http://www.njplaygrounds.com/9791/regatta-playground-south-mountain-reservation-west-orange-nj-clipper-pavilion-playground/#sthash.pdbnLbxg.dpuf

Nerdy Newborn Must Haves (Ghostbusters Edition) + Bonus Ghostbusters Inspired Boys Names!

 Nerdy Newborn Must Haves (Ghostbusters Edition) 

In honor of the 30th anniversary of Ghostbusters, I thought it would be really neat to put together a NNMH post! This was actually one of the harder ones to do, as there aren't that many newborn Ghostbusters things out there!

 

1. 1 Ghost 2 Ghost 3 Ghost BUST! by Charles Thurston - "1 Ghost 2 Ghost 3 Ghost BUST!" is my tribute to the genius that was Harold Ramis and my love of Ghostbusters. Printed on Heavy Card stock each book is 4" X 4". perfect for little hands and lets them feel like this is a book just for them. 16 pages cover to cover with a color cover and black and white interior illustrations and a staple bind. All sales are final and returns will not be accepted.

Priced at $7.00 

2. ABC's of geek pop culture poster - How boring is the "A is for Apple, B is for Ball" stuff you find everywhere? As my wife and I were getting ready to decorate our upcoming baby's room I decided to create an ABC print that I would find intersting. Incorporating as many geekery pop culture items and genres as I could, this is what I came up with. I pay homage to the things that inspired me as a kid (and still to this day)... comic books, Star Wars, Sesame Street, cartoons, sci-fi (or is it SyFy now?), fantasy and more. On the reverse of the print you will find the identity of each image and its letter. The print is an 11" x 17" (image is about 8" x 14") copy of my pen & ink and watercolor original. Printed on heavy card stock. This item is shipped flat via USPS in a heavy, protected mailer. Shipping is FREE in the US and Canada. 

Priced at $25.00

3. Toddler Halloween Childrens Costume / Stay Puft Baby - Happy Halloween! This adorable baby and toddler costume is made to look like the stay puft baby from ghostbusters. Adorable, comfortable and handmade - could you ask for more? Please inquire with questions. Last day to order for Halloween is Monday October 22nd. 

Available sizes:
0-3/newborn
3-6
6-12

18

24  

Priced at $58.00

4. Lullaby Renditions of Halloween Movie Themes (Physical CD) - Baby Rockstar rearranges your favorite Halloween movie themes as beautiful melodies, played by soothing bells mixed with sleepy tones and light percussive effects. These calming and dreamy renditions will help get your little rockstars ready for bedtime. Baby Rockstar releases ignite a musical curiosity in your little ones and will be favorites of young children, and their parents, for years to come. 

Track list:

Funeral March of a Marionette (from Alfred Hitchcock Presents) 

Halloween Theme (from John Carpenter's Halloween)
Music Box (from Candyman)
The X-Files Theme (from The X-Files)
This Is Halloween (from The Nightmare Before Christmas) 

Ghostbusters (from Ghostbusters)

Priced at $8.00

5. Ghostbusters 10" Plush Set Of 6 -  

1x Stay Puft Marshmallow Man
- 1x Slimer
- 1x Egon Spengler
- 1x Winston Zeddemore
- 1x Raymond Stantz

-1x Peter Venkman

Priced at $81.27 

6. Ghostbusters Logo Night Light - The image is professionally printed on a specialty paper that gives off a beautiful glow. Each night light is hand assembled. Please note, the surface is slightly convex, so if it looks a bit wonky here, that's why. When you see it in 3-d, it is perfect with no distortion! Approximate size is 4 x 3. Standard C7 (night light) bulb included. These are easily found in any hardware store should you ever need a replacement. Comes with matching box (not pictured.) 

Priced at $10.00

7. Slimer from Ghostbusters Baby Cocoon Outfit - This is soooo cute! This cocoon set is custom made to fit your baby from 0-6 months. This particular set is Slimer from the movie Ghostbusters. It is made with very soft yarns. The No Ghosts patch is hand designed and hand cut from felt and hand sewn on the front. The cocoon is made to snuggle up to the neck and there is a drawstring there so you can safely tie it to keep it up. It can also be made with armholes, just ask ;o) This one was a huge hit for halloween, but they also make adorable photography props. Because it is a special order, it will take 2 weeks for me to create this and get it in the mail to you. Upon purchase, please tell me in the notes section what size you will need. 

Priced at $50.00

8. Ghostbusters Gatekeeper Diaper Cover - Diaper Cover Bloomers, Cute coverage for diapers with custom bottom print, perfect for crawlers, Double stitched for durability and extra protection from leaks, 100% soft cotton jersey, Machine wash.

Priced at $9.97

Bonus Ghostbusters Inspired Boys Names! 

 

What Nerdy Newborn Must Have would make the perfect gift? Which Ghostbusters Inspired Boys Name(s) do you like the best?

Comment below!

 

Toddler Tech: VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch VS LeapFrog LeapBand

It is super exciting that VTech and LeapFrog have developed smart wearables for kids! I am pleased to give you the rundown on both devices so that you can pick the one that best suits your families needs. Meet the VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch and the LeapFrop LeapBand!

First up, lets take a closer look at the VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch:

The VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch is the smartest watch for kids! Perfect for young photographers, this durable smartwatch makes it easy to take photos and record videos on the go. They can also use the touch screen to explore their creativity with fun photo effects, frames and filters. The watch helps kids learn how to tell time by letting them choose between digital and analog displays. They can also choose between more than 50 clock face designs. It also includes a timer and alarm with a variety of fun animations to choose from. A voice recorder lets kids record their voice and play with five voice-changing effects. The Smartwatch also includes four learning games with the ability to download more from Learning Lodge using the included micro USB cable, which can also be used to upload photos and videos as well as recharge the battery. The Kidizoom Smartwatch is also splash proof, making it perfect for everyday play. (Splash and sweat proof. Do not submerge and not suitable for showering or bathing). More than just a watch, it’s the Kidizoom Smartwatch.

Retail Price: $59.99 

Colors available: Blue, White, Pink, and Green

Age Recommendation: 4-7 years

Features:

Camera with photo effects

Video recorder

Voice recorder

Touch screen

4 learning games

Splash proof for everyday play (Splash and sweat proof. Do not submerge and not suitable for showering or bathing)

Rechargeable

Digital and analog watch displays

Timer and alarm clock

50+ clock face designs

Durable design

Connects with VTech's Learning Lodge™ 

Tech Specs:

1.41" sensitive color touch screen

Photo Resolution: 640 X 480 (0.3 MP)

Video Resolution: 320 X 240 pixel or 160 X 120 pixel @15 fps

Video Length limit per file: 60 seconds

Focus Range: 1.5 feet

Internal Memory: 128 MB built-in memory (shared with program

data, actual memory available for user storage

will be less

Storage capacity:

Photos: approx. 800

Videos: approx. 6 minutes at 320 x 240 pixels,

approx. 15 minutes at 160 X 120 pixels

File Format: Photos: Standard Baseline JPEG

Video: AVI (Motion JPEG)

Micro USB 2.0 cable (included) for connection with computer

Battery: Li-ion Polymer battery (battery is not replaceable)

 Compatible with PC/Mac

Let's compare to the LeapFrog LeapBand: 

 Discover the only activity tracker made for kids that encourages active play and healthy habits with 50 fun challenges, featuring a customizable pet pal: the LeapFrog LeapBand! Kids can earn energy points-then unlock rewards for being active, caring for a pet pal and completing challenges on LeapBand. It's fit made fun-just for kids! LeapBand comes with 10 imaginative and active play challenges, as well as 4 cool-down challenges. Plus, parents can easily add up to 36 more challenges in LeapFrog Connect so kids can have fun completing challenges like "Walk like a crab" or "Spin like a helicopter." The more active kids are with their LeapBand, the more fun they'll have with games and rewards. As they earn points, kids can unlock up to 8 pets; play up to level 10 with each pet before unlocking a new one! With each level of play, get rewards like a variety of toys for their pet. Keep kids engaged and learning with mini-games like Pet Boogie, and Pet Chef. In Pet Boogie, create and practice a pet dance; and in Pet Chef, help a pet collect food and make healthy snacks. Plus, they can play in their pet's world: Visit the Pet Parlor to pamper pets with a glitter soap bath, or collect new pet toy rewards in Pet Play.

Retail Price: $39.99 

Colors available: Blue, Pink, and Green

Age Recommendation: 4-7 years 
 
Features: 

Experience the first activity tracker made for kid - LeapBand is fit made fun!
Preload LeapBand with 50 active challenges that get kids moving, like "Pounce like a lion!"
Parent controls on LeapFrog Connect make it easy to set play times, challenges and more.
Encourages active play, nurturing and healthy choices.

Tech Specs:
LeapBand
1.44" LCD hi-res color screen
Rechargeable li-polymer soft shell battery
Water resistant
Accelerometer
Micro USB 2.0 port
Product dimensions 2.5Wx1.8Hx2D (inches)
Packaged weight 0.5 (lbs.)
Wrist strap minimum 0.9Hx1.57W (inches)
Wrist strap maximum 1.77Hx2.04W (inches)

 Compatible with PC/Mac

Pros and Cons:
VTech Kidizoom
Pros: Comes in white color also, has camera/video function, more game oriented, voice recording function, Splash proof
Cons: Parental controls aren't as great, less fitness oriented, power switch is on back of watch and difficult to get to

LeapFrog LeapBand
Pros: Pricepoint is lower, parental controls are more substantial, more fitness oriented, water resistant
Cons: No camera/video function, less game oriented, no voice recording function

The Verdict:
The one thing that would have definitely swayed my opinion of one over the other would have been GPS tracking functionality. Alas, neither have that. I feel as though the video and camera function on the Kidizoom are great, but for a slightly older child with an expressed interest in media. Ben loves moving around, and loves animals, so the LeapFrog is great in that way. Anything to get a child engaged and actively moving is an excellent thing! Plus, the LeapBand totally reminds me of all of the fun I had with my Tamagotchi growing up! I appreciate the fact that there is a "School Mode" on the LeapBand, and that the parental controls are more substantial. Here are the parental control options for the LeapFrog LeapBand: On Device: Silent Mode - hold left arrow button down for 5 seconds. This will put the device into and out of quiet mode, LeapFrog Connect: School Mode and Night Mode - This mode can be scheduled up to two times in a 24-hour period. School Mode and Night Mode can be turned off only through LeapFrog Connect. No audio, animation, or gameplay is available but the LeapBand continues to track their motions. The parental controls on the Kidizoom are limited in that the options per day are either 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, or no time limit. I really don't want Ben fooling around with games or pictures at school!
For my family's needs, the LeapFrog LeapBand is the Smartwatch we will be buying!

What smartwatch are you interested in for your child? Comment below!