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20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families!

Summer 2021 feels like the summer of freedom! We’re finally opening up after a long, hard 15 months of quarantine, adjustments, and cancelled travel plans. To help you make the very most of your upcoming summer of fun, we’re sharing our favorite summer picks for families!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! Summer Finds

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For Your Summer Adventures!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! bestie blanket

Take your summer adventures to the next level with Kelty! They have the outdor adventure gear your family needs. With camping and hiking backpacks, sleeping solutions including sleeping bags and pads, tents and shelters, and camp furniture you’ll love! Check out all their top summer picks!

One of our favorite finds for summer is their new Bestie Blanket. It’s a versatile blanket that can be used as a ground cover for your picnics, to wrap around your shoulders while watching the sunset on the beach, an extra layer with your sleeping back, or as a camping blanket for your kiddos. It’s made with a cozy Cloudloft insulation for lightweight warmth and is a soft comfy fabric on both sides. Just stuff it in the included sack and bring it along wherever you go!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! 210622 us best of newport full

Keen is our favorite pick for kids shoes that really last and last! With boys that are tough on shoes, Keen are the one shoes my kids haven’t destroyed before they outgrow them! We love that they are not only built to last but are comfortable, stylish, and have innovative features that matter! Like machine washable shoes that let you get out all the mess they can handle!

Like the Big Kids’ Newport Neo H2 sandals that are a fully supportive sandal with a reinforced enclosed toe. It’s the best of both worlds. A sandal that is airy and sock free but still provides support and protects their feet. It’s perfect for in and out of the water with a quick-dry lining and lightweight EVA cushioning that won’t weigh them down.

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! sol hatchet

Be prepared for anything with the help of Survive Outdoors Longer tools! They have smart survival gear that’s perfect to bring along on your camping trips, hiking adventures, or to keep on hand for emergencies. One of their useful tools is the SOL Stoke Pivot Knife & Saw. It easily transitions between a knife edge and a saw edge with a comfortable non-slip ergonomic grip. Plus it’s integrated with a flit fire starter and tinder cord so you’re ready for the unexpected.

The SOL Stoke Camp Hatchet that delivers not just a compact and lightweight hatchet but thoughtful extras to help you be prepared. It has an integrated rope cutter at the back of the hatchet. Which you can use to cut a piece of the included tinder cord lanyard. There are 3 hex wrenches cut into the hatchet so you have a tool handy when you need it. Plus, a flint starter and an integrated bottle opener!

Favorite Picks for Younger Kids

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! mad mattr bakery 36

Get them hands on with sensory play with Mad Mattr! It’s a super duper soft, easy to shape and mold compound that never dries out and is reusable. A Mad Mattr Quantum Pod is perfect for on-the-go with a pop-open lid that will snap closed to ensure it’s safely tucked away for later. It’s just the right amount of Mad Mattr for one child to play with wherever you may need a cool down, distraction, or just get creative!

Try this darling Bakery Activity Set includes four different colors of Mad Mattr with 2oz of each, enough to make lots of play desserts. It also includes 7 unique molds including 3 cookie molds (chocolate chip, sprinkle, and sugar cookies), 2 cupcake toppers, a cupcake base, and a donut mold! They’ll love mixing and matching the colors for their own homemade bakery of play treats!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! wobble board

Keep your kids active and moving this summer with Little Partners Wobble Board! The Wobble Board is designed to help kids increase balance and encourage imaginative play. Whether you use it outside or inside, the Wobble Board’s possibilities are endless; turn the Wobble Board upside down for a fun ramp, rest it against the couch for a slide, sit and rock pretending it’s a car, stand on it to help increase balance and coordination.

Ever since we received the Wobble Board, my kids can’t get enough. I’m amazed at their imaginations watching how many different uses for the Wobble Board they’ve found. I also love that I can leave it lying around the house as it looks so modern! It’s been the perfect addition to our summer activities. Wobble Boards come in three different colors: natural, soft white, and slate gray. Trust me, your kids will love it!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! bubble wands

What is summer without bubbles? Little Kids Inc. Lights and Sounds Bubble Wands take bubbles to the next level. Your child will love blowing TONS of bubbles with just the press of a button. The best part – mom doesn’t have to sit and blow bubbles for hours on end!

What sets these Lights and Sounds Bubble Wands apart is the fun lights and music that plays when the bubbles are blowing. I love that they remind me of the bubble wands at Disneyland! Best of all, there are bubble wands in various Disney characters: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Ariel, and Toy Story. Talk about the perfect way to make this summer magical!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! mag formers

As much as I love summer vacation, I’m always afraid that my children will forget what they’ve learned from school. That’s why I love finding toys that are both fun and educational. Some of my absolute favorite STEM toys are Magformers.

Magformers are plastic magnetic shapes that can be put together to build and create. Whether you choose to follow building directions or use them for imaginative play, the possibilities are endless. This fun Creator Carnival Set (pictured above) is perfect for children of an intermediate skill level. The STICK-O Forest Friends set is a similar idea, but perfect for younger children. I also love that you can use the blocks to work on colors and shapes. So many fun options available perfect for keeping your kids’ minds engaged this summer!

Toys & Games for Older Kids

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! 13deadendDr large

Share the love of classic board games with your kids with the beloved games by Winning Moves! They offer all the classics we know and love including Monopoly, PayDay, Guess Who?, Clue, Trouble, and many more! One of the classics that your family will love is 13 Dead End Drive. This flash back to 1994 is a competitive game to be the last surviving heir to get to inherit Aunt Agatha’s fortune! It’s a 3D game that includes traps to interact with!

Or take the Trashed Card Game for a spin! It’s a new game inspired by the old favorite game, Garbage. You’ll try to get your cards lined up from 1-10 but with twists and turns along the way. Watch out for the Trashed card and take advantage of wilds to transform your line-up. The game cards are all tucked inside a darling mini trash can that adds to the fun!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! The Young Scientists Club Extreme Fossil Dig with Components

There is something magical about crafting and creating during the summer. I have many fond memories of childhood summer projects. Thankfully, Horizon Group USA has many fun crafting kits perfect for the interests of every child.

Your young scientist will love this Extreme Fossil Dig (pictured above). Use tools to find 18 REAL dinosaur fossils and 4 gems! It will literally keep your child busy for hours as they find and identify these hidden treasures. If you have an artist in the home, the Made by Me Create Your Own Window Art will transform your windows into colorful art! Paint 12 suncatcher shapes in beautiful colors and hang them on your mirrors or windows and watch them glisten in the sun. Horizon Group USA truly has so many fun creative projects to keep your kids busy this summer!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! sketch book bag square 1 1

They’ll be able to endlessly draw, doodle, take notes, and make plans with the myFirst Sketch Book. It will feel just like using pen on a piece of paper as they draw away and come up with all sorts of designs. Then, the designs are instantly saved and preserved! The myFirst Sketch Book has a built-in memory making it easy to save designs – tech free!

Parents or tweens and teens can pair myFirst Sketch Book with the Sketch Book app to make additional adjustments such as font thickness, tip size, adjust colors, and more. The app also helps easily transfer your child’s work to preferred devices. When they’ve finished the drawing, it’s easy to clear the screen and start all over again, and again, and again! The myFirst Sketch Book lasts up to 2 weeks on a single charge.

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families!

If you need a toy to go along on your summer trips, check out Plus-Plus! They’re a fun and unique building toy that your kids can build endless creations with! The pieces look like two little plus signs ++ connected that make them easily fit together in any combination. The Mini-Maker Tubes are a perfect place to start with 70 pieces, a small and compact storage tube, and a design idea to get them started – like the fun alien themed tube.

For at home and on-the-go the larger, but still portable, 240 pc Open Play Tubes provide more pieces so they can come up with even more creations! They can great characters, vehicles, animals, worlds and environments – or anything they can come up with. Plus-Plus are suggested for ages 5-12 but are fun even for adults to tinker with!

Techie Summer Picks

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! gaming chair

For your kiddos that love to game, pick up a ESX360 Youth Gaming Chair. It’s a perfect desk or gaming chair for your tweens and teens that love to play video games. It’s adjusted to fit youth so it’s just the right size to support their smaller frames. Without sacrificing quality – it’s made with premium P.U. leather that can easily clean up any spills – just wipe clean with water.

The ESX360 Gaming Chair has an ergonomic design with adjustability in mind. You can recline the backrest with adjustable backrests height. Remove or adjust both the headrest pillow and lumbar cushion for the extra support they need. And of course, you can adjust the height to fit under the desk or to grow with their rapid teen growth spurts.

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! pokemon snap

Relive the fun of the Pokémon Snap from the Nintendo 64 system in a whole new way, now on Nintendo Switch with New Pokémon Snap! If you’ve played the original game, you’ll find the same gameplay style with whole new islands to explore and brand new Pokémon to discover!

In New Pokémon Snap, you’ll explore the world in search of Pokémon in their natural habitats. Then, snap a picture and get ranked based on your photo quality such as how close you were to the Pokémon, if they’re facing you, and even for capturing rare Pokémon behaviors can help you score a four star photo! You’ll also help Professor Mirror to discover t he truth behind the Illumina phenomenon where some Pokémon and vegetation appear to have a special glow!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! bbluc

During the summer, I never travel anywhere without a baby monitor. There’s such peace of mind being able to see if my kids are sleeping okay when I’m in another room. Plus, when you’re traveling, you just never know how kids will react sleeping in a different environment. Thankfully, the bblüv Cäm comes with so many amazing features to make sure your little one feels comfortable while they sleep.

bblüv Cäm comes with two different cameras that can both be shown on the split screen monitor. I love that the monitor and cameras are rechargeable so that you’re not hooked up to an outlet anytime you want to use them. Plus, the monitor can reach up to 1,000 feet. The bblüv Cäm has an incredible picture and allow you to scan the room at any given time. There’s a nightlight built in to the cameras, two way communication, and a white noise feature. The bblüv Cäm literally has ever feature you could ever ask for in a baby monitor! Perfect for home or travel, you won’t go wrong with the bblüv Cäm.

Summer Must-Haves for Adults

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! fluidstance

Your work and productivity can keep up with your busy, fun-filled summer with Fluidstance! They’ve created innovative balance boards that help you stay moving and active while working at a standing desk or counter. It’s a fun way to stay active during the day and easily transition from bill paying to kid wrangling without all the ups and downs of a traditional desk.

We’ve had a chance to check out the Plane Cloud Balance Board and our whole family enjoys using it! It’s topped with a textured foam top that is so comfortable it makes it easier to stand for longer periods of time. I love that it keeps me moving and actually helps me stay focused on my task at hand. The micro-movements of using a balance board can help strengthen and stabilize your body, keep your joints fluid, burn extra calories, and keep you focused and alert!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! gobe3

Tackle your health, fitness, and wellness goals this summer with the HeatBe GoBe3 smart band. It’s the first smartwatch to automatically, digitally, count your calories for you! No more reading labels and tracking every bite. The GoBe3’s innovative, and patented, FLOW technology has been proven to be 89% accurate at calculating calorie intake and rehydration

With the GoBe3 you’ll also be able to track stress, hydration needs, exercise, heart rate and pulse, sleep routines, and more to help give you a well rounded view of your health. Then, it works with timely alerts to help you meet your goals! Such as a wake alert when you’ve achieved just the right amount of sleep or hydration reminders when it’s time to drink more water. Then, connect with the app to see loads of insights and help you make impactful changes to improve your health this summer!

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! tortuga

You’ll find the perfect bag to take on your upcoming travels with Tortuga Backpacks. They’ve designed travel backpacks specifically designed to work as your carry-on or personal item to have as much space as possible, all while being organized and easy to utilize on the go. Instead of a traditional backpack, that unzips at the top, the Tortuga backpacks unzip like a carry-on making it easy to pack and even easier to use while traveling.

I’m loving their Women’s Setout Divide Backpack. It’s adjustable to adapt to your needs. Keep it condensed and it will work as an under-the-seat back for most airlines. Or expand the bag with a quick unzip and you’ll have a bit extra space and a bag still sized just right for travel as a carry-on sized luggage. It adjusts from 26L to 34L and with two separate compartments to keep clean and dirty clothes organized.

Self-Care Faves for Summer

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! recess

Be ready for your on-the-go self-care needs with the help of the innovative disposable wipes by Recess. Their innovative products make it easy to refresh wherever you may be. They offer a variety of wipes such as hand sanitizing, face cleaning, body wipes and more all packaged in a small pocket-sized pouch that you can stash in your gym bag, purse, in a pocket, or keep a stash in the car so you’re always ready and feeling your best!

The Sun + Ski Bundle is an easy way to get started with 3 favorite packs sold together! It includes Deodorant Wipes, Bacteria Fighting Face Wipes, and Aloe Wipes to help you get through a summer of camping, pool days, outdoor adventures, travel, or wherever you may go this summer. Recess wipes are incredibly travel (and purse!) friendly.

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! sonoma

Take care of sore muscles, headaches, stress, with Sonoma Lavender! The company was founded around all the many amazing attributes of lavender such as it’s ability to heal skin, help you sleep, and even repel insects! They offer a Lavender Spa Heat Wrap that can help you with your ailments. It’s long 9″ x 26″ design makes it perfect for a variety of uses. The ultra-soft cover makes it feel like a luxurious retreat and can easily be removed and washed, as needed.

The Eucalyptus Silver Fox Faux Fur Spa Mask will help you target just the right spot that needs extra attention. Use it on your eyes to soothe tension and block out light to help you relax away stress or any other spot, as needed. It can be placed in the freezer or heated in the microwave or dryer to add heat or cold therapy.

20 Summer Finds & Favorites for Families! stryke

Help your teen boys tackle their puberty with Stryke Club. They’re a skin care and hygiene brand specifically developed for teen boys that will help them look their best. When the founders noticed so many skin care products are geared towards girls, they set out to develop products that would focus on boys skin care concerns. All their products work to kill bacteria that is associated with breakouts all while focusing on not drying out or irritating their skin.

Get started with The Fix It Kit that includes an everywhere wash, face first – skin cleanser, calm down – a daily moisturizer, and stryke stick that quickly targets and treats acne spots! You’ll find clean products that don’t contain parabeans, sulfates, phthalates, and are cruelty-free! You can find Stryke Club products at your local Target!

Which of these favorite summer picks would your family love most?