InRoad Toys PlayTape

 **A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review**

We have this big bin filled with toy cars that my son and daughter love to collect but which are just sitting around gathering dust because the kids never seem to play with them.  So on a recent weekend when it was too cold to go outside and play, I pulled out the bin of cars and said no TV or video games today.  My kids whined to me that was too boring but I had an answer for them by pulling out some InRoad Toys PlayTape.

This product encourages children to engage in imaginative play by allowing them to create their own roads and rails to use with toy vehicles.  I handed over the PlayTape to my kids and let them construct their own race courses, winding roads, and railroad tracks to entertain themselves with.  They had a blast laying out designs with this special tape on our dining room floor and spent a few hours playing with miniature toy cars and trains that hadn't been given much attention in a long time up until then.

The PlayTape stuck really well to our hardwood floor but more importantly when the kids were all done it also easily lifted up leaving no sticky residue at all.  The last thing you want is your nice floors left with marks or gunk on them and with this fun product you can be rest assured that won't be a problem.  Another nice aspect of InRoad Toys PlayTape is that when your kids have wrapped up playing with it you can throw it in the recycle bin rather than the trash can because it is recyclable. 

We had four rolls of PlayTape for my kids to be creative with which included 2 sizes of paved roadway, a dirt trail, and railroad tracks.  My kids then laid out a rectangular race track.  Of course every race track needs an airplane runway so they added that in the middle.  When their cars weren't racing they needed someplace to park so they added a dirt parking lot to the mix as well with the dirt trail themed PlayTape.

I appreciated that my kids were easily able to tear apart the PlayTape to create the roads, tracks and trails they envisioned without my having to intervene to do it for them.  It was also nice that they could usually re-position the PlayTape several times while playing without it losing its ability to adhere to the floor so they could switch things up a bit or not have to worry about laying down something exactly perfect the first time.  This stuff will adhere  to any flat surface including walls, which can make for some interesting scenarios, but while it is easy to remove from many surfaces mess free the PlayTape is sticky enough I wouldn't recommend placing it on carpet.

Looking for an idea to keep the kids entertained on a rainy day when traveling for a summer vacation or amused while your family is visiting relatives?  Pickup a sheet of poster board and a few rolls of InRoad Toys PlayTape, which are both easily transportable, and take them and a few toy cars along with you. 

My kids built a drag racing strip, railroad crossing, parking lot, and a dirt road to play with their toys on a piece of poster board I picked up for them to use with InRoad Toys PlayTape. Note though unlike sticking it on a floor or wall, you aren't going to be able to pull off the PlayTape without ruining both it and the poster board.

My 7 year old twins have enjoyed hours of fun racing their toy cars around the network of roads they've built with the PlayTape on several occasions.  It really was great having them get some good use out of all the toy cars they've collected and seeing them being creative and imaginative while they played.  When you tear off a strip of PlayTape from a roll it really is only good for one session of play.  When the kids are done playing it is time for the material to be recycled rather than try to save it and use again. Fortunately there is enough material on each roll to be used for several play times.  My kids have engineered themselves some pretty intricate road systems on several different afternoons with the original four rolls we were provided for this review.

InRoad Toys PlayTape gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval because it is an affordable item made in the good ole USA that encourages kids to engage in creative and imaginative play without creating a mess or headache for mom or dad to have to address.  Rolls of PlayTape range in price from $4.99 to $13.99 and the product has received quite a few awards and accolades.

You can purchase InRoad Toys PlayTape online or you can pick up some rolls at a HOBBY LOBBY store near you. CLICK HERE to search for a local HOBBY LOBBY or  another retailer that may be carrying InRoad Toys PlayTape near you.

Sledding Tips for Snowy Winter Days

Some of my buddies and I got together the other day to watch some football and enjoy a few brews at a local pub when the topic came up that there hasn't been much snow on the ground to allow our kids to go sledding so far this year (sorry if that jinxed our friends impacted by Winter Storm Jonas).  So than it was pondered amongst our group what are the best conditions to enjoy sledding down a snowy hill?  We put the combined brain power of a television weatherman, high school science teacher, automotive engineer, architect, and attorney to the test and here's the consensus on the best sledding conditions for a snowy winter day.


Temperature:

You'd think it would be best to have the weather as cold as possible so that your sledding surface is icy and slick but that is not necessarily the case.  Actually the best temperature to break out the sled is about 29 or 30 degrees Fahrenheit.where it is cold enough that the snow isn't all wet and mushy yet warm enough that the sled's pressure sliding down the hill will melt the flakes underneath it creating a thin film of water to slide down upon.

Our engineering buddy, who also plays rec league hockey, explained that building up speed on a sled is similar to being able to ice skate really fast.  I hadn't realized that when skating people are skimming over water rather than ice.  It was explained to me that a person's weight pushing down against the metal blade of his or her skate creates enough pressure to briefly melt the ice below them. So you are actually sliding over a thin layer of water rather than ice when skating.  This allows people to move quickly while skating because the water they are sliding across is smoother than the surface of ice.  So the goal for picking up speed when sledding to get the best experience rushing down a snow covered hill should be to create enough pressure with your weight against a sled's surface to create a sheen of water to slide on.

The Type of Snow Matters:

It's not just the temperature that can impact the quality of the snow you sled down.  Your sledding experience can be impacted from the point when the snow first starts falling down from the sky.   You may want to look at a thermometer when the snow first starts falling because that temperature also impacts whether or nor you'll have ideal sledding conditions.  If the weather is too cold you are going to have grainy snow flakes and if it is too warm there will be fluffy ones.  Both grainy and fluffy snow create friction against a sled slowing it down so that you won't be setting any speed records racing down a hill.  According to my meteorologist friend, what you want to look out for are the "large flakes" that form when the temperature is in the range of 25 to 28 degrees Fahrenheit.  These large flakes compact well providing a perfect surface to sled on.

Choose a Steep Hill:

Even with the best weather conditions if the hill isn't steep enough you aren't going anywhere fast.  The high school science teacher in our midst reminded us GRAVITY trumps everything else when it comes to getting the fastest speeds on a sled.  The steeper the hill someone sleds down the more gravity there is to pull them down to the bottom.

Our Perfect Sledding Thesis:

So our thesis is for the optimal sledding experience you'll want to look out for when it is snowing with the temperature at about 25 degrees Fahrenheit and find the steepest hill you can sled down after it has stopped snowing and warmed up a bit to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.  That's not it though...you or someone else needs to sled the hill a few times to compact the snow creating a defined path for your sled to skim down. Then you have reached sledding perfection!

Picking a Sled:

Oh wait...there is one more thing to consider.  The sled!  Now we've determined the perfect conditions to race down a snow covered hill what should be our vessel.  An old-fashioned rosebud sled, a taboggan, an inner tube, or a long hull plastic flyer (which are the ones my kids actually have)?  After another round of beers the consensus came down to the plastic saucer style.  These allow riders to place the most weight within the smallest area of space which increases the pressure while they are sliding to create the most heat on the snow allowing for the desired hydroplaning effect to provide the best speeds down a hill.

Now keep in mind these are just the discussions of some guys enjoying a drink at the bar but if you get the chance we'd enjoy hearing if you tested out our thesis on how to get the best sledding experience on a snow covered hill.  Remember too that sledding is a great outdoor activity to do during the winter months and you don't need the best conditions to enjoy a perfect experience having fun in the snow.

Best Tips for a Fun Day on the Sledding Hill

It has been a mild winter until Mother Nature brought us more than 2 feet of snow and a few snow days off from work and school to go along with it this month.  Of course rather than stay huddled up in the house our family bundled up and traversed over to the neighborhood park for some sledding fun.  Here are a few tips to make sure your day out on the snowy slopes are a blast and not a bust:

 Know the Temperature Before You Go

The ideal temperature is 29 to 30 degrees - you really don't want to sled on ice or snow but rather water.  Yes WATER!!!  At that temperature the friction from your sled should melt the snow to create a thin film of water on which to sail down the hill.  This will help you get the fastest speeds out of your sled.

Don't believe me?  Think of ice skaters.  They place their weight on the blades of a skate which creates pressure on ice briefly melting its surface so the skater can move quickly over a thin layer of water which is much smoother than the ice itself.  Wow you just have to love physics!

When it comes to snow, you aren't looking for fluffy or grainy but rather flaky.  The large flakes that originate when it snows at temperatures between 25 and 28 degrees compacts the best for sledding.

Make sure before you go out that you check both the temperature and wind chill factor.  Be cautious of hypothermia and frostbite that can come on quickly and without a lot of warning in the cold.  Kids should always be properly dressed to avoid skin contact with snow and frigid air.  If you see a child shivering that means it is time to come inside out of the cold to warm up.  CLICK HERE for a ton of useful information regarding cold weather injuries that impact children from aboutkidshealth.

Know Your Hill

While a little friction will help your slide down the hill, gravity is what really gets you going.  So the steepness of the hill has the biggest impact on how fast you can get racing down it.

Being familiar with a hill's surroundings in advance will be a great help in knowing of obstacles and hazards to avoid that may be hidden by snow until some unfortunate sledder crashes into them.  Knowing in advance where a ditch, tree stump, pond, or fire hydrant may be located is a proactive way to avoid a problem later.  We go sledding on a hill at a local park that we also frequent during the summer so that we're pretty familiar with the landscape and surrounding even when everything is covered in snow.

A used path provides the best path.  Riders who take turns and share space will have the best compacted snow for a smooth, fast ride down the hill.  Don't walk back up the hill on your sledding path as you want to keep the track smooth and not interfere with oncoming sledders (which is a concept I just can't seem to get to stick in my son's head).

Know your preferred hill in advance also helps know what type of sled is the best to bring with you.  Snow discs and inflatable tubes are best for wide open lazy slopped surfaces because you can't control their direction and these have a tendency to fly up in the air when hitting bumps.  For steeper surfaces and more confined spaces traditional sled designs and toboggans are more well suited.  Never using a plastic sheet, cardboard box or cafeteria tray as a make shift sled is a common warning you'll get from health care professionals when it comes to sledding.


Safety First

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics more than 20,000 kids per year end up in the emergency room with injuries from sledding each year.  No one wants to dampen a good time with a visit to an emergency room so make sure to make safety a priority when on the sledding hill.  While sledding down a hill head first may be a thrill, that is the number one no-no pediatricians have when they warn about dangers associated with sledding.  Sled with feet forward so if a collision occurs a head injury is less likely.  Pediatricians also recommend children under 5 should ride with an adult.

Conduct a walk through of the landing area before kids start sledding into it to make sure there aren't any hidden hazards like fallen tree branches, trash, fences or any other obstacle that could be hidden under the snow and cause a collision.

Make sure kids know not to crash into one another and to avoid walking or sledding into the path of others whether going up or down the hill.  Insuring children know how to ditch a sled if they believe they are going to collide with another sled or an obstacle like a tree is also important.  The best way to get off is to roll off sideways and let the sled keep going versus trying to jump out or stop the sled with hands or feet.

Parental supervision and PARTICIPATION is always important!

Don't hide from winter, embrace it! Grab a sled and go have some fun in the snowy weather!

Snow on the Ground Doesn't Mean You Can't See Animals Around the Zoo

We made a trip to the Detroit Zoo the other day because my kids wanted to visit its baby giraffe Mpenzi (named the Swahili word for love).  Mpenzi was born on September 30, 2014 is almost four months old now and sure is a "big" baby.  We spent a half hour with no other visitors around watching Mpenzi and his mother Kivuli play together in their pen while a volunteer docent told us about all sorts of interesting facts regarding giraffes.  Kivuli's father Jabari (the second tallest giraffe in a North American zoo) kept sticking his neck out to get our attention and show-off from his pen located next to the mother and baby's.  The docent chuckled that "Jabari loves visitors and can be a real attention hog."

Many people don't think of winter as being a time to visit the zoo, but most are open year long and if you are willing to bundle up and embrace dealing with some cold weather it can be a great experience.  We've made several winter visits to the Detroit Zoo over the last few years and every trip we've essentially had the place to ourselves while having some memorable animal encounters.  During our most recent visit the zoo's grounds were covered in snow and it was a brisk 30 degrees out, but it was also sunny with no breeze so it really wasn't that chilly out as we made our way around.

 

There are plenty of animals on display outdoors even when snow is on the ground.  We have seen our best views of the tiger at the Detroit Zoo on winter visits.  You wouldn't think that Lions from Africa or Kangaroos from Australia would be out in the cold, but we've seen them outside during winter trips as well.  Though the lions do like to lounge on the warming rocks in their exhibits on these snowy cold days.

 

Winter is a great time to see the polar bears who are much more active and playful when there is snow on the ground.  The Detroit Zoo provides multiple heated indoor locations where you can view the bears, as well as an assortment of seals that are also native to the arctic climates, and while these areas are often uncomfortably crowded when the weather is warmer my kids normally have the run of the place during our winter visits.

The best plan for a winter zoo visit is to make sure you know where all the indoor exhibits are and map out how you can get around using them as bridges to get out of the cold.  Our normal path at the Detroit Zoo involves jumping inside these display areas between viewing the outdoor exhibits: Penguinarium, Butterfly Garden/Bird Aviary, Otter Habitat, Reptile House, Chimpanzee & Gorilla Enclosure, Rhino Exhibit, Giraffe House, Arctic Ring of Life, and wrapping up our trip with a stop at Amphibianville before leaving.  The Detroit Zoo does have a Winter Map posted online of their own recommendations for a route through the zoological park which is pretty much the reverse of what I just described.

Here is some info on some of the indoor areas that people who don't have annual memberships and regularly attend the Detroit Zoo may not know:

The Reptile House is in the middle of the grounds and a nice break to get out of the cold between the long walk between the indoor exhibits at the rear of the zoo and those at the front.  It is normally empty of people when we have visited in the winter and kept at a tropical humid temperature making it a very comfortable place to be on a cold day.  The real bonus though is that the snakes are always very active when we've stopped in on our snow day visits compared to the summer months when the crowd noise tends to send them hiding in their exhibits.

I don't believe many people realize their is an indoor Rhino Exhibit at the Detroit Zoo as it is always empty when we visit.  It provides nice views of the animals from a heated gallery, plus some cool benches to sit down and take the load off.

The Giraffe House is heated, open and has benches to sit on.  You can get up close to these gigantic creatures with a much better view than what you can see outdoors during the warmer months.  You really don't understand how tall these animals are until you stand up right next to one.

The Otter Habitat viewing area is heated but the pond environment where the animals swim and lounge about isn't and when the weather is cold these animals love to play....the most active we've ever seen the otters has been during our winter trips.

Going stir crazy in your house, maybe a winter road trip to a zoo is just the ticket to get out and about.  Make sure you contact the zoo before you go to confirm their winter hours (which normally are normally different than during the peak months) and that they are actually open the day you want to go.  Check to see if the zoo has any special events going on during the winter too as part of your trip planning.  For example the Detroit Zoo has several WILD WINTER WEEKENDS with special themed activities going on during those events.

 

CLICK HERE to search a list of all the accredited zoos and aquariums in the United States and see which ones might be close enough to you for a family road trip.