Vanessa Leigh

Vanessa Leigh is a busy mom of three (including twins!), a Midwesterner turned East Coaster, and a chocolate enthusiast. She’s a copywriter specializing in Early Childhood and Motherhood, plus the creative force behind her Etsy shop. When she’s not writing or designing, you can find her indulging in dark chocolate peanut butter cookies at Levain Bakery. Connect with Vanessa at www.vanessaleighagency.com or browse her creations at MamaMagicByVanessa.etsy.com. She loves chatting with fellow parents—don’t hesitate to reach out!

Latest posts by Vanessa

Interlochen With Kids: 20 Best Things to Do Near Interlochen, Michigan

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Sat, 09/10/2022 - 12:00pm

The Interlochen Center for the Arts is home to the famous Interlochen summer camp. Courtesy of the center

With its gorgeous lakes, trees, and beaches, you can’t get much more picturesque than Northern Michigan, which includes popular destinations like Traverse City and Interlochen, Michigan. And then there's the delicious food—fish boils, the National Cherry Festival, decadent chocolate fudge, and more to fit everyone’s taste buds.

In Interlochen, nestled between Duck Lake and Green Lake, you’ll find the world-class Interlochen Center for the Arts. I’m a proud alumna of both the Center's Interlochen Summer Arts Camp and its Interlochen Arts Academy. Nearly 20 years later, I returned to the campus—this time with a little one in tow— to experience the magic of Interlochen, Michigan as a family.

Whether you’re looking for a place for young musicians, artists, actors, and writers to hone their craft or a place to explore the scenic outdoors in the Great Lakes State, Interlochen and its surrounding areas are the perfect places to visit with kids. Here are 20 things to do in Interlochen, Traverse City, and Northern Michigan with kids. Check out our Family Travel Guide and Midwest Family Travel Guide for more fun family vacation ideas.

Clothing Donations Near Boston: How to Make Spring Cleaning Sustainable and Easy

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Sun, 05/22/2022 - 11:27pm

Keep your spring cleaning priorities simple. Photo by Vlada Karpovich, Pexels

You know the slogan “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” The first things that probably come to mind are paper, plastic, and cans. Or maybe your kids recently had a cool Earth Day-themed school project that involved recycled crafts like bubble wrap printing. Either way, you're no doubt doing something at home to help the environment and teach the youngest family members about recycling. You can also show them how to help their local community with clothing donations near Boston.

But what about clothes? Shoes? Even toys? Do you have stacks of well-loved books or some that are propping up the corner table because you ran out of room on your bookshelves? Ok… maybe you’re not Marie Kondo, yet. Never fear–Massachusetts has you covered! Did you know there are hundreds of roadside donation bins that offer 24/7 drop-off access? Get ready to explore all the different ways you can donate your unwanted items and help the community and environment at the same time.

Check out our Earth Kids Guide for more ways to live sustainably.

Create a Pollinator Garden in Your Home or Apartment: Planting a Butterfly Garden or Bee Garden with Kids

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Thu, 05/19/2022 - 11:40am

How does your garden grow? Photo by Filip Urban, Unsplash

Creating your very own pollinator garden is a fun and easy activity that teaches kids the importance of bees and butterflies to every aspect of our ecosystem. Don't have a green thumb, or even a backyard? No problem. We’ve got tons of easy solutions to get started on a simple at-home bee garden or butterfly garden for your backyard or a window box. And planting and caring for a pollinator garden isn't just for adults; it’s a perfect family activity suitable for kids of all ages.

Once you’ve planted a bee garden or butterfly garden, you can watch these creatures up close as they drink nectar and fly from flower to flower. But don’t stop there—get crafty and create some homemade wind chimes out of recycled materials to decorate your new pollinator garden.

Check out more green activities for kids as part of our Earth Kids Guide to Green Activities for the Planet.

Lincoln Center's Summer for the City Brings Free Concerts and Giant Dance Floor to the Campus

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Fri, 04/22/2022 - 9:59am

Dance on the larger-than-life disco floor dubbed The Oasis at Lincoln Center starting Saturday, May 14 as part of its Summer for the City festival. Illustration by Ali Kashfi/courtesy of Lincoln Center

Strike up the choirs, dancers, and artists, and let the celebration commence! Lincoln Center is gearing up for a summer of FREE family-friendly programming with its season-long performance festival, Summer for the City.

For three full months—running from Saturday, May 14-Sunday, August 14—Lincoln Center comes alive with more than 300 FREE events at 10 outdoor stages, including The Oasis, which transforms Josie Robertson Plaza into the city's largest outdoor dance floor complete with a 10-foot disco ball.

Read on for more details on this family-friendly performance festival, and find more fun anytime on our list of the best things to do at Lincoln Center with kids.

Where to See Free and Cheap Movies in New York City With Kids

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Tue, 04/19/2022 - 12:16pm

A day at the movies doesn't have to cost a whole pay check at these local theaters offering free and cheap flicks. Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

A trip to the movies is always a good bet for family-friendly fun, but before you go into hock taking the kids to the local theater for a first-run blockbuster, consider this: There are FREE and cheap movies playing in New York City all year long. You just need to know where to find them—and we do.

We've found a handful of local spots where you can find FREE or low-cost movies in New York City, which should provide enough big-screen entertainment to tide you over until the return of the Parks Department's FREE summer movie series.

What Is Pickleball? Pickleball Rules and Why Kids Love It

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Thu, 04/14/2022 - 10:05am

Photo courtesy of One Shot Pickleball, Amazon

Perhaps your kids came home from school one day and announced, "I played pickleball in PE today!" Maybe you've seen ads for pickleball clubs in your community. Or you may have simply driven past the park and noticed an unfamiliar game happening on the tennis court. However you were exposed to it, at some point you've likely wondered, what is pickleball?

Pickleball is a craze that's quickly sweeping the nation because it's fun, affordable, and a great way to get some exercise. And because it's easy to learn and play, families and kids can play together and make memories.

Read on to learn all about pickleball and why it's the perfect family sport. For more outdoor fun with your family, check out our guide to top outdoor activities with kids.

Act Fast to Claim a FREE Tree From NYRP

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Tue, 04/05/2022 - 10:30am

Spring has sprung in NYC. The daffodils are blooming, and it’s about time to soak in the beauty of the gorgeous cherry blossoms. It's also time to celebrate the return of the New York Restoration Project's (NYRP) popular FREE tree giveaway program. This year, 2,000 native species trees will be distributed to local NYC residents and the best part is, they're all FREE!

After a 2-year pandemic-induced pause, NYRP has reinstated its tree giveaway program and is distributing FREE trees across all five NYC boroughs. Read on for details on these green giveaways and learn how to complete the required registration to get your own arbor. Find more ideas for a greener planet in our new Earth Kids Guide.

Tons of Totally Terrific Tongue Twisters for Kids, Tweens, and Teens

Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 12:22pm

Try wrapping your tongue around a few of these tantalizing twisters! Photo courtesy of Saeed Karimi via Unsplash

Don’t you just adore alliteration? How the words just roll right off your tongue? Well, sometimes those words can get a little stuck, or twisted. Tongue Twisters are phrases specifically meant to pose a challenge for those who attempt to speak them. There are funny tongue twisters, while others are pure fun to try and say. A special parental guidance warning for this one: I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit. Upon the slitted sheet I sit. Save that one for the older crowds.

On top of the fun to be had, tongue twisters for kids can greatly help them improve verbal pronunciation, fluency, and vocabulary. Similar to learning nursery rhymes, tongue twisters can actually build a lifelong love of literacy.

Looking for more laughs? Check out our list of side-splitting jokes for kids in our Ultimate Collection of Riddles, Knock-Knocks, and More Jokes for Kids.

Vanessa Leigh

Latest posts by Vanessa

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