When I was a kid, we used to play Chinese jump rope on the playground at school.  It's great exercise & a lot of fun!

This Chinese Jump Rope set by Klutz comes with 2 Chinese jump ropes and a spiral-bound book that explains how to play.  There are step-by-step instructions for 9 different games.  A great gift idea for a school-aged girl.

*Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.

Our little one had been getting a lot of nosebleeds lately.  The pediatrician's office recommended applying saline gel and using a humidifier in her room at night. 

Look what we found--a Hello Kitty humidifier with a built-in nightlight.  It glows purple.  She loves it!   

Come join the Malott Japanese Garden Summer Festival at the Chicago Botanic Garden on August 16 & 17, 2008  from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on McGinley Pavilion.

The summer festival (matsura) will feature:

Koto music by the Chicago Koto Group

Taiko drumming by Kokyo Taiko

Traditional folktales told by storyteller Anne Shimojima

A tea ceremony demonstration

Hands-on activities such as writing haiku, raking miniature dry gardens, trying chopsticks, and practicing calligraphy

Learning to play the ancient game of Go from the Chicago Go Club (Sunday)

Bonsai Show

Japanese Garden (self-guided tour with the Activity Card)

For kids:  craft stations for creating a paper fan or making a kite

Saturday and Sunday
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Crafts & Activities
10:30 a.m. Tea Ceremony Demonstration
12:30 p.m. Taiko Drumming
1:30 p.m. Storytelling
2:30 p.m. Koto Harp Performance
3:30 p.m. Tour of the Japanese Garden

For more information, visit The Chicago Botanic Garden.

Our friend H2 is sharing with us some fun places to take the kids in Atlanta. 

Georgia Aquarium

The main attraction in Atlanta is the Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the country.  It contains the largest tank in the world.  There are whale sharks, beluga whales, California sea lions, sea otters, and penguins.  There's an interactive gallery with touch pools where you can touch the horseshoe crabs, sea stars, stingrays, and shrimp.  There's also a large kids' playground at the aquarium and Deepo's Undersea 3D Wondershow, a 3-D movie about a fish who takes the audience on an underwater adventure. 

Imagine It!  The Children's Museum of Atlanta

Here, your child can operate a fork lift or fill a cart in the grocery store.  There's a Crawl Space for toddlers to roam.  There's also a waterplay area.  Your child can paint on the wall, build a sand sculpture, or dress up in a costume.  Check out the puppet shows, storytime, and puzzles. 

Atlanta Fulton County Zoo

The Atlanta Zoo is very nice.  You will find all kinds of animals, including a Giant panda exhibit.  Take a peek at the Panda Cam.  Also, check out the petting zoo with goats, pigs, and sheep.

The Atlanta Cyclorama

This is H2's dad's favorite place to go, with a 360-degree mural about the Civil War, with rotating seats and commentary in 5 different languages.  You will also find the locomotive Texas, as well as many Civil War artifacts, weapons, photographs, and uniforms. 

Six Flags over Georgia

This giant amusement park is about 15 miles west of Atlanta.  You will find thrill rides, family rides, and kids rides.  You can travel with Thomas around the Island of Sodor on a fun train ride and meet Sir Topham Hatt.  Don't miss getting your picture taken with the Batmobile!  There's storytime with Bugs Bunny, and you can also meet Looney Tunes characters throughout the park.

World of Coca-Cola

You'll find the world's largest collection of Coke memorabilia, a bottling line producing 8-oz bottles of Coke, and a tasting experience with over 60 different flavors from around the world.  H2's favorite flavor is Lychee.  Also, check out the 4-D theater which shows a 3D movie with moving seats.