Summer is the perfect permission slip to hit the brakes and slow down life and be in the moment. I’m learning to celebrate the moment by watching my youngest grandchild. Last week, when the sky opened, she ran outside to play in the rain. It wasn’t raining hard enough for this 10-year-old, so she got the garden hose and sprayed up at the sky and danced in all that water falling. columbusjewishnews.com
A messy, but clean activity? It’s a yes for me. Check out this bubble foam water table: the game-changing outdoor activity you need for summer. This epic combination of water and soap is one of the most beloved kids activity on the internet. busytoddler.com
Honey takes care of her garden every day — even though she's going to be moving away soon. Laurel, her neighbor next door, knows she's going to miss her. But Honey explains to her that friendship, like her garden, has a way of growing — despite time and distance.Written by Laurel Snyder. Illustrated by Samantha Cotterill. Ages 6 to 7 years. Published by Penguin Random House. pjlibrary.org
Visiting my homeland and my family in Israel, I am once again experiencing the dichotomy of life here: the warm, amazing people who live in a beautiful country who also cope with various challenges. What is a blessing that I can share with them? columbusjewishnews.com
The Bexley Natural Dog Park, located within Schneider Park at 2130 Astor Ave., opened June 17 with a ribbon cutting led by Mayor Ben Kessler. The dog park is open daily from dawn to dusk, said Natalie Mullin, deputy director of the Bexley Recreation and Parks Department. Mullin said the dog park is mulch based with wood features, and it is mainly an open space within fencing. There are separate sections for small dogs and large dogs. columbusjewishnews.com
Ruth Handler, the Jewish inventor of Barbie, was watching her daughter Barbara one day. Like so many little girls across the world, Barbara was using paper dolls to play an elaborate game of pretending to be a grown up. It was that moment — and an encounter with a gag doll of a prostitute on a family vacation in Switzerland (yes, really!) — that inspired the creation of what remains one of the most iconic and globally recognized kids’ toys, and the subject of the movie of the summer: the Barbie doll. kveller.com
Kicking off a vacation with a food tour is the ultimate holiday hack. Walking helps familiarize yourself with a new location, tasting the local food is an accessible way to learn about a place’s history and culture, and you’re sure to walk away with culinary recommendations to see you through the end of your stay. But culinary tours aren’t only for first-time visitors; they’re for return travelers and locals, too. That’s true especially in Israel, where there’s a huge variety of food tours exploring both on and off the beaten path. myjewishlearning.com
