The New "Play Structure": Newton Centre Playground, Newton, MA

The New "Play Structure": Newton Centre Playground
Tyler Terrace
Newton Centre, MA

Reasons to venture:

• Who says Newton Park and Rec has no money, this thing is enormous! The new Newton North should be this fun.
  
• What other park has clay courts for some DadBreak tennis?
• Work off your Johnny's home fries fix by chasing the kiddos around the rubber track, or hitting a few at the volleyball grass courts.

Are you a steel slide purist, or can you handle all this plastic?

Ahhhh the last "Natick Days" of Summer: Natick Days, Natick, MA

Ahhhh the last "Natick Days" of Summer: Natick Days, Natick, MA
Natick Commons
Natick, MA

Reasons to venture:

• Celebrate some home-town pride with the Red and Blue, painted on the faces of every kid from Natick High
• Trampolines, putt putt, color your own frisbee booths and the nicest firefighters you've ever met.
• Stop off at the Park Street Ice Cream Shoppe after a meatball sub from the Sons of Italy.
  

How 'Bout Dem Apples: Honey Pot Hill Orchards, Stow, MA

How 'Bout Dem Apples: Honey Pot Hill Orchards
144 Sudbury Road
Stow, MA

Reasons to venture:

• Homemade cider doughnuts, really do you need two more reasons?
• Expansive pick your own: it's blueberry season, but the peaches are in and the macs are on their way.
• Goats, Hedge maze and hayrides completes the tri-fecta.

Where is your fav pick your own in metro west?

The Best Pool Party in the Burbs: The Summer Club at Dedham Health and Athletic, Dedham, MA

The Best Pool Party in the Burbs: The Summer Club at Dedham Health and Athletic Complex
200 Providence Highway
Dedham, MA

Reasons to venture:

• Wave pool, water slides, pirate ships and lounge chairs. What a combination!
• Kids "camp" if you need a dadbreak to hit the giant slide includes staffed-up water races, sports and playground time.
• The pool side restaurant Vellos makes a decent coffee shake and the salads weren't too shabby. You can see why some mommies camp here for the summer.

How cool is your pool?

Guest Blogger: Nina Lewis: A Bangkok Adventure with "Catch Nina"

Guest Blogger: Nina Lewis
A Bangkok Adventure with "Catch Nina"
Bangkok, Thailand

I was in Thailand in '97, but now my sister-in-law is an ex-pat there teaching kids and running a non-profit. She showed my wife a few dadventure hot-spots this summer...

Reasons to venture:

• The Chao Praya River Tourist Boat: For 3 dollars, you get an all-day, hop-on/hop-off pass for this boat that plies up and down the biggest river in Bangkok. Your kids will love sitting on the edge and checking out all things time from the boat. Then, hop-off, do some sightseeing, and get back on!

• Muang Boran (The Ancient City): Just outside Bangkok in Samut Prakan, is a mini-Thailand park. You can rent bicycles or golf carts and tour through all of Thailand's major sites in just a few hours. The park is shaped like Thailand and all attractions are geographically correct, but to scale. Don't miss the deer running through the Northeast section.

• A big market: Chatuchak market is open-air, while MBK is in an air-con building, which might be more comfortable on a hot day. You will be amazed by the endless rows of junk, and for 5 or 6 dollars, your child can buy an assortment of toys, dvds, junk food, etc. There is an excellent thai food court on level 5 and the fruit juices and smoothies are amazing.

What's your favorite kid-friendly developing nation?