Shop 'til You Drop: Kidding Around in the Hamptons This Weekend
In these final weeks of the 2014–15 school year, parents across the East End are gearing up for summer—and summer camp. Arguably one of the most beautiful times of the year now is a fantastic time to enjoy some outdoor family friendly fun.
First off you’ll want to make sure your little ones are well equipped with shoes from Stride Rite (striderite.com). Not only does the footwear brand have an endless assortment of themed styles—think Cinderella, Ironman, Hulk, and My Little Pony, kids can pick from styles ranging from slip-ons and hook & loops, to sandals and sneakers, and all are designed with children’s fast growing feet in mind. 1770 West Main Street, Riverhead.
For kids in the tween age bracket, local favorite Dylan’s Candy Bar (52 Main Street, East Hampton) has teamed up with Havaianas to introduce a limited-edition collection of flip-flops that includes two styles adorned with Dylan’s Candy Bar’s most well-known signature candies.
When it comes to swim, Hampton regular Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss has our little ones covered with her Baby Girl Swim line (available at Fahrenheit 451, 105 Main Street, Westhampton Beach). “Shoshanna Baby Girl started as me designing pieces for my daughter to wear. My friends would ask me to make pieces for their children and from there it evolved into a full-on Baby Girl line!” the designer tells us, adding that she’s excited to launch a new line of rash guards this season, all of which were designed with the input of her daughter, Sienna.
For younger tots, BabyFirst TV (babyfirsttv.com), a new channel that provides programming to infants 6 months and up, has released an adorable Notekins Collection—the perfect kit for a fuss free meal. In addition to entertaining DVD programming the kit comes with a cute bib and a zippy cup. The brand also stocks a variety of other toys aimed at newborns, toddlers and kids including a Plush Collection that comes with a handful of huggable stuffed animals all wrapped up in
one package.
For many parents creativity is top of mind as the school season begins to wind down. To that end we love Moulin Roty (moulinroty.com), a French brand that makes unique fairy tale character-inspired stuffed animals for both boys and girls. The brand has over a dozen themed worlds of play to let your little ones’ imagination run wild. The Rabbit Doll, known in France as Monsieur Lapin is a standouts with his fancy pantaloons, flower sequin cotton poplin puff trousers, a butterfly knot, and ankle boots with tulle ribbons.
There’s no denying that the weather has wreaked havoc on school schedules and parents’ routines all across the country, leaving kids stuck in the house for a good chunk of the year. Keep their minds stimulated—whether it’s warm enough to play outside or not—with a Pacific Play Tent (pacificplaytents.com). There are countless iterations available for all ages and it’s a pure delight to see kids climb into a themed tent (including a canvas teepee that allows kids the option to paint it themselves) or wriggle through a tunnel. In a day and age where it’s near impossible to get our young ones to daydream and to pretend play, this is a must have addition to any East End home (or backyard!).
Of course, no matter the pastime activity, it’s essential to keep our children properly hydrated and to that end there are plenty of options to trump the run-of-the-mill Mott’s juice box. Case and point Vita Coco Kids (available at Walgreens, 1196 Old Country Road, Riverhead). Vita Coco Kids is Vita Coco Coconut Water with natural fruit flavors, all of which have half the calories and sugar of leading kids’ juices. Formulated with all of the naturally occurring electrolytes found in Vita Coco Coconut Water, it’s also free of artificial colors, sweeteners, flavors, and preservatives meaning your kids will have all the energy they need whether they’re playing dress up at home or running around at camp.