Friday, March 18, 2016

New Bern Festival of Fun 2016

New Bern's annual Festival of Fun will be held April 16, 2016 in downtown New Bern. This marks the 16th year of this exciting children's festival! Bouncy houses, face painting, vendors and games all can be found at the Festival of Fun. Held downtown in the beautiful Union Point park, this is a can't miss event for families with young children. The festival is free, with no admission fee, but individual activities may cost. There will be a petting zoo, crafts, and costumed characters. It's a great time for the whole family!

What to Expect:
Get there early to beat the crowds, as it can get a little hectic. Make sure to bring your stroller or some other means of keeping up with your little ones. Bottled water and sunscreen are also a must if the weather cooperates! 

Check out the official event page here!


Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Workout Wednesday

We are beginning a new series here on CCMB that I hope you all enjoy! Every Wednesday, we will post a workout that is specifically designed for moms with very little time. These workouts can be done at home, with no (or minimal) equipment, quietly, and in less than 20 minutes. Ideal for nap time! With summer approaching quickly, many people are trying to get in shape for that swimsuit. I don't know about you, but for me personally, the quickest way to fail at an exercise routine is for my sole goal to be weight loss. For whatever reason, it's just not that motivating to me. I find that I have much more success sticking to a plan when my goal is to be able to lift the baby's car seat without throwing out my back, for example. Or to be able to play soccer with my 3 year old for as long as he wants, without feeling like I've hiked up Mt. Everest afterwards. Exercise can do a great many things for improving your quality of life, without weight loss ever entering the equation. So, I encourage you to take those 20 minutes out of your day for YOU! Your body will thank you for it! 

images via workoutlab


The Booty Buster
- 15 squats
- 15 sumo squats
- 15 lunges, right side
- 15 lunges, left side
- 30 jumping jacks

Repeat 3 times

*Please speak with your doctor before beginning any workout program. We at CCMB are not personal trainers, just moms sharing knowledge! We accept no responsibility for injury sustained during our suggested workouts*

Monday, March 14, 2016

Things to Do: Swansboro Touch-A-Truck

If you have a toddler anything like mine, then he (or she!) is obsessed with TRUCKS! My son is 3 years old and has been completely infatuated with trucks for as long as I can remember. He loves pointing out fire engines, police cars and garbage trucks whenever we drive. The town of Swansboro, NC is hosting a Touch-A-Truck event on Saturday, April 9th from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the Swansboro Municipal Park. If you haven't heard of Touch-A-Truck, it's basically heaven for little kids. All kinds of trucks, emergency response vehicles, etc park together and the kids can touch them, climb up in the driver's seat, honk the horn, etc. Sounds like a dream come true!

Check out the official event page here.

Story Time - Craven County Library

Introducing children to the library at a young age is important in today's world, especially with the rise of technology and e-books. There's nothing wrong with reading a good book on the Kindle, but in my opinion, children are more likely to enjoy the tactile experience of reading a book with pages. It can be difficult to bring a toddler to the library (quiet is just not their jam), so the Children's section at Craven County Library is especially helpful! There are tons of books, of course, but also puppets, puzzles, mats to lay on, and computers with educational programs. The Children's department also puts on several Story Time hours throughout the week. "Time Out for Toddlers" is a program directed towards children aged 18 months through 3 years. It is held on Fridays at 9:30 and 10:30am. For older children, ages 3-5, there is a Story Time on Tuesdays at 9:30 and 10:30am. 

Insider Tip: Get involved! Kids do much better with this program when the parents sing the songs and participate in the activities. 

Where To Go:
The Craven County Library is located at 400 Johnson Street, New Bern NC. The Children's department is located to the left of the main desk, and the Children's theater is to the left of the Children's Circulation desk. For more information, check out the library website here.

What To Expect:
They have music playing before the program and the children are welcome to dance around and play before it begins, however once the story time starts, it is expected that the children sit next to their parent quietly. If your child begins to be disruptive, they do expect you to take them outside until they are calm enough to return. The program usually consists of a few songs, a book read aloud, and a puppet show. 

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Open Gym - New Bern Gymnastics

Do you ever feel like your toddler is a tiny tornado? A ball of energy, capable of destroying your home in 2.5 seconds or completely draining you of energy by 9am? Believe me, girls, you are not alone! Parks and playgrounds are wonderful, but difficult on those inclement weather days. And sometimes, you (and your child!) just need something a little different! That's where New Bern Gymnastics comes in!

New Bern Gymnastics offers an "open gym" three days a week. Toddlers ages 1-5 are invited to come out Mondays and Tuesdays from 10-11am and Fridays from 1-2pm. The cost is $6 per child, per session. The gym is closed to others at this time, so you can let your toddler run without fear of bumping into an older child. The gym is set up obstacle course style, with a foam pit and a trampoline. Kid-friendly tunes play and the helpful staff gently steers your child on course, encouraging frog jumps on the trampoline or leaps into the foam pit. If you are looking for an activity that will insure a long nap time, then this is it!


Insider Tip: Have a toddler and a baby? No big deal! Strap your baby in the carrier and let the toddler run. Lots of moms are wearing their babies during open gym, and the other moms are always happy assist if you need help (getting a stubborn 3 year old out of the foam pit, for instance!). Don't let that stop you!


Where To Go:
Check out New Bern Gymnastics here for more information, updated pricing and waiver forms. They are located at 260 Kale Road, New Bern NC!

What To Expect:
If it's your first time, you'll sign your child in, sign a waiver and pay the fee. Your child will be asked to remove their socks and shoes and put them in a cubby. Some parents remove their shoes as well, but if you are wearing tennis shoes, you should be fine leaving them on. The staff is strict about starting on time, so if you arrive early you and your child will be asked to wait before going out on the floor. Most parents walk alongside their children for safety reasons and to make sure there are no problems with the other kids. The staff will ring a bell when the hour is up and everyone is expected to leave the floor quickly. There are clean bathrooms with a convenient changing station and water fountains.

Have you been to the open gym? Do you have any tips or comments? Leave them in the comments section below!


Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Welcome to CCMB!


Welcome to the Crystal Coast Moms Blog! The goal of this site is to be a resource for moms in the Eastern North Carolina area, highlighting family-friendly events, groups, locations, etc. We will also occasionally feature posts about other parenting topics, recommendations, and recipes. If you are interested in being a guest blogger or advertising an event, please email us at ccmomsblog@gmail.com. 



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