Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in The Bahamas has opened its doors to the new 8,000-square-foot state-of-the-art kid’s club – Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA). Resort guests ages 3-12 are able to choose their own adventure at AKA, with staff Adventure Guides available to help with culinary lessons, interactive electronic art, theater and outdoor play – playing to each child’s interests.

Children, also known as Adventurers, are matched with an Adventure Guide for their day of exploration at AKA, which features themed spaces designed specifically for children’s imagination and enjoyment. Additionally, trained AKA team members are stationed in each of the following rooms, which include:

• Arts & Crafts room
• Culinary Kitchen
• The EVERY video game ever made room
• Wizardology reading room
• Fully-stocked “Grocery Store”
• Computer area
• Performance area
• LEGO Construction area

As a person that frequently travels with kids, this was very much needed. Another thing I am appreciating is the age range. Most child friendly resorts have activities but the ages start at 5 and up. This is a perfect way for moms to get away for that much needed spa visit and not have to worry about the children and mischief they may be getting into to.

Adventure Guides in the Arts & Crafts room are able to display children’s art work on an iwall, directly from one of four itables where finger painting takes on a new meaning, as kids digitally color and draw with touch technology with all the colors of the rainbow, without ever picking up a crayon or getting messy.

Adventurers can send a postcard with a personalized message and picture directly from the itable to their grandparents, teachers and friends at home. The fully stocked crafts area provides a variety of tactile painting, drawing, designing and decorating activities.

Atlantis has long been known as a top culinary destination, and the AKA culinary kitchen is no exception. Atlantis Adventure Chefs provide the ultimate culinary immersion as AKA visitors are treated to a daily cooking demonstration in the fully-functioning kitchen. Up to 21 child participants, seated at the U-shaped counter surrounding the cooking station, participate in a hands-on cooking class where tackled recipes – including molten cakes and candy pizzas – teach measuring, physical change in ingredients, taste and temperature. AKA culinary programming also adds on a lesson in table manners, etiquette and napkin folding.

Performance area

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Game lovers won’t miss a beat – or a game- in the specialized game area within AKA. Every current “hit” from: DJ Hero, Rock Band, Sony Playstation 3, XBox360 and an entire
tree of Wii consoles compete for attention. Even favorite classics like air hockey take a modern twist, as they are physically played on an istand table. The computer room, outfitted with iMacs, allows children supervised internet access to play iMac games and participate in creative photo and visual projects.

The Imagination Area, which features the Wizardology Room, LEGO Construction Zone, Victorian Kitchen and Grocery Store, was designed especially for Adventurers ages 3-5. The youngest Atlantis guests are able to shop for groceries and ring-up their own carts with the digital cash registers, or curl up inside a life-sized, reading tree (yes, it reads out loud) in the center of the Wizardology room to hear the story of their choice. Creativity comes alive in the construction area, filled with thousands of LEGO bricks of all sizes and colors, as well as a wall covered in LEGO base plate so children can build directly on the wall. The Victorian kitchen hosts many tea parties, complete with classical music from the baby grand piano in the center of the room.

The performance area at AKA features a green screen, a full-sized stage and dressing room, complete with costumes. Adventurers are challenged to learn improvisational comedy skills to develop quick-thinking and social skills. Guests are able to participate in truly physical performance with a Fun Cam as they become a goalie in a soccer game, fly down a snow-covered mountain as a snowboarder or head to the country to round-up all the animals on a farm. A Lightspace® Play floor keeps Adventurers moving as they are chased by a ball of light in a modern dodgeball game, “jump rope” with strings of laser light or pursue moving blocks of colored light in a modern game of “Musical Squares.”

The technology at AKA even follows Adventurers into the restrooms, where sound effects accompany each of the themed stalls – trumpets to herald a princess’ arrival, cars screeching on a race track and jungle noises. Holograms of some of the marine animals in the resort’s AZA-certified aquarium, the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, appear in the mirrors above the sinks to entertain Adventurers while they wash their hands.

AKA has also employed modern technology for the safety and security of all young guests. Upon arrival at the club, parents electronically register their children, at which time a digital picture of each is taken. The child is outfitted with a coded bracelet and when parents return, AKA Adventurers are able to locate their child immediately using a Radio Frequency Identification system which pinpoints exactly which area of the club they are currently exploring.

Partial and full-day participation at AKA is available, as well as special evening programs, including Candy Carnival and Buccaneer’s Bash themed nights. Prices for AKA programming range from $40 to $65 per session. For more information about Atlantis Kids Adventures, or to make a reservation for Atlantis, Paradise Island, please call 1-800-ATLANTIS.

You Are What You Eat

The children’s exhibit You Are What You Eat, opening this month at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, explores food as a medium and features the work of five food-obsessed artists, whose primary art material is food, including Chandra Bocci’s model of the big bang theory-made out of gummy candies.  These artists have been selected for the exhibition because they capitalize on specific properties of food and its ability to appeal to our senses.

The exhibit runs from October 3 to February 28; massmoca.org/kidspace

Big Bang Theory

Image Source: YAWYE

Image Source: Big Bang Theory

Once home to many a shipwrecked sailor, Providenciales now plays host to wayfarers of a different sort as the locale of Exhale Spa at the new Gansevoort Turks & Caicos. Positioned along a stretch of white sand, the spa makes the most of its surroundings with tropical gardens, outdoor showers, and a pool with floating islands for lounging.

White Sands

Gansevoort’s trademark is Asian-inspired decor but at Exhale they opted for a more contemporary style. Regulars to stateside Exhale should not feel out of place though: the spa retains its reflective feel and familiar signatures, such as the innovative Core Fusion workout that blends yoga, Pilates and Strength training and the enviromental toxin-combating G.R.N. facial. It also offers monthly destination retreats led by experienced mind-body practitioners.

Book It Now (877) 774-3253; gansevoortturksandcaicos.com; doubles from $295

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• caribbean: Cuisinart Resort & Spa > The resort’s Girlfriends Getaway package is available through December 18th. Available to you and your aces: beachfront accomodations, six spa treatments, and one lunch and dinner for two. (800) 943-3210, www.cuisinartresort.com; double occupancy from $2700 for four nights.

Cabo Azul Resort (Mexico)

• mexico: Cabo Azul Resort > Available through September 30th, the Spa Retreat Package includes accomodations in a one-bedroom villa and two $100 spa credits. (877) 216-2226, www.caboazulresort.com; double occupancy from $1099 for three nights.

Acqualina Resort & Spa (Florida)

• florida: Acqualina Resort & Spa > Enjoy their Girlfriend’s Getaway Package up until December 23rd, you and a friend get two 60-minute Espa treatments and a spa lunch. (305) 918-8000, www.acqualinaresort.com; double occupancy from $375 per night

Even if you are traveling through the most exotic land, you can communicate exactly which ingredients you must avoid by whipping out a SelectWisely translation card (from $6.50, selectwisely.com)

Standard formats cover individual allergies as well as vegeterian and vegan concerns. Some cards show pictures only, while others also include text translations in French, Polish, Swedish, Mandarin and more.

Although initially designed for adults traveling abroad, it can quickly prevent a potentially dangerous situation for children too. Parents of children with allergies know first hand the fear associated with class trips or any event that happens outside the realm of normalcy. Who would have thought that a treat as innocent as peanut butter & jelly could be so destructive? This can now be prevented with these clever cards.

The picture shown on the graphic side is what will help calm your fears. You can alert teachers or babysitters to your child’s allergy by sticking one is his backpack for the first day of school. Hand it to the babysitter on her first day so the image sticks with her. Or to add a little burst of creativity, attach a reasonable length of yarn and create a pendant for your child to wear on outings, when the parent or caregiver is not present.

Visit selectwisely.com to order yours today. If your child’s allergy or language is not available, be sure to check out their custom orders page.

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