Best of August 2023

Games, Going, and Good Sleep

August brought all sorts of big changes. From serious weather to back to school prep, parents looked at new favorites. For the first time this year, Practically Apparent has a new list of most popular posts, as seen below.

Clue Junior: Let kids try and solve the mystery with this spin on the classic whodunnit game. Players race to figure out who ate the cake, with what drink, and at what time. They take turns moving any colored pawn around the board to collect clues. Pictorial clue sheets make it easy for all ages to eliminate options. The first player to correctly guess the answers wins.

Twin Mattress: This affordable mattress works great for older kids ready for big beds. The price point makes it an excellent value, and it works equally well for bunk beds, spare rooms, and more. It comes directly to your address, so you don’t have to figure out how to get it home. So far, ours has lasted for almost a decade of everyday use and is still going strong.

Packing Spare Clothes: Don’t get stuck when you’re out and about with your child. Instead, try this trick to make sure you always have some spare clothes handy. Without spending a dime, be prepared for the variety of things that can happen to kids’ clothing, from mud puddles to accidents to spills. Perfect for the under five set, you and your child will both be happier if you ever need a change of outfit.

Four Games in One Box: Although you can no longer buy this set of starter games brand new, you can still get copies second hand. The box contains two boards, each with two printed sides, for a total of four games. Brightly colored pieces and picture tiles let kids start learning how to master game skills such as taking turns and planning ahead. These four games increase in complexity to reinforce basic skills like color recognition and counting.