It started with an innocent challenge written on the top of my daily diary: "What inspired you today?" No one anticipated where it would take me. But, trust me, it was to have amazing consequences.

“I was inspired by the weather forecast” I wrote in my diary. It said that the next couple of days would be dry and sunny. I dreamed of taking my troupe of four daughters and one dog outdoors to enjoy it but did not have much idea of how to manage it. Usually husband Philip would join me for crowd control but this time I was elected to go it alone. “All sunshine”, I kept saying, “all sunshine”.

I wanted to go where the area was enclosed and safe for exuberant running and chasing of children and dog. No cars, no crowds and certainly no roads were on my wish list.

I looked at my Kid Friendly Venues app and had plenty of choice. There were endless parks to visit in my area around Syracuse in central NY State and I especially liked the facility to see them marked on Google maps because I could see where the urban ones were. Urban parks for me mean they will probably be enclosed to live alongside homes and  businesses. No escape routes for dog or children.  That ticks a box for me.  All are neatly filled with pathways and parkland that has looped pathways and nearby parking. I like nearby parking. The fun starts when the car door is opened so a safe location near the anticipated adventure is essential.

I also found lots of zoos and pet farms on my KFV app. How I love to see a child gaze with open eyes as they nudge up close to the fence to make a new discovery of our world’s beautiful animals. Young hearts swell with love and affection for the living, exotic and amazing creature that changes their perception and kindles a new understanding of our world.

Agh! I found it. Under “Historical Site Seeing” I found what I was looking for. It had easy parking – yes this is my first priority. “Open seven days a week” it said. Great! There were park trails to follow as we please but there were also guided tours and a full calendar of events. I had chosen to take a kid friendly day trip to Fort Stanwix National monument, the only American post never to surrender to the enemy throughout the entire American Revolution. I just loved the idea of the staff inspiring our daughters to visualize the “no Surrender” stance of historical heroes as they stood on the same spot as they were on. 

Oneida County here we come! Up the NY State Thruway we drove, exiting at 31.

The day was brilliant. It had all the right ingredients: children's safety, children's interest, children's smiles and lots of small portions of social history to sow into growing minds to flourish in years to come.

My subsequent rating on KFV app was to give Fort Stanwix Five Stars. *****

Would you believe it…I discovered that some of my ancestors were amongst those who fought at Fort Stanwix?!

Now we need another few days out. I want to look up KidFriendlyVenues app for libraries. I need books on the American Revolution. The kids would love that day as much as I would. Maybe the dog will have to stay at home for that trip.

Barbara B