Get ready for a blast from the past! Anouk's Girl Scout troop recently went on an outing to Haygood Skating Center in Virginia Beach and I jumped into a time machine back to my own childhood. Not much at Haygood has changed since I was going there as a kid except maybe the music: the music that plays as the skaters take the floor are people I don't recognize instead of Mariah Carey and TLC. But the whirling sense of fun and excitement is still the same.

Anouk had literally never skated before this night and did a lot of wall hugging (as did many of her friends) for the first hour or so and a lot of practicing on the carpet outside the rink, But by the time we left she was fairly confident on her feet and managed to do a few turns without holding on. In between bouts of skating we played arcade games (skee ball!), duckpin bowling, and A. used some of her allowance to buy the $2 pass into the super big soft-play/maze area (I never know what to call these things). This one had swings in it, so it was extra awesome.

The night we went (Thursday) was also Family Night, which meant that $7 got you admission, skate rental, and all-you-can-eat pizza (if you weren't skating, it was $3). There are many other specials at Haygood throughout the week, including Saturday night Twilight skates and Sunday evening Cheap Skate night.

Some disclaimers: the rental skates are old and sometimes not in the best condition. Bring your own pair if you can or make sure to wear socks if you can't. There is a height limit to be able to skate out on the rink, so it might be best to call ahead if you're planning to take littler ones. EVERYTHING IS CASH ONLY (there is an ATM on the premises). And there seems to be a lot of rules. Dress code, what direction you skate and when, where to wear shoes and when to take them off! But once they turn on that disco ball and some slow jams... it's all good.

It makes me feel a little guilty to admit it, but I'm not much of a play pretend type of mom -- I really can't make myself sit down and play Barbies or dolls for too long without wanting to bang my head against the wall. Enter: board games, the perfect way to occupy a toddler for an hour or two without it being too painful. With the winter months coming up, and the prospect of many hours indoors looming on the horizon, I've been stocking up on board games lately and we've amassed a pretty impressive collection.

Anouk just turned 3 and a half, and knows her letters, colors, and shapes, but even so, some of the more complicated board games are still a little advanced for her. Through a little investigation, though, we've come up with a good stock of games that are advanced enough to hold her attention without being too much.

Here's our list so far. What have we missed?
Penguin Pile Up: Balancing the penguins on a slippery iceberg is the aim of this game (first one to get all of them up there wins). For the littlest players, the iceberg can be set flat on the table so it's not so much of a challenge. A little difficult but satisfying when you get it and tons of fun.

Green Eggs and Ham Game: This one involves matching images with squares on the board to win. A must for Dr. Seuss fans.

Eeboo Tea Party Game: The first person to collect all of the pieces (plates, cup, food) wins. But beware of hungry bees! This game is an award-winner and probably Anouk's favorite right now. It also comes with its own tablecloth, which is pretty nifty.

Hi Ho Cherry-o: A counting game that's quick and easy. Keeping track of all the little cherry pieces, on the other hand...

I Spy Bingo: Find each of the items on the cards on a square on your board and you might get bingo! Teaches letters and letter sounds, with a more difficult option for older kids.

Go Fish card game: The old classic and you can find it everywhere, even the dollar store. There are some adorable vintage versions available on Etsy.

Memory: We have several versions of this matching game, but our favorite is probably one we made ourselves out of card stock and stickers. Pinterest has some great ideas if you're looking to DIY.

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse: Created by Eric Carle, this coloring game combines creativity and fine motor skills. We previously reviewed it here.

ThinkFun Move and Groove: Not really a board game but we're including it anyway. Roll the soft plush cube and choose a card to act out the movement. We really appreciate that nobody "wins" with this game, it helps a lot with the meltdowns (we're still working on how to lose gracefully). ThinkFun sent us this one to review and it's still a favorite.

Just as a side note: A good number of these games A. and I picked up at the thrift store, on various shopping expeditions, for a dollar or less apiece. It never occurred to me before to look at the board games section but it's turned out to be a pretty stellar resource for games. Just be sure to check and make sure that all (or most?) of the pieces are there before you buy!