Exercise Incentives

Do you have trouble tearing your child away from video games? Check out the GeoPalz activity tracker, a cute pedometer that allows kids to earn real, free prizes online ­– from balls to water bottles – by logging their steps. While it takes a lot of steps to earn points (about one point per mile) and prizes, your child will be surprised to see just how much ground he covers in a single day. $25. geopalz.com.

– J.D.

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Dolores Park Playground

Enjoy a spectacular view of downtown San Francisco at the recently reopened Helen Diller Playground at Mission Dolores Park. Enjoy a 45-foot Super Slide, sand pit, swings and age-segregated play areas for 2- to 5-year-olds and 5- to 12-year-olds. The $3.5 million playground took nine months to build, following a six-year approval process. It has been warmly embraced by the many residents who worked to make this dream a reality. Bounded by Dolores, Church, 18th and 20th streets. www.friendsofdolorespark.org.

– M.S.

Getting Outside

The average child spends more than seven hours a day on electronic media but only minutes on unstructured outdoor play. Summer is the perfect time to break the cycle. Need tips on keeping your children engaged and safe? Check out the National Wildlife Federation’s FREE parent guide, “Outdoor Play for Every Day,” for creative ideas, from scavenger hunts to build-your-own 3D Angry Birds. www.beoutthere.org/outdoorplay.

– J.D.

Outdoor Learning

Introduce your child to the food chains in your backyard with Secrets of the Garden, a new book by Berkeley author Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld. Join Alice and her family – including two unusually intelligent talking chickens – on a journey through the seasons, as they plant, harvest and explore the connections among food and the many critters that share our home. (Alfred A. Knopf, 2012.) $16.99.

www.randomhouse.com/kids.

– J.D.

Things We Like celebrates the best people, places and products that make parenting fun. Compiled by associate editors Janine DeFao and Millicent Skiles. Got a suggestion? Email janine.defao@parenthood.com.