color coded eating

For a fun meal or snack, fill colored bowls with corresponding colored food.  Children can help you find and eat the matching food while you talk about colors, aspects of food, size, health, safety and so on.  Simple variety in the daily meal routine can be a beneficial addition to the time you spend and relationship with your children.

Here is a great succinct list from pbs.org about kids and food:

• Children eat at their own pace and some eat more than others do.
• Avoid tying food together with behavior either as a reward or a punishment.
• Eating should be a shared and cooperative experience with foods served family style. Meals should be a time to chat, enjoy and help each other.
• Mealtimes are opportunities for children to be independent by making choices about foods.
• Encourage children to taste everything but be careful not to force them to eat.
  ( from http://www.pbs.org/wholechild/providers/little.html) 

games outside

In honor of the change of season, here are some classic outdoor games:

• Duck Duck Goose
• Simon Says
• Red Rover
• Races
• Charades
• Jump Rope
• Freeze
• Peek-a-boo
• Red Light, Green Light
• Hopscotch
• Mother May I
• Kick the Can
• Capture the Flag
• Follow the Leader
• Hide-and-Seek
• Leap Frog
• London Bridge
• Ring Around the Rosies
• King of the Mountain
• Tug-of-War
• Hot Potato
• Fruit Basket
• Love Your Neighbor
• Baby, If You Love Me
• Dodge Ball
• Musical Chairs
• Keep Away
• Sardines
• Four Square
• Tag (Freeze, Partner, Tunnel, TV Tag)

trees

Since 2009, Little Sapling Toys policy has been to plant a tree for every toy sold through Trees for the Future. In that time, our customers have helped us donate enough to plant over 20,000 trees in and for communities.  I would love to gush and gush about this organization, but nothing says it better than this video.  Invite your child(ren) onto your lap and enjoy.

messy

My mom's best parenting advice is "if they play with it longer than it takes to clean up, let 'em."  This statement has obvious implied limits, but I have found it an extremely helpful reminder.  So my kids finger paint with ketchup, cover the kitchen floor with flour and transfer water between pots and pans for hours.  Just not at the same time.

ec

Elimination communication is the practice of helping your infant use the potty through listening and gentle encouragement. Babies want to be dry and comfortable and they are born with the ability to do so with their caregivers help.

I've read articles that refer to EC'ing as a way to push early potty training. In my experience, EC is another way to bond with your infant that has amazing benefits for both child and parent. The goal of EC is not for a child to be potty trained, but to give a child the opportunity to relate his/her needs and to respond to them. In most cases, families that practice EC do so part time and still use diapers, paper or cloth.

If you are interested in EC, but don't know where to start “The Diaper-Free Baby” (Christine Gross-Loh) is a fantastic book that helps in this process. My favorite part? She stresses the success in your effort, communication and patience. No counting hits and misses.

retired

you made us smile

you made us laugh

no one bought you

so you got the axe

fort kit

FORT KIT

Includes:

• SHEETS (thrifted and laundered)
• SNACKS (pretzels and raisins)
• STRING (yarn)
• GLOW STICKS
• PLAN/MAP KIT (folder with graph paper, local city map and pencil)
• FORT SECURING DEVICES (clothespins)

All packaged in a dinosaur backpack.
I wish I were turning six again.