Water Paint

This has got to be the simplest, most mess-free activity for preschoolers. Goes to prove that, even today, all a toddler really needs is some summer sunshine, water, and a slab of warm pavement to keep 'em happy!

Sale @ Stella

I've been milling over the pickings of the half-off sale at Stella McCartney Kids this morning. From the now-iconic culotte suit, to basics for girls, boys, and babes, this sale is sure brimming with it's share of goodies!! Shop happy, my friends!

Break It Down

Been doing some "basics" shopping for Freida lately. Since she was born so teeny-tiny, she seems to grow at a glacial pace... which means less shopping and buying. She outgrows jeans about once a year, and I only need to replace her pajamas and basics (leggings, tanks, sweatshirts) when they show signs of threadbare! So much for hand-me-downs. :) American Apparel has the most wonderful collection of basic clothing for kids, and I instantly fell for this ad campaign - "Break It Down" i.e. down to the wardrobe basics.

Plus, with all the breakdancing my Mr. does, it was no surprise that I was partial to viewing the signature moves in slow-mo. Enjoy the quirkiness! :)

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/24580218]

iSpy Bottle DIY

  About that in-flight, time-consuming activity.....

I've been seeing this concept in all the toy stores recently, and I figure it's one of those toy fads. Anyways, I figured it was easy enough to make one of my own. All you need is a collection of small trinkets from around the house, a good (dry!) water bottle, and rice. Plus, a camera to photograph the objects before inserting them into the abyss, and some hot glue to keep things tidy. :)

I gathered a slew of little toys and random house objects, and lay them out on a white paper to photograph. I then began layering rice and toys into the water bottle. Make sure you leave a nice amount (more than an inch) at the top of the bottle so that the kids have room to shake it and move things around. Cover the bottle, and glue it shut. I printed the photo and laminated it so that Freida can hold it and go from object to object on her own. We assembled it together (which was part of the fun), but then I hid it away until on the flight, at which point she was ecstatic to play with it, and spent ample time problem solving with each little shake.

Enjoy!!

Garden Eats!

Nothing like pausing the backyard play to pick some garden bounty and ring the snack bell! It's amazing how much more open children are to eating new things when they partake in the process. Picking the fruits and veggies from the earth, cutting, mashing, and tossing made it that much more plausible for curious, yet timid, little palettes. (Thank you again Estee Berkowitz - now start with your radical-homemakers mom blog already!!!) Chunks of avacado, cherry tomatos, and chopped leek was never consumed by children with such gusto! Plus, watching it go straight from earth to mouth... the nutrient viability must have been intense! :)

Freida pulled a leek from the ground and exclaimed "that was freaking awesome!" - to my delight and Estee's horror. :))