On April 27 in New York City I had the opportunity to meet up with some old friends and make a lot of new ones at the Time to Play Spring Showcase. Thanks to Time to Play Magazine, I won an all-expense-paid trip to the Big Apple to see what’s new in toys this spring and summer season.
TTPM: Spring Showcase Read More »
Here in Michigan, it’s finally warm and sunny enough to spend afternoons outside, which means it’s time for me to drag the outdoor toys out of the garage onto the patio. Over the last thirteen years of being a mom, I’ve learned that when it comes to outdoor toys, the rules are simple – keep the toys simple, washable and inexpensive.
Inexpensive Outdoor Fun Read More »
When I was expecting my second child my older girl was barely 2 so I was (understandably) paranoid about whether my “baby” would accept the new “baby.” In addition to all the transition a child approaching 2 has to deal with, having to share your parents with a new member of a family can be tough for anyone to handle.
I love my job. I teach kindergarten at a public school. Surrounding myself with children everyday has helped prepare me for motherhood. A recent conversation made me think, “Does having a teacher mom help prepare my son for school?” The other day, while eating lunch, my colleagues and I were talking about the pros and cons of having our kids attend the same school that we work in.
The Teacher’s Kid Read More »
My husband and I have a large family. Where I come from, “weird” would aptly describe having so many kids (I come from New Zealand). Where we live now, “normal” would describe it – but if I was asked? “Perfection” would be my reply.
I never put much stock into “gender toys” until I had my first son. I was over-diligent exposing him to “girl toys”- babies, dolls, tea parties, etc. All he wanted was balls, cars and anything else that had wheels or moved. So when my second son was born I naively thought he would be the same. To my dismay, I was horrified when, shortly before Christmas this year, I found out that my 20-month-old had a deep abiding love for babies and dolls and I simply had no clue!
Today we’re talking kids and fashion, and sharing fashion trends from the past (vintage) into the present (modern). My idea of fun is taking what kids (and this means you little misters too) love to use – their imagination – and letting it go wild with fun, versatile clothing. You can go from playing “Tea with the Misses” to “Keeper of the Gate at the Royal Castle,” then turn around, jump in the car and go off to the park. No need to shed those favorite styles that are setting off your fantastic adventure! Letting a child’s imagination and creativity flow with play is fascinating to watch and build strong memories with.
TTPM.comFabulous Fashion Read More »
Walking the aisles and touring the booths on my inaugural trip to Toy Fair 2010, on a quest for the latest and most exciting toys with a development and learning focus, was both exhilarating and exhausting. Being an occupational therapist who has promoted children’s sensory and motor development through toys for the last ten years, I can definitely say the Toy Queen has died and gone to toy heaven! For three straight days we searched and found so many new exciting toys and games ready to make their grand entrance into the market for 2010. Here were some of my personal favorites:
TTPM.com: Tackling the Halls of Toy Fair 2010 Read More »
I know many people will say I’m too young to know an “old fashioned” way to play. But there is a difference in the way our children play and the way I played as a child. For our family, we are getting back to basics. The toys are wonderful, and the more modern ones the better.
Time to Play: The Old Fashioned Way Read More »
Great ideas come to us at the most random times, don’t they? About six years ago, a friend of mine and I decided to put together a fun little book club for our 10-year-old kids’ class of fourth graders. We picked out some great books that the kids would love, came up with cool games and activities that would excite and delight, and ran it all with parent volunteers at the school. Sounds pretty innocent, right? Yep, that’s what I thought until one of the games I came up with – a game I called Kubit2me – turned into my obsession.
TTPM.com: My Mom is a Toy Maker Read More »
It’s January, and that means many moms and dads are working on their New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and get healthy. Why not make it a family effort? It’s never too early to introduce a healthy lifestyle to children. Use meal planning as a springboard to discuss healthy food options. Let them choose new fruits and vegetables to sample. When you instill an appreciation for healthy eating in your child it will stay with them as they grow. In our overweight and unhealthy society it’s very important to plant the seeds of healthy eating from that first spoonful!
TTPM.com: Family Fitness Through Play Read More »
Perhaps you’re among the twenty percent of consumers carrying holiday credit card debt right now. Or maybe you just overextended your budget a bit in the midst of gift-buying and travel, putting your family in lean financial times this month.
TTPM.com: Financially Fit In 2010 Read More »
I am going to start this post with full disclosure, my child watches TV. I know how easy it is to turn it on, but it’s so much harder to turn it off! Young children learn through play and although they may be yelling at Dora or dancing with the Wiggles, watching TV isn’t play. When they play they imagine, they set rules and boundaries, they practice social skills and so much more.
TTPM: Turn Off the TV! Read More »
The holidays are upon us, and many of you may be wondering how you can make a difference this year. One of the biggest topics in 2009 was to “be green”. But what does that really mean? Here are a few tips to help you understand why and how you can have a “green” holiday season:
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The holidays are upon us and shopping is in full swing. Kids are making their Christmas wish lists, with every toy and gift they could ever want. As a mom, I want to fulfill their every wish! In reality, I have a budget to stick to.
TTPM.com: Holiday Shopping on a Budget Read More »
How do you teach a 4 year old the meaning of Thanksgiving? Sure, he knows to when to say thank you- but to truly be thankful for something, or someone? How do you teach that?
TTPM.com: Teaching Kids How to Give Thanks Read More »
Let the holiday shopping madness begin. I can’t help but think that the season begins earlier and earlier every year. Maybe I notice it more now that I am a mom, but I swear I heard Christmas music on a commercial at the beginning of last month.
TTPM.com: The Holiday Wishlist Read More »
I’m in the midst of the Great Bedroom Declutter of 2009. Pray for me. With a kid, a preteen, and a teen, you can imagine how much stuff we have crammed in to our house. My children save everything from Halloween candy to Valentine’s cards to craft kits to notepads to sheets of stickers to clothes that don’t fit to well, name something and I can probably find it in one of their rooms. Add to the mess my old notebooks from school and college, my childhood stamp album, a collection of t-shirts destined to become a quilt, and a host of other items small and large — and you can imagine the clutter. Even my husband has been known to hang on to a few things. As you can see my children get their packrat tendencies naturally.
TTPM.com: Developing a Reader Read More »
In my book, Autumn claims the prize for the season chocked full of the most vibrant colors. And as an amateur photographer, it also stands out as my favorite season for getting colorful pictures
TTPM.com: Kids’ Photographer Read More »
When I was young, not one of my friends had a “play room”. Instead, our bedrooms were our domains and we stuffed them with toys, games, posters and memorabilia accordingly. Since then, the play room has become the new house must-have and designated rooms for toys and games are popping up in a number of friend’s houses around town.
TTPM.com: Without a Play Room Read More »
Imagination, pretend play, and dress up are something all children have in common. Imagination plays a very important role in a child’s up bringing. It helps them to be creative thinkers and will help them to “branch” out of normal everyday life. When we think of pretend play we usually think of small children, but really pretend play is good for any age. Not only can small children use pretend play to play Doctor, Mom, Dad, Teacher, etc… but we can also use pretend play to teach children how to react to certain situations and about different occupations. Here are some ideas to get the imagination flowing in your children.
TTPM.com: Let’s Pretend Read More »
Planning birthdays in regards to boy/girl twins is difficult enough, but when you throw a 3rd child’s birthday into the mix just two weeks prior, things become even more complicated. This is exactly the case in our household. Our twins will turn 3 years old in mid January. Our older son will be turning 6 at the beginning of the same month. Not wanting to have any one child feel shortchanged, how do we celebrate each birthday with both his or her peers and our family members?
TTPM.com: The Birthday Shuffle Read More »
I cannot believe how fast this summer has flown by. With school starting on August 11th (August 5th for us teachers), we have already started to get ready for back to school. We are excited each year to begin preparing for a new school year as getting ready for school is a little different at our house. Yes, we have a Kindergarten Princess and a 5th grade Superstar to prepare but as teachers, my husband and I have classrooms to prepare as well. We have shopped and purchased all the necessary supplies, clothes, and teaching resources to prepare us for the first day of school.
Summer camp? Summer shmamp! We’ve had ten weeks of summer vacation, and my kids have spent just two of those at a summer camp. The rest of the time they have been at home with me. But they haven’t been bored at all. We’ve gone berry picking, visited museums, taken swimming lessons.
TTPM.com: Summer – Let the Games Begin! Read More »
