Got a kid who’s too old for coloring books, but always seems to be doodling on everything? Check out these Doodle books, all marked down to just $5.18 apiece at Amazon, and eligible for free Prime shipping or Super Saver Shipping on $25+.
Do You Doodle?
The Boys’ Doodle Book
The Girls’ Doodle Book
Beautiful Doodles
I do believe Santa may be stuffing some stockings with those this year. I’m just sayin’.
A great solution for serving finger foods to babies and toddlers, especially if yours don’t like their food to touch (not that I know anyone like that…).
$28 at SkipHop.com
Categories: General, Great Gift Ideas, Kid Fashion, Kid Stuff
The days are getting shorter and colder… time to break out the warmest pjs possible. when your kids were tiny they wore footie pjs all the time, but now that they’re big it seems like those cozy garments are hard to come by (unless you’re want to pay a small fortune online). Target to the rescue! The ubiquitous store has fleecy, cozy footie pajamas to fit kids XS (4-5) to XL (14-16) and in several cute patterns. My Amazonian 5-year-old found a sweet pair of purple ones with peace signs and hearts scattered on it; my 11-year-old, who is taller than I am, is psyched that there were some that fit him perfectly as well (and that they were covered in cool skulls).
$12.99 (on sale this week for $10) at Target stores and online.
Categories: General, Good Reads, Kid Stuff, Travel Gear
Anything kids can use over and over again without getting bored is like gold when you’re traveling and space is at a premium. “Wipe Clean” activity books by Roger Piddy (published by MacMillan) have been a favorite among my kids from back when the tween was a tot. Intended for children age 3 and older, the 26 easy-to-clean pages are printed with colorful photographs, easy activities, and spaces and lines for early learners to practice their letters and numbers. A few swipes of a tissue and they’re ready for another round of connect-the-dots, tracing, drawing, or writing (a baby wipe removes older scribbles easily); they come with their own dry-erase marker conveniently clipped into the handle, but the ones you swiped from the board room work just as well. Chose from books about animals, “things that go,” letters, numbers, and trivia; the board books are sturdy enough to withstand multiple kids and even get handed down to others when your kids have outgrown them.Categories: Food and Cooking, General, Kid Stuff, Travel Gear
GoGo SqueeZ applesauce has become a staple in my road-trip repertoire, not because they’re healthy (they are) or they taste good (they do), but because of the super-cool packaging. I love it because the sturdy pouch is strong enough to withstand the jabs from whatever is in my bag; it’s also resealable, so if my preschooler doesn’t finish the all-natural fruity puree in one sitting, I can twist the cap back on and save it for later. My kids love it because they don’t need a spoon to eat it, and anything you can squirt directly into your mouth is a treat as far as they’re concerned. Win-win.
About $4 for four 3.2-ounce pouches at Whole Foods stores, or $45 for a case of 48 pouches at Cyber Cucina.
If your kids are learning to be more independent, these downloadable morning routine cards are a great idea to help them figure out what and when to do after they wake up. You can easily print them out and arrange them in whatever order works best for your family.
FREE at Livinglocurto.com
When my daughter was very little, I learned quickly that if I can make eating more fun, she will eat better and whining will be minimized — a win for both of us. If I’d found this Food Face Kid’s Plate back then, I would have bought multiples. It’s an easy way to make mealtime a bit more fun for your kids and a little less stressful for you.
$9.95 at Neatorama.com
I love making things together with our kiddo - from arts and crafts to baking cookies. Doodle Bread is a bit of both: It’s a kit from which you and your kids can make bread with unique designs in it. Fun, creative, and tasty!
$30 (converting from British Pounds, so approximate) at Doodlebread.com
You know how awesome it feels when you find something that your kids enjoy playing and playing and playing and playing…? This is our family’s latest find and our five year-old daughter can play this game — with us, friends, and even on her own — for hours.
$15 at Amazon.com
The other day my daughter kept asking me why oceans are salty and lakes are not. If you know the answer off hand, you’re smarter than me. After a few futile attempts to get her to focus on something else, I decided to use my friend the Internet and search for the answer. As I was browsing around, I came across this awesome website where you can type in your kids’ questions and see simply-put, easy-to-understand answers. Simply awesome.
