Fun in the Kitchen
September 7, 2011 at 09:30 | Posted in ALEX Toys, Family Time, Mamma Mia Rea, Recipes | 2 CommentsMy mother was an amazing cook – so amazing, in fact, that she held baking classes in our kitchen. I loved to watch her in action, whizzing from cabinet to tabletop, whipping up this, stirring in that, chatting away like the hostess of a cocktail party.
There Is More Than One Way To Mow A Lawn
August 30, 2011 at 09:00 | Posted in Family Time, Outside Play, Play@Home Mom | Leave a commentIt was a beautiful summer day and I couldn’t t wait to pick Lori (4 years old) up from school to give her and Julie (18 months old) the ALEX Bubble Mower. I had a bubble mower when I was a kid and I remember it being one of my most favorite toys.
Right out of the box, the mower is simple and quick to assemble. Just snap together the handle, put in two batteries and you are ready to go. The mower comes with 2 bottles of bubbles, which is great because these girls were outside mowing the lawn for a better part of the afternoon!
A Date to the Movies
August 8, 2011 at 09:45 | Posted in ALEX News, ALEX Toys, Family Time, Mamma Mia Rea, Media | 1 CommentI, like many other children growing up in the 1980’s, was addicted to “The Smurfs”. What wasn’t to like about them? Cute, blue, enchanting little creatures, life in Smurf world was always perfect. Even their theme song was catchy; so catchy, in fact, it haunted you all the way through college.
Tips on How to Survive a Road Trip!
July 14, 2011 at 14:03 | Posted in ALEX Toys, Family Time, Play@Home Mom | Leave a commentThis summer, our family decided to take a long road trip! I was a bit nervous about traveling with the two girls (Lori, 4 years and Julie, 18 months). We don’t have a mini-van or fancy backseat DVD players; we just have our trusty sedan. But with some advance planning, clever packing, and a few tricks up my sleeve, we happily made it to our destination. You can too!
Sometimes if Julie is feeling sad in the car, Lori sings to her to cheer her up. It is so sweet! This time, Lori and I sat down the day before our trip and made a “play list” of songs that she could sing to Julie. We made sure to draw little pictures with ALEX® Crayons and My Scribble Pad to reference the songs; this way Lori could “read” them herself.
I Bag Your Pardon!
July 12, 2011 at 15:00 | Posted in Family Time, Kid's Arts & Crafts, Little Hands, Play@Home Mom | 2 CommentsWe LOVE doing crafts at our house. I am a crafter (for work and pleasure) and my daughters, Lori, age 4, and Julie, age 1.5, come running over to join in whenever I break out my supplies. That is probably why I’m obsessed with the ALEX Little Hands craft kits; they are all projects that Lori can do on her own, without creating a huge mess, and be proud of. We recently tried out the Paper Bag Puppets kit – check it out…
When she opened the box, we found 5 individually packed projects. Every paper bag comes with the corresponding stickers and punch-outs that are needed to craft them into adorable animals! The kit also includes colorful picture instructions and jumbo-sized glue stick. Lori was thrilled that the glue stick was bright pink and dried clear.
Friday Fun: Ideas from SavvyAuntie.com
March 12, 2011 at 17:33 | Posted in ALEX Toys, Family Time, Friday Fun | 2 CommentsTags: Family, Friday Fun
We all run out of ideas regarding how to keep the kids busy- especially when you’re inside more than outside during the cold winter months. SavvyAuntie.com has some great ideas for activities with the kids. Here are a few for you to check out:
It is simply easy making ice cream in a plastic bag! Who would have thought ice cream could be so easy to make? And so tasty! The kids will be very excited to try their homemade concoctions.
Friday Fun: Enjoying Weekends In
February 5, 2011 at 16:13 | Posted in ALEX Toys, Family Time, Friday Fun | Leave a commentTags: ALEX Toys, Friday Fun
Whether it’s too cold to go out or you just want to enjoy a night in with family, staying home can be more fun than you’d think! Cozy evenings spent at home with those you love can create some of the most cherished memories and hilarious moments you’ll ever experience.
Here are four ways to create cold winter nights that will warm your heart from the inside out.
1. ‘Smores: Chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers are the only ingredients you will need. The marshmallows don’t have to be toasted over an open flame. If you don’t have a fireplace, use your microwave or oven. Enjoy them over silly stories.
Everybody wins!
2. Board Games: Clear a place on the living room floor and bring out a board game that even the youngest members of your family can enjoy.
3. Hide and Seek: A spooky game of hide & seek in a dimly lit house will incite lots of delightful shrieks! Just make sure your younger family members hide and seek with an older sibling or a parent.
4. Inside Camping: Assemble a clean tent or use bedsheets to make a makeshift fort for your little ones to sleep in overnight. Use a flashlight to make wall hand puppets and read bedtime stories with.
Spring and summer will be here before we know it. Enjoy how the cold weather months can really bring your family together.
*Photo from Countryliving.com
To Grandmother’s House We Go!
February 22, 2010 at 17:41 | Posted in ALEX Toys, Family Time | Leave a commentTags: ALEX Toys, Ask Nurit
Dear Nurit,
My children love to spend time at grandma and grandpa’s house, but their home is anything but child friendly. I spend our whole visits fretting about them potentially knocking over an expensive vase or breaking the crystal candy dishes. My parents love their grandchildren but also enjoy having nice things. How can I make their visits more fun and less worrisome?
Full of love? Yes. Child-friendly? No.
Great question! Children will often find themselves in a home or environment that isn’t set up to accommodate them. If it is a place
they visit often, such as the home of a close family member, it’s wise
to establish an agreement with the home owner before the next interaction.
Call grandma and grandpa and express your concerns. Ask which rooms are off limits to the children and which area of the home your kids can play in during family gatherings. Pack a few simple toys, crayons, paper, and non-messy snacks when you visit. If your children are preschool-aged or older, explain to them that they need to walk, not run and how to ask before touching something.
Weather permitting, try to keep the children outside. If they burn off energy outside, they’ll be less likely to attempt to juggle the candy dishes.
Have fun!
*photo from townandcountrymag.com
Friday Fun: Classic Children’s Books
February 19, 2010 at 18:20 | Posted in ALEX Toys, Family Time, Friday Fun | 2 CommentsTags: ALEX Toys, Friday Fun
Happy Reading!
The weekend is the perfect time to take it easy and enjoy a good book with your family. While there is no shortage of wonderful new books for children, here are a few classics that your kids are sure to
enjoy. These literary gems have stood the test of time and have been delighting lovers of the written word for years.
Visit your local library, make some hot cocoa, and enjoy some read-aloud time.
1. Pooh’s Library by A. A. Milne
2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
3. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
4. Sarah, Plain & Tall by Patricia MacLachan
5. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
6. The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery
7. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
8. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
9. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, William Nicholson
10. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
*photo learningsupport.co.uk
Ask Nurit: Reaching Olympic Gold
February 15, 2010 at 17:38 | Posted in ALEX Toys, Family Time | Leave a commentTags: ALEX Toys, Ask Nurit
Dear Nurit,
My family and I have been watching the Winter Olympics with our two children and have been really enjoying seeing peak athletes enjoy the fruit of their labor. It’s very tempting to look at my own kids who are involved in sports and wonder if they’ll ever experience an Olympic gold moment! I read last week’s Ask Nurit about keeping reading fun rather than pushing young children before they’re ready, does this apply to creating athletic champions? How do I balance wanting my pre-teens to reach their full potential and allowing kids to be kids?
This is a great question. It is inspiring to watch speed skaters whiz past the cameras and skiers fly through the air with their parents (and entire country) cheering from the sidelines. Make sure it inspires you to help your children reach their dreams, not yours. If your kids have a passion for a sport or art, encourage them and let them take it as far as they want to, within reason of course. Know your child well enough so that you can help them push past obstacles and keep their commitments. Reaching for the gold isn’t only about earning medals, it’s about being the best version of yourself. Let’s be sure to pass that on to the generations to come.
photo from MSNBC.com
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