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Friendship Bracelet and Barrette Making Go Portable

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As a preteen, I was never without a book and some embroidery floss for making friendship bracelets. Knotting bracelets was a fun activity I could do alone or while chatting with friends. With a little embroidery floss, I was never bored.

Once you learn basic knots and friendship bracelet patterns, making a bracelet is easy. The hardest part is keeping your strands untangled and in order. Of course, when I was a kid, I didn’t have My Friendship Bracelet Maker, which is way cooler and more effective than the piece of cardboard and scotch tape I used to carry around.

A Tale of Confidence: Ida Louise and The Lucky Sweater

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Around the time she turned five, my daughter became more aware of the opinions of others around her. “What if they don’t like my project?” “What if they laugh at my jacket?”

We look for confidence boosters so that my daughter will focus on being true to herself. Books with a strong girl protagonist help spark discussion in our household.

Ida Louise and the Lucky Sweater, by Julie Augensen, is a charming story about finding confidence. Believing she has a lucky sweater, the title character has the courage to make new friends and have an adventure…

14 Things that Might Surprise You About the Disney Fantasy Cruise

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Everyone’s favorite mouse invited us on a preview cruise aboard the Disney Fantasy Cruise Ship.

Before our most recent two trips to Disney, my husband and I would not have pegged ourselves for the Disney demographic. Sure, we have three kids, five and under. Still, our pre-kid vacations were more focused on hiking through jungles, exploring historical ruins, and touring Gothic churches. So, could a Disney cruise deliver both for our kids and for us?

Where the Disney Cruise Line really delivers is allowing families to customize experiences for the children, the whole family, and the adults.

Adults have Words with Friends, Kids have Ohanarama

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Ohanarama is an online social game environment where children and families can connect and challenge each other to all kinds of fun games, bringing family fun that much closer.

Smash Your Food

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First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign has raised awareness about the problem of childhood obesity. A new app called Smash Your Food, now available in the Apple App Store for $2.99, aims to make it easier for parents and kids to learn about healthy foods together.

What A Mom Wants: Personalized Pacifiers

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I attend lots of baby showers. While I always purchase a gift from the mom-to-be’s registry, I also like to add an affordable yet personal gift that reflects my style.

Pacifiers soothe cranky babies and may even reduce the risk of SIDS. Personalized pacifiers are a hot gift trend, but many parents may not know that “bling” on a pacifier could pose a choking hazard.

Green Your Nursery

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With their love of the outdoors, children are natural environmentalists. My preschooler loved the new Lorax movie. Afterwards, he wanted to plant some trees.

Teaching your kids to be earth friendly is easier than you think. Reading books about nature, recycling, planting trees and gardening are all fun ways to teach your kids.

The opinions expressed on Mamanista.com are based on a single consumer user testing, and are solely those of the author. Any factual claims, including but not limited to safety testing, are based on information from the manufacturer. Mamanista.com receives sample products for testing. Paid placements, such as announcements of sales or sponsored contests are clearly marked. See our disclosure policy.