Homemade cookies make me happy for so many reasons. Biting into a decadent, fresh-baked cookie evokes warm memories of the delicious after-school snacks my mother used to prepare. And who among us doesn’t love chocolate? While I enjoy baking, I’m a busy woman with family, work and volunteer commitments. It’s hard to find the time to prepare cookies from […]
Start Your Reading Engines…
There’s a lot of talk in education circles about the literacy gender gap. Boys are lagging behind girls in reading and writing. I’ve heard author Jon Scieszka of Guys Read.com on NPR talk about how to close this gap. One of his suggestions for closing the literacy gender gap is encouraging male role models for reading. I love […]
Jump Into The Nearest Leaf Pile With Robeez Autumn Collection
The new fall Robeez are here! Robeez popularized protective, warm, and soft baby booties and then followed up this year with flexible soled toddler shoes, Robeez Tredz. The fall collection is diverse–filled with classic preppy looks, retro nods to styles from previous decades, and kids’ shoes that are just plain fun. We checked out the […]
Brain Quest: Flashcards for Preschool and Kindergarten
Children learn naturally through exploration and discovery, not through flashy gadgets and gizmos. The best way to encourage a life long love of learning is to share that journey with your child. Brain Quest from Workman Publishing makes a series of flashcard games for children as young as two to encourage parent-child interaction. There are […]
Eco-Chic Reusable Bags from Mimi the Sardine
Mimi the Sardine makes gorgeous children’s products manufactured in the USA from exuberantly playful eco-coated, soil and water resistant, cotton fabrics from Sweden. The cotton fabric is coated with acrylic, not PVC. I checked out Mimi the Sardine’s adorable Lunch Bug, a sweet little lunch bag with a carry handle. We like the idea of […]
Children’s Clothing as Sweet as Candy
Shopping at Coco Bonbons I feel like, well, a kid in a candy store. This is unique, quality children’s clothing of the kind my grandmothers used to lovingly purchase–stylish but with a whimsical touch. Coco Bonbons has released its Fall Collection for Girls and Boys and it is just absolutely darling. For Girls, I love […]
Cool and Reusable Lunch Bags
Instead of buying pack after pack of brown paper lunch bags, consider a reusable lunch bag for back to school. Reusable lunch bags, like Cool Tote Lunch Sacks ($17), are better than brown bagging it. Food stays fresher, lunch doesn’t leak through, and they are good for the environment and your budget. My daughter’s tot-chic […]
It’s Time to Bring Back Game Night
I have so many positive memories of playing games with my brother and parents on rainy afternoons and on family game nights. Our post on “How to Organize Your Board Games” had a lot of reader feedback. Thanks for sharing all of your favorite games. Your comments got me thinking about how much fun board games are. […]
Packs for Pint-Sized People
Oompa Toys isn’t just a great boutique for playthings. They also have a fabulous Back-to-School section full of educational goodies! Check out the bold and blocky, but still adorable critters on the Dante Beatrix Little Kids Backpacks ($36). For my little Leo, I’m fond of the charming Lion design. Each of the animals is stitched […]
Be a Savvy Millionaire Kid and Save, Invest and Donate
Kids know how to navigate the Internet, look up the latest baseball stats, and can tell you what their favorite celebrity wore to the most recent awards ceremony. But what about financial responsibility? Are they money savvy? Money Savvy Generation is a program of children’s books, curricula, piggy banks, and financial organizers, develeoped to teach […]
