Modern Parents Messy Kids

We're all about finding ways to make family life better while keeping our sense of humor. Check out our famous MPMK Top Toy Awards, already viewed over 7,000,000 times!

Handmade Halloween: Mess-Free Pumpkin Decorating

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It's become a tradition in our family for each member to get their own pumpkin on Halloween.  We usually hit the pumpkin patch in early October, then get around to decorating our finds a few weeks later.  (Which actually works out well because pumpkins become kind of a 2-for-1 family activity that way.)   So far the little ones have lost interest in carving after the first pumpkin, which leaves three more still needing to be decorated.  Paint is an option but it's nice to have a … [Read more...]

Hello, Autumn!

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Thanks so much to you all for another lovely week.  There's been so much going on, I'm not sure where to start.  How about with these amazing candy apples?  The shine on them is nothing less than perfection.  For the tutorial on those, as well as 5 more quintessential fall crafts (actually, 105 more to be precise), checkout my momtastic post from yesterday. Have a great weekend everyone! … [Read more...]

How to Make Like a Montessori Mama: Part 1 – Food Activities

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I'm of the belief that there's no single teaching philosophy that's perfect for every child.  While my husband and I ultimately decided on a more traditional play-based preschool for C, we certainly haven't ruled out alternative preschool environments for S in a few years (Waldorf, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, etc.).  I'm also of the belief that children can benefit greatly from being exposed to several types of teaching.  As such, I've been on the hunt lately for a few easy ways to incorporate … [Read more...]

Elsewhere

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Happy Friday everybody.  It's been a wonderful week and once again I have to thank you for all the love and support.  As I type this I'm only one little "like" away from 3,000 facebook fans!  With all your help, we're building a stellar MPMK community - THANK YOU!! In other exciting news, I was interviewed on one of my favorite topics, children's books, over at ohdeedoh this week.  You can check it out here. And last but not least, only one more day 'till October.  Sounds to me like … [Read more...]

Buying “90% Child” Toys – Blocks Edition

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I'm a staunch subscriber to the belief that the best toys are "90% child, 10% toy", meaning that it's lots of potential (not lots of bells and whistles) that makes the toy fun.  Instead of only being good for one specific type of use, these toys invite open-ended play which, consequently, encourages creativity.  That's good for learning and development as well as keeping the kids stimulated longer and giving you a chance to get stuff done.   With the holiday gift-buying season on the … [Read more...]

More Science at Home

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I thought now might be a good time to sharpen up our science skills. (Plus, the last science at home post was a big hit.)  So today I've rounded up 10 more experiments sure to surprise and delight your kiddos. In no particular order, here they are:   #1 - 5: Reactions! Fun Science Activities that Fizz, Foam, and Pop! My Pal Amanda over at Not Just Cute has five fun experiments to "keep kids enthralled and provide plenty of opportunities for learning through questions, experimentation, … [Read more...]