photo via Real Simple The idea of hanging a rope ladder or swing from the ceiling might strike fear into the hearts of many parents, for the safety of both their little ones and their walls. Yet, experts at Stanford’s Shyness Clinic recommend doing just that. The Shy Child : Overcoming and Preventing Shyness from Infancy to Adulthood advocates indoor swinging, climbing, and other mildly risky activities to foster self-confidence in more naturally reserved kids. Click through … [Read more...]
Tutorial: Shaving Cream Valentine
It's almost February and that's got me thinking about, what else, Valentine's Day. I love that C is finally old enough to get into holidays so I wanted to make something special for him to give to his pals. Since chocolate candy isn't really appropriate for a bunch of 2 year olds (at least not in my world), I came up with this instead. Process based art and play has been big around our house lately (as evidenced by Monday's post) so these shaving cream Valentines were kind of a … [Read more...]
More Magnetic Wall Ideas
photo via minor details (spotted on pinterest) When I first posted about C's magnetic wall giraffe, I gave a few suggestions about other ways to interpret the project. If you particularly liked the idea of a cityscape with magnetic citizens, here are a few great examples of skylines to get you started. Something modeled after this large scale wall decal from tangle tree interiors would be perfect (spotted at minor details). photo via I am Momma, Hear Me … [Read more...]
Entertain Your Kids (and Get Stuff Done) with a Sensory Box
If you've ever stepped foot inside a preschool classroom, you're probably familiar with the mysterious attention-holding sensory box. Its ability to keep a young child's attention is so life changing that you need to have one in your own home - trust me! Not only will it keep them occupied for unheard of amounts of time, it also comes with all these developmental benefits.A sensory box is simply a container (preferably with a lid for storage) filled with tactile materials for kids to … [Read more...]
Honoring Kids’ Artwork: Part 2 – Create a Collection
photos via Create-Celebrate-Explore In the last half of this series I'll cover a few ways to establish a rotating gallery at home. For today, lets address what to do with that hand turkey (and other seasonal art) once the holidays have come and gone. First, take digital photos of the pieces and then throw them out. Trust me, you'll feel nothing but relief when that ever-growing pile of construction paper is gone. Second, use the photos to create something stylish. … [Read more...]
Rainy Day Design
THE BRIGHT SIDE at dazychic. Lately I've been thinking that rain clouds and kids might be a perfect match. Maybe I'm just being practical. As a Seattleite, convincing my young children that rain is a good thing would certainly pay dividends in the future. But it might also have to do with all the cute clouds hanging around these days. Read on for lots of soggy inspiration.large prints Dance in the Rain at pennywishes (via pinterest). Rain Drops Poster … [Read more...]
How Thomas the Tank Engine Can Make Your Kids Smart & Popular
Intriguing title, no? You're going to have to stick with me a little on this one because I'm technically posting on Emotional Coaching. Now, hold on - before you go to click away from the "touchy feely" post, read a little further. I promise this wasn't a bait and switch, Thomas will make it in! The quick and dirty on Emotional Coaching is basically this:The goal is to help kids to be aware of emotions and to learn how to express and regulate them. The parent's role is to … [Read more...]
Two Tiny Spots for Tiny Tots
Here's a little Monday bonus post - because I was up to my elbows in enchiladas this weekend and (as good as they are) I just can't look at them anymore!Oh, to have a little corner in the world as lovely as this. Above is a crib/dresser/changing table hybrid called "Nina's House" from Dave Keune (spotted by me at Black Eiffel). It is an amazing (and probably incredibly expensive) model of how to transform a tight spot into a beautiful modern nest. Click through for one of my all time … [Read more...]
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
First the winner - congrats to Aubrey, the official winner of MPMK's very first giveaway! Enjoy your $35 CSN gift code and come back to let us know what you got. Thank you to everyone who participated and made MPMK's first giveaway such a success. Now on to the chicken dinner. Not one, but two, of my friends have welcomed beautiful baby boys into the world in the last 2 weeks. So this weekend the hubs and I made a triple batch of our favorite freeze and eat food, Salsa Verde … [Read more...]
Best Kid Gift Ever… Plus a Pretty Package
I always thought once I became a parent it would be easier to buy gifts for kids. Ironically, the process has only become harder. I now know firsthand how easily plastic toys can overtake the house. In an effort not to inflict this on my parent friends, I agonize over finding the perfect educational gift that's not lame still fun.Enter Amy at Let's Explore with the world's best gift idea for a child: The Book Series Sampler. Simply pick 3-5 of your favorite age appropriate series … [Read more...]
Honoring Kids’ Artwork: Part 1 – Get Rid of It
So now that we've armed our little ones with the proper art supplies, what do we do with their new creations? Get rid of 'em! Sounds heartless, I know, but remember for toddlers art is about the experience and not the product. And even if your child's not a toddler, there's really no need to keep everything. Don't think you can change your pack rat ways? See Minimalism for Moms for some inspiration.Plus, you don't have to throw it out - just give it to someone else who will honor it. … [Read more...]
A Giveaway in Honor of MPMK’s 1 Week Birthday
MPMK is officially 1 week old today and to celebrate I'm giving away a $35 gift code to use at any of the over 200 CSN online stores. If you happen to win (and lets face it, with a brand new blog your odds of winning are a lot better than elsewhere) may I suggest getting something to help you keep one of your New Year's resolutions? I've even comprised a handy list of items for both parents and kids to do just that - just click on any of the photos for more info.Resolution #1: Make Your Bed … [Read more...]
Free Illustrations for Your Kids’ Space
Have you heard? MPMK is having its first giveaway today. And since we're on the topic of giveaways, I wanted to take the time to highlight a site that is generous enough to have one every day. I first read about Katie Moon's commitment to provide one new children's illustration a day (free for 24 hours) for the entire year over at ohdeedoh.When I visited oohmoon, I was delighted to find the pieces were being provided as week-long series. That means that all you have to do is stop by once … [Read more...]
Jumbo Fabric Wall Decals
There's something about fabric wall decals that I find infinitely more appealing than their vinyl counterparts. Maybe it's that they're more forgiving on textured walls, removable, and reusable... or maybe fabric just seems a bit cozier than vinyl? Whatever it is, the jumbo versions are the best of a good thing. The creator of these vibrant decals from Pop and Lolli (first spotted by me at Design Mom) declares, "I believe in impact" and boy does she put her money where her … [Read more...]