Flickr find at Wallflower. Whether you buy them, sew them, or throw them together on a whim - kids love forts. They're great for imaginary play with friends or quiet time alone with a good book. And they're perfect for those times when you're stuck at home for one reason or another (say, for example, you live in the Midwest). To get you inspired, I've collected some of the best examples and DIYs from around the web. (Also, you won't want to miss these amazing "Build a Fort" … [Read more...]
Magnetic Fabric Letters / Magnetic Wall Giraffe Take 2
If you've been here before then you know all about the magnetic wall giraffe, the project that started it all, the impetus of this very blog. Well I have a confession to make..."Backhoe" the giraffe is flawed, and not just because his name is Backhoe (in an interesting intersection of two of C's favorite things, construction vehicles and animals, he recently named all the painted animals in his room "Backhoe" - but I digress). Sadly, Backhoe's super cheap affordable wooden alphabet letters … [Read more...]
Honoring Kids’ Artwork: Part 3 – Hang It Up
photo via Childhood 101 Next up in this series is one of the most popular methods of displaying lots of artwork - simply sticking it up along a wall. It's cheap, easy to do, and allows for lots of flexibility. This art space was created by Christie over at Childhood 101 for her daughter's playroom. How could anyone not be inspired to create here? Seriously, just looking at this has me itching to break out the crayons.Best of all, Christie provided lots of stylish ways to … [Read more...]
Retro Toy Love: Suitcase Dollhouse
This is version #2 of this post. I just spent the last 20 minutes drafting a very clever write up about how much I adore this doll suitcase from hart + sew and how it reminded me of one of my other favorite blogs Modern Kiddo. I went on for about a paragraph about how similar the authors of these two sites are and how I should totally introduce them. Then, just to be thorough, I quickly popped over to Modern Kiddo to make sure they hadn't actually featured hart + sew in the past. … [Read more...]
Install an Indoor Swing, Instill Self-Confidence
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...]