Parent Picks +

Healthy Food Blog: Real Food Family Meals

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 19:24:00 +0000

There's a new member of the family! I have just started a sister site to Parent Picks Plus - it's called Real Food Family Meals, and it is a healthy food blog. On this blog I will "feed" my other passion, which is cooking.

Don't we all want to feed our families healthy meals? When you have young kids and a job and school activities all competing for your attention, it can be difficult to find time to cook at all, much less cook healthy meals. The purpose of my blog is to share healthy recipes and tips for eating more "real" food and less junk, like overly processed convenience foods.

The first step is to be be mindful of what you are feeding your family and eating yourself, as in, "Is it healthy? Is it real? What's in it? Where did it come from?" When you ask yourself those questions, you will really be aware of what you are putting into your children's bodies.

The second step is to plan ahead. It is too tempting to order out for pizza or drive through a fast-food joint when you are busy and pressed for time. If you find you do not have time to plan out your own meals, try a service like "Menu Planning Central," where they provide 16 weekly menus each month (4 Family-Friendly, 4 Healthy, 4 Vegetarian, 4 Frugal) along with lists of the groceries you need to make those dishes. Talk about a time saver! You can even get their free "Menu Planning Basics" e-book right now!

**April 11-16, 2013: Huge HALF-PRICE SALE at Menu Planning Central! Try it out for less than 10 bucks!

So head on over to Real Food Family Meals. While the blog is still in its infancy, so far I have some great posts on 10 Healthy Snacks for School Lunches and How to Make a Healthy Eating Plan You Can Stick To. Plus check out my recipe for Tomato Kale Pasta Salad and my Taco Night tips.

To your family's health!

Got any healthy tips you want to share? Let us know in a comment!

Planning a Baby Shower? Then You Need This Book!

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 21:56:00 +0000

Have you ever been "nominated" to host the baby shower and found yourself caught off-guard? Planning a baby shower for a relative, friend or colleague is a huge honor and a huge responsibility. You want the party to be perfect from the party favors to the food to the decorations. Basically, you don't want to screw it up. And there is so much to plan that it can be difficult to know where to start. I have recently come across an e-book that takes the guess-work out of making the plans. You will not have to look at ten different articles or opinions on Facebook.

The book Baby Showers Revealed has a bit of a dramatic title, but it contains all the help you need in planning the baby shower. It includes advice on who should host, how to choose a theme, what food to serve, what games to play, plus lots of other tips. Since it's an e-book, you don't have to worry about it taking up space or losing track of it. Just download it to your laptop or device, and you are ready to go!

As for choosing a gift, click here for a whole list of the best baby shower gifts, none of which I ever got, by the way:)

How about you? If you have any baby shower tips to share, please leave them below!

Baby Showers Revealed

You're about to learn the secrets to throwing the most amazing baby shower, no matter how much time you have to prepare!

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Moby Baby Wrap: Wish I'd Know About this 12 Years Ago

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:22:00 +0000

When I had my first child almost 12 years ago, there were a few moms who "wore" their baby in some sort of backpack or sling. Although I could never get the hang of it, I envied those cool moms their TWO free hands. What a luxury! Fast forward to today when I see so many hip moms wearing their babies in all sorts of fabric masterpieces. None, however, is cooler than the Moby Wrap Baby Carrier. Here's the skinny on this awesome baby product, which also makes a great baby shower gift:

The Moby Wrap baby carrier is basically a cloth sling that wraps around the body in a unique way.. This version even comes with UV 50+ SPF to protect baby from the sun's harmful rays.

Product Features

Wide cotton fabric wraps over both shoulders
Uses the entire back and shoulders to distribute the weight
Keeps baby warm and frees both hands
Develops a strong and secure bond between baby and parents
Unique 50+ SPF wrap blocks 99% of sun's rays and protects delicate skin
Suitable for preemies to 35-pound child

Comfortable & Protective Cotton Fabric

Moby Wrap fabric slings are made from 100% pure soft cotton treated with the patented Rayosan technology, which provides sun protection. Moby Wrap UV is ideal for protecting baby's skin before the recommended age for sunscreen use.

Ergonomic and Secure Support

The Moby Wrap is unique in that it is wide enough to wrap over both shoulders. This thing actually looks comfortable and easy to wear. I tried a few different slings and backpack carriers when my kids were little, but I just couldn't get them to fit right. I always felt like I was going to drop the baby. You can't go wrong with the Moby Wrap, as it comes with an instructional guide that shows you how to wear your baby in a number of ways.

Suitable for Preemies to 35-lb Babies

The Moby Wrap UV is long enough to accommodate a growing baby. Moby Wrap can actually support a baby weighing up to 45 pounds. (yikes!) Most people, however, are comfortable carrying a baby that weighs no more than 35 pounds.

I'm pretty sure I don't have to convince you of the value of "baby-wearing," as it is currently called. Babies love being close to the mom's or dad's body. Preemies, in particular, gain weight faster and are healthier when they are constantly touched and held close. The Moby Wrap is the best way to provide the physical contact that young babies crave.

Summary

Allows you to wear your baby in a number of different ways
Can be adjusted to suit different shapes and sizes of the wearer and the baby
Comfortable to wear
Allows you keep your hands free while wearing your baby
Durable material
Provides protection from the sun's harmful rays
Keeps baby warm with your body heat

You can even get a Moby Wrap Mini for your little girl to carry her doll!
How cute is that?

Click here for more baby shower gift ideas.

Do you wear your baby? Do you use a Moby Wrap or any other type of wrap or sling? Share your comments below!

Surprise!: 5 Unique Kids' Gifts for Under $15

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:01:00 +0000

With spring gift-giving occasions on the horizon, it is time to think about some cool gifts for the kids in your life. Wouldn't it be fun to give something different this year? Something that makes the kids say, "Oh cool!" Yes, you could be that uncle/aunt/friend/grandparent. who gives the most unique gift of the party. Read on . . .

Ultra Stomp Rocket
The Ultra Stomp Rocket by D+L Company has won numerous toy awards, and with good reason: this is the king of cool toys. You actually just stomp on the launch pad to launch the foam rocket up to 200 feet in the air. That's all there is to it. No batteries or fuel required - just plain kid stomping action. The Ultra Stomp Rocket is recommended for kids ages 8 and up, but you can also buy the junior version for kids as young as 3 years old.
P. S. Parents seem to love them just as much as kids do.

Volcano Making Kit

This Volcano Making Kit by Toysmith consists of a volcano mold to make your own plaster volcano. After construction, just add baking soda and vinegar to watch it erupt with awesome bubbling action. Many kids know about the baking soda and vinegar combination, but building a volcano first adds to the fun.

Live Butterfly Garden

The Live Butterfly Garden by Insect Lore is a nature lesson in a box. The set includes a mesh habitat, a feeder, and a mail-in coupon for five caterpillars and food. You send away for the five caterpillars and food, which arrive in a clear plastic container. Watch them eat and grow, and when they form a chrysalis, they are ready to go into the habitat. In two to three weeks you will have adult painted lady butterflies! I have actually seen these, and they are AWESOME. Kids love to watch the metamorphosis that they have probably only learned about in school. They even come with a guarantee that at least three of the five butterflies will survive until maturity. Bonus: if you are in a climate that is at least 55 degrees, you can release them into the wild. This makes a very unique gift. Amazon sells this for a great price too.

Tall-Stacker Pegs and Pegboard Set

The Lauri Tall-Stacker Pegs and Pegboard is one of those timeless toys that kids love to play with and don't realize how they much they are learning while playing. My son had this when he was little and he LOVED it. Kids as young as 2 years old can manipulate the tall pegs to fit into the rubber pegboard. The pegs can be stacked on top of one another for more imaginative play. Kids can create towers of pegs. Meanwhile, they are building fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, as well as practicing patterning and color matching.

Classic Tin Kaleidoscope

Remember kaleidoscopes? The Schylling Classic Tin Kaleidoscope is just like the ones that were around when we were kids. Peer into the eyepiece while turning the end of the tube and watch the awesome colors and patterns that appear. I loved these as a kid, and this one is made of sturdy tin rather than cheap cardboard. Makes a great gift for kids of any age.

Don't settle for an ordinary gift for the special child in you life this spring. There are so many choices available if you look off the beaten path. What is your favorite unique gift idea? Share below!

Nerf Blasters: Love 'Em or Hate 'Em?

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 03:10:00 +0000

If you have a son between the ages of 4 and 14, I'm sure you know all about Nerf blasters (aka "Nerf guns," but if you're like me you prefer the kinder gentler term:). Not that girls don't enjoy them as well, but Nerf blasters are definitely a classic boy toy. And if you get a group of boys together and add some Nerf blasters - look out! Chaos is bound to reign. So do you allow your kids to use Nerf blasters, or are you one of those parents who thinks they contribute to male aggression and promote violence?

There are definitely parents on both sides of this issue. Some parents give their kids the biggest most powerful Nerf blasters before they can even handle them by themselves, and others completely ban them in favor of more non-violent toys, like erector sets and chemistry kits.

But many of us have parenting policies that lie somewhere in the middle. I do not mind my kids having Nerf blasters, as long as they follow a few rules. First of all, they should never ~~shoot~~ "blast" at anyone's head. That may be an obvious one. Also, I am not crazy about using them indoors. I guess if it is just my son shooting at a target he may use it in the house, but if you get more than one kid involved, you definitely need to move it outdoors. My son was at a birthday party recently where all eight of the boisterous little boys were allowed to have an all-out Nerf war IN THE HOUSE! (Needless to say, it was the kid's dad's house with no mom around:)

If you do fall in the pro Nerf blaster camp, which ones are your favorite? My son has the Nerf Vortex Proton, which shoots the discs rather than the darts. It is actually very cool and shoots pretty far. I bought the Nerf N-Strike Longstrike blaster for my nephew, and he loves it, but he is 12 years old. That one is definitely for bigger kids. Most of the Nerf blaster products look like they receive pretty decent reviews on Amazon. They even make a tactical vest!

So are you Pro Nerf blaster or Anti Nerf Blaster? I'd love to hear from you!

Fun bit of trivia for the day: Did you know that "NERF" actually stands for "Non-Expanding Recreational Foam"? What you don't learn from Wikipedia, I tell ya'!

Amazon.com Widgets

Breakfast on the Go: 10 Quick Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:42:00 +0000

Let's face it: trying to get out the door in the morning with your kids can be downright chaotic. The kids need to get dressed, brush their teeth, find their backpacks and shoes, while you need to make lunches, iron shirts, curl hair, and apply make-up. Who has time to sit down to eat breakfast? Some days you just need to grab a bowl or bag and eat on the way. Here are 10 suggestions for grabbing a quick breakfast on the go, no matter how crazy your mornings are.

1. Homemade trail mix can be mixed ahead of time and stored in individual containers or in a jar in the pantry. Be sure to include a mix of healthy nuts (for protein), dried fruit, and dry cereal (preferably not the sugary kind).

2. Yogurt with healthy cereal. Before you grab those kid-friendly looking yogurts with the mix-ins or green dye, read the labels. You are better off buying plain or vanilla yogurt in a large tub and mixing in a cereal like Grape Nuts for added crunch and nutrition.

3. Frozen grapes or cherries. Not everyone is a big eater in the mornings, but some frozen fruit to nibble on during the ride is a great way to wake up your child's tummy. Simply put the fresh fruit in the freezer to create a novel approach to getting their fruit intake.

4. Tortilla roll-ups can be made by filling soft tortillas (preferably whole-wheat) with shredded cheese and thinly sliced apples or ham and microwaved for a few seconds until the cheese melts. It’s tasty, nutritious and fast - great for grabbing on the way out the door.

5. Try an English muffin with ham and American cheese if you are trying to wean yourself off of a fast food breakfast. If you have time, microwave until the cheese melts. If you have even more time, fry an egg.

6. Make extra pancakes and waffles on the weekend and store them in the freezer. You can microwave them or put them in the toaster oven to reheat. Serve them with syrup or spread with peanut butter. (I like this brand of waffle maker.)

7. Smoothies are a great way to get a lot of nutrition in your body quickly, and they taste great. Use any combination of yogurt, fruit, milk, juice, and a few ice cubes. The Magic Bullet Blender is very handy when you want to make a single serving. It whips up smoothies easily and is a breeze to clean up.

8. Oatmeal with all the fixings is a great, quick breakfast. Yes, you can buy instant little packets, but it is cheaper and healthier to make your own. A large canister of instant oatmeal goes a long way, and you can control how much sugar you add. Prepare your own little baggies of different flavors of oatmeal by adding sugar, dried fruit, and/or nuts.

9. Homemade granola bars are the ultimate grab and go breakfast. Yes, you can buy oodles of varieties of packaged granola bars, but I like to make my own to save money and control the ingredients. Try one of these simple recipes.

10. Bake something like banana bread or muffins on Sunday to make your Monday mornings go a little smoother and tastier. You could also freeze them and reheat them in the morning. I like to use a toaster oven so they don't get soggy.

The key to a smooth morning is to have as many tasks prepared in advance as possible. Do everything you can the night before, down to setting the blender on the counter and taking out the dishes you will need. I know - easier said than done:) However, any prep you bring yourself to do in advance will pay off and send you and your kids out to school and work feeling full, satisfied, and less hurried. Then everyone's off to a great day!

Now that you've got breakfast under control, read about 10 Healthy Snacks for School Lunches.

**For more easy menu planning ideas, check out Menu Planning Central during their annual half-price sale. Try out the 16 monthly menus, shopping lists, custom meal planning software and monthly e-books for less than $10 a month! Sale runs April 11-16, 2013.

What are your shortcuts for making quick breakfasts for your kids? Leave a comment!

So You Want Cheap Printer Cartridges? Try ComboInk!

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:17:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I love to get a good deal. That's why I had been discouraged whenever I looked for cheap printer cartridges. I shopped discount stores, office supply stores and even tried having my cartridge refilled, but I could not find a good deal. Then I tried ComboInk, whose ad you may or may not have noticed in the side bar of this blog. I ordered a replacement cartridge - which normally cost $14.99 - for $7.99! What a deal! "Why so cheap?" asked my skeptical inner self. So I installed a ComboInk black cartridge, and I can tell you, this is a genuine good deal.

ComboInk asserts that they offer printer cartridges for 50% off retail. How can they sell them so much cheaper than any other source? Several reasons:

1. First of all, they are buying in such bulk directly from manufacturers that they can pass on the savings to their customers.
2. Second, you are getting a "remanufactured" cartridge, not a brand-name one. This is okay with me as long as it works, and so far mine does. They also offer a one year money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied.
3. Finally, ComboInk is located in Oregon, which does not charge sales tax.

I was still a bit leery, so I searched online for reviews. My search turned up only positive results, so that encouraged me to give them a try.

Your search for cheap printer cartridges is over! Go to ComboInk and order your next printer cartridge for about half of what you typically pay. By the way, if you click through the banner ad on the right, you can save 12% this month (use the coupon code "GREEN12"). Ka ching!

What's Your Favorite Children's Book?

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:50:00 +0000

Today I am running a survey of sorts. I would love to have readers answer this question: What is your favorite children's book? It can be your favorite from childhood or your favorite now, or your child's favorite.
Okay, I'll go first! I will give you one favorite of each kind (so hard to narrow it down to one!).

My favorite book from childhood was Curious George by H. A. Rey. I loved the story of that adventurous little monkey who pulled stunts I wouldn't have dreamed of doing. Like crank-calling the fire department? Escaping from jail? Flying over the city holding onto balloons? George was my childhood hero.

As a librarian and parent of young kids, I read a lot of children's books and have a lot of favorites. One of my very favorites is Chicks and Salsa written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Paulette Bogan. The illustrations in this book are hilarious. After the rooster observes Mrs. Nuthatcher's cooking shows on television, the animals begin to raid the garden and prepare such tasty dishes as salsa, guacamole, and nacho cheese sauce. Aided by a sneaky mouse in dark sunglasses, they are just about to celebrate with a big fiesta when they discover the garden supplies have disappeared - wiped out by Mrs. Nuthatcher for her tamales. Never fear though; the animals have a new cuisine in mind by the end - "Ooh la la!"

Now it's your turn. Tell us your favorite children's book below. Feel free to list more than one. I will feature them as a list in a future post. Happy Reading!

Top 5 Reasons I Love Sick Days

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:03:00 +0000

I just spent my second day at home with a kid who is too sick for school, and I learned that I love sick days. No, I am not a cruel mother who enjoys seeing her child suffer. I just prefer to see the glass as half full. Here is a countdown of the top five reasons I love sick days.

5. Reading Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary. I love to read chapter books to the kids in the evening before bed. Unfortunately, the realities of life on school nights limit how many pages we get through in a week. We made a good dent in the novel today.

4. Making soup. I LOVE to make chicken noodle soup, and my big guy loves to eat it. What better way to spend two hours on a sick day than making chicken noodle soup for the little love of my life?

3. Playing Candy Land. Really, this has not always been a favorite game of mine. But with my youngest being 8 years old, I know that my days of playing Candy Land are numbered. That may be a good thing...

2. Taking a nap. What nap? The big guy who was up half the night with fever and coughing could NOT fall asleep when he tried to take a nap. His mom, on the other hand, had no such problem:)

1. Spending the day bonding. My number one reason for loving sick days is having the unexpected pleasure of spending a whole day one-on-one with my son. In this rushed and crazy world of school days, homework, and going to work, it is sheer joy to spend a day unhurried and unscheduled with a sweet little boy who will no doubt be pulling away from Mom very soon. I will take every last opportunity I have to snuggle on the couch with him. He was still coughing before bed tonight. Maybe we will need another sick day tomorrow.

Meet Fancy Nancy: Books and More

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:51:00 +0000

If you have a little girl, you probably already know who Fancy Nancy is. In case you don't, let me enlighten you: Nancy Clancy is a darling diva featured in a series of books by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, and she loves everything fancy - sprinkles on ice cream, glitter and sequins on art projects, feathers on hats, lace trim on socks - you get the idea. She also loves fancy words, which is quite honestly why I like her so much. Words like posh, stupendous, plume, fuchsia, and divine are regularly sprinkled throughout the stories. So your little girl gets a vocabulary lesson even as you are indulging her inner princess.

Fancy Nancy started out as a book, then a series of books, and new she has expanded into her own product line of dolls, bedding, party supplies, and of course, accessories. I think she is a pretty cute character, and girls definitely adore her. She does demonstrate some good lessons too: accept people for who they are; it's okay to be yourself whether you are fancy like Nancy or "plain" as she dubs the rest of her family ("They don't even ask for sprinkles!"). Gasp!

This is the original Fancy Nancy book that started the fanciful craze. Nancy sets out to add a little bling to her plain family's wardrobe choices. They all step out for a fancy evening, but a small disaster leaves Fancy Nancy feeling anything but. She learns at the end though, there is no fancier way of saying, "I love you."

The latest book in the series, Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet, finds Nancy in the somewhat familiar picture book predicament of desiring the starring role in the show but being relegated to the minor role of a tree. Will she play her tree with heart and grace or dash in to save the day when disaster strikes before the big day? (I really don't know because the book doesn't come out until next week! LOL)

Now that you have been bestowed the distinguished honor of making the acquaintance of one Fancy Nancy, you may appreciate her more fully by purchasing any of the exquisite products below. (Fancy Nancy couldn't have said it better:)

Sunbeam Donut Maker: 5 Reasons You Should Buy This Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:19:00 +0000

Who doesn't love fresh doughnuts (or their slang cousin "donuts")? With the Sunbeam Donut Maker you can make five of them at home in about 7 minutes. I received this appliance for Christmas, and I love it already. I know, I know, you already have way too many small kitchen appliances, right?. Well, this one stores upright and takes up very little room. I say it is worth your space. Here's why:

1. It is very simple to use. Just heat up the unit, spray it with cooking spray, pour or spoon the batter in the donut-shaped wells until 1/2 full, and close the hinged lid. I do stray from the instructions at this point. They say to cook them for about 6 minutes (without flipping them over). I found the top side was not quite done at this point, so I cook them for 4 minutes and then flip them over (which is very easy to do) for 3 more minutes. They came out perfect!

2. It cleans up easy peasy. Although the instructions call for spraying the unit, they don't seem to stick even if you forget this part. The donuts come out very easily with a non-stick utensil like a spatula. All you have to do for clean-up is wipe out the unit with a cloth.

3. Making donuts is fun! It is an awesome simple cooking activity to do with kids, as long as you don't let them touch the hot unit (duh, right?). My daughter had a friend over last week and we made donuts for a snack. They had a blast frosting and decorating their own donuts.

4. Cake donuts are healthier than fried donuts. I can't quite pass them off as health food, but the cake donuts made by the Sunbeam Donut Maker are definitely lower in calories and fat than fried donuts. I have read about people making gluten-free donuts by using a gluten-free cake mix to make their donuts. Great idea for those who need it!

5. Making your own donuts is cheaper than buying donuts. Obviously, right? You will feel like you scored big by making your own treats instead of buying a pack of "donettes" (which BTW have 230 calories and 14 grams of fat in each serving!).

6. Bonus Reason: Chocolate donuts - need I say more? Seriously, you can get as creative as you wish with this thing. Cinnamon sugar, cocoa powder, glaze, mashed bananas, coconut, chocolate chips, raspberries, even shredded carrot for goodness sake.

Although I love the Sunbeam Donut Maker, I must admit I was not thrilled with the included recipes, as they all called for 9 tablespoons of butter for a batch of about 10 donuts. Say what? If I am making these at home to be a bit healthier, I am not going to slop over a stick of butter in the batch. So here is a recipe I adapted from one I found online.

      Double Chocolate Donuts
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 t. vanilla
1 T. canola oil
2T. margarine, melted
In large bowl combine dry ingredients. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, oil, and margarine in separate bowl. Add wet ingredients to bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until well combined. Fill wells in pre-heated donut maker 1/2 full. Cook 4 minutes. Turn donuts over. Cook 3 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.

     Chocolate Glaze
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T. hot water
1/2 t. almond extract
Blend in small bowl until smooth. Spread on donuts. Top with sprinkles. These turn out AWESOME!

P. S. Did I mention how cute this unit is? Yes, I love my donut maker. You can get yours from Amazon right here. Be sure to let me know how your donuts turn out!

Have you heard about the half-price sale at Menu Planning Central? Now through April 16, 2013 you can start a one-month trial for less than $10! Now that makes me almost as happy as chocolate donuts:)

LEGO® Books: What Will You Build Next?

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:26:00 +0000

Ever since Ole Kirk Christiansen began making LEGO® bricks in Denmark in the 1930's, kids have been fascinated with the idea of stacking the brightly colored bricks to create buildings, towers, cars, vehicles, and anything else they can dream up. Give a kid (especially my kid) a bucket of LEGO blocks and you will be amazed by what you see.
Even though kids generally have vivid imaginations, they still enjoy finding more ideas and seeing photographs of what others have built with their LEGO bricks. Enter LEGO books: an assortment of books that give ideas, inspiration, and instructions for building anything and everything out of LEGO bricks. Learn about the history of LEGO and the various building sets available through the years and sought by collectors. Here are some of the best books to excite your budding builder:

The LEGO Ideas Book by Daniel Lipkowitz will give your child hundreds of ideas of things he/she can build out of LEGO sets you already have. Some of the models shown started out from a kit that was adapted, and others were built free-style. Keep in mind this book does not give instructions, but that is intentional. The point of the book is to give ideas and let your kid take it from there, using the bricks you have on hand. Even if all you do is gawk at the photos, which are large, clear, and shot from various angles, this one is a keeper.

The LEGO Book, also by Daniel Lipkowitz is geared more toward the collector or serious LEGO® fan. It contains a beautiful visual history of nearly every LEGO product ever created. You will learn about the various product lines, clubs, collectibles, theme parks, video games, and more. Of course, it is filled with stunning photos of LEGO models, some never published before. As an added bonus, it comes packaged with "Standing Small: A Celebration of 30 years of the LEGO Minifigure." Minifigures are the little people-like characters that come with many LEGO sets. (They are usually every kid's favorite part of the building set.)

If you are looking for a go-to book to aid you in building LEGO structures, then The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide by Allan Bedford is for you. The book is full of tips and techniques for general LEGO construction plus instructions for specific projects, including plans to make a mini train station for the minifigures and a sphere. It also features a "Brickopedia," which is a visual reference of the 300 or so most useful LEGO pieces and suggestions in how to use them. I was at first struck by the book's black and white illustrations, but found out that the lack of color was a deliberate attempt at focusing on the size and shape of the brick and making sure kids are not stressing about having the "right" color. Younger kids will probably need an adult's help with the building, but LEGO fans of any age will love this title.

The trio of books titled Cool Cars and Trucks, Cool City, and Cool Robots, all by Sean Kenney are geared toward younger kids and contain projects they may be able to build on their own. Each book contains mostly photos and diagrams. There are not a lot of words, similar to the instructions that come with LEGO sets. (I'm glad my son is good at following the pictures because I am no help unless I have WRITTEN instructions:)

So there you have it: some great books to feed your child's LEGO® habit. What is your favorite LEGO book?

Books About Trucks: Preschool Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:25:00 +0000

As both a librarian and mother to a son, I have learned first-hand that little boys LOVE books about trucks, cars, diggers, dumpers, tractors, motorcycles, and anything else that has wheels. When my son was less than one year old he would sit in my lap to read stories IF they had a vehicle in them. Here is a list of books that I have personally seen captivate the attention of little boys:
(Disclaimer: Little girls may love these titles as well; it just seems to be more of an obsession for boys:)

I Love Trucks! by Philemon Sturges is a simple presentation of various types of trucks including dump truck, fire truck, and garbage truck. With bright clear illustrations and simple rhyming language, it is just right for the 2-5 year-old age range. See also Philemon Sturges's I Love Trains!

Digger Man by Andrea Zimmerman is an adorable story of brotherly love. Big brother is telling about how he will be a "digger man" when he grows up, and we even see his baby brother strapped into the digger's back seat. A nice short story sure to please big brothers everywhere. See also Zimmerman's Fire Engine Man.

Short rhyming text and simple illustrations tell the heroic tale of Red Truck and how he rescues a school bus stuck in the snow. A bus and truck in one story - how can you go wrong? Its great sound effects make it a joy to read aloud.

My Car by Byron Barton is one of the first books that my son loved. When he could barely talk he could recite some of the words, "I love my car. I keep my car clean." Bold primary colors on simplified forms make this a great choice for toddlers. See also Byron Barton's Machines at Work, Trucks, and Trains.

One book that I love to read to the storytime kids at the library is The Bridge is Up! by Babs Bell. It is a fun cumulative tale of various vehicles that are waiting for a drawbridge to lower so that they may pass over it. The animal drivers of each vehicle show their impatience as the traffic jam ensues. The end is rewarding as we see the bridge lower and "nobody has to wait!"

Mr. Gilly, the trash collector, is the hero in Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha. This adorable refrain is repeated throughout the book: "Dump it in. Smash it down. Drive around the trashy town." Also see Dig! by the same team.

Speaking of garbage trucks, the animated garbage truck in I Stink! by Kate McMullan is full of sassy attitude and fun sound effects. He even burps. As he tells about what he is eating each night, he even imparts an alphabet lesson to his young fans, gobbling everything from apple cores to zucchini. A rollicking ride. If your kids like this one, try I'm Dirty! and I'm Mighty! by McMullan as well.

So what about the little boys in your life? What are their favorites? Share your favorite books about trucks below. Vroom vroom!

Beyond Scrabble: Word Games for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:16:00 +0000

We parents all remember playing Scrabble, the classic crossword puzzle game where you score points based on the value of the letters used and the squares covered on the board. Today there are many more choices for word games for kids. Here is a sampling from Amazon:

Blurt! is a fast-paced vocabulary game that has been recently reissued. Players take turns rolling the die and reading a clue as the other players "blurt" out the word being described. The player who names the word first gets to move his token ahead, and the goal is to be the first player to move around the board. What I like most about this game is that you don't have to wait for your turn, since everyone is guessing at every clue. Another great feature is that a junior version is included. The original game is recommended for ages 10 and up, but the backs of the cards have clues for kids ages 7-9.

Big Boggle is a larger version of the classic Boggle game, in which you shake the letters in the tray, let them fall where they may, and try to form as many unique words as you can in three minutes. Whereas the traditional Boggle has 16 letter cubes, the Big Boggle game has 25 cubes and some with two letters (like qu) so that you can form bigger words. I loved Boggle as a kid, and I love the idea of a bigger version even better. And don't forget Boggle Junior for kids as young as three.

Shake the letter dice, make a pathway of words to reach the treasure, and build rock walls to block your opponents. That's the object of DICEcapades Word Pirates. It is akin to Scrabble in that you are using letters to form words on a board, but is more appealing to kids ages 6 and up with its pirate theme and goal of reaching the treasure, rather than just keeping score.

Dabble is another fast-paced game where you don't have to wait your turn. Each player's task is to use their 20 tiles to form words of two, three, four, five, and six letters in five minutes. This is a fairly new game, but has won many awards already. Although the recommended age limit is 10 and up, you can adapt it to younger kids by limiting the length of the words; perhaps decide to form only two, three, and four letter words. Improve your vocabulary, spelling, and quick thinking skills.

I just had to include Bananagrams when talking about word games. It is, of course, like Scrabble in the sense that both games require the players to form crossword-like grids of letter tiles. The games differ in that Bananagrams is simpler, quicker, and easier. Since each player is making his own crossword grid, you don't need a board. The letters do not have point values, and you don't even have to wait for your turn. Not to mention, who can resist that cute banana-shaped bag to hold the tiles? This is already becoming a classic word game. It is recommended for ages 7 and up.

Here's one for the younger set of kids ages 5-8. ThinkFun's What's Gnu? is all about forming three-letter words. The cool "letter-getter" reveals two letters that must be included in each three-letter word. The player who forms the most words wins. This is an especially great game for kids to practice reading, spelling, and forming words. You will see it in lots of kindergarten and first grade classrooms.

So sharpen those thinking skills and break out the dictionary for some word game fun. Try one of these at your family's next game night. Read my post about the game Qwirkle too!
What is your favorite word game? Share your answers below!

Play Kitchen Sets for Kids: Kidkraft Suite Elite Kitchen and More

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:42:00 +0000

My kids LOVED play kitchen sets when they were little. Heck, once in a while they still whip up a little snack for me in the old pink and blue plastic set that was given to us by friends. Nowadays, you can get some really cool play kitchen sets made of wood and others that are made of high-quality plastic that come complete with lights and sounds.

With the Christmas shopping season in full swing, it is the perfect time to think about investing in a nice sturdy play kitchen for your kids. The higher quality play kitchen sets are a bit of an investment (running anywhere from $60-$200 or more), but this is one product where you get what you pay for. Kids tend to spend hours on end playing in their toy kitchens, cooking dinner, serving it up, and even doing the dishes. Play kitchen sets are tops for stimulating your child's imagination and promoting teamwork as kids cook with friends or siblings.

Two of the most popular kitchen sets this year are the Kidkraft Suite Elite Kitchen and the Dora Fiesta Favorites Kitchen. The Kidkraft Suite Elite Kitchen is made of mostly wood; it has a few plastic components, but is still quite sturdy. It comes complete with stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator/freezer, sink, and curtain that can be opened and closed. A few nice features are the cordless telephone, the chalkboard on the freezer door, and the satisfying clicking sounds made by the doors, knobs, and dials. Kidkraft, founded by engineers, is known for making heirloom-quality toys that deliver high customer satisfaction. Amazon is offering a great discount and free shipping on this play kitchen. The neutral colors are also a plus, since boys like to play in toy kitchens almost as much as girls.

The Dora Fiesta Favorites Kitchen is unique among play kitchens in that it features the beloved Dora the Explorer character and it talks your child through the included recipes - in English and Spanish! This kitchen includes the standard features: refrigerator, oven, grill, sink, stovetop and phone. The coolest thing about the Dora kitchen is the recipe card that features two recipes on each side. When kids place the card in the kitchen window and press the button, they will hear Dora instructing them in how to cook the recipe. Dora uses 60 English and Spanish phrases that may help your child learn a bit of a second language. The play foods needed to cook the recipes are even included. My daughter loved Dora the Explorer when she was little. This play kitchen set is a great gift for a young Dora fan aged 2 or older.

Two cheap ways to get the most out of your play kitchen set:

1. Add your own play food packages. Play food is very cool, but to expand on the collection you buy, you can save boxes and packages from real food. Boxes from cereal, crackers, pasta, granola bars, and oatmeal work well. You may not want to use metal cans (unless you opened them with a smooth edge can opener), but coffee and juice cans can be rinsed out for play. Also, rinse out bottles from water and soda, yogurt cups, and margarine tubs to fill up the toy frig.

2. Encourage your little entrepreneurs to open their own restaurant. My kids loved (and still do) to do this, and what a great way to use the play kitchen set. The first thing they'll need is a menu. Kids can practice their writing, drawing, and number skills by helping to create the menu. Looking at the menu and ordering from it helps with children's pre-reading skills and demonstrates the value of print.

You will make your children's Christmas very special by buying them a play kitchen set this year. Consider purchasing the two sets listed above or see more choices at Amazon. To read more about the Kidkraft Suite Elite Kitchen see my squidoo page.

Will you be buying a play kitchen set this year? Do you already have one? Do you remember playing with a kitchen when you were little? Share your experience.

Parenting Tip for the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:50:00 +0000

Stop saying "okay" already! I have witnessed so many parents doing this, and I must admit I used to do it too until I realized how ineffective it is. When you say, "We have to leave the library in 5 minutes, okay Tommy?", it sounds as if you are asking for Tommy's permission, or at least giving him a say in the matter, when in fact you actually plan to leave the library in 5 minutes. This misunderstanding could set you up for a battle of wills when it comes time to leave.
Try saying this instead: "We have to leave the library in 5 minutes, Tommy. Do you understand?" Asking the simple question "Do you understand?" shows Tommy that your intention is firm and requires a response from him (hopefully yes), to indicate that the two of you are in agreement on the matter. You don't want to give Tommy the impression that the instruction is open to negotiation.

May the banishment of the "okay" lead to more positive parenting interactions! (Now you have my permission to snicker with superiority at the parent whose child is having a full-blown meltdown in the lobby:)

Your two cents please:

Plasma Bike: A Balance Bike for Toddlers

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:03:00 +0000

The Plasma Bike by PlaSmart is a balance bike for kids ages 18 months to 5 years. The Plasma Bike was featured on Toy Insider's Hot 20 list for 2011, and is a follow-up to PlaSmart's hugely popular PlasmaCar .

The Plasma Bike has only two wheels, but they are wide enough for the bike to stand unsupported. Little ones just get on, push their feet, and off they go! No pedals, training wheels, or batteries to worry about. Kids improve their balance, coordination, and motor skills while having fun. So even the youngest of riders can enjoy the freedom of riding a two-wheeler.

I wish I had known about balance bikes when my kids were learning to ride because they sound awesome! When I first saw the balance bikes, I thought, "What? No pedals? How does THAT work?" But the theory makes perfect sense: Traditional beginner bikes with training wheels focus on the task of pedaling, which actually comes very easily to most kids. Learning to balance is what makes riding a bike difficult. By starting out with a balance bike, the child is allowed to focus on balance and coordination first. Kids just run their little feet along and lift them up as they feel comfortable. Most balance bikes have footrests or pegs, so as kids master balancing, they lift their feet more and more. When they use a traditional bike, they may not even need training wheels. How cool is that?

Although it's been around for a few years, don't overlook PlaSmart's PlasmaCar. This little ride-on toy may look like something out of the Jetsons, but it is huge fun for kids and parents alike. Requiring no batteries or pedals, it works with gravity and inertia in such a way that all you do is sit down, steer the wheel and go! Even though it is intended for kids, it will support up to 220 pounds, so Mom and Dad may want a turn too. Watch the PlasmaCar in action below.

Read more about the Plasma Bike.

Do you have the Plasma Bike, PlasmaCar, or any other balance bike? Share your experience.

Veterans Day: Honoring Veterans With Song

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0000

I just had to write a mini-post (though it is off my usual topic:) to honor our country's veterans in honor of Veterans Day. Where would we be without our veterans? Certainly not the free society we are today. Please take the time today to honor veterans in some way. Go to a parade or ceremony, thank a veteran you know, send a package to troops overseas, or say a prayer for the safety of our current soldiers fighting for our country.
I recently wrote a Squidoo page on country songs about war. It seems timely today to give it a listen.

So here is my big THANK YOU to all of our veterans who have bravely and selflessly sacrificed themselves for my freedom! God bless America.

Qwirkle: Great Game for the Whole Family

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:22:00 +0000

Qwirkle is an award-winning educational game that can truly be enjoyed by the whole family. A cross between Scrabble and Dominoes, the game simply consists of 108 wooden tiles in a drawstring bag; that's it - no board, dice, or anything to lose. Qwirkle is intended for 2 to 4 players, and the suggested age is 6 and up, but I think sharp 4 or 5 year olds could handle it too.

The object of the game is to score the most points by forming lines of matching colors or matching shapes.

How to play: Each player starts out with six tiles. Upon your turn, you will play as many of your tiles as you can by placing them on the play area next to a matching color or shape in either rows or columns. You earn points for the length of the row or column completed (earn even more points by placing a tile in a position where it completes a row AND a column). A player can use as much or as little strategy as he desires; that is why it is as much fun for kids as it is for adults.

Awards: Qwirkle has won numerous awards, including a Parent's Choice Gold Award, a Mensa Select Award, and Germany's Spiel des Jahres, which means "Game of the Year." That is a pretty prestigious list. I must admit, our family has missed out on this game so far, but I think we will have to get it for Christmas this year!

Summary: Qwirkle is a tile-matching game that is fun for almost all ages. The best features to me are that the game is fun, multi-generational, portable, educational, and a good value, especially at Amazon. So be sure to buy Qwirkle for someone special (like you:) on your list this Christmas - I sure will!

Read my post on word games too!

Children's Books to Read Aloud: Five of the Best

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 01:44:00 +0000

Reading aloud to your kids is a great way to spend quality time with them. Turn off the tv and video games, and settle in to transport yourselves to a different time and place. Even kids as young as five years old can follow the plot of a good chapter book, since a child's listening level is typically higher than their reading level. Research shows all sorts of good reasons for reading aloud to kids, including increases in attention span, vocabulary, and comprehension, but the best reason is that it is just plain fun.

But if read-aloud is new to your family, where should you start? What should you read first? I'm giving five suggestions here that are tried-and-true classics in the read-aloud world. In no particular order, here are five of my favorites:

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder is the first of the Little House books. Who can forget the stories of Laura, Mary, Carrie, and Ma and Pa out in the vast Midwest wilderness? The Little House on the Prairie TV series was, of course, based on the books.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

by Betty MacDonald is every kid's favorite neighbor and every parent's favorite go-to person for solving children's behavior problems, such as the Answer-Backer and the Never-Want-To-Go-To-Bedder. Each chapter is its own little story. Great humor for kids!

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown is the story of Stanley Lambchop, the boy who got flattened by a bulletin board and got into all sorts of adventures due to his two-dimensional state. A nice short chapter book to share with the younger set.

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry is one of my all-time favorite books. Originally published in 1947 and based on true events in the author's life, it tells the story of the pony Misty, who was captured on Pony Penning Day in Chincoteague, Virginia in the 1940's. Believe it or not, Pony Penning Day still happens!

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White: Who doesn't love this classic tale of Wilbur the pig and his spider friend Charlotte? I remember my third grade teacher giving a copy of this book to everyone in our class for Christmas and then reading it aloud as we all followed along. I still have the book from thirty years ago!

For more suggested books to read-aloud see my list at Great Read-Alouds.

What are your favorite books to read-aloud to your kids?

Christmas Shopping: Time to Start Shopping for Christmas Already?

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:05:00 +0000

You may barely have the Halloween costumes put away and the candy wrappers thrown in the garbage, but it is that time of year already. Oh, the joys of battling the crowds and scouring the stores for the best deals. Or you can take the easier way out by shopping online for Christmas. I usually do a combination of online and in store shopping.

What I love about online shopping is that you can do it whenever it is convenient for you, including late at night or early in the morning in your pajamas, you can do it for as long or as little time as you have available (like a half hour here and there), you can read reviews as you shop and compare prices at various retailers. Your items come delivered to your door and you didn't even have to waste your time, gas, or sanity tracking the items down. What's not to love?

On the other hand, there are some things I just want to hold in my hand before I decide to buy them. I prefer to try clothes on before I purchase them so I don't risk having to send them back. If I am questioning a toy's durability and am concerned that it may need to be returned, I prefer to buy from a store that I can easily return to. It's not that online retailers don't allow returns, it is just a bit inconvenient to send items back in the mail, and you may have to pay return shipping. And sometimes when you don't know what to buy, it can be helpful to browse the aisles of merchandise in a store to get ideas for what to buy Aunt Lucy this year.

So what's the answer? A happy medium. I like to shop online for books, games, and some toys, especially those that are hard to find in stores or are a better deal online. I know many people who do nearly all of their Christmas shopping online, so do whatever you are comfortable with. To get started right now, shop retailer Amazon's Holiday Toy List. I love shopping on Amazon because they seem to have everything, and usually at a good price. What's nice about their Holiday Toy List is that you can browse by age, category, gender, or price. So let's get a jump on that online Christmas shopping while we still have time. Seriously, you don't want to be that parent driving all over town on Christmas Eve desperately trying to find a Let's Rock Elmo.

Do you do more of your shopping online or in stores?

Introducing Parent Picks Plus!

noreply@blogger.com (Connie) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:26:00 +0000

Welcome to the maiden post on my brand new blog! I'm so glad you are here. So who am I, and what is this blog about? For one thing, I am Ms. Connie (as my young library friends call me), a parent and librarian who is passionate about the value of books and reading. Through 11+ years of parenting I have researched and purchased a great many toys as well. As an avid reader and resesarcher, I've learned a lot about what is and is not a good toy purchase. Some of that I learned the hard way, as in why did I buy this?? We've all experienced a bit of buyer's remorse along the way, and now I don't purchase so much as a squirt gun without first checking the reviews.

I would like to be that friendly neighbor/sister/friend who gives out good advice. I will provide suggestions on great books to read, great toys to purchase, and random tips to make parenting more fun. On that note, let this be my first suggestion: go to your local public library and sign up for a library card if you do not already have one. It is the best investment (usually free:) you will ever make. Then, use your library card! Check out children's books, parenting books, cookbooks, craft books, kids' videos, music cd's, magazines, bestsellers, how-to books, classic movies, - whatever your little heart desires. What a value it is to borrow library materials for free! (That is, as long as you return them on time:)

Happy Reading!

What materials and services do you use at your local public library?