Kid’s Crafts using Cornstarch Packing Peanuts

Rocket Ship

The other day I received a package that was filled-in with Styrofoam-type packaging peanuts. My coworker realized that they were biodegradable (off-white instead of the stark white Styrofoam). I did some research and found that these are non-toxic and can be used to make crafts for kids. If you dampen them they will stick to each other in all kinds of shapes. These peanuts are also available at packaging companies or sometimes office supply stores in a variety of colors. I tried it with my 4-year-old and this is how it worked out.

Here is all you need to keep your imaginative kids busy for hours.

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Up, Up and Away

This post came to us from our design intern extraordinaire, Krystle.

When I was younger, my dad used to take my sister and I to Buchanan Field Airport to watch the airplanes land and take- off. I remember seeing the small planes come and go through endless blue sky and thought of how fascinating it would be to fly. Now, many years later, I look into the eyes of my two little ones and see the same look of amazement.

Devin looked at home on the airfield in his Le Top "Take Flight" fall 2011 waffle weave shirt and corduroy pant set, along with the matching faux leather aviator jacket

Devin, my 5 year-old son, attends Concord Preschool at Baldwin Park, California. His teachers also shared this experience of the airport with their own children, and wanted share it with their students as well…so, they coordinated their very first field trip to the airport!. 

Chloe, my 3 year-old daughter, Devin and I met his class at a playground that sits on the edge of the runway. It consists of a few picnic tables, a “play” airplane and tower, a huge airfield painting on the ground, and bleachers…all within a gated area where the kids can run free. Right away, Devin ran off to pretend he was an airplane with his friends. Chloe, being her shy self, stayed by my side and watched the others with curiosity.

After about 30 minutes of playtime, all if the children gathered on the bleachers to listen to the airport guide explain the safety rules. The classy eagerly formed a single file line behind they teacher so that they could pass through the gate onto the actual runway.

On the runway, there were 3 model vehicles; a small red airplane, a huge Osh Kosh striker fire truck and a military helicopter. First, they looked at the airplane and each little pilot got a turn to sit in the cockpit and pretend to take off. Next, they went to the florescent yellow fire truck with extra big off-roading tires and listened to a fireman explain his duties on the field. They stood in line so one-by-one they could peek inside the enormous engine. Then, last but not least, they walked over to the helicopter where they got to climb a ladder inside and feel what it’s like to ride in a powerful machine that helps protect our country. With a big smile on his face, Devin sat in the pilot’s seat and waved at us through the window.

After all of the excitement, everyone got little hungry so we headed back to the playground for snack time. They enjoyed their bagged lunches of string cheese, grapes, Cheez-its and Capri Sun, while watching planes touch down on the runway. When they were all refueled, the kids disbursed once again. Even Chloe warmed up a bit and found her spot in the pilot’s seat of the play airplane.

I was very happy to share this experience with my kids. After years of seeing planes fly above our house, they were finally able to see where they were coming from. They learned about airplanes, safety, community, and most of off all, how to let their imaginations fly free.

Chloe couldn't be happier in her Le Top "Pocket Full of Posies" corduroy drop waist dress and tights

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Don’t turn out the lights? Are your kids afraid of the dark?

Many kids are afraid of the dark – whether it be from watching a movie, monster in the closet or a boogeyman under the bend…here are some tips on how to conquer those fears and why millions of kids feel that it is so real to be afraid of the dark.

Fears
Fear is a normal part of life for all of us, including our children. It tends to start when you try something new, something that you’ve never experienced before, something that is an unknown.

For small kids, especially toddlers, this happens almost every day, so fear has a lot of opportunity to pop up – especially at night. It tends to be that ‘the fear of the dark’ begins when children are old enough to have a sense of imagination and around 2 or 3-years-old. Kids at this age are old enough to imagine, but sometimes not able to decipher between real and pretend, which can then turn to “scary.” This fear suddenly becomes ‘real life’ when a shadow in the dark can get very scary!

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Why Fear of the Dark? Where does it come from?
Some of the worst offenders of ‘fear of the dark’ is the TV! Many parents don’t recognize how the TV affects their children, especially parents who tend to use the TV as a form of babysitting when they are busy. If you do not regulate what shows they watch or what time of day in the child’s sleep pattern, it can be very stimulating and expose your kid to things that might seem  scary. Another common reason is younger siblings watch TV with their older sibling and it might not be age-appropriate, such as a scary cartoon.

Another root to the fear can actually be books! Yes, the age old books. Images can be intimidating and provoke a child’s imaginations depending on the content. For example, a drawing of a monster in a fairy tale book or witches from a Halloween book.

Scene from Monsters Inc.

A last reason of these fears can come from older siblings or even parents where someone might say to your toddler, “You better brush your teeth or the boogeyman fairy might get you!” Although it is intended as a joke, these simple light-hearted phrases can be a reason by a nighttime fear or nightmare.

Dos and Don’ts

Do:

• Communicate, be respectful, and show that you understand your child.  Don’t tell them their fear is silly, because not only does it not help and they’re still scared, but now they feel guilty and ashamed of their fear.
• Ask your child what he or she feels when he or she is alone in the dark. Even if your kid’s apprehension seems ridiculous to you, reassure him/her with concrete information. For example, say, “You’re right that the house makes funny sounds at night. Let’s listen to them together, and I’ll tell you what each one is.”
• Teach your child to calm himself by saying, “I’m safe in the dark; my mom and dad are nearby” or “That sound was just the heat coming on.”
• Gradually decrease the light in the room, starting with a lower-watt bulb in his lamp, then leaving a light on only in the hallway. Offer praise each time he goes to sleep with less light.
• Help your child avoid scary TV shows and movies, since nighttime fears can be greatly intensified by what a child is exposed to during the day.
• Reassure your child that his fear of the dark is normal.
• Arm your child with comfort items, whether it’s a blanket, a stuffed animal, or a night-light, to help her sleep soundly.

Don’t:

• Do sleepovers. Although it may be tempting to let your little one crawl into bed with you, resist the urge.
• Say to your child, ‘Let me make sure there aren’t any monsters under the bed.

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Goodnight & Bedtime Stories for Toddlers

The other night I was thinking about how my boyfriend’s niece loves bedtime stories (especially with voices) and how I used to love bedtime and how my mom would read to me. From Dr. Seuss to Russell Hoban’ s Bread and Jam with Frances the badger to Shel Silverstein poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends. Everyone knows there are benefits to reading to your child at bedtime, but what are those benefits exactly?

A parent who reads to his or her children provides

• A foundation of intellectual development
• A calming routine for healthy sleeping habits
• Encouragement of creative and imaginative thinking
• Strengthening the bond between a mother or father and child 

Foundation of Intellectual Development
According to Kids Health Organization, “Studies show that kids with active exposure to language have social and educational advantages over their peers — and reading is one of the best exposures to language.”

Storytelling that engages children in an imaginative way or helps them to identify everyday objects will help inspire their curiosity which will in turn enhance their listening skills and language development. Try to speak to your child about the story and provide an open dialogue.  For example, ask questions about the story or replace a character’s name with their name and point and ask about pictures in the book to make them relatable.

Calming Routine for Healthy ZZZZs
Oye veh – trying to calm down a hyper toddler before bedtime can always be a challenge, but reading in a relaxed child’s bedroom can be a good recipe to help wind down his or her energy. Continuously having story time before bedtime each night becomes a healthy routine for the child and parent alike.

Along with special mommy and daddy time to bond, the routine will encourage healthy sleep patterns and will help the child to understand that reading means quality time with his or her parents.

Creative and Imaginative Thinking
A love for books often begins in childhood. When children are encouraged to read, it stimulates their imagination and provides other forms of entertainment that are healthier and more interactive than the tube (aka the television). A parents’ role in literary development should begin early, because aiding their child in the discovery of fun and educational books pave the path for a future full of curiosity and knowledge.

To conclude – “leaders are readers” and developing your child’s reading habit begins at home – you are giving your child one of the best advantages for life for years to come.

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Disciplining Preschoolers – Time-Outs

The terrible twos were not so terrible for us, but the ‘challenging threes’ are another story entirely. Preschoolers are fun, very independent, have endless energy and imagination, and test their boundaries on a daily basis. Parents of preschoolers must show ultimate patience in order to teach their children how to get along with others, follow rules, and understand their effect on others. As a parent, you may have noticed that your child can make you angry one minute, and the next minute you are laughing at your child for being the funniest person alive. You must remember this when your child is testing limits. There are moments when I want to lock myself in a room and never come out, but the reality is- sometimes a time-out for both a parent and a child is exactly what is needed.

By age 3 most children are beginning to understand the connection between actions and consequences.  You need to make it clear to them if they do something wrong. For example say, “Johnny, walls are not to be drawn on” and give him an alternative solution such as, “paper is the only place that you are to draw on.” Then make sure he or she understands the consequences if they do it again. “If you do it again, you will have to clean it up and you will not be able to use your pen/pencils/crayons/paint for X amount of time.”

If they are willful and talk back (like mine) then a time-out (usually the same number of minutes as their age or until they calm down) in a boring place may be useful. You want it to be enough time for them to think about their actions, but not enough time for them to become resentful. Every child is different. My daughter hates to be separated from me, so in situation where she will not listen and continues doing the unwanted behavior, not being able to play with me (while on a time-out) works well. For others it may be taking away TV time or a favorite toy. Use time-outs sparingly. Some parents give their child something to think about or have them come up with a solution to the problem during the time-out, “What would you do if I did something I wasn’t supposed to?” Make sure if you establish a rule, and it is broken, it has a consequence. Follow through with your consequence or your child will take this as a sign that every rule can be broken. Consistency is key for all parental figures. Praise them when they do something right, “I was so proud of you for sharing ‘your time’ with me with the other kids at the park”. I know, I know, this is all easy to say but harder to follow through on.

No parent is perfect, but all we can do is strive to be the best we can. Given that preschoolers mimic their parents, if we’re lucky maybe they will strive to be their best too. We just have to give them the tools, have patience and be consistent in our actions, and hopefully they will learn to be aware, thoughtful little people that treat others well and follow general rules (at least the important ones).

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Give a Little Giggle!

Giggles for Kids in Portage, Wisconsin

Joan Indermark had always dreamed of owning a children’s bookstore.  During a trip she visited a unique store in New Hampshire that was exceptional – it seemed to have everything a child could dream of owning – books, toys and whimsical fun clothing.  Wow, what a great idea!  Children’s books and clothing – what was the clothing she saw in that store that inspired her?  le•top!  Now Joan’s store Giggles for Kids showcases wonderful clothing, toys and books that elicit whole-hearted giggles from happy children!

Three years ago Joan’s little dream store opened – located in a unique commercial venue that showcases business ventures and imagination.  The Portage Main Street Mercantile Co-op was created in the historic downtown area of Portage Wisconsin as an incubator for small businesses.  The ultimate goal is to restore this notable area to its historic roots as a center for trade.

The historical distinction of Portage lies in its unique geographical location between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers.  Here the two rivers, one flowing north to the St. Lawrence, the other south to the Mississippi, are separated by a narrow neck of land over which, for two centuries, Indians, missionaries, trappers, traders, adventurers and settlers traveling the waterway had to portage their canoes and heavy packs from one stream to another. As a trade center for central Wisconsin, the downtown retail district was a beehive of activity as early as the 1860’s.  Many of the buildings have been preserved in their original Victorian architecture, providing a colorful background for the busy retail area of today.

Joan appreciates interacting with her community, especially the other merchants that are located within the historic building.  She loves the fact that her customers can find unique and special children’s clothing, toys and books without making the 40 mile drive to a bigger city.  Her biggest fans are customers who love the originality and quality of the merchandise in her warm and inviting store.  Joan’s reward?  The giggles of happy children!

If you are fortunate enough to visit this unique community, rich in history, stop by Joan’s special boutique:

Giggles for Kids
The Mercantile Co-op
Portage, Wisconsin
608.745.5768

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Tops, Toys and Plastic Mysteries of Childhood

I was thinking about the top – the toy that is. I remember sitting on the floor, concentrating on pushing the handle up and down, watching the horses do a run around the obstacle course inside the plastic bubble. The faster the handle went, the faster the horse went, it was fascinating! My toys were simple and few in number. One white plastic poodle that reminded me of rice pudding – hence loved dearly. One scratchy bear stuffed with wood chips. One plastic creature with a blue body and a giant orange head. (I still don’t know what that was). One stuffed bunny with an orange shirt, often making cameo appearances in childhood photos. The shortage of toys during the Soviet years almost seemed like a plot to promote reading, and in some cases imagination and creativity in future engineers, doctors, rocket scientists, and even artists and designers. At six, I was making puppet goats out of paper, and nailing wooden boards together to make a boat. In the spring, I set sail with an empty match box in the mini “river” that ran in the space between the concrete road and the sidewalk. I’d follow it all the way around the neighborhood until it would reach its final destination and disappear in the drain. I didn’t have much, but whatever I had seemed to be enough.

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