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After washing enough plastic bottles, we opted to skip sippy cups. We’ve been really happy using jam jars! We started our now-toddler on a sample size jam jar (i.e., 1.5 oz: https://www.specialtybottle.com/glass-jars/clear-straight-sided/short-metal-lid/1-5oz-jam1) around a year old, then he moved to a 4 oz jar around 1.5 years, and is now on a 6 oz jar at age three. Our adult glasses are 8 oz, so he’ll graduate to that eventually. All of our jars have been “free” (i.e., the cost of jam, although I think you can get these for super cheap at craft stores), upcycled, and small enough that dropping them never causes problems!
A few more favorites over here:
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey .-> very fun via audio
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Mix It Up by Hervé Tullet
The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson
Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go (find Goldbug on every page SO FUN!)Thank you so much, Erin! I thought I had replied to this earlier and just realized now that I hadn’t. Thank you for these wonderful links and for the support :)
I use a similar trick for task management, usually surrounding cleaning. I have a weekly list of cleaning to-dos and my kids have ideas in the Help Wanted box they made so they can join in. We set a timer for 20 minutes and say, “Ok it’s cleaning time!” and do as much as we can in those 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, we have a dance party! I’ve also used the 20 minute trick (I’m a round number kind of a girl lol) for decluttering. When I’m feeling overwhelmed with tackling a certain area in my home, I set a timer for 20 minutes and declutter as much as I can in that time. I don’t know if this REALLY counts as “me” time but it definitely helps me get through some otherwise daunting tasks :)
Hey all! So I’ve been doing the poems and such for the weekly breakfast reading, and just couldn’t get my 3yo to take hold. Which surprised me because he LOVES stories (omg I could recite 5 or 6 different Dr Seuss books front to back, we’ve read them so often. Actually, he can too! lol) and he LOVES songs. His memory for language-based things is incredible. So I asked him if he wanted to come up with some actions for the fall poem and he was on board! We co-created very simple actions to go along with the poem and he can now “sing” the entire thing. I’ll post a video in my IG stories for anyone needing some “actions” ideas – we do this with most of the songs we sing at the forest school I supply teach at and it’s amazing to see how quickly kids get into a song/poem when their bodies can get involved too! @blended_fam.3_girls_and_sam PS – I’m not sure if I’m allowed to share my instagram on here, Erin? I read through the Forum Policies and don’t think my IG account counts as a link to another website but if it does, pleas feel free to delete it!
Ok so instead of a rock sculpture this week, we stumbled upon an apple tree and were marvelling at all the apples on the ground! We found dozens that weren’t mushy (to avoid the bees!) and challenged each other to build towers with apples. Now let me tell you – this is no easy feat!!! But super fun 😊
I looooooove my morning routine! Twice a week I coach in my garage (CrossFit style workouts), while for the other 5 mornings, I wake up around 5-5:30, make a cup of tea and relax in the peace and quiet. I journal out Gratitude, Surrenders, Affirmations, and Mantras for the current season. I take a look at my weekly plan and things I’d like to accomplish (including sorting out where to fit in some Other Goose time!), and if my kids are still sleeping after all this I listen to an audiobook (currently listening to Peaceful Parents, Happy Kids) or a podcast. It isn’t always easy getting out of bed, but it’s just so worth it and I find it sets my mindset for the day. In such an incredible way!!!
The Minimalish Podcast for sure! Also a Simple Families and Sage Parenting podcasts listener. For my kids, we love WOW In The World and Brains On! I also love Unruffled with Janet Lansbury. Soooo good for respectful parenting! The Mindful Kind is a great one for a quick reminder of the importance of mindfulness. Episodes are like 11 minutes. So great!
I will second the Bear Snores On series. I think we have 5 different ones now. Another one we read often is Hug Machine. And a seasonal one right now but read all year is Room on the Broom. We love Llamaphones as well. And Jabberwocky, from the little lit series that does many classic books used as themes for board books. One that is not technically a board book but introduced nath with very few words is Stack the Cats. And that reminds me of another favorite, None the Number.
Ok so Sir Mix-a-Face was fun, but when my 8yo chimed in, it went beyond fun. They started making wide faces, extra long faces, mixed up faces! But a fun adaptation was when I blindfolded them, had them choose facial features (without peeking!), and then arrange their faces before removing the blindfold. Upside down eyes and noses on chins, we took the fun of this activity to the next level!
Green bean “french fries!”
I use 2 bags of frozen french-style green beans.
I turn the oven up to 425* and get out a sheet pan or a pyrex or two (one if I have more time, two if I want them done quickly).Toss the green beans onto the sheet pan/Pyrex and give a glug or two of avocado oil, sprinkle generously with salt and garlic powder. Cook in the oven for 45-60 minutes, tossing every 20 minutes or so until green beans are crunchy like french fries!
My kids LOVE these! Enjoy!
Caroline, we’re in Oxford, but my husband and I lived in Starkville for a few years. In fact, our oldest was born there!
