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Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts

Camping with Kids

Posted Friday, July 11, 2014

Submitted by Nancy of TutuCute&Moore.


Camping with kids is great family fun and we all become kids at heart when sleeping in the great outdoors. But with a few precautions and a little extra planning the adventure will be memorable for years to come.
Safety tips for happy campers:

• Young children should stay within eyesight, and older children within earshot.

• Children over the age of four should carry a simple survival kit, or at least a whistle to call for help if lost. The standard distress signal is three blows to indicate "I'm lost" or "I need help."

Felt Campfire Set from FranconiaRidgeStudio.etsy.com

• Pack a days worth of clothing for each child in zip lock bags, so clothes stay organized. Every morning your child can grab the bag, with their name on it, and have a full set of clothes for the day. At night the dirty clothes go back in the bag, thus keeping the clean and dirty clothes separated.

• The key to comfortable camping with kids is to dress them in several layers, which can be removed as the sun comes up or added as the sun sets.

Camping Memory Game from 2HeartsDesire.etsy.com

• Children love flashlights, and having one also makes them more at ease after dark. To prevent arguing over the flashlight, allow each child to have their own with their name on it.

• Flashlights are also handy when making trips to the restroom, for making shadow puppets on tent walls, searching for bugs and for reading before bed.

• Bring along a game you all like to play at home. Playing it outdoors with a lantern or flashlights will add to the fun.


Hanging Toiletry Bag for Camp from NannyBoutique.etsy.com
• Teach your kids to treat the outdoors kindly. Make sure all waste is disposed of properly when camping or hiking along the trails.

• Two or more children will entertain themselves for longer periods than will a single child, so you may want to invite a playmate along.

• Get the kids involved by making a check list of camping equipment, games and favorite toys for traveling, food and snacks, rainwear, camera, phone, bug sprays, medical kit, etc.. Don’t forget to check it twice before leaving home.

Play felt S'Mores Set from IFeltItUp.etsy.com

HAPPY CAMPING!

Keep up with TutuCute&Moore on the web.  Check out her Etsy Shop and like her Facebook page!   
Posted by TinyStitches at 6:00 AM 0 comments
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Easy and Fun Recipe: Homemade Cottage Cheese

Posted Monday, February 24, 2014

My daughter recently watched a television program about making cottage cheese and she became very interested in wanting to make her own. A few minutes on the internet and we found dozens of recipes and how- to's.  The recipe we followed was from Val Harrison at Allotment.org.uk. I was curious and hesitant to try the cottage cheese but I must say it tasted good!




Here's what you need:                                            
2 pints of skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.               
2 tablespoons of lemon or white vinegar. (we used lemon)
Pinch of salt
saucepan
wooden spoon
sift or sieve




Here's what you need to do: 
  • Pour the milk into the sauce pan and heat until hot but not boiling.
  • Stir occasionally and cool down for a few minutes
  • Add 2 tablespoons of lemon or white vinegar
  • Stir and watch the milk separate into curds and whey
  • After cooling put the mixture into your sifter to catch the curds
  • Discard the whey
  • Transfer the curds into a small bowl and add a pinch of salt



Dorinda's shop, Raising Green Kids, offers eco-friendly products for your family. Follow her on Facebook and twitter and at her blog.




Posted by Anonymous at 7:00 AM 0 comments
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Penguin Potato Winter Craft

Posted Monday, January 27, 2014

We love finding things around the house to create art with.  My younger daughter just loves penguins and I  had her in mind when I found this craft.  We are big into re-using and re-purposing at our home so I used old brown paper bags and cut them up into squares with funky scissors.

 ** We like to find books on the crafts we are making to turn it into a mini lesson or just some fun reading time so we got out our penguin books after we made the craft.
What you'll  need:
  • potatoes- 2 different size pieces. One for the larger black body and one for the white belly.
  • non toxic paint-white,orange, and black
  • googly eyes, one per penguin
  • brown paper bag cut up into squares
Instructions:
  • Dip the larger potato piece into the black paint and stamp onto brown paper
  • take the smaller piece of potato and dip in the white paint, stamp over the black paint onto the body.
  • use a finger to dip into the orange paint and create a beak and the feet.
  • glue on a googly eye after the paint is dry

My daughter had so much fun with this project that she decided she wanted to make a whole "penguin family" on another sheet of paper which is what she is doing above.

 Dorinda's shop, Raising Green Kids, offers eco-friendly products for your family. Follow her on Facebook and twitter and at her blog.
Posted by Anonymous at 8:00 AM 0 comments
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Involving Children in Service:: Operation Christmas Child

Posted Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Contributed by Kate of kaetoo.

Christmas is fast approaching and Operation Christmas Child is in full swing.

Have you come across Operation Christmas Child before? It’s a global operation run since 1993 by Samaritan’s Purse where families, churches, schools and businesses put together gift-filled shoe boxes to be distributed to children in need. From 1993 through 2012, some 100 million gift boxes have been handed out in more than 130 countries.

To pack a box for a child, all you need is a shoe box and a selection of presents. Different countries have different specific guidelines about what presents to include, but in general you want to pack:

Something to love
Something for school
Something to wear
Something to play with
Something for personal hygiene
Something special

Take care to look into the restrictions on what shouldn't be included.

You select whether you want to pack for a boy or a girl and the age (2–4, 5–9 or 10–14 years old) of the child. The presents don’t have to be expensive. For example, there is a great range of handmade creations under $15USD that could be used to pack a box right here on Etsy from EtsyKids Members.


Something to love (top left) - Monster Plush from ‘Bright Life Toys’
Something for school (top middle) - Crayon Roll Up from ‘Happy Babee and Beeyond’
Something to wear (top right) - Horse Brass Tee from ‘From Marissa V.’
Something to play with (bottom left) - Wooden Flipping Spinning Top from ‘apple n amos’
Something for personal hygiene (bottom middle) - Pinwheel Hair Clip from ‘Magnificence’
Something special (bottom right) - Reusable Sandwich Bag from ‘the Greener Route’

Every child deserves to feel special and getting a present at Christmas time brings a boy or girl a lot of joy. In addition, learning to give is an important lesson for kids. In my house, the toddlers really loved selecting and wrapping a present for someone else and they were so proud to carry them into the drop off centre and add them to the pile.

The drop off dates are fast approaching. Start packing now!

Australia (operationchristmaschild.org.au/) – October is national collection month, finishing 25 October

Canada (www.samaritanspurse.ca/operation-christmas-child), collection week is 18 – 24 November

United Kingdom (www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/), collection is 1 – 18 November

United States (www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/), collection week is 18 – 24 November

Kate is from Melbourne, VIC, Australia, and is the creator/owner of 'kaetoo' Canvas Photo Boards on Etsy.  She sells a wide variety of personalized, handmade embossed bulletin boards in all sizes, colors and themes.  Follow Kate's work on facebook and at her blog. 
Posted by TinyStitches at 5:00 AM 1 comments
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Tots 'N Tails: Boy Meets Dog, Inspires Blog

Posted Sunday, July 21, 2013


Hi Everyone! We are Lucca, Bodhi & Stella from the shop, StellaAmbrosia, and we are super excited to be joining the EtsyKids blog as a monthly contributor. Each month, we'll be chiming in with some of our advices and experience in learning how to be the best of roommates as the three of us grow up together. Along the way, we'd also like to share with you some of the fun items our fellow Etsy friends have in their shops that inspire us.  So come check us out each month to hear about our latest antics and check out our treasury of paw-some products that keep us smiling.

This month, we're doing a little blog nesting and setting up for our big arrival in August. We wanted to take a quick moment to tell you a little bit about ourselves, the inspiration for our blog and what fun you can expect in the coming months.  And, best of all, we want to hear from you! Do you have tots and tails in your home? Or tots and scales? Or tots and feathers? Do you have any advices or training tips you'd like to see covered here? Let us know what's going on with your pack at home!
 
So...a little background on how this tireless toddler (Lucca), sugary sweet chocolate lab (Bodhi), and champion dock jumper (Stella) came to coexist...
 
Starting at the beginning, Stella was the "first born" joining our family in 2006. She was outstandingly smart and athletic. Mom and Dad couldn't be more proud.  So proud in fact, that when Mom and Dad decided to make it official, they didn't trust anyone more than her to carry the rings for the wedding ceremony.
 
After returning home from this fine event, the three of us decided it was time to add one more to the family. And that is when we came home with ridiculously adorable, he gets by on his looks, Bodhi. While he lacked his big sister's smarts, he more than made up for it in cuddles.
About two years later, Mom and Dad decided it was time to add a human puppy to the family. Preparing for his arrival, we all wondered how our family was going to change with a new two-legged presence in the house.  Well, two years later, we can say it sure did change and man has it been a learning experience for all involved.  But, fortunately, we have learned that while dog is man's best friend, dog is toddler's BESTEST friend.
So that's us! What kind of roommates are you living with? Mom says other people have kitties and bunnies and birds. We like chasing kitties and bunnies and birds when we play outside!
 
And with that, we wanted to share our July Treasury with you! It's been inspired by all the different types of pets Mom says you may have at home!
stuffed bunny, stuffed bunny Rabbit, bunny plush, stuffed rabbit, bunny rabbit softy, easterNewborn Wolf Hat - The Big Bad Wolf - Little Red Ridding Hood's Wolf - Crochet Hat - Photography PropFluffy Bunny Hat & Diaper Cover - Peter Cotton Tail - Baby Shower - Photo Prop - MADE TO ORDER
 
 
Up next month: Big Fat Positive - Preparing the Four-Legged Babies for the New Arrival.  Our Treasury theme will be things to prep a nursery! Leave us a comment if you have the perfect item to be included.
Posted by Beler at 9:49 AM 2 comments
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5 Tips on getting your kids reading, and enjoying it!

Posted Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Today is World Book Day! (Unless you are from the UK, and it was last month, sorry!)

I have a form of mild dyslexia (sorry for any spelling mistakes in this post!). But over the years I improved and learnt ways to manage and catch myself when I make mistakes, but it was never easy and sadly for a very long time reading was a frustrating and difficult task.
I was fortunate that my school had an excellent special needs department, with teachers that would encourage me to read and practise, so today I can look back and remember fondly reading the last Harry Potter book in a week (big whoop whoop moment for me!).


So I don't think you need a special day to encourage kids to read more, but at the same time it is a good reminder of how great books are! So here are some tips on how to get your kids reading more, and enjoying it!

5 Tips on getting your kids reading, and enjoying it!

1. Read with your kids! Who wants to sit alone and read a book? Well maybe Mum wouldn't mind that, but it makes reading not so fun for kids, so turn it into a group activity. You can begin by reading a bed time story, which is a great way to bond with your child and calm them down ready for sleep. Then as they get older you can read together (you read one page, they read the next) until eventually they read you the bedtime story!


2. Make it interesting to your child! Every child has different interest, and if your child is reading something they are interested in they will enjoy it a whole lot more. From fantasy, adventure and science fiction. And don't limit interest to just books, think of other reading materials like magazines too.


 3. As I said in tip 2, don't limit it just to books. If you have one, think about getting some children's books on your kindle, nook, iPad or other tablet, then your kids have a whole library of books to read in the palm of their hand, and your not just limited to what they bring home from school or the library.


 4. Join a reading challenge. Every summer my local library had a reading programme for kids and it was a great motivator to read new types of books, and kept me reading when I was out of school without my teachers.


5. Don't just keep reading to set times. Ask your child to help read the food labels while out shopping, or read emails send from friends and family members. If you are baking with them have them read the recipe, or let them read the cook book and pick a recipe. And also make sure that, if they see something they don't understand, they can ask you to help read it with them.

So Happy World Book Day!! Grab a book and get reading :)

Posted by Stephanie at 8:00 AM 0 comments
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Don't Be Blue, It's the EtsyKids Spring Sale

Posted Sunday, March 24, 2013

In New England, I am still waiting for the snow to melt.  I may be waiting a little longer, there were flurries this morning.  The daffodils, however, have had enough of waiting.  Their happy green spikes make me think of blue skies and warm days.

This collection of EtsyKids items features shops participating in our Spring Sale.
Posted by FairyGodmother For Hire at 6:00 AM 0 comments
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