The Gruffalo: Curled Up With A Good Book

Mar 11 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Birthday Party Guide, Crafting with Kids, Curled Up with a Good Book

Title: The Gruffalo

Author: Julia Donaldson, Alex Scheffler

Age group: I’ve read this one to lots of age-groups. My intermediate (grades 4 – 7) students enjoyed The Gruffalo just as much (yes, yes they did) as the primary students that heard The Gruffalo. My kids love the story and the illustrations. In fact, my daughter sometimes will keep it in her place of honour… under her pillow.

What’s To Love: The rhythm of the words. The verses and rhymes are so easy to read and easy to listen to. The illustrations are awesome; bright and clear. The story is great, there is so much to talk about and it leads to great conclusion-making for the kids. There is even a website, which I just found! Unreal!! It’s got games and fun finger puppets and lots of cool party ideas. I think we may just have a Gruffalo-themed party in our house, just because!! We are definitely going to try these out and I will let you know how they go!

What’s Not To Love: Sometimes I get a little into “the terrible teeth and terrible jaws…” and the kids get a little freaked out. Pretty much, an awesome book.

Where to Find It: The Gruffalo can be found at Chapter’s for only $9.99. It’s a pretty good deal for a family classic, I think! Or, if you want to borrow it from me, you can bribe my kids with chocolate

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Putumayo Kids: What’s in your CD Player?

Mar 05 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Birthday Party Guide, Reviews

A couple years ago I was given a CD of children’s music for Christmas by one of my aunts. This particular aunt has children of her own that are now older and all the hand-me-downs that I have received from her have been awesome. The toys have been exactly what my kids would love to play with. The used books have been of the highest quality. I knew that this music was going to be good. So, we popped it into the CD player and, within seconds of the first tune starting, we were a-boppin’. That CD? Putumayo Kids -Animal Playground.

The Wee Hairy Beasties and their hilarious lyrics in the song “Animal Crackers” had us hooked. ”I’ve got ants in my pants. I’ve got butterflies. I’m cryin’ crocodile tears, from my puppy dog eyes.” I quoted that from memory-ha! The next song… even better. Asheba, from Trinidad singing “No More Monkeys”… I loved the beat, the lyrics and the kids were dancing up a storm. Song after song, Animal Playground did not disappoint. It was awesome. We learned about animals, enjoyed animal-themed music and enjoyed listening music in other languages. Animal Playground features music from all over the world by many different artists. It is an awesome album of great music. The very best part is… it’s not the only one!!

Lizzie Bits Baby Co (at #7 – 111 Oriole Rd, Kamloops) carries Putumayo Kids and we have visited Lizzie Bits and picked up a number of other albums, as well. Putumayo Kids has 18 amazing albums for kids! These are albums that you can all enjoy in the car. Justin and I sing along to and enjoy every. single. song. (even if we don’t know the lyrics because of the language or can’t understand the accent of the singer – who says you have to know what you’re singing?) We are so lucky to have this awesome music for our kids. The message is powerful: that the world is a wonderful and amazing place and that there are so many wonderful cultures out there that we can learn about and enjoy elements of. We have chosen to invest in this music because it brings culture into our home when we can’t necessarily go out and get it. I mean… a trip to the Caribbean or “Caribbean Playground”? The latter is much more affordable on my budget! We love listening to each and every album we have. Putumayo doesn’t only release “Playground” albums (fun and dance-it-up tunes), they also have a series of “Dreamland” albums that are more mellow music. ”Celtic Dreamland” is a down-time favourite in our house.

I only recently found out that there is also a whole (huge!) selection of albums that are geared at an adult audience. We borrowed “Women of Africa” from my aunt (yes, the same one that got us hooked in the first place) and fell in love with that, too. The experience of listening to a Putumayo album is a wonderful experience. You get to relax and enjoy a more adult variety of tunes, but that kids still enjoy listening to, as well. Lizzie Bits (at #7 – 111 Oriole Rd, Kamloops) is carrying a variety of these as well. I can’t wait to get my ears on our next Putumayo selection!

Putumayo World Music donates part of their proceeds of every album to worthwhile non-profit organizations around the world. Lizzie Bits is currently carrying the French Caribbean and the Caribbean Playground albums which, each, have 100% of their sales going towards the Red Cross. Go on into the store at #7 – 111 Oriole Rd (Valleyview) and check out the fantastic selection of Putumayo World Music albums that are being carried. These are an awesome birthday gifts. I’d recommend picking up a few to have just in case of last-minute gifts!

In addition to carrying these wonderful albums, Jenn at Lizzie Bits has graciously given me a copy of Putumayo Kids Animal Playground to give away to one lucky KamloopsParents.Com reader!! What do you have to do to earn a chance at the album? Just leave a comment saying that you read this review!! Make sure that you include your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you win.

Want another chance? Go to the Lizzie Bits facebook page and become a member of the group to learn about great sales and new items in the store. Leave me a comment telling me that you are a member.

Last chance… leave another comment telling me an item that you saw in Lizzie Bits Baby Co’s online shop!

You can also enter the draw by e-mailing your comments to elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com

This random draw will close at 12pm (Kamloops time) on March 11th. The winner will be contacted by e-mail. This draw is open to Kamloops and local area (with 2 hours driving time) residents only. Good luck!

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Breaking the Birthday Party Mold

Sep 21 2009

Posted by Krystal as Adventures in Parenting, Birthday Party Guide

It is time that we as parents stood up and said enough is enough. I have over heard and had more conversations about parents struggling with the birthday party dilemma than I care to count. It comes from both sides the host and the guest so none of us are off the hook. What do I hear most about? Presents and loot bags.

My daughter has a birthday party at the end of the week and I decided to put my foot down on these two topics. Firstly no new gifts. We stated on the invitation that guests were to give away something they didn’t use much anymore and thought my daughter might like, or to make her something or to find something somewhere to give her. We don’t really care where so long as it didn’t cost you much, isn’t cheap garbage and isn’t covered in plastic.

I’ve heard lots of variations on this such as book parties, SPCA donations, secret santa etc etc. And rightly so good on you parents. What kid needs 10 more $10 toys that will barely be played with because of their busy schedule and having too many already? I would much rather see that $10 spend on supper for their family. Heck if your child has a busy social life you can be looking at a significant expense just to attend birthday parties every month!

Second those darn loot bags. A fellow blogger put it best when she said ‘Stop the loot bag insanity!’ I know you agree with me. The plastic dollar store ‘goodies’ that your child revels in for all of about 3 minutes until after they are out the door. I’ve seen lots of parents get creative with this one and all the power to you parents! Good on you I say. Every time my daughter comes home with more plastic and candy I breathe a heavy sigh knowing where it ultimately will end up.

This year we are having a croquet and tea party with the girls. It is all very sophisticated and fancy for six year olds and they are tickled with excitement. What will the ladies be taking home with them? Why nothing less than a small token from their hostess: small packages of sun tea and a few crocus bulbs to put in their garden. I had thought about cookies and tea also or making all of the girls a pretty skirt to take home (it is what I do so it’s simple for me to say that).

Themed treats that can be integrated into the party are also a great idea, projects they made while there or something to remember the experience. Kids don’t need to go home empty handed. I remember one year a friend had the kids make magnetic picture frames and as each of their parents showed to pick them up she snuck a picture from the party into the frame! She took pictures the whole time and snuck off to print them as party favors.

We have put so much pressure on ourselves as parents in recent years. To do more, buy more, be the best and make it all picture perfect. It is nice to see that trend is starting to wear off. I encourage you to break the birthday party mold and be creative with your party so that it reflects you and your child’s beliefs. Teach them that a party is about more than ‘what did you get?’

PS – We also didn’t invite every kid in the class. I know, I know, for shame on us but I can’t host 20 kids and besides my daughter isn’t friends with every one in her class. We invited six kids because that is how old she is. That was the norm when I was in school and you collectively as a peer group knew that was how parties worked. A six year old’s social circle is only so big after all.

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Themed Birthday Party Ideas

Mar 18 2008

Posted by Krystal as Birthday Party Guide

There are some key elements to every birthday party: invitations, decorations, games, cake, food and the loot bag. To create a truly themed event your best bet is to cover these areas with your theme idea. I am sure none of us needs any ideas as to what the theme for our child’s next party should be we need to look no further than their latest favorite thing.

For fun I have listed some ideas to get your creative juices running.

Princess/fairy
- Invitations – pink pink pink, lace scraps, ribbons
- Decorations – maybe cut apart a cardboard box and make a castle!
- Games – popcicle sticks, sparkles and scraps to make wands
- Cake – Barbie (Princess) cake of course!
- Food – sugar sprinkle cookies, more sprinkles,
- Goodie Bag – crowns, skirts, shoes (dollar store dress up items)
Garden party
- Invitations – flowers, butterflies, picket fence, buckets, green, white
- Decorations – it’s in the garden of course! Set up areas for tea parties and planting
- Games – plastic cup seed planting, weeding!
- Cake – chocolate cake with gummy worms inside
- Food – salads, fresh fruit
- Goodie Bag – gloves, straw hats, buckets, package of seeds
Superhero
- Invitations – red, blue, yellow – have everyone think of a superhero name
- Decorations – Build a small city for your heros to save with paper and boxes
- Games – get the kids to take turns rescuing each other or drawing their superhero
- Cake – um duh!! Superman.
- Food – Hero subs of course!
- Goodie Bag – random toys that could be used in imaginative play, piece of kryptonite, blaster ray gun, utility belt
Cooking
- Invitations – On a recipe card
- Decorations – Have aprons for all the kids and LOTS of space for little chefs
- Games – a bake off
- Cake – no cake you eat the treats you just made
- Food – see above
- Goodie Bag – they get to keep their aprons and maybe a special mixing spoon.
luau
- Invitations – bright cheerful colours, flowers
- Decorations – sorry drawing a blank! Help!
- Games – grass skirt making (with paper), limbo dance
- Cake – a big palm tree
- Food – pineapple, coconut milk, apples, pork kebabs
- Goodie Bag – they get to keep their leigh, maybe a cd of fun hawaiian songs
cowboy
- Invitations -
- Decorations -
- Games
- Cake
- Food
- Goodie Bag

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Oh Goody – A Goody Bag!

Jul 17 2007

Posted by Krystal as Birthday Party Guide

We have all done it, and will probably do it again the next time we plan a birthday party for one of our kids, found ourselves walking up and down the aisles of the dollar store searching for the perfect goody bag items that won’t break the bank. Kids love birthday parties and one of the things that they love about them is the inevitable ‘loot bag’. But a loot bag can be fun and exciting without being chock full of candy and sweets.

The Bag

There is always the old stand-by of a stack of paper bags lain out on a table filled with stickers and markers. Let the kids decorate and make their own – it’s a great idea that makes the goody bag into an activity – perfect – but boring. Jazz it up and make your paper bags into animals by adding faces and legs, build a puppet or paper bag princesses with triangles of pink paper and crowns.