| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| walkinwalkoutcattle |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 04:28:33 AM
I'm talking from birth till 3 or so, what are a few things you couldn't live without for your kid?
I know, so far, that the swing has been a lifesaver. The moby wrap has been incredibly useful, as well.
Farmgirl #2879 :)
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com
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| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Jul 12 2011 : 08:07:31 AM
Loving grandparents... I don't know what our son would do without my Mom and stepdad. To him, even at soon-to-be 15, they are still the sun, the moon and the stars to him... And I remember when my mother-in-law was still living, how she could get my son to try all sorts of foods that he would turn his nose up at in my presence. To this day, he begs me to make her mashed potatoes with dill! Never discount the grandparents - never. And if your family isn't blessed to have them, there are plenty of loving grandparents up for adoption in our neighborhoods, churches and senior centers! :)
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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| Kristi_Lynn |
Posted - Jul 12 2011 : 07:05:51 AM
Boppy, Bumbo Chair and a Walker. O and a toy arch that goes on his carseat...he loves that. |
| WinsomeWench |
Posted - Jul 11 2011 : 10:22:55 PM
Oh and we used Melissa and Doug colored pencils until she was old enough to not break crayons and/or put them in her mouth.
“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.” |
| WinsomeWench |
Posted - Jul 11 2011 : 10:21:21 PM
Stacking blocks, a swing in a tree outside, a push car around her first birthday, dollie, play kitchen. We also used to take her little plastic baby tub outdoors in the summer. It was so lovely :) Also, when you're potty training (or EC-ing), a to-go potty.
“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.” |
| buggysmum |
Posted - Jun 14 2011 : 10:18:44 PM
1) Audiobooks on CD from the library or store bought. My DD started listening at a very young age to Paddington and the A.A. Milen Winne the Pooh series (the old one, not the disnified one), as well as Little House in the Big Woods, Beatrix Potter, etc.
2) Books. Books. Books.
3) Craft supplies.
4) Sand Box
5) those blocks that are like giant legos
Shelly |
| Jessi Lynn |
Posted - Jun 05 2011 : 4:34:30 PM
sand box and water table with accesories-buckets, shovels, kids tea set or picnic dish set, colander, wooden spoons, basket (to collect ingriedents for their sand suprise pie)
your water and sand accesories are great for imaginative play just add a blanket under a tree or behind bushes
plastic jars (picked from recycling)holes poked in the top to capture small critters from the garden(you can keep a journal of your garden adventures-you write the discription the kids illustrate)
lots of sidewalk chalk
books
baby doll stroller or shopping cart
blocks of any kind with people animals and cars
treasure box-for found objects (keeps the 'stuff' from spreading all over the place. Then you can incorperate the found objects into crafty little gifts to keep the box from over filling)
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| woolgirl |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 07:54:03 AM
I do that with all the little bits of broken crayons Alee! We have a heart silicone pan, and I usually only buy washable crayons (we found out about not buying them the hard way). It helps to spray the pan with a little non-stick first, just ion case anybody wants to try it!
Liz
Farmgirl #1947 |
| countrymommy85 |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 07:50:48 AM
My daughter has a problem with crayons too, I quit buying them. I got her that expensive crayola paper and magic markers. That was a bust idea too. She tries to suck the stuff out of the marker because I got her that water mat that you fill the pen with water. . . Yeah, she isn't to thrilled with how long it takes the marker to show up on the magic paper either. I would like to hear the instructions too because she breaks them and hides the pieces so when I think I got them all picked up. . . That is when I run to the bathroom and come out to find my budding picaso all over everywhere in a matter of a minute. She is a smart one to hide them and remember where she hid them!
Mothers are those wonderful people who can get up in the morning before the smell of coffee. ~Author Unknown
http://countryrenaissance.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SunflowersAndHoney |
| FebruaryViolet |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 06:57:59 AM
I'm going to do this, Alee...Violet has a terrible habit of breaking the crayons on purpose and taking off all the paper. It's maddening and I vowed I WAS NOT buying more crayons. I even bought the thick, triangle kind and she broke them with ease.
Can you give me "explicit" instructions as to "how" to melt them, bake them, whatever? I'm not so good with winging it, unless it's food, of course :)
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 06:51:28 AM
Heather- have you tried melting the broken crayons and pouring them in to a silicon mold for little muffins or candle tarts? This makes a hard thick crayon in the shape of the tart and makes the crayons practically unbreakable too! Plus you can get fun shapes like stars, hearts, moons or even just circles!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 03:51:49 AM
I do love sidewalk chalk too. What I like about it on the inside of the house if they write their name on the wall it's not as hard to wash off! haha
As for crayons we like them too, but my girls break them so easily (I don't remember breaking my crayons so much!) and then they think they are trash (although I do NOT let them throw them in the trash!). At church last week a woman brought some new twist crayons incased in plastic. I also seen them at my last La Leche League meeting, personally I thought at first that that seemed like a waste of plastic, and no way would I invest in such, when I can get regular crayons for pennies at back to school sales. Well, I noticed cause of the plastic my DD2 could not break the crayons (she doesn't do it on purpose but she is only 1 and doesn't understand how to hold them with the correct amount of strength yet). She played with them the full 2 hours of church. Right after I went to the store and bought some. I didn't open them yet though they will be for Church (to keep her quiet). But, I think even though as much as I hated the idea of plastic, the way my girls are about broken crayons this may be a solution, I am just hoping that crayola also sells refills so you don't have to buy the plastic again!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 11:37:23 PM
I do daycare every day for a living so I work with 0-3 year olds all the time. (plus I have alot of kids of my own!) I would say....a sandbox for outside and a water table or dishpan for water play if you can, a "fence thing" to keep baby safe outside but let them play on the ground is fun and something to climb on or a tunnel. Sidewalk chalk is always a big hit too..I have a long sidewalk from the front door to the mailbox.
For inside - a hand cranked baby food grinder is awesome. I have had the same one for 30 years!! A rocking chair, lots of fun books and a table and chairs their size. hand knit bibs are wonderful...they are easy to wet with warm water and wipe the kiddo's face after a meal and wash up nicely. I use them every day.
Blocks are essential! Dress up clothes are always a big hit. Silly hats and simple elastic waist skirts get used the most at my house. I got a big bag of those sheer colored scarves once and they get used for all sorts of costumes...they all love them.
I think the key is to keep it simple. My kids and daycare kids have always liked the things the best where they use their imagination alot. The talking toys, elaborate things and all that get used rarely...the simple stuff gets used every day.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| natesgirl |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 10:15:42 PM
CRAYONS!!!! AND PAPER!!!!
I can't make it a day without either!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 8:33:27 PM
yeah all the kids I ever watched loved swings, so I thought I HAD to have one, neither of my children have liked them in the least yet! I think it's the new kind, I have a feeling if I could find the old style wind up ones they would like the way they sat in there better then the bed like thing they have on the new ones.
I also say a sling (moby wrap fits the bill) of some kind, what ever works for you! But, one of them!
energy bars, and water bottles for mommy! haha
my kids love those block things on the wires (they push the colored/shaped blocks on colored wires, back and forth). They can play with that every day. Both love jack in the box (sock monkey is ours) too.
My nephews loved little push things, and little cars you pushed with your feet around, and I loved a rocking horse. DD1 didn't care for any of that although I aquired all the above cause I just thought all kids like those things. Thankfully DD2 is totally opposite of DD1 and loves them all, my husband can't believe dd2 is so small and already can get on the push car, and the rocking horse all by her self and will do both those back and forth (alternating between the two) all day long! DD2 also has liked books from a young age (she's now 1, but has liked them from only days old) dd2 loves books now at 4 years old, but didn't really like them that much till about 2 y/o. She wanted to always be on the go, books were too slow for her. She does like books now though and has for a while now just not so much before 2. Her favorites though are any dr suesse and any farm ones from Golden Books. I think both kinds of books are essential weather your kids like books or not. I just kept on with them tell finally dd1 did start liking them and now they are a favorite of hers. DD2 though like I said has liked being read to since the beginning. I get the suesse books at sales like at Khols and collect golden books at used stores across america, and garage sales, etc. We have a ton and I just keep adding to them cause I love them! (only the classics though, I don't aquire a lot of the quickly made disney ones.).
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| woolgirl |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 7:12:35 PM
The Le Leche League cookbook "Whole Foods for the Whole Family" has hundreds of AMAZING recipes. I think a lot of the you ladies would enjoy it! Lots of healthy snack and dinner ideas that are child friendly.
Liz
Farmgirl #1947 |
| countrymommy85 |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 1:29:12 PM
Swing, books, pack n play, but my top fave is those bouncy seats that vibrate and play music. I brought mine with on trips and it was a lot smaller to bring than the pack n play or even a travel swing. My son was so-so with the swing, my daughter LOVED it. It's so neat how different kids can be :)
Oh, Elizabeth my friend gave me a recipe for baby snacks its just rice flour and applesauce cooked at 350 until lightly brown. I can't wait to try them out on baby #3!
Mothers are those wonderful people who can get up in the morning before the smell of coffee. ~Author Unknown
http://countryrenaissance.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SunflowersAndHoney |
| woolgirl |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 12:31:21 PM
I LOVED my little baby food grinder. I made all of Rosemary's baby food this way, and when she got older I could put what we were eating through it and I felt like she was eating something better for her. I agree with Nini and books...the library gets lots of use at our house for this purpose!
Liz
Farmgirl #1947 |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 08:51:32 AM
You're so right, Jonni - my son HATED the swing, too! :)
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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| FebruaryViolet |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 08:19:22 AM
One thing to discern from these posts is that every child is different! I read Alee's and Nora and Violet seem very similar-- Violet does love blocks and she plays with those everyday, but she never cared to be rocked in a rocking chair, nor did she like a bouncy seat.
So that's something to consider--what works for us, might not work for your little one 
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 07:35:35 AM
Books! We started reading little baby books to him before bedtime since he was about a month old (he was extremely alert and attentive for a little baby). We quickly progressed to board books, then the ones where you could open the little windows... Now our son is an avid reader, far surpassing his grade level! :)
Another thing we couldn't live without were those children's music tapes and cds... We had lullabye cds to help us through tough nights, and then all the fun song cds to play in the car. They were so comforting to him - and a relief to me, as well! Yep! I know them all!
And Alee's right - we played blocks every single day. We didn't have a water table, though. We had a rice box instead. We just used a large spatterware rectangle roasting pan and filled it with a few cups of rice that we'd use over and over and over.
We also made homemade play dough regularly. We'd make animals and cars and funny faced people - always a story to go along with them, too!
And there's nothing like pots and pans and a wooden spoon to bang on them! LOL! You might need some aspirin to curb the headaches, but man did we have fun!
One thing I always did with our son was take a daily walk through the house, carrying him when he was a baby and letting him lead me as he got older. I'd point out all the different furniture, knick-knacks, etc. and name them as we went along. We had this really neat Mickey Mouse nutcracker which he absolutely loved to come upon. I'd move the little lever around and make Mickey talk in his high-pitched Mickey voice, and our sons little eyes would just light up with excitement. Even when he was wee little, our son would make sounds back!
His vibrating bouncy seat was an absolute godsend - it always relaxed him and camed with us everywhere we went. And in the car, we always had those plastic clip chains holding his little books or a toy and his sippy cup. We always had a basket of things for him to do tucked behind the driver's seat, too. :)
Oh man... I wish we could have another! :) 'Guess I'm going to just have to wait for grandbabies! LOL! - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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| CMac |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 07:35:28 AM
A rocking chair. I loved nursing my boys in the rocker. A favorite memory is sitting in the sun streaming through the window nursing a newborn. Mine were winter babies.
A music player of some kind. We used music a lot. It can change their mood or set the mood for bedtime.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
| FebruaryViolet |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 07:26:15 AM
The swing for sure when Violet was small. The pack n play was a godsend--we just got rid of it a few months ago when she started climbing out. She loved it, felt comfortable sleeping in there at naptime, it travelled with us to all sorts of destinations, the sheets were cheap, and most importantly, IT CONTAINED HER so that I could actually get something done when she started walking at 10.5 months.
I love Plum pouches--you can buy them on Amazon, or you can buy them at Babys R Us. All organic food in a pouch that little ones can eat on their own by squeezing. Awesome--hands down something I can't do without, even now. Plum Tots, the toddler version, makes a fruit, quinoa and oat "smush" that she eats almost everyday--when she won't eat anything else, this is a godsend, too.
Dr. Praeggers spinach (broccoli, sweet potato) bites. Frozen organic veggie/potatoe cakes shaped like dinosaurs, people, moons and stars. She's picky. She won't eat anything, but she'll eat the spinach and the broccoli bites. GO FIGURE.
Johnny Jump up for hanging from the doorway. Her little legs are so strong, and I know it's because she started jumping in that thing at 5 mos. She was CRAZY about it. We'd turn on some soul music like James Brown or the Rolling Stones and she would throw herself around all over the place. Hours of enjoyment--for her AND for us! Hers had a tray, which was sort of silly, but I bought it second hand. If she did eat puffs or whatever, they bounced off the tray when she bounced, and I really don't recommend babies jumping with food in their mouths. Just sayin.
A special lovey. Violet didn't care much about them until a few months ago. Has to have all this stuff with her in bed and when she gets up in the morning to hang on the sofa. It always includes this little stuffingless puppy I bought before I even knew she was a girl.
A table and chairs. Violet is REALLY big on coloring (so evidenced by every surface in her room covered in crayon). We bought a table and chair set at Ikea and it's been the best thing ever. She sits there with puzzles, she colors, she does her mega blocks. It's "her" space, and as they age, it's important that they have that. So they keep growing independent, but also so you actually have a living room.
Washable crayons. Bathtub crayons and markers. Bathtub books. CANNOT do without these items.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 07:16:57 AM
LOTS of craft supplies!! I know that sounds silly, but once your baby starts getting interesting in coloring/drawing and such you can't have a big enough stash! If you see a clearance sale of googly eyes or coloring books at the dollar store- stock up!! You will use them! I wish I would have thought ahead a bit more and had more random craft supplies to make a craft corner for Nora. Pony beads, googly eyes, feathers, craft sticks, glue, colored pencils, crayons etc. By 3 she was more than able to use all of these responsibly and craft time is a great use and growth of the imagination!!
Another great thing is wooden blocks or a water table. We had a water toy that Nora spent a lot of time playing with. I guess the things that I most appreciated for Nora was those toys that could really captivate her as that is when they are learning the most.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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