Baby Angels Blog

Children are easy to please! So when planning your child’s birthday party, remember that she and her guests will delight in even the simplest affair. For those milestone years, go from simply sweet to super duper with a few extra bells and whistles. Either way, you can create magical and memorable birthday parties

Invitations

Little kids love to get mail, and it’s usually the ripping of the envelope that is most satisfying. For a toddler’s party, use a classic fold card and matching envelope. For bigger kids, deliver an unexpected custom-made postcard to set the tone or send your invite in a decorated paper mailing tube. Add a few pinches of confetti or a charm that represents the party’s theme.

Party Decorations

Clusters of balloons in a particular color scheme paired with streamers are traditional party decorations. For an update, make a balloon bouquet centerpiece and hang swags of streamers on the back of each chair. Or save a little time by using your party treats as decoration: for example, use a cupcake stand filled with colorful cupcakes as a centerpiece. Party favors can do double duty, too: personalize classic party hats with glitter glue and use as place cards. For extra flair decorate party hats to go along with your theme (for example, add a long ribbon to the top for a princess or draw a Jolly Rogers skull-and-crossbones for a pirate).

Games

The crafts at your party can be basic or elaborate, depending on the age of your guests. A long table covered with craft paper and small containers of crayons is perfect for little kids. In the summertime, a bubble station is plenty of stimulation for two to four-year-olds. Bigger kids can decorate anything from T-shirts to sun visors and canvas shoes with fabric paint, fabric glue, plastic jewels and pompoms. Even better, these crafts double as party favors.

Party Food

Kids won’t sit still for long, so the best party food for the under-twelve crowd is finger-food. Keep healthy, age-appropriate snacks and water within reach at all times for those frequently needed energy boosts. Cake and ice cream with a decorative candle is an easy way to serve little kids a special birthday treat. To make the birthday treat extra special for big kids, create a serve-yourself ice cream sundae bar – complete with chocolate syrup and rainbow sprinkles – or a decorate-your-own cupcake station.

Don’t shy away from the classic party games you played as a kid. “Pin the tail on the donkey” is fun for all ages. Spin the bigger kids before each turn and hang the donkey further away to make the game more difficult. Build some calm excitement with a game of Bingo. Reinvent these traditional games to fit your party’s theme: try “pin the wings on the fairy,” for example; or customize your Bingo cards with clip art and let kids use dot paints to mark the squares. Reserve a special prize for the first-place winner and always have consolation prizes available for everyone else.

Party Bags

Always thank your guests for coming by sending them home with a party bag. An assortment of small treats – candy, stickers or small toys – is a fun and easy gift. Consider unique reusable containers for your favors: a fabric-lined bucket, a mini terra cotta flower pot or organdy drawstring bags. It’s better to put in 1 or 2 quality items than a pile of junk that will go straight in the bin when they get home. Remember it’s the bag itself they love rather than the contents.

Create pirate ship toppers for cupcakes

Cut out shapes and glue them on to a long toothpick.

Place the end of the toothpick into the top of the cupcake.

CREATE AND PLAY DOUGH!

This project appeals to children of all ages. Kids love helping to mix the ingredients and then playing with the dough once it’s cooled.

1. Homemade Play Dough Recipe:

3 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Cups Salt
2 Tbsp. Cream of Tartar
3 Cups Water
3 Tbsp. Oil
Food Coloring (optional)
Extract (optional)
Glitter (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in a non-stick pot. Measure water into a separate container and add food coloring for color or extract for scent. Add water and oil to dry mixture and cook over very low heat until dough becomes solid (this will only take a few minutes). Remove the dough from heat, knead until smooth, and let cool. (Glitter can be added when play-dough is cool.)

2. Lay a plastic tablecloth down and provide the children with accessories for manipulating the dough. You can usually find a lot of fun tools right in your kitchen: plastic cookie cutters, rolling pins, spatulas and muffin tins.

While they’re busy playing with the first batch, consider making another batch in a different color. You can then send a small amount of each color home with each child at the end of the playdate.

MAKE-YOUR-OWN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

This project is fun and easy! Kids will love dancing around to their own beat.

Things you’ll need:

Paper Plates
Rice
Clear Packing Tape
Stapler/Staples
Buttons, sequins, feathers, ribbons and other decorating items
Children’s Scissors
Glue

1. Spread a plastic tablecloth over the kids’ craft table or other work surface.
2. Give each child a minimum of 2 paper plates.
3. Supply the children with art supplies (glue, glitter, markers, construction paper and scissors) for decorating their plates.
4. When they’re done decorating, tape the plates together so that the concave sides of the plates face out. Be sure to leave an open space for pouring in rice.
5. Pour in rice.
6. If necessary, reinforce tape with staples.
7. Staple on ribbon or streamers if available.

Once they finish making their instruments, they’ll want to try out their new creations. Have a parade!

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

Here’s a constructive activity that will occupy budding young actors and actresses for hours! They can dream up tall tales and bring them to life in front of the camera.

1. Help the children pick a story on which to base their movie. They might choose to re-enact a fairytale or a story they’ve read, or they may want to create an original story.

2. Once the children agree on a story, have them tell you what it is. Encourage them to have a beginning, a middle and an end. For example: Beginning (Scene I): The fairy princess is trapped in her castle; Middle (Scene II): The princess is saved by a brave prince; End (Scene III): The princess and the prince get married and live happily ever after.

3. Provide them with butcher paper, poster board or a large piece of cardboard and art supplies so that they can create a backdrop for their movie set. They can even make signs to put up in front of the camera like the name of the movie, the scene, or their names.

4. Give them a bin of dress-up clothes so that they can pick out their costumes.

5. Let them practice a few times, then give them a time when “filming” will begin.

6. Once filming is complete, schedule the big premiere, maybe that’s another playdate project for next time!

Playdates are a great way to help your child build social skills and strengthen friendships with other children. Try our playdate pointers to help ensure the visit is a success.

• Keep the playdate short and sweet: a visit of 1-2 hours is ideal.
• Take your child’s personality into account when deciding on a playmate. A shy
   child may do better with a quieter friend, while an active, exuberant child may
   click best with a more energetic playmate.
• Also, keep your child’s schedule in mind when setting up the playdate. Skipping
   a nap in order to play may lead to a cranky child.

• Negotiate ahead of time whether the other parent will stay or drop off her child.
   Younger kids and first-time visitors may take a while to warm up or may feel
   more comfortable with a parent on hand.
• It helps to have a few activities planned, especially for younger children.
   Whether it’s board games, dress-up or cookie decorating, have a few projects
   or toys out and help the kids pick what they’d like to do. See our playdate
   projects for ideas.
• Be close by to intervene if needed, but try to let the kids work things out them-
   selves first.
• Don’t forget the snacks!

• Find out ahead of time whether the host parent expects you to stay or not. If
   you’ll be dropping your child off, make sure your child feels comfortable before
   you leave.
• If this is your child’s first visit, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the
   house and find out what your child will be doing during the playdate.
• Let the other parent know if your child has any food allergies or other issues
   that may be relevant.
• Check in with the host parent afterwards to find out how the playdate went
   and what the kids did.
• Offer to host the next playdate at your house!

Kids can be a big help around the house. In addition to building their self-esteem and learning responsibility, pitching in is a great way for them to feel like they’re making a contribution. Here are some tips to encourage kids’ assistance.

If you’re traveling with the kids this summer, check out our tips to help ensure your family vacation is an enjoyable and memorable adventure.

• Build excitement by letting kids mark off the
   days on a calendar until your departure date.
   If possible, involve them in the planning ahead
   of time.
• Buy or borrow travel guides about your
   destination and read them with your kids.
• When deciding when to travel, keep your kids’
   napping and sleeping schedules in mind. Long
   car rides can be ideal for naps.
• Allow for extra travel time in your itinerary. Whether you’re driving or flying,
   keep in mind that summertime is peak travel season, so roads and airports
   may be crowded.
• Use a packing list to help ensure you bring everything you’ll need, whether
   it’s a swimsuit or your child’s favorite stuffed animal.
• Stay flexible!

• Map out your route ahead of time – identify interesting places you can stop
   en route to your destination.
• Plan on taking a break about every two hours to let everyone get out of the
   car and stretch.
• Pack an insulated cooler with snacks and cold drinks. Frozen juice boxes will
   stay cooler longer and will also help keep your other snacks chilled.
• Try playing family games to help pass the time. Download our template >
• Music CDs and books-on-CD are great because they can entertain the whole
   family!

• Be sure to allow plenty of time to check in and get through the security line.
• Check your luggage, but be sure to pack extra clothing and supplies in your
   carry-on bags in case your luggage is late or lost.
• Bring extra snacks on board to keep your kids from getting hungry.
• Give kids their own carry-on bag filled with fun games, crayons, paper and a
   favorite book.
• A portable DVD player may be a great investment if you’re traveling over two
   hours. Kids will enjoy the travel time more if they’re able to watch their
   favorite movies.

Babies are learning constantly, from the minute they open their eyes in the morning until they drift off to sleep at night. The nursery is their first classroom, so fill it with things that stimulate, inspire, teach and delight.

VIBRANT VISUALS
Long before their hands get into the act, babies are exploring the world visually. Studies have shown that bold colors and high-contrast color pairings are easiest for infants’ eyes to see. Bright bedding, rugs, wall hangings and stencils that show simple shapes, letters or numbers ensure that there’s always something exciting to see and learn. Framed photos of family and friends fill the nursery with happy faces, and a mirror on the wall helps babies learn to recognize themselves.

FINGERS & TOES
As they learn to grasp and hold, babies thrive on things they can touch, lift, bat and toss. The nursery provides them with a range of textures to explore, from smooth cotton sheeting to a soft, nubby rug. Baskets, bins and other containers become teaching tools, as babies learn to move objects in and out of them.

MOBILITY
Placing a soft rug or quilt on the floor gives your baby a place to practice lifting her head and building strength and coordination in her arm and leg muscles in preparation for crawling. Later, sturdy low benches and ottomans help her pull herself up to take those first exciting steps.

THE READING CORNER
It’s never too soon to start reading to your baby. Setting up a quiet corner with bookshelves and a rocker or glider sets the stage for cozy storytelling — time well spent to develop language skills. As your baby begins to crawl and then walk, leaving cloth and board books on low shelves lets her easily find her favorites.

Nothing helps kids appreciate the earth like the magic of watching things grow. Fun hours spent experimenting with sun, soil and seeds – plus special memories of family-time in the garden – can lead to a lifelong love for all things green.

Whether indoors or out, a thriving kids’ garden is easy to create. All that’s needed are three simple elements: space to plant, space for gear and good advice about what to grow.

Some of the best gardening projects can take place indoors on a sunny kitchen windowsill. But if you have a little outdoor ground to spare, the best approach is to start small. Create a 3 x 5′ planting area measured out into one-foot sections for each item that you’re growing, or make it a round garden and split it into pie-shaped wedges.

Let your kids know that this is their growing space, and set up a visual boundary that reinforces this idea. Anything from a row of stones to a small wooden fence can help separate this area from the rest of the yard. Indoors, designate your gardening zone by lining up colorful pots in a row, or clustering them together in a flat rattan basket near a window.

What do kids love best about gardening? Getting dirty, of course. Create a kid-friendly work and storage station by choosing durable materials that are easy to clean. A rugged, kid-sized outdoor table can double as a picnic table one day and a potting bench the next. Place a weather-resistant wooden trunk like our Chesapeake Storage Bin nearby to keep trowels, hand forks and other tools corralled. Indoors, a kitchen countertop or utility sink works well for potting, and a canvas tote or handled bucket keeps tools organized and safely out of the way.

As every parent knows, part of what kids love about hands-on projects is getting to say, “I did it myself!” Let your children make the final decision about what to plant, but improve their chances of success by starting them off with some hardy selections to choose from.

Keep your children and their friends occupied by putting their little minds to work with this fun and educational project.

THINGS YOU’LL NEED:

8.5 x 11″ Construction Paper (13 pieces)
Boxboard or similar material
Hole Punch
Yarn or Ribbon
Markers and Crayons
Children’s Scissors
Glue Sticks

LET’S PREPARE!

- For each book, set aside 13 sheets of construction paper. Cut the sheets in half. This will give you one sheet for each letter of the alphabet.

- In the upper right-hand corner of each page, write an upper and lower case version of one letter.

- Cut two pieces of boxboard per book. The boxboard should measure slightly larger than the construction paper pages. These will serve as sturdy front and back covers for each book.

- In the center of the kids’ table, lay out stacks of old magazines, extra construction paper, crayons and markers, children’s scissors and glue sticks.

LET’S CREATE!

- Provide each child with a stack of alphabet pages.

- Encourage kids to draw or find 2 to 3 pictures for each letter. Older children can practice writing words that correspond with the pictures they draw or paste on the page.

- To make covers, give each child two of the boxboard pieces. They can cover the board with construction paper, put their name on the front as the author of the book, plus draw, write and paste whatever they would like on their book cover!

- Fasten each book together using a hole punch and yarn.

HINTS & TIPS

- Before the project begins, create a few sample pages or even a sample book to use as a guide.

- When tying the book together, remember not to tie the yarn too tightly or the pages will rip.

Whether a babysitter is new to your family or a seasoned caregiver who knows your children well, it’s always important to leave a list of contact information. Remember to tell the babysitter your child’s bedtime routine, allergies and any special requests or considerations. Be sure to go over the list with your sitter so she has a chance to ask you questions. Leave the checklist in the same location every time so it’s always close at hand and accessible.