momstown Calgary North

Perfect Snow Book and Craft

2012-01-31T21:33:00.000-07:00

momstown's curriculum theme this month has been "Winter Wonderland". We have sung winter songs ("I'm a Little Snowman" was a favourite), planted indoor snowflakes, made paper mittens, and read many wonderful books about the season. One of the highlights of every month though is when we get to read our Scholastic Canada book of the month. We are so fortunate to have Scholastic choose and provide a book to us each month that relates to our theme. The selections are always wonderful, and at the end of storytime one lucky family gets to go home with the book.

This month, our Scholastic book of the month was "Perfect Snow", by Barbara Reid. If you are not familiar with Barbara Reid, she is a Canadian children's book author and illustrator who creates the pictures in her books entirely out of Plasticine. According to the Scholastic website, each individual Plasticine illustration can take more than seven days to finish, and weigh up to three kilograms. To protect the illustrations before they are turned into photographs for her books, each is stored in its own separate pizza box. The result of this unique Plasticine technique are books with pictures that are unlike anything else you have seen. Colourful, detailed, and captivating they make you want to look at them over and over again.

"Perfect Snow", illustrated in Barbara Reid's signature Plasticine style, is no exception. The pictures alone will easily hold the attention of most children, but we loved the story too. It's the tale of two separate boys who wake up to fresh snow. One boy decides to try and build the perfect snowman during break at school, and the second tries to build a perfect snow fort. In the end, the two boys join forces to create "The World's Greatest Totally Massive Snowman Fort". If you would like to find out more about the story, you can read momstown's review as well. Congratulations to Heather, brand new big sister Hailey, and baby Jake, who were the lucky winners of this perfect book to snuggle up and read together.

To go along with the story, C. and I worked on a perfect snow craft of our own. I cut three large green triangles and three snall brown rectangles out of construction paper. C. then used a glue stick to glue them to a piece of blue paper to create trees. If you have a preschooler, this would be a great time to talk about shapes, and let her practice her scissor skills:

Once the glue was dry, I put a small amount of white paint onto a yogurt container lid (our art palettes of choice), and gave C. a cotton ball. He had a great time dipping the cotton ball into the paint, and then stamping it onto the paper to create snow:

Of course, you could use a cotton swab, or even your fingers to paint too. Whether the snow is outside your winter, inside a book, or on a piece of paper, I hope you enjoy it snow too!

Planting Snowflakes: A Toddler Fine Motor Activity

2012-01-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

When toddlers engage in activities such as transferring clothespins from container to container or manipulating knob puzzles, they are doing more than having fun. These sorts of activities help to build and strengthen the muscles in a child's hands, and lay the foundation needed for a variety of important tasks ranging from tying shoes, to eating with utensils, to writing.

C. loves activities such as opening and closing lids and dumping and refilling containers of blocks, so one afternoon I put together this "planting snowflakes in the snow" fine motor activity for him to work on. It has kept him (and his big brother too) occupied for several hours over the past few weeks:

To make it, I attached foam snowflakes to the backs of a number of popsicle sticks, and gave C. some sheets of styrofoam. I showed him how to poke the popsicle sticks into the styrofoam to make the snowflakes stand up, and after a few tries he got the hang of it and was able to do it on his own.

The styrofoam does break down after it has been used a number of times. Once we ran out of fresh styrofoam, we planted the snowflakes into the ground (a loosely woven wicker basket) instead. It turns out that this was actually easier than working with the styrofoam, and in the future I would begin with it.

I am already planning how we can "plant" flowers in the spring.

We Went (Stir) Crazy with our Baby Playgroup

2012-01-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

There are rumours of a baby boom in Calgary, and when it comes to momstown Calgary the rumours are true. We have welcomed so many infants to our group over the past few months, and we are eagerly looking forward to the arrival of several more. We have wanted to design a weekly mom and baby playgroup that was welcoming to first time moms and would also meet the needs of families that include a baby and a big brother or sister.

Enter Stir Crazy Family Fun Centre. You could not ask for a better place to bring children who range in age. The parent and tot lounge is a perfect, safe place for babies and toddlers to explore. Complete with a separate entrance gate, comfortable couches, a variety of soft things to climb on, activity centres, and even extra touches like Bumbo seats and baby books, it's a great place for both little ones and their caregivers. As you can see, we enjoyed everything about it:

From the parents' lounge, you also have a clear view of the awesome play structure. With three parallel slides, a twisty slide, a zip line, foam poles to crawl through, and tonnes of above ground areas to climb into and explore, there is more than enough to meet the needs of even the most energetic kids:

We were sad to leave, but can't wait to come back next week:

Luckily, our infant playgroup meets every Wednesday morning at Stir Crazy. We would love to have you and your little one, or little ones join us.

Literacy Activities for Toddlers and Young Children

2012-01-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

Today is Family Literacy Day in Canada! Family Literacy Day is a national initiative created by ABC Life Literacy Canada to raise awareness of the importance of engaging in reading and other literacy based activities as a family. Numerous studies have demonstrated the children who are read to at home tend to perform better in school. Reading together is fun too, and the sessions need not be long. Even just 15 minutes a day can improve a child’s literacy skills dramatically. Literacy activities do not need to be limited to reading books though. Here are seven fun literacy related activities that you can try with your toddler or preschooler today:

1. Go on an Alphabet Hunt: Buy an inexpensive punch out bulletin board alphabet set, or cut your own alphabet letters out of paper. Hide them around your playroom, and have your little ones search to find each letter. When all of the letters have been collected, lay them out on the floor in alphabetical order. With young children, I like to sing the alphabet song while we arrange the letters. Older preschoolers can be challenged to arrange the alphabet without help.

2. Fishing for a Letter: Attach paper clips to foam letters (or just use the same cut outs you used for the first activity). Arrange the letters on a blue blanket or towel (we used a blue playsilk). Attach a magnet to a dowel with string to create a fishing pole. Have your toddler use the magnetic fishing pole to "catch" a letter, and then identify it. Older kids can try to think of a word that starts with the sound the letter represents. As you can see in this picture, we caught a "P":

3. "I Spy - The Alphabet Edition: Instead to asking your child to guess what you spy that is red, try saying "I spy with my little eye, something that begins with the "buh" ("b") sound." Take turns being the person who spies, and the person who guesses. This is a great game to play while you are waiting in a doctor's office or in line at the grocery store, and you can use it with your favourite picture books too. Simply open the book to a page with an illustration that has a variety of different objects on it, and have your child guess what you spy on the page.

4. Musical ABC's: Write each letter of the alphabet on a sheet of construction paper. Lay the letters out on the floor in a circle. Turn on the music, and have little ones walk from letter to letter. When the music stops, have each child try to identify the letter she is standing on, or the sound it represents. You may want to start with just a few letters, and introduce new letters gradually.

5. Rhyme Chains: This was a favourite activity of A. and mine from the time he was two until he was six, and even though he is eight now we still enjoy playing it once and a while. Say a word, such as "hat", and have your child try and think of a work that rhymes with it. You then say another word that rhymes with "hat", and the play continues back and forth until someone gets stuck. When he was younger, it was less important that his responses were "real words", and more important that he grasp the concept of a rhyme. Not that he is older, we challenge each other with words that are much more difficult to rhyme.

6. Labels: Write words such as "chair", "desk", "cupboard" and "fridge" on pieces of paper, and attach them to those objects. This gives kids a constant reminder that words are like pictures that represent objects, and provides visual cues of the sounds that the letters represent.

7. Letter Sort: Most toddlers and preschoolers love to sort objects. Capitalize on this by natural inclination by putting together a letter sort. Choose two letters of the alphabet. Write each letter out on several seperate small sheets of paper (you may, for example, have 10 pieces of paper with the letter "A" written on them, and 10 with the letter "B". Mix the two types of letters together, and have your child sort them into a pile for each lettter.

Be sure to head over to momstown.ca to enter to win a great family literacy prize pack, and to find more family literacy activities too.

What are you reading with your family right now?

Toddler Science at Telus Spark and an Air Cannon at Home

2012-01-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

It is never too early to expose children to science. Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are naturally curious about the world around them, and this curiosity can easily be harnessed to teach basic science principles to youngsters in a way that is fun and play-based.

The evidence of this was clear when momstown Calgary headed to Telus Spark earlier this week. Our first stop was the Creative Kids Museum, an area specifically designed for children aged 0-8 years of age. The facility is bright, engaging, and full of activities to explore. One of our first stops was the giant water table in the centre of the room:

Anything involving water is always a hit with our crew, and the little ones had a fantastic time throwing beach balls into the water fountain, using containers to scoop and pour, and rearranging the rocks to redirect the flow of the water down the inclined plane.

We loved the special piano too. By pressing the keys, you can make coloured bubbles appear that float to the top of each tube:

Of course, we stopped by the climbing area too. There were a few school groups visiting at the same time, and that made it a bit difficult for our little people to do too much exploring, but it sure looks like it would be a fun place on a quieter day:

Fortunately, there is also a toddler specific area filled with giant blocks, books, a tunnel, a slide, and lots of other things just our size:

As we headed upstairs for lunch, we discovered that there was some pretty cool stuff to explore in the lobby too:

Even in the Creative Kids Area, there were all sorts of areas that we did not have time to explore on this visit, and I know we will spend many more happy hours playing and learning at Telus Spark. You don't need to visit a science centre to explore science with your little one though. Whether it is discovering the principles of gravity by dropping different objects, using the bathtub to determine what sinks and what floats, or taking a magnifying glass into the backyard to see bugs and leaves up close, there are all sorts of ways to incorporate fun science based play and learning into your day to day activities at home.

On this particular visit, one of our group's favourite activities was the interactive air cannon table. Vents on the table release blasts of air strong enough to float various objects such as ribbons, and balls. For even more fun, you can use the PVC pipes provided to change the direction of the air flow:

Incredibly, you can create a similar experience at home by turning your blow dryer into a home made air cannon. All you need to do is grab your blow dryer (preferably one with a long nozzle), and set the heat down to its lowest setting. Turn the hair dryer on, and adult's job, and point it upwards. Let your little ones see what will float in it: balloons, lightweight foam balls, and strips of ribbon are all great choices, and sending a sock into the air is sure to produce a smile. Experiment with different air flow levels too: will some things float with greater air pressure that would not float on low? Can you send an object higher into the air, or farther across the floor when the pressure is higher? If your kids are preschool aged, you can even make it into more of a "real" science experiment by having them draw or tell you about the things that they saw and discovered in an observation journal. It is scientifically proven that kids learn through play, so go ahead and have some fun with science at your house today.

Year of the Dragon Crafts and Fun

2012-01-23T08:43:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. The date of Chinese New Year or the Chinese Lunar New Year, is determined according to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, and usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. One way that the Chinese calendar differs from the Gregorian (or Western) calendar is that in addition to a repeating sequence of 12 months, the Chinese Calendar has a repeating sequence of twelve years, each named after a different animal. This is referred to as the animal zodiac, and this year is the year of the Dragon. We welcomed in the year of the Dragon with a trip to the "Year of the Dragon Chinese New Year Carnival" at the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre. It was filled with dance performances, ice sculptures, and of course delicious foods. My 8 year old nephew and I also celebrated by creating these hand print dragons:

Here's how to make one of your own:

1. Trace your child's handprint onto blue and yellow construction paper, and cut out. We used a total of 3 blue and two yellow handprints, but feel free to make your dragon as long or short as you would like.

2. On a second sheet of construction paper, arrange the handprints in alternating colours in the shape of a dragon's body. It helps to keep all of the fingers facing to the left. Use a glue stick to glue in place.

3. Cut four short legs out of red construction paper, and glue just below dragon's body (you can tuck the legs just under the body if you prefer).

4. Cut a thin tail out of red construction paper. We drew it slightly curvy, with a triangle point at the end, but feel free to design your own tail. We also added a yellow triangle inside the tip of the tail. Glue tail in place.

5. Draw a pointy mane for the dragon. Cut out of red construction paper, and glue onto to dragon's body. Draw the dragon's head, with a slightly smaller pointy main, and cut out of yellow construction paper. Glue on top of red mane, overlapping slightly.

6. Cut eyes out of white paper, and glue on, or use googlie eyes instead. You can also add a red tongue to your dragon if you would like.

We also read "The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac", by Dawn Casey. The book recounts the traditional legend of how the order of the animals in the zodiac was determined. As the book explains, the order of the animals in the zodiac was determined by a race amongst all 13 animals in the kingdom. Rat wins by trickery, and is awarded first place in the calendar. Cat, who is unable to finish the race because of Rat's trickery, is left off the calendar. The emperor, who judges the race, notices Rat's trickery, but calls it clever and does not punish Rat for his actions. As such, the book can also spark an interesting discussion about whether it was right for Rat to be rewarded rather than reprimanded for his actions. It is probably a bit long for a typical preschooler to enjoy, but perfect for children aged 5-8.

Happy New Year!

PS: Head over to momstown.ca for instructions on how to make a Chinese lantern.

Paper Mittens and Snowy Stories

2012-01-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy week filled with playgroups, a moms night out, stroller fitness playdates at the malls and more, and on Friday, we met at the Calgary Public Library for our regular "Tales for Tots" event. Together we read stories, sing songs, recites rhymes and fingerplays, and enjoy games and crafts too. Our theme for the month is "Winter Wonderland", and we have been learning about snow, and about how to dress for it. When it is -40 degrees celcius, mittens are something essential, and we made our own paper versions:

Prior to the event, I cut several large mittens out of construction paper, and glued them together around all edges except the bottom, creating giant mittens you could stick your hand (or other treasures inside).

At the library, we decorated our mittens with stickers, markers, cotton balls and glue:

Making mittens takes concentration:

And giant paper mittens are a little different than the kind we usually wear:

But once you figure them out, they sure are fun:

Just a few of the masterpieces displayed on Calgary fridges this weekend:

And the cutest reminder that you are never too young for stories and crafts:

A perfect story to go along with a paper mitten craft is the "Missing Mitten Mystery" by Steven Kellogg. Annie loses her mitten playing in the snow, and she and her dog retrace their day, searching to no avail to find it. When the snow begins to melt in the morning, Annie discovers that the mitten has become the heart of her snowman.

We also enjoyed reading "If You Were a Penguin" by Florence Minor, "All You Need for a Snowman" by Alice Schertle, and "Hello, Snow" by Hope Vestergaard.

While reading the last two books, everyone held onto to pompom snowball, and threw or waved it in the air when they heard the word "snow". Having kids perform an action when they hear a certain word in a book is a great way to encourage active listening and enhance concentration, and it is great fun too. Try it at storytime in our house today.

Winter Warm Up: 7 Fun and Healthy Alternatives to Hot Chocolate and Apple Cider

2012-01-18T11:32:00.003-07:00

Brrr, it has been frigid in Calgary these past few days. With temperatures hovering around -40 celsius, it has been very tempting to just stay at home in my pajamas, curled up with a blanket and a good book. When I have had to venture out, the first thing I want when I come back inside is a hot drink. Hot chocolate, apple cider, and tea are all delicious, but sometimes it is nice to have some alternatives, especially ones that are kid friendly and healthy. Here are a few of our favourites. Remember to test the temperature of all hot drinks before serving to children. An ice cube placed in the drink can be a quick way to cool it down, if needed.

Snickerdoodle Steamed Milk:

Heat one cup of milk (or non-dairy alternative), and one 3 inch piece of a cinnamon stick in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbles begin to form. Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick, and stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar, if desired. Transfer milk to mug, and sprinkle with additional cinnamon. Optional: Serve with a cinnamon stick, if desired.

Serves one.

Honey-Nut Hot Milk

Heat one cup of unsweetened almond milk, and 1 tsp of honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbles begin to form. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract. Froth with an immersion blender or milk frother, if desired.

Serves one.

The Canadian

Heat one cup of milk (or non-dairy alternative), and 1 tsp of maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbles begin to form. Remove from heat, and froth with an immersion blender or milk frother, if desired. Optional: drizzle an additional touch of maple syrup on top before serving.

Serves one.

Hot Lemondrop

Combine 1 cup hot water, 2 tsp lemon juice, and 1-2 tsp honey in a mug. Taste and add additional honey or lemon, if desired.

Serves one.

Gingerbread in a Mug

4 cups milk (or milk alternative)

2 tsp molasses

2 tsp brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Combine milk, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and sugar in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat until bubbles begin to form.

2. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract. Froth with an immersion blender or milk frother if deserve. Transfer to mugs, and serve.

Serves four.

Hot Cranberry Orange Cider

2 cups apple juice (or apple cider)
2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1-2 tsp ground nutmeg
1-2 cinnamon sticks

Method:

1. Combine apple juice, orange juice, cranberry juice and spices in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for approximately 10 minutes.

2. Remove cider from heat and discard cinnamon sticks. Pour into mugs, and serve with additional cinnamon sticks, if desired.

Herbal Teas

Herbal teas can be a great choice for kids as well, and many offer additional health benefits. C. and A. are particularly fond of peppermint tea and ginger tea, and both are known to help soothe an upset stomach. There are a wide variety of caffeine free herbal teas available in the food aisle to choose from, and chances are you will find a few that your family enjoys. Herbal tea is a great excuse to have a tea party!

Enjoy the winter weather, and enjoy a hot drink to warm you up when you come back inside too.

And We're Back!

2012-01-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

Happy 2012 everyone! Wow, it's been a long time, and I have missed you all. I had not planned to take such a long break from blogging, but the combination of the holidays, a home reorganization, and a bout of sickness got the best of me. Many books were read, and lots of crafts and activities were done over the holidays, and I'm excited to start sharing some of them with you over the next few days. I am also super excited for a new year of momstown Calgary events. Our calendar is jam packed with favourite activities such as our weekly Music and Movement playgroup at Absolute Dance Studio, in home playdates, and trips to the library, Calgary Zoo, and Glenbow Museum. We are also thrilled to introduce our weekly "Mall Walking Mommas" group, and an infant playgroup hosted by Stir Crazy Family Fun Centre. It is going to be the best year yet to be a part of the momstown Calgary family.

In the meantime, here is a look back at some photos from one of our most popular events we hosted in December, our Christmas Cookie Swap.

Each mom baked enough cookies for every other mom to take one dozen of those goodies home. That's a lot of cookies!

From gingerbread to shortbread, and homemade skor bars to peanut butter kisses, everything was beautifully packaged and tasted great:

All of those cookies were pretty heavy to carry:

But everyone sure went home happy:

A post about cookies and treats would not be complete without a recipe either:

Tiger Butter

Ingredients:

250 grams white chocolate (equivalent to 9 squares , or 1.5 boxes Bakers white chocolate)
¼ cup (50 mL) smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp (30 mL) semisweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. Line a 8” by 8” square baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Break white chocolate into 1″ pieces and place in a 2 cup glass measuring cup, or glass bowl. Microwave on medium for two minutes, stirring halfway through, until smooth and melted.
3. Stir peanut butter into melted white chocolate until peanut butter is dissolved and mixture is smooth.
4. Pour white chocolate mixture evenly into prepared pan, and tap gently on counter to release bubbles.
5. Place semisweet chocolate chips in 1 cup glass measure. Microwave on medium one minute, stirring halfway through, or until smooth and melted.
6. Drizzle semi sweet chocolate in lengthwise lines on top of white chocolate mixture. Run a butter knife in crosswise lines across the top of the white chocolate mixture to create a marble effect.
7. Place pan in the fridge and refrigerate until mixture is firm, and parchment paper releases easily from the bottom of the chocolate (approximately 1 hour). Cut into squares.

Yarn Ball Reindeer and Penguin Ornaments

2011-12-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

Every year, I like to make at least a few handmade Christmas gifts. For the past few years, I have been busy making stockings for the new babies of my friends and family, and I have always managed to find a bit of time to sneak in a few ornaments too. With a toddler in our midst, I knew that what ever I created had to be unbreakable and relatively quick to create. The solution I came up with was these simple yarn ball reindeer and penguins (currently C.'s favourite animal). I made these myself, but it would be an easy craft for any school aged child as well. If you are doing this craft with kids, just make sure you use either a low temperature glue gun, or tacky glue.

These ornaments could not be easier to make. All you need to get started is a styrofome ball, a lot of yarn, some ribbon, tacky glue or a glue gun, and decorations such as googlie eyes, scraps of felt, pompoms, and pipecleaners.

1. Hot glue a looped length of ribbon to the the top of the styrofome ball. This will be the hanger for the ornament.

2. Hot glue the end of your yarn to the bottom of the ball. Wrap the yarn around the ball. Continue to wrap yarn around the ball until it is completely covered with a few layers of wool. Trim the end of the yarn, and hot glue it to the bottom of the ornament.

For Rudolph: Hot glue googlie eyes to the front of the ornament, and glue a red pompom below the eyes to make his nose. Cut a brown pipecleaner in half, and twist each piece of pipecleaner into the shape of an antler (alternately, you could use small sticks). Put a dab of glue onto the end of each antler, and press through the yarn into the styrofome ball.

For the Penguin: Substitute black yarn for brown in step 2. Cut a heart shape out of white felt, and a triangle out of orange felt. Glue googlie eyes onto top of heart to form eyes. Glue orange triangle below the eyes to create the penguin's beak. Glue the heart to the front of the ornament, and you're done!

(note: if you are making this craft for children under three, consider using felt circles in place of the googlie eyes to minimize the risk of choking).

Do you have a favourite holiday ornament?

A Perfect Christmas: momstown Calgary Christmas Party

2011-12-17T19:46:00.000-07:00

Let's face it: December is a busy month. From school Christmas concerts to shopping, baking to decorating, it seems like there is something special to do on the calendar every day. With so much bustle and the weight of my own expectations about how the holidays should be, I often forget to stop and appreciate the beauty, meaning, and reason for the season.

Our momstown Calgary Christmas party was on Tuesday of this week, and I had all sorts of visions and plans about how perfect it was going to be. It hit me while the party was happening that a perfect Christmas was not in the decorations, whether the right music was playing, or the particular schedule of events. A perfect Christmas is one filled with the sounds of a little one's squeals of delight:

A perfect Christmas is sharing in the joy of a first Christmas:

A perfect Christmas is one where there is music, and dancing:

A perfect Christmas is one filled with the love of family, and the laughter of friends:

A perfect Christmas is one where there are gifts from the heart:

And so it was that I experienced the perfection of Christmas at our momstown Calgary Christmas party. Thanks to the generosity of Play a Latte, Bliss & Co. Cupcakes and Desserts, and Mr. Rayz Music for Kidz, we had a fantastic location to celebrate in, delicious cupcakes and treats to eat, and joyful music to fill the air. Thanks to our incredible members and friends in the city, there was laughter, fellowship, and love, and we were able to collect a basket overflowing with new, warm mittens and hats for Inn from the Cold and Made By Momma, two local charities that do so much good for children and families in Calgary. And thank you to the kindness of Erin from Sprout Photo, who gave her time and talent to us that night, we have these and many more gorgeous pictures to remember the time with.

Merry Christmas! May you and your family experience this sort of true perfection this year.

p.s. Sprout Photo has a fabulous giveaway happening on their blog right now. If you are local, you could win a Sprout Photo Session Complete with digital files. This prize has a value of $1600, and includes a free fun family session or a sweet newborn session, all the images from your gallery on a DVD for you to have forever, an image box and a 5×7 print of EACH image in your gallery. Plus, if they reach 300 “likes” on facebook before Christmas, they will give away two of these prize packages. Be sure to head over to their blog and enter to win!

Smallest to Biggest Toddler Christmas Tree Craft

2011-12-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

Last year during the Christmas season I discovered the adorable book "A Porcupine in a Pine Tree: a Canadian Twelve Days of Christmas" by Helaine Becker. The book puts a Canadian spin on the traditional "Twelve Days of Christmas", with things like a porcupine in a pine tree and curling squirrels, replacing the more well known cast of characters. I loved the book for many reasons: it is Canadian, it reinforces counting skills, the illustrations are whimsical and unique, and there is just enough silliness in the pictures and text to keep kids entertained. I was thrilled to learn that it has been selected as our Scholastic Canada book of the month, and I was excited to share it with the other momstown Calgary moms. We read it together at our final music and movement playgroup of the season. The kids were climbing over each other to get a closer look at the illustrations, and it put us all in the holiday spirit. It was especially fitting that Laura and Imogen, who will experience their first Canadian Christmas this year, were the lucky mom and daughter who won the book to take home.

As you can see from the above image of the cover of the book, the pine tree featured in "A Porcupine in a Pine Tree" is not the full Christmas tree one might think of when one thinks of a Christmas tree. Instead, it consists of mainly straight sticks. On the same day that we read "A Porcupine in a Pine Tree" at playgroup, we read the classic Christmas book Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree" by Robert Barry at home. The book is a charming story about a man who buys a Christmas tree that is too large for his home. He chops off the top to make it fit, and the top is passed on to the household maid. She is delighted to receive it, but since it is a bit too big for her room, she trims off the top and discards it. The story continues in similar fashion, with each new character receiving a piece of the tree, until at last the very top finds a home in the house of a mouse.

The two stories were the inspiration for the "smallest to biggest" Christmas tree craft some of the momstown Calgary kids worked on. This is a great craft to have in your back pocket for when you need something quick and easy to keep the kids occupied for a few minutes. Even if you are not particularly crafty, you probably have all of the supplies you need for it on hand. Working on the craft is also a great way to introduce, or reinforce the idea of "smallest to largest" with your toddler or preschooler.

The instructions for the craft are simple.

1. Cut a piece of green construction paper into 4 or 5 strips of varying lengths (preschoolers can complete this step on their own). Have your tot glue them onto a contrasting shade of construction paper, with the smallest strip towards the top of the page, and the largest strip at the bottom.

2. Cut a small rectangle out of brown construction paper, glue underneath the largest strip of green paper to form the trunk of the tree.

3. Once all strips have been glued in place, let your little one decorate his or her tree with stickers, crayons, additional pieces of coloured construction paper, glitter, and any other items you have on hand.

What is your favourite book about a Christmas tree?

Snowman Music Shakers

2011-12-12T22:49:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite children's television shows is Artzooka on Kids' CBC. I love how the host, Jeremie, encourages kids to recycle everyday objects and turn them into art. The projects presented on the show are always unique, and they are things that kids can actually do with only a minimal amount of adult involvement. I seem to get new ideas for projects of my own every time I watch the show.

I was watching Kids' CBC a few days ago when I heard about the Artzookapalooza Contest. Kids from across Canada are encouraged to make a musical instrument using objects found around their houses, and to upload photos of their creations onto the Kids' CBC website. The winning entries will be featured on a special Kids' CBC New Years' broadcast on January 2, 2012, and the winners will receive special Artzooka prize packs. I may be *a bit* too old to participate in the contest, but it inspired me to create these snowman shakers for C. He loves shaking instruments along to music (especially "Jingle Bells") right now, so I can't wait to give him his new toy.

Here's what you need to create a Snowman Shaker of your own:

a small plastic jar with a lid
a styrofoam or other solid ball
one white sock
one patterned or solid coloured sock
dried beans or rice
buttons
a rubber band
string
scraps of felt
scissors
a glue gun

1. Fill the plastic jar approximately 1/3 full with dried beans or rice. Glue the lid securely onto the jar.

2. Glue the ball onto the lid of the jar.

3. Stretch the white sock over the lid and ball, and wrap the elastic tightly around the top of the sock. Trim off the excess fabric from the sock.

3. Stretch coloured sock over the top of the ball. Secure hat to the snowman with glue, or a few stitches. Trim the coloured sock a few inches longer than the white sock , and wrap a piece of string in a coordinating colour around the coloured sock, over top of where the elastic is. Make several vertical cuts in the coloured sock, cutting down to the string. Fluff up the strips so that they look like a pom-pom on the hat:

Here's a close up:

4. Tie a thin strip of fabric around the snowman's neck to create a scarf. Glue two black buttons onto the face to create eyes, and three buttons down the front of the snowman's body. Glue a triangular scrap of orange felt to create a carrot nose. Glue a piece of black string, or white and black twine onto the snowman's face to create a mouth. (Note: if you are making the shaker for a child under three, you may want to consider using markers, or small fabric cut outs to create the snowman's face and accessories, as the buttons may come attached and form a choking hazard).

4. Turn on some holiday music, and shake your snowman to the beat!

Don't forget to submit a photo of your child's homemade musical instrument to Kids' CBC before 4pm EST on December 14, 2011 to be entered into the Artzookapalooza contest. If you need more inspiration to get you started, check out the great selection of homemade musical instrument crafts on momstown.ca.

A Christmas Sensory Bin

2011-12-11T17:55:00.001-07:00

I have been intrigued by the idea of sensory bins for quite some time. For those who may be unfamiliar with the concept, a sensory bin is a box or container filled with a variety of objects for a child to explore. Beyond being something fun and entertaining for the child to play with, the idea of a sensory bin is to gather an assortment things in a contained area that together stimulate multiple senses, including sight, sound, touch, and sometimes even smell.

As the child explores the objects in the bin, he or she experiences each of these senses, and also has the chance to work on other important developmental skills such as:

Fine Motor (placing small objects into small areas, transferring objects, pouring, scooping etc.)
Early Math (counting, patterning, sorting and matching)
Spacial orientation and depth perception
Visual discrimination (the ability to recognize the similarities and differences in the appearance of objects)

Sensory bins are often designed around a specific theme (a letter of the alphabet, a colour, a season, or a place), and can also be used to enhance learning about that theme. With Christmas quickly approaching, this seemed like the perfect time to try and create one of my own. Here is a picture of our Christmas themed sensory bin:

It contains cotton balls ("snow"), a variety of jingle bells, ribbon, silver Christmas cookie cutters. small boxes to open, a stainless steel container to fill and dump with, toilet paper tubes wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper, a miniature stocking, a red silk play scarf, rubber gingerbread people, and silver plastic ball ornaments with a variety of different textures and appearances (shiny, matte, smooth, glittery, and bumpy).

C. quickly dove into it, exploring how he could pull apart the cotton balls, and scooping them up with the container. He then discovered the jingle bells and the ornaments. It was interesting to watch as he realized that the bells made noise when he shook them, but the similar looking ornaments did not. Next, it was on to the paper tubes. He was fascinated to see which objects from the bin fit through the tubes, and which objects did not. Here he is shaking a tube to try and make an ornament come out:

Did you know that paper tubes make good hats too? I hadn't thought of that:

I am sure that over the next few weeks, we will do a lot more exploring in the bin, and I am interested to see how it is used by other kids as well. As a bonus, when playtime is over you can just put the lid on the box, and store it neatly away.

Toddler "Stained Glass" Angel Craft

2011-12-10T21:09:00.001-07:00

I was very lucky to have my 20 month old nephew visiting this afternoon. I have noticed even in the past few weeks that his interest in crafts and art activities has increased significantly, and of course I am happy to indulge his new interest. Truth be told, it may be more likely that he is indulging my passion, but either way we got to work creating "stained glass" angel ornaments this afternoon. These little ornaments look lovely hanging on a tree or in a window.

Contact paper is one of my favourite craft supplies to use with children three and under. From a practical, adult perspective it is inexpensive (you can usually pick up a roll for a dollar at the dollar store), quick to set up, non-messy, and produces a durable, virtually laminated end product. More importantly, working with the sticky paper is a wonderful sensory and fine motor experience for the child.

For this particular craft, I used lids to trace a large circle with a smaller circle inside it onto a sheet of black cardstock. After cutting out the large circle, I used an angel cookie cutter to trace an angel shape inside the small circle. After cutting around the angel shape, I placed it onto the sticky side of a piece of contact paper, and gave it to C. with an assortment of torn up tissue paper:

He had a lot of fun covering the sticky parts of the contact paper with the different colours of tissue, and it was a great opportunity to work on the names of the colours too. Here's how it looked when he was done:

While he went off to build towers with blocks, I stuck a second piece of contact paper to the back of his ornament, so that the ornament was sandwiched between the two sheets of contact paper. I then trimmed it around the edges, punched a hole in the top, and threaded a ribbon through the hole to hang it:

Mom was thrilled with her gift when she came to pick him up!

Cookie Decorating Kits, Hot Chocolate Bars, and Other Gifts To Have on Hand

2011-12-07T08:48:00.001-07:00

The holiday season is usually filled with joy and happiness, but it can be sprinkled with moments of stress and awkwardness too. One thing that causes me anxiety is the unexpected gift. I will never forget the year that a relatively new friend of mine dropped by unexpectedly with a lovely apron and oven mitt set. It was thoughtful, exactly what I needed, and in a style that I loved. I had nothing to give her back. I stammered my thanks, mumbled something about how I had hers, but had not wrapped it yet, and rushed out to the mall later that day. Since then, I have realized the value in keeping a stash of pre-wrapped gifts on hand. Of course there are the old standbys like wine and chocolates, but I like to think of things that are a bit more personal. I stick post-it notes on each package to remind me of what is inside, and I can quickly choose something appropriate. Not only are these useful for those unexpected gift moments, but they also make great last minute hostess gifts. Here are a few of my favourites:

1. "Smart Cookie" Decorating Kit: Package a variety of different sprinkles, coloured sugars, silver dragee balls and other decorative goodies in a pretty box with a festive cookie cutter and a favourite family cookie recipe, and your recipient will have everything they need for an afternoon of festive baking fun.

2. DIY Hot Chocolate Bar: Select a high quality hot chocolate mix, and combine it with a bag of marshmallows, a box of candy canes, cinnamon sticks, vanilla or coloured sugar, and cigar style cookies or biscotti.

3. Just add Wine and Cheese: Rather than giving the wine or the cheese itself, give the accessories to go along with them. Gourmet crackers, small packages of dried cranberries and almonds, and a jar of high quality honey are all great options to go along with a cheese platter. You could even add a cheese board or cheese knife to make a more substantial gift.

4. Breakfast is in the Bag: This is a particularly nice hostess gift, but it works as a gift for neighbours and unexpected friends too. Combine a bottle of maple syrup, a gourmet fruit spread, and a few extra goodies like a high quality pancake or muffin mix, a muffin or loaf tin, or perhaps coffee or tea. You could even include a favourite family breakfast recipe.

5. Sundae Fun: Gifting ice cream might be tricky, but you can easily put together a basket with everything needed for an ice-cream sundae bar. Chocolate or caramel sauce, fruit syrup, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and candies such as Smarties or Reese's Pieces can all be fun ice cream toppings. You could also include an ice cream scoop, or parfait glasses.

6. Read all About It: Another great gift to have on hand if your friends have children, high quality children's books are almost always appreciated, and choosing books related to Christmas or the holidays makes the gift extra special.

7. Cook up Some Fun: Chose a cookbook with broad appeal, such as one by a celebrity chef, and pair it with a fun kitchen tool like a rasp or a silicone spatula in a bright colour, or a new pair of oven mitts.

8. Music to my Ears: A recently released holiday CD is always nice to receive. A small candle or a package of tea, coffee or hot chocolate makes a nice addition to the gift.

9. A Noteworthy Gift: A lovely set of blank notecards is handy to have on hand. Pair them with a notepad, a journal, a pretty pen, or even a set of stamps and your friend will have everything they need to stay in touch. If you are crafty, you could even make the cards yourself.

10. Board Again: Classic board games like Scattergories and Taboo are great for adults, or choose a kid friendly favourite like Candyland or Jenga for a family.

Do you keep a gift stash? If so, what is in it?

Christmas Cards, Gift Tags, and Ornaments from Toddler Art

2011-12-05T13:05:00.002-07:00

I have received some wonderful, generous gifts over the years, but some of my favourite presents have not been purses and jewelery, but rather the handmade cards, drawings, and other creations the children in my life have spontaneously given to me. It is a magical experience to have a little person come up to you with a creation they have made just for you. As special as children's artwork is, if your little Picasso is especially prolific you may find yourself wondering what to do with all of the paper. One solution is to turn some of it into cards and gift tags to share with loved ones. Your children's artwork will be preserved and appreciated, grandparents, aunts, uncles and close friends will be delighted to receive these personal, one of a kind cards and gifts, and they are eco-friendly and cost-conscious too.

My 20 month old nephew was visiting this weekend, and lately he is really enjoying colouring and crafts. I gave him some washable markers and sheets of paper with simple Christmas images (I downloaded ours from Family Fun Magazine here, but you could just as easily draw your own, or trace Christmas cutters), and here is what he created:

Once he was finished colouring, I cut the ornaments out, mounted them onto coloured cardstock, and trimmed the cardstock around the outside of the images. I turned some into gift tags and Christmas tree ornaments by simply punching a hole in the top, and adding ribbon:

Others (including some cut out from scribbles that were outside the lines of the outlines), I turned into Christmas cards by adding patterned paper, ribbon, twine, and stamped embelleshments. This was a great way to use up some of the scraps of paper I had in my stash too. Here's a peek at a few of our cards:

The artist was very proud of his creations too:

What do you do with your children's art?

Rudoph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Family Fun Night

2011-11-30T18:27:00.001-07:00

One of the things I love the most about the blog world is that it is such a rich source of inspiration and ideas. I love reading about how different families' projects and traditions. Somewhere along the way, I discovered the idea of turning family movie night into a "family fun night", complete with things like a craft, a dinner, a snack or a game that are tied to the movie. We have done similar themed nights based on a particular country or region, but it had never occurred to me to build the theme around a favourite film or book. I was hooked, and have been waiting for the right opportunity to hold one with my family. Now that the holiday season is upon us, I am so excited to have the chance to host a "Rudoph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" themed family fun night. I remember watching the classic movie with my family as a child, and that makes watching it with the next generation even more special. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" next airs on our partners at CBC on December 15th from 8-9 pm, so I thought I would share some of my ideas for our family fun night now so that you have time to get ready and host your own.

In addition to watching the movie, and playing "Pin the Nose on the Reindeer" (more on that soon), we'll be snacking on homemade Reindeer Snack Mix out of our own customized, recycled "Rudolph" Reindeer Treat Boxes. Both of these projects are things that even the littlest hands can help to create.

To make a Reindeer Treat Box, here's what you will need:

an empty, medium sized cardboard box (we used a Baby Mum-Mums box, but a small cereal box would work great too)
tan or black cardstock
brown paint
a red pom-pom
googlie eyes
liquid glue
scissors
ribbon (optional)

And here is what you need to do:

1. Cut the top flaps off the box. Paint the box brown (alternately, you could cover it in brown packing paper).

2. Cut antlers out of tan cardstock. Glue onto front of box. Glue googlie eyes and red pom-pom nose onto the front of the box to make Rudoph's face:

3. If you would like, line your box with a large zip lock bag, fill it with Reindeer Snack Mix, and enjoy. Alternately, you can punch a hole near the top portion of each side of the box. Thread a red ribbon through the the holes, and knot on the insides, and you have a perfect gift "bag" to fill with goodies to share with your friends.

To make the Reindeer Snack Mix, you will need:

4 cups unsweetened popped corn cereal (or air popped popcorn)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (we prefer things less sweet, so I typically use only 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup fruit juice sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped peanuts, nuts, or sunflower seeds (optional)
icing sugar (optional)
salt (optional)

and here's what you need to do:

1. Line a baking pan with waxed paper. In a large bowl, stir together cereal, 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, and nuts/seeds, if using.

2. Place chocolate chips in a glass measuring cup, and microwave on low for approximately 1 minute, or until melted, stirring half way through.

3. Drizzle melted chocolate over cereal mixture, and stir to evenly coat. Pour into prepared baking pan. If desired, sprinkle with salt and a light dusting of icing sugar.

4. Transfer cereal mixture to fridge and allow to chill for 30 minutes, until cooled and set. Add additional 1/4 cup dried cranberries to mixture, and transfer to an airtight container.

5. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for lots more holiday fun over the next few weeks, and be sure to share your family traditions too.

The Gift of Experience: Christmas Presents That Won't Take Up Space in Your House

2011-11-27T10:43:00.001-07:00

Every time I go to shopping, whether to a bricks and mortar store or online, it seems that I am tempted by some new and adorable must have toy, and at this time of year it is even worse. It is so hard to resist purchasing that one more thing that will cause a little one's eyes to light up on Christmas. My oldest nephew is seven, but has a December birthday will be turning eight shortly. For many of the years of his life, he was an only child, as well as the only grandchild/nephew on my side of the family. We all loved to spoil to him, and I think his mom and dad, and he too, were starting to get overwhelmed by the influx of gifts that were coming into their home for him during the month of December. There was just no way that one toddler could play with so many things at once. Around the time that he was in pre-school, I started to buy him one large, combined birthday and Christmas gift, coupled with a small gift to open on his actual birthday. This cut down on some of toy clutter, and also meant that I could purchase a larger, more "big ticket item". To some degree it worked well, but there was still so much stuff.

The year of his fifth birthday, it occurred to me that what I remember most clearly from my childhood is not the tangible gifts I received (I can maybe recall two or three special Christmas presents I received growing up), but the special moments and experiences that I had with family and loved ones. I started to look for a gift that I could him that would fill his mind with memories, rather than his house with toys. It has been a perfect solution for our family. He, and who ever has the experience with him (sometimes it's been me, and sometimes it's mom or dad) have treasured both the experience itself, and the time we had together. there is definitely a place for toys and other things, but if you are looking to give the gift of an experience to a child in your life, here are a few options to consider:

A season's pass to a local science centre, child friendly museum, zoo, or similar venue. In Calgary, options include the Calgary Zoo, the Glenbow Museum, Telus Spark, and Heritage Park
Tickets to a local children's theatre production or concert. We are fortunate to have several wonderful children's theatre companies in Calgary, including StoryBook Theatre, The Loose Moose Company Theatre for Kids, and Stage West for Kids. We have been regularly attending the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra's Symphony Sundays for Kids, and have had a wonderful experience each time.
A season's pass, or a punch pass, to a local play centre
A punch pass to a local pool, recreation centre, or skating rink
A trip to a summer camp: There are great options from day camps to overnight camps, including half day camps for preschoolers. One year, my nephew's gift was a week of science camp at the University of Calgary
A sleepover at the zoo, museum, or science centre in your area. We had a fantastic time during our night at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
A behind the scenes tour of the zoo, or somewhere similar. My nephew still talks about how incredible it was to get to give an elephant a bath during his elephant experience at the Calgary Zoo
A series of art, drama, dance, sport, cooking, or music lessons. There are options available for a wide variety of age ranges, including babies. Our friends at Absolute Dance, for example, offer parented dance classes for tots as young as 18 months, and Epicurious Kids Cookery hosts parented cooking classes for kids three and up.
A gift certificate to the movies (you can even make it a "date", and go out for dinner before, or for ice-cream after)
Gift certificates to a local ski hill
A date with you to go out for dinner, see a movie etc, see a sportsgame etc
A small gift to open (such as a book or puzzle), combined with a contribution to the child's RESP or other education fund
A gift certificate for family photos, or photo books. This is a particularly good option for an infant

I would love to hear your suggestions for gifts of experience as well!

Our Alphabetical Advent Calendar: Christmas Activities from A-Z

2011-11-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

Advent calendars are one of my favourite Christmas traditions. My mom grew up in Germany, and every year our family there would send each of us kids a special Advent calendar. They were beautiful works of art, with pictures rather than chocolate behind the doors. In my mind, the holiday season started when the parcel containing those calendars arrived, and I remember counting down the days until we could start opening the doors. Two of the greatest joys in my life, my nephews, will be spending a considerable amount of time at my house this Christmas season, and I wanted them to have the same special Advent experience that I remember having as a child.

As I was thinking about what kind of calendar to make or buy, it occurred to me that the number of letters in the alphabet coincides almost perfectly with a Christmas countdown, and the idea for an alphabet advent calendar was born. I set to work creating an alphabet advent calender.

I cut out each letter of the alphabet from scraps of wrapping paper, and glued them onto individual envelopes:

I then made a list of Christmas and holiday words for each letter of the alphabet, and came up with a craft or activity that related to those words that we could do each day. I printed the list out, and glued each activity onto a separate scrap of red paper:

Next, I covered a paper mache mailbox I found at the craft store with Christmas paper, and painted the doors red:

Each day, my nephews can open the mailbox, and find a new alphabet letter envelope in their mailbox with the day's activity on it. We will start our countdown on Tuesday, November 29th, and end on Christmas Eve. The Christmas Eve ending is in keeping with traditional German Advent calendars of my childhood, and also works well with our final activity. I am so excited for our holiday countdown to start, and can't wait to share and build memories with two special little people who mean the world to me. If you would like to do an alphabetical Advent countdown with your family, here is my list of activities.

A: "Advent", "angel", and "apple" cider all start with "A", we'll make angels to hang on the tree today.

B: The word "bell" starts with the letter "B". Get out the jingle bells, and ring them with me.

C: "Candle", "cookie", "card", "candy cane", "carols", "chimney" and "Christmas" itself all begin with "C". To celebrate (another "C" word), let's eat dinner by candlelight. We can have candy canes for dessert while we listen to our favourite Christmas carols.

D: "Decorations" and "drum" begin with letter "D"; make a drum decoration for the Christmas tree. (We can use pots, bowls and spoons to play the drums too).

E: The word "envelope" starts with letter "E". Make a card for grandma then wait and see: when she opens the envelope, how happy she'll be!

F: "F" is the first letter in "fireplace", "family", "festive", "faith" and "friends". Draw a picture of one that we'll frame at the end (frame starts with "F" too).

G: "Gingerbread", "goodies" and "gumdrops" each start with "G". What's today? A gingerbread house decorating spree!

H: "Holly", "home", "happy", "hope", and "holiday" all start with "H", but so does "help". Let's help others have a happy holiday this year by purchasing and donating a toy for a child in need.

I: "I" is the first letter of igloo, ice skates, and indoor, so today we'll go skating indoors on the floor! (If you have a hardwood floor, slippery socks are all you need. If you have carpet, cover your socks with wax paper "booties", and let the fun begin!)

J: "Joy", "jingle", and "jolly" all start with "J"; we'll take funny holiday photos today.

K: "Kindness" and "Kris Kringle" both begin with "K". The movie "Miracle on 34th Street" is about both, and it's a holiday favourite of mine. I hope you will love it too.

L: The words "lights" begins with the letter "L". Whether it is the light of a candle, lights on a tree, or Christmas lights on the house, light is everywhere during the holidays. There are several great Christmas light displays in the city. We can go to Zoolights at the Calgary Zoo, or to the Airdrie Festival of Lights. If the weather is too cold for either of those, we will hop in the car and drive to see the Lion's Festival of Lights in Confederation Park.

M: "Manger", "music", and "mittens", all begin with letter "M". Find all our old mittens and make crafts with them.

N: Words that start with "N" are "Noel" and "night", so we will gather and read "T'was the Night Before Christmas" tonight.

O: "O" is the letter at "ornament's" start, and the best ones are handmade and come from the heart. Let's make handprint ornaments for the tree today.

P: "Presents", "peace", and "pinecones" are all letter "P" words. We'll use pinecones and seeds to make gifts for the birds (and after we hang our pinecone bird feeders, we can warm up with peppermint hot chocolate too).

Q: "Q" is the first letter in "quilt" and "quiet". Bring your quilt to the tree and we will snuggle beside it.

R: "R" is for "Rudolph" and "reindeer" and "red", and Rudolph shaped toasts for lunch will be fed.

S: "Sleigh", "Santa", "stocking", "star" all start with "s". With sparkles and craft supplies we'll have a holiday card making fest.

T: "T" is for "tree", "tradition" and "treat". Today we'll bake holiday cookies to eat.

U: "Unwrap" starts with the letter "u"; but first there is all of the wrapping to do. Get out the paint, other art supplies too: making our own wrapping paper is what we will do.

V: The word "vacation" starts with letter "V". With beach towels, balls, and tropical tunes, we'll make believe how a tropical Christmas would be.

W: "Wreath" and "wrapping paper" both begin with "W". Put them together, and make a wreath's what we'll do. Gather the wrapping paper scraps, cut them out into holiday shapes (cookie cutters make great templates if you would like), and glue them onto an "o" shaped piece of cardboard.

X: X's and O's together mean love, and love is at the heart of the holidays. Some of the things that I love about you are [fill this in with a personal description for each child].

Y: "Yuletide" and "yarn" both start with letter "y". Follow the yarn string that starts by your door, at the end there will be a surprise you'll adore.

Z: We use letter "z"s to represent sleep and under your pillow is a present to keep. Put them on and go to bed fast, because tonight is the night Santa visits at last! [note: there will new Christmas pajamas under their pillows]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Are You a Horse (Ornament)? Book Review and Craft

2011-11-22T20:41:00.001-07:00

Each month, every momstown chapter receives a book from Scholastic Canada to read as a group, and then give away to one lucky member. The books are chosen to compliment momstown's curriculum theme of the month. This month's selection "Are You A Horse", by Andy Rash, was an excellent choice that would be a great addition to any preschool to kindergarten "Wild West" unit.

"Are You a Horse?" is the tale of a would-be cowboy, Roy, who receives a saddle for his birthday together with instructions to "1. Find a horse 2. Enjoy the ride." Eager is to try out his new gift but unsure of just what a horse is, Roy sets out to find one. In the course of his search, Roy asks a variety of things, including a rusty red wagon, a snake, and a sloth, whether they are a horse. Each replies that it is not, but gives Roy a valuable piece of information about what a horse is. Roy learns that unlike a wagon, a horse is a living thing, and unlike a sloth, a horse is fast. The sillyness of Roy's clueless actions kept our little ones engaged and entertained, and the full page, bright and cartoonish illustrations add to the humour of the text. While the kids appreciated the story because it made them laugh, I, and I'm sure our parents, appreciated that while they listened and laughed they were also learning important lessons about what makes an animal different than an object, and what makes one type of animal different from another. It is a book that will be enjoyed in our home for many more years, and I hope that it is enjoyed equally by our winners this month, Andrea and her daughter Grace. For another review of "Are You a Horse", be sure to check out momstown arts and crafts.

Whenever possible, I like to tie a craft in with the books that we read, and "Are You a Horse" provided my nephew and I with a perfect reason to create some clothespin horse Christmas ornaments this afternoon. This is a craft that can easily be done with a variety of ages, and works well with toddlers (my nephew is 18 months). It involves one colour of paint (less mess), glue and yarn (sensory fun), and it can be done in stages as attention span allows.

Here is what you will need to make your own clothespin horse:

Supplies

Two clothespins
White or beige carstock
Several scraps of brown or black yarn cut into approximately 1-2cm lengths
8-10 pieces of brown or black yarn, cut in 15cm lengths
Googlie eyes
Ribbon (optional)
Tacky liquid glue, or a glue gun (adults only)
Scissors
Paint brush

Instructions

1. Paint clothespins and cardstock brown (note, you could skip this step and just use brown cardstock). This is a perfect opportunity to allow young toddlers to paint, since you are only using one colour, and the goal is to fill the page. Allow to dry.

2. Draw (or trace using a template), the body of a horse onto the painted paper. Cut out. Flip cut out over, and use it to trace a second copy of the horse's body. Cut out. You should end up with two painted horse cuts outs facing the same direction.

3. Glue googlie eyes onto painted side of horse cut outs. Run a line of liquid glue (we used Aleene's Tacky Glue) along horse's neck, and stick 1-2cm pieces of yarn into the glue to form the mane; great toddler fun if you can handle gluey, yarn covered hands. If you are making a Christmas ornament, attach seasonal decorations such as a ribbon bow as well.

4. Turn one horse cut out over. Use tacky glue or a glue gun (an adult's job) to glue clothespins to the bottom of the horse. The "clip" part of the clothespins should be facing up, with the end that you pinch at the bottom.

5. Tie 15cm pieces of yarn into a knot to form the horse's tail (older children can do this themselves, but for younger kids you may want to pre-tie the tail pieces together). Use tacky glue or a glue gun (an adult's job) to attach the tail to the back end of the horse.

6. If you would like to be able to hang your horse, knot a length of ribbon into a loop, and glue in between the clothespins, near the top of the horse's back. Glue second horse cut out, painted side facing out, to the clothepins, so that the clothespins are sandwiched between the two horse cut outs.

7. Once your horse is dry, you can stand it up on its clothespin legs, or hang it from your tree. You can even use the clips to hold an envelope or note. I think it would be a fun surprise to clip a little something onto the horse to discover on Christmas morning.

A big thank you to Scholastic Canada for providing the book the inspired the craft. We enjoyed both!

Kids Get Crafty: Cowboy Boots and Cowboy Cookies

2011-11-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

Each month momstown focuses on a different educational theme, and we try to work that topic into the the crafts and activities we do, the stories we read, and the songs we sing. This month we have been exploring the "Wild West". We might know a thing or two about cowboys, cowgirls and country music here in Calgary, but usually we just break out our cowboy boots and hats for the Stampede in July. It has been fun to bring them out again so soon.

Some of our little ones did not own their own pairs of cowboy boots, but we fixed that by crafting some out of paper bags. The kids had so much fun discovering the decorations they could make on their boots with stickers, markers, crayons, glue, and scrap paper:

The end results were pretty special. Here is a peek at just a few:

To make your own paper bag cowboy boot craft, here's what you will need:

Supplies:

1 paper lunch bag per boot

Cardstock or construction paper in a lighter or darker shade of brown than the bag

Liquid glue or glue dots, and a glue stick

Scraps of coloured paper, cut into stars or other shapes

Scissors

Markers, crayons, stickers, and anything else you would like to use to decorate your boot.

Instructions:

1. Create a template for the foot of the cowboy boot. Trace the template onto the cardstock, and cut out. Preschooler aged kids can help with the cutting, and older children may be able to trace and cut the foot. For toddlers, trace and cut the materials in advance.

2. Use liquid glue or glue dots to attach cardstock to bottom of the paper bag (note: we found that a glue stick was not strong enough to adhere the cardstock).

3. Decorate your boot with coloured paper cut outs, stickers, markers, crayons, and whatever else you would like to use.

If you would like, fill your cowboy book bags with some delicious chocolate cowpie cookies (they're even gluten free and somewhat healthy), or give this recipe for cowboy cookies a try:

Cowboy Cookies:

3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
1 cup butter at room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes).
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and rolled oats. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just incorporated. Fold in the, nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, and raisins if using, stirring to incorporate.
Roll cookies dough into 1 inch balls, and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flatten cookies slightly with your hand.
Bake cookies for approximately 14 minutes, until they are lightly golden around the edges, and just set in the center.
Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on a baking sheet, and then transfer to baking rack finish cooling.

We have always got a craft or activity planned, so be sure to join us at our next event.

Scarecrow Crafts, Stories, and Songs

2011-11-19T16:13:00.001-07:00

I can still remember the year that my grade five class entered a community scarecrow building competition, and the hours that I spent stuffing straw into old stockings to make our life sized friend. The memory of what we won is long gone, but I don't think I will ever forget the fun that we had. Although I have never ever actually seen a "real" scarecrow in a field, since that year scarecrows have been synonymous with fall in my mind. It was fitting that our momstown theme for October was "scarecrows", and I got to reexperience all things scarecrow with a new generation of kids.

A great way to start a scarecrow unit is with a shape scarecrow craft. This activity allows kids to express their creativity and work on their fine motor skills as they glue together the pieces. It also provides an excellent opportunity to introduce or reinforce the names of basic shapes such as squares, rectangles, and circles. As an added bonus, the finished product would be an adorable classroom decorations to display for the duration of the unit, and it's a great way to use up scraps of construction paper. Here's what you need to make your own shape scarecrow:

Shape Scarecrow Supplies:

One 6.5cm by 12cm green construction paper rectangle
One 3.5cm by 17cm green construction paper rectangle
One 2.5cm by 12cm blue construction paper rectangle
Six 1cm wide yellow construction paper rectangles, cut to various lengths between 7cm and 12cm
One 3cm by 3cm yellow construction paper square
One 1cm by 1cm orange construction paper square
One 15cm diameter beige construction paper circle
Two black 2cm diameter black construction paper circles
One sheet of construction paper to glue the scarecrow onto
One glue stick
One black marker

Shape Scarecrow Instructions:

Have older kids cut out the shapes needed for the craft. Precut them for smaller children, or if time is a concern.
Glue beige circle to the centre of the page. Glue eyes and nose on top of circle.
Glue 3.5cm by 17 cm green rectangle over the top portion of the scarecrow's face. Glue 6.5cm by 12cm green rectangle just over the top of the first green rectangle to form a hat shape.
Glue blue rectangle over hat to form the hat band. Glue yellow square on top of blue rectangle.
Glue yellow rectangles onto the scarecrow's face, near the hat, to make straw hair.
Use a black marker to draw a face on your scarecrow.

A momstown theme would not be complete with books, and momstown has a great round up scarecrow books to choose from. We particularly enjoyed "The Scarecrow's Hat" by Ken Brown, and "I’m A Dingle Dangle Scarecrow" by Annie Kuebler. We were also fortunate to get to read "Story County" by Derek Anderson through momstown's partnership with Scholastic Canada. Story County is a cute book about a farmer and his four animal friends, and their attempt to built a farm in one day. While you might expect that it would be the farmer who would do the majority of the work, in this case it is the pig, chicken, and dog who take the lead on building, painting, and sowing the seeds, while the farmer does silly things like eat the jelly beans that he had purchased to plant, and Miss Cow tries to help by engaging in tasks such as putting lipstick on the scarecrow and plowing the field in high heels. Together with the its bright, imaginative illustrations full of extra little jokes and things to spot, the book had us all laughing, and thinking about the different sorts of scarecrows we could make too. If you can make a princess scarecrow with lipstick, why not a pirate, or even a dinosaur scarecrow? We are so thankful to Scholastic Canada for the wonderful books they provide us to read and share every month.

To round out our scarecrow theme, we sang scarecrow songs and rhymes together too. Here are a few of our favourites:

I'm a Little Scarecrow (sung to the tune of |"I’m a Little Teapot")

I'm a little scarecrow,
In the corn
I wear a hat,
And a shirt that's torn.
When the crows fly by,
I wave and shout,
"Leave the field and get on out!"

Five Stuffed Scarecrows (fingerplay)

Five Stuffed Scarecrows in the corn rows,
The first one said, "You go away, crows!"
The second one said, "I am very small,"
The third one said, "I am standing tall."
The fourth one said, "On my head is a hat."
The fifth one said, “By my post flies a bat"
Five stuffed scarecrows in the corn rows,
Moving left and right as the autumn wind blows

The Flippy Floppy Scarecrow (sung to the tune of “ The Itsy Bitsy Spider”)

The floppy, floppy scarecrow
Stands in the field all day
His job is to scare the birds away.
Up on a pole as high as he can be
And away fly those black crows,
1-2-3

Scarecrows, Apples, Pumpkin Pie (chant)

Scarecrows, apples, pumpkin pie
If you hear me, just say "HI!"

Scarecrows, apples, pumpkin pie
If you hear me, just say "BYE!"

[For the first verse, have kids hide under scarves, under chairs, behind their hands etc., and pop out on "hi". For the second verse, have kids hide on "bye"]

November is all about the wild west, so come and join us for a stampede of fun.

momstown 2011: Who We Are, and Who We Will Be

2011-11-17T12:57:00.001-07:00

momstown. For some it's weekly playgroups at members houses, organized moms' nights out, and field trips with other parents and their kids. For others, momstown is a message board where they can go at two in the morning for advice on what to do with their feverish newborn, and a place where they can find out about great events and businesses for parents and children in their local community. Still others think of momstown as a website with arts, crafts, meal ideas,contests, and product reviews and recommendations.

The particular momstown experience may be unique to each member, but the essence of each experience is the same: real moms, connecting with other real moms. As some of you know, I traveled to the Greater Toronto area last weekend to attend the semi-annual momstown conference. The conference is an opportunity for the momstown leadership team to meet face to face, but it is so much more than just a social gathering. The essence of the November 2011 momstown conference was the same as the essence of momstown itself. It was real moms gathering from across Canada to learn from each other, to share their vision for the organization, and to develop concrete plans to execute that vision.

We were fortunate to be able to meet in the beautiful offices of Jan Kelly Marketing, where we attended a variety of sessions including a brand workshop lead by the inspirational Mary Fearon and Krista Kay, Communications Director and an Account Director of Jan Kelley, respectively, a primer on public relations presented by Alison Burke of Impressions Public Relations, as well as seminars on topics such as effective blogging and marketing training.

We also had the chance to visit the head offices of some of our strategic partners and friends. Our first stop was to Kids' CBC, where we had the opportunity to tour the Caboose Cafe set and hear a special message from Patty and Mamma Yamma.

We were also able to see the original tree-house from Mr. Dressup, and attend a live taping of an episode of Steven and Chris.

Our next stop was to Fisher Price Canada, where we were able to learn about their corporate culture and history, and to hear their plans for 2012. We also got to preview and play with some of their great new toys:

These on-site visits allowed us to learn more about some of the organizations that share our goal of enriching and enhancing the lives of Canadian parents and children, and to brainstorm ideas for how we can continue to work together to achieve that goal. We each went home with some great bags of goodies too:

(the adorable preschooler was unfortunately not included)

I was blown away by the depth of experience within our own team. Our leaders are motivated, passionate, and caring, and I have no doubt that they will take what they have learned and go back to their local communities filled with fresh ideas, inspiration, and motivation to make the momstown experience even better for each parent and child who connects with us. If you have enjoyed being part of momtown so far, you will love what we have planned for this next year. If you have not joined yet, you will want to do so soon. We have great things in store, so keep your eyes on us in 2012!

momstown Halloween Party: Crafts, Games, Books and More

2011-11-13T14:32:00.002-07:00

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of activity for momstown Calgary. We have been to the Calgary Zoo, made a special trip to Boo at the Zoo, checked out Telus Spark (the new Telus Science Centre), had in home playdates, started to make Christmas crafts, and so much more. In the centre of all this activity was Halloween, and there was no way that we could let that event pass without a party. Our wonderful members Kate and Bryn opened their house to all of us on the morning of Halloween, and we filled it with costumes, food, games, stories, music, crafts and more.

The festivities started off with snacks and a costume parade. I was amazed by the talent of our members in creating both.

Once we had filled our tummies and admired each others costumes, it was time to head off and play at the activity stations set up all around the main floor of the house.

We created paper plate jack-o'-lanterns by gluing black foam shapes to orange paper plates. This was an easy, fun craft that was great for a variety of age ranges. Even the tiniest tots could participate in sticking the shapes, and peeling the paper off the back of the black stickers was a great fine motor skills workout for the preschoolers.

Continuing on with the jack-o'-lantern theme, we also cut pumpkin shapes out of orange felt, and a variety of eyes, noses, mouths out of black felt. Kids could arrange the black on the orange pumpkins to create an endless number of pumpkin faces:

At another station, which we referred to as "There are Ghosts in the Hallway", we had fun bowling with paper cup ghosts and pumpkins. The ghosts were created by using stickers and markers to add faces to white paper cups. Our little ones could then enjoy stacking the ghosts into towers, and knocking those towers over with "pumpkins" (orange rubber balls).

There were also pumpkins (orange balloons) to keep in the air, and bats cut out of cardstock and attached to fishing line that kids could fly. There was lots of time for free play too. From dancing to the Halloween beats, to our pizza picnic on an orange tarp, to quiet moments with favourite Halloween books, it was a frightfully fun morning!

Visiting the Glenbow (or other museums) with Kids

2011-11-13T08:57:00.002-07:00

When many people think of visiting a museum with small children, they imagine either dragging reluctant kids through dark, dusty hallways, or chasing after them, desperately trying to keep their hands off of the exhibits. I have been met with more than a few skeptical and surprised looks when I have told people that one of my favourite places in Calgary to go with young children is the Glenbow Museum.

The Glenbow Museum is anything but a musty room of exhibits mounted behind glass cases. Our momstown moms and kids have taken two field trips there in the past month, and each time, both the kids and moms have had a wonderful time. Where else can your little ones walk through a replica of a turn of the century railway car, complete with train noises and changing views of the Rocky Mountains on television screen "windows", then sit at the counter of a 1950's diner and pretend to order a $0.25 grilled cheese sandwich? We loved climbing up and down and "walking along the balance beam" on sets of risers set up by an indoor oil dereck, while walking past a gallery of glowing mid-century modern neon signs.

Crawling inside a full sized indoor tee-pee build under a night sky filled with stars was pretty special too,

and how often do you get the chance to see a life-sized antique airplane hanging from the ceiling?

There is space to run in the galleries, and hundreds of little things to explore at a toddler's level, from boxes with lids that you can lift off to discover different specimens in plants inside, to sensory areas where you can choose different scents to smell, to "telephones" to call mom or dad on:

It is incredible to discover the museum through the eyes of child. Nothing compares to hearing the "oh wows", or seeing the look of wonder in their eyes as the site of something they have never been exposed to before, and the incredible part is that it is equally educational and interesting for adults.

Here are my top seven tips for visiting a museum with children:

1. Choose a museum that has at least some interactive exhibits.

2. Don't try to see the whole museum on one trip. Expect to just visit a few galleries each time.

3. Find out about the exhibits in advance (the museum's website is usually a great source of information, or you can even call), so that you are aware of any areas or displays that may be disturbing or inappropriate for small children.

4. Select a museum that features at least one area or exhibit that is of special interest to your children (e.g. a train). If your children are old enough, prepare for the visit by reading books or doing crafts based on that subject.

5. Bring a variety of snacks, and prepare to take breaks to eat them. Many museums do not allow food in the galleries, but have wonderful lobbies or cafeterias that you can quickly visit when your little ones are hungry.

6. Abandon your expectations about what you plan to get from the visit. Rather than expecting to have a lot of time to read each of the exhibit cards, enjoy the experience of learning through the eyes of your child.

7. If something sparks your child's imagination at the museum (for example, at teepee), then follow up with that activity at home. Build a blanket teepee with your toddler, take out picture books on aboriginal culture to engage your preschooler, or construct popsicle stick teepees with your school aged child.

I have been pleasantly surprised by how child friendly many museums are today. If you are hesitating, take the risk and go. You just may find a favourite new field trip location too.

Silly Wiggly Spiders

2011-10-28T19:53:00.001-06:00

We are so lucky to be able to meet bi-weekly at the Calgary Public Library for a morning of storytime, fingerplays, and crafts. It's a great way to expose little ones to the library, and for our moms to do some socializing too. We typically choose books and crafts that relate to momstown's theme of the month (we've been learning about scarecrows this October), but this week's library playdate had a special Halloween theme. We read some of our favourite Halloween stories, and sang some not so spooky songs, and then it was time to make our own Silly Wiggly Spiders to take home:

Here's how to make a silly, wiggly spider:

1. Cut a 15 cm diameter circle out of black construction paper. This will be the spider's body. Cut a slit in the circle from the edge to center.

2. Cut out 8 thin strips of black construction paper (we did all of the cutting for our little ones in advance), and use a glue stick to glue the legs onto the spider.

3. Insert a length of black yarn through the slit in the spider's body, and attach it to the body with tape.4. Turn the spider over, and glue two white circles onto the front of the spider to form its eyes (googlie eyes would also work well). Accordion fold the spider's legs to give them dimension.

5. Tape the slit in the spider's body closed, overlapping the edges slightly so that the spider's body has dimension.6. Hold onto the string, and take your spider for a walk. Our creepy critters and their kid companions traveled all over the library. Wiggling the string and pulling it up and down are especially fun.

For more fun Halloween inspired crafts, creep over to the momstown arts and crafts blog. Happy haunting!

Kids in the Kitchen: Gluten Free, Egg Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (with a vegan option)

2011-10-25T15:35:00.000-06:00

Last week was the debut of our long-awaited "Kids' in the Kitchen" series of get-togethers. It can be intimidating to include kids in the cooking process, but they gain so many benefits from being involved. Scooping, pouring and stirring ingredients can be a wonderful way for children to work on their fine motor skills. Cooking is a great sensory experience too. From smelling ingredients like cinnamon and vanilla to feeling the texture of flour and squishing the dough, there is so much for little ones to discover. The process of following a recipe reinforces the importance of following instructions in a particular sequence. For older children, measuring ingredients is a great introduction to concepts like fractions and decimals, and baking can be a lesson on chemical reactions.

Helping to prepare foods also gives children a sense of importance and accomplishment, and teaches self-sufficiency. It can also be a way to encourage reluctant eaters to try new things. Many children are more likely to try an unfamiliar ingredient or dish if they have helped to make it. As an added bonus, letting your kids help in the kitchen keeps them occupied while you cook, and one day in the future they may be able to make dinner for you!

For our first Kids' in the Kitchen event, we decided to tackle gluten-free, egg-free chocolate chip cookies. This recipe can easily be made vegan by substituting dairy free chocolate for the chocolate chips, or by using raisins or other chopped and dried fruits in place of the chocolate chips. The recipe is a great one to make with kids: an electric mixer is not required, the recipe can be scaled down so that each child can make his own small batch of cookies, and kids get the opportunity to roll and flatten the dough. Because there is no egg in the dough, you don't need to worry if the kids want to taste it. Here's the recipe we used:

Small Batch Gluten Free Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Note: This recipe makes a small batch of cookies, and is perfect if you are cooking with a group of kids and want each child to be able to make his own cookies. If you are making the recipe at home, you can easily double or quadruple it to make a family sized batch.)

Ingredients:

½ cup almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch sea salt
2 tsp canola or other neutral flavoured oil
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp agave nectar (honey, brown rice syrup, or maple syrup should also work)
1 tbsp miniature chocolate chips (use a brand such as “Enjoy Life” for a dairy free or vegan option)

Method:

1.   Preheat oven to 325, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.   In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until blended, and make a well in the centre.
3.   Add oil, vanilla, and agave nectar to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Stir in chocolate chips.
4.   Use your hands to roll dough into teaspoon sized balls. Place dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently flatten them to approximately ¼ inch thickness using the palm of your hand.
5.   Bake for 6-9 minutes, until lightly golden around edges. Allow to cool on baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Makes about 8 small cookies. Enjoy!

I was busy cuddling a newborn baby while the kids were measuring, stirring, and scooping their cookies, so there are no pictures of the actual cooking process, but here are our cookies before they went into the oven. If you look closely, you can see the fingerprints in the cookies. There is something so precious about that:

We read a story while we were waiting for the cookies to bake and cool, and pretty soon they were ready:

There is nothing quite like a warm, fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookie. As proof, there were exactly two cookies left at the end of our playdate. I can't wait for the next Kids in the Kitchen event!

Thank you!

2011-10-24T18:37:00.001-06:00

Have you heard the news? momstown's founder and President, Ann-Marie Smith Burton, was chosen as this year's SavvyMom Mom Entrepreneur of the Year. I have the privilege of considering Ann-Marie a friend. Her passion for connecting moms and kids with each other and with local resources is evident in everything she does. Her enthusiasm is contagious.

momstown would not be what it is today without all of the wonderful support we receive from you, the parents and businesses who are a part of momstown. To say thank you, we are offering two special gifts:

FOR INDIVIDUALS: A free one-month membership to NEW members and a free monthextension for EXISTING or EXPIRED members. To redeem, please register onyour local site (if you haven't done so already) and complete the form at http://momstown-moments.momstown.ca/node/372.This offer is available between October 21 and October 28, 2011. Memberships will be extended thefirst week of November.
For ONLINE MOMENTREPRENEURS: A FREE national contest & member discount listing. Details, rules, and entry at http://momstown-moments.momstown.ca/node/372.This offer is available between October 21 and October 28, 2011 for ad activity from November to December 2011.

We would also like to congratulate all of the other amazing female entrepreneurs who were part of SavvyMom contest this year. You will be inspired by these women's stories. A special congratulations goes out Calgary's very own Natalie Wynn-Dempsey ("Miss Natalie") of Little Wonders...a time to inspire, and Shelley Raham of Bubble Friends Forever. Miss Natalie was a top 10 finalist, and Bubble Friends Forever was one of the "most viewed" entrants. It is an honour to be included with such an incredible group of women.

The Great Pumpkin Hunt of 2011

2011-10-20T16:59:00.000-06:00

This weekend the momstown moms (and some dads too!) gathered at Butterfield Acres to participate in the annual Harvest Pumpkin Hunt. I have heard wonderful things about this Calgary Halloween tradition, and I was so excited to have the chance to participate this year. The moment we pulled into the parking lot and saw that even it had been decorated, I knew that we were in for a fabulous morning.

(yes, that IS a giant hay bale decorated to look like a pumpkin)

When you buy your tickets for the Pumpkin Hunt, you are allotted a specific time board the tractor-pulled wagon and ride out to the field to find your pumpkin. You are welcome to arrive earlier, and stay afterwards to enjoy everything else Butterfield Acres has to offer. Playing in the piles of hay was popular. It turns out that sitting on a pumpkin is pretty fun too.

Before we knew it, it was almost time for the hunt, and we gathered in the waiting area. Since the waiting area was also a playground, it didn't feel like waiting at all.

Soon we were in the wagon, and headed out in search of pumpkins:

We were a bit worried that we weren't going to spot any, but suddenly, someone saw something orange out in the field. We stopped the wagon and got out to take a closer look. Sure enough, there were pumpkins in them thar fields.

It was a hard decision, but we each chose one:

Then, it was back to the farm to decorate. There were a variety of "toppings" to choose from, including feathers, birdseed, and cotton batting:

The end result was some pretty spectacular creations:

What a wonderful way to get into the mood for Halloween!

Is Time Out a Waste of Time?

2011-10-17T11:36:00.001-06:00

Discipline decisions are tough. I have read a variety of books on the topic, and each expert seems to have a somewhat different take on what method is best, and how it should be used. Add to that the fact that what works on one child may not work on another, and it's easy to see why so many parents are uncertain about what what discipline strategies to use.

momstown and Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, have partnered again to offer a free live training webinar session that will hopefully clear up some of the confusion. In "Why Time Out is a Waste of Time!", Amy has vowed to provide attendees with concrete discipline tools that we can use the next day and see results with, including one of the all-time “parent favourite” tools for stopping any power struggle in its tracks.

The best part is that you don't have to hire a babysitter and leave the comfort of your home to participate. All you need is a computer with speakers and the internet. You will be able to watch, listen and even interact with our host, Amy. You will see a LIVE video image of Amy in the upper left corner of your monitor the whole time. As she talks with you, you'll watch her PowerPoint presentation that is packed with valuable information. She will stop to answer our questions about difficulties and needs when it comes to getting our kids to listen. You will even have the option to write in specific questions and she’ll address them, right there for you!

In order to attend, you just need to RSVP to http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/momstown (we apologise, but due to limited ‘seats’, you MUST register on positive parenting) and then log on at your selected time to learn the proven strategies to get kids to listen without nagging, reminding or yelling.

There are two time slots to choose from, so you can sign up for the session that suits your schedule best:

Option One: Thursday, October 20th from 12:00 PM -1:00 PM MST

Option Two: Monday, October 24th from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM MST

Have a friend(s) that are not momstown members that you think could benefit from this training? Please Invite Them Too! Just share this registration link http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/momstown.

Fall in Love with the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary

2011-10-16T12:48:00.000-06:00

momstown Calgary first visited the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in the summer, and we had such a wonderful morning that we vowed to come back again soon. September passed in a whirlwind of back to school preparations, park playdates, and music and movement meetups, and we were finally able to make it back to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary last week. With our warm jackets on, we were ready to hit the trail:

We were blessed with a beautiful fall morning, and scenery that was perhaps even more spectacular than it appeared in the summer:

We saw lots of birds this time around too. Apparently the bird in this picture is a rather rare one. I am afraid that the excitement of spotting one may have been somewhat lost on us, but we tried to share in the enthusiasm expressed by the other bird watchers on the trail, and to keep our voices down so that we didn't startle it. Next time we visit, we may have to bring along a bird encyclopedia so that we can identify what we see. Does anyone know if there's an app for that?:

There was something new along every corner as we made our way along the trail:

The bridge over the pond is always a highlight of the walk, and this time there were so many ducks to see. Some of us had to take a closer look:

What was I thinking? There is no time to pose for pictures when there are waterfowl to watch:

As much as we loved the scenery and the birds, the best part of the morning might have been playing in the leaves. There is nothing more magical than the look of pure joy on the face of a child:

I can't wait to visit again in winter. What are some of your favourite kid friendly walks in Calgary?

A Halloween That's Candy Free and Allergy Aware

2011-10-13T20:54:00.002-06:00

I talk a lot about allergy friendly cooking on this blog. I have a number of restrictions on the foods that I can eat, and several little ones in our group have food allergies and intolerances as well. Food is often an integral part of celebrations, and I know how it feels to not be able to share in the treats. Trick or treating isn't quite the same when you can't eat 3/4 of what you collect, and even without allergies, many parents I know make an effort to limit the amount of sugar and junk food their children consume. With those things in mind, here some things that can be given out as an alternative to candy this Halloween:

Stickers
Fancy pencils with Halloween or other fun themes
Miniature packages of crayons
Novelty erasers shaped like animals, sports balls, and foods
Glow bracelets or glow sticks
Temporary tattoos
Boxes of raisins or other dried fruits
Individual packages of fruit leather, or 100% dried fruit bites (you can even find these in kid-friendly shapes)
Bouncy balls
Individual cups of applesauce
Coupons for admission to local swimming pools or other attractions. The City of Calgary is offering swimming coupon books to be given out at Halloween (or used anytime until December 31, 2011). Each coupon book is $5.00, and contains 10 passes for free admission to any City Aquatic and Fitness Centre for kids 2-17. Tickets are on sale until October 31, or while supplies last. You can find out more, or purchase the ticket books here: http://calgaryonlinestore.com/detail.asp?prod_id=2739
Individual "stamper" self-inking stamps
Mini flashlights
Mini notebooks
Finger puppets
Bendable animals or other characters
Sticky hands
Small bottles of bubble solution
Miniature "slinky" type magic springs
Silly putty
Party blowers
Small bath/water squirters in novelty shapes such as fish
Individual "grow animals" (the type that you put in a tub of water, and watch grow overnight)

What are you giving out this Halloween? How do you deal with candy overload. I would love to hear your suggestions!

Turkeys and Pumpkin Pie the Gluten Free Vegetarian Way

2011-10-07T21:27:00.000-06:00

I love Thanksgiving. I love the idea of pausing to be consider and appreciate the local harvest, and those who have brought it to us. I love the idea of a celebration that is not focused on the giving of gifts, but rather on the expression of gratitude for the myriad gifts and blessings we experience each day in our lives. I love having the opportunity to spend time with my family.

My problem with Thanksgiving is the food. As a vegetarian by choice, and a celiac by chance, typical Thanksgiving foods like turkey, stuffing, and pie are either not very appealing, or off limits to me. Unwilling to completely abandon tradition, here instead is my take on Thankgiving, gluten-free vegetarian style.

Hand and Footprint Turkeys:

This is one of my favourite Thankgiving crafts to do with kids. Most little ones are delighted by the experience of having their hands and feet traced, and by making it each year, you have a record of how they have grown. Imagine the sweetness of seeing this craft made with your one year old's hand and footprints, and then being able to compare it with the size of the turkey made by that same child six or seven years later.

Here's what you need to make it:

brown, beige, red, orange, and yellow construction paper
googlie eyes
scissors
glue

Here's what you need to do:

Trace your child's foot (in a shoe works best) onto two sheets of brown construction paper. Cut out.
Trace your little one's hand onto red, yellow, orange, and beige construction paper. You should have two red handprints, two beige handprints, two orange handprints, and one yellow handprint. Cut out.
Use scraps of orange and red construction paper to cut out feet, a beak, and a wattle.
Arrange the brown footprints so that they are slightly overlapping, wide ends pointing down. Glue together. This forms the turkey's body.
Turn the body over. Arrange and glue the red, orange, and yellow handprints onto the back of the turkey to create the feathers. Glue on feet.
Turn turkey over again. Glue beige handprints onto front of turkey. Glue on eyes, beak, and wattle.
Enjoy your turkey!

Gluten Free Crustless Pumpkin Pie (with a dairy free option)

Ingredients:

2 cups (500 mL) pure pumpkin puree

1 370mL can evaporated skim milk (substitute coconut milk for a dairy free option)
3/4 cup (175 mL) liquid egg substitute (or 3 egg whites)
1/2 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
1.5 tsp (10mL) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) ginger
0.5 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
1.5 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar

Method:

Preheat over to 400 degrees, and lightly grease a 9" pie pan.
Combine all ingredients in bowl, and beat with hand mixer until smooth.
Pour into a 9" sprayed pie pan, and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees, and continue to bake pie for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

You can find more turkey themed crafts, and Thanksgiving recipes at www.momstown.ca. Happy Thanksgiving! What's on the menu at your house?

Falling for Books, and The Things I'm Thankful For

2011-10-05T21:45:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week, momstown Calgary had our first official "Tales for Tots" playdate in the sunny children's area of the Nose Hill Library. With fall here and Thanksgiving right around the corner, our theme for the morning was "all things autumn". We enjoyed songs and fingerplays about scarecrows, pumpkins, and falling leaves, and then it was time for stories. We gobbled along to the antics of the turkeys in "10 Fat Turkeys" by Tony Johnston, a cute counting book for toddlers.

"One Windy Wednesday" by Phyllis Root had lots of fun animal noises to make, and made us think about the things that wind can do, too:

We also enjoyed Bruce Degen's classic book "Jamberry", a fanciful story about a boy and his bear friend's romp through berryland. Written in fun rhyming text ("Quickberry! Quackberry! Pick me a blackberry! Trainberry, Trackberry Clickerty-clackberry!"), it has detailed, delightful pictures that are full of surprises like street lights made of jars of jam. It is a wonderful read aloud story at any of time year, but seems particularly appropriate in this season of preserving the harvest:

Next, it was time for crafts. We recycled paper tubes, packing paper, and bits of tissue paper to create autumn trees:

Exploring the feel of the tissue paper, practicing fine motor skills by taking the caps off the glue, and learning about spacial relationships by placing glue sticks into the paper tubes might have been more fun than the craft itself!

Our Thanksgiving tables will be adorned with beautiful decorations that speak of the things that I am most thankful for: the smiles of children, the sound of their laughter, the wonder in their eyes as they discover the world, and the incredible friends that I have the privilege of sharing these magical times with.

From A-Z: All About the Zoo

2011-10-03T16:45:00.001-06:00

Each month momstown has an educational theme, and for September it was "At The Zoo". Over the past month we have enjoyed zoo crafts, zoo songs and fingerplays, and zoo books at our playdates around town. We read old favourites like "My Heart is Like a Zoo" by Michael Hall, "Animal Strike at the Zoo. It's True!" by Karma Wilson, and "Hippo Has a Hat" by Julia Donaldson and Nick Sharratt. We were lucky to find a new zoo book too. Every month, each momstown chapter is fortunate to receive a book from Scholastic Canada to read, share, and give away to one lucky member, and this month's selection, "The Underpants Zoo", by Brian Sendelbach, was a hit (you can read another review of the book, and an interview with the author, on the momstown arts and crafts blog here). A silly, rhyming story about the types of underpants that the different animals at the zoo might wear, the topic had preschoolers laughing and the vivid, cheerful illustrations keep even the young toddlers engaged. It's a great book to foster imagination and discussion too: ask you little one what type of underwear he or she thinks another animal might wear, and why, or have him or her draw a picture of an animal in underpants. It will have you both giggling.

Congratulations to Leah and Mya, who won "The Underpants Zoo" this month. I am sure that story time at your house has been a lot of fun ever since!

Of course, no month about the zoo would be complete without an actual trip to the zoo either! We always have a wonderful time when we visit the Calgary Zoo, and this visit was no exception. We got to meet a turtle in the grass:

Gazed at the gorillas:

And flocked to see our favourite flamingos:

The inanimate animals were pretty fascinating too:

From animal actions to zany zoo stories, momstown Calgary had a great September "At the Zoo"!

The Quest for the Extraordinary Aliens was Out of This World

2011-09-27T20:57:00.001-06:00

It was a busy Saturday at my house! After an awesome morning of stirring up some healthy breakfast treats with Kellogg's at Epicurious Kids, we dashed home for a quick nap and outfit change, and then headed out to the Southern Jubilee Auditorium to see The Backyardigans: Quest for the Extraordinary Aliens. I'm not sure who was more excited: me, seven year old A, or 18 month old C. We older folks couldn't stop singing The Backyardigans theme song in the car on the way to the performance, and C chimed in with repeated calls for the "Yardies".

As the lights dimmed, and the curtains rose, I knew we where in for a treat. Our alien friend on stage soon had us clapping along to the music, and the look on C's face when he first saw the Backyardigans on stage was more than worth the cost of admission.

I wasn't sure whether the show would capture C's attention for the full duration of the hour long performance, but it turns out that I need not have worried. Full of 21 of the catchy, clap and dance worthy songs typical of a Backyardigans television show, The Quest for the Extraordinary Aliens kept all four of us engaged from beginning to end. Our eyes were glued on the stage as we watched our friends the Backyardigans transform into daring detectives, cookie security guards and space ace reporters in pursuit of a mysterious space ship and its missing alien passenger. Using a combination of images on gigantic video screens and physical set elements, we felt like we we traveling along with the Backyardigans to shivering Frozen Toes Mountain, the blistering Hot Footsy Desert, and the volcanic Lost Pirate Island.

There were little ones dancing in the aisles and in front of their seats throughout the duration of the performance, and even us adults were encouraged to get up and groove. The intermission midway through gave us a chance for a quick snack and drink, and helped with the squirmies too.

We loved the performance, and I loved watching the looks of awe and joy on C and A's faces throughout it. It was an experience that I am sure none of us will forget. If your little ones are Backyardigans fans, both you and they will love this show. Thank you Koba Entertainment, Pablo, Tyrone, Uniqua, Tasha, and Austin for an awesome afternoon.

Win an Epicurious Kids Cooking Class and a Breakfast on The Go Set - Updated!

2011-09-26T13:51:00.004-06:00

We had such a wonderful time at our breakfast event with Kellogg's and Epicurious Kids Cookery on Saturday, and the fun isn't over! As we all know, mornings can be hectic, and sometimes even with the best planning you can't avoid eating breakfast on the run. Fortunately, we have got a giveaway that will make having your breakfast on the go a bit easier, and more environmentally friendly too.

Our "Breakfast on the Go" prize pack consists of in insulated travel mug, a Klean Kanteen water bottle, a reusable snack bag that would be perfect for taking your cereal on the go. You will also win a gift certificate for one single-session cooking class generously donated by Epicurious Kids so that your little Bobby Flay or Rachael Ray can learn to help prepare his or her own food. Head over to their website and check out the wonderful variety of classes they offer. From a homemade fettucine class for children eight and over to a parented pumpkin cupcake making class for three to five year olds, you are sure to find something that tempts your family's taste buds. There is even a class on making gluten and dairy free cupcakes.

Want to win this fabulous prize pack? Here's how to enter:

Mandatory entry: leave a comment telling us one thing that you learned at our breakfast on Saturday. If you weren't at our breakfast, head over to www.loveyourcereal.ca and tell us one thing you learned from the website.

Additional entry: email a friend with the link to this blog post, and come back and leave us a comment telling us that you did so. Each friend you email will qualify as an additional entry, up to a maximum of five bonus entries.

Additional entry: share something that you learned at the breakfast, or from the www.loveyourcereal.ca website, or share the link to this giveaway, on twitter using the hashtag #luvurcereal, and come back and leave a comment telling us that you did so.

Make sure you leave your email address in your comments too so that we can contact you if you win. The contest is open until Monday, October 3 at 3pm MST.

UPDATE: Thank you to all who entered. The contest is now closed, and the winner has been notified. Congratulations Robyn!

Cooking up Some Healthy Fun

2011-09-25T18:03:00.000-06:00

We have all probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but that doesn't mean that we always eat it. From the race to get out the door in time, to fussy eaters, to kids who just don't feel hungry first thing in the morning, that most important meal can easily be missed. I often wish that I had a magic clock that made time move slower in the morning, or gave me an extra hour to get ready. Until one of those things is invented though, I will take any suggestions that I can get to make my morning routine easier, and ensure that I am able to fit a healthy and well-balanced breakfast in.

It goes without saying that I was excited about our Back to School Breakfast Party with Kellogg's at Epicurious Kids Cookery. Finally, an event where I could arrive in my pajamas, eat when I got there, and learn some tips about how to avoid showing up to future events with unbrushed hair, and food in my mouth!

We were lucky to be able to host our breakfast at Epicurious Kids' Cookery, a kids' cooking school in Northwest Calgary. From the brightly painted walls, to the kid friendly measuring spoons, to height adjustable risers so even the smallest chefs can reach the counter, everything about Epicurious Kids is designed with the needs of children in mind.

When big and small guests arrived at the studio, they had the opportunity to prepare for their cooking adventure by decorating a chef's hat:

Then, it was time for a cooking demonstration by Michelle, the owner of Epicurious Kids. Michelle showed us how to use cereal, fruit, and yogurt to create a fast, healthy and delicious parfait that could be eaten for breakfast or as a snack, and could even be taken in the car for a meal on the run. What a wonderful way to incorporate three important food groups in a meal, and to allow kids to create their own custom creations.

As we learned from Kellogg's, getting kids involved in breakfast preparation and allowing them to do things like create their own unique blends of cereals and toppings can be an excellent way to encourage fussy eaters to eat. We had a wonderful selection of Kellogg's cereals and bite sized fruits to choose from:

Each table in the cooking area was also stocked with larger fruits and child safe knives so that our little ones could practice their cutting skills:

Soon, it was time to select our cereals, and head into the kitchen to make our breakfast treats:

I think everyone had fun :)

After all of that hard work, we sure enjoyed the fruits of our labour:

We also learned from Kellogg's that you can encourage your kids to take time to eat breakfast by making the breakfast table a fun and festive place, so we let the little ones play with their food while they ate:

This meant there was lots of time for our moms to chat, learn about cereal nutrition, and share tips for dealing with morning challenges:

Of course, there was storytime too. We enjoyed reading "The Grumpy Morning" by Pamela Duncan Edwards, an adorable story about a farm full of animals that aren't happy until they have eaten a proper breakfast. We were sad to see the morning come to an end, but everyone went home with a reusable shopping bag full of Kellogg's cereal coupons and other treats, and one lucky mom won an enormous gift basket of Kellogg's cereal and merchandise:

The fun and giveaways aren't over either. Stay tuned, because we are going to announce the details of a related contest shortly.

Thank you Kellogg's and Epicurious Kids for literally making our breakfast. We had a wonderful morning, and learned so much!

Weekend Fun: Happy Times at Heritage Park

2011-09-18T13:53:00.001-06:00

One of the questions I am often asked is whether momstown Calgary offers events on the weekends. We certainly do! The needs of every family are different, from parents who have returned to work outside the home, to kids who are in school full time, to travel, work, and other commitments that have a parent away for extended periods of time, and so we try to plan events at a variety of times too. We have at least one "family event" on the calendar almost every weekend, and there is usually a moms night out each month too.

Our Saturday event this week was a trip to Heritage Park. Heritage Park is one of my favourite places to visit in Calgary. Set on 127 acres of parkland along the shores of the Glenmore Reservoir, it feels like a peaceful escape far away from the noise and bustle of the city. It is also Canada's largest living history museum by number of exhibits, and features a number of historical buildings that have been transported to the park to be preserved. You can wander into a turn of the century dentist's office and see the actual tools that would have been used, or visit the home of a pioneer and see the wood stove that a family would have cooked on. Costumed interpreters are located throughout the park, and are great sources of information about what life was like in Alberta from the 1880s to the 1920s. From May to October, the park also offers antique midway, wagon, paddlewheeler, and steam train rides.

One of the things I appreciate most about the park is how family orientated it is. Paths are wide, sometimes "paved" with wood boards, and always stroller friendly. There are stroller parking areas by each ride, and numerous washrooms and food vendors located throughout the park. Kids are also able to climb on things like the train cars in the railway museum.

The weather forecast was for cool temperatures and rain, but we were surprised with the perfect crisp but sunny fall day. We rode the train:

Took a trip on the paddlewheeler:

And of course we went on some midway rides too:

We were lucky that our visit also coincided with the Park's special Apple Daze event. There were apple crafts to do, music performances to watch, and storytellers to listen to. There was also oatmeal apple cookies, and apple pies to buy and take home. The smells from the bakery alone would have made the trip worthwhile.

Whether you join us on the weekend, or during the week, we would love to have you come along on our next outing. With your free four week membership to momstown Calgary you can join us soon. Next Saturday (September 24th) we are partnering with Kellogg's to host a free breakfast and kids' cooking event at Epicurious Kids Cookery, and we would love to see you there.

Learning to Eat - 8 Easy Ways to Use Cereal to Learn

2011-09-15T17:01:00.000-06:00

Our "Brake for Breakfast" event hosted by Kelloggs and Epicurious Kids is coming on Saturday, September 24th, and planning it has got cereal on my mind. Cereal can be healthy, nutritious, and quick meal, and it makes a great "on the go" snack too. It's one of the few foods I can think of that is almost guaranteed to please even the most particular eaters. Beyond the bowl though, I've realized that cereal can also be a great learning tool. Here are a few fun and easy educational activities to do with cereal:

1. Counting: This works great with slightly larger cereals such mini-wheats. Set out a muffin tin, and tape a piece of paper with a number ranging from 1-12 below each compartment in the tin. Challenge your preschooler to count and place one piece of cereal into the tin labeled one, two pieces of cereal into the compartment labelled two, and so forth.

2. Sorting: Pour out a small bowl of a multi-coloured cereal like Fruit Loops (or mix a few different types of larger cereal in a bowl). Have your little one sort the cereal into separate colours.

3. Scooping and Pouring: Fill a cake pan or casserole dish with a small cereal such as Rice Krispies. Give your little one a variety of spoons, measuring cups, and bowls, and allow her to practice scooping, sorting, dumping, and pouring. It's great way to develop fine motor skills, and a fun sensory experience too.

4. Lacing beads and Patterning: Beading is another great activity for building fine motor skills, but it can be tricky to find larger beads that do not pose a choking hazard. "O" shaped cereals such as Fruit Loops are perfect for kids to use to practice breading, and they can eat their creations at the end too. Older children can even create simple patterns with cereal.

5. Letter Recognition: To help little ones learn to identify and write the letters of the alphabet, draw a large letter onto a piece of construction paper. Have kids arrange large pieces of cereal along the lines of the letter (use glue if you would like to create a more permanent work of art). It's much more fun than repeatedly tracing letters in a workbook.

6. Addition and Subtraction: Larger pieces of cereal make a great manipulative for learning adding and subtracting too. The best part of seeing how many pieces of cereal are left when you "take away two", is getting to eat the pieces that you've taken away.

7. Puzzles: The fronts of cereal boxes often feature images that are familiar to kids. When you have finished a box of your family's favourite type, cut the front of the box into a few different pieces, and see if your kids can put them back together.

8. Site and Spelling Word Practice: Make use of the time the cereal box out on the table to help kids recognize and learn spelling and site words. Simply write the words out on a sheet of paper, and tape the paper to the front of the box. You can challenge your little ones to read the words, turn the box around and have an older child spell words off the list, or just even just leave the words visible for kids to absorb while they eat.

Have fun learning to eat, and eating to learn, and be sure to share your ideas too!

Zoo Crafts and Coconut Snacks

2011-09-12T19:21:00.000-06:00

Welcome to September, momstown Calgary style! While some have been exploring new classrooms and schools, we've been exploring all things at the zoo, momstown's theme of the month. This morning we met for a crafty playdate, and created our own gigantic giraffes.

To prepare for the playdate, we cut out the necks, faces, ears, and horns out of yellow construction paper in advance. Then it was time for the real fun to begin. First we glued the pieces of our new friends together - squeezing glue from a bottle is always a hit - and then we got out the paint. We used our fingers, brushes, hands and more to add a custom set of spots to each of our creatures:

And headed home with new friends for the fridge:

While we were waiting for all that paint to dry, we snacked on some Apricot Coconut Snowballs, a healthy and yummy treat:

Apricot Coconut Snowballs

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried apricots

3 tbsp boiling water

1/3 cup crispy brown rice cereal

1/2 cup dessicated coconut

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup skim milk powder

1/2 cup extra coconut

1. Put the dried fruit in a food processor and pulse till finely chopped, add boiling water & leave in processor to soak for 10 mins.
2. Add cereal, first 1/2 cup coconut, milk powder & lemon juice to bowl of the food processor. Process until a dough forms.
3. Spread remaining coconut out on a plate. Form apricot mixture into tablespoon sized balls (a great job for kids), and roll in coconut. Refrigerate for a few hours, or ideally overnight. Store in fridge.

Brake for Breakfast!

2011-09-10T19:43:00.000-06:00

Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day. Numerous studies outline the myriad benefits of breakfast. Kids who eat breakfast tend to score higher on tests, and have more energy, and longer attention spans. Moreover, since four out of five children don't get sufficient vitamins and minerals from lunch and dinner alone, a well balanced breakfast can help fill this nutrition gap.

The benefits of breakfast are clear, but the reality is that mornings can be hard. From packing lunches, to managing drop off at day care and school, to wrangling toddlers (with or without their toys) out the door and into the car, breakfast sometimes get missed. I can't count the number of times that my own breakfast has consisted of a cup of tea hastily downed as I rush out the door, and an apple thrown into my bag to eat on the way. Not exactly a balanced meal... Purchasing breakfast en route isn't always a solution either. The cost adds up quickly, and many fast food options are loaded with sugar, fat, and sodium.

Thank goodness for cereal! At only 50 cents per serving with milk, its inexpensive and simple to prepare, and even preschoolers can help get it ready by bringing bowls to the table, and pouring cereal into them. As a bonus, being involved in creating the meal fosters self confidence and a sense of self sufficiency, and can reduce picky eating. Cereal is healthy too. Paired with milk or yogurt for protein, and either fresh or dried fruit, you have a nutritionally balanced meal that is full of vitamins and minerals. Cereal doesn't just have to be eaten in a bowl at the breakfast table either. Here are just a few ideas for when you need to have breakfast on the go:

Create customized trail mix with finger friendly cereals, nuts or seeds, and dried fruits. Divide into bags and keep in the pantry to grab when you need them
Make a batch of cereal, fruit, and nut bars to eat throughout the week
Blend cereal with yogurt, milk, and fruit in a smoothie
Layer yogurt, berries, and cereal in reusable lidded bowls so that kids can enjoy yogurt parfaits in the car
Allow preschool and school aged children to string Fruit Loops or other "O" shaped cereal onto lengths of stretchable string cord to create edible necklaces or bracelets. Stringing the "o"s onto the string is great fine motor practice, and the "jewelery" can be munched on the go.

If you and your family are cereal fans too, then you'll definitely want to join us at Epicurious Kids Cookery on September 24th at 10:30 am for our free "Brake for Breakfast" party. Kellogg's is providing us with a variety of yummy cereals, milk, yogurt and fruit to enjoy, and Epicurious Kids will be showing the kids how to create delicious cereal parfaits and custom bowls of cereal with all of the ingredients. We will also be giving out gift bags packed with Kellogg's coupons and products to each mom in attendance, and one lucky mom will also go home with a special Kellogg's prize pack. Come out in your pjs, and let Kellogg's, the kids, and momstown take care of breakfast for once. It will be a great chance to meet and socialize with other momstown Calgary members too. Head over to our main website to RSVP. If you aren't a momstown member yet, you can RSVP to info.calgary-north@momstown.ca, or sign up for your free four week trial membership.

See you at the party!

The Best Birthday Party in Calgary!

2011-09-07T17:22:00.003-06:00

Turning four is a big deal. It might mean three days a week of preschool, or even the start of kindergarten. At four, you can do things you couldn't do at three, and you are only one year away from being a whole hand old. Turning four is an event that should be celebrated.

In August, momstown turned four, and boy did we party, with close to 20 celebrations happening in chapters across the country, and national facebook and twitter parties. It was an amazing month jam packed with all things birthday, from presents, to birthday party discussions, to food, and on August 28th it was our turn to party in Calgary.

Like a four year old myself, I was too full of excitement and anticipation to sleep much the night before the party. What a joy to open the doors to Joso's Play and Learn Centre at 10:00am and welcome our guests in. With close to 100 people in attendance, I'm pretty sure it was the biggest and best fourth birthday party that Calgary has ever seen.

We played in the play structure to get the sillies out, and sat still as the truly amazing Amanda of Amadamazing Art and Face Painting transformed our faces into butterflies, bats, tigers and more.

When we were hungry, there were trays of incredible cupcakes in a rainbow of flavours from Bliss and Co. Cupcakes and Desserts to enjoy. I was lucky to sample one of the gluten free chocolate cupcakes myself, and it certainly lived up to the "Bliss" name.

We crafted too, creating customized birthday crowns to wear and enjoy.

Then, we were in for an extra special treat: a private concert with Mr. Rayz Music for Kidz! We danced to the Days of the Week, sung about how "mom is better than ice-cream", and all joined in to sing a special version of "Happy Birthday" to momstown.

There isn't much that could top that, but giving away 19 prizes was pretty exciting. Here's a peek at just some of the prizes gathered up at my house before the party:

As one guest commented, it was "the swankiest party I've ever been invited to", and I have to agree that it was everything that I could have asked for in a party too. Of course, we couldn't have done it without the support of the community. A huge thank you goes out to our fantastic gold level local sponsors:

Light on Paper Photography
Bliss & Co. Cupcakes and Desserts

Joso's Play and Learn Centre

Edamame Kids

Epicurious Kids

Posh Mommy

Mr. Rayz Music for Kidz

And our generous local and national sponsors:

StarBright for Kids

Stick With Me Baby
All things Jill
Extraordinary Birth
First Step Nutrition,
Amandamazing Art and Face Painting
Ivivva Athletica Market Mall

Little Tikes

Clorox

Green Works

President's Choice

Maple Leaf Foods

Hasbro

Life Choice Foods

Smashbox Cosmetics, and

Kids CBC

Stay tuned for more pictures to be added, and mark your calendars for August 2012 when momstown turns five. It's going to be a party you won't want to miss!