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Healthy Choices with #PlayFood #giveaway #kidsinthekitchen

September 19, 2013 by

Encouraging the kids to be in the kitchen isn’t a new concept for me. For years I’ve urged the kids to help with prep work, work in the garden, choose dinner menus and to try new foods. Even as toddlers and young children their play kitchens were just extensions of the real kitchen in our home.

Pretend Play Healthy Food Choices #giveaway #kidsinthekitchen

Playing with pretend cupcakes and ice cream is always fun but I’ve been able add teachable moments by incorporating healthy play food and accessories.
This is one my favorite videos of Shae playing in her kitchen 3 years ago, preparing a stir fry meal.

Shae is 6 now but still regularly plays with her kitchen and loves the wide array of food choices she can serve while she plays restaurant. She especially loves to serve sandwiches, wraps and tacos. There are so many combinations with the ingredients that it becomes a game if she can remember everything.

We explain that adding veggies to a sandwich or switching from a big roll to a tortilla wrap makes that meal more healthy. These lessons carry over in real life as she asks for these choices to be packed in her real life lunch box.

Did you have fun in the “kitchen” this week? Did you try a new food or a new kid friendly restaurant? Did your littlest ones use their snacks to count to 10? We invite you to share your experiences, photos, stories or recipes that include your #kidsinthekitchen.

Come join me and my co-hosts, Paula at Frosted Fingers and Sara at Sensibly Sara,  Lisa of HooplaPalooza and Sarah of Play2LearnwithSarah each week linking up a post, new or old, that feature the theme Kids in the Kitchen. It doesn’t matter what you are doing as long as you are doing it together, enjoying it and learning something along the way.

Don’t have a blog? Share an instagram photo or Facebook update.
Linky Rules, #kidsinthekitchen

#KidsintheKitchen Weekly Linky


Give your kids healthy food choices while playing pretend with this giveaway of Play Food from Gummylump.com. Enter to win a Felt Food Sandwich Set and a Felt Food Taco & Burrito Set from LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! just by telling us what other play food choice your child would love.

Play Food #giveaway
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above. Please note the changes to the entries and frequency, entries that don’t follow rules may be disregarded/ignored/deleted

Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Friday, October 11, 2013. The winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Contiguous US residents, age 18 or over. For complete rules please read our blog contest rules page.




She’s Going Old School Princess Costume this Year

October 5, 2012 by

Halloween is right around the corner but in our house dress-up happens all year round. In fact Shae’s Custom Dress Up Station is filled to the brim with costumes and accessories for almost any character, noble profession or scene. We’ve held to costumes, hats, belts, tutus and more even from when Sabreena was young, that’s how seriously we take dress up in this house.

Princess costumes are Shae’s favorite as I’m sure that’s the case with most little girls. This year we talked about Halloween since Disney’s Brave came out. She talked about Merida for months, swore she was going to be Merida for Halloween. It came time to look through choices and she was instantly drawn to this classic Snow White costume. She was taking it old-school this year.

This particular costume is probably the most luxurious child’s costume I’ve ever seen. With a mix of velvet, lace, tulle, ribbon and satin it has the feel of a Broadway production rather than something for a child. Believe it or not this costume was less than $30. It arrived and Shae put it on immediately. She’s been walking around doing curtseys and spins, lifting the skirt just enough to walk up the stairs; she’s taken the whole royalty thing to an extreme.

snow white quality costume

snow white costume for kids, detail

Time is running out. Get out there and get your child’s costume before the best selections are gone.

What are your your kids thinking of dressing up as this year?

I Disclose




It’s More Than Just a Box

October 4, 2012 by

With a room full of toys kids find entertainment and fun in the simplest places. We received a large package about 2 weeks ago. The contents were emptied and the box was set to the side for recycling. Shae jumped in it and asked for markers. For the next 2 hours she drew on the box and “drove” it around the living room and kitchen. It’s become her car. She still has it, tucked neatly into a corner of her room and refuses to let it go.
fun with a cardboard box
It’s just an example that fun doesn’t have to cost anything.
drawing on a cardboard box, kids playing with a cardboard box
As a 16 year old you would think Sabreena is passed the make believe stage. She’s not. She told me about these HUGE cardboard boxes that the music department had from a recent delivery. Her and her friends got into the box and thought of how they could get it home to build a clubhouse. She said they were large enough that a handful of teens could sit cross-legged comfortably. Their plans were foiled when the teacher cut up the boxes shortly after. But it just goes to show that with a little brain power kids can make up their own fun without batteries, screens or accessories.

A child’s imagination is their greatest commodity. Give them a simple thing like a cardboard box and see what happens, what does that box become.




Owl Mask for Dress Up Play #Kids #Craft

September 14, 2012 by

Dress up and crafts are my favorite ways to keep the kids imaginations going. Owls are  so popular right now I figured I would try to make a owl mask for Shae to use for dress up or storytelling or just because.

owl mask template #kids #craft

I drew out a design and used it to help Shae create this cute Owl Masquerade Mask.

Supplies

  • Card stock to print your Owl Mask
  • Scissors
  • Crayons, markers or paint to color your mask(or print on colored card stock)
  • Embellishments such as feathers, glitter glue, sequins, tissue paper, etc
  • School glue and/or tape
  • Popsicle stick to use as handle

Directions
Print your owl mask template.

You may want to adjust size to suit your child’s face. Mark with a crayon/marker here your child’s eyes will be. Cut out mask and quarter size eye holes. Cut out an additional small triangle for the nose. Lightly crease it down the middle and attach it to the back of the mask, pointing down. This allows some room for your child’s nose.

Let your child decorate as they wish, make sure they don’t cover eye holes. Attach popsicle stick to back of mask using glue or tape.
Now let your child transform into a spooky or whimsical owl.

owl mask for kids dress up #kids #craft

Modifications
By simply restricting the embellishments this craft is suitable for little ones as young as 18 months. Extending the owls points will give a more dramatic look. Instead of a popsicle stick attach ribbon or string for a mask that needs to be tied on.

Next step is to design and construct an owl costume.




Little Tikes Pretend Play Workshop Giveaway

October 11, 2011 by

Pretend play is a necessity for growing minds and imaginations. My kids have always explored dressing up, role play and creative thinking. Utilizing toys and games is a great way to expand pretend play.

pretend-play-toysLittle Tikes has a great selection of pretend and active toys that keep kids occupied for years. The TIKES Tough Workshop is a great addition for a boy or girl (ages 2 and up) that loves to interact with real action toys.
Workstation includes fun accessories for hours of play

  • Includes play hammer, wrench, built-in saw and vice clamp
  • Hammer and “nails” help develop hand-eye coordination skills
  • Saw “cuts” play wood boards
  • Peg board and hooks for tool storage
  • Sliding door below reveals additional storage space
  • Durable and safety-tested for long-lasting play

Whether you go for the play kitchen, costumes or Tikes Tough Workshop expect your children to play for hours at a time while imitating adult actions and conversation.

toys-pretend-play-boys-workshop

Shop for the Tikes Tough Workshop ($39.99) or Cupcake Kitchen at Little Tikes online.

A LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! reader is going to win Tikes Tough™ Workshop from Little Tikes. Let me know another toy from Little Tikes you might purchase this coming holiday season.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above. Please note the changes to the entries and frequency, entries that don’t follow rules will be disregarded/ignored/deleted.

  • Subscribe to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! via email or RSS feed, bottom of page
  • Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect, bottom of page
  • Follow Us on Networked Blog, bottom of page
  • Follow Mom and Dad and Little Tikes on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway 1 time per day, please leave your twitter link each time, tweet a form of this message: Pretend Play with Tikes Tough Workshop from @LittleTikes #giveaway @lkwhtmomfound & @anddadtoo http://bit.ly/obMpYg
  • SHARE this giveaway on YOUR Facebook wall (easy to use widget at top of post) OR WRITE on our Facebook Wall that you entered to win this giveaway, include link to this post
  • Like Little Tikes
  • Enter another Giveaway – let us know which one in the comment (one extra entry per giveaway you enter, just leave separate comments)
  • Leave a relevant comment on any other Review/Everyday Life/Thoughts post, let us know where to find it

Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Tuesday, November 1, 2011. The winners will be emailed and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Continental US residents only. For complete rules please read our contest rules page.

I Disclose