If you have one child or several, if doesn’t matter: they all love doing arts and crafts. The best way to be prepared for rainy days or sick days or just whenever the creative yen strikes is to have some basic art supplies for kids and toddlers on hand. Some you’ll have known already, but some might surprise you!
Have you ever thought about teaching your kids the art of fishing? Of course there’s the romance of little Huckleberry Finns sitting on a dock with a string and a stick. And then there’s the possibility of catching dinner. And teaching kids that all food doesn’t necessarily come from a supermarket. But the photos you’ll get? Priceless.
We spent a week this summer in the New York Finger Lakes swimming, casting and paddling. But the best memories were on the dock. When ‘Uncle Brad’ gave a fishing rod and tackle to my eldest son, the eyes lit up and hours were spent learning about sinkers, hooks and worms. Taking them all out and organizing. Sleeping with them. Uncle Brad is quite the accomplished fisherman, and I convinced him to share his tips for teaching kids the art of fishing.
1. Rule #1: Size does not matter. Any fish is a good fish. And catching one and handing them the rod can get them ‘hooked’ for life.
2. Start the teaching of casting using foam fish and a foam hook. When attached to a line, the foam hook can be used to retrieve the floating fish form in the water.
3. A kid’s rod is shorter with an internal reel and button. (Bait casting reel as opposed to a spinning reel). Shakespeare makes great ones for boys and girls and they are readily available at Target and Walmart. (You can even get Disney, Star Wars, Spiderman and princess themes).
4. A dock on a calm lake from 6-8am is usually the best time to nab the critters.
5. Use pliers to flatten the barbs on your hooks. It’s nicer for the fish.
6. Always remove hooks from the lines when you are done so as not to invite any injuries.
7. Make the kids look around prior to casting. My son caught a 5-foot-eleven man named ‘Uncle Brad’.
8. Encouraging the kids to drop the fish back into the water will excite them. (And then you don’t have to touch them).
9. Live worms are an easy and plentiful bait.
10. Try to teach about the species of fish as you catch.
11. Patience can be a challenge for kids. But having quiet conversations as you set your lines can form the best memories and bonds between parent and child.
12. Make sure at least one adult isn’t squeamish about baiting the hooks or taking fish off the line.
13. Rod and reel are not necessary. A string tied to a bamboo pole with a hook works just fine.
14. Fish under a certain number of pounds must be tossed back. Check in the jurisdiction you are in. And keeping anything as a pet is just a bad idea.
15. Hats, sunscreen, fishing license, water, band-aids and snacks should never be far away.
Next step? Tying their own flies and mastering the art of planking a salmon. Oh – and never make the mistake of asking first if they caught anything. As a good friend once said, “I’m going fishing. Not fish-catching.”
We’ve all been there. School is out and the days can get long! Children tend to need a little push in the right direction to stay occupied and continue their learning and play during the summer months. Here are a few ideas for activities that will make memories and keep them busy!
Every child loves bubbles. Here is a simple recipe for endless hours of summer fun!
You are a great parent. Pail? Check. Lotion? Check. Designer tent/umbrella/cabana boy? Of, course. Oh. What are we supposed to do now? If you’re long on accessories but short on ideas, we have a few activities for you to try.
Start by putting down a garbage bag… You’ll need a box of cornstarch… but $3 is totally worth the hour of sanity you’ll get out of it. You mix the cornstarch with barely enough water and food colouring to get it runny: think slightly-too-soft cookie dough. (i.e., LOTS of cornstarch, and probably one cup to 1.5 cups of water.) It makes a non-Newtonian fluid (if you want to sound all sciency). Basically, if you punch it, hit it or grab it… it’ll go solid.
As soon as you relax your hold if it (or gently push your hand into it) it’ll turn to a thick pancake-batter like consistency. Makes cool “ooze” for little kids to play with… and cornstarch is a no-brainer for clean-up. Enjoy.
PeaPod Plus Baby Travel Bed: More like a cocoon than a bed
Urban Mommies always seem to be on the go, especially in the summer! When traveling with our little ones, finding a comfy place for them to sleep can be a source of concern. It’s easy to feel like Goldilocks in the house of the Three Bears: our children are too big for a pack-n-play or a crib but they are too small to be comfortable in a large adult bed. What’s a mom to
do? We need to find a bed that is just right, and these travel beds for small children do the trick.
The solution? A Travel bed specially designed and shaped to accommodate infant/toddler and young child age groups. There is an assortment from which to choose including: inflatable air mattresses, simple and light-weight cots, lightweight play yards many of which come with a bassinet for small babies. Some travel beds are also equipped with folding bed rails for children who have a tendency to roll out of bed in the middle of the night. Most importantly, because many of the travel beds are inflatable, they are also quite portable, light-weight and c
an easily be folded to fit into a car or a closet.
Several makers of child travel beds and different styles of travel beds are available.The Urbanmommies Editors found the following child and infant travel beds particularly pleasing:
Unlike the hardier and bulkier play yards of our youth, the PeaPod Plus Baby Travel Bed is more like a “travel cocoon.” The mattress is inflatable and, when baby is finished sleeping, can be folded into a compact tote for easy carrying; no more lugging around the heavy pack-n-play! This travel bed is also outdoor-friendly: the mesh bubble blocks bugs, wind, and half of the UV rays. The mattress inflates in less than 5 minutes using the a specific pump (sold separately by Leaps and Bounds).
Guava Family GoCrib
The GoCrib is a standard size, ultra-portable travel crib that packs into a lightweight backpack for families that are on the go. Because it’s inflatable, it is pretty easy to assemble. But, once it is set up the rigid structure creates a strong and safe environment. The product features a 27″ x 39″ insulating mattress and a 25″ depth sleeping and play area (same as a standard play yard).
My Cot Portable Travel Bed
I wish that they had something like the My Cot Portable Travel Bed when I was a child. It would have made sleeping at my grandparents’ house a lot more comfortable. This portable cot can go to Grandma’s, day care as easily as it can be transported to sleepovers! The bed is slightly lifted off the ground leaving enough room underneath to ensure that the children sleeping on it stay comfy and dry whether the cot is indoors and out. It even comes with its own carry bag.
Tuck-Me-In Travel Bed with Removable Mattress
We love the Tuck-Me-In Travel Bed with Removable Mattress. It’s so easy to assemble my daughter and her cousins argue about how’s turn it is to inflate the mattress. The famous inflatable bed features a larger, fully-detached mattress, for snugglier sleepovers and easier linen changes. Soft and cushy, with a flocked surface that’s not sticky, it also built-in safety bumpers. The Tuck-Me-In is very light and folds compactly. The pump and tote included in the price of the bed. Further, if your little one is a sheet lover, like my daughter is, you can purchase the coordinating travel bed accessories from One Step Ahead too.
My 8 year-old daughter is begging me for a bed that can accommodate all her friends when they have a sleep over. Rather than pull out the old sleeper sofa’s mattress, we elected to go the less time consuming and affordable route and took a look at the Cozy Kidz Airbeds. The Intex Cozy Kid Air Bed Twin Size comes in three bright fun colors: pink, blue and orange . Both the pillow-top and mattress-top are lightly flocked which adds comfort while also preventing the sheets from sliding off of the mattress. This is the perfect air mattress to take on a sleepover or even family camping trips. The beds are 34.5″ Wide x 62″ Long x 7″ height (slightly shorter than the average twin bed) but the dimensions may vary up to two inches depending on firmness and come with built in pillows. Even better? The mattresses can withstand more than 200lbs which means more than one child can sit on it at a time before having to worry that they are going to cause the mattress to deflate. One note, the mattress does not come with a built in pump.
Traveling with small children doesn’t have to be painful. Most Urban Mommies know that the first step to having a happy child is ensuring that child has had a good night’s sleep. With so many great travel bed choices, we know that you & your family will find the right one (or two? or three?) that works for you.
Good luck! And safe travels!
UrbanMommies publisher Jill Amery was interviewed on Shaw TV’s Studio 4 about great no mess crafts and activities to do with kids that help with bonding and learning. A boon to parents everywhere! We wanted to share some of the ideas, with some credit as well to the original sources of the ideas. Happy bonding!
1. Fairies in a jar: Cut the end off of a glowstick. (This should be done by an adult – there’s a glass vial inside which, when shattered, creates the chemical glow reaction.) Dump the contents of the glowstick into a jar and add 4 T. glitter. Put the lid on the jar and secure the lid with duct tape (so curious kids won’t open it). Shake. Fairies in a jar. We’re picturing lumieres at hallowe’en or backyard-camping companions in the tent.
2. Denim Roads. Faded jeans? Upcycle, mama. Cut the denim into 3-inch wide strips and arcs. Paint yellow dotted lines down the centre and stick velcro to the backsides. Presto! Portable roads that will stick on carpet. (Dinky cars not included). Kudos to Jen from ‘lil Mop Top for the idea!
3. Periodic Table of Cupcakes. Ditto. What an amazing way to teach chemistry to kids going in to high school – especially if they have a sweet tooth. Kudos: Buzzfeed. Wow.
4. Ice Excavation. Fill a bundt or cake pan halfway with water. Freeze. Scatter lego, plastic animals or your child’s favourite obsession over the ice. Fill the rest of the pan with water and re-freeze. Once solid, pop the ice ring out of the pan and let them go to town with a hammer, blunt knives or chopsticks, ‘excavating’ the treasures from the ice. Note: It’s a good time to talk ice age, dinosaurs, etc. You can also do this with jello for younger kids.
5. Edible Glitter: Edible Glitter!! 1/4 sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of food coloring, baking sheet and 10 minutes in the oven. Kudos to Silver Taylor for the idea.
6. Indoor hopscotch. Wow. You are now a rockstar.
We have a new love. A new way to ‘work’. Seriously. Check out our pin boards on Kids Birthday Parties, Kid’s Rooms, Featured Finds, Craft ideas for Kids, Family Recipe Ideas and Travel. We couldn’t leave that out. Enjoy! Our Pin Boards.
My twins were born in the midst of RSV season and because they were little and a bit premature, our pediatrician strongly suggested that we lay low until our two month vaccines. Added on to my three months of bedrest, this amounted to five months stuck in the house. When we finally got the ok to head out, I was thrilled. My mind raced with all the possibilities, but I quickly realized that the logistics of heading out with two babies are a bit overwhelming. In addition, every program for moms and babies that I read about, seemed specifically suited to having one baby.
If these are your first babies, you, too, may have fanticized about all the fun things that you would one day do with baby. Don’t fear, there are still many programs that can be adapted to twins and as twins are becoming more and more common, chances are these programs have accommodated twins before. Your best bet is to do some research, talk to other twin moms, talk to the people that put on the programs and try to arrange a free trial session (many programs offer a free first visit) so you can ensure that the logistics of participating with twins are manageable. Also watch that you are not being short changed because you have twins. For example, my local community centre had a music class for moms & babies. When I called about enrolling my twins, they told me that I would have to pay for two babies. After looking through the program calendar, I realized that there was a similar program for mom, baby and an older sibling. This program was cheaper than paying full price twice for the mom & baby music group I had inquired about. I called back and pointed out that they offered a discounted sibling rate for an older sibling and so it was only fair that my twins also receive this same group price. They agreed.
Here are some ideas for getting out with your twins. Most of these programs (unless otherwise noted) can be participated in (with a little juggling and a sense of humour) by yourself with two babies:
- Mom & Baby Group – many communities have a free local mom & baby group where you can meet with other new mothers in an informal setting. Other moms are often more than willing to give you an extra hand if both babies need tended to at the same time.
- Gymboree – Our local Gymboree class had accommodated twins before and the nice part was that we only had to pay for one baby. An exersaucer was set up for the other baby to sit behind my shoulder during circle time. Our Gymboree suggests participating with one baby for two weeks in a row and then switching and participating with the other baby for the next two weeks. This allows each baby to experience repetition of the program – an important part of the Gymboree curriculum. Call ahead to book a trial visit and let them know that you are bringing twins.
- Salsa Dancing – This class worked well when the babies were about three months old and would still sit fairly contently in their infant carriers. I would feed the drowsier baby and put her facing the class in her infant carrier. Something about the salsa music seemed to lull them to sleep. I would then participate with the other baby in the baby bjorn. Instructors who don’t have a baby of their own, will probably offer to dance with one of yours.
- Stroller Walking Clubs – These are often put on by professional baby program companies or local community centres – ours grew out of our Mom & Baby Group. A nice chance to walk and chat with other local moms.
- Go to the Movies– Many theatres now have baby friendly movies. These movies are shown during the day, with reduced volume and are specifically meant for families with babies. They provide change tables and places to park your stroller. It is probably easiest if you can bring along another set of hands the first time.
- Your local library – Most libraries have free baby programs where you can listen to stories, sing songs and meet with other moms and babies in an informal setting. These are fairly easy to participate in by yourself with two babies.
- Community Centres – Programs at the Community Centre are meant to serve the community. They should be happy to accommodate a local mother with twins. If the program requires parent participation, often the program leader will happily use one of your children for demonstration purposes, thereby allowing both babies to get the full benefit of the program.
- Mom & Baby Yoga – These programs are often offered by your local community centre or by professional yoga studios. This is another program where the class leader will usually be willing to take one of your babies for demonstration purposes. This program is easier to participate in with younger babies that aren’t yet mobile.
- Baby Sign Language Courses -Our local classes are offered on a “per family” basis so no need to pay extra for twins.
- Swimming – OK, there are some programs where you just can’t avoid the need for two sets of hands. Swimming is one of them. Luckily our local pool offered baby classes in the evening and on weekends so we were able to bring Dad or Grandma along.