{365} Challenge: Learning toys for the baby

How often have we heard it said that giving a child a cardboard box would be better than the toy inside?  

There is so much truth in this.  Babies and children seem to love containers and textures and random items and engage with them with more curiosity than the electronic toys we put out for them.  Don't get me wrong, we have a few electronic baby toys that Baby B loves like her Fisher Price Vanity and Learning Table.

To help Baby B explore the world around her, we have filled her toy basket with items to allow her to learn textures, work at problem solving, build creativity, and work at hand-eye coordination.

With the weather getting warmer, we have been spending some time outdoors in the beautiful weather.  I was able to score a turtle sandbox from another mom for $10 to start off our outdoor play area for Baby B.  She really seems to love the sand and watching it go between her fingers and toes.  I will end up putting some "treasures" in the sand (plastic animals and other like items) for her to unearth and discover.

I created a sensory basket for Baby B to play with.  In it are bits of different types of ribbon, lace, felt strips, a Christmas bow (with the sticker-tag removed), bits of fabric, and a toilet paper roll that I reinforced with duct tape.  I figured this would stop her from chewing through it, and so far my idea has been successful.  She can run the ribbon through the roll and as she gets bigger, may be able to start threading the ribbon through the holes in the basket.

Providing Baby B with a variety of textured balls will also help her learn and play.  Just gather up a variety of different types, sizes, colors, etc.  I really need to find a small football!

One of the best toys I have found, was a basket of vintage wooden blocks.  These are played with more than anything else in our home right now.  They were a great thrift store find and they will be staying with my family for years to come.  I have also learned that babies who play with blocks with their parents for at least 20 minutes a day, score higher on language tests and are less likely to watch tv.  Score!

I also like taking random objects around the kitchen and letting Baby B just play.  We give her wooden spoons, cups, bowls, utensils (without sharp edges!), measuring cups, and anything else clean and lying around.  Sometimes it is fun to put a little water and ice in the bowls and cups and let her splash and play on the kitchen floor.  You can take empty Crystal Light containers, fill them with just about anything, glue the top on, and presto - instant rattle!  I used some tiny chip clips that we never use.

Surprisingly she left the animal water bowl alone

Lastly, I wanted to share our new favorite books.  The Indestructible books are amazing!  Baby B LOOOOOOVES paper and these books offer her the pleasure of crinkling and biting on them without destroying anything or getting some extra fiber in her diet.  I recently scored a few at BuyBabyDeals.com for just a few bucks each.  I have also seen them on Amazon and at Buy Buy Baby.

This post is linked up at Inspire Me Wednesday's

You can catch up on my challenges here.

DIY: Play Kitchen Up-Cycle

I am blessed to know many talented ladies.  So many of the women in my life are creative and inventive and their talents and passions inspire me to do so much more.

Over the past week, my friend Kate has been busy working on a play kitchen for her daughter, Presley.  She has pulled out all the stops to make a simple kids kitchen into something little girl's and boy's dreams are made of.

Here are the teasers she gave us during the week.

It already looks great, right?!  Then she finishes it off.

If you look closely, you can see that Kate used old baking containers to fill the cupboards (yay for not making garbage!)  I love the family photo in the "window"; what a sweet touch.  Kate made the curtains herself.  Her daughter even has her very own phone (that was found at Goodwill and spray painted) and it looks like every kitchen item known to mankind.  The oven mitt was a find in the Dollar Spot at Target and the rack it hangs on was another Goodwill treasure.

What a beautiful display of craftsmanship that her daughter is sure to love for years to come.  Thank you, Kate, for letting me share your talents!

12 Stocking Stuffers for the baby

My favorite part of Christmas morning is the stockings.  I love finding cool and unusual things to put in my family's stockings and enjoy seeing what my husband has picked out for me.  This year I face the dilemma of stuffing a baby's stocking - I honestly cannot remember what the boys got in theirs 10 and 9 years ago.
 
So what do you put in a baby's stocking?  Lotions, undies, and nail polish are not quite right for  a wee babe so I went on a mission to come up with some great ideas.
 

1. Aden + Anais security blankets - small and soft, these would fit nicely. 
2. Sophie Vanilla Teether - we already have big Sophie and rattle Sophie; now it's time for a smaller one.
3. Baby Toothbrush - can also work as a teether
4. Amber Teething Necklace - these are just gorgeous and super helpful.  Plus, you help support other moms!
   
5. Headbands and hair flowers - Headbands are super easy to make!  Just go to Pinterest and look up some tutorials.  I make them all of the time.

   

   Some of the bows I have made for Baby B

6. Activity balls  - great for learning and exploring
7. Baby Legwarmers - I love these!  You can make them easily too - there are tutorials on Pinterest.
8. Bath books - I already picked up some Disney Princess bath books from Amazon.
9. Rattles - great for working on grabbing objects
10. Personalized Burp Rags and Bibs - These are just gorgeous!
11. Baby Beanie - On Etsy there are so many adorable baby beanies to choose from to keep their little punkin' heads warm this winter.
     
    
    

    

    Baby B in an adorable sundae beanie

12. Cloth Diapers - Bum Genius is releasing their newest design, just in time for Christmas!  One diaper would fit nicely in a stocking.

    

    Baby B in a Diaper from KraZ Couture

     

I hope you were inspired as you shop for your own little one!  Happy Holidays my readers! 

Black Friday Funfest

It has become tradition for my friend Christina and I to hit the stores on Black Friday...err...Black Thursday.  This year will be our third year in a row going out together.  Last year she was pregnant when we went out (and was such a trooper!)  This year we both have babies, but her little man will be home while Baby B joins us in my Ergo.

Our starting place is always Target.  We always find great deals there and the crowds are a lot more manageable than the Wal Mart right across the freeway. 

Target is opening up at 8pm on Thanksgiving this year and has a number of doorbuster deals.  You can check out Target's Black Friday ad here. 

What do you see that you like?  I know Older Boy wants Monster's Inc. University which is on sale for $10 for Blu-Ray and the Poppity Pop for $19 might be great to set aside for Baby B.