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Santa hit the jackpot with this kitchen!
Buying gifts for children is a tricky business, you never know what will be a hit and what will fall flat and never get played with. I wasn’t planning on doing a gift guide this year, there are so many lists out there, I figured I’d pass and stick to my regular glue and glitter. Then I got email after email asking me for advice. I admit I always worry when I get those emails because I don’t want to lead you the wrong way. Kids are so variable. So I decided instead of doing a wish list gift guide listing all the toys I think are cool, I am doing a parent to parent it’s worked for me guide based on experience, including a reader suggested list. I have not been paid for any of these endorsements, nor have I contacted any of the companies to include their products. Please feel free to add your child’s favorite toy in the comments. This guide is about sharing and helping other parents!
We have 3 parts to our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide.
From now until January 1st the gift guide will be on the main menu bar for easy access.
There are some blogs I absolutely get lost in, Dollar Store Crafts is one of them. I adore this blog . The crafts are not just inexpensive and made with things from dollar stores and things around your house , they are incredibly creative and really hip. There are crafts for all ages, and all abilities featured . My favorite feature is that you can search by cost $1 and under, $5 and $10 and more. In this economy it’s awesome to have someone break it down for you like that before you end up at the store adding everything up and second guessing if you can afford a new crafty creation! If you haven’t visited before – check it out!
Apple Farmer Annie
Mr. Cookie Baker
is another great look at a small business owner , and how she does her work everyday and feeds the masses with her yummy pizza! I like how it not only explains how to make pizza but it also looks at the ingredients and how they are grown and processed. Of course it’s not explained in depth but it is explained enough to start a dialogue with interested preschoolers for further investigation. My son loves the cat in this book, the same cat is in many of the other books but for some reason he particularly loves it’s presence in this one. It’s inspired me to make the dough from scratch with my son next time we have pizza! A lovely book!
SQUEAKING OF ART, The Mice Go to the Museum
Truck Driver Tom
is one of my son’s picks. The story is simple, Tom and his puppy drive produce from the farm to the market and see the country side and much more along the way. The best part of this book are the fun bright and detailed illustrations, there is a wide variety of trucks, cars , emergency and construction vehicles! Also it’s a great lesson about how our food gets from the farm to us.
This book is really useful not just about teaching about flowers and gardens, but also about patience and the annual cycle of a garden. Zinnia plants and waits, waters, enjoys her flowers, then they die, she collects the seeds and plans her garden for next year. I love that the main story is perfect for my almost 3 year old but there is much more for older children with longer attention spans. There is a little journal with notes about what’s happening with her garden, and various facts about plants as well. Like in so many of her books the author celebrates hard work and her characters take great pride in what they do. A fantastic message for readers, big and little. I also love the mix of illustration and photographs in this book especially, it gives the illustrations depth and a really interesting look. 
Black Bean and Lentil Wreath
I love wreaths, they are the perfect way to decorate and although I made a Halloween Wreath last week I wanted to share how my son got in on the fun too. We actually made this one weeks ago. This Halloween craft was fun for both of us I love the organic look to it. If you don’t have a paper plate to use any cardboard cut into a circle will do!
- Gather your materials. You will need dried black beans, dried orange lentils, a paper plate, orange ribbon, white glue, bowls to mix , a spoon and scissors.
- Start by having your child mix the black beans and orange lentils. It was at this point that I got the idea for this sensory tub. My son loved this step.
- While they play with the beans and lentils add glue, lots and lots of glue.
- Add the beans and lentils. It was hard getting photos of this because I was helping him drizzle them on.
- Keep going until all the glue is covered.
- Let dry – I popped it outside in the sun to dry faster!
- When it’s all dry cut out the middle.
- Shake off any loose lentils and beans.
- Add an orange ribbon.
- Hang up !
Halloween Books from Carrie Anne
Carrie Anne is a monthly contributor to No Time For Flash Cards, she shares fantastic book reviews and today she is sharing her Halloween picks! Catch up with her on her blog Another Day , Another Thought…or two!
Dragon’s Halloween 
Pumpkinhead
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I am often asked how I can chill and not worry about the mess my son makes, but I have nothing on Filth Wizardry. The creative messes here abound, with amazing results. I loved the Freaky Scarecrow and her Playdough Dinosaur Island is simply amazing. If you haven’t found her blog you need to , trust me your kids will thank you!
