Ain't No Mom Jeans

Crazy Awesome: Coloraturo Blocks (and a Giveaway!)

****Giveaway is closed! Congrats to Jane Little, our winner!***

I'm always delighted to support companies that are all about promoting open-ended and creative play.  Especially companies who are also well-versed in the benefits of Reggio Emelia (my hands-down, current favorite early childhood education philosophy).  So when I was contacted by the folks over at the Learning Materials Workshop to see if we wanted to test out their new set of blocks, I jumped at the chance.

You know we love our blocks.  A lot.

Learning Materials Workshop creates highly colored, very unique sets of blocks.  At first glance, they don't look like anything exciting.  Here's the Coloraturo:

 

Um.  Ok.

But it only took Raines about 2.3 seconds to see the myriad of possibilities in this little set.

He made houses....

Your Own Personal School of Rock: Which Instruments are Best For Young Kids, and How To Keep the Family Jamming

Mamas, I'm so excited, I barely know where to begin.

Some background: I was lucky enough, while living in Denver, to have found (and attended) the Music Train's music classes for kids. R and I had tried out several other music classes (Music Together, etc), but had never found ones that we loved. R, for example, draws a line at "shaking his sillies out" (even at age 2) and I could only handle so many renditions of "wheels on the bus" before wanting to throw myself under the bus.

Enter Anya Jane and the Music Train.

From the first class, we both knew we had found something special. Anya brings a certain magic to all of her classes: each class starts with two loud blasts of a train whistle, then BAM!! Hold on, baby, it's a wild ride. She and her guitar bring an energy (and, honestly, a cool factor) to music classes that is simply unparalleled in the world of kid's music classes. Each of her music sessions are themed (we're talking serious music genres like rock, jazz 'n blues, latin, irish folk, etc.) and she uses a mix of regular adult songs that also appeal to kids (thank you for that, Anya)...as well as kid's classics, re-done. I no longer daydream about playing in traffic when listening to her rendition of Wheels On the Bus done to a rock beat and (I think?) electric guitar.

If that wasn't enough, the first and third Saturday of each month Anya holds a Family Concert Series.  Think family-friendly dance parties with live, local bands whose music appeals to all ages. And it's good music. The kind you'd want to listen to, even without the kiddos.

If it's not clear by now, I have a total crush on Anya Jane. The chick rocks. And is amazing with kids, and music. Soooo....you can imagine my excitement. Because Anya has written for us music-loving, rock-star wannabe mamas....THE primer on introducing your kiddos to music. Not only does she identify which instruments are best for each age...but she gives tips on how to introduce each one, and how to keep the whole family jammin'.

The Tiger Mom can have her Suzuki...for pre-school and under, we're sticking with Anya Jane.

And here she is...

Favorite Blocks/Building Sets For Kiddos Under 5

We are a block-centric family here.  Partially because I was block-building obsessed as a kid, Raines is (now) block obsessed (yay!)...and partially because we've been totally committed to staying far, far away from licensed character anything and crappy, plastic toys that light up/make sounds/etc.

But I don't mean to sound smug - a large reason we have to be so careful about the kind of toys we have is because we are severely space-challenged.  We are small apartment dwellers, so any toy we buy (or allow to stay in the house) has to be multi-purpose and open-ended.  Hello, blocks.

According to the educators behind Childhood 101 (one of my fav blogs), blocks and other types of construction/building materials can help promote problem solving skills, basic science concepts (form a hypothesis/guess and then test the concept), perseverance, and good collaboration skills - all key lifelong skills any little boy (or girl!!) will need.  Read Childhood 101's full article on the topic of Constructing here.  

You certainly don't need any fancy toys to promote constructive play (Childhood 101 has a wealth of low-cost construction activities on their website - here's a few examples)...but it is the holiday season, and sometimes it's just fun to buy toys.  So if you are looking for some gift ideas, ones that will last for years and years (really!!) here are our well-tested favorites, as well as a few that underwhelmed, and a few that we have high hopes for. 

Hate Throwing Your Kid In Front of the TV? Here's a DVD Collection You Will Love

There's all sorts of warnings about kids and TV exposure.  Too much TV may inhibit babies' language development.  And toddlers?  To summarize another recent study, too much TV makes toddlers fat and dumb.  Whoa.  Think I'm exaggerating?  Dr. Linda S. Pagani, the lead author of this study, says (much more eloquently than I do): 

We found every additional hour of TV exposure among toddlers corresponded to a future decrease in classroom engagement and success at math, increased victimization by classmates, have a more sedentary lifestyle, higher consumption of junk food and, ultimately, higher body mass index.

Bad enough, right?  But it doesn't end there.  Even in teenagers, there seems to be a link between too much TV and depression.  However, experts aren't sure if this link (or any of these links, really) are because of the programming itself, the commercials, or the fact that TV time takes away from other, healthier activities.

I don't know about you mammas, but this mamma has a serious case of guilt everytime I use the TV to
"parent".  

Sick of The Same Old Toys? Try These: The Coolest Toys You've Never Heard of (For Kiddos Under 5)

 Do you have a friend like this?  The one who always manages to find the coolest toys?  Toys that the kiddos can't tear themselves away from, yet toys that manage to teach in the sneakiest (and most fun) ways?  Toys you certainly have never seen before.  And no wonder.  When you ask said friend, she shrugs nonchalantly and says, "Oh that?  I found it at <insert cool little boutique toy store>."  And it turns out that the product was shipped from France or some other fabulous far-flung destination.  Or the darn thing is a relic from your own childhood that she somehow managed to both remember and track down online (remember Run Ragged ?  Still one of my husband's favs.)

In any case, if you haven't guessed, I have a friend like this, and longtime readers may remember her as J.  J, mom of adorable Sohpia, with the discerning eye for sunglasses, lighting, and all things cozy-chic.  But her specialty?  (Ummm...besides her law degree and her non-profit Weecycle?)  Is toys.  This cool mama actually "works" (in quotes because I know she'd do it for free) at a toy store every Christmas season...for fun.  And since I gleefully steal just about every toy idea she throws my way, I thought you mamas might want in on the fun.

Here are J's latest finds...

Total Genius: Good Night Grab Bag

“Incentivizing” Your Kid to Sleep Through the Night in His Big Boy Bed

The mom’s battle with sleep begins during pregnancy, no?  Crazy dreams, frequent trips to pee, hot flashes and thumping babies prep us for the marathon of newborn night waking and sleep deprivation we’re in for.  If we’re lucky, the babe’s sleep starts to normalize around 4-6 months (or—bummer—much later for some), but once your toddler starts sleeping through the night, you have a home-free (!) feeling of accomplishment.  Until, that is, you find yourself living in a post-big-kid-bed world. . .  For some, the transition from crib to bed goes seamlessly.  For the rest of us, the ones who’ve tried everything else, the ones who’ve thought about actually reading Go the F**k to Sleep out loud to their kids, even the ones who object to bribing incentivizing their children, I submit the Goodnight Grab Bag as a possible miracle solution to your wakeful woes.

Stomp Rocket Fun

M bought my little guy a Stomp Rocket as a consolation prize when the new baby was born.

It's a pretty good one.

You slide the foam rockets on the tube...then STOMP on the attached launcher-thing.

And you get...

Handmade Alternatives: Teethers and Pacifier Clips

The following is part of a series of posts by contributing author Lane about a few fabulous handmade alternatives to the usual mass-produced baby items.  Also see her articles on handmade alternatives for baby slings and carriers, shopping cart covers, and nursing covers.  

Teethers

I don't even have my baby in hand yet, but from what I'm told by expert moms everywhere, when it comes to teethers Sophie the Giraffe is the queen of the world. You can find her at Toys'R'Us for $19.99.

 
But while Sophie may reign supreme when it comes to relieving little achey mouths, you may want a back-up or companion, so why not shop handmade?

Listening: Best Lullaby CD Ever

Sure, music soothes even the most savage two-year-old human beast.  But for some of us, powering through a kids music CD is a cloying act of endurance, often precipitated by an already stressful meltdown situation.  Not so with Anya Jane & Friends’ Lullabies, a recent release of “old favorites and new gems,” beautifully rendered in acoustic guitar, requinto (a cute little guitar), mandolin, harmonica and piano, with amazing vocals that will leave both you and your tiny person breathing a sigh of relief.  

A soulful, toned-down rendition of the classic “Your Are My Sunshine” kicks off the perfect soundtrack for winding down after dinner and getting into the evening routine.  “Jamaican Farewell” follows in a mellow canter two songs in, then pretty much every soothing and reassuring thing you could ever say to your child is summed up in a miraculously un-saccharine “Everything is Gonna Be Alright” followed by a beautiful original instrumental, “Cowboy’s Lullaby.”  The CD wraps with one movement of Beethoven’s “Pathetique Sonata Op. 13,” and a traditional rendering of the classic “Tu Ra Loo Ra,” accompanied by harmonica and acoustic guitar.

Oh, and unlike most other lullaby CDs, Anya Jane & Friends’ Lullabies is suitable for listening all day long, any time you and your tiny people need to take a moment to chill.  I find it especially useful around hour 2-1/2 of any 3 hour drive, when it usually seems like everyone is about to lose their minds. 

Pick up your copy of Lullabies on the Music Train web site.  And if you’re in Denver, don’t forget to look into Anya’s kids music classes.  Anya is a dynamic, energetic teacher and great musician to boot.  Her classes are full of joy, dancing, ears-on fun and are easily the best kids music classes in town because they’re such a blast for moms and babes alike. 

Happy listening, mamas!
- M.

 

Reader Question: What to Get a One-Year-Old and The Secret Toy Closet

Reader Question:

Hello Ladies,

I know I'm a bit early but I know the question will inevitably come up and I'll be scrambling for ideas to give two sets of Grandparents and various Aunties and Uncles who all don't want to send a duplicate gift since we live overseas. And the other problem, myson's first birthday comes just 4 days after his first Christmas. Can we say gift-o-palooza?

Any suggestions would be appreciated, but if you haven't the time, needn't fret; I've put out some emails to some Moms as well.

Thanks Ain't No Mom Jeans! Keep up the great work

Kind Regards

Nell

Answer:

Pshaw!  We always have time for reader questions, Nell—we love them!  Thanks for writing in—it makes us feel soooo popular : )

What first jumps to mind is books, books and more books, but I'll cover toys here and we'll do a round up of best books by age at a later date.

As luck would have it, Little Lou celebrated the big 0-1 two days ago, so I just finished the scramble for one-year-old gift ideas and it’s fresh in my head.  Little Lou is my second, so I feel like I have some perspective on what kids this age will actually play with, and since S. and I both have January babes, I’ll let you in on a well-tested method we’ve both employed for combating gift-o-palooza: The Secret Toy Closet.