Happy Birthday, America!

Perhaps one of the easiest (and most fun!) ways to explain Independence Day to youngsters is as America’s Birthday. Below are just a few ways for you and your preschool patriot to help America celebrate:

1. Make a paper or felt flag – older kiddos may enjoy learning what the stars and stripes represent (50 states and 13 original colonies).

2. Play patriotic music and sing along! Songs like Yankee Doodle and the Star Spangled Banner aren’t just patriotic, they’re fun and a symbol or respect for our country.

3. Pick out a red, white, and blue outfit for each member of the family to wear today!

4. Color in a map of the United States and start teaching your preschooler the names of each of the 50 states.

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Five Fun Things to Do With Water!

Summer’s here and I don’t know about where you are, but it is H-O-T in Texas. Here are five funtabulously fun things to do with water with your preschooler (besides the obvious- swimming). Enjoy!

1. Make a water xylophone – Fill several drinking glasses with different amounts of water. Using a metal spoon, gently tap on each glass to hear the different sound it makes as a result of the differing amount of water. Tap out a song! Add some food coloring for an extra colorful instrument!

2. Washing Dishes Helper – While you’re washing the dishes, give your child a few clean tupperwares or plastic plates to ‘wash’ alongside you. It will get your child involved give him some fun sensory experiences.  

3. Experiment with Colors – Use food coloring, juices, or anything soluble that can turn the water different colors. Mix colors, mix materials, just have a go at it and create your own science experiment. Then see how things turn out when you try and use your creation as paint!

4. Paint the Sidewalk – with water. Grab an old paintbrush, fill a bucket with water, and ‘paint’ the sidewalk or the driveway. I used to LOVE doing this as a kid. It’s relaxing and it will help your toddler or preschooler work on fine motor skills.

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Cheap Fun: Springtime

Here in Texas, it's Spring Break!! Which means kids at home. Which means bored kids at home. Which means crazy mom (or dad) with bored kids at home. Sigh. Here are some cheap, creative ways to entertain your kiddos during their week off!





1. Explore your bathroom - there are plenty of items in your bathroom that can be used for art projects! Q-tips, cotton balls, toilet paper squares, toilet paper rolls, and old toothbrushes are the ingredients for great works of art. Use q-tips and old toothbrushes to create unique texturized paintbrushes. Glue cotton balls and q-tips to paper to create people/figures, toilet paper rolls can become great kazoos with wax paper and a rubber band- the possibilities are endless!


2. Get out the 'old' toys - You know the toys you've put away in closets, the garage, the attic? Get them out this week. They'll feel like new again to your kids (and you)!


3. Get a library card - If you aren't already a frequent library visitor, there's no better time to become one. Bonus: It's FREE! You can check out books, DVDs, and CDs. Many local libraries also offer story times and other programs for children.


4. Go on a backyard safari - Make paper plate masks of your favorite animals and take them outdoors for a jungle safari!


5. Volunteer - Look up local volunteer opportunities that your child/children might be interested in- whether it's with animals, other children, or spending time with senior citizens. This will pass the time and help others :) Read more...

Inspiring Creativity Through Stories

When I was in elementary school, I wrote my own version of a children’s book (for a school project). It was called ‘Stinky the Dog.’ I must admit, it was loosely (closely?) based on our own family pet. In the story, ‘Stinky’ smelled horribly bad, but no one in the town wanted to hurt his feelings, so instead of telling him that he stunk, they all just wore gas masks. And everyone lived happily ever after. Sigh.

Do you ever make up stories with your kiddos? Creating stories with your children and turning them into books and illustrations can be great fun- even with the youngest of youngsters! Plus, kiddos come up with the best, funniest stories- just imagine how great it will be to read them back five or ten years from now!

One kiddo who has done just this has actually published her stories- have you heard of her? Paris Morris, at the ripe old age of 12, writes stories about her younger twin sisters. Her first book, I’m Having Twins! chronicles the changes young children experience when a sibling (or two!) comes along- but from the invaluable perspective and voice of a child. And can I just tell you how great the illustrations are in these books?! Perfect even for the youngest of bookworms! Her NEXT book, Paris goes to San Francisco, is coming out this Valentine’s Day!

Oh, and you might want to click on my giveaway tab at the top of the page, hint, hint!

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Cheap Fun: Get Crafty

Crafts. They're often done at preschool, but have you ever considered how many of the materials you have around the house that have the potential for awesome, creative crafts for your kiddos?! Here are just a few ideas:

1. Make a Shoebox diorama – grab a shoebox, turn it sideways and go to town! You could make a diorama of the solar system with yarn and paper or your very own zoo with play doh!

2. What can you build out of the things in your bathroom cabinet: q-tips, cotton balls, and toilet paper rolls? Probably some rockin’ dolls with crazy hair. Maybe they have ouchies. Add a band-aid or two for effect.

3. Do your kids love stickers? Probably, but they can get kind of expensive, especially if you go for the fancy schmancy kind. Do you have old garage sale stickers lying around? You know, the colored dot ones? If so, use pens and pencils to draw letters and numbers on them!

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4. Let your child snap some photos with your digital camera (or film camera if you have one!). Your child will have a ball and you will love seeing the world captured from the perspective of your little one. Print out your kiddo’s favorites and make a collage or photo album.


What are your favorite crafts to make with your kids?

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Avant Garde Parenting on the Net!

Do people even say 'on the net' anymore? I think I just dated myself. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I have TWO guest features out at two great blogs today! 


First, head on over to Travel Babbles. Have you been wondering what makes me laugh until I snot? I know you have. Well, in my guest post at Travel Babbles, you'll find out. AND it's a video. With a link. So, dear readers, you too, can laugh until you snot. We can all snot together.

Then, head over to Mountain Mum (hey, wasn't she a Parent of the Week?) and check out a great kid friendly recipe that will make you a huge hit at parties. I'm not kidding. This recipe is sure to increase your popularity with kids and adults alike. Plus, it's fun, easy to have kids help you with, and NOT MESSY. Yes, you read that correctly.




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Cheap Fun: Winter

The holidays are over- the decorations have been hung (and possibly unhung), the gifts have been opened, but the kids are still out of school...have you heard this yet: “I’m bored”? If so (or even if not) here are a few quick ideas for after-holiday winter fun!

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1. Involve your child in holiday un-decorating- Especially great for very young children, make a tradition of saying goodbye to the holidays by helping them put away special holiday decorations and ornaments. This will give closure to an exciting time of year.

2. Start a countdown to the next holiday- Groundhog Day is only a little over a month away, so why not start a countdown? In fact, why not make an entire calendar of the year’s holidays?!

3. Make a dried apple garland – This is a fun craft for which you probably already have most of the materials. Bonus: It will make your home smell delicious!

• Simply core & slice 6-8 apples into ¼” slices & soak in lemon juice for 6 minutes.
• Pat dry with paper towel & sprinkle both sides with mixture of 8 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp allspice, 1 tsp cloves
• Bake in single layer at 200 degrees for 6 hours until completely dried & slightly pliable

String apples onto jute or other craft rope, alternating with fabric strips or holly sprigs. Hang and enjoy!

4. Go ice skating! Okay, so this one costs a bit, but what better winter activity?! Not only is it fun, but it’s a great way to help your little one start learning some heavy duty coordination! Tip: try googling a coupon for your local ice skating rink.

5. Make a Snow Globe - How magical to have your very own homemade snow globe! It’s super easy and requires only a few materials. Here’s a great tutorial.

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15 Fun Ideas that will Help your Child Learn and Grow

Does it seem like everywhere you turn you’re hearing ‘no’ all the time? “Don’t do _____ with your child” “No TV until age two and limited time after that...” “Computer time should be restricted...” “Watch out for video games!” “This isn’t good!” “Don’t do that!”

...Okay, so what DO we do as parents? Here are 15 GREAT activities to do with your preschooler that will challenge, engage, and develop. Go. Do them.

1. Pretend- Be animals. Be characters. Be each other. Be yourselves.
2. Color- Use crayons. Use paints. Use markers. Use chalk.
3. Sort. Anything- beads, blocks, ornaments, etc.
4. Get active. Skip, hop, jump, run. Practicing different motor skills is GREAT for your preschooler. BONUS: Energy release!
5. Be musical- it’s easy to do! Make a rhythm out of just about anything- a wooden spoon and a pan or even just your hands and knees. Challenge your kiddo to mirror your beat.
6. Hide & Seek. An oldie but goodie. Play it with each other, or take turns hiding and finding different objects.
7. Cook. For children, cooking is a lesson in science, art, home economics, and bonding with you- and it usually has a delicious ending!
8. Read- Book sharing is an invaluable experience for little minds. Spend time not only reading the words to your children, but engaging with them about what’s happening in the story and the pictures on the pages.
9. Snuggle. Physical touch is nurturing for young children- and what better time to snuggle in than when sharing a book?!
10. Build something- Blocks. Legos. Marble run. Stack of sofa cushions. Activities like these will help your child practice motor skills and also planning skills, or the ability to be able to picture how something will look, then make it come to life.
11. Get messy. Mix paints. Mix mud. Mix sand. Mix paint, mud, and sand.
12. Get some fresh air! Even if it’s cold/windy/rainy/snowy. Take a walk. See what you can find. Take a bucket for collecting acorns/leaves/interesting rocks.
13. Talk. Your kiddo probably has lots to say. Take some time to really listen. Ask questions and wait for her to answer. When she does, prompt with an open-ended response like, “Tell me more about that.”
14. A, B, C, or 1, 2, 3 – Practice the alphabet or numbers with your child- but make it fun. Practice writing his name or counting how many stuffed animals she has!
15. Pull out some old toys- that you’ve had in the closet for a while. They’ll seem like new again!

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Ten Fun Things to do with Leftover Halloween Candy (Besides eat it)

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1. Sort it – Very young children love to sort things- by color, by shape, by size, or by type. Candy even adds sorting dimensions (chocolates versus non-chocolates, different flavors, etc.). Make it a race seeing who can sort the quickest, or just have a leisurely time sorting at your own pace. Either way, sorting can provide you hours of fun.

2. Make Jewelry – I heard that candy jewelry made by preschoolers is really in this season and now you can have yours for free! Grab some yarn and tie together the bajillions of bubble gums and lollipops your children raked in for some candy chic necklaces and bracelets. Then create your own catwalk and have a fashion show!

3. Donate it – Many local area Meals on Wheels, nursing homes, and foster homes graciously accept leftover Halloween candy. Leftover candy (especially candy that isn’t specifically decorated for Halloween) is given to those in need and used for Thanksgiving and holiday get-togethers. Check with your local agencies for special guidelines. BONUS: This is a great opportunity to teach your child about giving back and having a giving heart.

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4. Bake it in a recipe – Okay, so this one doesn’t qualify as a ‘not eating it’ idea, but there are so many great recipes that involve candy and cooking with your kids is a great way to bond and create special memories. Here’s a great blog post from Sugar Mama with 15 delicious recipes for leftover Halloween candy.

5. Make sentences – Candy seems to always have fun names, so what better way to work on your child’s reading and sentence skills than helping him make sentences out of the candy names? Here’s an example: ‘I used to think Mom and Dad were two big nerds, but now I know they are smarties!’ And here’s a simpler one for younger kids: ‘Parker is the cutest boy in the entire Milky Way!’

6. Use it as a currency lesson – Don’t want your kids that entire pillowcase-full of candy they brought home on Halloween? Have them exchange it either for money that they can use to buy toys (older children) or for the toys themselves (younger children).

7. Play Hide-and-Seek with it – Kids love hide-and-seek, so give the game a twist by hiding the candy instead. One person hides the candy (hide it in groups- chocolates, suckers, etc- so you won’t be searching for so many little pieces) and the other person finds it. If you have more than one ‘seeker,’ put each person in charge of a candy group (one person find the suckers, one person finds the bubble gums, etc.)

8. Weigh it – Do you know which weighs more, a Blow Pop or a Tootsie Pop? What about a dry piece of gum or a chewed piece? Milk chocolate or dark chocolate? I sure don’t.

9. Make it art – Got glue and paper? Make a candy collage! Your child can leave candy in its wrapper or take it out- either way her art will be beautiful and a great addition to your refrigerator.

10. Make it a science lesson – Which candies float? Which candies dissolve in cold water the quickest? Hot water? Which chocolates melt the fastest in the microwave? Your kitchen has all the tools you need to set up a candy science lab and have hours of fun and learning.

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Cheap fun: Around the house

So you’re stuck at home. Whatever the reason (rain, sick kid, sick mom), being stuck inside can give you the blues. Here are some ways to prevent you from hearing that phrase we all know: ‘Moooooommmmmmm, I’m boooorrrrrreeeeeddddd.’

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1. Around the house scavenger hunt- This is a great way to keep kids occupied and teach them about the alphabet. Making a list of items around the house, start with ‘A’ and hunt ‘til you drop. Get creative with older kids by giving true ‘clues’ instead of item names and having her take photos of the items (‘Find your favorite breakfast item,’ or ‘This is the dog’s most favorite spot to lay’).

2. Go camping- Camping indoors can be a blast! Build a fort out of kitchen chairs and blankets, take a flashlight inside, and read a book. Or, pop some popcorn, put on jammies, and watch a favorite movie. Done with those? Go on a bear hunt!

3. Make play-doh- it’s super easy and you probably have all the ingredients. Find several different recipes here.

4. Make an obstacle course- Use your imagination on this one (but be safe)! Over the pillow, around the table, hop on one foot to the door, tag the refrigerator,… You can do all sorts of variations on this one: who’s the fastest, who can go the slowest, who can complete the course while singing the alphabet/twinkle twinkle/row row row your boat.

5. Have a family sleepover- in the living room! Spread out the sleeping bags, put on your jammies, pop some popcorn and turn on your favorite movie!

Okay, your turn! What fun around the house activities do you do with your kiddos?

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AGP got another award!! Can we go to to CiCi's now?

****SIDE NOTE****I have something VERY SPECIAL to announce this Thursday (and no, I'm not pregnant). Be sure to tune in this Thursday because you will NOT want to miss this!!!

AGP got another blog award! These just always make me sit a little higher in my seat, ya know? They make me feel so gosh-golly good like, ‘Someone is actually reading this?! And they like it?!” Ha! I just chortled a little.

The 'Versatile Blogger' award came from Kimberly over at The Stinker Pinkers. If you haven’t read her blog yet you should. Can I just say for a second how real she is? She has this great way of giving her opinion without being judgy and she opens topics up into great conversations via her comments. Sigh. I love this gal.

To accept the award I’m supposed to tell you 7 things about myself. Here goes.

1. I never forget a name.
2. I hate how high my voice is. But I guess it's better than having a really super low voice.
3. I can still beat you (and most kids) in a handstand contest.
4. I have four best friends and they all have bright red hair.
5. I haven’t had caffeine in almost 15 years.
6. My husband and I have the same first, middle, and last initials.
7. Speaking of my husband, here’s my happy place: one night a few years ago we were watching So You Think You Can Dance. He never really says anything about any of the dances but that night, for the first time, he saw a Doriana Sanchez Disco routine. He looked at me, nodding his head slowly and said (completely serious) “I’m really feelin’ this one.” To this day, when he hears the disco music coming from the tv, I see his head pop into the room: “Whatcha wachin’?” That’s my happy place.

So that’s me in a nutshell. But you know I have to tie it to parenting, right?! Here’s a fun idea to build your child’s self confidence and self-concept: make a ‘me’ book. It’s easy. Take several pages of printer paper and fold them in half while still stacked together. Then staple on the side you just folded so that you have a ‘book.’ Inside the book, help your child make each page something about him or her. For example, favorite color, favorite toy, name, hair color, eye color, etc. Your child can draw pictures inside or you can take and develop photos to include in the book. I guarantee this will be a book your child will want to read over and over!

Now, on to whom I’m passing the award on to. In order to accept the award you must:

1.    Thank the blogger who gave it to you (me) and link back to their site

2.    Tell 7 things about yourself

3.    Pass it on to other ‘versatile’ bloggers!

1. Holly at I Heart Bowheads – Don’t you just love that blog name?! Holly is a fellow DFW blogger who makes me smile, chuckle, and sometimes full out snort laugh.
2. Sue at Mommy’s Pen – I knew I loved this blog when I read that her preschooler goes to a Waldorf school (do you know what that is? If not, check out her blog. If so, check out her blog). Sue has great, to the point posts that make me think and smile.
3. Cristy at Is there a Doctor in the House?– Umm she has a cute baby. Need I say more? But really, this blog is just a good ‘life’ blog that truly is versatile. I love checking in everyday to see what new topic Cristy has written about. 

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Cheap Fun: Autumn

Fall is in the air- can you feel it? The leaves crunching under your feet, the brisk autumn air, the harvest colors. Okay, I can’t feel it in Dallas yet but I can dream, right? Fall offers so many opportunities for fun activities- make this one to remember!

• Leaf rubbings – Find a variety of leaves from the yard. Place a sheet of paper over each one and rub with the long side of a crayon. Your little archaeologist will love seeing the shape and details of each leaf come alive!

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• Collect acorns – This one is easy. Dedicate a shoebox for autumn acorn collecting and keep it by the door for easy access. Acorn activities are endless- sort them by size and color, glue them to a fall scene drawn/painted/colored by your child, or just see how many you can collect over the course of the season!

• Make a cornucopia of thanks – For many families, autumn and particularly Thanksgiving is a time for thanks and reflection. Help your children participate by making a cornucopia out of posterboard (here’s a template). Hang it on the wall and let the kiddos draw and cut out things they are thankful for. Tape them to the cornucopia and watch it (and your children’s thankful hearts) grow!

• Break out the sidewalk chalk – The weather is perfect, so grab your bucket of sidewalk chalk and decorate the driveway and sidewalks! Think of and draw an autumn item for each letter of the alphabet (A-apples, B-broomsticks, C-cornucopias). Or, decorate ‘pumpkins’ by drawing giant ones on the pavement.

• Visit a pumpkin patch – Most pumpkin patches offer at least a day’s worth of fun activities- hay rides, apple picking, petting zoos, and, of course, pumpkin decorating! Bonus: They are great spots for beautiful fall photos of your kiddos!

• Toast pumpkin seeds – Though cleaning out the ‘gunk guts’ of pumpkins can be a chore and sometimes, an arm workout, the seeds are useful! Separate the seed from the gunk and rinse. Spread olive oil onto a baking sheet, then seeds. Stir the seed to coat, sprinkle on salt, and bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Autumn is a special time of year and one that offers lots of things to see and do for kids and families. Use these ideas to make autumn special for your family!

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Avant Garde Parent of the Week: Megan

Megan with Baby P

This is Megan. Megan is a brand new mommy to a sweet little monkey with bright red hair, just like her! Can I just tell you that Megan’s entire labor lasted something like 3.5 hours?! I know, I know, we should hate her. But you can’t because she’s super nice, thoughtful, and funny.

She’s a working mommy but somehow still finds the time and energy to take baby P to swim lessons, story time, grammy & grumps’ house, AND love on her hubby and three dogs. Oh, did I mention that she also blogs?! Megan is my mommy idol. Read on as she talks about how music plays a role in her and baby P’s life. J

"His life is like one big musical," my husband observed after leaving swim class with our 11 week-old son Parker. I would love to say that after 11 weeks we have it all figured out and proceed to tell you the ins and outs of parenthood, but unfortunately I am 100% novice and pretty much flying by the seat of my pants most days...if I can remember to actually put on pants!

One thing, however, that I have observed over these 11 short weeks is how beneficial music can be. We are now at the smiling stage, which I believe solidifies your role as a mother. In that single moment, you are rewarded for all the sleepless nights and crying spells (both by mom and baby) and all of the other challenges that come with being a new parent. Well, my son gets especially smiley when I turn on my iPod (which has now gone from Rhianna to songs about the ABCs) and sing to him- I get a whole different type of interaction. He stares me down, watches my mouth, and eventually breaks into a HUGE smile followed by what I assume is an early attempt at a giggle. These interactions are priceless! I believe this is not only a way to teach him to appreciate music, but also another fun way for him to learn sounds, which will eventually lead to talking.

Swim time!

Our family participates in both a baby swim class and library story time- which center around learning different skills but both encompass music. Each activity comes with a song. Whether it is short or long, silly or informative, when you put it to the tune of "All around the Mulberry Bush" or "Mary had a little lamb", even the simplest of tasks become fun and exciting! Much like AGP discussed about finding ways to make cleaning fun, why not include a song?! If you don't know one off-hand, make one up! The same goes for eating vegetables, scrubbing during bath time, or even during play time! Why not?! Your child doesn't care whether you have a good voice or even if you are on pitch, they just enjoy hearing your voice and acting silly with mommy and/or daddy.

Try it next time you are making dinner with your little one or putting PJs on at bedtime, you never know, it may stick and become a lasting memory for you and your child!

If you would like to be featured as an Avant Garde Parent of the Week or have someone you would like to nominate, please email me at deluna.jamie@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

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Cheap fun: Art

Art projects are such a great way for kids to explore. Working with different supplies encourages creativity and imagination, learning about colors and how they mix, and sensory exploration. However, lots of time art supplies are super expensive. Here are some fun and cheap ideas for art enjoyment with your preschooler:

• Use old toothbrushes as paintbrushes. Different bristles will make different paint stroke types and your child will love using this common household item in a new way.
• Pipe cleaners are so versatile and can be bought in bulk very inexpensively. Practice making letters, numbers, and shapes with them.
• Turn an old shoebox into a diorama - of animals, planets, or the jungle! Use stickers, paper, and pipe cleaners! Shoeboxes can also become great dollhouses.
• Paint pasta! Using plastic sandwich bags and watercolors (food coloring also works), make a rainbow of macaroni, mini shells, or whatever kind of pasta you have in your pantry. Then sort it by color or make a pasta masterpiece by gluing on paper.
• Empty toilet paper rolls (or paper towel rolls) can easily become kaleidoscopes, snakes, telescopes, inchworms, magic wands, or kazoos!
• Paper plates can be a lesson on time (clock), seasons (divide into fourths), or just about anything your imagination can dream up!
• Fill an ice cube tray with water and a little food coloring. Then, put a piece of paper into a baking pan (I like to use the big aluminum ones made to cook turkeys in) and have fun ice cube painting!
• Finally, my favorite: construction paper. Construction paper, like pipe cleaners, can be used for so many activities and is cheap when purchased in bulk. Want a set of jungle animals? Cut them out. Need a set of letters/numbers? Cut them out. Making holiday ornaments? Cut out snowflakes! Love reading? Make a book!

Extra tip: Do you have tons of old, way too big T-shirts lying around? I do. Use them as dedicated 'art towels,' since the best (and most fun) art is always messy :)


Do you have other cheap, fun art ideas? Please leave a comment!!

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