Green Treehouse

That’s what my preschooler wants to know.  Now that I think about it, I remember wondering the same thing when I was her age.  Hmm… maybe unicorn curiosity is genetic.  Regardless of where a child’s interest in unicorns originates, my preschooler has discovered an absolutely beautiful book, perfect for pre-K to second graders, on the subject.     

Neil Reed’s The Midnight Unicorn (available at Amazon.com for under $15) is a magical story about unicorns and a girl’s love for them.  Millie, the story’s curious main character, embarks on a memorable adventure with a beloved unicorn statue that comes to life, along with her dog.     The watercolor illustrations look almost like photographs.  The pages feature spot-lamination which gives shine and texture to the illustrations–like illumination to Millie’s hair.  My preschooler loves running her fingers over the pages as I read. 

This book is definitely a bookshelf keeper.  In fact, my preschooler likes the book so much, I wouldn’t be surprised if I wind up buying copies of the book for “girly” birthday party presents–speaking of which, I can’t believe the number of birthday party invites a preschooler receives!

Does your child love unicorns, too?  If so, what are your child’s favorite unicorn books and accessories?

I just returned from a family cruise vacation.  Cruising with a preschooler, toddler, and a baby was a blast, really.  My kids loved the constant buzz of ship activity.  My toddler (slash on the verge of becoming a preschooler) especially loved looking for Spiderman among the waves.  Betcha didn’t know Spidey hangs out in the Ocean when he’s not in the city saving people?  Don’t worry if you didn’t know that.  I didn’t either, until I intercepted a throw of my toddler’s baseball hat destined for the water far, far below the deck.  My toddler explained, “Spidey will save my hat.”

Spidey has become a permanent fixture in my little guy’s brain–to the point of obsession which doesn’t even compare to my preschooler’s former love of Dora.  My house is even overflowing with Spiderman.  Spiderman band-aids, plates, utensils, cups, towels, clothing, slippers, sneakers, pencils.  Thank goodness, I haven’t yet stumbled upon a Spidey car seat or Britax superhero replacement cover.  But it’s probably only a matter of time until one makes its way into my household.  After all, Graco already makes a Dora booster. 

Curious about superhero obsession, I undertook a bit of online research on the subject.  Is this normal almost preschooler behavior?  Here’s what I learned, thanks to an informative Superhero case study:

* Superhero or pretend play (a.k.a. ”good guy vs. bad guy”) is normal and important in social development.  Dramatic play rules!  

* It’s normal for preschoolers to show intense interest in superheroes, usually around age four or five

* Superhero imitation helps children form their own identity, figure out differences between good and undesired behavior, and understand rules

* Superhero play helps children learn empathy

* Children can gain confidence through superhero play

Gee, I had absolutely no idea how important or healthy superhero obsession could be for kids’ social and moral (even physical) development!  I just might now need to start setting a place for Spidey at the dinner table.     

Has your child fallen for a superhero, too?  If so, who?        

A friend asked me the other day, “so, is your preschooler into Barbie, yet?”  My gut reaction:  what on Earth do you mean by yet?  Yet assumes living in a Barbie World (thanks, Aqua) is inevitable.  First off, I don’t think the Barbie phase is inevitable.  But, back to the question.  The answer is yes.  My preschooler has just started to show interest in Barbie.

I realize the word “Barbie” alone can stir up the liveliest of debates among parents, especially moms.  Some draw the line at Barbie.  Others say, “what’s the harm?”  Still others lie somewhere in between–”maybe one or two dolls, but forget the dream house and hundreds of accessories.” 

As much as I’d like my preschooler to remain interested in her natural and simple wood Ryan’s Room dollhouse and miniature Waldorf-inspired wood people,  I can’t deny that she’s losing interest in favor of Barbie and the KidKraft line of dollhouses (which by the way, are quite dreamy) that accommodate Barbie (and like sized) dolls.  Oh, in case you’re wondering, she doesn’t watch much t.v.–and when she does, it’s commercial free.

Please help me out here.  What’s the going age for Barbie?  When does life in plastic begin?  When does it end? 

Maybe it’s because the cups are just so darn cute.  Maybe it’s because they make kids feel so grown up.  Reasoning aside, kids simply love tea parties.

I vividly remember one of my first childhood tea parties.  I sat at a plastic pint-sized table surrounded by my stuffed animal friends–come to think of it, that was a pretty ugly table.  It would probably pass for “retro chic” today, given the big gaudy flowers displayed all over it. Table and all, I remember those tea parties.

My preschooler really digs tea parties now.  She loves her tea set, especially when I fill the tiny serving pitcher with chocolate milk.  She absolutely loves to fill (and refill) her own cup. 

Tea parties unleash her imagination.  I love hearing my preschooler engage in full conversations with her imaginary friends, stuffed animals, and dolls.  I can only hope she looks back on her childhood and remembers her tea parties, like I do mine.  Maybe she’ll even remember her table–minus the flowers.

Want to encourage your child’s imagination through a tea party?  Here are five simple things you can do to make a tea party super special.

1.  Invite a friend to the party.  Tea parties are even more special when a ”real” friend joins in the fun.  Even if that friend is mommy or daddy.

2.  Give your child her own special tea set.  While ordinary dishes will do, there is nothing quite like a miniature child-sized set.

3.  Dress up.  Encourage your child to dress up for tea!  What a perfect occasion to wear dress-up clothes, costume jewelry, fun scarves or mommy’s heels (okay, maybe the not-too-high ones).

4.  Get fancy.  For a “formal” tea party, make tea time invitations with your child and send them to guests (bonus feature:  what child doesn’t love to send and receive mail?).

5.  Serve treats.  Tea parties are fun with imaginary tea and snacks, but even better with the real thing.  Consider chocolate milk or another special drink as a “tea” substitute.  Consider mini cupcakes or mini cookies as a snack.

Most importantly, don’t forget the camera!  You’ll definitely want to preserve those tea party moments!

Does your little one like tea parties?  What have you done to make them even more memorable for your child?   

I’m nearly convinced that one of the best gifts for a toddler/pre-K aged-child is a train table–with trains and a bunch of accessories, of course!  My children (and the children of nearly every parent I know) are drawn to them whenever they spot one, such as at Barnes and Noble or at the pediatrician’s office.

While the floor or dining room table may seem like an okay place for train play, nothing quite beats a train table that is specifically designed to keep kids busy for hours by encouraging imaginary play, while also neatly containing train parts.  A separate play space for the kids is a nice perk of a train table—fewer train parts to step on around the house, fewer times asking (okay, let’s get real here, begging) your kids to “clean up” their toys.

A quality train table can last for years.  Even after your kids outgrow the table for train play, it can be used as a versatile storage table (most train table manufacturers offer deep storage drawers as an add on accessory) or as another surface for doing other activities, like school assignments or art—some parents elect to paint a table’s surface with chalkboard paint for extended use.

There are a number of popular train table manufacturers, including reasonably priced tables by KidKraft (which offers tables in a choice of color, complete with colorful and fun play surfaces).  BabyEarth.com offers free shipping on orders over $99—that makes giving a train table gift this holiday an even merrier idea.

I just finished decking out my mantle with one of those holiday-themed greenery garlands–sure, the greens are artificial, but the glittery Pine Cones look quite elegant. My kids aren’t the only ones excited that the holiday season “officially” rings in this week with the arrival of Turkey Day. I’m also ecstatic, especially knowing that I can now count the number of days until Black Friday on one hand.

There’s no doubt, I love shopping. But, I’m also smart about it. I don’t like to clutter my closets with things I won’t ever use. I tend to think most people on my shopping list share similar thoughts. So, when the holidays come, I try to buy practical gifts.

This shopping approach gets me into trouble sometimes–because I’ve discovered that it’s really hard to keep a gift a surprise when I’ve bought something that someone could use right away.

When it comes to my own kids, I’m tempted to pull out whatever gift I’ve purchased and let them start using it. That’s why I’m nearly certain I will fail at keeping the puzzles I’m going to buy my toddler this week a secret. My toddler is completely ready for puzzles (btw, puzzles make great gifts at this age)–and, I know they would make for hours of entertainment during the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations.   

Do you shop and tell, too? If not, what’s your strategy for keeping holiday gifts for your children a surprise?