toddlers

Gimme My Jimmies Giveaway

by Stacy on March 7, 2009

If you’ve got young kids in the house, then most days you probably feel as if you’d do just about anything to listen to some real music for a while. You know the kind that you actually don’t mind being stuck in your head all day long. While KSW may not be able to solve this dilemma completely, but we do feel there should be some sort of middle ground. You know, a place where music is entertaining for children and well, not so grating to us … enter the new KSW Presents Parent-Friendly Music series. We’ll try out many of the new tunes so you don’t have to and then let you know all about them right here. To get this series started, we’ve chosen an up and coming, hip NYC-based rock band for kids known as: The Jimmies you certainly won’t want to miss.

The Jimmies
http://GimmeJimmies.com
-An Oppenheim “Best Toy of 2009″ & Parents Choice Award Winner
-#1 on Sirius/XM Radio’s KidsPlace
See The Jimmies live at: Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, The Target Book Fair, World Cafe Live & The Bushnell

This five-man group (um,I mean four guys and one amazing girl) has managed to find a way to tap into their inner child and produce some of the most creative kiddie music I’ve heard in a long, long time. Since the moment I downloaded the CD, it’s playful lyrics and up tempo beats have had my toes tapping and my head bobbing (just as promised). It’s as if suddenly, someone made children’s music fun again and I get that “I’m a big kid again” feeling. Love that feeling, don’t you?

Why We Love It: Something about the Jimmie’s enthusiasm to entertain children speaks to us. We love the way they have taken ordinary topics and turned them into something truly extraordinary and educational at the same time.

KSW’s Recommended Tracks:

Hupsha – silly children’s reggae – perfect for getting the kiddies awake in the AM without going crazy in the process

PB & J- a zany take at a boring staple (not to mention some great new lunch ideas for parents)

Birthday Song – finally a great alternative to a tired old classic – you’ll want everyone singing this at your next birthday party

Toddler Recommended Tracks:

What’s on Your Shirt – my three year old REALLY enjoyed this song and was singing along mid-way through the first time I played it

And now for the really fun part … The Jimmies are graciously GIVING AWAY a CD to one lucky KSW reader!

Three Ways to Enter:

1. Leave a comment here to be automatically entered to win

2. Visit The Jimmies website, watch the videos and leave a new comment here saying which one was your favorite and why

3. Twitter a link to this giveaway - come back and leave another new comment with your Twitter name (I’m @steet if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all three to gain several entries to win! You have until 10pm EST on Sunday, March 15, 2009, to enter.

This Giveaway has officially ended. A huge CONGRATULATIONS to Comment #11 - Wendy G {aka @MyGreenSide on twitter} for winning this fabulous giveaway. We’ll contact you soon to make arrangements for you to receive your CD.

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KSW Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

by Stacy on February 4, 2009

KSW Valentine's Day Gift Guide

Items $50 or Less

Tatri’s Pig Backpack from Oompa ~ $20
Little Luck Bag from Haba ~ $8
Ana ring from Haba ~ $3.50
Dante Beatrix Eco Backpack from Oompa ~ $50
Heart Bracelet from Haba ~ $10
Hearts and Owls Brown Tee or Onesie from Oliver Jane ~ $18
PB kids Dessert Collection ~ $19-34
Be Mine Tee from Old Navy ~ $3
Sunglasses from the Gap $5
Be Mine Green Heart Rattle from Oompa ~ $9
Printed One Piece from Old Navy ~ $8
Pia Jewelry House from Haba ~ $32

~ Items 1-5, 10 & 12 from Oompa Toys
Use the code JAN09 to get 10% off of your order of $50 or more till V-Day

Check out more of my KSW Valentine’s Gift Guide list at ThisNext (psst, there’s a few grown up options in there too – prices may vary). I’ll keeping adding over the next few days.

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Toddlers and Textures

by Stacy on December 6, 2008

Recently, I stumbled onto a terrific site, Write, Mama, Write, authored by a charming mother named Beth. She uses her blog as a writing outlet and along the way – describes all the wonderfully creative projects her and her son do together.

I’m so happy she posted her Toddlers and Textures project and even more thrilled she’s agreed to let us feature it here on Kids Stuff World.

Like most children, Beth’s son loves to make things out of Play-doh. Fortunately for him, his mom has quite the imagination. After watching her son play indoors with play-doh and various textures, Beth took things up a notch. She took her son on a nature walk and had him collect items with interesting textures. Once they were back indoors, they pressed the items into bakeable modeling clay, she used Sculpey. Beth baked their new creations and just look at the outstanding results.

This simple project is suited for children ages 2 and up, and would make great gifts for just about anyone. The items pictured above were made using pine cones, parsley, sage, and fir needles but you could really use just about anything. Experiment with items you have laying around the house, things you find on vacation or for the zen lover in your life try using some stamped words – Hope, Love, Imagine, Dream.

The possibilities really are endless, try this one with your children, we’d love to see what you create.

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Cute snack idea

by Stacy on October 17, 2008

Banana Dots

I stumbled onto a great new blog today called The Toddler Cafe. The host of Toddler Cafe, Jennifer, blogs about all sorts of terrific ways to get kids eating healthy and delicious meals and snacks. Take this super cute Banana Dots recipe. A little creativity turns a typical afternoon snack into something truly special. I’m not sure about your kids but mine love anything I declare “special”. I can’t wait to try this one over the weekend.

Simply slice the banana into rounds, dab a dot of peanut butter (or let the kids do it through a plastic baggie as Jennifer suggests), then sprinkle with coconuts, chocolate chips, peanuts, or even honey. Try one round with one of each topping for a devine sampler platter.

Jennifer, thanks so much for this wonderful idea. I can’t wait to find tons more great ideas on your site.

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Fairy Wishes, Butterfly Dreams

by Stacy on October 15, 2008

Butterfly costume
Photo from here

I stumbled across this image a few months ago and just knew I wanted to recreate this costume for my daughter for Halloween. I threw all reality out the window and went sheerly on impulse disregarding the fact that my 20 month old has never worn a costume, let alone a super pouffy tutu and is pretty particular about her clothing. In preparation for the event, I scooped up tons of gorgeous tulle, I researched the easiest ways to create a tutu online, and then I got to work creating my own version of this fairy skirt each night after work. Hours later I ended up with one gorgeous tutu if I must say so myself. I chose to mix colors pink, blue, and purple in several layers creating a beautiful effect. I was so excited for my little one to see the finished product. I waited patiently all day on Saturday waiting for the perfect opportunity to introduce her to my beautiful creation. It never once occurred to me, no not even once, that my wee one would be DEATHLY afraid of the thing. Yes, deathly. Just being near it brings her to tears, its a real shame- she would have made the most beautiful butterfly/fairy. So it goes, there’s always next year – or the year after that…

I used this method with more layering and color blending to create a no-sew tutu. I’ll post pictures of my version this weekend.

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