For the Kids - 11/22 - Views From the Ville

We received a Disney Princess & Me Jewel Edition Belle in order to facilitate our review. No additional compensation was received and all words and thoughts are my own.

My husband thinks I put her up to it (I don’t), but Bubbles randomly starts running around the house yelling, “I do, I do, I DO want to go to Disney!” She then tells us a list of all the friends she wants to meet while there: Minnie & Mickey, Tinker Bell and the fairies, and, of course, the princesses. Kind of hard to deny that enthusiasm!

While we can’t hop down the road to Disney World right now, we can create opportunities to play with her friends while at home. Last month Disney had an “I am a PRINCESS weekend” on the Disney Channel. If you missed it, don’t worry. There’s lot of princess goodness scheduled for the rest of the year.

In addition to watching Princess movies like Tangled and Cinderella on the Disney Channel or on DVDs, we also like to play princess. Bubbles has a tiara that she likes to wear, as well as a fancy “princess skirt” made of tulle. She then sends her little princess and prince friends off on fun adventures in her castle – like when they all received puppies to take care of, went to a ball, or even when they’re just having naptime (“Shh, mama, the princesses are sleepy”).

Disney Princess & Me Jewel Edition Belle

Now, though, Bubbles has a big princess friend to play with. Recently a Disney Princess & Me Jewel Edition Belle came to live with us. At 21″ high, she’s not quite life-sized but she’s pretty close. Continue reading »

Bubbles has really been in love with magnets for the last few months. It started with me trying to find something for her to do while I worked in the kitchen; she loves to be my helper, but there are parts she obviously isn’t old enough to do. So I pulled down all the “fun” magnets from the top of the fridge and had her rearrange them while I worked.

She liked it so much that I gave her a dry erase board with a bunch of magnets so she could play wherever she wanted. We came up with a few different games and activities for the magnets, but the small board, we were a bit limited in all we could do. I decided to look for a magnet set that would expand our play. When I saw the MagneTalk Match-Up Adventures Kit I knew it was exactly what I had been looking for.

Games for Toddlers: MagneTalk Activity Centerfrom Super Duper Publications

I received a copy of Lala-Oopsies A Sew Magical Tale in order to facilitate my review. No additional compensation was received and all words and opinions are my own.

There are some interesting new additions to the world of Lalaoopsy! If your kiddos are fans of the original, then they’re likely to enjoy this new adventure, also. And if you’ve never heard of the rag doll-esque characters, that’s okay! You don’t need to have watched the original Lalaloopsies to enjoy Lala-Oopsies: A Sew Magical Tale.

Lala-Oopsies A Sew Magical Tale The Movie - Now on DVD

This new DVD introduces a new group of princess ballerinas, fairies and mermaids – the Lala-Oopsies, based on the line of toys with the same name. Some of the new characters include: Continue reading »

National Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day is this Friday, September 13th. I love any excuse to get cooking with kids in the kitchen. Not only does cooking help teach math skills, it’s also an important life skill; they’re going to need to feed themselves some day, right?

It’s not a day that existed when I was a kid, but I spent plenty of time in the kitchen baking treats and making dinner for my family. I baked a Cookie Monster cake and decorated it by hand – all that blue fur with a “grass” decorating tip – for my brother’s 3rd or 4th birthday. And I regularly made dinner for my parents on their wedding anniversary.

Cooking with Kids – 10 Recipes

While Bubbles is a little young to let loose in the kitchen on her own, she absolutely loves to help prepare meals. She spreads her own peanut butter and jelly on her sandwiches, helps pour water for cooking mac & cheese, and measures out ingredients for cookies and other baked treats. She’s also great at adding cheese and other toppings to pizza.

Cooking with Kids: 10 Recipes Kids Can Cook

I reached out to some fellow bloggers and others to put together a list of recipes that your kids will be able to make either on their own, or with minimal help (like putting something in and taking something out of the oven). There are also a couple of recipes that you can do together with younger kiddos. Hopefully you’ll end up having dinner prepared and served for you on Friday. But don’t forget – the cook doesn’t clean, so it may be your turn to do the dishes!

Roasted Sweet Potato Shapes – Views From the ‘Ville (pictured above)
Pizza Pinwheels – Newlywed Survival (pictured above)
Loaded Baked Banana Boats – This Flourishing Life
Angry Birds Waffles – Sunshine and Sippy Cups (pictured above)
Copycat Red Lobster Biscuits – Views From the ‘Ville (pictured above)
No-Bake Fresh Fruit Tarts – A Nation of Moms (pictured above)
Candy Sushi – SusieQTpies Cafe
Dipped Marshmallows – Views From the ‘Ville (pictured above)
Individual Biscuit Pizzas – Nicki’s Random Musings
Pear Penguins – Parenting.com

And here’s a bonus! Your kids can make these Homemade Dog Treats from Two Little Cavaliers for your four-footed family members.

What are your favorite recipes for cooking with kids?

We received an Aeromax Astronaut Space Pack Super Soaking Water Blaster in order to facilitate our review. All words and opinions are my own.

We’re coming into the last of the dog days of summer and, at least around here, they are making quite the impression. The temperatures in the mid- to high-90s for the past few days, and when you walk outside you feel like you’ve accidentally stepped into a sauna. It’s not really stay-outside-and-play-all-day weather, which isn’t easy to explain to a toddler.

Aeromax Astronaut Space Pack Super Soaking Water Blaster

When we do get outside we look for ways to stay cool while having fun. There’s been a lot of splash time in Bubbles’ pool and even some good ol’ fashioned spraying of the hose. And recently there has been some fun with the Aeromax Astronaut Space Pack Super Soaking Water Blaster. Continue reading »

Views From the Ville

Disney Princess & Me Jewel Edition Belle Doll Is the Jewel of My Little One’s Eye

Find Great Games for Toddlers from Super Duper

Lala-Oopsies A Sew Magical Tale – The Movie! Now Available on DVD

Cooking with Kids: 10 Recipes for National Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day

Cooking with Kids – 10 Recipes

What are your favorite recipes for cooking with kids?

Beat Summer Heat with Aeromax Super Soaker Fun