I cannot believe I have not posted on Mini Boden yet, this is my favorite place to get my children’s clothing. I usually wait until I can get 10 % off, free shipping, and buy 3 items get the 4th for a 1.00 to buy my children’s clothes BUT no need for that they are having a HUGE SALE!

I love Mini Boden, their clothing is made from durable fun comfy fabric, their designs are original, and I love the surf/beach feel I get from their clothes. I have had nothing but great experiences getting clothing from this company, I hope this huge sale isn’t a sign of them going under I would be so disappointed.

Here are some of the things available (just click on the picture to purchase):

Twill Banana Shorts 19.00

Sporty Swimsuit 14.00

Crochet Trim Vest 12.00

Big Applique T-Shirt 18.00

Board Shorts 25.00

Baby Sixties Dress 23.00

Baby Boy Big Applique T-Shirt

Just a quick reminder on safety around fireworks….Be careful and enjoy your 4th of July!

Common Sense Fireworks Safety Tips

Look at this! Oh we are totally doing this asap.

I have read many places that children instinctively have music in them, that they instinctively create music while they play.

Here are some suggestions to “Teach” Your Child Music Appreciation

-Teach your children that music can smooth and calm you by listening to calm music around nap and bedtimes

-Teach your children the rhythm of music from a young age by dancing with your child or holding your child in your lap as you clap or bounce to the rhythm of your music.

-While doing errands we have gotten in the habit of talking about what we think the singer is singing about, what the song sounds like and what instruments we think are in the background. It is so fun to hear my daughter’s responses today the song we were listening to sounded like “hot water” and the next one sounded like, “Dads with violins”

-Help your children or encourage your children when they make up their own songs

-Have music instruments around for your children to play and experiment with.

I recently bought these from the Land of Nod (where they have a great music store now) to give to my daughter on her first birthday in a couple of months, this is a great beginner set.

Band in a Box 24.95 for set

Don’t Miss a Beat Drum 16.95

-Use music to teach your children about new cultures.

-Have a variety of music in your home. My daughter always listens to Bob Marley in her Dad’s car, Frank Sinatra in Mom’s car, and anything from Beethoven to Israel Kamakowiwo’ole at home.

Burgin Streetman recently did a guest post of Design Mom where she shared a list of adult kid-friendly songs to help build your child’s musical foundation:

1) Blackbird by The Beatles, “The White Album”
2) Wouldn’t It Be Nice by The Beach Boys, “Pet Sounds”
3) ABC by The Jackson Five, “ABC”
4) Children Go Where I Send You by Nina Simone, “The Amazing Nina Simone”
5) A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash, “Johnny Cash At San Quentin”
6) Brass Monkeyby The Beasties Boys, “License to Ill”
7) Picture Book by The Kinks, “The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society”
Come On In My Kitchen by Robert Johnson,” The Complete Recordings”
9) Move It On Over by Hank Williams, “20 Greatest Hits”
10) Roly Poly by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, “Anthology (1935-1973)
11) Glow Worm by Johnny Mercer
12) Two Headed Boy by Neutral Milk Hotel, “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”

I try to incorporate reading, music, art, gratitude, exercise, nature, touch, and a family activity into teaching the assigned letter.  We actually spend two days on one letter, so we have enough time for all the fun activities and all the regular things that goes on in our day to day life. Then after a couple letters we have a day where we play a treasure hunt all with clues reviews the letters we have done.

Letter C 

Reading: We Start off with each letter by reading the letter book from the series, “My Sound Box” I haven’t been able to find where you can purchase them online but they had all of them at our library.

We also read special bedtime books that go along with the letter, for C we did (I bet you can guess!) The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle 

Music: We love our Frontline Phonics Magnetic Fridge Set because it plays the whole alphabet and a song teaching each sound of each letter.

While we work on our art projects we listen to the corresponding track on The Sesame Street Alphabet CD. This time….”C is for Cookie!”

Art: For the letter C we made the actual letter out of pipe cleaners and cut out from magazines or glued on trinkets of: crocodile, chicken nuggets, Clifford, cotton candy, different fonts of the letter C, cat, cap, car and caterpillar.

Gratitude: For our Gratitude Alphabet we are working on Abby colored a picture of what she is thankful for that begins with the letter C, her sister Cameron!

Exercise: We played a simple game of catch, as we threw the ball back and forth we said things that start with the letter C. We also “caught” a picture of a butterfly with our camera.

Nature: We went on a walk and found things that started with the letter C and also listened for sounds that began with the letter C. Here is what we found: lots of cars, clouds, sound of a cricket, cow, children, cop car and a piture of a coyote on a truck.

Touch: To learn the shape of the letter we traced it in our sandbox, in some dried beans, and while we finger painted.

Family Activity:Abby and her Dad made some Cookies! After-all how could you make anything else after the song was by Cookie Monster? We made the yummiest recipe for Snickerdoodles that I have found:

Ingredients
2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 & 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamonDirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside. Add butter and 1 & 1/2 cups sugar to bowl of a stand mixer. Mix at medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture.Stir together the last 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Shape dough into 20 balls Then, roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper about 3 inches apart as cookies will spread .