Teacher gifts and holiday presents

My four-year-old son is in his first year of preschool, which means it's my first time planning teacher gifts. After quite a bit of thought, I'm planning to make Oreo truffles this weekend, and I've also done charitable gifts in honor of my son's teacher and assistant teacher via Heifer International. I hope the teachers like their gifts! Based on the responses I've heard from a few teachers to the ideas, they should go over well.

I'm a researcher and so I've been digging up other ideas for teacher gifts for future years. Gift certificates are a convenient and appreciated option, and gift certificates to bookstores, craft supply stores or popular everyday stores like Target also seem to be very good choices.

The charitable donations idea came to me after I was contemplating Target gift certificates. I had recently watched this Advent video about consumerism at the holidays, which made me feel that a charitable gift may be a wonderful option. I chose Heifer because it is convenient, a well known organization, easy to order online and has nice "packages" such as a flock of chicks, etc. Another option that would be wonderful that I'm considering for future gifts are donations to literacy and reading organizations -- issues close to most teachers' hearts. I asked online how people feel about charitable donations as teacher gifts and got a mixed response, many moms don't feel quite right giving that kind of gift, but -- most of the teachers who commented liked the idea!

Another great gift idea is giving to the classroom -- buying books or needed supplies, or giving a gift to the school. Ask your child's teacher or school librarian for ideas.

Of course, it's not required to give a teacher a holiday gift, and a kind thank you note from parent or child is always a wonderful idea. Everyone needs and deserves appreciation!

Do you give gifts to your children's teachers? Are you a teacher? What are your favorites?

St. Nicholas Day

....is tomorrow, December 6. I just finished up wrapping two gifts for the boys -- a Schleich Nativityand a board book, Christmas in the Manger. (I also wrapped up two Byron Barton board books for my two-year-old nephew's birthday -- Trucks and Trains.)

It will be our first time celebrating St. Nick and I'm looking forward to it. Since I love books as gifts, I expect St. Nick will deliver more books and probably more Christmas books every year. 

What are your St. Nick traditions? 

(Tomorrow is also Poetry Friday!)

Christmas Giving - less consumerism, more love

Many thanks to Meredith at Like Merchant Ships for sharing this video.

My husband and I learned of a local charity run by nuns that does clean water projects and other services a few years ago.  It has fallen off our radar for a while and I'm so glad this video brought the issue back to our attention.

November Carnival of Children's Literature - The Gift of Reading edition

Welcome to the November 2008 edition of carnival of children's literature.

The theme for this carnival is The Gift of Reading. As the holiday season soon approaches, people will start planning their holiday celebrations and gifts for their loved ones. I felt the Gift of Reading is the perfect theme for the November carnival -- a well-chosen book is a wonderful gift, especially to a young reader. 

One of the reasons I blog about our favorite books is to support our family's commitment to reading. I hope to make gifts of books a significant tradition.  I was lucky to learn to read, to have parents and siblings that read to me, and to enjoy reading throughout childhood.  I'm not a sentimental person, but one of my favorite gifts is a dictionary my mom gave me for my 12th birthday, I still have it and it is a nice reminder of my family's commitment to education and learning.  

This carnival is dedicated to the gift of reading. Enjoy!

On Literacy and The Gift of Reading...

Jen Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page shares the article A Gift for All Seasons at Foreword magazine.  

Amy Smith presents tips from her family's read-aloud experiences on How to Maximize Learning During Story Time at Kids Love Learning.

Need inspiration?  Have a look at The Babes at Read, Read, Read.  Adorable!

Book Reviews and Children's Literature Gift Ideas...

Cinderberry shares a book that looks like a lot of fun and would make an interesting gift:  The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes.

Rebecca Reid shares several alphabet or ABC books, also known as Abecedaria at Rebecca Reads

Steven Bush presents We Belong Together and Queen Vernita’s Visitors at Book Dads: Fathers That Read!.

Peter Jones shares a children's book with a magical topic, A Modern Tale of the Tooth Fairy. 

Becky Laney presents Gift Ideas for 2008 #1 posted at Becky's Book Reviews and Fly Me To The Moon: Fun Gift Ideas 2008 at Young Readers.

Lynn shares Unique Books & Gifts for Your Hard-to-Please Literary Friends at Imaginary Blog. 

and Gifted Authors....

Tarie presents an interview with Paula Yoo, whose novel Good Enough is nominated for a 2008 Cybils award in the young adult fiction category.

That concludes the November carnival -- thank you contributors and visitors! Visit the next Carnival of Children's Literature at Jen Robinson's Book Page on December 17.

Pirates!

My three year old nephew is very interested in pirates, so I'm searching out book options for his Christmas gift. Here's what I've found at Amazon that looks promising.

The thing about pirates is that I want to keep it age appropriate for a 3 year old. There is plenty of time to get into the more suspenseful adventures later.

Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABC -- more than a regular ABC list book, the pirates go in search of the alphabet in an adventure story

How I Became a Pirate -- gorgeous illustrations and looks like a very cute longer adventure story that's appropriate for preschoolers

Do Pirates Take Baths? -- cute and rhyming tutorial about pirate life

The trouble with picking books for my young nephews is that I end up wanting copies for our family!

Play nativity set for toddlers - preschool

My kids haven't used a play nativity set yet, but it is something I would like them to have. I didn't grow up with a religious Christmas, and this is something I would like to share with my family.  

When I discovered Playmobil toys, I purchased their nativity set which I felt was a good value. However, the set has very tiny pieces and it's not quite right for my 4 year old and 2 year old boys. I will save the Playmobil set for 2-3 years from now when it will be better suited for them.  In the meantime, I found a nativity set made by Schleich that looks beautiful -- we have several Schleich animals that the kids enjoy.  I think this may be a great set, and I am thinking of getting it and giving it to the kids for St. Nicholas (another tradition I did not grow up with -- my husband did, and while I'm not keen on tons and tons of presents at the holidays, I think we can keep our celebration modest and frugal.)

However, I am torn.....  at our 2 year old parent-child class at a local Christian school, the teacher has a lovely homemade nativity that has felt characters glued to wooden blocks -- super child friendly and it's homemade -- I love that.  Not that I need another craft project to add to my list -- I am already thinking about making felt play food, personalized ABC photo books, and curtains for the new baby's room....    But the homemade nativity would be neat.  I would need to search and see if I can find patterns for the people and animals.  I would love to find if anyone has made these on a crafting blog, but my searches from last year came up empty.  

Oooh, found via Google! A couple links -- a pattern for sale, and a project book with instructions.  Also on Etsy  -- patterns for felt dolls, very cute!

I'm not sure which path we'll take, but these are the current best ideas. 

Then, we should look for some great Christmas story books for the family.  So many projects, so little time!  Any recommendations? 

Beautiful homemade felt name book

I've been interested in felt boards and came across this beautiful homemade felt ABC-style name book at the blog A miracle to me.  Wow!  What a gorgeous craft, and such a nice book.

Curious George - Kohl's Cares for Kids

I just learned that the Kohl's Cares for Kids program is now featuring Curious George books and plush animals. We love Curious George. Kohl's sells the books and toys for $5 each -- a nice affordable price, and donates the net profits to support children's health and education.

The available book titles are:
   -- Merry Christmas, Curious George
   -- Curious George and the Firefighters
   -- Curious George at the Aquarium
   -- Curious George Feeds the Animals

The plush animals are Curious George, a dalmatian, a penguin and (I think) a hippopotamus. You can see the items here.   Knowing how popular Curious George is, these may sell quickly. The items are available now through December.

Here's an article in our Business Journal about the campaign.

Making homemade children's books

This week at toddler class I sat next to a mom who was taking a photo of her daughter during snack time. She introduced herself as a "crazy photo lady," and I asked if she also made scrapbooks. I do not make scrapbooks (uh, yet), but I have playgroup friends who are very into it. "Crazy photo lady" told me about a children's scrapbook format that has me very, very excited..... making our own children's alphabet books featuring photos of our family!

The idea is to make an ABC or alphabet book. Basically 26 photo images (personalized to include your child, or your child's environment and favorite things), and then words.... a simple A is for Apple, T is for Train, etc. etc..... or something more creative and personal....perhaps even rhymes! There's no limit to the creativity that could go into it.

I LOVE the idea and am very interested in making ABC alphabet books for my oldest two boys, possibly even in time for Christmas. Right now I'm doing a little research about costs and considerations of making a book with an online photo book provider (easy and professional, but seems to be more expensive), or making a simple 8" x 8" scrapbook with very basic layouts.

I've done a little online reading and have come across another great idea for older kids -- having them make their own ABC alphabet books themselves. It sounds fun and educational and I love the idea of kids making their own books too.  As for our family's books, I've started an idea list for photo taking.

Anyone want to join me on a homemade children's book making journey? Has anyone made their own homemade children's books and want to share your experiences? I'll post updates as I learn more and plan to get started.

Schleich animals

Schleich animals are some of my 2 year old's favorite toys.  They are small, and very realistic, and very interesting to him.  We have been lucky to make a small collection that he enjoys, including several dinosaurs, a penguin, a variety of rabbits (purchased specially off Ebay to appear in the Easter basket), and others.  The elephant is a current favorite.  

Target carries a limited variety and seems to change the selection from time to time -- our dinosaurs were purchased at the July clearance (it was nice to have saved a few dollars), and now there are no dinos. Prices seem to average about $5-6, per figure, some more or less depending on size.  A quick search online shows that Ridge Road Station, the online store where I have been purchasing our Playmobil, also offers Schleich (I think they have the full range) and they offer free shipping on orders over $30, which is nice. 

My oldest doesn't seem as interested in the Schleich animals as my 2 year old.  Different kids like different things.  However there is no doubt the animals are beautiful and really nice toys.  I think they would make great gifts, or as a great bonus to add to a gift like a Zoo membership or animal books.

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear

I love giving children's books as gifts... I mean, who wouldn't enjoy getting a great book for their kids? They're beautiful, they don't take up much space, and they have longer useful lives than many toys.

So I was extremely pleased when my husband's cousin Sherri (whom I've always admired as being a smart woman), gave us a copy of The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear at Christmas a few months after my oldest son was born. She said to me, "This book is one of our family's favorites and I hope you enjoy it too". Isn't that awesome? I love it! I love family members sharing their favorite books with each other.

And yes, The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear is a very enjoyable children's book. The story and illustrations are charming. It's suspenseful but not too scary, and I love saying "BOOM, BOOM, BOOM" when the big hungry bear tromps through the forest trying to find a red, ripe strawberry.

Lots of fun. Thank you Sherri!

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear

Remo Rainforest 10-inch Tom Tom Drum

One "noisy toy" I don't mind having in our home is our Remo 10" tom drum.  I purchased this for my two-year-old son's birthday after reading about other moms' good experiences with them, and after having seen large Remo drums used at several of the children's music and movement classes we had attended (Music Together, Kindermusik). 

It's a beautiful instrument / toy.  The boys enjoy it, and it would probably be more fun to have two -- so the boys could both drum at the same time.  I don't know much about drumming circles but it looks like something fun to explore when the kids get a little older.

The drum has a wonderful sound... want to hear?  (This is my first video!)

The drum is available from Amazon as well as other online music stores. If you shop, you may want to do a Google shopping search to see where the best prices currently are. We bought ours from a store called Same Day Music, but I've heard of good deals on Remo appearing now and then at various stores.

Cookie Matching Game (Fisher Price)

One of my friends in playgroup has this cute matching game at her house. It's called Matchin' Middles by Fisher Price.

Since my friend has this toy and the boys get to experience it at her house, I don't think I'll buy it for our own home -- it can be something special for our visits. But I like this toy very much and would absolutely consider giving it as a gift.

The pieces look like chocolate wafer sandwich cookies (you know, Oreos - yum!) and pull apart to show interior shapes. The two halves then puzzle together to re-assemble the cookie. I think this is a cute twist on shape sorting and matching, and the cookies are cute by themselves for use in a play kitchen or tea party. I like that the toy is dimensional and that the twelve shapes offer a good variety to identify and match.

FISHER-PRICE Games MATCHIN' MIDDLES

Bella's Birthday Book -- A Princess Primer

I spied this book, A Princess Primer, over a year ago when I was shopping for a birthday gift for my niece, Bella.  Perhaps I'm not all grown up yet, but I like this princess book, and I'm not even a girly girl..... well, not much of one, anyway.

Last year, I thought A Princess Primer might be a little too detailed, and I ended up choosing Fancy Nancy for Bella's sixth b-day. But this year, I'm very excited about giving Bella A Princess Primer for birthday number seven.  It's a beautiful book, with interesting, engaging page layouts and interactive, delicate details.  It's kind of like a pop-up book, but not a pop-up... there are little envelopes to open and the book is full of surprises and treasures.  

Which makes me think it's a perfect birthday book for a special seven year-old in our family.

Happy Birthday Bella!  

A Princess Primer
Fancy Nancy

Don't Break the Ice

Don't Break the Ice is one of my favorite games from childhood that I was excited to share with the boys.  The game is simple and fun, with ice blocks that fit into a plastic frame.  A polar bear statue sits on a larger block, which can be placed anywhere within the frame.  Kids take turns knocking out the blocks until the figurine falls or all the "ice" is knocked out.  It's very fun.

Don't Break the Ice is a great physical action game.  It does take some time to set up, and impatient parents may have difficulty with the ratio of setup (about a minute) to destruction (about 10 seconds with toddler players).  Still, the kids enjoy Don't Break the Ice so much that I don't mind.  The boys are starting to help more with the setup process, and soon they will learn to take turns, slow down the play, and strategize.  For now, it's just a fun knock-'em out game, and that works too.  I'm looking forward to playing Don't Break the Ice with the kids for a long time.

Don't Break the Ice

What to bring to a "no gifts" children's birthday party?

A)  Nothing.

B)  A favorite children's book!

Many parents feel anxious over "no gifts" birthday parties, feeling unsure whether it's really OK to not bring a gift.  While I feel it is perfectly fine to honor the party host's request, a great alternative to showing up empty handed is a gift of a favorite children's book.  

Children's books are my gift of choice for many occasions, and a child's birthday is a great time to add to the birthday boy or girl's reading materials.  There are many wonderful books available, and birthdays are a great time to choose something special, like a beautiful pop-up book, a book with great illustrations, or one of your family's special favorites.

Need inspiration to help find the perfect book for a birthday gift? Consider the birthday child's interests, and check online for some great kids' books blogs and Web sites. Have fun!

UPDATE:  Here's another great option for a no-gift party -- a musical greeting card.   They are a lot of fun!  

Color Surprises - a pop-up book

Look at this beautiful pop-up book, Color Surprises, by Chuck Murphy. It's gorgeous -- a simple book that shows a basic square of each color on every page, then.... surprise! .... the square reveals an intricate pop-up of a beautiful animal. Want to know some of the surprises? Green snakes, orange tigers, pink flamingos, black-and-white penguins, a yellow chick, purple butterflies..... they are all wonderful, particularly the last page -- all colors -- that reveals a beautiful coral reef full of colorful tropical fish.

Color Surprises is a beautiful treasure of a pop-up book.

The only downside of pop-up books is that they are fragile. My two toddler boys and pop-up books don't mix that well, and I'm sad to say that all of our pop-up books have suffered damages from too much love. That said, I do my best with Scotch tape and get on with it..... if a favorite pop-up gets destroyed, I will replace it.... I just can't imagine a children's book collection without the magic of pop up books, and Color Surprises is one of the most beautiful I have seen.

Color Surprises: A Pop-up Book

God Loves You

You can be short

or you can be tall.

You can be big

or you can be small.

Your size and your shape

don't matter at all.

God loves you just as you are.

We received God Loves You as a baptism gift for our oldest son from his godfather. This sweet board book, part of a series called Little Blessings by Kathleen Long Bostrom and illustrated by Elena Kucharik, gives the youngest readers a beautiful and simple message about God's love for all people.

I love giving books as gifts and loved receiving this one. It's a favorite of our boys. We especially love the illustrations, featuring a group of adorable children along with ladybugs, butterflies, puppies and kittens in settings with interesting details and pretty colors.



God Loves You is a precious board book that was a wonderful gift. It gets a lot of use by our boys and serves as a sweet reminder of our son's baptism and his loving godparents.

God Loves You (Little Blessings)