I’m going to try to do these journal prompt posts more often because my Pinterest followers seem to like them. There are numerous benefits of journaling, but sometimes it’s hard to stay consistent and or focused, so here are some love prompts for the month of February. If you are just getting started with journaling, that’s wonderful. If you’ve been journaling for a while and you need some prompts to get you jump started again, I’ve got you covered! Many of the prompts are Valentine’s Day related, but don’t worry if you are single. I have something for everyone here.
Prompts For Singles
What do you love about being single?
What do you miss about being in a relationship?
Describe your perfect partner?
What would your perfect date be like?
What are you looking for in a relationship?
What do you enjoy doing on your own?
What would you like to share with others?
Are there any relationship experiences that you still need to heal from?
Write an unsent letter to a previous partner saying whatever you feel was unsaid.
Write an unsent letter to your future partner.
Write an unsent letter to a friend describing your future partner as if you’ve already met him/her.
Prompts for those in a relationship
Write the story of how you and your partner met.
What are your favorite things about your partner?
What is your bucket list together?
What are some of your favorite memories together?
What are your Valentine’s Day traditions?
What could the two of you work on to make your relationship stronger?
What things do you do well as a couple?
What do you see for your future as a couple?
What was your first date like?
What does your perfect day together look like?
What do you wish your partner would do differently?
Write a love letter to your partner.
What is the most amazing thing about your partner?
Prompts for Self Love
What are you doing for yourself today?
What will you do for yourself on Valentine’s Day?
What are your self-care rituals?
If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you be doing?
What is your biggest dream?
What do you love about yourself?
How can you be kind to yourself today?
What are your favorite things?
What gives you energy?
What makes you laugh?
If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
Describe your dream vacation.
What have you accomplished so far?
What do other people love about you?
If you enjoy the prompts or find them useful for self discovery, let me know. Do you have any go to prompts that you use when you are having writer’s block? Tell me in the comments. Happy journaling.
Are you buying a Valentine’s gift for your pet this year? If so, you are not alone. According to this article that was published last year, one out of five Americans will buy a Valentine’s gift for their pet. I admit, I’m one of those people. If you are one of those people too, but are still wondering what to get for your pet, I have some ideas for you. Here are 20 Valentine’s Day gift ideas for your pet.
Treats
What pet wouldn’t love a yummy treat this Valentine’s Day?
Toys
Any of these toys will make your pet’s day!
Accessories
How about a nice new collar or leash with a Valentine’s Day theme?
Food and Water Bowls
Here are some cute bowls with a Valentine’s theme.
A Cozy Bed
Who knew they made heart shaped beds for pets? Why not give your pet the gift of a comfortable bed this Valentine’s Day?
Will you be buying any gifts for your pets this year? Tell me in the comments. If not, don’t feel bad. The best gifts you can give your pet are free. Time, snuggles, praise or a walk together will show your pet that you love them more than any store bought item ever could. As always, thanks for reading and enjoy your pets this Valentine’s Day!
Every year throughout elementary school, we’d hand out Valentine’s cards and our children are continuing this tradition. Most of the cards were generic and ended up in the trash soon after Valentine’s Day just because what would we keep them for? Occasionally, I’d get a more memorable card. Either it was homemade and there was something special about it. There could be a hand drawn picture, a 2d collage of hearts or something else that made it unique. One person even outlined their hand drawn pictures with puff paints.
I am crafty, but not when it comes to making cards or drawing, so finding something store bought, but unique is the plan. Rosebud will be handing out cards at preschool, so I wanted to share these unique Valentine’s Day cards with you in case you are in the same boat. If you are looking for cards that pop up, smell good, are interesting shapes or include a little something extra, keep reading. At the end of the post, there will be some Valentine’s party favors as well.
Pop Up Cards
Three dimensional cards are so cool!
Animated Cards
I’ve never seen this type of cards before. Rosebud and her friends are loving Paw Patrol, so these came up in my search.
Scented Cards
Scratch and sniff is always fun for kids. They’ll come back to a card like this again and again.
Shaped or Cutout Cards
A little more interesting than the standard squares or rectangles.
Shiny Cards
If you want to add a little sparkle to the Valentine’s party, why not get something with a little shiny foil or glitter.
Cards With Candy
Kids won’t be able to wait to try the candy!
Just a note about candy. Many schools are nut free zones, so some candy won’t be allowed. If you are hosting your own party or you know the kids, you might want to hand out the Hershey’s candy. There are a lot of children with allergies and we all know candy is unhealthy, so I am including a non candy option as well.
Cards with Non Candy Surprises
Kids will be excited to see what comes with these cards.
Valentine’s Party Favors
If you are putting together Valentine’s goody bags, these ideas are for you. I’m sticking with non candy party favors.
What are you doing for your kids Valentine’s parties? Tell me in the comments. If you are looking for some awesome Valentine’s Day crafts, snacks or Activities, head on over to Amy’s Balancing Act where she has this fantastic Valentine’s Day Idea Roundup.
Although February is right around the corner, there are still 11 months left in the year. Why not start it off right with some journal prompts that set you up for success in 2020? Whether you’ve already made New Years resolutions and are sticking with them or have lost your momentum, take the time to think about what you want this year to look like. It’s also the star of a new decade, so think about your future as well. Think of your pages as clean slates that you can fill with what ever you wish.
I’ll start with prompts to look back because it can be helpful to revisit where you have been. Next, there will be prompts for goals and dreams for the year and finally, there will be prompts for the future beyond 2020.
Looking Back
What did you accomplish in 2019?
What were your set-backs in 2019?
What are your favorite memories from 2019?
Did you do anything new in 2019?
What was 2019 like if you could describe it in one word and why?
What did you accomplish in the last decade?
What were your favorite memories from the last decade?
Is there anything from the last decade that you still need to heal from?
What has been working well for you?
What do you want/need to let go of?
What was your theme from the past decade?
Prompts for 2020
What do you want this year to look like?
What are your short-term goals for 2020?
What are your dreams for the year?
What is your word for 2020?
Did you make New Years resolutions? If so, are you sticking to them?
Make a list of new things you’d like to try this year.
What books would you like to read?
What would you like to do for yourself this year?
What family plans do you have this year?
Do you have any habits you’d like to break? If so, what?
What’s one step you can take today to achieve one of your goals?
Prompts for Your Future
What are your big dreams for this decade? It can be anything. The sky’s the limit.
Where do you think you will be in ten years?
Describe your dream place to live.
Describe your dream vacation.
Write a letter to your future self. What do you want him/her to know?
What do you want to do for fun this decade?
Break your big dreams down into smaller achievable steps and make lists.
What are your family plans for the decade?
Where would you like to visit?
If you woke up tomorrow and could change one thing, what would it be?
What does success mean to you?
What is your theme for this decade?
Since it was Martin Luther King Day on Monday, I am ending this post with one of his quotes. It’s perfect for the start of the new year, trying something new or starting fresh.
I hope these prompts help you gain some clarity, celebrate your accomplishments and get you excited about your future. Do you have any favorite writing prompts? Feel free to leave it in the comments. Happy journaling!
Around the time I was brainstorming for the perfect word for 2020, this wonderful thing popped up in my inbox. Since the beginning of the year, I have been participating in the Best Decade Ever challenge with Mel Robins. For those who don’t know, it’s a totally free 30 day challenge that teaches you to dream bigger. In her live videos, Mel talks about the science behind dreams, why you should dream bigger and how to break those huge dreams down into achievable steps. If you are not participating, I recommend that you do. The program is simple, doesn’t take up much time and it has given me clarity on several areas of my life. It has given me that push to work on my goals plus be more intentional about self-care and bringing love into my life.
Dream Bigger
The main part of the challenge asks you to dream bigger. Instead of just focusing on 2020, Mel is asking you to think about the next decade and how you can make it the best decade ever. What are your big dreams? What can you accomplish in this decade? You find out by asking yourself, what are my dreams? Then you write down the first five things that come to mind. You can do this any time of day, but I prefer to do this in the morning. If you do this each day, you start to train yourself to think bigger. It also helps with creating positive energy, seeing reoccurring dreams and can help you gain clarity. I’ve seen so many amazing dreams posted, but here are my big five.
Build a life coaching business,
Get in the best shape of my life,
Make a steady income from this blog,
Find a loving and supportive relationship,
Have a second child.
Some of my other dreams are to find my tribe, travel, build my dream house and move out of state. Most of these dreams are broad and not specific and that’s okay. There are no rules when writing down your dreams. Whatever comes to mind is perfectly fine. Don’t over think it. If you have the same dreams every day, write those down. If your dreams are different, that’s fine as well. If you never accomplish these dreams or if they change over time, that’s okay. The point is to learn the skill of thinking about your dreams and realizing that they are possible.
Self Limiting Beliefs
Most of the time, we don’t even get started achieving our dreams because we tell ourselves that our dreams are stupid. We tell ourselves that we are too young, too old, not smart enough, not good enough or that we don’t deserve it. The self limiting beliefs can be endless. We are our own worst critics. We tell ourselves things that we would never tell anyone else. Mell offers a free tool that helps you get clear on your self limiting beliefs and how to get rid of them. This is hard work, but we have to train our brains to think the opposite of what we’ve all been thinking about ourselves for years. Old habits die hard.
Check out this video on self limiting beliefs.
Brick By Brick
Last year, I wrote a post about my take aways from the book, Take Control of Your Life. Also, by Mel Robins. In that book, there was a concept where you build a foundation brick by brick. Well, this is how you achieve your dreams. You break each dream down into small achievable steps. In week two of the course, one of the assignments is to simply pick one dream out of your five and explore it further for 15 minutes per day. What does that mean? Well, there are many ways to explore a dream. One of my big dreams is to become a life coach and build a business, so that’s the one I chose to explore further. I bought the book Becoming A Professional Life Coach and started reading it. I watched a video of a sample life coaching session. Another day, I read everything on the World Coach Institute’s website. I’ve read blog posts written by life coaches on how to get started, listened to The Life Coach School’s podcast and I’ve done what I call a life coaching brain dump. This is where I’ve generated business ideas as well as a todo list for steps I need to take to get started.
Here’s another example. What if your dream is to start a parenting blog? Your first step would be to do a brain dump. Write down anything that comes to mind regarding your blog.
Blogging Brain Dump
One area may be exploring topic ideas. What do you want your blog to focus on? Here is a list of possible topics.
Developmental milestones,
Toy/product reviews,
Self-care for moms,
Breast-feeding,
Sleep routines,
Kid friendly recipes,
Educational activities.
You get the idea. List as many possible topic ideas as you can think of. Then do another list of action steps that you’d need to do to get started. Some possible items on your list might include
Coming up with a domain name,
Researching and finding a web host,
Explore WordPress themes,
Design website, (Banners, logos, layout etc)
Do research on writing a blog post (SEO, proper format, Pinterest etc)
Create written content,
Find images,
Create social media accounts for your blog,
Learn how to promote and drive traffic to your blog,
Learn about ways to earn an income from your blog.
The point of these lists is to have a place to get started. This way you can see what small steps you can take, what skills you need to learn etc. You can also do a list of steps you’ve taken if you’ve been working on your dream already. That way, you can see your wins and it will keep you moving. Staying with the blog example, one big step would be to choose a domain name. This will be the website address where your blog is located. To achieve this step, you may want to write a list of several blog name ideas. Then choose the one you like best and see if it’s available. If it is, your next step would be to buy the domain. Then your next step would be to find a hosting provider. If you know which one you want to go with, you’d simply go to that website and sign up for a plan. If you are an absolute beginner, your first step may be to do research and compare various hosting companies. There isn’t a right or wrong order to exploring your dream. Just do one small part or actionable step each day and that is how you get started. Brick by brick!
As I write this, I’m wrapping up week two of the course and am looking forward to making more progress on my dreams during weeks three and four. I will keep you posted. What are your big dreams for this decade? What is one step you can take today to get startedd? Let me know in the comments.
Valentine’s Day is less than a month away. While I think it’s over commercialized like everything else, I want to make the day fun and special for Rosebud. Our tradition is that I surprise her with a small Valentine’s Day gift in the morning. I haven’t decided exactly what her gift will be yet, but I’ll admit that shopping for little girls is too much fun. It gave me inspiration for this post. If you are shopping for a Valentine’s gift for little girl, I got you covered. This post has plenty of gift ideas to get you started.
Build A Bouquet Play Set
Rosebud loves this flower play set. There are a few different kinds and they all look like they can be connected. I got her this set last year and she still plays with it, but I’m thinking of getting her a second set, so that she can make her flower gardens bigger. This toy is great for color recognition, creativity and learning about different kinds of flowers.
Jewelry
Most little girls I know love jewelry. Rosebud has this bracelet and necklace set with rose pendant. She is not a fan of jewelry, so I’m saving it for when she’s a little older. This set is very pretty and I was surprised that it seems well made. I was impressed with it for a little girl’s necklace. There are tons of options for girls jewelry. The options are endless.
Stuffed Animal
Stuffed animals are a classic gift. You can go with a classic teddy bear or with something unique. Something soft and cuddly is always nice.
Books
You can’t go wrong with books. There are so many great Valentines books out there. Here are just a few to give you an idea.
Valentine’s Dress
If you are going anywhere fancy for this Valentine’s Day or if your little girl just loves dressing up, you could get her a nice dress.
Kinetic Sand
I got this sand for Rosebud for Christmas and it is the coolest thing. It doesn’t dry out, you can make so many neat things and it doesn’t make a huge mess. There are lots of cool molds you can buy and lots of colors of sand to choose from. I’m thinking of getting the purple shimmer for Rosebud because purple is her favorite color. You could go with red to celebrate Valentine’s Day or maybe white shimmer for winter time.
Art Supplies
If your little girl is an artist like mine is, why not get some Valentines themed art supplies? I love art because it allows children to use their imaginations.
Play Food
Speaking of imaginations, Rosebud is loving her play kitchen and all the pretend food to go with it. Why not get your child’s favorite food in toy form? Maybe one of these desserts or the fruit salad?
Crafting Kits
Rosebud is still too young for some of these things, but if you have a school age girl, a crafting kit might be the perfect thing. Some ideas are jewelry making, latch hook, gimp, modeling clay etc. Not only is creating something fun, but you could do these activities together. It could just be a relaxing activity after a long day at school or you could make Valentine’s Day gifts for others together. Either way, it’s a way to spend quality time which leads me to the last gift idea on my list.
Quality Time
This doesn’t cost a thing. Well, it doesn’t have to. The main thing to show your children on Valentine’s Day is that you love them and want to spend time with them. Do you have a favorite activity that you like to do together or as a family? Here are some ideas.
Baking cookies together,
Taking a sight seeing walk,
Doing each other’s nails,
Spa day with facials and or foot bath,
Watching a favorite movie,
Reading books together,
Planning and cooking a meal,
Playing board games,
Doing puzzles,
Exploring places around town that you haven’t seen before,
Writing in a 2-way journal.
If your child is older, this would be a fun way to stay connected. Sometimes it’s easier to talk about things face to face, so it’s a great way to keep the lines of communication open. While this is not exactly an activity that you would necessarily do together, I think it counts as quality time as you are taking the time to stop and listen.
Will you be getting your little girl a Valentines gift? Do you have any special Valentine’s Day traditions? Tell me in the comments. Happy shopping!
I know this post is long overdue, but before I get to that, I want to wish you all a happy new year. I hope 2020 has started on a positive note for everyone, but if not, this post can point you in the right direction.
December was a busy month for me and I needed to take a break from the blog and although I’m posting today, I don’t know how often the entries will be coming. I suppose whenever I get inspired. I’ve really needed this break so that I can focus on other things. While I love the blog, I was having to devote way too much time to it. With being a single parent, working in a highly stressful job and dealing with other obligations, it was getting harder to carve out time for anything else, so I’ve had to rethink my priorities. I want the blog to be successful and I know that blogging is hard work, but I need to coast for a while. One of the reasons I’ve made this decision is because of the new year. I wrote in my journal and thought hard about what I want 2020 to look like.
Why one word instead of a New Years resolution?
I have always hated New Years resolutions. I make tons of goals for the new year, get excited about them and there’s a big push in January, but by February, everything gets dropped. Then there’s the guilt and all the negative self talk about why I didn’t accomplish my goals yet again. This year, I’m doing things differently. I’ve decided to choose one word to live by this year. I did this last year as well, but wasn’t really following it with intention. In order for this to work, you have to be passionate about the word you choose.
My word for 2020 is love. I chose the word love because after soul searching, I found that love was the most meaningful thing that I needed to work on for this year. Both for myself and others. This also means that all the goals I’ve chosen to work on for 2020 are connected to love in some way. some of my goals for the year include
Getting in better shape,
Being more present and patient with Rosebud,
Taking more time for self-care,
Changing my mindset,
Being in a loving relationship.
These goals all relate to taking care of myself or others. Having a connection between the goals will help to make them achievable. My intention for 2020 is love, but yours may be different. Maybe your word is action, happiness, mindful or change. It can be any word. Here are some suggestions if you are still having trouble coming up with a word.
How to Choose Your Word
1. Write in your journal about what you want 2020 to look like. Are there any common themes?
2. Brainstorm a list of words and see which word or group of words resonate with you the most.
3. Make a vision board using images, words and or quotes. Are there any words or themes that pop out at you?
4. If you are torn between two or three words, take time to think and then come back the next day. Do you have any new thoughts?
5. Be sure your word and and any goals connected to your word energize you. Think about intentional things that you can do every day to bring your word to life.
Be Intentional
For my word, love, I have thought about what I can do everyday to bring love into my life. I can practice self-love by exercising and taking care of my body daily. I can send out loving energy by writing down a gratitude list of things that I’m thankful for each day. I can reach out to people to increase the chance of finding a meaningful relationship. There are so many things I can do to bring love into my life and that is what I intend to do in 2020. How about you? Do you have a word for the year? What are your plans, dreams or goals for 2020? Tell me in the comments.
Christmas is less than two weeks away and I’m sure lots of you are doing some last minute shopping. I know I am! For many of us, our pets are like any member of the family. We want to spoil them too which is why I created this list of stocking stuffers for pets.
Toys
Let’s start with the fun items first! There are so many options to choose from, but here are some of the toys my pets have enjoyed. The cats have loved these catnip toys and these Jolly Balls for dogs are basically indestructible. Even when there are holes in the Jolly Ball, it stays inflated.
Treats
What pet doesn’t love treats? Here are some different flavors to try.
Food
I’m not going to list actual foods because there are too many, but here are some ideas to keep cats and dogs busy with their food. Sometimes it’s good for them to work for it like they would in a natural environment.
Grooming
These items would be Diamond’s least favorite. I’m not sure about your cat or dog, but she hates grooming. Unfortunately, with her long hair, it’s a must. If your pet is in need of some new grooming supplies, it’s the perfect time to stock up.
Accessories
Does your cat or dog need a new collar or leash? They can make great Christmas presents either for your own pet or someone else’s.
Small Animals
Do you have a critter at home? Why not get them a little something too? Some blocks to chew or yogurt drops might be the perfect stocking stuffer.
Pet Lovers
Do you have a pet person in your life, but don’t know what to get them? Why not a gift card to their favorite pet store, a picture of their best friend or a cool Christmas ornament representing their fur baby. The options are endless.
What are you getting your pets this year? Tell me in the comments. Happy last minute shopping!
First, I want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. If you are not in the US or don’t celebrate, that’s okay because any day is a good day to be thankful. It’s always good to show gratitude for the wonderful things in our lives. This has been a hard year for me and too often I focus on the areas of my life that I’m not satisfied with. Today reminds me that I need to stop and share what I am truly grateful for.
1. I want to start off with the amazing people in my life.
Rosebud is at the top of my list. Parenting is the hardest and most rewarding job I’ve ever done. I’ll admit there are things I don’t like about being a parent, but I love Rosebud with all my heart. I love when we laugh together. I love weekend mornings when we can sleep in or snuggle. I love how excited she gets to see me after work. It really brightens my day. I love teaching her things, but she has taught me so much. She tests my patience for sure, but she has shown me how strong I am. She’s my reason for getting out of bed every day.
2. I’m thankful for my family. Especially my mom. We don’t always agree, but she’s been a huge source of support when I’ve really needed it. She’s also my main source of transportation which is not always easy. She takes care of Rosebud when I’m at work and makes sure she gets to and from preschool. I don’t have to pay extraordinary amounts of money for childcare because of her. Not to mention the fact that she loves Rosebud no matter what.
3. I’m thankful for my new niece that I haven’t met yet. She was born premature a couple weeks ago and since she’s been in the hospital, I haven’t been able to meet her. Rosebud and I were sick last week, so we didn’t want to pass our germs on to the baby. Fortunately, she came home a few days ago and we will be meeting her for the first time today. She’ll probably give me baby fever, but that’s a topic for another post.
4. I’m thankful for my friends. I have a couple of good friends in my life. To protect everyone’s privacy, I won’t mention anyone’s names, but just know that I appreciate all of you whether we’ve met in person or not. One friend, I’ve been writing to for over two years now. Although we’ve never met in person, I consider her one of my best friends and maybe one day one of us will take the trip. There’s Little Guy’s mom who texts me often to check in, has been extremely supportive and helpful with my work and of course brings Little Guy for playdates. Then there are all the others who I talk to less often, but I’m grateful to know them. Recently, someone else has come into my life. While our friendship is brand new and I’m not sure how things will turn out, I appreciate him very much.
5. I’m thankful for my home. Of course I’m grateful that I have a roof over my head, but it is more than that. Rarely have I ever truly felt at home as an adult. I love having my own safe space that I can come to at the end of the day. I can invite people if I want. I can decorate it how I choose to. My home has been a great place for Rosebud as well. She loves it and I can tell it feels like home to her. While there are lots of things I don’t like about the area where I live, I’m thankful to have a wonderful home.
6. I’m grateful for my job as much as I hate to say it. While I’m extremely dissatisfied and that is putting it mildly, it allows me to buy the things I need. There are some wonderful children and coworkers I’ve met over the years and that’s what I have to remember.
7. There is a special baby I met this year. Unfortunately, I only got to spend a couple of months working with him. He is a happy and sweet little boy who I’ll always remember.
8. I’m thankful for Diamond. Thank you for snuggling with me every day and for always being there.
9. I’m thankful for Mellow. I lost him this year which has been hard. I miss your loud purr, your crazy meows, your snuggles and watching your friendship with Rosebud. I’m so grateful that you were my cat.
10. I’m thankful for books. While I haven’t read as many books this year. I’m grateful for the things that books can teach us or the escape when I want to be somewhere else.
11. I’m thankful for music. I don’t listen to music as much as I used to, but lately I’ve been enjoying finding new songs on Spotify. Music was so important to me when I was a kid. I spent most of the 90’s listening to music. It was always there no matter what. Music was a source of joy and comfort to me during some difficult times.
12. I’m grateful for nature. The beach is my happy place. I love rainy/cloudy days, but enjoy the warm sun as well. Just sitting outside hearing the birds and feeling the breeze is so peaceful. I am fortunate to live in a place where there is always nature around me.
13. I’m grateful for delicious food. I love to cook, bake and try new recipes. I’m especially for food that others cook for me. It’s a bonus!
14. I’m extremely thankful for technology. When I was going to school in the 90’s, there was some technology, but it wasn’t as advanced as it is today. Back then I would’ve never thought that I’d be able to use the exact same technology as my peers. By the time I started college, I was fortunate to have a laptop with a screen reader and was so grateful that I could blend in. My computer looked the same as everyone else’s. Then when the iPhones started coming out, I couldn’t imagine how I’d ever use a phone with a touch screen. Apple products are amazing and they have accessibility built into them. I didn’t have to spend crazy amounts of money on extra software to get my phone, tablet or pc to work for me. For someone who has had to stand out, it’s wonderful to be on the same playing field with everyone else when it comes to technology.
15. I’m thankful for writing. I love journaling to gain clarity and to preserve memories. I love blogging and the potential to reach so many people. Writing has always been one of my favorite things.
16. I’m grateful for things that smell good. People find my strong sense of smell to be a pain in the ass. I’ll ask if they can smell something and of course, they never can. I love candles, perfumes and lotions. I have a drawer full of wax melts, but that’s my secret.
17. I’m grateful for soft things. As I sit here, I’m covered with a soft cozy blanket. Diamond and Mellow are soft and cuddly. I have a collection of stuffed animals. I’m really picky about textures, so clothes, blankets and sheets have to have a soft texture that is just right.
18. This is really important. I am thankful for my health. Too often I take it for granted, but I’ve been pretty healthy so far in my life. I’m grateful that I can get up in the morning and exercise. I can work. I can play with Rosebud. Not everyone can easily do these things and that is definitely something I need to be mindful of.
19. Lastly, I’m grateful for you, my readers. Thank you for reading my blog. While I haven’t found great success, I get a small amount of views each day. My  persistence and love of writing keep my blog going, but it’s the comments from readers that I find the most meaningful. Thank you so much. What are you thankful for this year? Tell me in the comments.
When I asked Rosebud what she wanted for Christmas this year, she didn’t have an answer. Luckily for her, I have found some cool toys that she will be excited to find under the tree on Christmas morning.
When I’m looking for toys for her, I try to choose things that are open ended to encourage creative play. I also look for toys that will grow with her over time. I like it when toys are educational, but not in a traditional sense. More importantly, I want to get her toys she’ll have lots of fun playing with, so I’m looking forward to seeing what she will do with these new toys. Everything on this list is great for preschoolers ages three to five.
Building
Rosebud loves to build and she loves these Picasso magnet tiles. I bought them for Christmas last year and highly recommend them. She’s played with them almost every day since. We’ve made houses for animals, castles for Barbie, trees, divider boxes for sorting items etc. She comes up with new buildings every time she uses these. I was thinking of getting her a second set, but I wanted something different for to add to her creations. Magna Tiles are a great brand and admittedly, they are on the expensive side, but I caved and got her this Stardust set. These tiles are either glittery or have mirrors. I think she’ll love pairing these with the PicassoTiles.
I also saw these magnetic people that work with this kind of blocks. She loves playing with toy people and these community helpers will be great to add to her buildings.
Science
Kinetic sand
This stuff is amazing! It’s popular with my preschool class, so I just had to get some of this for Rosebud. I love how it sticks together like real sand. It’s not too messy and I even like to sit and play with it. I was torn between the beach set and the bakery set, so I bought both. Rosebud is loving the color purple right now, so I’d like to get her the purple shimmer too. The beach set has the most sand out of all of them and it’s actually a good buy. If you want a quiet sensory activity, I highly recommend this sand.
Toy Sink
I originally wasn’t going to get her this, but I got one for a friend of Rosebud’s for his birthday. Since Rosebud saw it, she has asked why she can’t have one. I think I’ll give this to her on her birthday. You put water in the bottom of the sink and when you turn on the fossit, the water comes out like a regular sink. It comes with dishes to wash, pretend dish soap and a sponge. Why not teach kids to wash dishes along side you?
Dramatic Play
Rosebud loves to play in her pretend kitchen, so I wanted to get her some new play foods to experiment with.
She loves pancakes, so I got her this pancake making set by Melissa & Doug. It has everything you need to make perfect pretend pancakes.
She loves to bake with me, so I got her a spice rack. This way, she can addd spices to her baking or cooking up a nice meal.
She has a lot of fruits and vegetables, breakfast foods and sweets, but I wanted her to have some food to make pretend meals. She loves pasta and I found this cool Melissa & Doug pasta making set. It has a variety of pastas with all the toppings. I know she’ll have fun with this.
To wrap up the dramatic play category, I got her this Baby Alive doll with cupcakes. Her birthday is right around Christmas and I thought this would be a great gift. She has started to really enjoy playing dolls in the past few months and she loves to set up pretend birthday parties.
Games
Rosebud is starting to have a better understanding of games and I found a couple simple games to start off with.
First, there’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. She loves the book, so I thought the game would be fun and easy for her to play. Next, there’s Pete The Cat buttons game. She loves all the Pete the Cat books, so she’ll definitely love this game. The Pete the Cat cupcakes game would be fun too and I may still get that one for her as well.
I am also getting her some books, but I will save our winter book list for another post. What will be under your tree this year? Tell me in the comments.
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13. I’m grateful for delicious food. I love to cook, bake and try new recipes. I’m especially for food that others cook for me. It’s a bonus!
Dramatic Play
