3 road trip finds for kids at Ikea

In one month we will be en route to Florida with the family. It's not a new trip for us, as Florida has been our primary winter destination in the past - but we've always flown. 

When I looked up the cost of flights for a family of 4 from Ottawa, I almost fell over (we've never paid for 4 before - one child has always been free.) I know there are great deals to be had if you drive to the States or take layover flights, but I am not that brave. I want direct :)

And so, driving. My parents did it with us, so why can't I? You may come back to the blog in May and read about our driving disaster, but hey, at least we tried!

Right now I'm in full planning mode for all the things we want to do to keep the kiddos (6 and 3) occupied in the car. I'm not anti-technology in any way, and my kids have always enjoyed a movie in the car on a long drive, but I find they do worse when there is too much screen time. We actually have an easier drive when we limit the tablet.

So I'll be scouring Pinterest for fun car games, and on a tip from a friend, we headed to Ikea this weekend to check out what they have available.

Ikea does not have a specific "car travel" section (of course, they are more about house and home,) but we had a few great finds for the car

1) Byllan Laptop Tray

You can find this in the office section, and it's actually meant for those working on their laptop, on their laps (fancy that!) It also doubles as a great car seat tray for colouring and other activities. I love that the bottom is soft and squishy, so will form to the child's legs (and car seat sides)

2) Pysslingar Hanging Storage

Strap this neat hanging storage on the back of the front car seats and you have 3 pockets for kids to store toys, games and crafts. My youngest will not be able to reach forward to grab things, but at least it will keep the car tidier. Dealing with all the tinker toys during a long trip is tough!

3) Jatteliten Puppets and Theatre

We already have a little collection of finger puppets, but I LOVE that this one includes a little theatre for the girls to make up story lines. My husband often makes up funny voices for the puppets.

I'll be posting more about my road trip ideas in upcoming posts!

But tell me, have you gone on long drives with young kids? What items saved your sanity?

Speak out: an ode to big mouths

I have a big mouth.

I always have something to say.

I suggest, offer, add, provide. I do it because I wish to help, motivate and inspire. It’s genuine, but I’m certain it annoys the crap out of many people, and often.

I do it for the same reason I became a teacher: to contribute. I hope that someday, a child will remember that teacher who told them they were ok, that they were doing just fine.

In my life, there are women, some strangers, who have had a very positive influence on me. They gave me what I needed at the exact time I needed it, when I didn’t even realize I needed it. I want to do for someone what they did for me.

They told me to trust my instincts

My friend and colleague Geneviève died of heart failure at age forty.  Although we didn’t see each other or speak much in the last few years of her life, there are many things she said to me when we worked together that still resonate with me. I remember calling her when my baby was a week old, exhausted because she was feeding all the time. Geneviève was a breastfeeding support person, yet she told me to give her a soother. When I asked her if that would be a bad idea in the long run, she said: “No one knows what’s best for your baby more that you do; you are her mother, after all.” She was very wise indeed.

They listened

A purple eyelid.

The summer my daughter was twenty months old, she sat in her car seat that was perched on the front step of our house. It was there because my husband was cleaning the car before we left on our trip. As my toddler sat in it, it tipped backwards, making her hit her forehead on a rock in the front garden. The one-inch gash on her eyebrow spewed blood faster than I could cope with. We rush to urgent care; I cried as I registered her and sat down in the waiting room. An older woman who was sitting in front of me, reached out and touched my hand. “Tell me what happened” she said. I cried harder, recollecting the events of the last half hour. In that moment, it was exactly what I needed to make sense of it all and help with the excruciating waiting time. Eleven years later, I remember what that stranger did for me.  

They showed kindness, not pity

Seven years ago, when I was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, I got an infection. I was admitted to the hospital in one of those locked-away wards to protect people’s immune systems. I spent the weekend there, bored, but alive. When I was released on Monday morning, my husband and I had breakfast at Cora’s in Orleans. We sat at a table for two in the middle of the room, with two women sitting at the table beside us. I remember smiling as the server cut the hospital band from around my wrists. I also remember my table neighbour smiling at me. Although I looked sick, it wasn’t a sympathy or sorry smile that she offered, but an understanding smile. I think she understood how happy I was to have gotten the hell out of that ward. They left before we did, and when we went to pay, the server told us our bill had been paid. I don’t remember what they looked like, but I’ll always remember their act of kindness. If they had minded their own business, I wouldn't have that.

I often give myself grief for coming on too strong or for being too pushy. I’m sure I’m not alone. I’m working on holding back a bit, reminding myself that sometimes, the best way to contribute is to say nothing at all. But I also remember those women who made a difference in my life.

Don't be afraid to say or do something - to reach out a hand and listen; to say the hard truth; or to pay it forward. What you say to others, whether if be a friend, an acquaintance or even a stranger, may be that thing they remember forever.  

So don’t be too hard on your big mouth. I’m trying not to.

by Angèle Alain

Getting ready for kindergarten

Before we go over some tips for kindergarten readiness, let's first remind ourselves that none of these skills are required in order for your child to start school. Kindergarten is not university - your child is not "behind" if they haven't mastered their ABCs or 123s.

What these skills WILL do is make your child's transition to full-day school a little bit easier. And it will make their teacher's job A LOT easier. If your child has been in a daycare setting, they have most likely mastered a lot of these exercises (especially if the daycare person is encouraging them to try.) If they're at home with you, this is a great time to begin practicing!

Count to 10

Have your child learn how to count to 10, but also help them to recognize numbers - write out 1-10 on little cards and shuffle them. Then point to a random number and ask them what it is.

Trace a line

Make a dotted line on a sheet of paper, and ask them to trace the dots from left to right. This is the very beginning of reading/writing skills, when we learn to go from left to right.

Holding a pencil

Teach your child the correct way to hold a pencil. They love to grip with all their fingers, but if you get into good habits early, it will help with writing skills down the road.

Trace shapes

Draw a variety of shapes on a piece of paper using dotted lines, and have your child trace the dotted lines while naming the geometric shape.

Cut on a line

Have your child practice cutting paper, and then ask them to practice cutting a line that you have traced on paper.

Good hygiene

Seems obvious, but as busy parents, we sometimes take the easy way out. It's easier to quickly wipe a bum than to stand there for 10 minutes while they do it themselves (and get feces all over the place.) But when they are at school they will need to pee/poo by themselves with minimal support. Make sure they can easily pull down and pull up their pants, and teach them the best way to wipe. And of course....washing hands for 30 seconds with soap and warm water!

Putting on clothing

Teach your child the "flip" for putting on their coat, and make sure zippers are easy to pull up and down. Teach them to put on their own hat, mittens and boots. You can imagine what teachers go through with 25 little ones who need help with all of this! Your child will learn to love the independence, even though they may grumble through it.

Have fun!

And most of all....we teach our kids to have fun while learning! If your child is getting stressed learning any of the skills above, leave it for a few days and come back to it. If you're starting now, your child has 6 months to learn! 

Were there any skills you focused on before your child started kindergarten?

A Superhero for Super Kids: Napkin Man (and a giveaway!)

There are many superheros out there for my kids to look up to, but one has stolen my heart. 

The Adventures of Napkin Man stars a character who jumps off the page (erm, napkin) and onto our television screens, and it's our favourite CBC Kids show. Starring a fabulous Canadian actor (Yannick Bisson,) and paired with a catchy tune that we all find ourselves singing, my girls have become obsessed with Napkin Man - to the point that they dress up in costume and run around the house with capes flying. They call themselves "Napkin Girls."

You see, Napkin Man has special powers. No, he doesn't knock down bad guys or fly around the city. He's much subtler than that. Napkin Man helps us to deal with our strong emotions. He gets kids talking about All the Feels, and the episodes provide tips for recognizing and coping with tough emotions.

And now The Adventures of Napkin Man goes one step further with new Interactive Episodes based on the Season 2 series. My girls were very excited to check out these four episodes, which contain embedded activities designed to get kids engaged with the content.

Embarrassment

Even at a young age, kids can feel embarrassed about their looks. My daughter HATES her little curls, and we've had some tough mornings when she worries about the frizzies sticking out from her ponytail. "Bad Hair Day" is an episode all about embarrassment, and helps us learn how to hold our head up high.

The episode stops at key moments in the story, and asks kids to do an activity. In Bad Hair Day, when one of the characters feels embarrassed about his new haircut, a Music Machine pops up so that kids can create a little song that represents that emotion (think of something that sounds like "wahhh, wahhhhhhh" and you'll get the picture.)

Empathy

I see this as being a key emotion we can teach kids how to feel - it's the gateway to compassion. In "Get Well Soon," a young girl feels sad because her friend is sick. Both my girls loved the Jetpack Jam activity, where astronaut Napkin Man has to catch the "sad stars" to make them happy (while avoiding asteroids of course.)

Loneliness

This emotion is a toughy - no one likes to feel lonely or left out, but I love that this episode helps kids to see that being alone is OK. "Fun for One" is about drawing on your own resources and finding something fun to do, despite being alone. In all of the episodes, my girls REALLY enjoyed the colouring activity; you get to choose an item or character to colour, and then you insert them into a picture of the scene. My three year-old spent a lot of time on this one!

Loss

Our family has a beautiful little pug, who is now 11 years old and dealing with some health issues. We know the day will soon come when we have to say goodbye to our family pet, and I'm so grateful for the episode "Bye Bye Boogaloo," which deals with the death of the class hampster. Napkin Man helps the kids think of things they can do when someone dies. It's really important for children to learn about death, and find their own way to honour their feelings.

Who would benefit from watching these episodes?

My girls are 3 and 6, and both really enjoyed the online episodes. In terms of functionality, my oldest had a much easier time clicking the mouse on our laptop and navigating the screens. My 3 year-old fared better on the iPad, where she could tap the screen - however, we still had to help her navigate the activities.

My oldest helping her little sister with the interactive episode

Doing these with your kids provides a big advantage, though, as it opens up the conversation about these emotions. When your child has their next meltdown, we find it so helpful to say "hmm, what would Napkin Man do about this?" 

Giveaway!!

In celebration of the Napkin Man Interactive Episodes, we are giving away ONE (1) $100 Visa Gift Card! To enter, head over to the Adventures in Napkin Man website, and leave a comment here on the blog with which episode (out of the first four) you think your child will enjoy watching. For an EXTRA entry, have your child watch one episode and tell me which interactive activity they liked best (please leave a separate comment for an extra entry)

Giveaway rules:

• We are among several other blogs participating in this campaign. Readers may enter across many blogs, but may only win from one participating blog
• Entrants must be residents of Canada, including Quebec
• The winner can expect their prize in approximately 4-6 weeks

**Congratulations to our lucky winner Dana Lebeau - you were commentor #12!!*** CONTEST CLOSED

Disclosure: I am part of the Adventures of Napkin Man Online Influencer Campaign and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Trains and Boats with Thomas and the Vikings!

There are two fabulous exhibits open now at the Canadian Museum of History, and both are GREAT for kids!

Thomas & Friends: Explore the rails

Based on our favourite book and television series (seriously, I can't believe my kids are watching the same Thomas show I watched when I was little!) Thomas & Friends has chugged into town for a layover until May 1st, 2016. We had a chance to visit him this past week, and the exhibit did not disappoint.

There is a climbable Thomas the Tank:

A HUGE toy railway:

And a chance for kids to learn about steam engines, as they feed the trains with "coal":

The coal goes up the conveyor belt and Percy gives a big CHOO CHOO! 

And so much more - there is a small tot place, a chance for kids to dress up in a conductor's hat and jacket, and interactive video/audio throughout.

My only tip? Get there early - we know how popular this museum is, and weekends are a bit hectic. Plan to see Thomas as soon as the museum opens, and then you'll have time after to explore at a leisurely pace. If you're planning to take your children during the week, it will be much quieter.

From Trains to Boats: The Vikings

I was really excited to see this exhibit, although I wasn't sure how appropriate it would be for children. We escaped the zoo that was the children's museum, and the relative quiet in the rest of the museum was lovely. 

The Vikings exhibit was full of awesome visuals, including this display of a boat hull, using only the nails and wire to represent the shape. The boat had been buried, so the original wood decayed, leaving only these thousand year-old rivets.

I learned a lot about the Vikings that I didn't know before - for instance, did you know that the "horned" helmet is a myth? Vikings never wore horns, but you wouldn't know it looking at our modern-day Halloween costumes!

Shadowy image of the horned helmet...take those away, and you're left with a more accurate representation of what they really wore

My 3 year-old was certainly not bored in the exhibit, although a word of caution that they LOVE to play with the bouncy rope that cordons off the displays (who doesn't like a nice bouncy rope?) They will quickly be told by the staff NOT to touch the rope :)

My 6 year-old found it all very interesting, and she was able to participate in the interactive displays, including a Viking game of chess.

A traditional Viking boat

If you're hoping to see both exhibits, I would plan to spend most of the day at the museum. You could pair it with an Imax movie if that's what your kids are into (mine are still too frightened by the giant screen!)

Hurry to get to the museum before the Spring, as the Vikings set sail on April 17th and Thomas pulls out of the station on May 1st!

Have you been to visit Thomas & Friends or the Vikings? What did you think?