Over the last while I’ve been trying to determine what Jemma might need or want for her birthday. In our family, birthdays are the big soiree. Christmas and other holidays are very low-key as we opt to celebrate the “reason for the season” rather than focusing on gifts. So, in preparation for Jemma’s birthday I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect gifts that will help her learn and grow over the coming year. Here’s what I’ve found:
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I found one of Prince Lionheart’s balance bikes on Rue Lala last month and scooped it up with some of my savings. Normally this is more than what I’d spend on a single item, but one of Jemma’s little friends, a 3 year old, has one and loves it! With the rainy weather on its’ way, I decided this balance bike would be a great indoor option for some physical activity that teaches balance, steering, and coordination.
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I saw this DIY on Pinterest (where else?) and knew immediately that it would be perfect for Jemma! Our fridge is stainless steel, and therefore, does not magnet :( so we’ve been in need of another option. I’ve heard you can pick up these car oil pans for super cheap at Wal-Mart, so now I’m just on the hunt for a fun set of magnets. Any ideas?
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Visit The Positive Parenting Connection and Authentic Parenting to find out how you can participate in the next Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival! Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
- What Was I Thinking? – Does your child ever do something that makes you wonder, “what was he thinking?!” Dionna at Code Name: Mama had a post planned about how her child doesn’t think when he pulls out the art supplies. Then she discovered a mess of her own.
- Letting Go – Sutra at One Little Bean writes about letting go of metaphorical reins and reminds us that to child something we’ve seen thousands of times can be a great source of interest and excitement.
- Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares 50 Ways To Explore and Connect To Nature With Your Children. If you are looking for some inspiration on getting outside with your children, this is the post for you!
- Turning 2 | Learning Gifts for My Favorite Toddler – That Mama Gretchen is preparing for her daughter’s 2nd birthday with a round up of her favorite learning toys and activities.
- Play & Discover: 6 Learning Activities For Tots & Preschoolers – Ariadne over at Positive Parenting Connection is sharing 6 activities that are fantastic for toddlers and preschoolers to work on cognitive, motor, social and language skills, while having lots of fun!
- An Unschooler’s Take on Lessons – Laura at Authentic Parenting experiences inner conflict about lessons and learning.
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I always wanted to buy a balancing bike for DD, but we never did… At age two… Now I must think. I think she most loved playing in nature and playing with paint, just free painting, hands on. She also got a train set back then, and she's still loving it (and see what happens when you put it in a room of men!), we just got the inexpensive Ikea one and built on it over the years.
We bought Eli a balance bike for his third birthday. It was absolutely a sanity saver for me this rainy winter/spring. From February on he about road the wheels off that thing in our house :) it really is amazing how well he can balance! We have a fairly sloped driveway and he loves to start at the top, cruise all the way down with his feet up and then turn and take off down the sidewalk, all without putting his feet down! Definitely recommend the balance bike :)
Yay! I'm glad to hear it was a good buy!
I haven't tried paint with her yet … just crayons and markers. I'll have to pick an afternoon to explore that. And I love those trains! I'm holding off until we get moved and have a little more space … maybe that would be a good Christmas gift for both kiddos in the coming years!
I made a mistake with teaching my firstborn sign language as a baby. . .he didn't actually talk until he was 3 because of it, so for my second son I only taught him small signs like eat and drink and milk and that was it. He started talking at 16 months. It was a huge difference between them, but yeah. . .I was all for sign language teaching until I had that issue. I was born partially deaf (but Jesus healed my ears and speech in a dream with him in it at about 5 years of age and I was completely free from any issues). I didn't even teach my firstborn THAT many signs, but it was far too many. Anyway, just be cautious of how much you teach your child of it. Anyway, I really enjoyed reading through a few of your posts!! May the Lord bless you.
Interesting! I haven't seen a decrease in Jemma's verbal skills due to her signing. As of now they more compliment each other. I'll definitely be careful in going overboard when we start signing more with Max.