Cooking with Kids and KidZui
My son is almost three years old but he LOVES to help Mama in the kitchen. Okay, what kid doesn’t love it? They get to measure, and pour, and dump, and mix. It’s like playing in the sandbox but better because they can experience all of the different tastes, scents, textures, colors, and temperatures. Much better than plain ol’ dirt!
Whether you have a little one who wants to “help” in the kitchen or you have an aspiring Emeril in your home, there are plenty of websites to give you and your kids some ideas for the kitchen. The KidZui browser has the best kids’ cooking sites already “baked in” so you don’t have to search on your own. Here are some of my faves:
- Cooking with Monkey – puts a very cute spin on traditional recipes. There are pictures of every step with the monkey front and center.
- Junior Chefs of America – offers hundreds of recipes and showcases cooking demonstrations (by kids for kids).
- Cook’s Thesaurus – provides pictures, descriptions, and suggested substitutions for those unusual ingredients (great for parents, too).
- Cafe Zoom – has a ton of fun recipes submitted by kids like a Burger & Fries Cake, Peanut Butter Bees, Lasagna Roll Ups, and more.
- Cooking Games – cook up some fun in the virtual world with TONS of cooking games in KidZui. Kids can sling burgers, make ice cream cones, decorate cupcakes, and more.
So get cooking! Sit down at the computer with your kids tonight and let KidZui help you find some fantastic creations while you also create some lifetime memories. What are YOUR favorites?
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
The KidZui Blog creates a world of fun for kids with tips on kids activities, crafts, movies, games, & more. While you’re here, be sure to download the KidZui browser for FREE. KidZui is the kids’ browser stuffed with fun! It’s jam-packed with millions of YouTube videos, online games, & websites just for kids. Kids have a blast while parents relax because all websites, games, and videos are pre-screened and approved by teachers and parents like you.
Fun and Eco: Personalize Your Child’s SIGG
Customize your kid's SIGG
With a year of pre-school under our belts, I’ve learned a few things…including the fact that almost all the kids in my son’s class have the same water bottles. No wonder it’s such a petri dish!
Determined to find a unique, fun, and eco-friendly water bottle for the new school year, I headed to Target last weekend. Unfortunately, they didn’t have much of a selection for kids and what they did have was mostly for girls. (Side note: isn’t that always the case?)
As most moms, I don’t have a lot of time to shop around for these very important items so I checked out SIGG’s website to see what was available. I was so pleased to see they have 81 different kids designs for sale. Wow! What a great selection that includes Sponge Bob, Hello Kitty, and everything in between. Plus, SIGG is offering free shipping when you order two full-price bottles (which is good because these bottles are an investment – but worth it).
But what really caught my attention was the ability to customize your SIGG bottles. You can upload your own pictures and create vinyl skins for your SIGG bottles. How cool is that? This not only prevents kids from swapping germs at school, it also prevents the bottles from accidentally going home with someone else. Plus, I have a feeling my kids will think they are famous once they are sportin’ their pics on their water bottles.
You can customize your SIGGskins by uploading your own photos, adding shapes (animals, stars, skulls, etc.), and adding text. The design interface isn’t as simple as other sites but after playing around with it for a few minutes, I got the hang of it.
The SIGG skins are priced at $12.95 each, which is yet another investment but I think it’s worth it for the fun factor and also to protect your investment in your SIGG bottle. And ultimately we reduce the vast amount of plastic water bottles going into the landfills each year so everyone wins.
Tell us! Have you found any cool new back-to-school items?
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
The KidZui Blog creates a world of fun for kids with tips on kids activities, crafts, movies, games, & more. While you’re here, be sure to download the KidZui browser for FREE. KidZui is the kids’ browser stuffed with fun! It’s jam-packed with millions of YouTube videos, online games, & websites just for kids. Kids have a blast while parents relax because all websites, games, and videos are pre-screened and approved by teachers and parents like you.
Silly Bandz Swap – Bring Your Kids!
Kids are crazy for Silly Bandz
Are your kids crazy for Silly Bandz? Join the club! It takes me back to the early days of Madonna, when we were all sporting 50 plastic bracelets on our wrists. But now these bright colored bracelets take the shapes of animals, letters, words, and more when your kids remove them from their wrists. How fun!
Priced around $4.95 for packs of 24 bracelets, these silicon bands are affordable and fun. You can buy them online from Brainchild Products or you can find them in just about any drug store, toy store, and more. Yes, they are everywhere.
Even bookstores are jumping into the Silly Bandz craze. Borders is hosting a Silly Bandz Swap at select Borders bookstores on August 7, 2010. So if your little one has some Silly Bandz that they would like to trade, check to see if there is a Silly Bandz Swap near you.
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
The KidZui Blog creates a world of fun for kids with tips on kids activities, crafts, movies, games, & more. While you’re here, be sure to download the KidZui browser for FREE. KidZui is the kids’ browser stuffed with fun! It’s jam-packed with millions of YouTube videos, online games, & websites just for kids. Kids have a blast while parents relax because all websites, games, and videos are pre-screened and approved by teachers and parents like you.
Do you Slink or Sketch?
Slinky vs. Etch-a-Sketch. Which is your fave?
These toy classics are battling it out in a friendly popularity contest to determine the favorite classic toy of all time. Cast your vote and you could win free toys or up to $5,000 (which could buy a LOT of toys).
As a child, I loved both toys. As an adult, I still love both toys but I have to say that Etch-a-Sketch would be my top pick (even though Slinky had that catchy jingle). But don’t let me sway your opinion. Cast your vote daily for instant win prizes or if you are feeling creative, submit your own video for a chance to win $5,000. You can enter at www.slinkyvsetchasketch.com (contest ends October 31, 2010).
So grab your kids and shoot a fun video. Who knows? You might just be slinking into some cash, which would come in handy for the holidays.
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
The KidZui Blog creates a world of fun for kids with tips on kids activities, crafts, movies, games, & more. While you’re here, be sure to download the KidZui browser for FREE. KidZui is the kids’ browser stuffed with fun! It’s jam-packed with millions of YouTube videos, online games, & websites just for kids. Kids have a blast while parents relax because all websites, games, and videos are pre-screened and approved by teachers and parents like you.
Let them pull taffy
Make a small mess and big memories when you pull saltwater taffy with your kids.
I remember my Aunt Becky always had the best activities to keep us busy in the summer. My cousins and I would have a blast racing go carts, playing mini golf, catching fire flies, and making unusual cookies and candies.
Oh sure, chocolate chip cookies were still pretty high on our list but every once in a while Aunt Becky would bust out something fun and messy like homemade lollipops or pulled saltwater taffy.
As a parent, I kind of cringe when I think of the potential mess taffy creates. But I will never forget the fun we had while pulling taffy from one end of her kitchen to another. And so I can’t wait to make taffy with my little guy once he’s old enough. In the meantime, here’s a recipe that you can try with your kids while you create a memory to last a lifetime.
What you need:
- Medium saucepan (3 or 4 quarts)
- Wooden spoon with a long handle
- Pastry brush
- Candy thermometer with a metal clamp
- Wax paper
- Kitchen scissors
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 cups corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- flavoring extracts (vanilla, strawberry, lemon, etc.)
- food coloring
- flour
Cover your table with wax paper to minimize the mess. Mix the water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring continuously. Increase the heat and do not stir during the rest of the cooking. Wash the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water, using an upward motion. This will prevent the formation of crystals which might cause the candy to sugar. After the syrup boils put in the candy thermometer. Remove the candy from heat once it reaches 265 degrees. Add 2 tablespoons butter and stir very gently. Divide the taffy into three parts; you’ll add different flavors and coloring to each one during the pulling process.
Have the kids wash their hands well and then grease their hands up with the remaining butter. Once the taffy has cooled enough to handle, have the kids pick the edges of the taffy up with their fingertips and then pull it out about 12 inches. Then they will fold the candy back from one end to the other, catching the center and then pulling again.
After a few pulls, add a few drops of food coloring and flavor extract and then continue the pulling process. You’ll be pulling the taffy for about 10 minutes or until it has a satiny gloss.
Once the taffy is hard to pull and it holds its shape, it’s time to cut it into pieces. Roll the taffy into a 1/2 inch diameter rope on the wax paper. Rub a pair of kitchen scissors with the unsalted butter and then cut the taffy into bite-size pieces. Let the taffy sit for about 30 minutes. The kids can wrap it up in candy wrappers or pieces of wax paper.
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
Girls can design their back-to-school wardrobe
Is your daughter a fashionista? Let her unleash her creativity and showcase her style when she designs her own clothes with Fashion Playtes.
Fashion Playtes gives girls a great selection of blank canvases (t-shirts, hoodies, dresses, etc.) that they can customize. Girls can choose the fabric color and embellishments like ribbons, underlayers, rhinestones, and more. They can even design their own label to make it official.
What a great way to get your daughter excited about the school year (which is about a month away…Tick! Tock!).
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
Kids Triathlon – swim, bike, and run to fun
My husband discovered his love of triathlons a few years ago and has since built up to Ironman status. So it comes as no surprise that our son, who’s nearly three, is just as active. He seriously sprinted a mile down the beach this weekend and loved every second of it.
Although our little guy is too young for races, I know it won’t be long until he will want to hit the track with Daddy. We think it’s important to keep him active but it’s even more important to keep it fun. Because that’s what it’s all about, right? Swimming, biking, and running is fun for kids. Why not encourage it?
Maybe your kids are already triathletes and don’t even know it. Let’s just say they spend some time swimming in the pool, and then hop on their bikes to ride to the park, and run around playing tag. Hmmmm…sounds like a triathlon to me. If your kids love to swim, bike and run, you may want to check out a race in your area and let them see what it’s all about. Once they see the other kids having a blast (and getting medals) they may want to sign up for the next race.
Perhaps your daughter loves to bike and run but she’s not a strong swimmer. Rather than sitting on the sidelines, put her in a swimming class. Or form a team with her friends and they can each complete one leg of the race.
If you’re interested in learning more about races in your area, visit TriFind to find a list of kids triathlons in your state.
Next help your child find a race that is age-appropriate. For example, USA Triathlon recommends that kids under 12 years old participate in a race that has a pool swim, a bike course closed to traffic, and extra volunteer support. USA Triathlon also has a distance chart to help you determine the appropriate race distance for your child by age range.
Remember, the goal is to keep it fun so your kids will develop a life-long passion for fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Plus, they will have a deeper appreciation for sportsmanship and teamwork.
Share your story! Does your child participate in races? How young were they when they started? What is their favorite event? How do you keep it fun for your kids?
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
Encouraging Creativity with Children
Make a rocket out of cardboard boxes
What parent doesn’t want their children to be successful? My kids are going to be the best (fill-in-the-blank-here) and I’m going to ensure it by feeding their creativity. Creativity you say? What about their IQ? Well, according to a recent Newsweek article, the correlation to lifetime creative accomplishment is more than three times stronger for childhood creativity than childhood IQ. Unfortunately, American creativity scores are dropping so it’s important now more than ever to nurture our children’s creativity.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that you can throw those textbooks out the window. We all know that IQ is still very important. But it’s critical to keep our children thinking creatively. By exposing our children to many experiences and taking a step back, we encourage their little minds to come up with some very interesting ideas.
1. Art supplies – the traditional art supplies are great (crayons, chalk, scissors, glitter, paint, etc.) but don’t discount unusual items that they can use to create their masterpiece like old magazines, yarn, buttons, pipe cleaners, fabric scraps, egg cartons, paper towel rolls, and more. When your child finishes their artwork, resist the temptation to talk about what you think it is. Ask them to tell you about it.
2. Music – there is plenty of fun kids’ music at your local library that you can borrow or download some great music on iTunes. Have your kids make up new lyrics to a favorite song. Make your own music with toy instruments or even real instruments from a second hand shop or from Craigslist. Take them to a free outdoor concert or simply crank up the radio.
3. What If - ask your child “What if” questions to see what they think about things like ”What if the dog could talk? What would she say?” or “What do you think it would be like if we lived on a boat?” Continue asking open-ended questions to expand their ideas.
4. Books – reading to your children (or having them read to you) is always good. You can take it a step further by asking them how they would change the ending to a book. Or even have them make a book of their own.
5. Photography – if you have an old camera that you no longer use, put it in the hands of your kids and see the world through their eyes. Digital cameras work best since you don’t have the expense of developing full rolls of film. Go through the pictures and have your child pick out their favorites and start a photo collage or photo album.
6. Drama – is your little one a drama queen? See if there is a local theater club for kids in your neighborhood and help her build her acting talent and her self confidence. No drama clubs available? Get the kids together and host a neighborhood play of their own. You can free kids scripts online from Whootie Owl or Kidsinco. Better yet – have the kids write their own script.
7. Pretend Play – never miss an opportunity to head to the “Land of Make Believe”. That refrigerator box could be turned into a rocket ship or a fairy castle. Those old hats and scarves that you were going to donate to Goodwill could be saved in a trunk and used for dress up games.
There are so many things that we can do as parents to set the stage for our kids’ creative young minds. Share your ideas! What are you doing to nurture the creativity within your child?
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
Celebrate National Ice Cream Day (and Month)
Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with your kids
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
Shakes, malts, sundaes, banana splits, and just a simple scoop of ice cream will make kids (and kids at heart) smile. Apparently Ronald Regan was a big fan of ice cream because in 1984 he designated July National Ice Cream Month. And if that wasn’t enough, he also designated the third Sunday (naturally) in July National Ice Cream Day.
We don’t want to let Ronnie down, do we? Let’s bust out those spoons and straws and teach our kids to honor these very important dates. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Make your own homemade ice cream in a bag – no ice cream maker required! Check out this fun ice cream recipe from our friends at Kaboose.
- Discover new Ben & Jerry’s flavors with their free iPhone app, Scoop of Happiness. You can also find the nearest scoop shop, rate your favorite flavors, and play around with their augmented reality app.
- Get free ice cream from the Cold Stone Creamery or Baskin Robbins when you join their birthday clubs.
- Tired of the classic hot fudge sundae? Check out Serving Ice Cream for a ton of great ice cream topping ideas. Or get inspired with 150 sundae recipes in A Month of Sundaes book.
- Feeling creative? Record a Happy Birthday video for Dairy Queen’s Blizzard and enter to win a $250 gift card. Now that’s a lot of Blizzards. Deadline to enter is August 1, 2010 so get movin’.
I have to say that I’m partial to Ben and Jerry’s Everything but the Twisted. And I do occasionally enjoy plain vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce as a trip down memory lane with my late Grandpa Bill. But life is too short to stick with the same ice cream and I’m looking to branch out. What are your faves?
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
How Would YOU Describe KidZui?
Okay, I admit it. I’m human and don’t have all the answers. Shhh…just don’t tell my kids.
As the KidZui Mom, I’m reaching out to other parents (like you) see how you would describe KidZui to a friend. If you’re not familiar with KidZui, it’s a free Internet browser that is jam-packed with millions of kid-friendly websites, YouTube videos, online games, and pictures. Because everything is pre-screened and approved for children, parents can relax while kids have a blast on the Web.
Now…how would you say that in three to five words? Let’s pretend you are talking about KidZui to one of your friends. How would YOU describe KidZui? Please take our quick poll!
Thanks for your help!
Tara
KidZui Mom
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