Archive for the ‘Parties & Celebrations’ Category
How to Host a Children’s Book Swap
Monday, April 15th, 2013
We’re all about encouraging reading, right? And you know that one of the best strategies is to have lots of books around the house. Our children love to pick up the same books again and again – first having us read to them and then later reading them on their own.
But here’s a problem – the cost of building a home library adds up quickly. And we only have so much space. What to do?
I have the best solution for you – host a children’s book swap. It’s easy, it’s social, and it’s fun.
The ingredients are few – you need book lovers and you need books. Here’s how… (more…)
Tags: book swap, children's books, reading
Posted in Parties & Celebrations, The Reading Nook | 2 Comments »
Printable | Valentine’s Day Cards
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013
Nothing says You’re Neat quite like a fun little Valentine. Our friend, artist Sara Michener, designed some happy little cards that you and the kids can make at home. All you need is a printer, cardstock and a trusty pair of scissors. We think these cards are perfect for stuffing in decorated shoeboxes this Valentine’s Day.
Posted in Parties & Celebrations, Valentine's Day | 1 Comment »
Valentine Treat Bags
Monday, January 28th, 2013
Designer, blogger, and Classic Play friend Joya Logue created these very sweet treat bags that are perfect for filling with candy and giving to classmates, teachers, friends and colleagues.
You’ll Need:
freezer paper cut into 8 1/2 by 11 inch pieces
100% white cotton fabric also cut into 8 1/2 by 11 inch pieces
white cardstock
safety pin
treat bag pdf
gift tag pdf (more…)
Posted in Parties & Celebrations, Valentine's Day | No Comments »
A Classic Play Children’s Table | Wedding Style
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013
I loved planning my wedding. Okay, so there was that time I broke down in the middle of a public space because I realized I was a month behind schedule. And yes, I did epically flip out at the rehearsal when one of the guests cornered me saying she wanted a last minute seating change. But you know, other than those two minor, itsy-bitsy, hardly worth mentioning things…
So when the editor of Baltimore Bride asked if I could contribute ideas in their upcoming issue for entertaining the 10-and-under crowd at a reception, I jumped at the opportunity. I dusted off all my old issue of Martha Stewart Weddings and flipped through my old wedding planner. I turned our dining room into a make-shift studio to test out ideas and asked the kids for input. It was a full on production, for sure.
I had a couple goals: First it needed to be simple and cheerful. Next, brides needed to be able to work in their own colors. It had to be easy to set up and require minimal adult supervision. Oh and yeah, it had to keep kids entertained.
And one more thing: I avoided anything too fragile or delicate. This last part comes from experience. It’s not even so much that kids break things, it’s more of, “who wants the stress of worrying if anything’s going to break,” you know?
Here’s what I came up with:
I chose polka dots as the theme and went with a classic white tablecloth. I ironed on freezer paper to protect it from spills and provide a surface for kids to color/draw on. Then, I swapped out floral centerpieces for pompom-topped gift boxes. Inside the boxes were little toys the kids could play with all reception long. There are a few other tips and tricks I included but, I’m going to save those for Sunday, January 13th, when I’m supposed to be on the news sharing it all. It’s my first live tv appearance! Eek! It’s local, so I’ll try to share a link.
If you’re in the Baltimore area, pick up a copy! The magazine is a thing of beauty. I’d say that even if I wasn’t in it. Truly. It had me wanting to get married all over again!
ps. Be sure to check out their site. They have some great online exclusives.
Posted in Parties & Celebrations | 6 Comments »
Celebrating New Year’s Eve Around the World
Wednesday, December 19th, 2012
photo courtesy Kory Chase
Can you believe 2013 is just a few weeks away?! While I’m not yet ready to reflect on 2012 (all those count down and retrospective posts can wait), I am looking forward to 2013. I’m especially excited about celebrating New Year’s Eve with the kids. I asked some friends around the world how they celebrate New Years. Since we’re living in a ‘global village’ now, I thought it might be fun to incorporate some of their traditions into our own party.
You can read about the traditions—from eating 12 grapes at midnight to wearing specific colored underwear to bring good luck (Ellie and Jonah are going to crack up over that one)—in an article I wrote for (cool) progeny. Just click here to read more.
How do you celebrate New Years?
Posted in Parties & Celebrations | No Comments »
Scenes from a Surprise Party
Monday, October 29th, 2012
A few months ago, our daughter mentioned that she’s always wanted a surprise party. Dave and I talked about it. We thought, Dang, that would be an awesome experience for a 10 year old. But the stars, not to mention the diminutive size of our house, didn’t align for a big event.
Instead, we created a little surprise party. A surprise party-lite version, if you will. (more…)
Posted in Parenting, Parties & Celebrations | 3 Comments »
DIY Mini Caramel Apples
Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
It’s no secret I’ve become obsessed with creating a mini Halloween party. There was the bunting, witch hat and mummy. Today, it’s mini caramel apples. (more…)
Posted in Cooking, Halloween, Parties & Celebrations | 7 Comments »
Halloween Straw Toppers
Tuesday, October 9th, 2012
If your kids are anything like mine, they probably go bananas over straws. In fact, straws have such magical powers over my crew that even a boring glass of milk is suddenly transformed into something radical when I plop a straw inside! Can anything top that? Well, actually there is something that can top that and it happens to be called a Topper.
Straw toppers are showing up everywhere these days from magazines to Pinterest. This simple little detail can make any milkshake more festive in seconds. Today I’d like to show you how you can make your own Halloween straw toppers using colored paper and a paper hole puncher. It’s a craft so easy that even your kids can make it. In fact, in my tutorial I’ll show you how I made the toppers then how my daughter made them too. It’s awesome when everyone can get involved!
To get in a spooky mood for Halloween, we made little witch straw toppers. Children enjoy making faces so I didn’t just want to make a hat. Just as a tip, anytime you can include making a face into a craft, it’s always a winner with children.
Ready to get started? Here we go! (more…)
Posted in Arts & Crafts, Kids DIY, Parties & Celebrations, Play + Learn | 9 Comments »
