Category: Food

Make Shopping a fun experience

Posted on by

As we’re shopping let your kids help you pick out fruit and veggies in the produce department, enjoying counting the number of apples they add to the bag, the different colours of peppers to choose from, and the funny names of the melons.

Set Expectations

Before going into the store tell your kids exactly what you expect from them.

Expect that they:

  • will stay nearby and not run through the store

  • will try to be aware of other people and not get in their way

  • will not throw a fit if they don’t get something

  • will be helpful and participate in the process.

  • Before we step foot in the store, remind them of my expectations.

Make a List

Go armed in the supermarket with clipboards, paper, and pencils, ready to check off each and everything on your lists.

  • Giving them a fun helpful task keeps them engaged in the shopping experience.

  • Make Kids your Helper

  • Continually engaging the children in the shopping process.

Not only does this keep them from getting bored and restless, it also teaches them how to shop.

If you use these new tools, most of the time you will actually enjoy your shopping trips together as a family.  It’s not always perfect and there will be times when you have a rough day, but that’s life?

But just try and make it fun and entertaining for kids!!!!

 

School Lunchbox Ideas

Posted on by

If there’s one area that is frequently discussed among parents and teachers but has no clear solution in place, it is the topic of school lunch boxes and children’s food.  Many believe that poor quality lunches are a big part of the growing obesity epidemic and some schools are taking dramatic steps to deal with the problems.  Others believe that parents need to be better informed about what they should give their kids for lunch.  So what are the rules and ideas to make for a better, healthier lunch

Educating parents

Others take the view that the solution isn’t about banning or confiscating foods but educating parents on what constitutes a healthy lunchbox and what they should include in it to give their kids the best meal.

In the US, there is also a big move towards giving parents the information to create healthy lunches.  This can include elements such as baking batches of food to freeze such as whole grain muffins or breads as well as healthier cookies.  A big emphasis is placed on what the food looks like because tasty looking food is more likely to be eaten by the kids – hence the reason that sugary foods are always popular.

Filling a box with veggies sticks and a little amount of a yoghurt dip or hummus are ideas discussed along with healthy crackers with toppings, fruit smoothies and sandwiches made with pitta bread rather than normal white bead.  Even leftovers such as grilled chicken breasts cut into sticks or nuggets and served with a dip are easy to make options.

Why it matters

While the growing concerns about childhood obesity are at the centre of these concerns, there are other reasons why a good, healthy school lunch is a benefit to kids. For starters, eating the right foods can boost the metabolism, making the children feel more energetic and increasing their concentration.  This leads to better results in class and to have more fun.

By making all children eat school lunches, there can be a stop to the problem of some kids feeling left out when eating a school meal versus a ‘fun looking’ lunchbox filled with poor nutritional foods.  Let’s face it, kids love what isn’t good for them and if they see their friends eating fun, sugary foods, they don’t want to eat their own healthy lunch.

Whether banning, confiscating or educating is the way forward, it is clear that a plan needs to be in place to help our kids have a fun, healthy lunch that sets them up well for the rest of the day.

 

Monsters Inc party

Posted on by

If your little boy is mad on Monsters Inc why not have a fun birthday children’s party based on Mike Wysocki!!

INVITATIONS:

Invitations can be bought as there are lots of merchandise from the Monsters Inc film, but invitations can be downloaded from the internet of ‘Mike Wysocki’ and stick them onto card.  The invitations could say ‘You’re invited to a party for Sam’s 5th birthday’ it also has to have important information like: Date Time Place RSVP info.

DECORATIONS:

A poster board sign for the entrance that can say; Welcome to Sam’s MONSTER of a party! with a clipart Mike on it too.  For the tables,  fill metal buckets with glass beads, blowers, & clipart Mike on sticks and attach balloons.  You can do lime green balloons and attach cut-out eyeballs & smiles to make the balloons look like Mike.

PARTY BAGS:

Since Mike is the comedian of Monsters Inc. buy joke books to fill the bags.  Also bubbles for younger brothers and sisters at the party.  To the books & the bubbles, tie suckers and a tag that says thank you for coming to my MONSTER of a party with a Mike clipart.  Use round suckers and glue a lime green circle & big wiggly eye to them to look like Mike.

FOOD:

Simple and easy food, like pizzas, popcorn, jelly and sandwiches, put a little green food dye on to make them more monstrous!! For dessert, served choc chip ice cream with a Mike cake.  Use plain lime green plates, napkins, cups, etc. Great fun for all the kids.

 

Kids love skateboarding

Posted on by

How about a Children’s party theme all about skateboarding? If you kid is totally nuts about skateboarding why not throw him or her a party that he or she is obsessed about?

Invite:

Make Cut-outs of skateboards telling them to skate on over to “name” Birthday bash! You can ask  guests to bring  skateboards or rollerblades and safety equipment. When each child arrives they can get a large # for the back of their t-shirt and a score card that listed all the activities that they were going to be judged on.

Games:

You can put a ramp into your theme and your guests will get 2 chances to freestyle on the ramp, a few of the guests can be chosen as judges and they can hold up large numbers, their scores were wrote on their score cards, etc.

The second children’s activity can be a bean bag toss on the skateboards, the buckets will have points on them and they will have 2 chances to make it into the bucket of their choice, the scores would be put on the cards.

The 3rd children’s activity could be limbo (obviously skateboarding or roller skating under), each time the stick doesn’t drop they get 5 points, their totals would be also put on the score cards,

Food.

A skateboard shaped cake and sub sandwiches could be served for children’s party food ideas. When all the gifts and cake was done all of the kids can sit in a circle so they could have an award ceremony take pictures.

Your Birthday boy or girl can give awards and prizes out as winners names were called

Prizes:

Computer made certificates, ribbons, mini trophies, skate board keychains, ramps, grab bags. At the end of the award ceremony use fizzy drink to fizz up and celebrate (or for something less messy, use confetti) great fun!!!

 

Children’s 4th of July party!

Posted on by

Celebrate the United States’ Declaration of Independence with all the fireworks, stars and stripes that go with it for your 4th of July kids party next year! All you need is an assortment of traditional patriotic foods such as apple pie, hamburgers and ice cream, and a firework-worthy location to create the most magical commemoration of American freedom you and your family have ever experienced.

4th of July party besides the fireworks is fantastic family fun and great food. You can start by pledging allegiance to your grill and making some of America’s favourite barbeque foods like hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, steak and chicken. Try adding an Independence Day twist to some of your favourite classics by incorporating an American flag or the colours red, white, and blue in each dish. For example, you can buy some toothpicks with an American flag attached from a party store and stick them in each of your hamburgers.

Your 4th of July party success depends largely on the location of your family gathering, whether it is a cosy barbeque or fun picnic.

Since the 4th of July takes place in the summer, it is wise to select a children’s party venue where you and your patriots can enjoy the beautiful weather and even a fun firework show after the sun sets. If you aren’t willing to host your 4th of July bash in your garden, try staking out a spot at the beach or the park where you can best enjoy the sunny weather (weather permitting of course!!!)

 

Get the party food just right

Posted on by

An important part of planning a children’s party is the party food, and parents who are choosing to do the spread themselves will want to create a feast that is guaranteed to get eaten. Naturally, dishes you choose will be dependent on what kind of party your child is having but there are a few ways in which you can make sure that your party food goes down a treat.

It’s always fun to create your own fun dishes. You can get loads of ideas form the internet. No matter what you do it’s almost certain that some dishes will be more popular than others. You therefore should aim to create a spread that is a mix of good party food staples like cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, sandwiches, etc.…with ‘experimental’ plates like party themed cupcakes, food shaped as characters from a theme, etc.… Whilst planning the menu, make sure that you consider what leftovers you may have, and how you would use them too as there can be a lot of food left over.

With classic party food such as crisps and biscuits, buying multipacks and refilling will mean that any leftovers you have are fresh and easily used in lunch boxes and for snacks. With more ‘experimental’ dishes, make sure that you and your family will be willing to eat them if left untouched.

When sending out the invites, it might be suitable to request any dietary information from parents that will help you create a spread that can be enjoyed by all. Parents of children with severe allergies or special dietary requirements may already know they need to contact families prior to attending birthday parties to avoid issues on the day, but some will assume that they will be catered for or forget to mention it.

By asking families to provide details of special diets, you can include (or not include) certain dishes that means no one at the party goes hungry.

Of course if you’re making party food together as a family, before the party, then your kids will love this as it gets them involved in their party even more and it’s a fun activity to do with your kids.

 

Family days out for little historians

Posted on by

York, Yorkshire

This picturesque town, located in North Yorkshire, is the perfect place to bring your budding little historians! Head to the York Castle Museum to get an insight into Edwardian and Victorian life in York, or pay a visit to the Jorvik Viking Centre to discover why they’re so popular. It’s also a must for chocolate lovers with the fab York’s Chocolate Story! If you’ve got a little thrill seeker in tow, be sure to check out Lightwater Valley to take on Europe’s longest rollercoaster; The Ultimate!

Cardiff, Wales

This beautiful town offers lots of varied and entertaining fun for all of the family! Explore Cardiff Bay on The Open Boat; a lovely steam boat that offers amazing views of the harbour, or head over to Cardiff Castle to learn all about this town’s fascinating medieval history. Fans of Doctor Who will love the Doctor Who Experience for an immersive journey through space and time!

Lymington, New Forest

For those after an escape to the forest, Lymington is the place to be! Situated on the edge of the New Forest, this port town is renowned as a sailing resort and is home to lots of lovely independent boutiques… perfect for budding little fashionistas! For those after a slice of culture, head on over to St. Barbe Museum and Art Gallery to marvel at amazing artwork and have a go at one of their family friendly trails. Hiring a bike and exploring the nearby woodland is also a must for active families looking to work up a pre-pub appetite!

Dartmouth, Devon

If you’re looking for active filled family day out with a spectacular backdrop, Dartmouth is your one stop destination! From cycling, walking and an array of outdoor activities, you really are spoilt for choice. This is as well as amazing historic houses, gardens, castles and museums, such as Dartmouth Castle. If you’re looking to delve deeper into the countryside, the Dartmoor National Park is only a short drive away from the town centre!

Falmouth, Cornwall

If you’ve got a budding surfer dude or dudette in tow, or are a lover of the seaside, Falmouth is the place to be! With a stunning beach that offers a variety of children’s activities such as rock pooling, sailing, snorkelling and SUP paddle boarding, your little beach bums won’t know where to start first. Head on over to the National Maritime Museum to find out all about this lovely town.

 

Toddler parties

Posted on by

We all want our kids to learn their ABC’s but it always seems to be not that fun in learning them. Why not create an ABC party and bring the fun back into learning!!

Decorate your party room with punched out letters (you can buy these in any stationary shop and even supermarkets.  Use primary colours on tableware, tablecloths and balloons to match your primary coloured decorations. On each balloon spell out each child’s name attending the party, using sticky letters.

Kids Party Food

For the children make letter cut-out sandwiches (tuna, egg, or ham using white and brown bread to add colour. Serve alphabet cookies and make a cake to resemble a big alphabet block. If your child has a four or five letter name put one letter on each side of the cake with the first one on top if he/she has 5 letters!

Party Bags

Buy brown paper bags with handles and make the front of each bag look like an alphabet block by painting a thick border around the perimeter with a cut-out letter pasted in the front, the first letter of each guest’s name.  Fill the bags with a word search book (according to age of child); or an alphabet book; or you could buy fridge magnet letters and make sure the child’s name is in their bag.

Games/Crafts.

Buy white t-shirts and iron on transfer paper for your computer. Find a program that will let your print alphabet letters.   Print each child’s letter on paper and then iron on to the front of each shirt; the day of the party of each child find their letter and have them imprint their hands on the back of the shirt (using fabric paint).  Do at the beginning of the party so hopefully they will be dry before they go home.

You could also play a game ‘what letter am I?’ Place a sticky letter on your guest’s forehead and he/she has to ask questions about the letter, for example what words do my letter come in? It may seem easy to you and I but a 3 or 4-year-old may find this a bit tricky, but on the other hand it’s a great learning game without them even knowing!!

 

A tea party for little girls

Posted on by

All little ladies dream of having a tea party, dressing up and sitting down at a beautiful table with china cups and floral table accents. So get ready to put on your fancy dress and a tea party hat.

Here are some ideas you need to throw a beautiful Tea Party;

Transform your home or garden into a family fun pastel coloured tea party getaway. Serve tea, lemonade or punch along with dainty finger sandwiches and fruit. Your little Tea Party guests will be over the moon.

Invitations.

  • Tea party invitations can be a tea cup, a tea party hat or just a beautiful tea party designed card. Just be sure to make them really special by using a fancy font and graphics that support the theme. Be sure to give the start time, end time, date and location of the Tea Party.

 

Decorations.

  • Set the mood for your children’s party with great party decorations like a garland archway and play some beautiful music. Cover the party table with a flowery tablecloth and a beautiful centrepiece. Create a beautiful tea party setting for your guests to enjoy the finger sandwiches and tea.

 

Party Games.

  • Sometimes the memories are even more special when guests get to take home the artwork that they’ve created themselves at the party. Whether they decorate tea party hats, tiara, or a special decorative item, it will be something special that helps them remember and share their event with others.

 

Costumes.

  • A tea party for children just isn’t the same without all the guests dressed with some fancy tea party dresses. If you are throwing a tea party, be sure to include a hat or tiara!

 

Party Food

  • Don’t forget the snacks and drinks for all of your tea party guests.  Tiny finger food snacks and sweet flavoured tea drinks or lemonade are always top of the list. But it’s also fun to have some sweet pastries and fruit.

 

The cake.

  • A tea cup cake is always popular with those who like to bake. For those who prefer a simple and less complicated treat, individual cupcakes and ice cream in individual cupcake liners can reduce the mess of serving treats under pressure.

 

Mickey Mouse party ideas

Posted on by

For you next Children’s party use Mickey children’s party supplies, like plates, cups, napkins, and decorations, you may want to consider purchasing, borrowing, or renting the following items for your Mickey or Minnie party:

 

  • Mickey Mouse Ears

  • Several pairs of white gloves

  • Airwalker Mickey Balloon

  • A Mickey Mouse Movie (i.e. Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers, Classic Cartoon favourites: Starring Mickey, or Classic Cartoon favourites: Best Pals Mickey & Pluto)

  • Apiata

Mickey 1st Birthday Party Ideas

A Mickey Mouse kids party theme is tons of fun for all ages. There are a few simple steps you can take to create a fun Mickey 1st Birthday Party appropriate for babies and toddlers.

 

  • Invite your Mickey party guests with Mickey 1st Birthday invitations.

  • Decorate the birthday child’s highchair with Mickey themed supplies.

  • Bake or buy a small Mickey cake or cupcake just for the birthday child to smash into! Decorate with Mickey candle and provide a separate cake for your adult family party guests.

    Mickey & Minnie Party Decorations

Decorations that match your theme makes a party even more fun and exciting. So, for this party, transform your party space into a Disney fun house using these tips:

 

  • As each guest enters the party area, give them mouse ears to wear! Consider handing out white gloves to the boys and big pink hair bows to the girls.

  • Cut large Mickey Mouse heads out of black card and tape them to the walls. Consider writing one guest’s name on each cutout in big block letters.

    Mickey & Minnie Party Food Ideas

Serving children’s party food that fits your theme can be a fun way to keep the party exciting! If you have the time to make some Mickey-themed treats, consider these ideas:

  • Put out larger black plates that are framed with smaller ones to serve your food on hidden mickeys.

  • Serve Mickey Mouse pancakes, just make three circular pancakes, one big for the face and two little for the ears.

  • Serve chocolate milk with silly straws.

  • Stick two Oreos or other chocolate cookies in the chocolate frosting of a cupcake so the ends are sticking up to make a dessert that looks like the character.

  • You can bake a Mickey Mouse cake using a Mickey cake pan.