Color Me Tables

ColorMeTables has a great product that is perfect for family get togethers!  Or birthday parties...  or a craft room...

For about $50, plus shipping and handling, you get one table and four chairs that are ready for your budding artists.  I have a daughter that would go nuts for this!!!  A birthday tea-party... ohhh laa laa!  For $75, plus s/h, you get the table and 6 chairs.  What a fun birthday activity!!

Giant Activity Tablecloth

What a great idea for Thanksgiving dinner... or for the time leading up to actually eating Thanksgiving dinner.

This is a $30 activity tablecloth from International Playthings (available at Amazon.com) that can be used, and reused. Use washable markers on the dozens of activities printed on the tablecloth... mazes, word-finds, coloring... and then pop the cloth in to the washing machine for the next event!

Click here for more information.

Ice Cream Sandwich Molds

Cute ice cream sandwiches the kids can make themselves???

I love it!!

These molds are in pig, cow and chicken shapes... what adorable sandwiches.

$12 for the set at Amazon. Click here for more information.

Tyke Lights

I live with some little girls that would absolutely go nuts for these! These are heat-free lights are made of durable plastic and are perfect to light the way for little ones. My girls would love these for reading at night for a bit before they go to bed. There are three settings for the lights... high, low and a fifteen minute dimmer!!!

$13 each. Click here for more information!

Rubik's Cube 360

Welcome back Mr. Rubik!!! The idea with this new twist on the original cube is to get the colored balls from the inner sphere into the matching slots on the outer sphere by twisting and shaking them through holes. Available at Amazon.com for $15.

Melissa and Doug Craft Kits

Melissa and Doug toys and puzzles have long been favorites of mine. I love their durability... and the quality of the materials that they use.

I've recently discovered their craft kits. What fun!!! You can find their products at their website, Melissa and Doug. They usually have a good selection of products on sale... or are offering a discount on qualifying orders.

I've also found, on occasion, their puzzles at T.J.Maxx.

Make your own Puzzle Kit - $7

Decorate your own Whiteboard Kit - $13

Whimsy Press Journals

I have journals that I share with each of my daughters. We call it a Journal Share and we take turns writing to each other. After we write, we leave the journal somewhere (usually under the bed pillow) that only the other person will find. The key to these journals being successful (for my family) is that each daughter knows that the journal is only for her eyes and my eyes. No one else can read what we wrote.

There are no rules (beyond not reading other people's journals). The girls are free to write whatever they want. We ask questions and answer questions. We share dreams... and fears. We talk about goals. And we talk about all the reasons we love each other! It is so fun! Sometimes we get on a good roll and write regularly... other times we may go several days, a week even, between writing. It is a flexible, no pressure tradition!

And I love it.

The above journals are from Whimsy Press.

Perler Beads

It is summer. Officially!!! Yesterday was the last day of school! Yippee!!

One of my children's teachers gave her a gift set of Perler Beads. Oh, I forgot how much I love Perler Beads. It is a perfect activity for kids!!

This website has some amazing Perler Bead sets. Too fun! They also sell buckets of beads, extra bead pegboards to create different designs (my favorite is the t-shirt pegboard... wait, maybe it is the girl pegboard... oh, the monkey pegboard is too cute, argh!!) and I saw ornaments too. Cool!

You can also find Perler Beads at toy stores, craft stores and Target and Wal Mart!

If you've been living under a rock, or don't have any kids aged 4 to 12, let me tell you what Perler Beads are...

Perler Beads are colored beads that are placed on pegboards (the boards are reusable, the beads are not) and then fused together with an iron on medium heat. You use either Perler Bead paper, or parchment paper to protect the iron, and the beads! Without even knowing it... kids learn patterning, eye-hand coordination and creativity!! Love it!

Super Slide by Sportspower

It is HOT in Arizona!! HOT, HOT, HOT!

Time to break out outdoor waterslides. I love that these are affordable for home use!!

This water slide is available at Costco.com for $250.

Chalk Mat/Place Mat

This is a reversable placemat! One side is a durable, wipeable placemat and the other side is a chalk mat. What a clever idea. There are multiple fabric choices available and each set ($22) comes with chalk.

Click here for more info about the Chalk Mat. And check out The Polka Dot Platypus to see their other fun stuff too!

Sticker "Scenes" from Oriental Trading

My kids enjoy these Design-Your-Own Sticker Scenes from Oriental Trading. Included are enough sheets to make 12 scenes. They are great, inexpensive (Makes 12 for $5), and an easy activity for a wide variety of ages. We use these in the car on trips... they are relatively not messy. I love to break out a set when my kids have friends over, or for an activity for a sick kid to do when they are bored! They come in holiday themes too, which make perfect classroom treats!

Please note: the stickers tend to be a little tricky to get off their sheet, but with the help of an older child or parent, younger kids LOVE this!

Thru April 30, 2009, you can get $10 off any order over $20. That is the best Oriental Trading offer I've ever seen. Use key code ALU912.

Go to OrientalTrading.com and search for "sticker scenes" to see their wide variety!

3D Drawing Pad

I have a daughter that would go nuts for this!!!

The Escapade Direct website explains it this way: This 3D Drawing Pad has a stereographic background that you can write or draw on using a regular pencil. When you put on the 3D glasses... watch out! Your drawing will appear to float above the page! Who knew 3D could be so easy and fun!

You get 50 sheets and one set of glasses for $8.25. A perfect gift!! I love it! Click here for more information!

Balancing Board

I have wanted to get a balancing beam for my kids for years! It was one of my favorite recess activities when I was in elementary school.

I love this one, called the River Balancing Board, because it is able to be built and rebuilt, even by little kids! It is easy to store and then just as easy to get back out. It can be used inside, or outside.

Six River pieces, plus River Stop for $81.

Click here for more information. The store, called Escapade Direct, is full of some fun activities for kids!

Book Fun!

Something that is guaranteed to make me laugh is watching my kids laugh!

Today I took them to the public library so they could each check out three books. It was so much fun to watch them scour the shelves looking for the perfect book! On our way out we selected some DVDs to watch in the evening before bed. I also checked out a novel, plus a couple of cookbooks.

So, this is a SHOUT OUT for your local public library! Go... take your kids... let them enjoy all that the library has to offer! And if you don't have kids... trust me, there is a lot for grown-ups as well!

Enjoy!