Easy Activities for a Classroom Valentine’s Day Party

It’s that time of year again! The time for red and pink, hearts and too much candy. I am forever trying to figure out non-candy treats and in years past have found some adorable ideas on pinterest! (Check out my  previous blog for some non-candy valentines).  Now that my oldest daughter is in Pre-K, I am looking for a few easy Valentine’s themed activities that would be great for a classroom party.

Science Experiment: Dancing Hearts

For this cute science experiment from Playdough to Plato, all you need is four alka seltzer tablets, a glass, a box of conversation hearts and 1 cup of sparkling water or tap water. Drop the tablets into the water. Let them fizz and bubble a bit and then add a few conversation hearts. Watch them dance and wiggle in the glass. To take it to the next level, you could also try a variety of combinations. In one glass put only sparkling water and conversation hearts, then in another use alka seltzer tablets, tap water and conversation hearts and in the third put alka seltzer tablets, sparkling water and conversation hearts. Then see which hearts dance the most.

Art Project: Shake it up: Valentine Painting!

This is such a great for a no-mess painting art project from Sunny Day Family! By collecting a jar per child, you could easily have a dance party and make this art project at the same time! All you need is a clean, empty jar with a lid that fits, washable paint, a few candy hearts or dried beans or marbles, and cardstock. First cut out a heart from the cardstock to fit in your jar. Then add a few drops of paint to the bottom of the jar. Add the dried beans or candy hearts close the lid and let your kids shake it up! Once they are done shaking, pull out the hearts and let them dry. Then add them to cards or use them as decorations. For more ideas on what to do with the dried hearts, check out this website. 

Giving Back: Valentine’s Day Food Drive

Another idea that to help spread the love through the entire month is to give back to the community. This February, we are participating in the Fill your Heart and Food Driving Box Campaign. It’s a great way to teach kids about food insecurity and to give back to the community. We will collect red packaged food at the Cottage for the entire month of February. Then at the end of the month, we will donate the food to our local food bank. To learn more about this wonderful program and to join in the fun, check out fooddrivingbox.org.

For more ideas like these, check out our pinterest board “Love is in the Air: Valentine’s Day Ideas”!

I’d love to hear about your valentine’s day party activities too! We wish you a happy Valentine’s Day and a month full of love!

To learn more about one of Seattle’s best preschools and drop-off childcare programs visit www.blossomingbudspreschool.com and www.blossomingbudscottage.com.

A Fresh Start to using Non-toxic Products for the Family

Happy New Year! How are those resolutions going? One of my goals this year was to find better non-toxic household products. I recently downloaded the Think Dirty App to scan all my products. It’s a great app that tells me how the products I’m using rate on their “Think Dirty” scale. I’ve been scanning everything in my house including shampoo, cleaners, lip balm, bar soap, lotions…everything. Once I scan a product, the app gives a rating of 1-10, 10 being most toxic. I was so surprised to find that a lot of products that I thought were great still have a lot of toxic chemicals in them. I like to stay around 3 or under on the Think Dirty ranking.

Here are a few of my favorite brands and products:

Seventh Generation hand soap in Citrus and natural all-purpose cleaner

Desert Essence Coconut Shampoo, Conditioner and Detangler

California Baby Body Wash and Shampoo and Calendula Body Cream for Kids

 

For more inspiration on clean, non-toxic products, check out our Pinterest board “Best Non-toxicProducts” 

I’d love to hear about your favorite non-toxic products in the comments below!

To learn more about one of Seattle’s best preschools and drop-off childcare programs visit www.blossomingbudspreschool.com and www.blossomingbudscottage.com.

Ready For Holiday Parties? Quick and Delicious Potluck Dishes

It’s that time of year again, the time for tinsel, trees, holiday parties and...potlucks. Every December we are invited to at least one potluck and I am always short on time to figure out what to bring. This year is no different.  But I’m hoping to be more prepared by having some tasty recipes ready to make! Here are a few recipes that look delicious, super easy and quick.

Appetizer: Tortilla Pinwheels from Taste of Home

I love the look of these Tortilla Pinwheels! The combination of olives, green chilies, cream cheese, and tortillas sounds delicious! Prep time for these is 20 minutes and then they chill for several hours leaving you with time to get everyone ready or prep another dish. If you have kids at your potluck, you could make some Peanut Butter and Jelly Pinwheels for a kid-friendly appetizer option to go along with these!

Side Dish: Easy Cheesy Tortellini Bake 

This Easy Cheesy Tortellini Bake is so easy to throw together! 15 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes in the oven and it’s done. You could even add some cooked Italian sausage to make it a main dish.

Main Dish: Make Ahead Fajitas from Mr. Food 

How about these Make Ahead Fajitas if you are in charge of a main potluck dish? They are easy to whip up and have a cook time of 35 minutes. They look delicious and are a nice change from a typical casserole. 

 

 

Dessert: Hello Dollies from allrecipes.com 

This rich dessert is delicious and a family favorite of mine! Hello Dollies combine coconut flakes, graham cracker crumbs and chocolate chips in a gooey bar. It takes less than 15 minutes to throw together, 25-30 minutes to bake and they are fool proof!  

I’d love to hear about your favorite quick and easy potluck dishes too!

For more ideas like these, check out our “Easy Potluck Dishes” Pinterest Board! Happy Potlucking! And Happy Holidays!

To learn more about one of Seattle’s best preschools and drop-off childcare programs visit www.blossomingbudspreschool.com and www.blossomingbudscottage.com.

Thanksgiving: Getting Kids Involved!

Thanksgiving is just a week away! It’s one of my favorite holidays. Halloween and all the candy and costumes are behind us and there’s no need to buy presents! I have started trying is get my kids involved with the Thanksgiving preparations. While it’s hard to have them help with everything, I love getting them involved with the things they can do. And they love it too! Here are some ideas we are thinking about trying out this year!

Thanksgiving Themed Craft Table

I love the idea of a kids table during dinner, but what about the times where the adults are still talking around the dinner table and the kids are done and ready to play. We started setting out a table with art supplies and a craft that the kids can do by themselves and it was a hit! I like to line the kids table with paper and add crayons at the very least. And if I have more time, then prepping an art project is definitely a great way to get kids involved with celebrating Thanksgiving! Mess for Less’s has 50 Turkey Thanksgiving Crafts for the craft table! I also really love the idea of this cute turkey crayon holder from Hoosier Homemade!

Making Table Decorations

Table decorations are great to make for some pre-Thanksgiving art projects! Handprint table runners using fall colored paint, turkey place cards or this cute thankful turkey can make any table more festive! And they are a great way to get the kids involved and excited for Thanksgiving!  

          

         

Easy Thanksgiving Recipes That Kids Can Make

I love having my kids help with a couple of dishes during Thanksgiving! So many great recipes out there are kid friendly to make! My kids love to help stir and create a dish that they know our friends and family will enjoy. With Pinterest just a click away, it’s easy to find kid-friendly dishes that kids can easily make! These Pumpkin Cups from Sheknows Chef Mom are a great option for a quick and healthier dessert option that kids can easily help with! 

For more ideas like these, check out our “Thanksgiving!” Pinterest Board!  

I’m always looking for new ideas! I’d love to hear about your ideas for getting your kids involved with the Thanksgiving preparations too! What do they love to help with?

 

To learn more about one of Seattle’s best preschools and drop-off childcare
programs visit www.blossomingbudspreschool.com and www.blossomingbudscottage.com.

Easy Crock Pot Meals!

Fall is officially here! Which means that it’s time to break out my favorite fall dinners! I love using my crock pot on chilly fall days. It’s so nice to have food ready by dinner time that you don’t have to spend tons of time prepping right before serving it. Sometimes, if I’m feeling very ambitious or if I know the next day is going to be super busy, I’ll prep the next day’s dinner the evening before in the crock pot dish, except the main liquid, and then pop it in the fridge. Then, in the morning I’ll add the liquid and put it in the slow cooker and it’s ready to go by dinner time! It makes dinner so much easier and smells so great as it cooks! Here are three of my favorite recipes:

Easy Baked Potato Soup 

This is one of the easiest recipes and it is so delicious! I like to add carrots to the soup for some extra veggies too. It is quick to throw together and then you set the slow cooker on low for 7-9 hours. So easy!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches 

These delicious pulled pork sandwiches are a cinch to make and a nice alternative to soup in the fall. After cooking on high for about 4 hours, the meat simply falls apart with a fork creating juicy and delicious pulled pork sandwiches. Just add a bun and some coleslaw and you’re set for dinner!

 

Awesome Pot Roast 

This is my go-to recipe for pot roast. It’s easy and all inclusive so I only have to dirty one dish for making dinner since you can cook the vegetables and potatoes with the roast.

I’d love to try out your favorite slow-cooker recipes too! Please share them in the comments! And happy slow cooking!

To learn more about one of Seattle’s best preschools and drop-off childcare
programs visit www.blossomingbudspreschool.com and www.blossomingbudscottage.com.

Easy and Fast Kids Breakfast Ideas: Featuring CHIA!

Now that we've had a week or so of the kids being back in preschool, (and hopefully school will be starting soon for Seattle Public Schools!) I decided that it’s time to get serious about a nutritious breakfast in the morning for these growing bodies. No more unhealthy, sugary bars on the way to school! This summer I have been loving Chia and all its healthy benefits. It’s high in fiber, calcium, protein, omegas and so much more goodness! It’s awesome! Why not pass on this nutrition to our kiddos?!

Here are three super fast breakfast ideas my kiddos love (and I do too)!

Chia Sunburst Smoothie 

I love adding spinach (sometimes kale) and chia seeds to a smoothie with pineapple, frozen mango, a splash of orange juice and a banana! It’s a great way to get those veggies in early!

Yogurt Parfait

I start with Greek yogurt which has tons of protein in it, then I add some high fiber granola, sometimes some toasted coconut, and raspberries (another high fiber food). Then I sprinkle some chia on top for a little more crunch! Delicious!

 

Homemade Breakfast Bars 

I made 2 dozen of these delicious bars on Sunday and we eat them throughout the week! So tasty and full of great protein, nutrients and fiber!

For more tasty recipes like these, check out our pinterest board “Berry Good Recipes”! I’d love to hear about your favorite breakfast recipes too!

 

To learn more about one of Seattle’s best preschools and drop-off childcare programs visit www.blossomingbudspreschool.com and www.blossomingbudscottage.com.

Tasty Summer Treats!

With the end of summer just around the corner, I have many mixed emotions. I’m looking forward to getting back in a more regular routine with my kids, but I will also miss the care-free summer days and gorgeous weather. In an effort to try to soak up as much of the last few weeks of summer as possible, my kids and I have been experimenting with some tasty (and healthy!) homemade summer treats in the kitchen! Here are some of our favorites!

Fruit and YogurtCones from wizzley.com

We love this healthy take on an ice cream cone! With fresh fruit and yogurt, it’s always a winner! Sometimes we add the slivered almonds for a bit of crunch!

Strawberry FrozenYogurt from Just a Taste

This delicious recipe only takes 5 minutes to make! It is quick to make and has simple ingredients too. It has the perfect combination of strawberries, agave nectar, yogurt and fresh lemon juice. We’ve also been experimenting with other berries and fruits. We’ve tried adding mangoes and oranges and sometimes I’ll even add a couple of carrots to the fruit! 

Breakfast Banana Pops from Chocolate Covered Katie 

 

These tasty treats are really fun. When we are making them as treats, we like to dip the bananas in vanilla yogurt then roll them in crushed cookies and mini chocolate chips! I know, they say breakfast in their name, but they are so delicious as a special treat. Sometimes we make them with granola and raisins and have them for a special breakfast.

For more ideas like these, check out our Pinterest Board “Berry Good Recipes”! 

We always love finding new recipes! What are your go-to summer treats?

To learn more about one of Seattle’s best preschools and drop-off childcare programs visit www.blossomingbudspreschool.com and www.blossomingbudscottage.com.