If your toddler is anything like my toddler, the very thought of carving a pumpkin this year probably has you rather frightened. Of course, picking out pumpkins with toddlers is a lot of fun so there is bound to be at least one pumpkin at your house. Here are a few no – carve pumpkin decorating ideas for you and your little ones so you can add some festive fall fun to your home without having to try in vain to explain the details of why Mommy can use a knife to cut a pumpkin and Junior can’t as Junior … Continue reading →

If you stay home with your toddler, chances are that you have realized that being a stay at home parent does not always entail as much staying at home as the title may imply. Some of this may be due to your own need to get things done like grocery shopping and other errands, but some of it depends on the temperament of your toddler. Personally, I spend quite a bit of time at home and I could stay at home for days, but Dylan likes to go places. In fact, if we don’t go somewhere on any given day, … Continue reading →

It has just occurred to me that the other day, I had written a post which alluded to writing a future post about indoor activities for toddlers. Before I forget to write that post (again), here it is. Cooler weather is here, so get ready to get cozy and have some fun. Keep a box full of interesting pieces of clothing that the kids can use to dress themselves up as whatever characters they wish to create. Encourage them to give their characters unique voices, and listen as they entertain you with their stories. Dylan has not done any in … Continue reading →

As Dylan’s third birthday approaches, I am thinking more and more about preschool. The current theme of my preschool – related thoughts has shifted from “which preschool” to “whether or not he will attend preschool”. We still have plenty of time to research and weigh our options, because if we decide that Dylan will attend preschool he would not start until January. There are still two preschools in our area that I plan to visit with Dylan, one is right in town and the other is about a half hour away. One is Montessori, and the other is Waldorf. Of … Continue reading →

It has been getting rather chilly in the mornings and in the evenings around here. I have been trying to ignore it, and on the sunny days that is fairly easy to do because by about eleven in the morning it is usually warm enough for a short sleeved shirt. Today, calling in a heating oil delivery was on my to – do list so for a brief period of time I had to acknowledge that these sunny, warm days are soon going to give way to the damp chill of late fall and the bitter cold and snow of … Continue reading →

This weekend, I went to Maine with the boys and my husband’s parents. It has pretty much become an annual trip for us, and we go the same weekend every year so that we can go to the Common Ground Fair, which takes place in the town of Unity. The Common Ground Fair is a unique and special event that is focused on sustainability and environmental awareness. There are many educational opportunities for adults, and also many fun things for children of all ages. While we were at the fair, Dylan was able to try doing some new things. There … Continue reading →

Yesterday, I took Dylan and Blake to the Tunbridge World’s Fair in nearby Tunbridge, Vermont. There are many fairs and harvest festivals in New England in the fall and I thought that it would be a fun way to spend the afternoon with the boys. It was so cute to see the excited look on his face as we went towards the gate and he began to see the fairgrounds. Once we got inside, Dylan told me that he wanted to play games first. We played a couple of kid – friendly games and he won a few little prizes. … Continue reading →

Today was a beautiful day to take a walk with the boys, so I asked Dylan if he wanted to go for a walk. He did, and when I asked him where he wanted to go he told me that he wanted to walk to the old meeting house. As I packed up some snacks and water, Dylan ran to the toy room to get something. When he came back into the kitchen he was carrying Buddy, his stuffed owl. He told me that Buddy would be upset if we left her at home while we went for a walk. … Continue reading →

There is a certain crispness in the air at night these days. In fact, it has been for a few weeks now but not many people have been talking about it. It is understandable that not many people want to admit that summer is coming to a close. There are probably a lot of things that you and your toddler have enjoyed this summer that you will miss doing once summer is over. The good news is that fall brings with it a whole new array of fun things that you can enjoy with your toddler. If you live somewhere … Continue reading →

Most toddlers do not need much encouragement when it comes to getting them to do outdoor activities. Children are naturally curious and the great outdoors offers up seemingly endless opportunities for exploration. Toddlers are often quite energetic too, and outdoor activities enable them to use their energy in ways that strengthen their minds and bodies. It can be difficult to know which outdoor activities your toddler is ready for at each stage of his development. For example, you may think that it will be a few years before you take to the trails with your one year old. Fortunately, many … Continue reading →