Here on the Playground Parkbench, I share everything I would talk about with my fellow parents sitting on the parkbench as our kids play on the playground. That mostly fits into the broad categories of Parenting and Kids Activities. As my kids have gotten older, where we talk may vary – the…
Preteen: 10-13 years
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Even if your toddler can’t stay up to ring in the New Year with you, they can still help you decorate. This is a super simple, sparkly and festive New Year’s Craft for Toddlers. The end result is so fun though, you might want to make it for grown-up party…
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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HolidayMoments #CollectiveBias There is no holiday tradition more observed across my extended family than holiday baking! What I seemed to block from memory is the massive clean-up that follows. But don’t let the stress…
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I come from a long, line of bakers. My great grandmother invented the gum paste flower technique now used to adorn wedding cakes with candy clay flowers around the country. And Christmas is prime baking season. My personal favorite family recipe is for Gingerbread Cookies! And since after baking cookies for over…
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Our Nutcracker party planning continues… and no party is complete without themed decor. This week we created a simple burlap holiday banner featuring Nutcracker silhouettes for less than $10, with great Pottery Barn-esque effect! DIY Nutcracker Silhouette Holiday Banner For Day 3 of our Nutcracker series, I created this simple holiday…
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People thought I was crazy when I took Big M, then age 3, to see The Nutcracker last holiday season. She was captivated from the opening curtain to the final curtsies. She still watches it almost daily, narrates the scenes, requests to listen to the soundtrack in the car, and re-enacts…
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Over the past few Fridays, I have been sharing ways to save money this season, while the rest of the world breaks the bank! Today’s Financially Savvy holiday savings tip? Bake It, Don’t Buy It. For many people on your holiday list, baked goods make an excellent Christmas gift. And…
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Growing up, I always looked forward to December 1st, and my Mom’s reveal of our annual Advent Calendar. On a recent trip through Target, I saw an adorable 3D Christmas tree version… for $30. And it still needed gifts to go inside. I knew I could create my own version…
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Black Friday pandemonium looms just one week away. I, personally, have never been one to join in the shopping at midnight insanity. I prefer to stay home, enjoy my family and let my turkey digest. I am, however, all in favor of getting a jump start on preparing for Christmas.…
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It was not that long ago that artistic techniques were as prescribed as scientific processes or mathematical equations. Critics and instructors frowned upon artists who looked to create outside the confinements of traditional methods. Kandinsky was one such artist, and fortunately for all of us, ignored his critics. He wanted art to…
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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SnackPackMixins #CollectiveBias The best part about being a parent is sharing all the things you loved about your own childhood with your children. I love all things Christmas, and one of my favorite holiday traditions…
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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeInTheFun #CollectiveBias Every year, my husband groans and makes himself scarce when I drag out my KitchenAid mixer for my weekend of Christmas cookie baking. He knows the kitchen is about to be inundated for…
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Georges Seurat is famous for creating his own painting technique. Using hundreds of tiny spots of color, he created great masterpieces, with a technique now known as pointillism. While applying spots of paint to create an image may be a bit advanced for preschoolers, painting a picture with spots provides great…
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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PotPiePlease #CollectiveBias I knew my husband was the one the first time I came home with him for Thanksgiving. It was my first major holiday away from home. For a taste of home, I had committed…
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The Peanuts Holiday movies are one of my favorite holiday traditions. I remember watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas each October, November and December for as long as I can remember. And I have loved passing this tradition on to my kids… albeit when…
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Big M is on her journey to reading! It is so exciting to watch and her enthusiasm for letters, sounds and recognizing words is contagious. At preschool, they have a letter of the week each week – last week was ‘C week’. She has to bring in a picture that…
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Who else loves paging through the Pottery Barn catalog? I certainly do. However, the hubby definitely doesn’t care for the price tags associated with it. So I limit myself to using it as inspiration, and love it when I can create something, with help from the kids, for a fraction…
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I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for the TB Blood Test. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation. #TBBloodTest Are you a teacher or do you volunteer in your child’s school? While regulations and requirements vary by school and state, if…
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With the move to our new, forever house, everyone in the family got exactly what they wanted… The girls got a great new playroom and a yard to play in. I got the kitchen I’ve always wanted. And hubby got his man cave. He has been plotting his man cave…
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Art History for KidsCraftsFor KidsSkills
Matisse Goldfish – Exploring Masterpieces, Shapes and Colors
by MeghanGrowing up, my grandparents had a print of the Matisse Goldfish hanging in their breakfast area. The Goldfish and many other prints and reproductions they hung in their home were my first exposure to art as a child. Thirty years later, having seen many great masterpieces in person in museums…