Little Wonder's Prime Day Picks

Prime Day is coming up and we thought we’d share some of our favorite things here at Little Wonders. Feel free to add these to your carts! Note: As an Amazon Associate Little Wonders earns from qualifying purchases.

The Pencil Grip Kwik Stix NEON Solid Tempera Paint, Super Quick Drying, 6 Pack

Great alternative to tempera paint.  Dries faster and makes for easy clean up! Suitable for kids 3+ -Alyse (LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/34G1mr3

How to Draw for Kids: Learn to Draw Step by Step, Easy and Fun!

This has been a life saver during SIP and smoky days.  My 4 year old loves learning to draw with these easy, kids friendly steps! It's even helped me learn to draw a thing or two :) -Alyse (LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/3iLKzrF

Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine, Night Light and Time-to-Rise

We love the Hatch light. We started using it for our then 2 year old when he transitioned out of the crib. I love that we can control the light and sound with our phone. -Kim (LW Board Co-President) https://amzn.to/2SDW6yJ

BooTaa 2 Pack Airplane Toys, 17.5" Large Throwing Foam Plane

The box says 3+, but everyone in our family (18 month old included) is loving these inexpensive and surprisingly sturdy airplanes. We almost immediately purchased some back-ups since the kids are enjoying them so much. -Vanessa (LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/30RUYvQ

Peaceable Kingdom Count Your Chickens Award Winning Cooperative Counting Game for Kids

This is the first board game we introduced to our 3 year old, and he really likes it. -Vanessa (LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/2GIMSyz 

Guidecraft Classic Kitchen Helper Stool

So helpful to have this in the kitchen when the toddlers want to cook with me (or eat, or ask a million questions), but it also keeps them contained. I love that this one collapses so I can put it away between uses. -Vanessa (LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/34JpV6q

What Should Danny/Darla Do? (The Power to Choose Series)

Both my kids are loving What Should Danny Do and What Should Darla Do. These "choose your own adventure" style books never get old! -Kate (LW Board Co-President)

Danny: https://amzn.to/34Ga0WC  Darla:  https://amzn.to/34Fv67v

Dinosaur Drawing Bapron

This bib is amazing and covers the kiddo much better than any other ones we’ve tried! It’d be great for messy art projects too! (Emily, LW Board Member)  https://amzn.to/2GTnplK

Melissa & Doug Animals 4-in-1 Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles Set

Our 3 year old loves these puzzles. They’re just challenging enough to keep his attention and they come with a tidy storage box. (Emily, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/2GPdwFO

Dig a Dozen Dino Eggs Dig Kit

These dino eggs were a HUGE hit in our house. They’re messy so I recommend playing with them outdoors! (Emily, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/2SGQsvB

Cheski Baby Knee Socks Stay Put on Baby's Kicking Legs

These are the only socks we’ve ever tried that actually stay on baby’s feet. (Emily, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/34I53wx

Flybar My First Foam Pogo Jumper for Kids Fun and Safe Pogo Stick

This is great for helping to improve balance and coordination.  It can be used inside or outside so it's particularly great for fire season when we need new ways to get the wiggles out inside.  And it has a fairly high weight limit so grown up kids can use it too! (Steph, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/30Tx4Qy

Plum Organics Stage 2, Organic Baby Food, Pear, Spinach and Pear

I still can't believe my kids like these pouches, but I don't argue or ask questions since on some days it's the only green thing that goes in their bodies. I started looking to Amazon to buy them when stock became spotty at grocery stores over the summer. Hold on to the used pouches and recycle them at Little Wonders when we're back in the classroom! (Chrissy, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/33Ly1Mw

Magna-Tiles 32-Piece Clear Colors Set

Great for ages 2+. We love seeing how creative the kids get with their creations! (Nesa, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/3doVdDK

Playskool Poppin’ Pals Pop-up Activity Toy

We got this for my toddler before she turned and now she’s almost three and still loves to play with it! (Kristen, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/3nFjeuH

Kidzlane Count & Match Educational Egg Toy

This has been a hit with my toddler especially since we’ve been stuck inside more. It grows with the child, first they color match then number match. (Kristen, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/36WlXtU

KIDS MASK LANYARD STRAPS

I got these for my kids to help keep their masks in place and around their necks so they don’t lose them. The cute handy clip can be tightened to secure the mask around their head, this is particularly helpful if the mask’s ear straps are too big. (Daphne, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/3jWiUFN

stainless steel kids cups

I loved the stainless steel cups used in class at Little Wonders and got these ones for my kids to learn how to use cups at home. Easy to clean and unbreakable! (Daphne, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/3lEZUMC

therapearl children’s pals hot cold therapy pack

Another awesome item we stock at Little Wonders that I purchased for my own home. Keep in the freezer for when accidents and boo-boos happen. (Daphne, LW Board Member) https://amzn.to/30ZjMlG

How to Celebrate Halloween Safely in 2020

By Srujana Srinath

It was only after my daughter came into my life that I started paying more attention to Halloween.  Before that it was mostly a social event for me where grown-ups dress up and act like kids for the day.  The past two years is the first time I experienced Halloween in our current neighborhood.  It was only two years ago that we moved into this neighborhood. Last year my daughter wore her baby goat costume which was super fuzzy and kept her warm for the chilly October night.  She joined a parade of kids for the neighborhood costume parade and afterwards tagged along for the trick-or-treat.  It didn’t take her too long to understand the point of trick-or-treat and she was on a mission to grab as much candy as possible. She was barely two years old then.  Everyone had a wonderful time!

This year the Halloween season is going to be very different.  The traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating may not be an option because of the pandemic. Depending on where you live in the country, there may be some strict guidelines on what is allowed and what is not.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate Halloween at all.  It is not simply about costume parades and trick-or-treating; there are many Halloween-themed activities for toddlers that can be continued with modifications to keep it safe but enjoyable.  Here are some ideas on how to celebrate this spooky season.

Create costumes with masks.  This is one area parents can get creative with by bringing a Halloween-themed cloth mask into the outfit.  Make sure these are protective masks.  When it comes to toddlers, it’s always challenging to get them to wear a mask and keep it on for a prolonged time.  But when you make the mask as part of the costume, it should be easier to encourage your kids to keep it on when they’re out.  Make it an animal mask or a pumpkin mask or something spooky.  There are several available online on Etsy and Amazon (choose “Little Wonders” as your charity through Amazon Smile). 

Keep everything outdoors with social distancing.  If you live in a small community where you know your neighbors well, you can have a costume parade with a small group of kids and allow for greater-than-six-feet distance between each other.  Kids can show off their creative and spooky costumes to their friends in the neighborhood and keep the excitement.  Try to have fewer adults by keeping one parent per child in the parade and masks on for everyone. 

If you are not comfortable being outdoors this Halloween, you can always have your child dress up and stand in the garage or by the porch and wave at the passersby.  Take the costume contest virtual by showing off your best costumes through a Zoom call with your family and friends.  You can make the virtual costume party even more fun by making your background spooky with decorations, and your toddler can help you decorate.

Replace trick-or-treat with grab-n-go goodie bags.  Based on your comfort level, you can make individually-wrapped goodie bags for families to grab-n-go with social distancing.  It’s best if this is kept just to neighbors that you know well.  Leave the bags on your driveway or porch for others to pick up.  Make sure the adult who is preparing the bags washes hands thoroughly before they begin.

Make this year a season for fun decorations. This is one of the safest ways your family can celebrate Halloween.  Go all out on your indoor and outdoor decorations.  This can be a month- long event, get your toddler excited about it and let them help you.  There are many simple ways you can decorate and in most cases all you need is some construction paper, glue and scissors.  

<a href='https://www.freepik.com/photos/background'>Background photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com</a>

One simple home decoration you can consider is paper bat garlands*.  You can easily make these at home or buy it on Amazon.  For DIY, the materials you need are black cardstock, bat stencil drawing, printer, a bone folder, string, and black clothespins.

Pumpkin carving is another safe tradition you can continue.  If you want some motivation, you can always have a family or friend join you outdoors with social distancing and have a pumpkin carving competition.

Visit a local pumpkin patch.  There are several pumpkin patches that are following safe protocols for COVID-19.  They require masks, appropriate social distancing and some ask you to make reservations to limit the number of visitors. Here are some in the San Francisco Bay Area:

Clancy's Pumpkin Patch - One of the best pumpkin patches that is close to the city.  You’ll find all varieties of pumpkin and this year they have two locations open.

Webb Ranch Pumpkin Patch - Along with the free corn maze, your little ones can try out hayrides, pony rides, a train ride and a reptile exhibit.  Purchase activity passes ahead online as limited numbers are sold per day.

Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch - A simpler version of a pumpkin patch with a great variety of pumpkins, including the Atlantic Giant, that can grow up to 1500+ lbs. There is an abundance of photo spots, including ones with giant pumpkins, a vintage tractor and rolling fields of pumpkins.

Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch - Located in beautiful Coyote Valley, it is bordered by bright yellow sunflowers and filled with an abundance of pumpkins.  They have a train to explore the pumpkin patch and a hayride to tour the sunflower fields.

*Amanda Garrity. “78 DIY Halloween Decoration Ideas That Are a Mix of Scary, Cute, and Everything in Between.” Good Housekeeping. Sep. 8, 2020. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/halloween-ideas/g421/halloween-decorating-ideas/?slide=10. Accessed 3 Oct. 2020.

Introducing this year's Blog team

Our Blog team is excited to be writing for Little Wonders this year. We’d thought we’d share with you who they are and put some faces to the names you will be seeing on this blog.

CLIO, BLOG WRITER

Hi, I’m Clio, a new Little Wonders mom able to join from SF now that classes are virtual.  My son, Orion, is 2 yrs 5 months and we are expecting our second in early March.  It’s been so wonderful to have the support of the Little Wonders community through this challenging time– pandemic parenting. 

My background outside of being a mom is in the performing arts.  I’ve freelanced as a professional viola player in the San Francisco Bay Area for the last 9 years and started my own group, the Chamber Music Society of San Francisco.  Obviously with COVID, that work is looking a little different these days!  In addition to performing, I teach private violin and viola lessons to students of all ages– 4 and up.  When I first moved to the Bay Area I actually taught music in a daycare to 0-4 year olds and LOVED it.  I definitely believe that music is a very natural language for young children. 

JOANNA, COPY EDITOR

A Houston, TX native, Joanna moved to San Jose seven years ago and is excited for the opportunity to join Little Wonders virtually during this pandemic.  She has two very social and active sons, Linus who is five and Aquila who is two.  Joanna keeps a small home studio teaching Suzuki violin and collaborates with Ann Lam for group classes and recitals.  She has Ann to thank for hearing about the wonderful support and community here at Little Wonders!  Joanna also enjoys cooking and baking; trying out new recipes is a hobby of hers.

When the air and weather are good, Joanna and her family enjoy spending time with one another outside playing frisbee, riding bikes or taking walks in their neighborhood.  At the moment the boys love playing with their stomp rocket and speeding around in loops down the driveway and through the flower bushes. 

Joanna and her husband, Elbert are looking forward to connecting with other parents and learning how to better support their children.  Aquila is quite the chatterbox and loves to sing and dance, so he is already enjoying circle time with his new friends!

SRUJANA, BLOG WRITER

Srujana and her husband, Santhosh, moved with their daughter, Swara, to the San Francisco Bay Area a couple of years ago and before that they lived in Austin, TX for almost 19 years. They also have a fluffy Goldendoodle named Watson, whom they absolutely adore.  Swara, who is going to be 3 years old soon, is an energetic and happy kid who is always trying to master climbing the next highest structure she finds in the neighborhood.  She is also very observant.

On weekends, they are either visiting the San Francisco Zoo or taking long walks in the neighborhood socializing (at a distance) with friendly neighbors.  They joined the LW community during the summer of 2020 just after the pandemic started.  They want to become better at parenting by sharing their experiences and learning from others.

NEHA, BLOG WRITER

Neha joins Little Wonders with Kiyara, her energetic and sweet two-year-old. She enjoys learning about child development and parenting and is grateful for the advice and support she’s received from this community. 

Neha, her husband Akash, and Kiyara enjoy spontaneous road trips, playing in the ocean, and dance parties.  She works in the Center for Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing at Stanford University, and likes to experiment with cooking and spend time in nature whenever possible.  Neha looks forward to connecting with other parents and for Kiyara to meet some new friends!

Welcome to Little Wonders!

By Mireille McKee, Director & Teacher

Welcome Little Wonders Families,

Fall 2020 will be very different from any other Fall we've had and we are embracing it with excitement! 

With our theme this year, "Commitment to Community: Together or Apart", we are poised to continue to do what we have done for the past 26 years: bring together families with young children and support you on your journeys through parenthood.  

This will certainly look and feel different from the past, but we are confident in our ability to achieve our goal.  When asked about what makes Little Wonders special, our parents will often share similar comments such as, "It is a great place to build connections and friendships with others who have similar aged children."  At this juncture in our lives- with the pandemic- this is a very relevant benefit of our program.  Little Wonders still provides a safe space where parents can come together, albeit on Zoom, to check in, share and support one another through the ups and downs of parenthood.  

This year, with all the uncertainty, we have been asked by our alumni to extend our support to parents with older children and we have accommodated this request.  We are grateful to our alumni families for their steadfast support of this program and look forward to our continued opportunity to play, learn and grow together.  

Six months ago when this pandemic began, I wrote about a silver lining.  I'm guessing, after being home working and doing school all in the same house, that togetherness is wearing on all of us.  Parents of young children have one of the toughest jobs at times like this, where they need to continue to work, help school their children, manage a home and their personal lives. Where is the time for self care which is so desperately needed at times like these?  

I recently heard this shared, "The best resource that you have right now for making a contribution to the world is YOU."  At Little Wonders we have facilitated many discussions on self-care, but this topic has never been more important than now.  With the ambiguity and challenges in today's world, our children look to us for safety, security and a sense of well-being.  It is more important now than ever for parents to invest in self-care if we are going to be able to help our children through these tough times.  Our parent discussion times serve as a weekly 90 minute session for YOU!  Many have called it the most reasonable therapy session ever!  We welcome you to join us and see how we can support you so you can be the best YOU possible during these difficult times.  

The staff is crafting discussions that will encourage conversation and sharing on issues ranging from child development to self-care, including the topics of motivation, race, media use, mindfulness, raising children to be adults, stress and pressure on parents and children, helping children balance school and fun, and much more.  We hope you will enjoy and contribute to the discussions as you build connections with the other parents and continue to build community for your growing families.  

I know we will all rally to create an open, inclusive and empathetic environment that will make this an amazing year. 

With abundant gratitude,

Mireille

At Home With Gratitude: Reflecting on These Challenging Times

Director Mireille authors our final At Home With Gratitude piece with a reflection on this unique time and the many feelings that she has experienced herself and through our Little Wonders community.

By Mireille McKee

This has indeed been a challenging couple of months as we traveled paths with no road maps, and still much uncertainty remains.  Parents like you are navigating many twisted and bumpy paths while at home with children, working, cooking, cleaning, and finding time to care for yourselves.  Many of us are desperate to move on, get back to work, send kids back to daycare/school (or at the very least play with friends), and we yearn for our adult friends and social activities again.  As parents, we strive to make things normal for our little ones, and for now normalcy remains unattainable. All of this has created feelings of anxiety, exhaustion, frustration, lack of control, worry and fear in our community. 

Yet I've also felt our community’s tremendous compassion, creativity, patience, forgiveness and above all gratitude.  Gratitude that has been expressed by households displaying hearts as appreciation for those still working, and by our neighbor’s preschool kids painting beautiful rocks of appreciation.  Gratitude has filled our lives and helped us through this crisis. The silver lining in this crisis may be that we realize how grateful we are for this special time to slow down and spend together.  I hope that we can continue to model to our children (and everyone) being caring and sharing gratitude in our lives as we navigate all of the unknowns. 

So as we close this school year with our Little Wonders community I would like my last words to be those of gratitude and appreciation:

I am eternally grateful to our tiny but mighty staff, to our volunteer board and to all the families who have stood by us, and allowed Little Wonders to continue offering support and gratitude through these last few months.  We know that together we can weather this and emerge happier and healthier families. I heard this quote recently and it seems to fit here..."It is great to be uncomfortable, because through that you realize how great you can truly be."  I know we will all be stronger and more resilient (and hopefully more grateful) because of this. 

At Home With Gratitude: Everyday Holidays

Today’s post is the sixth in a series of “At Home With Gratitude” topics.  We at Little Wonders hope this series will be helpful to you, our community, by providing support and resources during these unique times.  As Mireille’s recent blog post mentioned, we hope to find the silver lining and embrace this as an opportunity to slow down and spend quality time with the ones we love most. By doing this with gratitude, we will set an example for our children and hopefully make this a time that our little ones will remember fondly.

By Elizabeth Euresti

Even in “normal” times it can sometimes feel like we are struggling to get through the same routine day after day - work, a class, figuring out what to make for dinner from pantry staples...lather, rinse, repeat (literally). As parents of small children, we are often reminded that, as much as we love our kids, days can be looooong. 

Right now it is more important than ever to have a tool to help snap out of that mindset - and mine is that every day is a holiday somewhere.

How does this help? 

A holiday means that there is something special about the day, something to celebrate and look forward to. (Think about it - when it’s almost Halloween, there are pumpkins to choose and carve, costumes to assemble, songs to sing, books to read, parties to attend, and more!) 

When I’m not sure which day that ends in “y” we are actually on, something like National Sneak a Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Night is what I need as a guiding light to theme my kid’s snacks and activities (and my post-dinner vegetable espionage, clearly).

Here are a few recent and upcoming “official” holidays, as well as a few ideas for go-to themes and celebrations:

• In Mexico, April 30 is El Día del Niño (Children’s Day). Schools and families celebrate children in much the same way as parents are celebrated on Mother’s & Father’s days - by doing things that the children enjoy! Activities might include face painting, making kids’ favorite treats, watching puppet shows, or anything else that brings your child joy. Libraries in the United States have taken this holiday on as well, declaring a combined “Día del Niño/Día de los Libros” (Children’s Day/Book Day) and offering special programming. Check out Book Fiesta by Pat Mora for more information and ideas!

• May 1 is May Day - celebrate spring with dances, make a maypole, sing about the sunshine and flowers, plant some seeds, and maybe even bake a spring sweet (carrot cake? Banana bread? Applesauce cake?)!

• May 4 is Star Wars Day - “May the ‘fourth’ be with you!” If you are a Star Wars fan, you probably don’t need to be reminded to celebrate that galaxy far far away. While the movies are a little too scary for our younglings for right now, they can still enjoy dancing to the music of John Williams, practicing “Jedi breathing,” or making art inspired by stars and aliens. (I also would take the opportunity to make Star Wars pancakes and blue milk.)

• The first full week of May is National Nurses Week and National Teachers Week - make thank you cards for these amazing women and men, do chalk art on your driveway to show your appreciation, or play dress-up or make paper bag puppets with your kiddos to teach them more about these professions. 

An everyday holiday doesn’t have to be an “official” holiday - it can be any fun theme that makes you smile. Here are some ideas that might bring your family joy:

• Beach Day - dress up like you are going to the beach! Spend the day outside (or inside) playing with water, building sand castles (use dirt, cereal, or play-doh if you don’t have sand), and doing anything else you would do at the beach.

• Train Day - take a walk or short drive to watch trains drive by; dress up like trains or train engineers; make train sounds and sing train songs; glue pieces of construction paper together to make trains; use a large cardboard box or laundry basket to take a “train ride.”

• Opposites Day - have ice cream for breakfast, breakfast for dinner, and tea time for lunch; greet everyone by saying “good-bye!”; wear clothes inside-out or backwards. Listen to Lisa Loeb’s “Opposite Day” if you want a theme song (and don’t mind having her catchy tune stuck in your head all day)!

• Favorite Color Day - everyone dresses head to toe in their favorite color; all foods are in the favorite colors of various family members; decorate the house with favorite colors using construction paper, yarn, or anything that fits the bill.

• Camping Day - set up a tent inside or outside and get ready to sing campfire songs! Pretend you won’t have access to your refrigerator or microwave -- camping food only! Take a nature walk, watch the birds and squirrels, and make sure to get a bit dirty. If fire seems like a bad idea for your littles, make a pretend campfire out of brown blocks and orange scarves or crumpled paper.

• Zoo Day  - set up a zoo inside your own home! You can create displays of stuffed animals in different rooms of your house; livestream animal cameras from Curiodyssey, the California Academy of Sciences, or the San Diego Zoo; play animal noises and songs on your music player of choice. Feel free to have your child pretend to be his or her favorite zoo animal, and then offer that animal’s favorite food at lunch or snack. Make (or eat) animal crackers!

What will you choose to celebrate today? Let us know in the comments or share pictures with your class on Konstella!

At Home With Gratitude: Gardening at Home With Young Children

Today’s post is the fifth in a series of “At Home With Gratitude” topics.  We at Little Wonders hope this series will be helpful to you, our community, by providing support and resources during these unique times.  As Mireille’s recent blog post mentioned, we hope to find the silver lining and embrace this as an opportunity to slow down and spend quality time with the ones we love most. By doing this with gratitude, we will set an example for our children and hopefully make this a time that our little ones will remember fondly.

By Mireille McKee with excerpts from Stephanie Fustar

 This week’s Earth Day got me reminiscing about some of our fondest moments with our now-adult children. Like most young children, they loved being outside, questioning everything they observed, playing with sticks, bugs and in the dirt!  Now they are both in their 30s and  gardening continues to be a huge part of their lives. Justin chose his current location in Astoria because it was next to one of the largest urban gardens in the city.  He loves the continued opportunity to be involved with nature at its best, growing what nourishes our bodies.  Kristin, living in DC, had her dad help design her latest balcony garden and is so proud to send pictures of her baby seedlings.  Their childhood gardening memories are among their most cherished, and gardening will remain a life-long connection between us all. 

 We found so many benefits to gardening with the kids starting when they were young.  My husband truly enjoyed sharing with them his passion and introducing environmental awareness through connectivity with nature.  Other benefits of gardening with your children include: learning about the life cycle, becoming responsible to care for something, building body awareness, and learning science and math. A huge benefit that I consistently see when working with the children in our Little Wonders garden is increased interest in trying and appreciating fresh veggies.  There will likely be frustrations, and it will take time and patience as their eager little bodies learn to be gentle and give the growing plants space. This is all part of the experience and will instill a deeper appreciation when your plants bear their first bounty!

 Ready to get started?  Eartheasy is a great place to start. You can involve the kid(s) at the planning stage by discussing different areas where you could plant the garden.  Talk about how the plants need sun and water to grow.  Discuss the types of plants you could grow and you can even let them pick what they would like to grow.   Some of the favorites children have enjoyed in the Little Wonders garden are strawberries, cherry tomatoes, kale, beans, lettuce, and of course potatoes. Potatoes are so easy and so fun to dig up and have provided the children with opportunity to not only dig them up and wash them but to count, sort, classify, and finally eat them.  Next is the fun part - digging, soil prep and planting.  Involve your kids as much as possible with these steps, and remember that time and patience (and mistakes) are necessary!  After you’ve planted your garden, include your child(ren) in watering the plants and discuss the changes you see in the plants over time. Finally, enjoy your well-earned harvest (and the smiles and delight in their faces)!

 We encourage you to support local businesses including Golden Nursery in San Mateo which offers Little Wonders a 10% discount. Wegman’s in Redwood City is also a great local business and both nurseries are great for seedlings, dirt and information. During this "shelter in place" they both have limited hours, but are accepting phone orders and pickup with social distancing. 

 Planting a home garden together is such a great way to live with gratitude during our "stay at home" period and enjoy family time together watching your children's curiosity bloom (along with your plants)!  Our children grew to love the time spent out in the garden exploring what we could grow and having that precious family time.  I know your family will find many benefits to gardening together and I hope you give it a try!

At Home With Gratitude: Tips for Parenting During Covid-19

Today’s post is the fourth in a series of “At Home With Gratitude” topics.  We at Little Wonders hope this series will be helpful to you, our community, by providing support and resources during these unique times.  As Mireille’s recent blog post mentioned, we hope to find the silver lining and embrace this as an opportunity to slow down and spend quality time with the ones we love most. By doing this with gratitude, we will set an example for our children and hopefully make this a time that our little ones will remember fondly.

Our beloved director, Mireille McKee, was the guest speaker at our 2020 All School Meeting. She shared with us the lessons she has learned in her 25 years at Little Wonders, emphasizing that relationships and connections are what’s most important in the end. Her lessons are especially relevant now during Covid-19 as many of us parents face daily challenges being with our young children at home. We share the highlights below and Mireille’s full remarks can be downloaded here.

1. Create a PARENT-CENTERED family. The most important thing we can do NOW as individuals and partners is to take care of ourselves FIRST. This may be the most important part of raising children and yet one of the most challenging concepts. We must fill our own buckets up before we can take care of others. Start small with something that renews your energy each day. For me it is a walk every morning. I’ve heard others share that they switch-off for gym time, take a bath after the kids are in bed, or read a trashy novel. Time together as a couple is also of great importance and can be done without a babysitter. Make a plan to have 1-2 nights a week where you can connect after kids are in bed. Setting this example for your children has great value as we know they learn from what we do, and they too will learn to value this. You and your partner are the glue that holds your family together and when you are not healthy, no one else is either!

2. PLAY = TIME = LOVE. Through play and time with our little ones, we are sharing LOVE and building connection not only with our children, but also with each other. As our children get older and more vocal, they tend to always want us. Regardless of whether we are in a good or bad mood, they want to play with us, and this can arouse an intensity of mixed emotions within us. If we are taking care of ourselves and meeting our own needs, this may be easier to handle. We do not need to be constantly playing with our children or meet every single desire. But playing––joining children in their world, focusing on connection, giggling, reversing roles so you follow your child’s lead––all help toward building connection and helping children deal with their volatile emotions. For our children, PLAY IS THE ESSENCE OF LIFE. Play is where our children show us their inner feelings and experiences. They don’t come home and say, “Gee I had a hard day at school.” Rather they say, “Daddy, play with me” and in that play, they may begin sharing their feelings and experiences.

3. SEE the child in front of you. Know WHERE they are developmentally and understand WHO they are temperamentally. Understanding these two things can only lead to reasonable expectations, which helps everyone be most successful. And the more we can understand who the child is in front of us, the more we can help them feel good in their skin. I firmly believe this is one of our roles as parents… to help our children feel good about WHO they are, rather than trying to mold them into someone they are NOT.

4. Ask for and MODEL what we want. Children do what we do. Children often need to hear WHAT we want. We started out 2020 by having a discussion on “developing your family vision” with our older classes. What kind of a parent do I want to be, what do we want our family to stand for, what qualities would like to continue working on and what qualities would I like to see in my grown children? Remember we don’t need to be perfect, but rather striving for our personal best! It is very important for our children to see that we are imperfect and that is ok. All we are modeling affects our little ones. If we make a mistake, apologizing can go a long way for everyone. Every mistake is an opportunity to talk about a solution! Staying positive, calm and practicing empathy with our little ones will go further than we can even comprehend.

5. Apply FIRM AND CONSISTENT BOUNDARIES. This may be one of the most difficult aspects of being a parent. We want to please our little ones, we want them to be happy, sometimes we are so tired we want to avoid a conflict or the tantrum. There are many reasons why we struggle as parents to set firm and consistent boundaries. Choose a few important rules we will remain vigilant about enforcing. All children test to find out where there are boundaries and they are made to feel more secure when they can count on consistent limits. We will continue to explore the many ways parents can use positive discipline. This does mean teaching, rather than punishment and the more we can teach our children what is expected, the more they want to follow the rules.

Our resources guide for infant and toddler activities is available here.

At Home With Gratitude: Products for Toddler Independent Play

Today’s post is the third in a series of “At Home With Gratitude” topics.  We at Little Wonders hope this series will be helpful to you, our community, by providing support and resources during these unique times.  As Mireille’s recent blog post mentioned, we hope to find the silver lining and embrace this as an opportunity to slow down and spend quality time with the ones we love most. By doing this with gratitude, we will set an example for our children and hopefully make this a time that our little ones will remember fondly.

By Stephanie Fustar

Being at home all day, every day with young children is beyond exhausting. They require so much of our physical and emotional energy, leaving us depleted and stressed about our ever-growing “to do” list. This post is meant to provide a variety of products and services that facilitate your toddler playing or working independently. My hope is that it will buy you 5-30 minutes of time to work, clean, prepare food or practice some self care.  Many of these items are included on my Amazon Idea List found here, but I encourage you to support local toy and book stores in your area!  Many of them are open and providing delivery or pick-up options.

Arts & Crafts

There are so many arts and crafts products that toddlers enjoy and can do themselves.  The classics like play-doh (maybe add some new tools), drawing with markers/crayons/colored pencils, art with stamps, stickers and tape and painting with watercolors are sure to keep them occupied. Be sure to put a placemat underneath so they can work independently.  Mix it up by getting different colors/patterns of paper or cardstock! Other ideas for art include dot art, water wow books, button art and make-a-face sticker books. There are many options for activity workbooks/placemats such as tracing, cutting, pasting, and taping.  Crafting ideas include making jewelry with pony beads and string or snap pop beads. Dress up dolls, lacing activities and puzzles are other fun activities that will occupy some children. 

Storytime & Books

We all know the benefits of reading to our children and Reading Bug storytime (11am on Facebook Live) is part of our family’s daily routine. We broadcast it over the family television for easy viewing. The San Mateo County Libraries are also offering multiple storytimes each week.  Along the same lines, YouTube also has many options for stories (The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of our favorites).   

If you have a CD player at home, read-along books are a great option.  For free digital read-along books (and many other types), check out Hoopla and Kanopy Kids for free through the SMC libraries.  

For non-screen time “reading,” try the many types of Poke-a-Dot books and “sound books.” Or challenge your child to line up his stuffed animals and read his favorite books to them!

Pretend Play

Many toddlers can spend a good chunk of time in pretend-land. While many great products exist, parents can easily facilitate this with existing household items.  My daughter loves when I ask her to “make dinner” with her pretend wood kitchen tools and food. I change it up by letting her choose an apron, and bringing out various measuring cups, whisks, plastic mixing bowls, and pots. 

Other ideas:

Tea time: Let your child’s imagination run wild by letting her choose where to have the party, with who, what to serve, how to decorate the table

Doctor: Use dolls or animals, let them use a few band-aids or bandage wraps from the household first aid kit

Dress-up: Bring out some of your clothes/accessories - my kids love my cowboy hat and boots. Encourage them to dress up their dolls too!

Make-up: I save all my used-up makeup containers and put them in a special make-up bag for my daughter. Pump/spray bottles and make up brushes and containers are her favorites.

Car/vehicle wash: Fill a plastic bin with water (soap optional) and have your child run his own car wash for his trains/vehicles. Provide brushes and towels for extra fun.

Building

Toddlers love to get on the floor and play and there are many products available for building all kinds of things.  Classic toys like trains, legos, magnatiles, blocks and lincoln logs never get old and can be combined to create a whole city!  For a new twist add couch cushions, stuffed animals and toy vehicles. Fort building is another fun activity and can be varied by using different blankets, sheets, cushions and pillows.  For an extra special fort, set up a tent! 

Outdoor 

Young children love to play outside (who doesn’t?)!  Sand and water tables are a great way to encourage independent play and plastic storage bins make a simple DIY option. Make sure to include floating toys, scoopers and other fun accessories.  Other products that can be used in bins include kinetic sand and water beads. Sometimes my family makes outdoor time extra special by turning on the bubble machine and playing fun toddler dance music like Kidz Bop.  Another favorite outdoor activity is drawing with sidewalk chalk - challenge your kids to draw something or get them started with the outlines that they can color in.

I hope some of these ideas are helpful in buying parents some much-needed time! We are still updating this list of resources for families with infants and toddlers. Hopefully it is helpful for your family. Please add your favorites!

At Home with Gratitude: Exercise and Movement

By April Van Scherpe

Today’s post is the second in a series of “At Home With Gratitude” topics.  We at Little Wonders hope this series will be helpful to you, our community, by providing support and resources during these unique times.  As Mireille’s recent blog post mentioned, we hope to find the silver lining and embrace this as an opportunity to slow down and spend quality time with the ones we love most. By doing this with gratitude, we will set an example for our children and hopefully make this a time that our little ones will remember fondly.

It's time to get creative with fitness! With Stay-at-Home orders throughout the U.S., public play spaces are off the table. How can you and your young family stay physically active within your own home, or around your neighborhood? Luckily, fellow parents are sharing their best exercise hacks; we've collected some favorites for you--and most of them are free. Have a great workout!

Indoor Activities and Games:

Dance Party: Cue up your favorite music and dance! Start and stop the song to turn it into Freeze Dance.

Obstacle Course: Create a course for your kids using pillows, toys, furniture, or anything else around your house. Show them how to go through it. ("Step over the stuffed penguin and run around the table.") For the next round, have *them* create a course for *you.*

Outdoor Activities and Games:

Walk (or run, bike, scooter, or stroller) around your neighborhood: Staying home or in your immediate neighborhood is strongly encouraged right now (and mandated in some areas). The good news is, it's a great time to explore right outside your front door. Choose a method of locomotion and go!

Theme walks: To keep it interesting, choose a theme or game for your walk. See if your child can spot flowers (or cars, or front doors) in every color of the rainbow! How about a scavenger hunt to find objects for every alphabet letter? Counting can make the walk fun, too. (How many cats will we see? How many flags? How many stop signs?) On rainy days, have fun with a puddle stomping walk.

Exercise with chalk: Use chalk to make hopscotch on your driveway or sidewalk, then get jumping! For a twist, draw lily pads on a pond--or surfboards above shark-infested waters!--and have your kids hop to the shore. Add other elements to create a whole obstacle course, e.g. follow the wiggly line, dance across the criss-cross marks, etc.

Online Workouts for Kids:

Cosmic Kids Yoga: Yoga sessions that feel like a playtime adventure, as instructor Jamie leads kids through vivid, make-believe scenarios with yoga poses to match. Some sessions even have familiar movie themes--like Frozen--and colorful backgrounds to match.

Sami's Circuit: Daily live-streamed (1 PM PST) workouts by motivational speaker Sami, who used to lead exercise programs in schools before the lockdown. The electronic music and Sami's commanding voice make this a high energy program.

Fitness Blender: A 25-minute workout demonstrated by a mom and her young kids; the moves are well-explained and easy to repeat yourself, even for an encore in your backyard.

P.E. with Joe: Virtual physical education on YouTube led by a friendly and disarming British fitness instructor. 

Online Workouts for Grown-Ups:

Peloton App: Normally $13/month, this app is free for 90 days as a quarantine-time special. Available classes include cardio, yoga, strength training, and more--no bike required. 

Butterfly Yoga: Live stream yoga classes from an instructor in the Little Wonders family! In addition to live classes, Pattie’s live stream recordings are available for free on YouTube. Try her Yoga for Acceptance & Gratitude Warm Up & Flow.  

Yoga Source Palo Alto: Live stream yoga classes made affordable with donate-what-you-can pricing.

Many recreation centers have put together quarantine-friendly fitness offerings as well, a.k.a. Virtual Recreation, including our local City of San Mateo, City of Burlingame, and City of Belmont. 

We are continually updating this list of resources for families with infants and toddlers. Hopefully it is helpful for your family. Please add your favorites!

At Home With Gratitude: Family Board Games

By Stephanie Fustar

Today’s post is the first in a series of “At Home With Gratitude” topics.  We at Little Wonders hope this series will be helpful to you, our community, by providing support and resources during these unique times.  As Mireille’s recent blog post mentioned, we hope to find the silver lining and embrace this as an opportunity to slow down and spend quality time with the ones we love most. By doing this with gratitude, we will set an example for our children and hopefully make this a time that our little ones will remember fondly.

Lately, when my family has been all together and looking for some fun, we have unanimously agreed on playing board games.  Thankfully there are many games suitable for toddlers that are also enjoyable for parents and older siblings too! Most games can easily be adapted to accommodate your family - your toddlers will never know you changed the rules.  

If you are game for a bigger adventure, you can play what my family has dubbed “Board Game Olympics.”  We usually wear our pajamas, have each family member choose a game, decide what the winner’s prize will be, and then hunker down for some good competition and fun. Kids love this extra special occasion and knowing they will get their parents’ attention for a solid hour (or two).  Prepare to make this a recurring event if you try it!

Top Board Games for Families with Toddlers (hint: if a game uses a spinner but your little one has difficulty using it, bring out the dice)

Candy Land (tip: to make this game extra sweet, add real-life candy to special spaces)

Chutes & Ladders (tip: make your own rules and have both chutes and ladders go UP, so that no one has to go backwards)

Let’s Go Fishing (tip: it’s easier to catch the fish if you turn the spinner off; kids can try holding the fishing pole differently to find what’s easiest for them)

Simon Says

Jenga (tip: start by using less-than-all the Jenga pieces; allow kids to use two hands)

Jumping Jack

Pop up Pirate

My First Orchard

Richard Scarry’s Busytown Eye Found It

Go Fish

Operation

Matching Games (Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, Dr. Seuss)

Twister

Hi-Ho! Cherry-O!

Spot It Jr.

Bingo

If you add any of these to your collection, please consider purchasing through Amazon Smile (choose “Little Wonders” as the charity) or a local toy store like Reach & Teach and Five Little Monkeys.

Big thanks to the friends and classmates who provided recommendations for this list!  

The New Normal (and the Potential Silver Lining!)

by Mireille McKee

This is truly a challenging time, and we are all feeling a fair amount of anxiety. This anxiety is now compounded with feelings of isolation due to necessary closures of schools and many other activities. We are all asked to practice social distancing to limit the spread of this virus, and no doubt this is a very necessary precaution...but with young children this can be very difficult.  

Despite all the uncertainty and challenges, there may be a silver lining.  

Taking your time to do a puzzle together is so rewarding

Keep it simple.  Talk about what it is like when they have a cold, flu or fever. Reassure them that this is very much like that and we have doctors and nurses that will help if needed. 

Reassure them that they are safe, which is the most important message they can hear from us. They take their emotional cues from us, so pay attention to our anxiety levels.  

Emphasize simple things families can do to stay safe. We all feel more empowered when we know what to do and can take action. Talk with your children about how handwashing and staying home can help keep us safe.  

Slowing down to enjoy the simple things like decorating for St. Patrick’s Day

Many of us wonder how to talk to our children about all that is happening. Last night my husband and I watched A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and I was reminded about how Mr. Rogers talks about difficult things. He always said, “Anything that is human is mentionable, and anything mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they can become less overwhelming, less upsetting and less scary.”  This is great advice for everyday situations, but is key for strange and stressful times like this. As adults, we can help our children by listening to them and sharing age appropriate facts and correcting any misinformation.  

Building a neighborhood fort can be fun for you and your neighbors

We will continue to share any age appropriate information on how to talk to our children as well activities to help with having them at home.  Stay tuned…and in the meantime, check out our community google doc for some fun and useful resources.

Secondhand Shopping for Kids

by Katherine Gerster

Treasures at the Just Between Friends sale

I’ve always loved a good deal, but there’s something especially satisfying about getting a high quality, secondhand children’s item for a great price. Every month it seems like we’re in need of a long list of things, from developmentally appropriate toys to the next size up in clothes – it really adds up to a big environmental footprint and a huge financial drain. More than once, I’ve winced when my child didn’t like something I’d paid a lot for (ahem — Dock-a-tot) or used for a very short period of time.

So you can imagine my joy when I scored a Baby Bjorn travel crib on Craigslist for a fraction of the original price. I had been in the market for a Baby Bjorn crib ever since we borrowed one from a friend. My daughter had slept beautifully in it, and I decided then and there that we needed one. But I couldn’t justify paying $350 for a new travel crib, because, well, we already had a travel crib—a quite serviceable pack-n-play from our first baby.

Treasures at the Just Between Friends sale

I scoured the usual secondhand places: Craigslist, Nextdoor, Burlingame Mother’s Club. Nothing. I bookmarked some searches, diligently checked them daily, and then boom! – the exact crib I wanted popped up for $40, three miles away. The stars aligned and the next day I had my Baby Bjorn travel crib – secured economically, locally, and sustainably. And the best part was that it was as good as new! The travel crib now sits in my kitchen and is our safe space for my daughter when I’m cooking. We use it every day, and I plan to keep it forever – it’s a great offering for future baby houseguests.

From this experience and others, I’ve learned that with a little patience and persistence, you can often find exactly what you need secondhand. Here are some resources I’ve found helpful, both local and online:

Brick and mortar stores:

• The Bird in the Nest (https://www.thebirdinthenest.com/), 1568 Laurel St, San Carlos, CA 94070 -- Resale consignment boutique offering gifts and gently used clothing for children and moms, plus a play area for the kiddos.

• Lovely Bump (https://www.lovelybump.com/), 509 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066 -- Consignment store with secondhand maternity and children’s clothing, toys, and books.

Events:

• April 3-5, 2020 Just Between Friends Kids & Maternity Spring Sale – San Mateo County Convention Center. (http://sanmateo.jbfsale.com/homeView.jsp) This is the BIG one. They have everything - from maternity pants to nursing pillows, bikes, bouncers, and playpens.

• May 1-2, 2020 St. Paul’s Rummage Sale @ St. Paul’s Church in Burlingame. They have a whole room devoted to children’s toys. They also have a lot of lightly worn clothes and shoes.

Online:

My latest Craigslist acquisition

• Burlingame Parent’s Club (https://burlingameparents.clubexpress.com/): You have to be a member to access the website, but I’ve found that the $85 membership fee pays for itself if you use their classifieds.

• Buy Nothing Project Facebook group (https://buynothingproject.org/find-a-group/): You have to be quick on the draw, but there is some great kid’s gear that comes up through this group. The best part is, it’s hyper-local (most groups are only one or two zip codes).

• Craigslist (https://sfbay.craigslist.org/). Tried and true. Great filters for distance and good search options. Keep in mind that it’s always preferable to meet the buyer/seller at a public place.

• Nextdoor (https://nextdoor.com/for_sale_and_free/). Fewer listings than Craigslist, but you are buying/selling from your neighbors.

• Facebook Marketplace (https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/). This one doesn’t allow filtering by geography, so it is more tedious to use, but occasionally something local and useful pops up. 

Tackling Airplane Travel with Toddlers

By Michelle Dow

As the holidays come to an end, and the new year rolls in, so do the 3-day weekends, ski weeks, and spring break. If you are like me, you are starting to get eager to plan your next family trip – maybe someplace warm after all of this cold (for the Bay Area!), winter weather? Undoubtedly, after the excitement of planning the next adventure passes, the anxiety of traveling with a toddler will set in. Through trial and error, my family has settled on the following strategies to help ease the pain of airplane travel with toddlers.

Boarding the Plane
My husband and I have had a lot of success with this strategy that gives the kids extra time to burn off energy and decreases the frenzy of settling in to our seats. I board the flight first (alone), get everything organized and make sure favorite toys and snacks are easily accessible. Meanwhile, my husband takes a few minutes to run around the gate area with the kids, expending as much energy as possible before boarding the plane with the last group.

Snacks
Most toddlers love food and snacks, so we take advantage of this as one way to pass the time. I pack snack boxes for each of the kids with a variety of healthy options (bento boxes work great). Our favorite go-tos include raisins, granola bites, carrots, banana & blueberries. Weekly pillboxes filled with mini snacks and treats are another fun surprise to mix things up. Toddlers will be entertained by opening and closing the lids to discover the snacks behind each “door.”

Activities
Coloring Books and Stickers
Buy a new coloring book and a pack of stickers for the trip (bonus points if you can find books/stickers of your child’s favorite Disney or cartoon character). After your toddler’s attention span has reached its limit with the coloring book, transition to the stickers. Get silly and make a game out of it – have your toddler place stickers on his body parts (“Simon says place a sticker on your nose!”), the snack box, or hand them out to Dad or siblings. Post-its also work wonders!

Cars and Figurines
Toddlers have vivid imaginations and can often stay entertained by playing and creating their own storylines for miniature toys. For example, we “drive” the cars over our laps, on our heads and “crash” into each other. The figurines can hitch a ride on the cars, or you can create a separate narrative. These types of toys are great for plane rides, as they take up little space and aren’t noisy or bothersome to your neighbors.

Books
You can never go wrong with books. Some of our favorites include Thomas the Train, 5-minute stories and the Look and Find Usbourne books. For younger kids, the indestructible books are great, as they are lightweight and easy to pack.

Tablet
When we’re traveling, we often have to dig deep and so we loosen the reins and permit tablet usage. We have Amazon Fire tablets for each kid, loaded with a few cartoons, games, and a drawing app. It’s our last resort on the flight, but if you’re in a pinch, this might entertain the little ones for at least twenty minutes before starting the cycle all over again.

Toddler Gear
Unless you plan to use the car seat on the flight, check it with your bags. It’s one less thing to carry around the airport. Also consider buying a car seat bag to protect your gear. Most airlines do not charge baggage fees for car seats or pack-n-plays, so make sure to ask the agent when checking your bags. Bring an umbrella stroller with you to use in the airport and have your toddler sit when you’re checking bags and going through the security line. You can gate-check the stroller – just don’t forget to get a tag from the gate agent. There are also many companies that rent baby gear – everything from cribs or pack-n-plays, to high chairs, strollers, books and toys. They will even deliver the items right to your rental home! Using these services can help reduce the the number of bags you need to bring with you, and thus make the airport experience a bit easier and more manageable.

Packing the Essentials
I am continuously amazed at how much stuff is required when packing for a trip, and I do whatever I can to help minimize what we take with us. For checked bags, don’t pack all of the diapers, buy them at your destination, as it will free up a lot of valuable space. And if your hotel or rental has a washer/dryer, pack laundry pods (or buy detergent at your destination), as this will help reduce the number of outfits you need to bring. For your carry-on bag, make sure to pack an extra set of clothes, diapers/pull-ups or underwear, wipes, an empty water bottle (fill up after security), hand sanitizer, extra chargers, and your child’s favorite stuffed animal or security blanket.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful on your next family adventure.

Good luck and happy travels!

No Days Off: How to Survive Parenting While Sick

by April Van Scherpe

Ten years ago, I was besieged with the worst cold of my life. As I writhed in bed, awash in sweat and Kleenex, barely able to crack an eye to distract myself with TV, I lamented every moment. I never would have guessed that I’d miss being in that position.

Now I’m a parent and getting sick is a seasonal eventuality, as predictable as the leaves falling from the trees. But instead of riding it out in bed with snacks and Netflix—I mean, that sounds like a vacation!—I’ve still got to report for duty. There are kids to feed, to entertain (albeit feebly), and—if they’re also under the weather—to nurture and heal.

It’s the reality show nobody wants to watch: the ultimate survival challenge of Parenting While Sick! And if you’re a parent, then someday, you will be a contestant. Let’s talk about how to win that game—or at least come out on the other side.

Adjust Your Expectations

If you’re parenting while sick, it’s time for a perspective shift. Today (or the next week or two, heaven forbid) is about survival. You’re not going to win any parenting awards right now, and that’s OK.  It’s not the time to make progress on potty training, reduce screen time, or declutter the house. It’s time to relax your routines and expectations—especially expectations of yourself. If your kids are fed, watered, and safe, you are doing a fine job.

Things will function a bit differently around your house during these sick days. You can expect that the house will get messy—I mean, messier. Projects and errands are going to pile up—let them. There will be plenty of time to catch up, once you feel better. That said, when you’re tempted to spend your limited energy on something, ask yourself whether it can wait. Do the kids really need that nightly bath?

Consider shortcuts that will reduce your workload. For example, use paper plates and paper towels this week to cut down on dishes and laundry. For dinner, how about canned soup, a favorite frozen dinner, or pizza delivery?

Ask for Help

Relatives and sitters who will pinch-hit for a sick parent—now those are the real MVPs! If you have access to caring people who will “sub in” for you, by all means, use them. If they aren’t up for babysitting (or don’t want to risk germ exposure), perhaps they’d be able to do a grocery run or pharmacy pick-up.

If you don’t have family or bosom buddies nearby—you can look to three sources: paid help, convenience services, and the generosity of your local community.

Paid Help: Services like Care.com, Urban Sitter, and local parent’s groups can help you find last-minute, in-home childcare. Many providers are willing to care for sick kids. To outsource non-childcare tasks (e.g. running errands, assembling furniture), try TaskRabbit or NextDoor.

Convenience Services: These days, food and supplies are just a few clicks away. Want a new toy to occupy your kid’s time so that you can nap on the couch? Amazon Prime and Google Express have fast delivery options: even same day! Need to restock the entire fridge? Instacart, AmazonFresh, and Safeway Delivery have you covered. Craving soup for your sore throat? Try GrubHub, Postmates, or UberEats. There’s also good, old-fashioned, pick-up-the-phone pizza delivery. And if you’re feeling well enough to drive, Target Drive-Up will bring pre-ordered items out to your car.

Local Community: It may feel awkward to ask, but communities are full of Good Samaritans. Local parenting groups (via Facebook or NextDoor), faith communities (church, synagogue), or even local Buy Nothing groups may be able to give supplies or run errands for you. Sometimes, our own reluctance to ask for help is an obstacle. People are often willing to pitch in if they are asked for something specific. (Of course, use your best judgment and common sense when interacting with strangers, especially online.)

Low Energy Entertainment

To get well, you’ll need to rest—and that’s not the easiest task with young children. How do you keep them occupied while you’re sick? Try activities that let you lie down on the couch or in bed. Pretend that you’re “the baby” and your child is “the mommy”; then have them tuck you in, bring a blankie, and sing you a lullaby. 

For a more active game, try a scavenger hunt, and ask the kids to go find something blue, something fuzzy, something square, etc. If your child knows how to use the camera on your phone, have them go around the house and take photos of their favorite things. Make it into a guessing game: they take an extreme close-up, and you guess the object!

If you can handle some music, have your child dance out their energy—or stop and start songs for “freeze dance”. Your child can also read a book to you; if they aren’t reading the words yet, ask them to make up a story that fits the pictures.

Kids often have the longest attention span for toys that are new—or new to them. If you have any future surprises hidden away, now might be the time to raid that stash. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Even a sheet of stickers, dollar-store items, or a Burger King crown can be delightful.

And of course, if you’re screen-time friendly, that’s a useful tool on a sick day. It may be your key to an uninterrupted shower or a bonafide nap.

Prevent (or Delay) the Next Time

Alas, when you’ve got kids, you’ve got a continual vector for bugs (blame those developing immune systems!). While you can’t avoid sickness altogether, you can help reduce the frequency and severity of illnesses. We all know that fresh air, exercise, nutritious food, and getting enough sleep can help you stay healthy. Taking certain vitamins can further boost your immune system, such as Vitamin C, B6, and Zinc. In addition, frequent hand washing and liberal use of hand wipes or sanitizer can help limit or reduce transmission. For example, we keep Wet Ones wipes in every door pocket of our vehicle so we can easily clean hands after outings—as well as wipe down shopping cart handles or other germ-ridden surfaces!

Of course, you’ll want to limit your exposure to known illness, i.e. keep a distance from those who are sick. It’s a sad thing to miss a play date or special event, but if someone there is debatably “not contagious anymore,” consider whether it’s worth the risk of your own family falling ill. Do your part to contain illnesses by keeping your family home when they are sick. Community works best when we all look out for one another!

Finally, you can help your future self by preparing for next time. Many sick-day necessities are shelf-stable and can be kept on hand.  Stock up on your go-to supplies (medicine, boxed chicken broth, Pedialyte) and activities (cheap toys from the Dollar Store or Target’s Bullseye Playground). It will make the next round of colds that much easier.

We’ve all been there, fellow sick parent! We feel for you—and we know you can do this. Feel better soon!

Infant/Toddler Activities and Classes in the San Mateo Area

By Joannie Peters

As a rookie parent (and lifelong list-maker), I find it helpful to map out a schedule of nearby, child-friendly spaces, offering developmentally appropriate activities, so that I always have a goal/plan/back-up plan for my son’s awake hours.

All activities in the chart below are FREE. Story times are 30 min long.

MONDAY
SPCA Burlingame	Mr. Moo’s Story Time	11am	All ages	1st Monday of every month
Foster City Public Library	Story Time	10:30am	0-18 months
Stulsaft Park, Redwood City	Free Forest School	9:40-11:30am	0-6 years
TUESDAY
San Mateo Public Library (Main)	Story Time	10:30am	0-12 months
San Mateo Public Library (Main)	Story Time	11:15am	0-12 months
San Mateo Public Library (Marina)	Story Time	10:15am	0-5 years
San Mateo Public Library (Marina)	Story Time	11am	0-5 years
Burlingame Public Library (Main)	Story Time	10:30am	3-5 years
The Reading Bug (San Carlos)	Story Time	11am	Pre-K
Edgewood Park, Redwood City	Free Forest School	9:40am-12pm	0-6 years
WEDNESDAY
San Mateo Public Library (Main)	Story Time	10:30am	3 & 4 years
San Mateo Public Library (Hillsdale)	Story Time	10:15am	0-3 years
San Mateo Public Library (Hillsdale)	Story Time	11am	0-3 years
Burlingame Public Library (Main)	Story Time	10:30am	18-36 months
The Reading Bug (San Carlos)	Story Time	11am	Babies & Toddlers
Stulsaft Park, Redwood City	Free Forest School	9:40-11:30am	0-6 years
THURSDAY
San Mateo Public Library (Main)	Story Time	9:30am	1 & 2 years
San Mateo Public Library (Main)	Story Time	10:30am	1 & 2 years
Burlingame Public Library (Main)	Story Time	10:30am	18-36 months
Burlingame Public Library (Main)	LEGOs @ Your Library	3:30-5pm	All ages	1st Thursday of each month
The Reading Bug (San Carlos)	Story Time	11am	Pre-K
FRIDAY
Burlingame Public Library (Main)	Story Time	10:30am	0-18 months
Foster City Public Library	Story Time	10:30am	3-5 years
The Reading Bug (San Carlos)	Story Time	11am	Newborns
Belmont Public Library	Little Hands Art Adventures	11am-12pm	2 years and up
SATURDAY
San Mateo Public Library (Main)	Story Time	10:30am	0-3 years
San Mateo Public Library (Main)	Story Time	11:15am	0-3 years
The Reading Bug (San Carlos)	Story Time	11am	All ages
Reach & Teach	Origami Time	1-2pm	All ages
SUNDAY
The Reading Bug (San Carlos)	Stories + Crafts	11am	3 years and up

The businesses listed below offer Parent and Me classes. Payment and registration and required, but most offer a trial class for FREE.

●      Gymboree in San Mateo

●      The Little Gym in Millbrae

●      My Gym in San Carlos

●      Lil’ Kickers in Burlingame

●      Peninsula Music Together, various locations

●      La Petite Baleen Swim in San Bruno & Redwood City (FREE swim classes for infants 2-5 months)

●      King’s Swim Academy in San Mateo

●      Nandi Yoga in San Mateo

●      Broadway Babies and Kids in San Carlos

●      Small Fry Dance Club in San Mateo

●      Fit4Mom in San Mateo and Burlingame

●      Rec Room Creative in Burlingame

Drop-in Play Spaces are listed below.

●      Safari Run in San Mateo (children under 1 play FREE)

●      Rec Room Creative in Burlingame

●      Imagination City in San Bruno

●      Diddalidoo in San Bruno

●      Hop N Play in San Bruno

●      My Busy Town in San Bruno

The cafés listed below have a dedicated play area for children.

●      Kingston Café in San Mateo

●      Mints & Honey in San Carlos

The local gyms listed below offer childcare while parents exercise.

●      Peninsula Family YMCA in San Mateo

●      PJCC in Foster City

●      Prime Time Athletic Club in Burlingame

Curiodyssey in San Mateo is a museum for kids focusing on environmental science and wildlife with indoor exhibits and an outdoor zoo. Membership is good for one year and includes parking.

Toddler Activities for Cold Rainy Days

By Joannie Peters

During the cold and rainy season, getting outside to burn off your toddler’s energy is not always possible. Here are some ideas to keep indoor play fun and interesting.

Pine Cone Process Art

Walk outside and collect pine cones (or leaves, sticks, rocks) from nature when weather allows. Gather other materials: non-toxic paint, paper, a box or bin. Have your child choose 2-3 paint colors and squirt onto a piece of paper which you’ve placed into a box/bin. Add 1-3 pinecones. Have your child shake the box to create a painting using pinecones as “paint brushes.” Hang painting to dry. Pinecones can also be dried with the paint on them to create a colorful decoration in your home (e.g. place in a bowl to create a centerpiece or string into a garland).

Sensory Bins

Corn kernels or dried beans are cheap and easy to find in most grocery stores. You can add them to a box or bin, along with 2-3 household items (measuring cups, spoons, tongs, small plastic containers) or toys (dump trucks, plastic animals) to create a sensory bin. Limit the number of items you place into the bin – you can switch them out for different items every now and then to make the sensory bin “new again” for your little one. Offer items that allow your child to practice their scooping, pouring, and transferring skills.

Older toddlers can help create their own sensory bin. Look for dried corn that is still on the cob and have your little one pick the kernels off themselves. Alternatively, have your little one collect acorns (on drier days that allow for nature/neighborhood walks) to be used for sensory bins. We store our sensory bin fillers in old yogurt containers so we can switch up our bin every few weeks.

Other filler ideas: cotton balls, pom-poms, dry cereal like Rice Krispies, buttons, cooked (and cooled) spaghetti, shredded paper, a variety of fabric scraps, corks. Be mindful of what you are using to create your sensory bin, especially if your child is still a very oral explorer!

NOTE: It’s likely only a matter of time before your child ends up dumping the contents of the bin. Remember that cleaning up is part of the fun and learning experience! Your child is perfectly capable of helping to scoop everything back into the bin. My son likes using his bulldozer to gather up the mess.

Painting in a Bag (Canvas and Ziploc)

Squirt a few shades of non-toxic paint into a Ziploc bag, then tape to a table or window. Your little one can enjoy squishing the paint and mixing the colors without making a mess! If you’d like to preserve their masterpiece, place a small, flat piece of canvas paper inside the bag before adding the paint, then remove once they are done and let dry. One idea is to turn the canvas into a colorful photo frame: a photo can be attached using Mod Podge once the paint has dried. Hang the canvas at your child’s eye level so they can enjoy their creation and a favorite family photo at the same time!

Practical Life Activities

Little ones want to do everything you do, so why not engage them in doing things around the home that need to be done anyway? Just budget more time for each chore as you will need to demonstrate and give them time to go at their own pace. TIP: Go slow. Break down each task so your child is focusing on 1-2 simple steps)

-Water indoor plants. Use a small pitcher/cup/watering can with small amounts of water to start

-Fold laundry. Your child can help sort into piles for each family member or match socks

-Prep a meal. A learning tower / step stool allows your child access to the kitchen counter where they can help with simple steps in your meal prep process: scrub veggies in the sink; peel bananas for a smoothie; add pre-measured/pre-prepared ingredients into a mixing bowl/pot/blender; scoop seeds out of a melon/squash. And if your child is more interested in playing with a pool of water in the sink, that’s also great – provide interesting kitchen utensils so they can pour, scoop, strain, stir, while you get stuff done in the kitchen!

Pillow Fort / Indoor Climber

Take apart your couch and gather all the pillows and cushions from around the home to create a fun, new play space together! To make it extra cozy, start by lining the floor with a soft throw or blanket. Add stuffed animals and other toys as needed.

Alternatively, couch pillows and cushions can be used to create a soft, indoor climbing area. Build a cushion tunnel for your little one to crawl through. Add toy vehicles and balls for rolling down cushion ramps.

Dance to Music

Instead of children’s songs, put some of your favorite songs on and have a dance party! Explore the beat through tapping, clapping, wiggling. Experience music from different cultures or specific instruments by using apps like Spotify and Pandora.

Homemade Playdough

Make your own playdough, and let your toddler’s imagination run wild. Little Wonders has a great recipe!

Mix in saucepan: 1 cup white flour, ½ cup salt and 2t cream of tartar.

Add and mix with above: 1 cup water, food coloring, 2t oil.

Cook over medium heat and stir until mixture forms a ball, about 3-4 min. Turn out and knead on wax paper. May be stored in Ziploc plastic bag.

For even more ideas, follow accounts like @busytoddler and @teachtalkinspire, or hashtags like #toddleractivities on Instagram. This is a great way to continue growing your idea list!

Creating Family Holiday Traditions

By Michelle Dow

The holidays are fast approaching, and if you are like me, you brainstorm ways to create and implement long-lasting holiday rituals and traditions. My kids are still young, but I hope by starting traditions now, they will continue to grow over the years. In our family we celebrate Christmas, but many of these ideas can fit in regardless of your beliefs. Check out my ideas to start your holiday fun with your toddler.

1. Baking

I’m not the world’s best baker, but making sugar cookies into fun shapes and lots of sprinkles isn’t hard to do. At this age, toddlers are trying to exert their independence and to “help.” My toddler hasn’t grasped the concept of decorating, but he gets joy from making a mess of the sprinkles on the cookies and “helping” to stir the dough. 

2. Gingerbread houses

Along with baking, decorating a gingerbread house is a big hit. There are plenty of pre-made houses that come with all the icing and decorating materials. I usually find mine at Costco, but Trader Joe’s and other stores also carry them. We like to host gingerbread house parties: the kids make the gingerbread houses, while the adults enjoy holiday cocktails. 

3. Books

As part of the Christmas tradition of Advent, for each night before Christmas, my kids read a new book. When I first started a few years ago, we began with twelve days of books. I wrapped each one separately, and each night my boys really enjoyed unwrapping and discovering a new book.  

4. Crafts

I crafted ornaments as a child, and now I do this with my kids. An easy one is the popsicle-stick picture frame. We pick a current photo of each child and frame it with popsicle sticks. The kids paint the sticks and add their special touches with feathers, stones, and whatever other materials we have on hand. Stores like Target and Michael’s have supplies for ornament making, including pre-made ornament kits.

5. Matching Pajamas

My kids are obsessed with themed pajamas! I strive to order all-matching pajamas for the entire family. Now that I have three kids of various ages it can be challenging, but Carter’s now has extended sizes for the whole family!

6. Decorate Family AND Personal Christmas Trees

Pick out and decorate the family Christmas tree together. Our family puts on holiday tunes while decorating the tree. We try to have a box of kid-friendly ornaments they can grab from and add to the tree. In addition, my older son has a fake mini tree in his room, with all the ornaments he picked out. Meanwhile, my toddler has a felt Christmas tree on his wall. Each can have ownership of their tree, which promotes holiday harmony.

7. Visit Santa

We enjoy visiting Santa on the Napa Valley Santa Wine Train! This year will be our third year going with the cousins (similar ages too)! The boys love seeing Santa, riding the train, and hearing all the carols that are sung on the train. Bonus: They serve hot chocolate for the kids, and wine for the parents… special treats all around!  

8. Holiday Lights

My kids are always amazed by the twinkling holiday lights. For toddlers it can be overwhelming to attend the big light shows, so a more low-key option is to have a family night walk or drive around your area. If you think your child can handle bigger displays, there are plenty of places with amazing décor. CuriOdyssey currently has a their annual dazzling winter light experience for kids called IlluminOdyssey (running until January 5, 2020). Another great one is the Holidays at Filoli Garden, running until December 29th. Also, cities usually host a tree lighting ceremony. (For Burlingame, it is December 6th, and there is a parade afterwards.)  

9. Adopt a Family

Each year we adopt a family in need. I try to choose a family with kids around my kids’ ages. My kids help pick out presents for our adopted family, and we explain to them how much joy they are bringing to the other children. I want my kids to realize the world outside of their bubble, and hopefully this teaches them to give back to their community. Familyholidayhelpers.org lists various organizations that help families during the holidays (besides giving gifts). Another good resource is your local parents’ club. 

Say "YES!" to a "Yes Space" for Your Child

by April Van Scherpe

It's only a few classes into the school year, and my daughter already has a ritual of running gleefully to the Little Wonders gate when we arrive. She is eager to get inside and play! I smile and breathe a huge sigh of relief. Why? Because we're entering a place where my child can happily explore and engage without friction, a zone designed for her enrichment and safety. 

This is a "Yes Space." 

And guess what? You can create one in your own home.

Popularized by the Respectful Parenting movement, a "Yes Space" is an area where your child can 1) remain safe on their own and 2) play without restrictions (i.e. without redirection or hearing "no"). The point is to allow freedom, which encourages independence and confidence. It is a child-oriented space where a kid can be a kid. 

And while that's happening, a parent can take a break from the constant pull to direct and protect. Whether you're playing in the space with your child, working a few feet away, or slipping away for a shower, the "Yes Space" allows both of you some freedom. 

Three Steps to Create a "Yes Space"

1. Select an area. 

A "Yes Space" can be any size. While we're lucky to have an entire "Yes" facility at Little Wonders, the area in your home can be as compact as a Pack n' Play. If you have an entire room you can dedicate, great. You can also section off a part of a room with baby gates or freestanding play-yard fencing. 

When choosing location, consider how and when you'll use the "Yes Space." For example, if it would be useful to have your child play more independently while you fix dinner, pick a spot near the kitchen. If you'll be working around the house and want to keep your child near you, consider a self-contained space like a playpen. 

2. Make it childproof and child-friendly.

Apply the same childproofing you would to the rest of your home--and then some. Cover outlets, remove choking hazards, and brace furniture. Beyond that, scrutinize the space for comfort and convenience. Add a mat to soften the floor for younger children. Put toys and books within easy reach. In a larger space, consider using child-sized furniture (e.g. small chairs and short tables). in doing these things, you'll make the child feel welcome and empowered in the space.

3. Add engaging, age-appropriate items.

Choose open-ended toys that can be enjoyed without a partner. If you don't know where to start, try building materials (velcro blocks, DUPLO), reading materials (soft books, board books), and cuddly objects (a stuffed animal or beloved blanket). 

You can use your child's current favorite toys to ensure comfort. Or, add something new to captivate them, resulting in longer independent playtime. ("New" can even be an existing item from your home, like spoons and pots to bang together.)

Selections will vary based on your child's age, but make sure to choose items that are fun, safe, and totally "YES"! For example, you may decide that chalk on a chalkboard is OK in this independent play space, but paint is not.

Lastly, don't feel compelled to fill the entire area. A couple of items may be enough. Your child will benefit from open space to roll, crawl, play, or dance.

Give a "Yes Space" a shot, and let us know if it brought some Little Wonders freedom to your own home!

Setting up for Success: Potty Learning + Q&A with Little Wonders Teachers

By Joannie Peters

Potty learning is a big part of the Montessori toddler curriculum. As a Montessori teacher, I worked with so many little individuals, aged 18-36 months, and quickly learned that there is no single formula guaranteed to work for every toddler. Rather than viewing potty training as a race to get a child out of diapers, I encouraged families to embrace it as a time to learn new skills at a pace suited to each individual child. Every family does potty learning a little differently--what’s important is that you and your child’s other caregivers are consistent in supporting your child toward bathroom independence. 

Potty learning can start much earlier than when your family decides to move on from diapers! You can build foundational skills that help your child associate the need to eliminate with the desire to stay dry. With very young infants, you can teach the difference between wet and dry by stating simply, “Your diaper is wet. I’m going to change your diaper.” While cloth diapering is an ideal teaching tool to develop awareness of wet sensation (disposable diapers are so absorbent, your child may not feel the difference between wet and dry), most families use disposables out of convenience. Even with disposables you can still promote awareness by stating, “Your diaper is heavy/full and wet, I’m going to change your diaper.”

Help your child become familiar with the bathroom and the bathroom routines. For younger infants, the changing table can be set up in the bathroom instead of other areas of the home. You can also sportscast your way through a diaper change so your child is aware of what is being done to them. Beyond a language lesson, this also sets your child up for a more active experience. I was amazed when my own little guy at just over 6 months was able to follow simple instructions, such as “Put your legs up/down please.”  When your child becomes more mobile, you can encourage collaboration by asking her to get a diaper or wipes. Some ideas for making the bathroom more accessible for your child: 

• Add a low shelf with your child’s toiletries and essentials, so she can brush teeth, comb hair, wipe nose/face.

• Add a step stool for sink access. Demonstrate and practice handwashing! 

• A vertical mirror is helpful so your child can see how pants are pulled down/up, how to sit, and how to wipe. As early as when your child is able to stand, you can switch from using the changing table to a stand-up diaper change in front of the vertical mirror. Narrate your actions in real time as you change your child, so he/she can understand and see what is happening.

• When you choose to introduce a potty, it makes sense to keep the potty in the bathroom. An alternative is to have a toilet insert and a stool, allowing access to the adult toilet (this eliminates another transition, from potty to toilet). If using a toilet insert and stool, it is important that the stool is of a height that enables your child’s feet to rest comfortably while seated, as this helps relax the pelvic muscles. 

By controlling the environment and providing safe opportunities for your child to explore bathroom routines, your child will become more comfortable with daily self-care activities in the bathroom. 

Modeling is another great way to create familiarity around bathroom routines, as well as to introduce potty training in general! If your toddler is anything like mine, they’ll follow you everywhere, especially the bathroom. Describe the steps throughout the process (pulling pants down, sitting on toilet, letting the pee come out, getting toilet paper, wiping, flushing, washing hands). When your child shows curiosity around toileting and openness to sitting on the potty (even if nothing happens), you can think about when might be an ideal time for the family to start the transition out of diapers. Timing is everything. Keep in mind that major changes like moving into a new house, going on vacation, having guests stay in your home, or the arrival of a new sibling can impact efforts - so it makes sense to start after home life settles into a more predictable routine.

When you are ready to commit to potty learning with your child, here are some tips to get you started.

• Foster a positive association with toileting. Check that your expectations are not unreasonable; an inappropriate adult reaction can discourage your child from toilet learning. Avoid creating toilet fear, trauma, and power struggles. Instead, maintain a calm, neutral, and patient attitude. Simply acknowledge toilet learning attempts and avoid language that passes judgement. Decide what language you will use and stick with the facts: “You peed.” “Your pants are wet.” “Pee goes in the toilet.” “You are ready to wash your hands now.”

• Invite your child to sit on the potty/toilet, but don’t force it. Instead of asking “Would you like to go potty?” try “Come with me, let’s go to the potty together.” Also, interrupting your child while they are engaged in an activity can create drama; instead, ask “Would you like to go to the potty now or in X minutes?”

• Create a routine by going to the potty at the same time each day (i.e. upon waking, before leaving the house, after a meal, before nap/bedtime). 

• Acknowledge your child’s feelings and give them (limited) choices: 

“You look upset. Are you frustrated because you don’t want to try the toilet?”

“Sometimes it’s hard to learn something new.”

“Do you want me to pull down your pants or would you like to try?”

“What underwear would you like to wear?”

• When setting your child up for toileting success, consider clothing options that facilitate their independence. Belts, buckles, onesies, and other articles of clothing with complicated fastenings become unnecessary obstacles. Dresses and skirts can complicate the process as they often dip into the potty/toilet and get soiled. Prepare yourself for more laundry than usual; If possible, purchase extra training pants (underwear) and bed sheets so that your child has enough to last until the next load. 

• Use books as a way to talk to your child about potty learning! There are many fun books out there. One of my favorites is You Can Go to the Potty by William Sears because it introduces the basic steps of toilet learning in a natural, non-pressured way.

No matter when and how you decide to potty train, just remember that 1) there is no single formula guaranteed to work for every toddler and family, and 2) with consistency, one day your child will master the potty. Good luck!