Wikis tagged with birthdays-and-holidays

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites    Ping Pong Catapult   Why We Love It: This naturally made catapult might be simply designed but it is super sturdy, powerful and so much fun! Any child will adore shooting off the included ping pong balls or other small items from around the house to see where they land. Set up a target for a little challenge. Made in Oregon, USA.    Price:  $23.95   Where to...

Have a happy Halloween with some naturally minded inspiration.    Creative Candy Crafts Looking for something to do with all of that unwanted Halloween candy? Check out these crafts and activities!   Halloween Costume Contest Enter to win some awesome books by sharing your Halloween pics in the Mothering community.    Healthier Halloween Looking for some tasty treats to replace candy this Halloween? Here are some simple alternatives.   Jack-O-Lantern Cookies Have some sweet and spooky fun with these wholesome Jack-O'-Lantern cookies.    Green Halloween dECOr Discover...

Looking for some fun ways to green your Easter this year? Check out these simple ideas that the whole family is sure to love.      Natural Easter Egg Dye Did you know that you can avoid unnatural food coloring and make your eggs beautiful by using natural ingredients? Find out how with this helpful how-to. Also check out this fun video for more tips!       Up-cycled Easter Baskets Looking for a fun family project for Easter? What could be more fun, and special, than homemade Easter baskets? Lynn Colwell from Celebrate Green shows how easy it is to create your own heirloom...

In 2003, one of our Mothering community members, Tracy, started the first Holiday Helper thread. Over the years the Holiday Helper program has helped thousands of families and we are proudly continuing the tradition this year.  FAMILIES IN NEED To be eligible, a member’s family must have significant financial need. The member must have been a Mothering member for one year and have posted 500 times. In the interest of privacy and security, Families in Need remain anonymous to the community and are identified by a number. Only the administrators and moderators of Holiday Helper...

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites       Cowgirl or Cowboy Doll   Why We Love It:  The quality and detail is wonderful in these natural, fair trade dolls. The cute little outfits make them truly one of a kind. Choose from a posable cowboy or cowgirl and pair it up with a felt horse (see below) for hours of old west fun.    Price: $23.95    Where to Buy: A Toy Garden       Felt Horse   Why We Love It: Whether...

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites           Kiwi Crates   Why We Love It:  Every month someone else thinks up a couple of fun and educational crafts, packages everything my child needs to create them and sends it all straight to my door. These crates are perfect for busy parents and since a great deal of thought was put into the chosen activities the kids will adore them! Made in the USA. Read more in our full...

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites       Four Elements Building Blocks   Why We Love It: This colorful set can be used as a puzzle or as blocks. The original shapes put a whole new spin on homemade block towers and castles. With endless possible arrangements the kids will find all sort of uses for this delightful toy.   Price:$129.95   Where to Buy: Rosie Hippo       ASL Alphabet Blocks   Why We Love It: These...

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites         Earthopoly   Why We Love It: This Monopoly inspired game provides all of the fun as the original--with an earth-friendly twist. Instead of attempting to take over and develop as much property as possible, players work to save the earth by protecting and cleaning up habitats. It is truly a blast to play and great way to teach eco-values. Printed on recyclable paper with...

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites    Child's 5 String Banjo   Why We Love It: This fully functional banjo will take music play to a new level. Small children will adore simply strumming the strings and singing along while older kids can learn songs from the included song booklet. It is a great way to introduce a child to this instrument. Beautifully made of sustainable maple in the USA.    Price: $74.95   Where to...

Celebrate Earth Day and all that goes with it with these fun books!   My Mama Earth: Watch the wonder experienced by a small child journeying through the world and  taking in the many magnificent aspects of nature. This imaginative and lyrical picture book showcases the love between a mother and child, celebrating the ever-changing beauty of the natural world along the way.         Make a reusable cloth bag with Gabby and Grandma Go Green by Monica Wellington.  This brightly colored picture book follows Gabby and her Grandma as they have a green day by making their own cloth bags...

Posted by: Haley Reen                 Each year, my family celebrates Halloween with much fanfare. It’s our favorite time of year. We decorate the whole house, even the bathrooms, and put the lights and other outdoor decorations outside as soon as possible, usually the week before October begins. At the end of the month we have a large, family friendly party to celebrate. However, as my children are small and we are a mostly media free and sugar free household, we do things a little differently than most. Here are some of the ways we modify the modern Halloween to fit our family’s...

    Welcome to Mothering's Annual Natural Toy Guide: a selection of the very best natural and eco-friendly toys and children's gifts of 2012.      Proudly sponsored by STRIDER Bikes. Learn about what Mothering moms think about STRIDER no-pedal balance bikes here or visit their Facebook page.                                                             Our Top 20 Favorites                                                20 Toys Under $20                                                                      Imaginative Play                                                  ...

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites       Tegu Dart   Why We Love It: Tegu has one of the coolest natural toy items on the market with its magnetic wooden block sets--now this special Dart combo is putting a whole new twist on the fun! Everything you need to make this sleek car, from the cool topper to the stylish wheels, is included. Plus, you can take it apart and easily dream up other magnetic creations. Tegu is not only an...

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites         Wilbert the Worm Rolling Toy   Why We Love It: Constructed from midwestern hardwoods and mildly coated with natural beeswax in Illinois this toy is just right for rolling about. It can also be used as a teether.    Price: $15.99   Where to Buy: Peapods       Felt Horse   Why We Love It: Whether you're teaming this all-natural horse up with a little cowgirl or cowboy...

  We recently asked the members of the Mothering Community to tell us about their favorite family Christmas movies and received some great responses! Here is a list of our top ten faves from that discussion.    Head over to the original thread to see all of the recommendations and to share your own must watch Christmas list!        A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) Starring Ann Altieri and Chris Doran   "I haven't watched A Charlie Brown Christmas in a long time. I should, because it's an ongoing family joke that my mom and I love "Charlie Brown trees." I don't like my trees...

  Discover More: Dolls | Arts & Crafts | Blocks & Puzzles | Books & Games | Imaginative Play | Teethers & Rattles | Vehicles & Rollers | For Older Kids | 20 Toys Under $20 | Top 20 Favorites       Large Felt Mushrooms   Why We Love It: This has to be one of the most unique items we have seen yet. These huge felt mushrooms with matching mat instantly make one want to dive into a world of pixies, fairies and gnomes. Available in red or green these delights could be coupled with any number of small or large figures to make a truly mystical habitat for...

According to a study by the Journal of Clinical Psychology 45% of Americans make New Year's resolutions every year. And while only 8% of people accomplish these goals, the study states that a person is ten times more likely to attain their ambitions if they explicitly state them as resolutions.    Here is a list of the most common New Year's resolutions. Are your 2013 goals on this list? Tell us about them in our fun community thread happening right now!    The results are out: here are the Top Ten New Year's Resolutions from the Mothering Community!       Lose Weight Getting...

by Loralee Leavitt and Elaine Bassett   Candy is a traditional part of Halloween. But since it contains so much sugar, corn syrup, and artificial dye, many parents don’t want their children gorging on Halloween loot. Whether you’re planning a Halloween party, or using up candy after Halloween, these activities will help your children enjoy their Halloween candy without eating it.   Halloween Potions   Halloween’s a perfect time for potions, and kids love to mix and stir. Let them stir their Halloween candies into mad scientist potions. Set out spoons or colored straws for stirring,...

Looking for a fun way to introduce science and nutrition concepts to your kids?   In her new book, Candy Experiments, author Loralee Leavitt shares dozens of brand-new experiments that use candy to teach about these topics. The following excerpt from Candy Experiments contains fun and easy ways that you and your children can test food for sugar, hydrogenated palm kernel oil and artificial dyes!   About the Book:   Make giant gummi worms, turn M&Ms into dazzling comets, grow candy crystals and turn cotton candy into slime! You'll find all these experiments and more, plus simple...

Candy Experiments by Loralee Leavitt   I loved candy when I was a kid, but when I became a mother, I worried about my kids eating too much of the stuff. Still, I’ve never banned it from our home. Now, when my children come home on Halloween night, examine their candy, and go to bed without asking to eat a single piece, it’s not because I’ve forbidden it. It’s because they have better ideas about what ?to do with it. It began with a simple question three years ago, when I was overwhelmed by our collection of Halloween candy. An afternoon with too-generous coworkers, a church...