Happy Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner. I find myself searching for costumes , snacks and trick or treat ideas. This year my kids have already chosen the regular run of the mill costumes ;Batman and Cinderella -- surprise, surprise!! Well so much for my enthusiasm to make a costume.
But for any of you that might be interested , here is a really cool and easy homemade costume idea from a dear friend of mine who is very creative and a super mom of 2 daughters. She makes award winning costumes for her girls every year. This year she made this really cute and easy to make milk box with a straw that I had to share .

Milk Box Costume

What you will need:

A tall narrow box that should fit over your child's body( She used a lamp box)

Red Gift Wrap Paper.

White paper

Paper roll from an empty Aluminium foil or a paper towel roll

Exacto Knife

Scissors

Glue/ Tape.

Printer.

What to do:

1. Cut the bottom of the box and take the flaps off.

2. Measure and cut a circle on the top for the head to go through.

3. Measure and cut another small circle on top for the straw.

4. Make holes in the side of the box for the hands.

5. Cover and glue the whole box with red wrapping paper.

6. Cover and glue the straw with white paper.

7. Then on the front top portion glue the printed logo.(Click Logo to find the logo pic. Enlarge the picture to print it or if the resolution is not good then print it and then enlarge the copy).

8. On the front bottom glue the letters MILK .Either print them out using Microsoft word or paint them on.

9. On the back glue the Nutrition facts (Click here to find the image that you can use to print . Enlarge it to fit the size of your box.)

10. Insert the straw through the small hole on the top and tape it in place.

Let your child wear white clothes complete with a white cap and white shoes . Then draw a white milk mustache on the upper lip. Now your little milk box is ready to go get some candy.

Halloween Snacks

Halloween Jigglers

I found a few really cool and scary snacks for Halloween at the Krafts food website. These are very easy and fun to make with the kids .

Ghastly Goblin Grins

Trick or Treating Ideas.

Every year like everybody else we go trick or treating in the neighborhood. Malls always have some kind of Trick or Treating activities. Be adventurous and try some unique places like your local City hall or Fire Department. Last year we went to our local Police Department and they were very happy to welcome all Trick or Treaters.

Let me know if you have any fun and unique ideas.

Fish Hatching Kit deal

I found this amazing deal for a kit to hatch live fish from eggs in one day.

It has the lowest price I have seen so far, its only $13.99. Click here to see more details.

Summer Activities

Artsy Monday

Here are some activities and tips you can use when travelling with little ones.

You can print some activities to keep the little ones busy from Crayola. They also have excellent tips for parents travelling with kids. I used these for my kids while I was travelling and they did a good job of keeping them happy. http://www.crayola.com/parents/travel/

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Cooking Tuesday

Strawberry Mouse

What you will need :
Strawberries
Twizzler candy
Gum drops
Chocolate chips
What to do:
1.Cut the bottom of a strawberry to create a base for the mouse.2.Cut two gum drops in half . One gum drop will make 2 ears, and the other one will make two feet. Insert the cut gumdrop into the strawberry to make its ears.
Place the other halves to make its feet.
3.Cut the tip of another gum drop to make the mouse's nose.
4.Insert two chocolate chips to make the mouses eyes.
5.Use the twizzler candy to make a tail for the mouse.

Say cheese!!, now you have a Strawberry mouse.

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Virtual Wednesday

A virtual African Safari - The World's First Virtual Game Reserve uses webcams to display wild animals using real time streaming video . Check it out at http://www.africam.com/

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Scientific Thursday

Rising Paper Magic


You will need:
Tissue paper pieces
Comb
Steps:
1.Charge up the comb by rubbing it against a sweater or your hair about 15 times.
2. Now hold the comb over the pieces of tissue paper.
3. Notice what happens ... the tissue paper pieces will be lifted upto the comb as if by magic.
This happens because of static electircity that is created when you rub the comb on your hair or the sweater.

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Fun Fridays

Amaze your friends and family with these cool juggling tricks.Watch Nick and Dave as they teach their friend Pilar to juggle.Watch the video here and learn to juggle.

Guest Appearance on Friendship Day

On the occassion of Friendship Day , Vasanti a friend of mine invited me to contribute a favorite recipe of mine on her food blog. She has been my friend since childhood and has an amazing award winning food blog called Signature Concoctions. Click here to see my contributionon her blog . Happy Friendship Day to all!!

Fourth of July Week Activities

Artsy Mondays

Fourth of July Fireworks Straw Painting

What you will need:

Straws
Liquid Paint ( Red , White and Blue)
Heavy white paper
What to do:
1. Drop a blob of paint on the paper.
2. Blow through the straw , this will cause the paint to spread out like fireworks.

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Cooking Tuesdays:

Ice cream in a bag
What you need: (this is enough for 1 scoop of ice cream )
1/2 cup whole milk or half & half
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons Rock salt ( found in the grocery .. regular Morton salt does not work)
Ice cubes
1 pint size Ziploc bag
1 gallon size Ziploc bag.
What to do:
1. Fill the small Ziploc bag with the milk, sugar and essence and seal it well making sure nothing will spill out.
2.Fill the large Ziploc bag halfway with the ice cubes, rock salt.
3. Put the small bag in the large bag and seal the bag well.
4. Now shake the bag till the ice cream is done .. takes about 5-10 minutes.
Enjoy!!

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Virtual Wednesdays
Pay tribute to the stars and stripes with these online games at Kaboose.
Their games include the following :
-Match the state capital with its home state on a unlabeled map of the U.S
-Brush up on your history with an Independence Day trivia game.
-Test your knowledge of the history of the American flag.
-American geography while being tested on how well you know the states in the map of the U.S.

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Scientific Thursdays

Float or Sink Playdough
You will need:
A big bowl of water
Play dough

Steps:
1.Fill the big bowl with water
2.Place a ball of play dough in the water.
3. Observe what happens .. does it sink or float?
4.Now take the ball of play dough out and mould it into the shape of a boat.
5. Place the boat shaped playdough in the water.
6.Does the boat shaped playdough sink or float?
Since the ball of playdough weighs heavier than water it sinks. But a boat made out of the same ball will float. Water pushes the boat upwards supporting the boat. The shape of the boat also plays an important part in helping it to float. There is more surface for the water to push upwards on the boat than on a ball of dough.

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Fun Fridays

Information about 4th of July Independence Day

Independence Day is the birthday of the United States of America and is celebrated on the Fourth of July each year. Independence Day is the anniversary of the day on which the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.
John Adams, one of the founders of our new nation, said, "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore." Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.
In 1941, Congress declared July 4 a legal public holiday.

Weekly Activities

Artsy Monday

Make Scratch Art

What you need: Paper, crayons, black tempera paint, a drop of dish soap, paintbrush, paperclip.

What to do:

Color a sheet of paper with bright crayons. Make stripes, blotches or any pattern you like. Press hard to make a thick layer of crayon all over the paper. Paint a coat of black tempera (poster) paint all over the top of the colorful crayon layer (add a drop of dish soap to the black paint so it will stick to the crayon wax). After the paint is dry, scratch a design into the black surface with a bent paperclip. The bright crayon colors will show beautifully through the black. Scratch art fans will also enjoy the 5 great scratchboard examples in the KidsArt Gallery.

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Cooking Tuesday

Fruit Kebab


Summer is in full swing and the grocery stores are brimming with colorful, delicious summer fruits. The kids can make some easy fruit kebabs and enjoy a healthy , delicious snack.

What you need: Wooden Skewers Melon Baller
Fruits (Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Strawberry, Grapes )

What to do:
Use the melon baller to make balls of Watermelon and Cantaloupe. Wash Strawberries and Grapes. Now string the fruit into the wooden skewers to make the fruit kebabs. Any way you do it , the kebabs will look colorful and fabulous.

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Virtual Wednesday

Check out Colgate kids website to find manygames , puzzles and activities that teach kids to keep their teeth healthy. http://www.colgate.com/app/Kids-World/US/HomePage.cvsp

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Scientific Thursday

Bendy Pencil

What you will need:A glass of water,Pencil

Steps:

1.Fill the glass halfway with water .
2.Place the pencil in the water.
3. Look at the pencil from the top, bottom and sides.
4. Observe how the pencil looks -- straight or bent?

Light plays tricks on your eyes. When you look at the pencil from the side it looks bent. Light travels slower through wtaer than through air.So as the light enters the water in the glass it slows down and speeds up when it comes out of the water and changes direction making the pencil look bent.

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Fun Friday
Some fun riddles.

What can run but never walks

has a mouth but never talks

has a head but never weeps

has a bed but never sleeps


Answer: A River.

I am very dangerous
Take one out and scratch my head

I am now black but once was red



Answer:A Match stick

Fathers Day Week Activities

Fathers Day is coming up this Sunday 21st June , 2009. This weeks activities are to celebrate and honor our Dad.

Artsy Monday

This is a cute card project just right for Dad.You can find all the instructions here . This project is suitable for kids 3 and up. It takes about 30 minutes to finish.

You will need paper, glue , scissors and crayons.

Print this template and get started to have some fun.

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Cooking Tuesday

Bake some cookies for Fathers day this year and decorate them with dad.

What you need:

Frozen Sugar cookie dough

Cookie Cutters

Icing

Sprinkles or candy for decoration

What to do:

Thaw the sugar cookie dough and then cut it into different fun shapes. Bake them as per instructions.

Once the cookies are cold, cover them with with icing (store bought) and decorate them with candies or sprinkles.

Some of the icings available in the grocery store come with sprinkles for decoration. A great idea for Fathers day would be to cut the cookie into the different alphabets to make up the word DAD .

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Virtual Wednesday

Some fun , touching songs for Dad for Fathers Day.

* Let Dad know how special he is with this adorable Father's Day song. This will touch the heart of even the roughtest and toughest Dad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMCJ5zylCJ0* "My Dad" is a fun song for dads. Play it for your dad on father's day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9X6S-PPRso

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Scientific Thursday

Magical Inflating Balloon

Nothing is funnier than watching Dad blow Birthday balloons. His cheeks puff out, his face turns red. Show Dad how to inflate balloons using the scientific principles of heat and expansion.

You will need:

A bowl , a bottle and a balloon.

Steps:

1.Fill the bowl with ice cold water

2.Fill the bottle with hot boiling water.

3. Let them sit seperately for a minute.

4.Now empty out the bottle.

5. Immediately stretch a balloon over the mouth of the bottle making sure no air can escape.

6.Immerse the bottle in the bowl of cold water.

7.Now watch as the balloon gets pulled in and inflated inside the bottle.

The hot water heats the bottle and stretching the balloon over the mouth of the bottle immediately after pouring the water traps this warm air. If a gas is heated in a container that prevents expansion, the pressure of the gas increases. When the bottle is placed in cold water the air in the bottle cools and contracts causing the pressure inside the bottle to be lower than the pressure outside the bottle. This causes outside air to be drawn in, pulling the balloon in and inflating it inside the bottle.

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Fun Friday

Some Funny Fathers Day Jokes:
A little girl asked her dad," You are the boss in our house , right?" The dad happily said, "Yes, I am". The little girl continued ,"That's because Mommy said so, right?"

One day a Dad trying to discpline his children called his kids and said "The person who listens to Mommy, who does'nt talk back to her , and does what she says will win a prize". The three kids said," We know , we know , you get the prize"

Graduation Week Activities

Since I will be travelling for the Summer, I will post all the weeks daily activities at beginning of the week on Mondays.

Artsy Monday: Graduation Cards


For most schools this will be the Graduation week .

Check out some cool electronic cards as well as printable Graduation cards to color from Crayola.

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Cooking Tuesday : Grad Caps

I found this fun recipe to make :Chocolate Grad Caps at Familyfun.com. It is very easy to make , the kids will be very happy to help.


RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
Miniature peanut butter cups
Frosting or peanut butter
Chocolate-covered graham crackers,or Hersheys chocolate bar pieces.
Fruit leather

1. Place a miniature peanut butter cup, bottom up, on a plate. Top with a small dollop of frosting or peanut butter, then press on a chocolate-covered graham cracker.

2. For a tassel, tightly roll up a small square of fruit leather. Cut fringe on one end and attach the other end to the center of the graham cracker with another dab of frosting or peanut butter.

Watch a video of how to make these at Familyfun.com

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Virtual Wednesday: Gumi Bear Song

Check this very popular Gumi Bear song for kids. My kids love it and want to listen to it over and over again.

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Scientific Thursday: How to suck an egg into a bottle

How to suck an egg into a bottle : This is a very cool experiment to learn about pressure. I found a great video of the experiment at Videojug.com. We tried it at home , and it does work. The kids were very excited.

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Fun Friday:
Intel Museum: Make a Musical Greeting Card

Intel Museum in Santa Clara has a free class for kids to build a remote control roMake a Musical Greeting card. It is this Saturday 6/13/2009 . To register for the class call (408) 765- 0503 . Their address is 2200 Mission College Blvd, Santa Clara, CA.

Michaels Stores: Make a T-shirt for Fathers Day.
June 14, 2009 - June 14, 2009, 1:00pm - 3:00pm Use your hand to make a special T-shirt for dad to wear. Just purchase the T-shirt of your choice for $2.50 and decorate it for FREE using Michaels paint supplies! Powered by Tulip. Click here for you location and then check This Stores Events.

Fun Friday Free Instore Activities

Happy Fun Friday!

Today find out about some fun activities coming up this Saturday.

Homedepot Hardware Store :

Make a Hardware Sorter, Sat June 6, 2009

The Home Depot's Kids Workshops offer useful projects including the creation of toolboxes, fire trucks and mail organizers, as well as more educational projects, such as a window birdhouse, bughouse or Declaration of Independence frame kit.The workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, while at the same time helping to instill a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, this fun time allows for quality one-on-one time between adults and children.In addition to the newly constructed project kit, each child receives a kid-sized orange apron, similar to The Home Depot associates' aprons, and an achievement pin.

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Michaels Stores : Make Thumb Doodles Cards, Sat June 6,2009 10am to 1pm

To find out about the details and your neighborhood store click here. The view your stores events. This is a fun , FREE event for kids ages 5-12. Powered by Klutz® Books

Activities for this week:

Artsy Monday: Learn to draw cartoons.

Cooking Tuesday: Elephant Ears

Virtual Wednesday: Awesome animal videos.

Scientific Thursday: Attack of the straws.

Fun Friday: Activities this weekend.

Scientific Thursday :The Attack of the Straw

The Attack of the Straw

Here's an easy way to learn about inertia and momentum

You will need:

A raw potato
Straws

What to do:
Put a potato on the table or kitchen counter and hold it firmly with one hand.

With a fast, strong push, stab the potato with the straw.

Observe what happens? Did the straw bend or go into the potato? The straw should go into the potato. If it didn't, try again with another straw--maybe a little faster or harder.
An object remains at rest (the potato, in this case) or keeps moving (the straw, in this case) unless it is acted upon by some external force.

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Crazy 8 is a Gymboree Corporation. It has a summer sale going on. Denim pants,summer tanks and shorts are $6.99 each.You can also earn $20 Crazy Cash. If you subscribe to them you can get $10 off $30 online purchases. Shipping is flat $5. They also have various retail locations.

Virtual Wednesday Videos, Swing Set Recall

Take a virtual tour under the ocean today. Watch these amazing,fun ,and very interesting videos of Dolphins,Sharks,Turtles, and a Mama Bear teaching her cubs to fish.

Amazing Dolphin Antics

White Sharks and turtles

Mama Bear teaching cubs t0 hunt for fish

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Toys R US and Babies R Us Toy recall

The following item(s) have been recalled for failure to meet safety requirements

• Step 2 Corp., Play Up Gym Set: Swing Hooks

These were sold from January 2009 through April 2009

Triangular hangers that attach the swing ropes to the upper rail may break, causing users to fall. Affected hangers have black plastic bushings. Hangers with white plastic bushings are not affected.Please inspect the top swing hangers. If the rope attachment pieces have BLACK plastic bushings, Immediately stop using the swings until you receive and install the free replacement hooks.

Cooking Tuesday: Elephant Ears

Elephant Ears

What you need:

1. Frozen Puff pastry sheets (found in the freezer section in any grocery store )

2. Pizza sauce

3. Shredded cheese (preferably Mozarella)

Lets Get Started:

Thaw the Frozen Pastry Sheets per package directions.

Take 1 square strip of the pastry sheet and spread the pizza sauce on it.

Sprinkle the cheese sparingly on top .

Roll the left side of the pastry sheet till the middle of the square.

Similarly roll the right side of the pastry sheet to the middle of the square.

Now fold one half over the other half as if you are closing a book.

You should be able to see about 6 layers of the puff pastry.

Now cut the roll into about 3/4" pieces.

Place the pieces cut side up on a greased baking tray.

Perheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bake the elephant ears for 5-6 minutes on one side and then turn them over again and bake for another 5-6 minutes on the other side .

Let them cool ... now you are ready to enjoy some tasty Elephant Ears.

Themes for Summer, Vacation deal.

Announcing New for Summer

Daily themes

( June 1, 2009 to August 30 , 2009)

Artsy Mondays :Little budding artists and crafters can unleash their creativity.

Cooking Tuesdays:Get your cooking hats on and cook up a storm with easy fun recipes.

Virtual Wednesdays :Fun Virtual resources for the computer wizards.

Scientific Thursdays : Simple and easy scientific experiments for all the Little Einsteins.

Fun Fridays : For all the fun loving kids --anything and everything fun goes.

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Uncle Fred's website is a good place to visit for any budding artist.You will find easy step by step visual instructions to draw fun cartoons. The cartoons are very easy to draw even for little kids . There are about 12 cartoons of bunnies, chicks,puppies,cats, penguins and more that you can learn to draw . Try the Bunny cartoon , any kid that can write a B can draw this one.It does not overwhelm the kids with choice or complexity. So pick up a pencil and paper and draw some cartoons .
And don't forget to visit again to see what the kids can cook up tomorrow.
Remember to leave comments to let me know if your kids enjoyed this activity.

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If you are planning a vacation this summer , Southwest Airlines has a ongoing Friends fly free sale . It is basically a buy one get one free sale.
Friends Fly FREE! Plus Stay, Dine, Play, and Drive FREE in Orlando, FLY . Every second person flies FREE when you book a flight + hotel package to Orlando!Book 5/22 - 6/21/09 Travel 6/1 - 10/30/09

Reading Programs, Live Metamorphosis

This is a comprehensive list from my postings of several Reading Programs for children this summer.
Start of with a Summer Reading Pledge that kids can sign before the start of this summer .

1.Barnes & Noble 's Summer Reading Program: Kids read any eight books of their own choosing and then complete a summer reading journal , bring it in to get a free book.

2.Borders Summer Reading Challenge: Again kids read any 8 books of their choice to receive 50% off selected books.

3.Scholastic Reading Program: Kids ages 8 and above can join the Virtual Reading Camp and younger kids can join a Family Playground.

If any of you have come across any more interesting Reading Programs , feel free to share .

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A few people had mentioned to me after I had posted the deal for the Live Butterfly Garden that they could not get the Free Super Saver Shipping as the total does not go above $25.

Here is my solution:

Amazon has the Live Butterfly Garden for $13.45 and the Insect Lore Ladybug Land for $14.35 for a grand total of $27.80 which will qualify you for the Super Saver Shipping. The kids will be happy to see the metamorphosis of a Butterfly and a Lady bug, compare and notice the differences.

Color Me Mine Review, Memorial Day Sales.

In my post on May 6, 2009 I had mentioned about the Color Me Mine activity for Mother's day. I wanted to provide you with an update and review if any of you were thinking of going.

I had made reservations before going since we were a group of 8 . They do welcome walk-ins, but if more than 6 people will be going I would definitely recommend making a reservation. We got a separate room all to ourselves .

They have a lot of ceramic pieces to choose from. Although I have to say that they are a little bit pricey. You have to pay a flat rate studio fee and the price of the piece that you choose. On the day that we went , they had a promotion for Mothers day where the studio fee was waived. So we ended up saving about $30 for a family of 4.

Once we chose our pieces , the associate let us know the procedure. They have a lot of colors, stencils, foam shapes available. It takes about 2 hours for the whole process. It is very relaxing and calming. We had 4 kids with us, and at one point to my surprise the whole room was quiet-- no arguing,talking, fighting. I wish we had more moments like these :-)

It took about a week to get our pieces back. They turned out good. The kids were happy to see their creations.I would say it is worth a visit. Even the Dad's enjoyed this activity.

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A reminder about the Memorial Day Weekend Sales coming up as mentioned in yesterdays post. If any of you know of any other good sales , post them in the comments section for all to see.

--Ikea has a Memorial day weekend sale for 3 days from May 23, 2009 to May 25 , 2009. You can also grab a free breakfast while you are there. Find the breakfast hours at your local store here.

--OshKosh B’gosh stores has a 50% off Entire Store Memorial Day Sale this weekend only - May 21st-25th. You can get a $10 Play Card for every $25 you spend May 21st-June 14th. Plus I have an extra 20% off coupon .. click here.

--Carter’s up to 60% off Memorial Day Sale this weekend only - May 21st-25th. Plus, take an extra 30% off already reduced clearance merchandise. Get your $10 gift check for every $25 you spend May 21st-June 14th. Extra 20% off coupon here. Babies and kids sizes newborn to 7.

--Gymboree has additional 20% off sale off all sale items for savings of up to 60% off. Tanks and shorts are as low as $7.99.You can also earn $25 Gymbucks for every $50 spent.

--Gymboree Outlet has a sale sale starting at $4.99. All swimwear is $9.99 and under. Click here to find a Gymboree outlet near you.

Memorial Day Sales

After my post yesterday about the Kids National Geographic subscription , I received an e-mail from a friend.She has been subscribing to it for a while and hates to throw them away after her son has read them. She wanted to know if trading them for other kids' magazines would be something folks would be interested in. I thought it was a good idea worth exploring. She lives in the Bay Area.
Also another friend wanted to know if anybody is interested in buying the Live Butterfly Garden from May 19th's post , since buying two would be helpful in getting the free shipping from Amazon.She is also located in the Bay Area.
So if any of you out there are interested in trading or buying the Butterfly Garden, e-mail me back or leave a comment .

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Lots of stores have amazing memorial day sales this weekend. Here are my top picks:-

--Ikea has a Memorial day weekend sale for 3 days from May 23, 2009 to May 25 , 2009. You can also grab a free breakfast while you are there. Find the breakfast hours at your local store here.
--OshKosh B’gosh stores has a 50% off Entire Store Memorial Day Sale this weekend only - May 21st-25th. You can get a $10 Play Card for every $25 you spend May 21st-June 14th. Plus I have an extra 20% off coupon .. click here.
--Carter’s up to 60% off Memorial Day Sale this weekend only - May 21st-25th. Plus, take an extra 30% off already reduced clearance merchandise. Get your $10 gift check for every $25 you spend May 21st-June 14th. Extra 20% off coupon here. Babies and kids sizes newborn to 7.
--Gymboree has additional 20% off sale off all sale items for savings of up to 60% off. Tanks and shorts are as low as $7.99.You can also earn $25 Gymbucks for every $50 spent.
--Gymboree Outlet has a sale sale starting at $4.99. All swimwear is $9.99 and under. Click here to find a Gymboree outlet near you.

Reputable Childrens Magazine

Here is an amazing resource for kids of all ages to learn more about our planet, animals, different cultures, science and more. It will help encourage kids to read . National Geographic is a well known magazine . They have magazines for kids (ages 6 to 12) . They have also just recently introduced their new magazine for little kids (ages 3 to 6) .

National Geographic Kids Magazine.(For ages 6 to 12. )

It's filled with learning adventures about the things kids love. Features encourage readers to protect the planet's resources and to learn more about geography, adventure, wildlife, science, and youngsters from around the world. A colorful world ball is sent with each subscription. 10 issues for $15. This is the lowest price I have found so far , usually it costs from $19.95 and upwards.


National Geographic Little Kids Magazine (Ages 3 to 6)

This magazine is full of learning and fun for youngsters ages 3 to 6 and their parents. Bursting with lively photographs, engaging stories, and interactive picture games, each issue supplies fresh and imaginative teaching tools Created by noted educators and approved by families nationwide, National Geographic Little Kids features rich content, large text, and fun activities. Captivating stories and interactive games—covering amazing animals, cool science, families around the world.It encourages children to read, learn, and explore. Plus each issue comes with Wild-animal Cards! A one year subscription of 6 colorful issues for just $15 for U.S. delivery.

Volunteering for Kids, Live Butterfly Garden Kit

We all want our kids to have a sense of appreciation and gratitude . Volunteering is a good way of giving back and develop a deep sense of appreciation and happiness.
Even kids as young as 4-5 can volunteer . Little children could start by donating books or school supplies. Bigger kids could donate their time.

Check out the following site where you can donate and find more information about the work they do:
www.booksforthirdworld.org/ (New and gently used books ) www.projectnightnight.org/DonateItems.html (They accept new or gently used books,Stuffed Animals, Blankets,Gift cards, Flannel Fabrics)

For Bay Area Residents a website called http://www.handsonbayarea.org/ is an excellent resource to find volunteering opportunities for and with kids. Click here to find family projects.

I recently became aware of a web site called volunteermatch.org. Its purpose is to match volunteers with volunteer opportunities based on your geographic location. It's free, it's easy and it uses your ZIP code to find an opportunity in your area. On the search form you can check the box ''great for kids'' to find opportunities that welcome kids. You can choose the type of volunteer work that interests you (Animals, Children, etc.) and it will show you the opportunities available. Most of the links that you will see may not be appropriate for kids, but some will.

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Todays Amazing Deal

Live Butterfly Garden

Watch them grow then let them go! See one of Nature's greatest miracles right before your eyes with this butterfly raising kit.The Butterfly Garden Kit is a perfect way to teach young learners about metamorphosis. They can witness the development of the butterfly from egg to adult . The butterflies' development takes approximately three weeks . Amazon has it on sale for $13.85 and eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping.