Monthly Archives: December 2011
Creating New Years Eve Noise Makers
Celebrating 2011 and the start to 2012 is a wonderful opportunity to spend time as a family. Your family can create homemade noisemakers to ring in the new year.
What You’ll Need:
- White Paper Plates
- Beans
- Crayons and or markers for decorating
- Streamers
- Stapler
Let’s Get Started:
- Children can decorate the back of the paper plate. If you like, you can also use jewels or other decorating materials.
- Fold the paper plate in half
- Add beans to the inside of the plate, however not too full, this will help it make more noise.
- Staple the edges together to enclose all of the beans
- Glue, tape, or staple streamers to the sides
- Shake, shake, shake and ring in 2012!
Grateful for our 2011 Parenting Journey
We have so much to be grateful for here at Baby Matters blog as we look back at 2011. We have met so many wonderful moms during our Mom Mondays, we have shared and received great parenting tips on everything from how to keep fit with your kids to how to prevent colds and flu on Tip Tuesdays. On Wednesday Wonders we have had fun crafts, recipes and enjoyed a parenting take on pop culture. Remember our princess crib mattress giveaway to honor the Royal Wedding? 
On Kolcraft Thursdays we have taken a look behind the scenes of how we make products, we have introduced new products such as our Contours© Optima tandem stroller and our Wally Wonderbug activity center and have had fun contests. On Fun Fridays we have kept abreast of holidays and how to celebrate them with your children as well as posted ways to learn and have fun with your family in everyday circumstances.
We had fun getting to know all of you in 2011. We look forward to our 2012 parenting journey with you!
Thanks for being a Baby Matters Blog fan!
Top 10 Reasons To Get Fit with a Jeep Stroller in the New Year & Win One
It’s a new year full of possibility and many of us make that same resolution to get fit. You can get fit and healthy while bonding with your baby in a Jeep® Liberty Limited Urban Terrain Stroller. If you need some incentive on getting fit with our Jeep stroller, here are our top 10 reasons:
- iDrive entertainment toy provides hours of fun for your child with its horn, car sounds and music. Go ahead & go for that hour long brisk walk!
- Multi-position reclining seat keeps baby comfortable during trips.
- iBaby™ sound system connects to your iPod® or MP3 player for music on the go.
- Large storage basket and cargo bags provide plenty of storage for you and baby.
- Self-standing fold gives you a free hand to attend to baby.
- Rugged 12″ inflatable tires grip all types of terrain. Nature trail anyone?
- Easy-swivel front wheel locks for uneven surfaces. Hmmm, the excuses why not to exercise aren’t holding up to our Jeep stroller.
- Parent tray includes deep cup holders for your water bottle.
- Grow-with-Me five-point safety harness keeps baby secure so you can focus on getting fit as you push your stroller.
- Striking fashion says you are a parent who knows how to look good while working out!
Give us a reason to get fit with a Jeep stroller by leaving a comment & you will automatically be entered to win one. Contest ends next Wednesday, January 4, 2012, at midnight CST.
Easy Crafts for Kids During Holiday Break
Making a holiday wreath with one of our Kolcraft Kids
Your holiday celebrations have come and gone, but your holiday cheer doesn’t have to leave with the holidays. You and your children will have fun with this easy wreath craft that isn’t just for the holidays!
What you will need:
- Non-toxic paint
- Newspaper to cover the surface you are working on
- 2 Paper plates
- Ribbon
- Scissors (used by adult)
- Tape/ non-toxic glue
- White art paper
What to do:
- Poor some finger paint on a paper plate
- Cut white paper into a circle that is about half inch bigger than the paper plate
- Dip your baby’s hand or have your child put his/her own hand in finger paint
- Place hand-prints on white paper & rotate them around the circle to give the effect of leaves. If you want to make a holiday wreath, use red & green paints. If you want to do a New Year’s wreath use gold & silver. If you want to do a summer wreath use blue & yellow paints. Be creative!
- Let paint dry.
- Glue or tape the circle to the plate. You can fasten it with a 2-prong fastener & a sticker like we did in the photo.
- Cut the ribbon to the length you want to hang the wreath.
- Tape ribbon to back of plate.
Enjoy!
Our wreath made with one of our Kolcraft Kids
Merry Christmas from Kolcraft
To all our fans who celebrate Christmas, we wish you & your family the most joyful of seasons.
Merry Christmas from our Kolcraft Family to Yours!
5 Homemade Holiday Craft Gift Ideas for Kids
Homemade gifts during the holiday season are the perfect way for a child to show parents, grandparents, and even siblings, how important they are! These fun holiday crafts are kid-friendly and super easy!
- Photo Frame Ornament: Glue 8 Popsicle sticks together (2 per side) to make a photo frame. Adhere a yarn loop to the top of the frame and decorate as desired (we used macaroni noodles and glitter)! Once the frame is fully decorated, glue down the photo
- Calendars: Many craft stores sell blank calendars that can be filled with fun family photos and memories. For a more personalized touch, write in birthdays and anniversaries!
- Coupon Books: Creating a coupon book is a fun gift for both the child and recipient!
- Decorate a Mug: Most craft stores also sell mug decorating kits for kids. Now grandma will think of her grandson or granddaughter every morning when she drinks her coffee!
- Butterfly Magnet: Glue a small sized photo of the child’s face onto a clothespin. Using leftover paper (or even wallpaper), cut out wings and glue onto the clothespin. Finally, adhere a magnet to the back of the clothespin to finish this cute butterfly!
Once your child has made their gifts for the whole family, they can even wrap them in handmade wrapping paper. Simply take a roll of plan white or brown paper and have them finger paint, or stamp a fun holiday pattern.
Kolcraft Celebrating Holidays with Those Less Fortunate
Jessica, Mark & friends at Blair Early Childhood Center
Kolcraft is dedicated to providing families with must-have baby gear items. During the holiday season, we realize that not all families are able to easily obtain quality products for their children. Through the generosity of Kolcraft employees, we were able to donate a van full of crib mattress, potty chairs, strollers and toys to local charities.
Our first stop was at Blair Early Childhood Center, a school that provides educational programs to children ages 3 to 6 with disabilities. Karen, the school’s principal, showed us around their facility, including the herb garden the children tend to. The donated strollers will be used to transport children around, while the new toys and stuffed animals will be enjoyed by all. Kolcraft is proud to support an organization dedicated to education and enrichment of local youths.
Our next stop was at the Toy Box Connection, a local charity that provides toys, books, and even crib mattresses to organizations across the state of Illinois, and even as far away as New Mexico. When we arrived, we were greeted by Michelle Maxia, the energetic founder of Toy Box Connection. Since its inception, this organization has donated over 1 million toys and books to children in need! Our donated crib mattresses will help a local women’s shelter, while the toys will be distributed to non-profits across the state, including the Ronald McDonald House.
Kolcraft and its employees are proud to support the Blair Early Childhood Center and the Toy Box Connection this holiday season. If you are looking for ways to encourage your children to give back, check out “When Children Give Back, Everyone Wins” article from our friends at the Neighborhood Parents Network.
From our family to yours, Happy Holidays!
Happy Hanukkah
It’s that wonderful time of the year where we celebrate the holidays with our family and loved ones. For all our Kolcraft fans who celebrate Hanukkah, we wish you and your families a most wonderful Hanukkah!
4 Cold and Flu Prevention Tips for Your Kids
As the holiday season is nearing, so comes the season of the dreaded cold and flu. These prevention tips will help keep your family healthy!
1. Washing your hands thoroughly and often is important in preventing the spread of germs. Singing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice through is a fun way to show your kids how long you should wash your hands for. Don’t forget, the Elmo 1-2-3 Learn With Me potty chair can easily convert into a step stool so your little one can reach the sink!
2. Eating the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables everyday can help keep the whole family healthy! We love these healthy recipes!
3. Getting enough sleep is important for maintaining a healthy immune system. Sealy Crib & Toddler Mattresses help your little one sleep safely and comfortably! And when they get sleep, so do mom and dad!
4. Teach children to sneeze into their arms versus hands to help prevent the spread of germs. We love this fun video that shows kids the proper way to sneeze, featuring your child’s beloved Sesame Street friends Elmo and Rosita!
What tips for cold & flu prevention do you have?
Fun Holiday Kid’s Craft To Make Your Windows Sparkle
Turn your home into a winter wonderland with this easy holiday craft. Your kids will love creating festive holiday designs for the windows (and any glass surface!) that can be used for years to come!
What You Will Need:
- Non-Toxic Fabric or Puffy Paint
- Large Plastic Bags (Be sure to supervise children to avoid suffocation)
What to Do:
1. Using the fabric or puffy paint, draw your holiday designs and creations onto a large plastic bag. Draw the details first, such as the snowman’s nose, buttons and eyes and then shade in the area around it to ensure that the snowman will be visible from both sides of the window.
2. Let the paint dry overnight.
3. Once the paint has completely dried, carefully remove the designs from the plastic bag and start decorating your windows!
Enjoy!
