Author: ColleenF
Easy Recipe for Refreshing Banana Nutella Pops
Fun Friday calls for an easy, fun, yummy recipe you can make with your kids!
What you need:
- 3 Bananas
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp of cocoa powder
- Few dollops of cool whip (optional)
- Paper cups
- Plastic spoon handles (break off the spoon handle but be careful of jagged edges) or popsicle sticks
What to do:
- Blend the 3 bananas in a food processor or blender until creamy. It’s ok to have a few lumps though.
- Add the vanilla, cocoa powder, nutella and blend well
- Add cool whip and blend again
- Pour into paper cups. This will make 4 larger pops or 8 smaller ones
- Insert plastic spoon or popsicle stick
- Freeze
- Peel the paper and enjoy!
Rainbow Crafts and Fruit Recipes for Kids
Enjoy a rainbow party with your kids with these easy crafts and recipes. You can decorate your party room with all different color balloons or have your kids finger paint rainbows on large pieces of paper. Rainbow crafts and recipes are a great way for children to learn the colors of the rainbows!
- Fun fruit rainbow cake recipe
- Rainbow rice sandbox
Happy Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day to all our Kolcraft moms, dads, and families. As we honor those who have given their lives for our freedom, we hope that you and your family have a safe and happy holiday.
Contours Options LT Tandem Stroller Wins a 2012 NAPPA Award
We are excited to announce that the newest member of the Contours family, the Options LT tandem stroller has been named a 2012 National Parenting Publications Award (NAPPA) Gold winner. The stroller was recognized for being more compact and lightweight than other tandem stroller options. Plus, Contours provides parents the ability to customize the seating options.
Because it folds so easily with both seats on, parents will spend less time folding their stroller and more time with their children. Building upon the positive reviews of the Options line of strollers, the Contours Options LT tandem features our trademark reversible seats, a large storage basket and the ability to fit most infant car seats. For on-the-go parents looking for a customizable tandem stroller, the Contours Options LT provides a lightweight solution and is available in two colors – Crimson Red & Valencia Gold.
NAPPA’s independent expert judges and parent testers evaluated hundreds of submissions for their innovation, safety, quality and the degree to which they make parenting easier. After weeks of stringent testing, 25 products were selected to receive the esteemed Gold Award while 41 received Silver and 30 were chosen as Honors.
“Parenting can be challenging and overwhelming with all the distractions that we face today,” says Julie Kertes, NAPPA General Manager. “Our winner list cuts through the clutter and hones in on only the best baby gadgets, gear and tools so that parents can make smart choices for their families.”
Crypton Receives Greenguard Certification
It is important that your baby have a clean, healthy sleep surface. All Kolcraft and Sealy crib mattresses are GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified and GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified which means you are giving your baby the best crib mattress for a healthier indoor environment. Moms can feel more confident that they are creating an even healthier sleeping environment knowing the Crypton waterproofing and allergen barrier technology on their Sealy and Stearns & Foster crib mattresses is also GREENGUARD Certified. We love all the benefits of Crypton Super Fabric.
- Totally Engineered Fabric System
- Stain Resistance
- GREENGUARD Certified
- Integrated, Impenetrable Moisture Barrier
- Odor Resistance
- Disinfectable
- Microbial Resistance
Babies spend most of their early lives sleeping on their crib mattresses. Help ensure they have a cleaner, healthier sleeping environment with a GREENGUARD® Certified Sealy or Stearns & Foster crib mattress with Crypton fabric technology.
Check out the Sealy Nature Couture crib mattresses:
Tip Tuesday: Reading, Seat Belts, and Playgroups!
One of our favorite things about the Baby Matters blog is that we meet moms at all different times during their pregnancy. This blog offers a lot of information and we want to make sure you haven’t missed any of our past tips. Below are a few of our favorites from the archives.
- Reading to your child to help her grow: Reading aloud with your child for just 20 minutes a day strengthens relationships, encourages listening and language skills, promotes attention and curiosity and establishes a strong reading foundation. Enjoy a few tips on setting your child on the path to literacy.
- Seat Belt Safety During Pregnancy: As your baby bump grows it may be increasingly uncomfortable to wear a seat belt, but your seat belt is key to you and your baby’s safety. Read a few tips on how to protect your baby.
- How to Have a Successful Playgroup: Michelle LaRowe, mom and nanny, wrote an article on playgroups. We thought it was so insightful that we had to share it with you. Get some tips on how to have a successful playgroup.
Kolcraft Announces the First Summer Fitness Challenge
Looking to get fit this summer? Kolcraft is teaming up with Chicago’s Active Moms’ Club for their very first summer Fitness Challenge.
The Active Moms’ Club offers exercise classes for both pre-natal and post-natal moms in the Chicago area. The classes are a great chance to work out and mingle with other moms, plus, you can bring your baby to all classes!
As part of our Fitness Challenge, moms will be rewarded each time they attend an Active Moms’ Club class with an entry into a raffle to win great Kolcraft prizes including:
- Sealy Crib Mattresses
- Sesame Street Elmo Adventure Potty Chairs
- Jeep Sport 2-in-1 Baby Carriers
Moms who attend a total of at least 12 classes during the summer will automatically be entered to win our Grand Prize of a brand new 2012 Jeep Jogging Stroller! Join on us on Thursday, May 3rd in Lincoln Park’s Oz Park as we kick off the Fitness Challenge with a Biceps, Babies & Buggies stroller fitness class followed by a fun get-together in the park! A special snack will be provided! To learn more about the Active Moms’ Club and to register for class, visit www.activemomsclub.com. Moms who attend the classes will also have a sneak-peek at the jogger before it’s in stores, and the opportunity to try it out themselves!
Planning to come to class? Be sure to watch the video and mention it to a Kolcraft representative for an extra entry into our raffle. Looking for even more ways to win? Answer the following question at Thursday’s picnic for another entry into our monthly raffle:
What are your fitness goals for the summer?
Even if you aren’t in the Chicago area, you can still get fit with us! Check out the video below for more information on our Fitness Challenge, as well as some helpful tips you can use when walking with your stroller.
We look forward to joining you on your summer fitness journey!
Kolcraft Helping K.I.D.S.
Kolcraft loves K.I.D.S! We believe in helping those who are less fortunate and believe that every child should have a good start to life. Kolcraft puts their money where their mouth is by donating hundreds of thousands of dollars in product every year. This year we decided to bring it a step further and donate from our own wallets with a Kolcraft Cares K.I.D.S. week.
The week was a special fundraiser where employees were divided into teams. We gave money to play bags (For those who don’t know what this is… It’s when you throw a bag filled with dried corn into a hole in a board), to participate in March Madness brackets, to bake & buy goodies and pizza, to be part of Casino night, a silent auction, trivia night and much more. We raised over $4,000.00 for K.I.D.S. and Kolcraft generously matched that. We had a lot of fun with our co-workers and are thrilled that children will receive their daily necessities because of it!
You too can help K.I.D.S by donating here. No amount is too small!
Spring Bird Nests Treats for Kids
Robins, Cardinals and Chickadees are singing away so why not have some spring inspired treats for your kids? Rice Krispies has a fun recipe for bird nests. Our Kolcraft Kids has so much fun making them. We talked about Mommy birds and how their babies hatch from eggs. We talked about their favorite birds and why they liked them. We all had so much fun cooking up a recipe together and learning about birds!
For a little healthier spin on these yummy treats, we substituted brown rice puff cereal (found at any health food store)for Rice Krispies and coconut oil for butter. Instead of M&M’s for the eggs we used dried cranberries, nuts and raisins.
What you’ll need
- 1/4 teaspoon water
- 2 to 4 drops green food coloring
- 1/2 cup flaked coconut
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
OR
- 4 cups miniature marshmallows
- 6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal
- Miniature marshmallows
- Jelly beans
- Chocolate eggs
Directions:
- In small bowl stir together water and green food coloring. Add coconut. Stir until coconut is tinted. Spread on baking sheet to dry.
- In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
- Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
- Divide warm mixture into sixteen 2 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups coated with cooking spray. Shape mixture into individual cups. Cool. Remove from pans.
- Fill cooled nests with coconut, marshmallows, jelly beans or chocolate eggs. Best if served the same day.
MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
Follow step 1 above. In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 3 thru 5 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.
Note
For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze unfilled cups, place in single layer on wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before filling.
Fun Flower Activities for Kids
Springtime brings a wonderful opportunity to teach your kids about flowers – the different colors, climates and cultures around them.
What you need:
- Little plastic flower pots (you can get these cheap at most nurseries or even the dollar store)
- Potting soil
- Flower seeds
- Popsicle sticks
- Non toxic glue
- Green construction paper
- Solid color paper cupcake liners
- Non toxic markers, paint or crayons
- Large white poster board or sheet of paper
- Clear plastic table cloth
- Various fruit cut into circles and ovals
What to do:
- Go to a local nursery, greenhouse or if you are lucky enough go to your Macy’s flower show.
- Talk to your kids about the different colors & smells of flowers. Explain how different climates have different flowers and how some flowers need more sun and warmth than others. Tell your children about how different cultures use flowers for celebrations and decorations. You may need to do a little research online beforehand if you aren’t sure about this.
- When you return home, give each child a flower pot. Have them fill up their flower pot with soil and plant the flower seeds. Put the seeds in a place where they will get necessary sunlight. Tell your children that these are their special flowers and they will have to care for them every day so they will grow. Let your kids name their flowers so they feel more attached to them and will care for them.
- Make your own flowers by taking a popsicle stick and coloring it green. Cut out two green leaves from the construction paper and glue them on to the popsicle stick. Take the cupcake liner and glue that onto the top of the stick for the flower.
- Have your kids color the white poster board making it into a garden. They can add grass, flowers, trees, bunnies, birds, the sun, etc. When they are done, place it on the kitchen table & cover it with the clear plastic table cloth. You now have a garden table.
- Take your cut up fruit, place it in the center of the table. give each child a plate. Let them arrange the fruit into a flower. Have them show it to everyone before they eat it. Even better take pictures of their creations and scrapbook them! We found that grapes, bananas, strawberries and raspberries worked well.
Our Kolcraft kids not only had fun at their flower party, but learned so much about flowers, colors, climates and cultures in the meantime!
