 |
| Cookie magazine |
This week I share a book that may help children understand the prospect of a new baby entering their home, in a sweet and humorous way.
Also fun homemade ways to brighten up children’s room by using alternatives to traditional mobiles.
Don’t forget that ‘Studio4Art’ in Novato are offering a 10% discount when signing up for any of classes during January when you mention ‘The Marin Scoop’! Check out their website; www.studio4art.net/
Weekend Events
Saturday January 22nd
Marin Country Mart from 9.00 am – 2.00 pm, 2257 C Larkspur landing Circle, Larkspur.
Marinwood Community Farmer’s Market from 9.00 – 2.00 am, Marinwood Plaza, San Rafael.
As the weather has improved check out the local farmers markets at Marinwood and Larkspur on Saturday mornings. There are pony rides adjacent to the market at Larkspur, and live guitar and harmonica music at Marinwood provided by Danny Newman.
Sunday January 23rd
‘Breakfast with Enzo’ shows at 10.00 am & 11.00 am, Mill Valley Gold Course, 280 Buena Vista Avenue, Mill Valley, $5 per person; http://www.enzogarcia.com/
Every Sunday morning enjoy one of two different sets of accordion, guitar, banjo and musical saw sing song fun.
‘Story time with Christopher Smith’ at 11.00 am, Book passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera; http://bookpassage.com/kids-books-fairs
We love seeing Christopher on Sundays, it is a great way to spend Sunday mornings leading up to lunchtime, and the Book Passage has such a wonderful children’s book section! Christopher performs well-crafted story songs on the guitar and children (and adults) love to participate.
Book of the Week
“What’s in your Tummy Mummy” by Sam Lloyd
My son’s Grandma thoughtfully sent us this book to help our son understand my pregnancy and the prospect of a new baby entering our home in a few of month. A few of my friends are also in the same situation at the moment, so I wanted to share this fun book as we are finding it useful.
The book is written by Sam Lloyd, an author I have previously reviewed in this blog (Calm Down, Boris). I like his rhyming stories and brightly colored illustrations as they are humorous and have an interactive element.
The story starts with the mommy character jumping for joy and announcing the news that there is a lovely surprise in her tummy. “What is it?” her young son asks. “It’s very small almost too small to see.” To which he reply’s; “Mommy, is it a…flea?” and so begins the little boy’s guessing game. With each guess your child can lift up the flap of her dress to reveal what his guess would look like. “Mommy says it looks like me. I think it’s a Chimpanzee!” As her tummy grows larger the little boy’s guesses become more elaborate’ “I’ve got it now, of course! Inside your tummy is a horse!” and “It’s so big now, there’s no room anymore! Mommy it must be a…dinosaur?!”
At the end of the story it is time for the little boy to see Mommy’s surprise, a 3D pop up page showing mommy holding a baby with her son standing next to her. At first my son wasn’t too sure about this end result but his reaction is starting to change to a more positive smile and now giggle.
There are plenty of books out there about becoming a “Big Brother” or “Big Sister” which my son is showing mild interest in and this will probably change once he actually becomes a big brother. But what I like about this book is how it helps an ongoing conversation with your child about why mommy’s body is changing, through light hearted humor which I think is important!
Home Deco & Style - A Cup of Chic
When dressing a child’s room, especially a nursery, there is a tendency to buy the traditional baby mobiles that can sometimes be a little uninspiring. Creative alternatives can include hanging a bunch of colorful paper lanterns either above the crib (at a safe height) or in a corner maybe above an armchair.
 |
| Real Simple Magazine |
Also small inflatable beach balls hanging at different heights work really well.
 |
| Living etc magazine |
Find inexpensive craft items like butterflies from craft stores (Michaels have great ones) and stick them to ribbon or fishing wire and use them to drape around book shelves. Stringing shells together and hanging them from the ceiling or draping them are a fun homemade way to show off the treasures you collected on vacation.
Hawaiian flower necklaces make great decorations and flower shaped fairy lights look beautiful in girl’s rooms draped around shelves or along a mantelpiece.
 |
| Graham & Green fairy lights |
Search consignment stores or discount stores like Marshalls’ home section for decorative bird cages that they can be filled with toy birds. Plain wooden bird houses can be decorated with pages from old children’s books and the cover can be opened flat on top as the roof.
 |
| Cookie magazine |
Weekly Calendar of Ongoing
Toddler Activities in Marin
Monday
10.00 - 10.30 am - Kid's Story Time Club, Pharmaca, 7514 Redwood Blvd, Novato
10.00 – 10.30 am – Book Babies, San Anselmo Library, 110 Tunstead Ave Town Council chamber
10.30 – 11.15 am – ‘Music Together of Marin’, The Parent’s Place, 600 Fifth Ave, San Rafael
3.00 – 5.00 pm – Crawlers Camp (up to 23 months) at Stretch the Imagination, 47 Tamal Vista Blvd
9.00 - 1.00 pm - 'Jack and Jill' indoor play space, 217 Western Avenue, Petaluma (every day)
10.30 – 11.15 am – ‘Music Together of Marin’, The Parent’s Place, 600 Fifth Ave, San Rafael
3.00 – 5.00 pm – Crawlers Camp (up to 23 months) at Stretch the Imagination, 47 Tamal Vista Blvd
9.00 - 1.00 pm - 'Jack and Jill' indoor play space, 217 Western Avenue, Petaluma (every day)
10.00 - 6.00 pm - 'Jump n Bounce, 718 San Anselmo Avenue, San Anselmo (every day)
Tuesday
9.30 – 10.45 am – Baby Bounce Story time – Larkspur Library, 400 Magnolia Ave, 1st Floor
10.00 – 10.30 am - ‘Baby Bounce’ Story time at Novato Library, 1720 Novato Blvd
9.30 – 10.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (up to 24 months) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael (ON VACATION FROM JAN 17TH - FEB 1ST)
10.30 – 11.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (24 months & up) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael (ON VACATION FROM JAN 17TH - FEB 1ST)
10.00 – 11.30 am - ‘Play date for 2 and under’ at The Parent’s Place, 600 Fifth Ave, San Rafael
9.30 – 10.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (up to 24 months) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael (ON VACATION FROM JAN 17TH - FEB 1ST)
10.30 – 11.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (24 months & up) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael (ON VACATION FROM JAN 17TH - FEB 1ST)
10.00 – 11.30 am - ‘Play date for 2 and under’ at The Parent’s Place, 600 Fifth Ave, San Rafael
(CLASSES ON HOLD AT THE MOMENT)
10.15 - 10.45 am - 'Music Circle', at The Parents Center, Heller's Store, 514 4th Street, San Rafael
10.15 - 10.45 am - 'Music Circle', at The Parents Center, Heller's Store, 514 4th Street, San Rafael
(CLASSES ON HOLD AT THE MOMENT)
11.00 - 11.30 am – ‘Book Club Story Time’ at ‘Pottery Barns Kids’ store, Corte Madera Village
Wednesday
10.00 - 12.00 pm - 'Indoor Power Play' at Cal Star Gym, 70 Digital Drive, Suite 3, Novato (NEW START TIME)
10.00 -10.30 am – Music Together, San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.15 – 10.45 am - ‘Music Circle’ (Under 1 yr), The Parents Center, Heller’s, 514 4th St, San Rafael
10.15 – 10.45 am - ‘Music Circle’ (Under 1 yr), The Parents Center, Heller’s, 514 4th St, San Rafael
(CLASSES ON HOLD AT THE MOMENT)
10.00 - 10.45 am - Fun & Funky (age 2 - 4), Fairfax Community Center,
10.00 - 10.45 am - Fun & Funky (age 2 - 4), Fairfax Community Center,
10.30 - 11.30 am – Adventure Club Drop in Play, MLK Gym, 610 Colma Street, Sausalito
11.00 - 11.30 am – Story Time at Giggle Store, Corte Madera Village
11.00 -11.30 am – Preschool Story time, Novato Library, 1720 Novato Blvd
3.00 – 5.00 pm – Crawlers Camp (up to 23 months) at Stretch the Imagination, Corte Madera
Thursday
8.00 – 1.00 pm – Farmers Market, The Civic Center
10.00 - 12.00 pm - 'Indoor Power Play' at Cal Star Gym, 70 Digital Drive, Novato (NEW START TIME)
9.30 – 10.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (up to 24 months) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael (ON VACATION FROM JAN 17TH - FEB 1ST)
10.30 – 11.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (24 months & up) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael (ON VACATION FROM JAN 17TH - FEB 1ST)
10.15 -10.45 am – Toddler Story time (2-3 yrs), Mill Valley Library, 375 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley
10.30 – 11.00 am – Story Time at San Rafael Library, 618 B Street, San Rafael
11.00 - 11.30 am - Story Time at Barnes & Noble, 313 Corte Madera Center
3.30 - 4.00 pm - 'Stories with Phil Sheridan', Sausalito Library, 420 Litho Street
Friday
10.30 – 11.00 am – Story Time at San Rafael Library, 618 B Street, San Rafael
11.00 - 11.30 am - Story Time at Barnes & Noble, 313 Corte Madera Center
3.30 - 4.00 pm - 'Stories with Phil Sheridan', Sausalito Library, 420 Litho Street
Friday
10.00 – 10.30 am – NEW! Intro to Ballet, Women’s Club, 46 Park Road, Fairfax (until July 6th)
9.30 – 10.15 am – NEW! Doodlers Craft Time, San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.30 - 11.30 am - Story Time with Sara Sonnet, San Rafael Library, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.30 – 12.00 pm – Jumping Jacks, Strawberry Recreation District, 118 Strawberry Drive, 2nd floor gym
10.30 – 12.00 pm – Free Playgroup (Under 5), Marin Head Start, 610 Drake Ave, Marin City
Hey Sophie,
ReplyDeleteThese are awesome decorating ideas. I was just looking at Siobhan's snowflakes and wondered what to swap them for. Butterflies it is! And those cherry blossom lights are beautiful.
I really love this new aspect of the blog, thanks.
Ashling