child

Planning a Mermaid/Under the Sea Themed Party? Dollar Tree To The Rescue!

Abby H.

I’m working on planning a mermaid-themed party for a certain little girl in my house. Thankfully, Dollar Tree has some great supplies on the cheap! These are available in-store and online.

First off, check out these cool iridescent shell-shaped eggs. Perfect for hiding candy or tiny gifts like bracelets or rings. In the store, there are a lot of beaded necklaces, like there.

There are mermaid-themed party paper goods too. Plates, cups, and napkins. One thing I love about Dollar Tree is that with the rising costs of everything, I’m able to host cute themed parties and stay on budget.

I’m loving these cute mermaid buckets, they would be great for goodie baskets. If you aren’t sure what to put in them, I’d suggest mermaid facial masks, nail polish in “mermaid” colors- there are tons of colors in stores, mermaid tail shaped hand soaps,  Nail art sets, nail files (there are ocean/mermaid themed ones in the stores, and bath bombs- some stores have mermaid tail-shaped bath bombs. All locations have bath bombs in various scents and sizes.

Don’t forget to hit up the home decor area to look for beach, ocean, and mermaid themed signs.

As for snacks and menu, we’ll be serving:

  • Strawberry lemonade, complete with frozen strawberries (available in the stores) as our beverage.
  • Cold Pasta Salad using shell pasta (recipe is forthcoming)
  • Goldfish crackers
  • Fresh Fruit cut into star shapes- Watermelon, pineapple, apple (with a hole cut in the middle where I remove the apple core)

I love using the plastic “crystal” serving ware from Dollar Tree too. It makes the party look fancy, without worrying about little hands breaking anything special or vintage.

And for those wondering, we only invite 4-6 of Bitty’s good friends to parties. I can’t have a house full of 20+ kiddos. My neighbors would never forgive me. We may have a viewing of The Little Mermaid while we eat.

And of course, I’ll be making invitations on Canva for free, saving the image as a PDF, and either printing them out to hand out or emailing them to friends parents/guardians.

Free Webinar: Talking About Anxiety and Depression in Children

Abby H.

Have you noticed that your children has been upset, anxious, depressed, or otherwise stressed? Check out this webinar offered by Sharp Health for free. It takes place on 9/30/2021 at 12pm.

Unprecedented changes in routine due to the pandemic — mixed with constant stress from social media and the news — has made the life of adolescents and teens more complex than ever.

Join Sharp Mesa Vista’s Child and Adolescent Program for a free webinar on how parents, teachers and school counselors can better identify and address signs that a child or teen may be struggling with significant mental distress, including anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts.

During this webinar, you will learn more about:

  • Recent statistics on anxiety and depression in youth
  • Implications of the pandemic on anxiety and depression
  • Typical developmental changes in children and teens and warning signs of significant anxiety and depression
  • Awareness of suicidal thoughts and risks and responding to a crisis
  • How to talk to children and teens about what they are going through
  • General support for a child with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms
  • Knowing when and how to seek support

To learn more, or sign up, click here. 

Drowning in Kids Artwork? Check out Artkive!

Abby H.

This is a long-running dilemma in the life of every parent. What to do with all of the art projects the kids make at school, camp, or even at home? If you save them all, you’ll have a Hoarders-esque situation in a few years, especially if you have multiple kids.

I learned about Artkive last night and I had to share. I know there are many of you in this spot, And Artkive looks like a great solution.

Preserve your kids’ artwork with Artkive. Fill the Artkive box with your kids artwork and receive high quality, hardcover, keepsake books. I think these books would make great gifts for relatives that don’t live close by.

I will be going through my literal BOXES of each kids art over the next few weeks and finding art to send to Artkive.

  • Send us your Kids’ Art – Fill the box we send you with art and return it to us using the prepaid UPS label provided. A second payment will be due based on how much art you send back in your Artkive Box.
  • View your Art everywhere – Artkive professionally photograph your artwork and upload it to your account. View and share your pictures on any device and edit/approve your custom proofs online.
  • Receive your book – receive a high-quality, 8.5×11 inch hardcover book.
  • Get your shipping kit for just $39.

Looking for Fun, Free TV for Kids 2-11? Kartoon Channel is Here!

Abby H.

Kartoon Channel! is filled with wall-to-wall with Fun, Family-Friendly, and Free shows for kids from ages 2-11. Available for download wherever you get your apps.

  • Kartoon Channel! shows will keep kids entertained.
  • Kartoon Channel! shows are safe for everyone to watch.
  • Kartoon Channel! has great shows for kids 0-11. Some favorites are Super Simple Songs, Rainbow Rangers, Llama Llama, Hatchimals, The Wubbulous World of Doctor Seuss.
  • Kartoon Channel is great for family co-viewing.
  • Viewers can download the app, absolutely free, on their smart TV, mobile device, or tablet.

I downloaded the Kartoon Channel! app this morning, I know the kids are eager to find something new to watch.

 

 

1/26/2020 Free Soccer Demo for Ages 1-10 (La Jolla, CA)

Abby H.

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This Sunday, January 26th at the La Jolla Recreation Center bring your kiddo age 1-10 and check out Super Soccer Stars!

RSVP is required- see below for info.

Limited Spaces available

The child must participate in the class for their age group

To save your space, you may call (619-577-4009) or email (sd@supersoccerstars.com) to provide:

    • Child’s name
    • Date of birth
    • Email address

You may also RSVP by CLICKING HERE!

Kids Care Fest 10/5/19

Abby H.

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It’s that time again! Kids Care Fest is coming to Lemon Grove on October 5, 2019. Sponsored by the Grossmont Healthcare District, this community event is open to the public and features free health screenings for children and their families.

Kids Care Fest is an opportunity for community members to get together, have fun and receive free, vital health screenings from healthcare professionals. Along with vision and dental checkups, Kids Care Fest features a variety of local health and community-based organizations offering medical and wellness resources. Free flu shots will be available as well (while supplies last).

Additional free activities will include a bounce house, rock climbing, and demonstrations and displays from public services, including police and fire officials. Free child fingerprinting services and children’s books will also be available.

A complete list of community partners and services can be found here.

This event is 100% free!

 

Summer Reading Program at San Diego Area Libraries!

Abby H.

Summer is upon us! And that means summer reading program at both San Diego County and City of San Diego Libraries!

Screen Shot 2019-05-16 at 5.49.13 PM.pngThe County of San Diego Library System has not yet put up their 2019 reading program. But their main website is here and las years summer reading program can be found here. I’m going to go talk to the kid’s librarian over at our local branch this weekend and see if I can get some info to post.

srp_2019_web_bannerThe City of San Diego Library System has its 2019 reading program up here.

Each program is different, and the prizes for each program are pretty cool. From tote bags and free lunches, to raffle tickets to win awesome grand prizes like drones and Lego sets, these programs are a great way to motivate kids to keep reading all summer long.

In addition to reading programs, there are also fun events at county and city libraries throughout the summer. My recommendation is to check out your local branches Facebook page. The Mission Valley branch has tons of great summer events planned!

 

 

Free Sample of Kabrita Formula!

Abby H.1 Comment

When the kids were little, they both had problems taking most formulas. If you’ve been a reader for a while, you know I have IGT, so that meant that my breastfeeding experience was limited.

But, a baby’s gotta eat, right? Yeah, so enter Kabrita. It’s made from Goat Milk, so it’s great for little tummies that can’t handle lactose (that was my kiddos issue), and another bonus: it smells like milk.  If you’ve ever formula fed, you know the gross “formula smell”. Kabrita Goat Milk formula smells like milk. It pours like milk, and yes, it tastes like milk too- yes I have tasted it.

Right now, you can score a free can to try with your kiddos- 14oz Goat Milk Toddler Formula + Bonus Value Coupon 

And if your kiddos like it, you can use that awesome $5 off coupon that comes with your sample. Locally, it’s sold at Sprouts.

Baby Deals and Freebies

Abby H.

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I know so many people who are either expecting or adopting in the next few months. I thought I’d share some really great deals and freebies, since we all know kids are super expensive!

Free Walmart Baby Box! Includes samples and coupons

Regardless of any personal beliefs, a fed baby is best. I always recommend having a stash of formula samples and different types of bottles on hand. Thankfully, there area few formula companies that send samples and coupons! Similac and Enfamil are the two that send goodies most often.

If you are an Amazon Prime member, check out this free baby box of goodies!

And don’t forget that there are always great printable coupons for much-needed baby supplies! Save $1.00 on any (1) JOHNSON’S® (Excluding 1oz to 4oz, trial sizes and gift sets) or any (1) DESITIN® product (Excluding 1oz size)

Looking for more tips on how parents can save money? Check out this post.

Little Passports Black Friday Sale (Great for the kiddo on your shopping list!)

Abby H.

**The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.

Little Passport’s Black Friday sale is here! No need to head to the stores today! Purchase Little Passports online and give the gift that keeps giving all year long!

From now until Tuesday, December 1st, Little Passports is offering 60% off the first month of any subscription plan plus 10% off any non-subscription items! All you need to do is use code:BLACK60 at check out.

Although this sale needs no further introduction, let me take a moment to introduce you to the Little Passports products.

  • Please read The Globetrotter’s Gift Guide for a great summary of Little Passports’ products, including shop items for under $25!

    **This promotion is valid online only at www.littlepassports.com. To redeem enter code BLACK60 at checkout. 60% discount is applied to the first month of any subscription plan. 10% discount is applied to all non-subscription items. Offer cannot be combined with any other offers and/or applied retroactively to previously placed orders. Only store items bundled with a subscription can have a delayed holiday start. Offer excludes shipping and taxes. Offer valid from 11/25 at 8:00AM EST to 12/1 at 11:59PM EST.