What to Watch?

{A Toddler & Preschool Guide to Movies}

I was recently asked by a busy bee mom for appropriate movie recommendations. Since she has 2 little busy bees, she asked that they be appropriate for her toddler and preschooler as well.

As we all know, some kids are movie watchers and some are not. It's really hard for any busy bee to concentrate on just one task at a time, but this specific preschooler was working really hard at filling a good choice jar. Pretty soon, that jar would be full and Busy Bee Mom had to react quickly for the jar to continue it's importance at home. In this case, the jar's reward would be watching a movie at home.

 Top 10 Busy Bee Movie Recommendations: 

1. Monsters, Inc. 
2. Toy Story
3. The Incredibles
4. Shrek
5. Clifford the Big Red Dog
6. Finding Nemo
7. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
8. Thomas & Friends
9. Madagascar
10. The Muppets
11. Happy Feet
12. The Lorax 

I'd love to hear your favorites too!

Fruit Stand Avalanche

Fruit Stand Avalanche

I know some grown ups have a problem with playing with food, but I promise during this game there won't be a juicy mess to clean up. I recommended this game for a family and I play it often. It's great for strengthening fine motor muscles that children, when ready, will use to control their pencil marks through writing and drawing {graphomotor} strength. I actually recommend to play by putting the fruit in the stand, rather than taking it out. It's much less confusing and frustrating for our little busy bees. My way they are still using the same tools and strengthening the same muscles. I find that while playing more exciting and stimulating games, some children can become more easily excitable than others which causes them to have a harder time sitting to focusing. So while playing to put the fruit on the stand, there's no anxiety about it falling down. It's still fun and tricky just picking up with different pieces of fruit.

To make it more fun there are more "fun" chopsticks that can also be used.
For Dinosaurs click here. 
For Animals click here.

Buy & have fun with your Fruit Stand! 

I'm Me by Sara Sheridan & Margaret Chamberlain

Book Review: I'm Me

Topic: Pretend Play, Imagination Self-Esteem

An adorable book with the perfect depiction of what it means to pretend play. This cute busy bee gets many suggestions on what to play from an adult and she decides she'd rather be herself than any one else. If your child is having a hard time with pretend play then this book is highly recommended. Buy the book for a little busy bee that you know by clicking here. 

We Love You! {Love/Valentine Themed Basket}

Friends of mine just renovated their house and to show them how much we love them, I created a Valentine themed basket for the whole family-of-four to enjoy. A perfect present for a February weekend visit to congratulate them on their new home.

All items were purchased at Homegoods and cost less then $50.

The fun-loving items included: 1 red basket with handles, 2 heart mats to be used for art projects, 2 different sets of love and heart dish towels, heart pot holders, heart cup cake wrappers, pink and red heart sprinkles, jelly beans and lastly my favorite item an "I Love you Book" which is a big book that contains a number of stories for little busy bees put together by Scholastic.

The Cranky Bear by Nick Bland

Book Review: The Very Cranky Bear
Topic: Frustration, Anger, Sharing

It's winter time and all this bear wants to do is get to sleep. A few other animals have a different idea and just want a warm place to play their games.  This makes it harder for bear to get some peace and quiet and causes him to become CRANKY. The other sweet animals try to think of ways to make him happier. A nice book that foreshadows creative thinking, sharing and caring. And touches upon feelings of anger and frustration. Read about what happens in The Very Cranky Bear by clicking here.
Preschoolers will ask you to read it over and over. Just be prepared. Make it fun by changing your voice or having your little busy bees role play.