Yikes! Father’s Day is on Sunday. If you are still looking for something special and inexpensive to make with your kids, here are some ideas:
Category Archives: Ideas
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Father’s Day Gift Ideas
Posted in Gifts, Ideas, Useful Info.
– June 14, 2010
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Teacher Gift Ideas
In December, I surveyed teachers about their favourite gifts. The winners were gift certificates to malls and spas as well as personalized stationary. Losers were soaps, candles and chocolates…
Two personalized notepads from Honey Bunch are currently $23 for the pair and ship in 2 days. Each pad contains 40 sheets. Order this week and receive a furochic wrapping cloth for free. Simply enter the code furochic at checkout. What’s that? It’s a cloth you use for wrapping gifts instead of paper. Don’t worry, I didn’t know either!
Posted in Gifts, Ideas, Personalized.
– June 10, 2010
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Bouncy Castle Rentals Exclusive Promotion
Anyone planning a summer birthday party? Keep those kids active, entertained and happy outdoors. Rent from a selection of bouncy castles for your next outdoor event. What could possibly be more fun? Fun 4 Kids is offering Mamapicks readers 10% off rentals. For details, call 647-889-5857.
Posted in Exclusive Discounts, Ideas.
– June 9, 2010
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Free to play…
The following is an excerpt from a blog called Playborhood by a dad named Mike Lanza. His blog is all about nurturing outdoor play in our neighbourhoods and providing our children with this important opportunity that many of us had while growing up. I find his blog informative and inspirational and I hope you will too. Mike Lanza’s goal (below), will tell you what it’s all about.
My Goal
I want my kids to play outside with other neighborhood kids every day.
I want them to create their own games and rules.
I want them to play big, complex games with large groups of kids, and simpler games one-on-one with a best friend.
I want them to decide for themselves what to play, where, and with whom.
I want them to settle their own disputes with their friends.
I want them to create their own private clubs with secret rules.
I want them to make lasting physical artifacts that show the world that this is their place.
I want them to laugh and run and think.
Every day.That’s what I had. It’s my standard for a good childhood. It’s my goal for my kids.
Mamapicks says AMEN.
Posted in Ideas, Useful Info.
– May 26, 2010
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Lickety Sips!
While I was at Walmart buying 20 boxes of diapers last week, I came across these popsicle molds in the “patio dish” aisle. There are a few great things about these…the lids close properly, it’s a great way to get vitamins into your kids by using real fruit juice, AND near the end when popsicles get all melty, your kid can simply use the straw to slurp the mess away. Only $2.47 for a set of 4. If you have any great home-made popsicle recipes, do tell and I will share them here.
Posted in Cool Products, Ideas.
– May 25, 2010
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Original Birthday Invitation
Is this not the coolest invitation? If you are planning a Lego themed party, it’s perfect.
Posted in Ideas.
– May 5, 2010
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IKEA Hacks
Mamapicks is doing some renovations because a new baby simply isn’t enough. I ran into this great renovation blog and great bookcase. If you are on a budget, you can create this look just as they did…using three Billy bookcases from IKEA ($115.99) and adding crown molding and trim. Probably not as easy as it sounds, but definitely leaves wood for thought.
– April 8, 2010
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Silhouette Necklace
Mother’s Day is coming up next month and if you are looking for something creative and personal, you might like this idea. Send the artist clear photos of the profiles of people (or pets??) and she will create this beautiful keepsake. See Stella & Hodge’s Etsy shop for more details.
Posted in Cool Products, Gifts, Ideas, Personalized.
– April 5, 2010
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Turn your child’s handwriting into a font!
The Boy is now writing. He mostly writes lists of the names of the kids in his class. He often makes a dotted outline of a letter for himself (just like on the worksheets at school) and then goes over the dots. It’s quite charming. I recently thought about capturing his handwriting style as it develops over the next few years and decided to look for a way to create a font for my computer called The Boy. I found a website which generates personal fonts. All you have to do is give your child (or anybody else you want to create a font for) the printable sheet to fill out the letters of the alphabet. Then, you scan the sheet and the program generates the font for you. This costs $9.95. Click here to try it, it’s quite simple…and it’s a really nice way of saving your child’s handwriting, using it for various projects, and sharing it with them when they are older.
– March 8, 2010
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Toy Recommendation
Once in a while, you buy a toy and it actually peaks your children’s interest for more than 1 day. This one (Pipe Builders) has been occupying both The Boy & The Girl for over two months! Who would have thought? They are always busy building letters, numbers, shapes and structures. I purchased the large tub of plastic pipe builders at an amazing American store called Lakeshore Learning (they supply educational toys, learning materials and craft supplies to schools, museums, playgrounds and regular families). If by chance you are in the US, you must visit! Some of Lakeshore’s products (Pipe Builders included), are available here in Canada through Wintergreen Learning Materials. The set includes 240 plastic pieces and is well worth the purchase!
Posted in Gifts, Ideas, Useful Info.
– March 2, 2010
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DIY: CD Case Project
Loved this idea of using plastic CD cases to display a favourite photo. Check out the Country Living website for more details on how to do this yourself.– February 26, 2010
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Chinese New Year Craft
These paper lanterns are surprisingly simple to make! Even if you don’t celebrate Chinese New Year this weekend, I think they make for a fun project on a cold day. All you need is paper (shiny is nice but not a must!) and fasteners. Click here for detailed instructions. This idea comes from a newsletter that I really love and receive weekly in my Inbox. Kids Craft Weekly provides you with great ideas and simple projects that you can make at home with your kids..and it’s free.
Posted in Holiday Goods, Ideas, Useful Info.
– February 9, 2010
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Need Birthday Party Invitations?
I know, invitations are something you might not want to invest in…but what about $10 for a package that includes as many as you need as well as a whole bunch of other stuff? That’s the idea behind purchasing a printable birthday package from Happy Papers. They do the art and you do the printing! A birthday set includes invitations, circular labels, rectangular labels and tags. A non-personalized birthday package costs only $5. Receive the PDF file in your inbox and print as many as you like.
Posted in Cool Products, Ideas.
– January 27, 2010
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Play-Dough Recipe
If you are home this weekend and are looking for another way to keep the little ones busy, make your own coloured play-dough! Give your kids cookie-cutters, a garlic press, toothpicks and other utensils to keep them busy. Put the following ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.- two cups white flour
- ½ cup salt
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- ¼ cup cream of tart
- a drop of food colouring
Once the mixture is smooth, let it cool and let them play.
Posted in Ideas, Recipes, Useful Info.
– January 22, 2010
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Costco City Passes
I’ve decided to re-publish some goodies from 2009. Even I wish that I remembered this one for our recent trip to California since the entrance to Disneyland is absolute financial suicide. If your travel plans include a trip to a city in the U.S.A., a Costco city pass is a great money-saver. Available online for places such as Southern California, New York, Chicago, Boston, and more. A youth/adult city pass is good for 9-14 days depending on location and gets you in to many of the most popular attractions for less.
Posted in Activities & Events, Deals, Ideas, Travel, Useful Info.
– January 21, 2010
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Displaying Your Kids’ Artwork
I recently posted some ideas about organizing and displaying your kids’ artwork…and just found another idea I want to share. I think this one is great although it requires a bit more work and possible use of Photoshop. However, if you do have a photo-printing option at home, you can choose to print out a contact sheet and frame that! Find more information on the blog of Jen Grant Morris.
This just in…Karen says that she uses Shutterfly Studio to organize and make special projects (i.e. creating collages) with her photos. Easy to use and it’s free. I love when readers write in their suggestions! Thanks.
– January 14, 2010
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I want it!
This is another thing to add to the category “things I want, but can’t have”. I absolutely love it! I saw this a little while ago as I was surfing through decor blogs and found it on The Seventy Tree.
Posted in Ideas.
– January 8, 2010
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Happy New Year!
This is a collage of my Facebook statuses from 2009. If you want to make your own, go to this nifty little application! Sort of fun to see what life has been all about. I wish you all a healthy and happy 2010!
Posted in Ideas.
– December 30, 2009
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DIY Project: Organize your kids’ art table!
1) This DIY project comes from my brilliant friend (Ms. Barak). The “Lazy Susan” is from IKEA ($9.99). 2) I gathered some sippy cups with missing lids. However, I would recommend using cups with a flatter bottom so that more surface area comes in contact with the wood. I used crazy glue to adhere the cups but you can also use velcro or screws. 3) Done! Rather than a big messy box of crayons, markers and pencils, we now have an organized and practical apparatus 
Posted in Ideas, Useful Info.
– December 17, 2009
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Marshmallow Snowman
A cute little activity to do with the kids during the break! This one is from Canadian Family (Originally excerpted from Kids in the Holiday Kitchen by Jessica Strand and Tammy Massman-Johnson. The instructions are quite simple, enjoy!
Posted in Ideas, Useful Info.
– December 14, 2009
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My Tissue Art On A Cold Saturday Morning
I love this art activity and think it makes for a great gift OR a fabulous piece to stash away for when you need to whip out something new to keep the kids busy for a while. The best part is that no glue is required. No scissors either. The pictures come with a peel-off adhesive surface and the tissue paper comes in a multitude of beautiful colours, already cut into small squares. As the box says, you really just peel, crunch and stick! I recommend this activity for ages 3+. The box says 2+ but it definitely wasn’t suitable for a two-year old. This week at Toys R Us, you can find this item as well as others by Alex (great company!) for 20% off ($10.37 ea). The promotion is on until Dec. 3rd.
Posted in Deals, Gifts, Ideas, sale.
– November 30, 2009
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Storing and Displaying Your Child’s Artwork
To keep or not to keep? That is the question. I am sure that many of you have had the Recycling Box Moment…when your child finds his/her cherished pieces of work in the Blue Bin and you pretend that you have no idea how those papers got in there. If you are like me, you keep way too many masterpieces. Here are a few ideas for storing and displaying your child’s work:
- Take digital photos and keep them in a folder on your computer. No piles of paper, but you still have a nice record of your child’s work.
- Keep 8×10 papers in a binder. Your child will love browsing through their work.
- Use a large magnetic board (like this one from IKEA). Magnetic clothes pins can be useful too.
- Display on a large cork board or group a few smaller ones on a designated art wall. You can paint the board or cover it with wrapping paper to give it some umph.
- Create a photo-book of your child’s work. You can make one at the end of every school year to keep neatly in your child’s library.
- Last but not least, as in the above photo from Ohdeedoh, you can use Ikea’s curtain wires ($9.99 with clips!) to create this amazing display which I just adore.
Posted in Decor, Ideas, Useful Info.
– November 26, 2009
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Best Teacher Gifts
The holidays are a great time to show teachers (you know, those special people who take care of your kids for 8+ hours a day and teach them important things?) how much we appreciate their hard work. Mamapicks asked thirty teachers about their favourite gifts and let me tell you, teachers are a consistent bunch! Here are the winners:- Gift Certificates, namely Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Indigo, and Yorkdale Mall.
- Personalized Stationary
- Movie Passes
Please resist buying candles, picture frames, mugs and chocolates….and oh ya, from my own teaching days, I NEVER ate anything baked by a kid. The most important part of your gift is your card – a few personal words from a parent or child letting a teacher know that he/she make a difference fills the heart and recharges the batteries.
– November 17, 2009
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More Costume Ideas
I ran into this adorable Tom Arma costume and thought it might be something rather simple to make if you have a white snowsuit for your baby. I would also very much like to mention that I want to eat this baby’s face. See more costume ideas here.
Posted in Holiday Goods, Ideas.
– October 25, 2009
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Pumpkins Don’t Have To Be Orange…
Check out the cool painted pumpkins on Parents magazine. They have some really neat ideas for those of you who have time and odd passion for the pumpkin thing.
Posted in Ideas.
– October 20, 2009
