Tips for Having the Perfect Playdate

Since March 2020, parents and children have been left with primarily virtual connections, with some children born during the pandemic who have never enjoyed a simple playdate at all.

Let that sink in for a moment…

As a mom of three girls - age 5 1/2 years, 3 years and 4 months - the last 18 months have been difficult for our family. Virtual junior kindergarten wasn’t exactly the way we envisioned our daughter crossing that milestone off the list. Seeing her interact with her new friends through the computer, celebrate birthdays over Zoom, talk to her neighbourhood friends from the sidewalk and constantly cover the smile on her face with fabric decorated in rainbows and unicorns was not exactly what we had in mind.

But this year, things are changing. Kids are back in school, organized sports, birthdays and backyard hangouts are a go. The playdate is making a comeback. 

Play is extremely important for our children - the simple act builds creativity, creates positive feelings and fosters connections. It contributes to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being of out children. And for adults, play helps to reduce stress, improve brain function, improve productivity and provides positive energy. Play is imperative in childhood development, and, believe it or not, in adults’ too.

The pandemic has definitely changed how children play and interact with others, and Fisher-Price wants to help bring people back together and connect through play - be it virtually, in-person or in a hybrid environment. For more than 90 years, Fisher-Price® has created toys that spark childhood learning and development through play. 

When thinking of the perfect playdate, what comes to mind for you and your children?

For the perfect playdate, it is important to balance the play needs of multiple age groups. One way to do this is by incorporating toys that are not only age appropriate, but that are also suitable for multiple age levels.

Two of our current Fisher-Price® favourites include the Giant Rock-a-Stack® and Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym.

The Giant Rock-a-Stack is perfect for all ages. For our littlest, it can help develop her coordination skills by grasping and shaking the six extra-large, colourful rings, our preschooler can use her problem solving skills to figure out how to sort and stack the rings from biggest to smallest, and our oldest can have fun playing with her younger siblings (she’s often in the role of ‘teacher’).

The Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym is also a hit. It has five light-up piano keys, a repositionable toy arch, 5 repositionable toys (a self-discovery mirror, elephant teether, crinkle panda, lion rattle & monkey cymbal clackers) and four musical settings that keep your little one rocking out for years. The best part is that this infant activity gym grows with baby, from lay and play to tummy time, sit and play and take along. Baby sister is just learning to roll, so the girls love getting down to her level  on the colourful animal mat to encourage her new moves. 

Looking for more playdate tips and ideas? The Fisher-Price “Lets Be Kids” platform celebrates seeing the world as a kids sees it. Check out the playdate tip sheet that encourages communication and imaginative play between children, their playdates and their families. 

Parents, welcome back to childhood. Together, lets celebrate play through the lens of a child. 

What are some of your tips and tricks for creating a successful playdate? I would love to hear!

5 Fun & Easy Summer Cricut Joy Projects (+ Preschooler Flashcard DIY)

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine.

Summer. The days are long, and the kids are out of school. And chances are high that you’ve also been home from work - maybe juggling working and caring for your children? Ya, me too. Keeping them busy and engaged, while limiting screen time to allow you to get work done is not an easy task. And if there is ever a time to pull out the Cricut and create some fun projects with (or without) your kiddos, now is the time.

Today, I’m sharing why I love my Cricut Joy™, specifically five of my favourite Cricut Joy DIY projects that I’ve made at home this summer using Cricut Joy Smart Vinyl™.

5 Fun & Easy Summer Cricut Joy Projects

Vegetable Garden Markers

One of my favourite things about our new house is the backyard. It’s crazy what a little green space can do for your mood. Since moving in last summer, I have been so excited for the girls to finally have a place to get outside and play. But, this new green space also meant that I could build an even bigger and better vegetable garden than the container gardens we had on our condo terrace last summer. So we were able to tell what was what, I created these vegetable garden markers using up cycled paint stir sticks that I simply spray painted white and Smart Vinyl - Permanent in black. I measured the size of the paint stir sticks and created the vegetable labels text (DJ Juicy font) in the Cricut design space app. I applied the labels to the painted stir sticks with Transfer Tape, and once completed, added them to my garden next to the appropriate fruit or vegetable. Much better looking that the generic tags that come from the Garden Centre. 

Wooden Welcome Sign

This wooden welcome sign is one of my favourite Cricut Joy projects to date. Earlier this summer, we added a deck to the back of our house, and to give it some added personality, we created this “Welcome to Our Deck” sign. It was also super easy to make, and with several home update projects already on the go, we had all of the materials we needed already at home. I simply created the text in the design space app (Babette font for "Welcome" and Creative Memories Tiny Treasures - Rubber Ducky font for "to our deck"). My design can be found on Design Space here.

Mailbox Decal

While our front porch is going to be next summer’s focus, I couldn’t help but take our ugly white mailbox and give it some curb appeal by painting it black to match the porch railings. I then personalized the mailbox with “hello” text created in the Cricut design space app using Babette font (easily my favourite cursive font in the app). Once the mailbox was dry, I applied the cut vinyl in the desired spot using Transfer Tape. 

Stemless Wine Glasses

We love to entertain. And while this summer may look a little different when it comes to entertain, I am happy that we have still been able to have those in our bubble over for backyard BBQs. I recently purchased more backyard-friendly plastic stemless wine glasses and decided to jazz them up a little using Smart Vinyl - Permanent in gold. I measured the size of the glasses and created the “cheers” text (Babette font) in the Cricut design space app. I then applied the labels to the outside of the clean glasses uses Transfer Tape. They were very easy to make, and added a little something extra (including lots of compliments and questions about where I bought them) to our backyard get togethers.

Preschooler Flash Cards

These flashcards were one of the first projects I made with my Cricut Joy when schools closed back in March. I was determined to keep the learning continuing, and these super simple flashcards were a great help in doing so. Using construction paper and Smart Vinyl - Permanent, in white, I created a set of capital letter cards and small letter cards. These flashcards could be used for letter recognition, spelling names and/or matching capital and small letters. The flashcards were very easy to create in design space, as the font Cricut Alphabet Circle already existed. I simply printed it on the vinyl, and applied it to the construction paper using the Transfer Tape. I did used two separate colours of construction paper, one for the capital letters and one for the small letters. But if you wanted to up the difficulty, you could use the same coloured paper for all. 

Next up on my Cricut Joy DIY list? Story blocks. Stay tuned to see how they turn out.

The Cricut Joy makes home DIY projects so easy. Unlike other Cricut machines, the Cricut Joy is a compact cutting machine, less than half the size of Cricut Explore and Cricut Maker—making it perfect for people without a dedicated crafting area (like me)! From customized pillows, to personalized glassware and welcome signs, the possibilities are nearly endless with this fun tool.

For the majority of my projects, including those outdoors, I use Cricut Joy Smart Vinyl - Permanent which is water- and UV-resistant, and lasts up to 3 years. Cricut Joy Smart Vinyl also comes in removal and writable, and a variety of different colours, including mattes, metallics, holographic and more. 

Be sure to check out the Cricut blog, where you’ll will find more DIY inspiration and tutorials! Use the hashtag #CricutAtHome when sharing your project on social media - I would love to see what you create!

Do you have a Cricut machine? What’s your favourite project to make? I’d love to hear - I’m always looking for inspiration!

PIN IT

A Girl with Big Dreams

It was the spring of 2004. I was standing in the kitchen at my parents' old house, my childhood home, envelope in hand. I recognized the logo in the top left corner but couldn't help but think, "The envelope is so small. It can't possibly be the answer I'm looking for."

Isn't it amazing how we can remember the exact place and time when significant events in our lives take place? 

You see, in my hands was the letter I had been waiting for. It was the letter that would potentially help shape my future. And when I opened it, I found out it was the letter that said I had been accepted to the university of my choice, into the program of my choice.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have had a strong affinity to the outdoors. Particularly, the water. Like many, as a young girl I had big dreams of becoming a marine biologist. Except, unlike many others, I was bound and determined to make it happen.

And, in a sense, I did.

Four years following that event in my parents' kitchen, I graduated with a degree in Marine and Freshwater Biology and the tools to begin a career doing what I had always loved, being outside.

Fast forward a decade to where I stand today – I’ve worked with dolphins, pet a wolf, dived with sharks and have seen polar bears in the wild. And while I may not have the official title of "Marine Biologist,", saying yes to that letter I held so tightly in my hands has led to some pretty amazing experiences and opportunities doing what I love.

Yes, there have been some bumps and road blocks along the way. I would be lying if I said there weren’t. But, I powered through them. And, if it weren't for the hard work I put in (literally blood, sweat and tears when field work is involved) and my parents investing in my future through an RESP, who knows where I would be today.

Heritage RESPs has a goal to make college and university affordable for every child. Now, in celebration of Canada's 150th, they're launching the Heritage Heroes Campaign, which will be a series of in-depth coast-to-coast features sharing the stories of those that have used a Heritage RESP to kick-start their careers without being mired in student debt. The features will showcase what these grads have accomplished so far in their field of practice/study and community, what they hope to achieve in the future and how RESPs have given them a leg up. Stay tuned!

What's your story? How did you get to where you are today? I'd love to hear!

*Disclosure: As a Heritage Ambassador, I received compensation in exchange for this post. However, all opinions and advice shared are 100% my own. Thank you Heritage!

The Gift of Knowledge

At this stage in my life, it seems that everyone I know is having babies. And with those babies come many celebrations – from baby showers to birthdays, and even graduations.

Don’t get me wrong; I love my friends and family, I love their children and I love a good celebration. But, what I don’t love is the challenge of deciding on just the right gift for that celebration.

Finding the perfect gift for the little ones in our lives gets harder and harder every year. On one hand, you want to buy them the latest and greatest gadget or toy. But, on the other hand, you want something that won’t lose its value or appeal in the blink of an eye. You want something that is the perfect balance between what the child wants and what won’t drive their parents crazy (Trust me, we have plenty of the latter.).

Instead of the next greatest gadget or toy, I want to gift them with something that is memorable. Something that they will not outgrow in 2.5 seconds. Something that they will remember for a lifetime.  Something that will, instead, grow with them.

I want to give them the gift of knowledge.

Yes, you can give educational toys. And yes, you can give books. Books are good, we do love a new book. But, you could also take it one step further and give a monetary contribution to that child’s registered education savings plan (RESP).

Some may think that giving money as a gift is impersonal, insignificant or “the easy way out.” They may not see the direct benefits of handing a one-year-old a $20, $50 or $100 bill. But, they must look beyond the “right now” and see the benefits that that small amount of money will bring to the child’s future.

The RESP is a Canadian investment plan used to save for a child’s post-secondary education. One great thing about RESPs is that money saved in the plan  is tax-sheltered until withdrawn, whereupon it is taxed at a student rate – and students typically pay little to no tax. Another great feature bonus to this type of plan is that – provided you qualify – the federal government will also make contributions through the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG),  which provides an additional 20% on contributions to a maximum $500 per year, and a maximum $7,200 over the life of the plan.

So while you may not think that a few dollars in an envelope each year will benefit the child, think again. The gift of money, if invested in an RESP, will grow with the child. And down the road, will also help them grow.

Trust me, as a mom that is dreading the cost of a post-secondary education 18 years from now, giving the gift of an RESP contribution will be much appreciated. And as a 30-something who benefited from an RESP started in her name, I am now beyond appreciative of those monetary gifts I received throughout my childhood.

So, the next time you find yourself pondering what to get that child in your life for their birthday, graduation or celebration in between, think of their future.An RESP contribution is truly a gift that keeps on giving.

What unique gifts have you gifted, or received? I’d love to hear!

*As a Heritage Ambassador, I received compensation in exchange for this post. However, all opinions and advice shared are 100% my own. Thank you Heritage!