Toddler Story Time

You could find Mya and me at the toddler story time every Wednesday while Jamin is at school.  Mya is quite wiggly during the stories, but she adores the singing and the storyteller, Ms. Jackie.  When we visit the library on other days, Mya will  search out Ms. Jackie, just to say hi.  After 20-25 minutes of stories and songs we get to Mya’s favorite – parachute time.

The ‘people on the bus go up and down’ right along with the parachute.  It took her a few weeks to get the hang of it, but she is a parachute pro now.

Summer Reading

Last year both kids took part in the summer reading program.  We set a reading goal for each of them and at the end of the summer they received a new book for reaching their goal.  Jamin choose Jane and the Dragon: A Dragon’s Tale and still recounts his summer of reading every time we take out the book.  The whole family got free tickets to an AquaSox game just for participating.

Discovering Books

The Sno-Isle website is my best friend when it comes to finding engaging reading materials.  The Kids section has several tools for finding good books.  We are currently working our way through the Countdown to Kindergarten: 100 Essential Picture Books list. The Sno-Isle hold system allows me to order books from any library in the system and they are usually waiting for me on the hold shelf at our next visit (because let’s face it, keeping and 2 year old and 5 year old quiet while browsing books can be … uh … difficult).

When Jamin and I have the opportunity to visit the library just the two of us, we like to gather up a big stack of books, snuggle up on the bench seating by windows and loose ourselves in the jungle, or a knight’s adventure or wherever our stack of books takes us.

I have the library resources to thank for helping me get Jamin hooked on reading right from the start.  I trust that Mya too, will come to love the adventures to be found in books.

Library Websites

Sno-Isle Libraries

King County Library System

Seattle Public Library

Pierce County Library System

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Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems - Hilarious. Both kiddos could recite this book after and few readings and loved imitating Pigeon’s melodrama. Now whenever my son gets whiny, I call him Pigeon and the whining ceases. I love it.   We have since checked out and enjoyed Pigeon Wants a Puppy, Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog and look forward to the other Pigeon books.

The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett – It’s wonderful to find a book that both my 2 year old girl and 4 year old boy enjoy and this one had them both in fits of giggles. They loved joining in and reciting the ‘creak crack’ sounds and my son particularly loved the surprise ending. I probably read it 30 times before we had to return it to the library.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn – This is an absolutely charming book about love and courage. It’s a perfect read for any young child who is heading off for a first day of school or is facing a challenge. The story even gives kids some insight into the joy they bring the people they love.

Trouble Gum by Mattew Cordell – My 4 year-old loves books where mischief is involved and this one delivers in that department. It’s a fun read, particularly if you do the sounds effects and come up with some simple actions to go along with story. Lots to laugh about here.

Thank You Bear by Greg Foley - Bear finds something he thinks is wonderful, until he faces the criticism of others, then he is not so sure. All is well when his good friend mouse thinks it is absolutely perfect. This was simple and repetitive enough that my 2 year old enjoyed it and yet my 4 year old could relate to the themes as well. I read it as many times as possible before we had to return it to the library as I know I will refer back to the story when my son faces discouragement.

The information below is correct as of the day of the post.  I will do my best to keep it updated, but please verify free days with the museum prior to making your visit.

Imagine Children’s Museum (Everett)- Free Friday Night Live, the third Friday of each month, 5:30-9:00pm

Museum of Flight (Seattle)- Free first Thursday evening of each month, 5:00-9:00pm

Seattle Art Museum (Seattle)- Free first Thursday of each month

Seattle Asian Art Museum (Seattle)- Free first Thursday of each month

Experience Music Project (Seattle) – Free first Thursday evening of each month, 5:00-8:00pm

Museum of History and Industry (Seattle) – Free first Thursday of each month

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture (Seattle) – Free first Thursday of each month

Wing Luke Asian Museum (Seattle)- Free first Thursday and third Saturday of each month

Museum of Glass (Tacoma) – Free third Thursday evening of each month, 5:00-8:00pm

Tacoma Art Museum (Tacoma) – Free third Thursday of each month

Children’s Museum of Tacoma – Free first Friday of each month

Washington State History Museum (Tacoma) – Free third Thursday of each month

KidQuest Children’s Museum (Bellevue) – Free Fridays from 5:00-8:00pm

Hands On Children’s Museum (Olympia) – Free first Friday evening of each month, 5:00-9:00pm

Can you add to this list? Please leave us a comment letting us know!

It’s all hustle and bustle at The Village Bean coffee shop located in Bothell’s Country Village.  The good kind of hustle and bustle – kids playing with puzzles, building mazes out of pipes, shunting freight cars at the train table, preparing food in the toy kitchen and more.  If there is a favorite toy among the 1-5 year old set, odds are there is one at the Village Bean.

Our first introduction to The Village Bean came via a playgroup meet-up. Amazingly, us  mom’s were able to sip lattes and chat for nearly two hours.  The 7 kids in the group stayed busy the entire time.  Plush adult-sized chairs and tables are intermingled with ‘kid tables’ making it easy to keep the kids close by while giving them their own space.  I ordered Jamin and Mya a ‘Kid’s Plate’ to share (small sandwich, apple sauce and organic carrots).  I’m glad I didn’t get two because they had no interest in eating with so many fun toys to explore.  Jamin’s favorite activity was the pipe wall; various pieces of plastic piping with magnets on one side allowing kids to create and maze of piping for whiffle balls to travel.  I made a mental note to try to recreate this activity on our refrigerator with PVC piping and marbles.  Mya wandered about between the train table, toy kitchen and eventually settled down to ‘work’ on several wooden animal puzzles.  She’s getting good them.

As we drew closer to the lunch hour, the place grew fairly busy.  The room is large enough to handle a crowd and yet small enough it was easy to keep an eye on the kids.  The staff seemed well-able to handle busy-ness, taking orders quickly at the register and bringing food out to the tables.

As our conversation began to wind down, I told the kids it was time to go.  Almost immediately Jamin says, “But mom, I’m hungry!”  He had been so occupied with playing he forgot to eat.  The kids ate their food on the way home in the car.

OTHER DESTINATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

• Toys that Teach
• Bella and Max
• Country Village Train, Putt Putt Golf and Playground

]]> http://www.8feetahead.com/?feed=rss2&p=314 4 http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=227 http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=227#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:52:21 +0000 admin http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=227 Cherry Street Coffee House – 1212 1st Ave, Seattle WA, 98101, Ph: (206) 264-9372

With a cozy atmosphere, a scrumptiously healthy menu and a staff that seemed genuinely happy to have a family with kids take over the back half of their shop  – the Cherry Street Coffee House in downtown Seattle was a perfect refuge on a rainy day.  After making our way on foot several blocks in the rain, Jamin, Mya and I scurried to the heated nook at the back of the cafe.  Jamin headed straight for a pair of firetrucks while Mya decided to find out if chalk tasted good.  Fortunately Jamin was quick to show her how to write on the chalkboard wall.  After a few minutes of play I suggested we go back up front and order our food.  The kids gave me the “whaaa?” look.  You know kids, the reason we came here – eating.  Eventually I drug them back to the counter where they quickly selected some fruit.  However, it took me awhile to choose from their ample menu.  No day-old coffee house scones here.  Their menu was loaded with a huge variety of salads, soups and sandwiches.  I settled on a bowl of Ginger Lemon Rice Soup and a latte.

The kids were completely occupied with the chalkboard wall, so I was able to sit and enjoy my delicious soup.  Occasionally one of the staff members would wander through on his way to a back storage area.  Each time he came through he stopped to say hi to the kids, admire Jamin’s chalk flower or a tidbit with me about his experiences with the cafe.

Eventually novelty of the chalk wall faded, we finished our food and it was time to head back out into the rain.  We got a couple of hot chocolates for the road and made our way back to the car.  I’m sure we will find ourselves here again soon. I’m already looking forward to it.

OTHER DESTINATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

• Pike Place Market
• Seattle Bug Safari
• Seattle Aquarium

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Hip Hop Bouncing – 390 Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor, WA, 98277

During our recent visit to Oak Harbor, my parents, the kids, Barron and I spent a morning at Hip Hop Bouncin’. I knew it was smaller than many of the warehouse filled inflatable playgrounds we visit in our area, so I was pleasantly surprised to walk into two floors of bounce houses and other play equipment.  One of my biggest struggles with the large inflatable playgrounds is keeping track of both children in such a large area.  Additionally many inflatable obstacle courses have multiple entry and exit points, so it’s nearly impossible to monitor all possible ‘escape routes’ and all too easy for my energetic 4 year old to run off unseen.  There is no such difficulty at Hip Hop Bouncing.  Once we picked between upstairs or downstairs, I was able to keep an eye on Jamin as he made the rounds on the obstacle course and still see Mya climbing around in the foam block play area.

Mya was a bit tentative on the bouncers.  Fortunately Mamma was around to hold her hand and get her started.  Eventually she was bouncing with the best of them and the sight of her head full of curls bopping up and down brought a smile to any who happened to glance in at their play. Fifteen minutes later she was done with the bouncers and moved on to explore the rocking horses, foam pit, balls and even the reading room.  The variety of play spaces kept her occupied for the 90 minutes Jamin spent on the obstacle course (his favor and perfect for running off his abundant energy).

Since we were four adults with only two kids to watch, occasionally a couple of us got to rest in the comfortable seating areas scattered throughout the facility. Of course, since adults get in free and are encouraged to join the kids in their play, we each took at turn on the giant slide.

Jamin is already asking to go back to Mamma and Grandpa’s so he can visit Hip Hop Bouncing.

The kids and I, plus Mamma and Grandpa Willy, stopped by the zoo mid-morning a few days before Christmas.  We easily found parking and made our way to the admissions booth where there was no line for entry. A few extra dollars at the admission booth (thanks Mamma and Grandpa) bought the kids cups of apples to feed the reindeer.  The Reindeer Festival has been open for nearly three weeks now.  I wonder if Santa’s reindeer are sick of apples?  If so, they didn’t show any signs of it.  Three eagerly approached the railing as soon as the Jamin and Mya started throwing apples.  When the apples cups had been emptied, we continued up the hill to Santa’s House.  Both kids are  not quite sure what to make of Santa and I have yet to cox either of them onto Santa’s lap.  From a safe 5 foot distance, Jamin told Santa he was hoping to get trains this Christmas.  Santa assured him the elves were working on the trains as they spoke.  Photos with Santa were available for sale (or take your own for a lesser fee), but since the kids only got within arms reach of the man in red in order to snatch the Hersey kisses he was handing out, we passed on the photo.

There were plenty of other photo opportunities, including a sleigh already packed with presents and a multitude of bronze statues, each decked out in garland for the holidays.

We joined a cluster of other visiters at the cage of the energetic tiger cubs who entertained us as they played on their ball and jumped at cage walls. We then moved on to take in the wallabies, emu, lemurs and cranes in the Magical Forest.  Keeping in theme with the Reindeer Festival, each animal area had signage explaining the animal’s role in Santa’s menagerie.  Apparently the emus are Santa’s advance landing crew in Australia.  Who knew?

A pair of brilliantly colored and very squawky parrots greeted us on the way out of the exhibit.  Mya frequently tries to imitate the various animal sounds and her parrot squawk is adorable.

There was always a friendly staff member nearby to answer questions about the animals.  As we left the Magical Forest, one invited us to stop by the ‘Post Office’ to write a letter to Santa.  However, after about an hour both kids were ready to go and the grown-ups were hungry so called it a morning.

]]> http://www.8feetahead.com/?feed=rss2&p=134 2 http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=98 http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=98#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:44:31 +0000 admin http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=98

]]> http://www.8feetahead.com/?feed=rss2&p=98 1 http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=10 http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=10#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:32:35 +0000 admin http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=10 It’s wonderful when I take the kids somewhere and I don’t have to tell them what to do or encourage them to get involved.  The Scratch Patch, with it’s rooms blanketed with polished stones in every colors is so inviting, both kids jumped right in – literally.  Almost immediately Jamin began examining all the colors, looking for his favorites.  This lead to further inspection of the variation patterns and markings on various stones.  It wasn’t long until he was asking about the names of the stones.  Fortunately good folks at Scratch Patch had furnished us with a guide and soon we had piles of Tiger’s Eyes, Agates and Onyx.

Mya enjoyed exploring the stones as well;  running her hands through the rocks and burying her feet.  Near the end of our visit, we purchased a small bag for each of the kids to fill with their favorite stones.  Jamin was thrilled to be able to take home “treasures”. He has already started comparing his take-home stones with the identification chart (we bought him a laminated one) and deciding which ones he is going to look for on his next visit.

If you are ever looking to feel a bit of nature under your feet on a rainy day (or even a sunny one), the Scratch Patch is a sure winner.

]]> http://www.8feetahead.com/?feed=rss2&p=10 0 http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=15 http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=15#comments Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:08:00 +0000 admin http://www.8feetahead.com/?p=15 Jamin has been asking to see a waterfall, so fresh air and beautiful views are on today’s agenda with a visit to Snoqualmie Falls.  A short walk from the parking lot brought us to a covered observation deck where Jamin(right) is enthralled by the thunderous roar and swirling mist created by the fall.  Since we are at the end of a dry summer the falls are at their lowest but are still spectacular. Jamin sticks his foot through the safety railing and asks, “What would happen if my shoe fell off?”  Answer – it would be gone for good, forever lost to the crashing waters and swirling mist.  Not a bad way for a shoe to go.  Apparently he isn’t the only child who has had these thoughts.  A quick glance at the cliff ledge below the observation deck shows several assorted tot-sized shoes and sandals.  I’m glad his are still on his feet because I’m looking forward to the walk down the trail to the bottom of the falls.

It’s a mile round trip, too far for Mya’s little legs, so she happily rides along in her pack.  The trail is wide and well maintained, heading through lush forest, past the hydroelectric power station and finally to the river.

Once of the advantages of coming here when the water levels are low is that we are able to climb all the way down to the rivers edge for a little splashing around and playing with the river rocks.

After a little snack it was back up the trail.  The uphill part was a bit more challenging for Jamin, but with a lot of cheering and encouragement, he managed to drag himself to the top.  It even wore him out enough that he feel asleep in the car on the way home (a rarity now days).

I’m already looking forward to coming back to the observation deck at the height of spring rainstorms to catch the falls at full force.  We will return to the trail next summer with a riverside picnic lunch.

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