Hi, Welcome back to Toddler Craft. Please subscribe to my Toddler Craft newsletter. Sign up to the left. It's full of more fun activities, parenting information and crafts! Thanks for visiting!

It’s Click and Comment Monday- Don’t forget to post your story links in Mr. Linky so everyone can check it out!! Leave a Comment Below too !!

Getting ready for School

As your child’s number one teacher, there is much you can do to prepare your little one for his or her school days.  Socially, you will want to make sure that he or she can communicate to others that are their own age as well as adults they may have to interact with.

Teach them to be kind and polite before they get to school and you will save your son or daughter problems later. Social behavior is one of the first important factors your tot will need to know even above educational achievements. If they can’t get along, then they won’t be viable participants in the classroom.

If this is the first time they are away from you, take the time to reassure them that you are there for them.  Emotionally, your child may feel abandoned if not well prepared for this new stage in his life.  Go to the school ahead of time.  Meet the teacher and tour the campus.  Let them play on the playground.  If you know some of the kids they will be in class with, make sure to set up some playdates over the summer.  Get some books on starting school and read them together.  Discuss the book and what they think it might be like at school.  Some books to consider are The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing and Julie Durell, First Day Jitters
by Julie Danneberg, or I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Ruscackas.

Mental preparation can be just as natural as breathing for you and your child.  Teaching the colors, shapes, letters and numbers, and telling stories are all ways you can give you child a boost toward success in preschool and kindergarten.  Just remember that young children have short attention spans so when you play educational games, keep this in mind.

Make learning new things fun and never get upset if they just don’t “get it.”  Some kids learn faster, some learn slower.   But all seem to finish just fine.  In this way, you keep the learning experience positive and your son or daughter will manage the first days of pre-school or kindergarten perfectly.

Are you preparing for school with your child?   What are you doing?  What are your concerns? Fears? Successes?

The Mr. Linky is giving some funny error messages.  So leave your links in the comments below.

It’s Click and Comment Monday- Don’t forget to post your story links in Mr. Linky so everyone can check it out!!  Leave a Comment Below too !!

10 Fun Activities For Toddlers

1. Box in and out game-Get a big card board box, then get some objects, like shape blocks, or wooden blocks, small cups etc.  Demonstrate putting them in and out, then let your toddler have fun doing it!
2. Ride on Toys-Toddlers LOVE to use Ride on Toys-I always had a couple in the basement and the back yard.
3. Finger Painting-They love to get dirty, as you know, so what’s better then getting paint all over your hands, feeling the texture and creating?!
4. playdough- Make some homemade playdough and then let them loose!!  Give them a rolling pin, some playdough toys to stamp with and let them create.
5. Table Top Play- I have always found young toddlers around age 1-2 love this.  Let them sit in their high chair or booster chair.  Give them some various size cups, objects to put them in and some blocks, and watch them play.  Through some cheerios on there for eating and discovering how to put them in and out of the cups.
6. Large Puzzles, with big pegs.  Show them how to put the circle in and out and then let them try.  A simple puzzle with maybe three big pieces to put in and out is best.
7. Shape Sorters – Name the shapes with your child while you play with it and show them how to put them in.  Great way to teach shapes and matching.
8. Stacking Buckets - These are great.  Kids love building towers with them and then knocking it down.  Then try to figure out together how to get the buckets into eachother.
9. Stacking Rings – Show your shild how to put on and take off, then let them try.  They will love mastering this.
10. Side Walk Chalk – Get some big pieces of sidewalk chalk-and let them create!!  They can make a track for their cars or a big picture.

What activities do you play with your child?  Let us know in the comments below.

Put a link to your story on your blog in the Mr. Linky meme below and leave a link on your blog to Toddler Craft.  Then be sure to tell us about your post in the comments below so we can check out your stories!

1. joell aaenson  
2. TrendyBrandyKids Boutique 
3. Astaga.com Lifestyle On The Net 
4. Free Stuff 
5. 
You're next!
This site is using Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.
To add your link to the list, enter your name and URL in the form below and press Enter.
Your name: 
 
Your URL: 
 
Please leave a comment after linking... Thank you!
And have you read about Mister Linky's new features?
Don't forget to leave a comment... Thank you!
And be sure to check out Mister Linky's blog!

It’s Click and Comment Monday- Don’t forget to post your story links in Mr. Linky so everyone can check it out!!

This week I am reviewing a great book written by Holly Jahangiri and Illustrated by Jordan M Vinyard.  Holly is actually a fellow blogger, who writes for her blog, Do I have to spell it out.  I love her writing on her blog, so I was interested to check out her children’s book and I am so glad I did!!  It is fabulous!  The story is great and captivating and the illustrations are incredible.

I read the story today to my two children (aged 3 and 6) and my neice and nephew (aged 4 and 6).  They were all completely captivated and loved it.  I believe that says more then anything I can say!

Trockle is the story of a little boy who is afraid there are monsters under his bed.  His parents try to tell them there are no monsters, but alas he is not convinced.   He tells his parents there is a monster and his name is Trockle.  Trockle is a sweet and humorous story about children’s fear’s at bedtime.  The illustrations are wonderful and life like.  They really bring the story to life. It’s a must read and I highly recomend it!

If you would like to get a copy of Trockle you can get it here.

Don’t forget to get some linky love below! Link to a story you have on your site!  Just put the Toddlercraft button or link up and come share your link here in the Mr. Linky! Make sure to post a comment below too!

I might not have Mr. Linky up today-depends on if I can fix an error that keeps coming up!  I am waiting on a support ticket from Mr.Linky-if it get’s resolved I’ll have it up-in the meantime -leave your link in the comments. Thanks!

It’s Click and Comment monday today!! Come on by and share your story and get some linky love!!  Post a link to toddlercraft on your site and share the link to that post below!!  Don’t forget to leave a comment below!!  My blog is dofollow- so you get extra link love from your comment links!!

I felt so loved last week!! I received a couple of  Awards from some great Bloggers!! Now it’s my turn to share the love!!

First I received the  Blogger Buddy Award from Cherrie at imahotmom .  Thanks so much Cherrie!! I feel honored!!

I would like to bestow this award to a few of my Blogger Friends

Sheryl Loch  at Life as a WAHM

Stephanie at Green SAHM

Susan at LiL mom that could

These are great Bloggers who wonderful and informative blogs to read!

I received the One Lovely Blog Award from Cascia at Healthy Mom’s – Thanks Cascia!  This award goes to new great blogs you have found.  Here are a couple of great new ones I have discovered:

Caroline of Morning Side Mom

Steph at Montessori Free Fall

Check out these fun new blogs I found!!  I think you will enjoy them too!!

Don’t forget to leave your link in mr. Linky for some linky love!!  Leave a comment below as well!!

1. Gusti Anom 
2. Root & Sprout  
3. Caroline 
4. Mom Cafe 
5. TrendyBrandyKids Boutique 
6. Zealclip Youtube Video Search 
7. Gatto999 
8. 
You're next!
This site is using Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.
To add your link to the list, enter your name and URL in the form below and press Enter.
Your name: 
 
Your URL: 
 
Please leave a comment after linking... Thank you!
And have you read about Mister Linky's new features?
Don't forget to leave a comment... Thank you!
And be sure to check out Mister Linky's blog!

photo credit: uberfischer

This weekend I tackled more of my Tackle it Tuesday projects! Wait to you see my progress on my closet!!! Can’t wait to share it on Tuesday.

I don’t think there is anything better then a hug from your children.  I think that should be prescribed for anyone feeling down!!  My daughter and son are such snuggle bugs!!  I just love there big loving hugs!!

This week coming up I will be talking:

Monday-My fun awards I got this past week and passing them on to some of my favorite Bloggers!!  Click and Comment Monday will be back as well-so make sure to come get some linky love!!

Tuesday-I’ll share my latest accomplishment in my quest to ready my upstairs for my sister’s family!! So excited for them to come!

Wednesday-Look for another fun craft!

Thursday-I’ll be highlighting my guest post on mommy talk

Friday-I’ll be sharing some more Parenting tips

I hope you had a great weekend and look forward to sharing the week with you.  Take a moment and enjoy a big hug from your kids!!