My mom created cute ladybug antennaes for A's first birthday (which was a flower and ladybug theme). A still loves putting them on almost 9 months later. These are great for birthday parties or just for dress-up play. While little ones can't help put them together, they'll have lots of fun with the finished product!
Here's how to create them:
1. Buy some narrow headbands (those found at a dollar store will work fine), pipe cleaners, pom-poms, and ribbon (mom used grosgrain; sticks well to the glue and doesn't slide on hair as easily. 1/4" is a good width).
2. Hot glue about an inch worth of the center of one pipe cleaner to the center top of the headband. You'll then have to pieces sticking up acting as antennaes.
3. Wrap the headband in ribbon, hot gluing small sections as you go. (Either butt the ribbon edges against each other or overlap them slightly so the headband itself doesn't peek through). Go right over top of the glue-down portion of the pipe cleaners.
4. Hot glue one pom-pom to the end of each antenna (they disappear a bit in the picture since they're black).
Like I said, this was to represent a ladybug, so mom made some with hot pink pipe cleaners and some with black. But you could certainly do any color you like to create butterfly, bee or other insect antennaes!
If you'd like to see a more up-close image of the antenna, just let me know.
If you're a Babies R Us Rewards member, be on the lookout in your e-mail for a link to some member-only coupons good this weekend (through Feb. 28, 2010). If you're not yet a member, sign up to become one (it's free) and then you can print out and use the coupons.
The time for spring/summer kids consignment sales is here! I LOVE going to consignment sales. They don't come often enough, in my opinion (generally, twice a year). Many of my daughter's toys and books (plus clothes!) have come from them--including some of her favorites from when she was a baby. After I've bought items at a sale, I'll often later see the same things at places like Target for three or four times as much as I paid.
My mom created cute ladybug antennaes for A's first birthday (which was a flower and ladybug theme). A still loves putting them on almost 9 months later. These are great for birthday parties or just for dress-up play. While little ones can't help put them together, they'll have lots of fun with the finished product!
You can download a free ebook with activity suggestions for your kids: 100 Activities to Keep Your Children Happy. I haven't downloaded the ebook yet myself, so I can't vouch for the effectiveness of its title, but hey, worth a shot! You do have to first sign up for the Natural Parenting Tips newsletter. Sign up is located at the right top of the homepage. And if you don't want to remain a newsletter subscriber, remember to unsubscribe.
Joy at The Practical Mom Guide recently gave Busy Little Monkey its first blog award--the Best Blog Award! Joy has a great blog, so be sure to check it out. 
More free kids' music! At amazon.com, you can download a free sampler of The Best of Countdown Kids. Lots of classic favoites! The 10 songs include:
You can download a FREE Winnie the Pooh story and music from Clorox!
