Soleil Moon Frye Guest Blogger Series

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Soleil Moon Frye, Target's mommy ambassador, author of Happy Chaos, and mom to Poet, 6, and Jagger, 3. This week Soleil shares her tips on traveling with kids.

I'm a huge believer in the importance of taking the occasional "time out" as a family and planning an escape to recharge and reconnect.

Last year, Jason surprised me and the kids with an impromptu jaunt to Mexico. Although it was stressful to think of dropping everything on such short notice, the trip turned out to be exactly what we needed. It was an invaluable treat to spend quality time together without the distractions that pull us in a dozen different directions every day.

Whenever I'm traveling with my girls, my carry-on always includes these essentials:

• An assortment of portable activities like books, a few toys, and paper and crayons. I have the girls pick out a few of their favorite things from home to take with them — this way we're not overloaded with too much stuff, but they feel connected to what they are bringing.
• A first aid kit with Band-Aids and other Doctor Mom must haves in case of emergencies.
• Wipes, wipes, and more wipes. They're quick and easy for cleaning up spills and sticky fingers on the go.
• A change of clothes for both girls, including a sweatshirt in case they get cold.
• A stash of yummy snacks is the best way to combat the inevitable crankiness that comes with restless flights and travel delays.

A successful family trip doesn't require airplanes or lush accommodations. When I was growing up, my mom would delight us by laying blankets on the small balcony of our apartment and letting us sleep under the stars. I've inherited her passion for making an adventure out of everything and am also a big advocate of "staycations." In my house, we love to camp out in the living room and decorate the space to look like an exotic location. You can go all out and cook foods native to those places and do activities inspired by their cultures.

The idea is to carve out time to be together and create a special experience that the kids will always remember. The extravagance of a getaway isn't what will factor into the memories.

I'm always looking for fun family bonding ideas, so please share your cost-cutting travel tips and creative "staycation" plans with me on the Target Baby Facebook page!

. . . Soleil

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Soleil Moon Frye, Target's mommy ambassador, author of Happy Chaos, and mom to Poet, 6, and Jagger, 3. This week Soleil shares her tips on bringing her kids into the kitchen.

I'm a huge holiday person, and birthday celebrations are especially important to me. It's not about the presents — my favorite memories from childhood birthdays are of my mom showering me with attention, filling the day with my favorite foods, and making me feel special and loved.

I'm not sure anything will ever top Johnny Depp crashing my 12th birthday (a special surprise from a mutual friend), but I'm determined to create similarly unforgettable birthday experiences for my girls.

For Poet’s fifth birthday, we had a Grease-themed party and went for a full-out, '50s-style event. It’s possible to be elaborate without being expensive — for the Grease party I found discounted Halloween costumes and spandex pants online, then scooped up festive and affordable party supply essentials at Target. My friends set up a makeup station and sprayed the girls' hair into wild Grease-era styles. If you’re willing to play DJ on your iPod, a dance party is free!

Here are some other fun, budget-friendly ideas:

• DIY goodie bags: Fill large mason jars with candy and let kids decorate brown paper to-go sacks with stamps and stickers.
• Treasure hunt: Scatter little toys and treats around the yard or park, and send the kids to go find them. Works every time!
• Crafts: Buy a bunch of inexpensive picture frames and let the kids decorate them with paint, stickers, and glitter. If you’re a fan of Polaroid cameras like I am, snap photos of each guest with the birthday boy or girl to go in frames as a memory of the day.
• Philanthropy: It's never too early to introduce kids to the concept of giving back and instill a sense of compassion and awareness. Have guests bring toys for kids in need or donate the crafts made at the party to a local children’s hospital.

Keep reading for Soleil's tips for ensuring smooth sailing at your party!

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Soleil Moon Frye, Target's Mommy Ambassador, author of Happy Chaos, and mom to Poet, 6, and Jagger, 3. This week Soleil shares her tips on bringing her kids into the kitchen.

I've been known to eat dessert first. While my food philosophies may be unorthodox at times, my efforts to make eating fun and exciting for my girls have produced rather impressive palates for two little ones. They love Japanese food, Indian food, veggies, you name it.

One of my tried-and-true strategies for raising well-rounded eaters is to have my kids make some of their own choices in the kitchen. Letting them have a hand in the process gives them a sense of control and empowerment — and trust me, my girls are way more willing to eat a salad that they helped make!

Here are some fun ideas for playing with ingredients in the kitchen:

We are thrilled to introduce our latest guest blogger, Soleil Moon Frye! The former Punky Brewster actress is now a mom of two — Poet, 6, Jagger, 3 — the owner of the hip, eco-chic Little Seed baby boutique, a Mommy Ambassador for Target, and the author of Happy Chaos, a parenting guide for moms who don't quite fit into the picture-perfect lifestyle many other books idealize.

After giving birth to Poet, the spunky mama felt lost in the world of spit-up and collapsible strollers that other moms seemed to "get" so easily. She turned to Twitter and Facebook to share her frustrations and ask questions, quickly building a loyal following of new moms feeling the same way.

Now she's joining us to share how she's learned to embrace the chaos life throws her way and see what tips other mothers can contribute. Tune in tomorrow for Soleil's first post for LilSugar!