LilSugar

Mommy's Lil Helper: BlackBerry

LilSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:00:06 -0700

When you don't have a pen and paper, introduce your preschooler to technology. I normally carry a notebook and pencil in my purse so my daughter can doodle if we get stuck in a long line or dressing room, but the other day an impromptu trip to the mall turned into an hour of waiting while my husband got fitted for suits. Though my purse was loaded with items to entertain an almost-2-year-old, my son slept and my daughter wasn't all that interested in toying around his Hot Wheels.

She is, however, learning to write the alphabet, so I handed her my BlackBerry, opened the memo setting, and asked her to write her name and age. Then, we killed time and sharpened her letter recognition skills by identifying different letters and numbers from the keyboard. And, of course, I taught her how to make a happy face!

Wee TV: LeapFrog Letter Factory

LilSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:00:55 -0700

Try as they might to keep their tots away from the boob tube, every mama needs a few minutes to herself to make a phone call, check Facebook or just chill out. Rather than put your preschooler in front of a dancing monster or singing tomato, try introducing him to some pre-reading concepts that will help prepare him for a major developmental milestone.

The LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD has been praised by parents, educators and speech therapists for its fun, yet educational approach to teaching phonics. Tots familiar with the LeapFrog toys will love seeing Tad, Leap and Lily walk through the alphabet singing cute little songs for each letter. The tunes teach preschoolers the proper pronunciation of each letter and encourage viewers to sing along. Educators like it for its ability to teach letter recognition and speech therapists have told me they like the pronunciations used by the characters.

Website lil Loves: Speakaboos

LilSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:30:03 -0700

The benefits of reading with children are beyond debate. It helps teach them letter and word recognition, engages them in conversation, and introduces them to new concepts. Transferring those benefits to the online world is not easy, but Speakaboos tries to do just that. The site offers online storytelling of classic fables and fairy tales - as well as stories involving newer popular characters - by big name celebrities such as Kevin Bacon, Clay Aiken, Kelly Ripa, and John Krasinski. As the stories are told, and the words appear on the screen, the books come to life with beautiful animation.

There are worksheets, games, and e-cards accompanying the various tales and eventually, visitors will have the ability to create their own stories online, including doing their own voice-overs. Watching the tales is free, but there is also an option to download them for $1, and purchase albums with multiple stories for $9 each with 15 percent of the revenue donated to the National Education Association and The Creative Coalition.

Apple Blossom Bows Add a Finished Touch to Tot Tresses

LilSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:00:00 -0800

Mamas of little girls eagerly await the day that their darling has enough hair to swoop into a bow. For the tot learning her letters, the personalized bows from Apple Blossom Bows ($9) may help aid letter recognition. The silver capital letters are sewn on one of more than three dozen grosgrain ribbons available in several shades and polka dot varieties.

When ordering, you can specify which side of her head your daughter wears her barrettes on and a fitting one will be made to order. The designer will even add no-slip grip at no extra charge. Perfect for the every day use, or special birthdays, these clips are sure to become a favorite.

Lil Find: Personalized Placemats

babysugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:00:58 -0700

I'm always looking for a cute birthday present that can be my standard gift for the year. When someone recently gifted my friend's son a few personalized placemats from Olive Kids ($10 each), I knew I found a winner.

With more than 40 designs, including popular holidays and traditional boy and girl themes, each heavy-duty laminated placemat is personalized with a child's name. The themes have helped to direct our dinner conversation, and allow us to practice our letter recognition.