Barbara's Picks: Kid-Friendly Environment

	Up, Up, Up I Go - a growth chart by Eric Carle We've kept a growth chart for years - it is so much fun for the kids to see how tall they've grown. I wish we had had this one because it's taller than most - over six feet fo mom and dad and taller teens can still be part of the family growth chronology. Great idea for a baby present too!

	Little Helper Broom Set Though some kids can handle an adult-size broom, this means that even your two-year-old can start learning to help - at just the time when he wants to!.

	Everything Kids' Cookbook A fun cookbook with kid-friendly recipes for kid-friendly food.

	Kids' Table and Chairs Let's face it - we wouldn't want to sit at a five-foot tall table and chairs to do our work. Your children will love you for providing the right-sized furniture for them to do puzzles, coloring books, lacing cards, etc. Don't stick it in the bedroom, but wherever the center of activity is in your house so they can keep busy close to you - where they want to be.

	Kids Super Sudzer E-Z Grip Soap Sometimes it's the little things in life that really matter! Though I'm not one for frivolous new products, this was one that answered a definite need in a home with special needs children - and would be useful for any children during the period when they're learning to shower themselves. The gauzy wrap around each bar of soap helps little hands hold on so the soap doesn't keep falling to the floor. This has really helped my younger boys master the art of independent showering.

	How Are You Feeling Today? A great resource for developing emotional intelligence in your kids. Kids do better when they have a label to put on their feelings: "Oh, are you angry about Susie sitting on your sandwich?" This poster helps them not take themselves so seriously. Also, if you go through the feelings - naming them and making the appropriate faces together in the mirror - it really can show children that they are to some extent in control of how they express their feelings.

	Step Stool I bought this stepstool a year ago to add to my collection :) It's everything a toddler needs to get up to the kitchen counter to see mom at work and want to join in - and that's the kind of helpful attitude you want, after all.

	Birthday plate Here's a memorable family tradition: a You Are Special plate to use for birthdays. Remember that something that seems like a little touch to you will actually be a big deal for your child. If we forget to get out the Birthday Plate, our kids are sure to remind us! I also make whatever the birthday boy or girl requests - which hat our house has been everything from top ramen or fish sticks (when the kids were younger) to tacos, chicken curry, flank steak, or paella (now that they've caught on to what's REALLY good :)

	Cordless vacuum My daughter Samantha, who has five children of her own, turned me on to this vacuum. I usually start my children vacuuming at 8 or so with our Oreck. But this vacuum makes it possible for even younger kids to get involved in cleaning - lightweight, no cords. Try it early - I guarantee you'll find your children are willing helpers!

	Mini optical mouse Because, let's face it: how would you feel if your mouse was twice as big as you hand? And this one doesn't have a rollerball to get clogged up with dirt.

	Step stool You probably already have a stool in the bathroom for your child. How about one in the kitchen? Then instead of thinking in terms of occupying him with a video or TV while you prepare meals, he can be entertained by watching his wonderful mommy at work. Get your children involved in food preparation and putting away dishes and setting the table as early as possible. Find ideas on how in my book, Mommy, Teach Me!.

	Reading Nook Chair This bean bag chair is just an example, but any kind of child-sized chair will do. As an encouragement to independent reading (even before your child can read the words), create a cozy reading nook with a small shelf for books, a comfortable chair (think what makes you comfortable for reading and then translate that to child-sized), a picture or two of peole reading - Fragonard's Girl Reading, for example. Make sure the lighting is good - maybe near a sunny window?

	Coat Hooks This is just an example - choose whatever fits your budget and decor. If you come across these at a garage sale or thrift store, snatch them up. Mount at kid level by front and back door and teach your child to take responsibility for putting on his jacket to go outside, then taking it off and hanging it up himself. Shoes or boots can be placed neatly below.

	Frame Starter Kit Here's how cheap it is to get started on framing low-cost art for your child to enjoy at her eye-level. Twenty bucks for ten frames - you can hardly beat that! Target and WalMart are great sources for low cost frames. And what to frame? If you save greeting cards, rummage through for ready-to-frame-and-hang pictures, or search amazon.com for "art card."

	Laminator A splurge item that will pay for itself eventually - especially if you have more than one child. A laminating machine will enable you to laminate some of your child's learning materials - matching cards, for example - to give them a longer life. I also laminate pictures from National Geographic and display them like art or color code by continent, keeping an envelope for each continent - giving my children a visual sweep of what life is like in other lands.

	Six Van Gogh Cards Here's a start on getting those eye-level pictures for your child to enjoy (after all, he can't see what you hang at yours!). A nice idea is to put a picture of someone reading near your child's reading nook, a picture of the outdoors near her coat hooks. You can laminate or frame with inexpensive frames from Target. For more artists, search "art cards" at amazon. For larger pieces, click on posters.com on my left sidebar.

	Shelves Have at least one set of low shelves to hold your child's puzzles, manipulatives, and even the special Montessori-based exercises you can put together yourself with the help of my book Mommy, Teach Me!. Look for laminate so they can be wiped down. Some Scandinavian design stores offer nice white bookcases with just one or two shelves, but you can buy extra adjustable shelves to maximize your space.

	Just Like Mommy Vacuum From the time they're able to walk, kids want to do everything mommy does. My advice: grab that eagerness and run with it. My little ones have LOVED a vacuum like mommy"s and pull it out whenever the big one is going - now usually under the steam of a big brother or sister. As soon as they are big enough to handle the weight (around 8), turn the big vacuum over to them. Never vacuum again!

All written content is © Barbara Curtis www.mommylife.net

Mommy Life

Montessori megamom serves up smorgasbord of parenting, cultural, political, and spiritual wisdom. Because she can.

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