9 Birthday Gifts For Toddler Girls Under $30

Kids these days have absolutely everything under the sun! And not only that, but they get bored so easily and parents turn to iPads and TVs to entertain them. We’ve compiled this list of adorable rainbow inspired toddler girl birthday gifts to inspire your next birthday present to that niece or granddaughter you love so much!

1. Rainbow Snap Clips

Alice and Josie - $3.50

How can you go wrong with these adorable clips only $3.50 each! Check out Alice and Josie’s shop for even more great rainbow hair accessories and toddler girl birthday gifts!

2. Rainbow Lovey

Little Bows & Arrows - $24.99

Toddler moms know that a great lovey is an absolute must! There’s nothing more important than being able to comfort your toddler both around the house and when you’re on the go. This rainbow lovey by Little Bows & Arrows is adorable and super plush, perfect for that toddler girl birthday gift!

3. Rainbow Flash Cards

GoodnightFox - $10.00

Investing in a toddler’s education is high priority for mom! So if you’re shopping for your niece or granddaughter, mom will definitely appreciate educational toys. And what better way to help your little on learn than a gorgeous set of weather flash cards. Great for getting a head start on preschool, these flash cards feature all of the major weather systems in both English and Spanish.

4. Rainbow Rattle

Little Bows & Arrows - $3.50

Stroller and play gym toys are an absolute must-have gift for toddlers because they keep the kiddo entertained while mom is doing dishes and laundry. So if you want to make both baby and mom happy, you have to snag one of these adorable rainbow rattles from McAuley & Co for Baby.

5. Rainbow Silicone Bib

Spearmint Love - $15.99

Once your little one starts solids, all types of chaos breaks loose at home! So help out mom and her sanity with this awesome coral colored rainbow silicone bib. There’s nothing better than gifting your toddler with something that’s both practical and fashionable. And this bib makes the perfect toddler girl birthday gift!

6. Rainbow Memory Game

Goodnight Fox - $12.00

Nothing is better than that feeling when you find the perfect toy for your niece or granddaughter! Maybe she’s been super into unicorns and rainbows, mermaids or farm animals? Whatever she’s into, she’ll be obsessed with it for months. Check out this awesome collection of memory game sets in practically ever theme. You’ll be sure to find the perfect birthday gift for your baby girl! And not only that, they’re both practical (think independent play activity! hooray!) and educational (learning shapes, colors, letters, and more!).

7. Rainbow Bow

Little Bows & Arrows - $6.99

Okay so little girls and bows, does it get any cuter?! If the toddler girl in your life isn’t already obsessed with bows, you’re going to have to get her started with these adorable rainbow bows from Little Bows & Arrows. And once you start that bow collection, you’re not going to want to stop!

8. Rainbows & Unicorns Memory Game

Goodnight Fox - $12.00

Calling all rainbows and unicorns obsessed little girls! This unicorn memory game card set is the perfect toddler girl birthday gift! Maybe she’s having a unicorn themed birthday party and you need the perfect gift — look no further! This best seller keeps toddlers entertained while mom does chores and teaches kiddos words and image matching. This princess themed collection is perfect for little girls, she’s sure to love it! And it’s durable (19pt thick card stock!) and wipeable (slobber resistant).

9. Rainbow Bummies

The Purple Wagon Girls - $16.00

And last but not least, I’m totally obsessed with these rainbow bummies from The Purple Wagon Girls! They were launched as part of the Easter Spring collection, but I can’t wait for my babe to wear these throughout the summer. They’re super soft and stretchy and these rainbow colors are just to die for!

There you have it — 9 perfect rainbow-themed toddler girl birthday gifts! Ready to put together the best birthday gift bundle ever for your niece or granddaughter? Get started with some handmade educational gifts here.

Montessori Your Playroom in 5 Easy Steps

Montessori your play space in 5 easy steps!

A Montessori inspired play area encourages children to use their imagination through active play with open-ended toys. And if you love the modern minimalist aesthetic, the theory behind concentration on one toy or object at a time can really help declutter and organize your space. This email contains 5 easy steps toward decluttering your play space for a bright, minimalist modern aesthetic. 

Step 1:

Remove Passive Toys

It can be hard for you, let alone your kiddos to part with any beloved toys. But focus on removing passive toys (usually the plastic ones with flashing lights and sounds) because they encourage toddlers to sit back and watch.

In step 3, we'll replace these with engaging active toys that will inspire imaginative and interactive play.

Step 2:

Choose A Color Palette

Most playrooms use a brightly colored rainbow palette which is super fun and upbeat. If you want something slightly more sophisticated, try a refined palette of just a few soft pastel colors. Cool colors (like blues and purples) will have a calming effect. Warm colors (likes oranges and yellows) will have an energizing effect. Stay away from really bright saturated colors as they can tend to be overwhelming and overstimulating.

Check out my Pinterest Playroom board for more color palette inspiration!

Step 3:

Refresh Toys

Now that you have a color scheme in mind, it's time to refresh those toys. Tip: Using a neutral backdrop (like grey walls and white shelves) allows you to swap out the color palette as your kiddos get older so you're not stuck with the same theme forever.

The toys (and wall art) are going to bring color and vibrancy to the space. If you already have wooden toys and you're up for a DIY challenge, you can repaint them! Otherwise, I recommend checking out these shops:

• Bannor Toys makes everything from blocks to teether toys to rattles and they're all heirloom quality. Plus they make gorgeous muted tones!

• Pottery Barn Kids sells the bunny set featured above and I can personally say that the whack-a-ball makes my 5 month old giggle everytime!

• Grimms has the classic bright colored rainbow stacker and a monochrome collection.

• Etsy has A TON of handmade wooden rainbow stackers, cameras, and object toys and you'll be supporting a small shop!

• Melissa & Doug has an amazing XL wooden toy train that brings a nice pop of light blue to your space.

Step 4:

Organize and Display Toys

Now it's time to artfully display each toy on the shelf. Beware of overcrowding! Remember, we want toddlers to focus and explore one object/toy at a time, so consider displaying one toy per shelf. Now of course, you're going to have more toys than shelves, so I recommend grouping toys and storing them in tasteful bins and/or drawers.

Some of my favorite toy shelves:

• This Aspect Modular set from Crate & Barrel is bomb! You can rearrange and repurpose as your child gets older.

• The Cameron Storage set from Pottery Barn gives you even more options for hiding and displaying books and toys.

• The IKEA Kallax is pretty standard if you don't want to get too pricey, but in my opinion, it's a bit overdone. I'd opt for something with a bit more visual interest.

Step 5:

Accessorize (minimally!)

To pull the space together, we need more than just the focal point of the book/toy shelf (although that's a great start!). Based on your color palette, choose a few key accents that will bring the space together. I recommend one or two from the following categories.

Accessories:

• Accent Piece: An accent furniture piece like a pouf or a chair in one of the colors from your room. For example, I love the mint pouf from Crate & Barrel.

• Wall Art: Playroom wall art or posters will tie all of the colors together! You can find great prints in a variety of color schemes on Etsy -- and I'd be happy to make you something custom from my shop's Toddler Art section.

• A Rug: If you have a small play space or it's adjacent to another room (like a dining room) a colorful rug can help define the space's boundaries and bring an instant pop of color and fun.

Tips & Tricks

Get started without buying anything new!

• Hide the ugly: If you have a toy your toddler absolutely loves, don't feel bad about not keeping it on the shelf. Make it a hide-and-seek game for special occasions. 

• Organize books by color: This is a super easy trick to instantly tame the chaos. Pick the books with binding that matches you color palette and arrange lightest to darkest. Hide the rest and you'll have instant cohesion!

• Add a blanket: After so recently being in newborn land, you're sure to have an extra blanket around in your theme color. Use it as a throw over a chair, folded in a lower shelf or hanging just over the edge of a bin to bring a pop of color to the space.

There you have it! For more great Montessori Playroom Inspiration, follow me on at pinterest.com/goodnightfox

5 Reasons Why Flashcards Are The Best Toddler Gift

Nowadays, everyone is looking for the best alternatives to the brightly colored, flashing lights, noise-making children’s toys that quickly become junk around the house or garage sale items within a few years. From Montessori style wooden toys and games to gifting experiences instead of toys, everyone is on the hunt for wholesome alternatives to the traditional toy store run two days before you need that birthday party gift. And of course, there’s always the fallback of ordering a great children’s book on Amazon :). But what about good old fashioned flashcards?! Here are 5 reasons why I think flashcards should be at the top of your shopping list if you’re looking for a great gift for a toddler.

1. They’re education wrapped in fun

Babies are never too young to start learning the alphabet, recognizing shapes and colors or even making neural connections by looking at black and white images. Flash cards can literally be used to teach anything and they’re the perfect way to get shot-attention spans to concentrate on one thing at a time.

2. They’re great on the go

You can take flashcards anywhere and as long as they’re super thick and durable like these ones, they make the perfect entertainment. Reaching for that cellphone to entertain your toddler in line? Grab a compact set of flashcards instead. Kiddos can look at the images, practice words and colors, all while you’re running errands. Most flashcards even come with a binder ring so that you can keep them all together without carrying around the box or bag that they came in! Imagine taking on-the-go education to the extreme with Whitney and her family who homeschool’s on the road.

3. They make great nursery or playroom decor

If you’re not taking them out and about, flashcards make the most adorable nursery or playroom decor. You can use them for practical purposes like hanging above a changing table to keep little minds occupied during diaper duty. Or you can use them as an adorable border around the room, hanging mosaic, or even and inexpensive alternative to framed prints. You can easily decorate a room with just one set!

4. They grow with your child!

You’re never too old (or too young) for flashcards! Babies can use them as something to look at on the floor during tummy time. Or you can hold them up during bottle feeds or activity time! Toddlers get a kick out of laying them out or flipping through them with mom or dad and trying to identify objects and words. And as they grow and learn, concepts can become more challenging. Or you can even start asking kids to not only identify the object, but spell the word, spell it backwards, or identify it after only a few seconds of seeing it. If you get a little creative, you can easily make the same set of flashcards span years of learning and development!

5. Great for bilingual language learners

Whether you have a bilingual household or you’re just trying to introduce new languages at an early age, flashcards can be a great way to expose children to the sounds and syllables of multiple languages. And they’re a great reminder for mom and dad to be teaching basic words in alternative languages! Investing in multiple language development is critical in a child’s early years, so what better way to do it than a good set of multilingual flashcards!

So there you have it! Flashcards are probably the last gift on any child’s mind, but they’re such a great activity to introduce of love of learning and play at an early age. So if you’re looking for a toddler Easter gift or you have a first birthday party coming up, consider including a set of these flashcards in your Montessori inspired toddler gift basket.

DIY Winter Onederland Birthday Party Theme

I absolutely love party planning and party decor! It’s so much fun and so rewarding to look back at photos and see those bright smiles amongst the beautiful party decorations. And what could be more fun for a Winter Baby than a Winter Onederland theme?! Check out the list below for some awesome inspiration for your kiddo’s party.

What I Wish I Knew About Breastfeeding

Dear soon-to-be momma,

Here’s what I wish I knew about breastfeeding and why I’d never do it again. I hope this helps you make an informed choice about your own plans to feed baby.

I never researched breastfeeding. I just assumed it came with the baby-having territory. And I was far too preoccupied with the pain of labor and delivery to even think about what breastfeeding would be like. And heck, I don’t know, I guess I thought the worse thing that could happen would be milk not coming in or baby not latching in which case I would cut my losses and move to formula. I, of course, read the headlines “Living your life in 3 hour increments” but I didn’t do extensive research and I didn’t read real stories of real mom’s experiences with breastfeeding and pumping exclusively.

Oh boy did I have another thing coming! I’m writing this now because I want every new mom to make an intentional choice about breastfeeding with all of the facts. Not just some surface level cliche about “fed is best” or “breast is best”. It’s not just about your moral belief in the right thing to do for baby. Or even the science of the best way to feed. Breastfeeding is a commitment your whole family is making and it’s worth being intentional about making that choice. If I had known what it would really be like, I would have opted out up front.

If I had known what breastfeeding would really be like, I would have opted out up front.

1. Your boobs aren’t yours

And no, I don’t mean they’re a precious gift you’re sharing with your child. I mean the nurses at the hospital are handsy-AF. I went in thinking I would of course try breastfeeding because that’s just what you do. But the hospital staff push it on you so hard it’s as if there’s no other way. They accost you with their grabby hands pinching and squeezing your nipples to get colostrum out and cheer when you get a single drop (which didn’t look like it could feed an ant let alone a 6lb baby). And when day two rolled around and my milk still hadn’t come in and I was worried about my crying, born-slightly-small infant getting enough nutrients, formula wasn’t even an option. We asked if they would bring us formula just to hold her over until my milk came in and instead, the nurse came back with a breast pump kit and said, “here let’s try pumping instead”. I’m like what!? I need to feed this screaming baby!! So not only do I feel like crap for not making milk, but I have to convince the hospital staff that my baby needs to be fed. 

Gather round everyone! It’s time to pump!

2. You might not love being suckled

There I said it. I didn’t fall in the love with the feeling of my baby suckling my breast. Honestly, it felt kind of awkward and uncomfortable. Yes, at first, it’s painful and your nipples hurt. But I tried nursing my babe from the boob many times throughout my pumping exclusively journey and it just never felt right to me. So if you’re a new mom and you’re not in love with being suckled and milked like a cow, that’s okay! That’s what pumping exclusively is for!! #jokingnotjoking

3. It’s an ADDITIONAL full time job

So like I said, I didn’t really know what I was getting into. And while I’d read that breastfeeding was living life in 3 hour increments, I honestly thought “So what’s the big deal with that? I currently live life in 1 hour incremental meetings every day at work.” What I didn’t realize is that’s it’s a whole job on top of being on mom duty 24-7. And I had help!! That’s right — I had family in town doing the day shift and an incredible husband who did everything else around the house. And yet my life consisted solely of the pumping, feeding, changing, consoling schedule that everyone talks about. The thing is, that sequence makes it sound so simple (albeit monotonous). It really is more like juggling than a sequence. Here’s some examples:

• Holding wailing infant who can’t hold her own head up balancing in one arm while trying to pull a bottle out of the fridge and pop it in the warmer.

• Changing a blow out diaper in one room when new clothes are in the other but you can’t leave baby on the changing table so you have to hold poo covered infant while dancing around the house because you have to pee yourself.

• Holding a bottle for baby in one hand while attaching breast pumps to your boobs and trying to eat lunch so that you don’t miss a meal.

Anyway, you get the picture. It’s literally trying to do 3-5 things at once with only two hands. Which by the way, holding an infant takes two hands! I can only imagine what single moms must go through — they’re true magicians.

It’s a whole job on top of being a mom 24-7

There literally isn’t time for anything else. And of course, as soon as you put baby down for a nap and you think you have a precious few moments to yourself, think again! I can’t even tell you how many times I started cleaning up one mess, throwing in a load of laundry, putting away a dish or two only to be promptly summoned back to my babe. It’s more physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting than any job I’ve ever had. And the pressure to produce the right amount and make sure baby is happy and healthy weighs down on you like a ton of bricks.

Pumping while trying to hold and console my little one.

4. It’s a giant pain in the boob

This should really be number one. CLOGGED DUCTS!!! If you’ve had ‘em, you know what I mean, enough said. But if you’re about to have a baby and you haven’t read up on clogged ducts, they are, in my humble opinion, THE WORST thing about breastfeeding. Imagine being so sore, so tender, and so engorged, with boobs that are harder than rocks that trying to hold and console your crying infant on your chest hurts like a mother! Not to mention the feverish chills and night sweats you get as a result. I tried everything I possibly could to avoid them: I drank orange juice, I took sunflower letchin (which definitely helped by the way), I avoided lactation muffins/cookies, I pumped regularly like clock work. And still, I would end up with throbbing shooting pain in my boobs and armpits so intense that even lifting up my arm hurt.

Clogged ducts were the reason I decided to quit breastfeeding.

I’m sure everyone is different, but by the seventh or eighth time I got clogged ducts, I was done. It was the straw that broke the camels back. And I was ready to quit breastfeeding. But...

5. Once you start you can’t just stop

That’s right! Breastfeeding is the gift that just keeps on giving. Deciding to stop was not an easy choice. I cried for days feeling guilty about giving my 3 month old formula (I’m not even sure why — I jumped at the chance to give it to her on day one!) Part of me didn’t want to give up producing for her, part of me felt like formula was too expensive, and yes, part of me wanted to keep burning calories to lose the baby weight. But it came down to this: I knew I had precious little time to enjoy my infant and I didn’t want to waste it being in pain or resentful. It wasn’t worth not being able to hold and snuggle her up to my chest.

Part of me didn’t want to give up producing for her, part of me felt like formula was too expensive, and yes, part of me wanted to keep burning calories to lose the baby weight.

Turns out deciding to quit was relatively easy compared to actually making it happen. And it would have been harder if my babe was on the boob. Luckily she was on a bottle pretty much from day one and she took to formula just fine (In fact I swear she likes it better that breastmilk!). Weaning her wasn’t the issue, but weaning myself was! I started by trying to eliminate pumping sessions and space them out. I was pumping 8 times throughout the day and night. But every time I tried to reduce my pumping time, my boobs would just feel uncomfortably full and I had to pump longer just to get relief to be able to fall asleep. (Meanwhile still juggling warming bottles and feeding baby).

6. Don’t cry over spilled milk?!

And as if all of that wasn’t enough, there’s the minutia, the logistics of breastfeeding that turned it from glorious motherly bonding to middle of the night nightmare. Like the fact that it’s impossible to pour and measure milk from one bottle to another in the pitch black room required to keep your babe asleep. And the fact that when you inevitably spill 5oz of your precious liquid gold you’re going to feel like screaming, but you can’t because, well, sleeping baby and now you need to wash the sheets! Or how about the bazillion bottles and pump parts that need cleaned after every single pump.

My go-to pumping setup.

And let me tell you, I spared no expense in trying to make the pumping game easier. I started out with the Lansinoh Electric Pump. Which worked great but with all of the parts is was a pain in the rear to clean. And I constantly felt tethered to the outlet. So I bought the Lansinoh hand pump to have so that I could actually leave the house, but again, so many parts to clean and dry. Then I thought I would take the plunge and try the Willow in-bra pump. Not only did it pinch my nipples like crazy, but again, the parts were so intricate and hard to clean, not to mention the fact that turning it over and getting the liquid to stay sealed in was a complete mess. Talk about not being able to see and manage pumping at night! Finally, I read great things about the Haakaa pump and I thought, what the heck, let’s give this a try. I liked that I could pretty much lay down in any position and the suction was strong enough to hold it on. But it wasn’t pulling out as much liquid as the Lansinoh and it was taking twice as long. So the freedom to move freely wasn’t worth the cost of the time it was taking.

I even bought myself a sweet water bottle to cure my extreme thirst while pumping!

Needless to say, I feel like I gave it a good college try, and still, there isn’t a gadget in the world that could make pumping exclusively not feel like an incredibly time consuming and exhausting adventure. Every time I have to put the pump on, I cringe and have to give myself a little pep talk.

Now, I know that everyone’s experience is different. Just like every baby is different, every momma is different. And I chose to pump exclusively which was twice the amount of work in many ways. But I wish I had known what I was getting myself into — I wish I had done as much research about breastfeeding as I did about labor and delivery. I wish I had known about the lifestyle choice I was making (not just for me but for my family — ie poor husband who washes all bottles and pump parts for me!) Breastfeeding is an enormous (and so far never-ending) commitment. And if I had it to do over, I would have kept my boobs and my sanity to myself. Taking care of an infant is hard enough — and being able to love and comfort her for me, outweighed any benefit she was getting from my milk.

So please soon-to-be-mommas our there, read up on breastfeeding! Go in eyes wide open knowing that you will of course make the best decision for you and your family with as much information as you can!

Sincerely,

A mom who tried

P.S. I’m writing this as I deal with the worst clogged duct I’ve had to date. My entire left boob is swollen and hard and my armpit is in so much pain I can’t even lift it to put on a hot compress. I still haven’t been able to ramp down my pumping beyond 40mins 4 times a day.

Easter Gifts Ideas for Babies & Toddlers

Looking for that great gift for the little ones in your life without breaking the bank? Here’s a collection of some super unique gift ideas from my favorite brands that’ll make a super cute themed Easter Basket for your little babe. Our family loves the 4 gifts (Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read) theme, so I’ve organized these baskets to hit each one. I like to go for quality over quantity, so these baskets have a few items that your little ones will love without going overboard on candy or extra toys.

Best Baby Girl Easter Basket

• Pink Wooden Rattle - Bannor Toys - $17 (Something you want)

• Pink Cutie Pat by Ryan & Rose - Amazon - $32 (Something you need)

• Sunshine Bib Set by Copper Pearl - Amazon - $25 (Something to wear)

• Animal Memory Game - GoodnightFox - $10 (Something to read)

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Best Baby Boy Easter Basket

• Blue Wooden Rattle - Bannor Toys - $17 (Something you want)

• Knit Stuffie Rattle - Amazon - $32 (Something you need)

• Kai Bib Set by Copper Pearl - Amazon - $25 (Something to wear)

• Animal Memory Game - GoodnightFox - $10 (Something to read)

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Woodland Animal Theme Easter Basket

• Blue Wooden Rattle - Bannor Toys - $17 (Something you want)

• Honey Bear Lovey - Slumberkins - $32 (Something you need)

• Isla Bib Set by Copper Pearl - Amazon - $25 (Something to wear)

• Animal Memory Game - GoodnightFox - $10 (Something to read)

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Big Easter Gift

Prefer one big gift? Whenever I share photos of my playrooms, parents ask me where I got this adorable jumbo wooden train set. It’s perfect for your montessori style playroom and makes a great Easter gift with it’s goregous soft pastel colors.

• Jumbo Wooden Train Set - Melissa & Doug - $35

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Lavender Lilac Baby Easter Basket

• Slumberkins Book

• Little Sleepies Lilac Zippies

• Bannor Toys Lilac Rattle

• Cuddle & Kind Deer Plush

• GoodnightFox Safari Animals Flash Cards

• Ryan & Rose Lavendar Cutie Pat Pacifier

Sunny Days Yellow & Mint Nursery

Yellow & MINT Sunshine NURSERY

Ready to brighten up your child’s bedroom? I absolutely love this collection of gender neutral colors. A sweet pale banana yellow and calming mint make this room perfect for that gender surprise baby. Check out my Pinterest Board for more Yellow & Mint Nursery Inspiration.

THE ACCENTS

• Sunshine Prints by Goodnight Fox

• Mint Rug by Crate & Barrel Kids

• Mint Pouf by Crate & Barrel Kids

• Mint Shelves by Crate & Barrel Kids

For some great free nursery printables check out Mommy to Mom’s post.

Yellow and mint are two colors that can create a warm and inviting atmosphere in a baby nursery, whether the nursery is for a girl, boy, or gender neutral. These colors are known to promote feelings of happiness and calm, making them the perfect choice for a space where your baby will spend a lot of time.

One of the biggest benefits of using yellow and mint in a baby nursery is that they are both versatile colors that can be used in a variety of different ways. Yellow can be used as a bold accent color or as a softer, more subtle background color, while mint can be used as a soothing accent or a base color for the room. Together, these colors create a harmonious and cohesive look that is sure to please parents and babies alike.

Another benefit of using yellow and mint in a baby nursery is that they are both colors that are easy on the eyes. Yellow is a warm and inviting color that can help to promote feelings of happiness and positivity, while mint is a cool and soothing color that can help to promote feelings of calm and tranquility. This makes them the perfect choice for a space where your baby will be spending a lot of time, as they will help to create a peaceful and relaxing environment for your little one.

If you're looking for decor for your baby's nursery, be sure to check out our Sunshine nursery art prints. These prints are designed to complement the yellow and mint color scheme, and will add a touch of warmth and cheer to your baby's room. With a variety of designs to choose from, you're sure to find something that you and your baby will love.

In conclusion, yellow and mint are great colors to use in a baby nursery, with their warm and inviting atmosphere and easy on the eyes, they will make a perfect choice for your baby's space, to add a touch of warmth and cheer to your baby's room, be sure to check out our Sunshine nursery art prints, that will complement the color scheme and add a beautiful touch to your baby's nursery.

Bohemian Inspired Coral & Mint Nursery

CORAL & MINT NURSERY

Nothing is sweeter than a little bohemian inspired nursery! This collection has a tribal vibe and one of my favorite color combos, coral and mint. Check out my Pinterest Board for more Coral & Mint Nursery Inspiration.

THE ACCENTS

• Fox & Feathers Prints by Goodnight Fox

• Mint Rug by Crate & Barrel Kids

• Mint Pouf by Crate & Barrel Kids

• Feather Mobile by BohoFeatherDecor on Etsy

• Nursery Sign by ProjectNursery

For some great free nursery printables check out Mommy to Mom’s post.

DIY Classroom Valentines

Create your own kid’s classroom sticker Valentines

Love is in the air! It’s that Valentine’s Day season when all of the great little gifs and treats come out. Last year, I created these Kid’s Classroom Valentine Card sets for my shop GoodnightFox on Etsy. They were so much fun and so simple to make that I thought I’d share so that all of you crafty mommas out there can create them at home too!

Step 1: Choose stickers

This is the fun part — find some cute little 3” die cut stickers that you can use to fill each Valentine. You can go with a theme that your kid is loving at the moment or you can go completely random or if you’re really into gift-giving, you can let your kiddo choose a special sticker that would be meaningful to each of his/her classmates. And if you’re feeling extra crafty, you can even print your child’s artwork onto a set of custom die cut stickers. Just have your kid draw his/her favorite characters or objects, scan or take a high quality picture and upload them. I like to print mine at StickerMule because they do proofs within 4 hours and super speedy delivery. You can even get a free $10 credit and customer sticker samples 10 for $1.

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Step 2: Design the labels

Now all you have to do is create the labels or cards at the top. You can either get super creative and design them on your computer and print them out (as I did for my shop), or you can go hand-made and draw them and cut them out. Either way, they’re bound to have that personal touch. Once you have them cut out, simply fold them in half and use hot glue to wrap them around the cellophane sleeves.

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Step 3: Assemble

To get the look above, you’ll need to purchase these cellophane hang sleeve bags from Amazon. They’re perfect for 3” die cut stickers. Simply hot glue the labels to the top of the bag, making sure to have the front facing the opening of the bag. Then slip in your stickers, peel off the seal and fold it up. These are resealable so if you don’t get it right the first time, it’s easy to re-do. For an extra big of V-Day festivity, I like to include a bit of confetti. I went with hole punched pink and white paper, but you can choose whatever goes with your sticker theme.

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Ta-da! There you have it! The perfect candy-free kid’s classroom valentine’s treat that’s sure to please kids of any age.

For more sticker inspiration, check out these sticker sets:

• Farm Animals

• Woodland Animals

• Unicorns

• Dinosaurs

• Arctic Animals

• Mermaids
  
  

Farm Animal Valentines

Dinosaur Valentines

Popsicle Valentines

Zoo Animal Valentines

Safari Animal Valentines

Unicorn Valentines

January Favorites

Happy 2020! After years of trying (and drooling over sweet baby products), I finally brought my own sweet little Sofia into the world. And a long with her, a lot of learning experiences as a new mom and as a product person :). Here are some of my favorite baby products so far!

1. Bugaboo Fox - I’m in love with this stroller! Not only is it super sleek and narrow, but it rides super smooth. It takes a while to get used to the way it collapses, but other than that, it’s been perfect for our walks. We’ve put at least 4 miles a day on this baby since she was born and I have no complaints yet!

2. Copper Pearl Bandana Bibs - I didn’t even realize I would need bibs for my 2 month old! But I ended up exclusively pumping and not only do we go through 6-8 bottles a day, but between drool, spit up, and bottle flow issues, we go through at least 3-4 outfits a day. Adding the bibs into the mix got us down to 2 outfits a day which is HUGE because she only has 6 of each size. And well, you know, laundry.

3. Carters Pram Suit - I swear by this piece of clothing almost as much as the next one. Not only is it critical for keeping her warm on our morning walks in the 30-40 degree weather, but it also helps immensely with keeping her neck supported. At 2 months, she still feels so fragile, and having the extra bundle (without swaddling in her arms and legs) makes it so much easier to carry her around the house.

4. Carters Zip Up Sleep and Plays - Okay, so everyone told me and everything I read say to “buy a lot of onesies” or “you’ll go through a lot of onesies.” So I bought a ton! And in all different sizes and styles. Kimono, bottom snaps, side snap, long sleeve, short sleeve, etc. And the only thing I needed was Zip Up Footed Sleep and Plays. It’s way too cold for her to be in short sleeves and taking pants on and off and dealing with snaps is a major pain in the bum! So my first piece of advice to any new mom will be zipper sleep and plays!! And not the sleep sacks either — you’ll spend every burp trying to keep that sack from riding up — footed stays snug and keeps their little feet warm.

5. Izipizi Sunglasses - These are definitely a luxury item — but they are so darn cute!! Does she really need shades when her stroller has a cover? Not really, but I have to say I do love how they look and if it lets her get a better view of the big wide world then I’m all for it!