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Wee Wednesdays at the IMA

If you’re looking for a way to introduce art into your child’s life, greater Indianapolis has got you covered with Wee Wednesdays at the IMA! My favorite spot to learn about art is the Indianapolis Museum of Art but it’s not easy to be immersed in a painting or sculpture while shushing my two year old as she’s trying to climb the dragon vase. Thankfully the IMA shares my passion for children exploring the arts and has many options for families to explore the museum and grounds. We’ve been to the museum on Family Day, seen Saturday morning movies and just had the opportunity to check out Wee Wednesdays. Their programs range for children of all ages but Wee Wednesdays is perfect for my almost 3 year old.

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What is ‘Wee Wednesdays’?

Wee Wednesdays is geared for children 2-5 but don’t let that stop you from bringing your younger children. There were several families that had their babies in a carrier or stroller while their toddler was able to be a part of the activities. You’ll meet Ashli in the lobby who will give your child an art smock as well as a name tag. If your child is like mine, and new to the program, they will refuse the smock and put their name tag on you. You’ll then head upstairs to the Star Studio Classroom  where the guide will explain to the children what they’ll be looking for in the gallery by way of song. Our song was telling us we’d be looking for pets throughout the art work. 

Off we went to the galleries with a photo in hand where the guide would have the children look at the photo and find that art piece within the gallery. Once all of the children had found the piece she would give a background on the piece in a way they found interesting.

The children loved circling up for story time right in the middle of the gallery to listen to a story called The Moose Belongs to Me. One piece of pottery we were looking for had a painting depicting a goat standing under an arch to symbolize it’s home. This piece of art lead us right back to the Star Studio where we made habitats for the finger puppet pets we were given.

We all talked about habitats and what that animal might need to survive in their home. I was very pleased with the integration of art education and nature at a level the toddlers could understand. It’s no surprise this event sells out within hours of it’s announcement.

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It was coming close to nap time but we couldn’t leave without a short round of mini golf (free with admission). Although she was no Tiger Woods, she giggled with excitement at each new hole we came upon. You can also find a snack bar outside at the mini golf area but we opted to have lunch at the IMA Cafe. The food at the IMA Cafe is delicious but next time I’d like to pack a picnic to enjoy at one of the gardens or 100 Acres.

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More Information

Wee Wednesdays runs every Wednesday from 11a-noon at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The Museum is located at 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208. Meet in the lobby with activities taking place in the Star Studio.  $8 Members | $12 non-members | Free for grown-ups and children under 2 (ticket required). Registration for this even it required and it sells out within hours of the announcement. Unfortunately the remaining dates through December of 2016 are sold out but you can sign up for the newsletter to be first informed for the next session. To be placed on the waitlist email weewednesdays@imamuseum.org. For more information, visit imamuseum.org or call (317)- 923-1331

 

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7 Skills Every Toddler Should Have

In the beginning of our relationship, my husband and I talked about whether we wanted kids and how many. We both agreed two or three would be a good number for us and we can re-assess once we’re parents. It took about two years after having Sophie to be brave enough to realize I can go through another pregnancy. We’re not sure when, but we’ve decided that it is important to us to give her a sibling. Being the overly prepared Girl Scout that I am, I’ve thought endlessly about what age Sophie should be when we have our second child, what time of year I’d like to have the baby and financially what makes the most sense. My biggest concern was making sure Sophie wasn’t rushed out of being ‘the baby’. I wanted her to want to be the big helper once her sibling comes along rather than feel rejected. I’m positive she’ll feel jealous at times but spreading their ages apart makes us more confident in her approach to the new situation.

7 skills every toddler should know

We also kept in mind the difficulty of taking care of two children who need constant supervision. I wrote down the skills that I wanted to make sure Sophie possessed before we had our second baby.

7 Skills Every Toddler Should Have

  1. Self Soothing- When your child is a baby, you taught him how to self sooth through the night. When they’re toddlers, they may need a refresher course on how to find their ‘happy place.’ Maybe having a calm spot to snuggle, a favorite song to sing or a blanket to hold will be what they need to settle down. Being a toddler is rough. Not knowing how to communicate feelings, or worse, not knowing why these feelings are happening is frightening. Help them to re-learn how to self sooth and you’ll both be happier.Self Soothing Toddler
  2. Mini Chores- I think mini chores are a really fun part of toddler-hood. They’re so eager to help mom and dad at this age, so let them! We often let Sophie help make dinner which results in her eating more food. She is able to chop fruits and veggies, measure, mix and pour ingredients. For her birthday we asked for mini-tools so she helps us rake leaves and sweep the floor. Although a task may take a little longer for us to complete, it helps her see that we help each other and clean up after ourselves.
  3. Staying in a Designated Area- I learned the importance of this crucial skill last summer when I cut my foot while cooking in the kitchen. I was so thankful she listened when I told her to stay put because there was broken glass on the floor. It’s also important when telling our kids to stop before running into the street or to stay away from a hot oven. They’ll understand to trust us when we urge them to stay away from danger, such as entering a sleeping baby’s room.
  4. Self Eating- Having to feed two kids just seems like a nightmare. We’ve worked with Sophie to let us know when she’s hungry, choosing what she wants to eat and taking her dishes to the dishwasher. Having her vocalize that she’s hungry helps to prevent melt downs. She makes messes constantly but she knows to wipe up after herself or ask for help if the task is too large. Self Eating Toddler
  5. Object Identification and Retrieval- This is most helpful when we’re trying to get out the door for school in the morning. Asking her to pick out her outfit helps her understand that she has choices and we respect her choices. Knowing how to pick up her toys and throw them in the bin before bed is a huge help and will be even more important when there is a baby taste testing everything on the floor. I’m especially looking forward to her running upstairs to grab a diaper if there aren’t any downstairs when I need to change the baby.
  6. Independent Play- Independent play is currently our biggest challenge. Sophie is very much like me, in that she enjoys interaction with people, at the very least being next to someone at all times. We made the difficult decision to enroll her into Montessori schooling to encourage independence on a higher level. She’s excellent at working on her own projects at school but once she is home with us she has a difficult time being alone. I’ve been suggesting reading a book or working on a puzzle before coming to do an activity with me which works about half the time. There’s a fine line between making a toddler feel rejected vs encouraging them to try something on their own.Toddler Independent Play
  7. Self Awareness- Knowing their own strength is immensely important when it comes to physical contact between your toddler and your baby. Much like teaching a child the difference between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ texture, you can demonstrate ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ force. Sophie is currently learning this lesson as she often knocks over her friends while hugging them too hard. We’re teaching her that it’s ok to wrestle and hug rough with family but to be gentle with friends.

How far apart are your children? What ‘big sibling’ skills are you glad you taught your oldest before having your baby?

7 skills your toddler should have

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Surviving Disney World with a Toddler

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive compensation if you make a purchase using links below.
I want to start out by saying how absolutely perfect our trip was and that I wouldn’t change one thing about it. The reason I loved our trip, despite the tears and tantrums, was because I expected the worst. Not to say I was dreading our trip, knowing Sophie might not be her smiling self 100% of the time, but I was prepared for the melt downs. Surviving Disney World with a toddler is easy when you’re prepared to leave a show with a 30min wait time or know that she’ll only eat one bite of her $15 meal.

Disney with a toddler
Disney World with a toddler
I may have been, what some say as, over-prepared. Being a Girl Scout and ex-Disney cast member, I had thought of every possible disaster and had a plan to turn our frowns upside down. There were a few key tips that I want to share with you that may not make your vacation bliss, but will help in making it more fun for everyone. The goal is for both parents, siblings and toddlers is to have a magical time during their stay at Disney World!
Disney with a toddler

Surviving Disney World with a Toddler

  1. Hydrate. No matter what time of year you visit Disney World, you’ll need to stay hydrated from the sheer amount of walking. Some people bring filtered water bottles to the parks to re-fill as needed. We chose to carry a Camelbak bladder in a hiking backpack so we would have water any time we needed. Having it easily accessible to Sophie as we waited in lines was perfect. It also saved us money by avoiding sodas and juices in the parks.
    Disney World tips with a toddler
  2. Just do it. Go with the flow. If there’s something you think your toddler may or may not like, just try it. Sophie surprised us on the things she liked and didn’t like. For example, we thought she’d love the Festival of the Lion King and Frozen Sing-Along Celebration but both had fog that terrified her. Also, if there are rides they love, let them go multiple times. We did Teacups and Aladdin’s Carpet multiple times, yet she was afraid to go on Dumbo. Our plan was to have three must-do attractions each day and anything else was a bonus. Remember not all fights are worth a tantrum. Sophie wanted to wear her sweatshirt one morning when it was 80 degrees outside. We let her wear it and by the time we got to the parks she was ready to take it off. Our motto was ‘if it doesn’t hurt her, or someone else, let her do it’ (to a degree). She was the star of the show during the Enchanted Tiki Room because she was singing and dancing in the aisle. She wasn’t bothering anyone and it made her (and the rest of the visitors) happy. We went on this trip to see Disney World through her eyes.
    Disney with a toddler
  3. Bring your own. I did a lot of research ahead of time regarding bringing our own stroller. I had been wary because Sophie always refuses her stroller, wanting to be independent and walking on her own. We decided to bring it to make the airport experience easier and are so glad we did. Sophie’s City Select Stroller was the perfect stroller to take with us. She loved riding in it because she could climb up on her own and it was comfortable. The stroller was heavy enough to hold our rain cover and our backpack without tipping. We attached a Fetch locator  in a discrete location so we would be able to locate our stroller via our phones if it got stolen. I also wanted to make sure we would be able to easily spot it in the line up of identical strollers by tying a tassel of colorful ribbons to the handle. If you’re not comfortable bringing your own stroller, there are several stroller rental places in Orlando that will deliver to your hotel. They’re much easier to manage and more comfortable than the park’s plastic strollers.
    Disney with a toddler
  4. Nap. My biggest tip to anyone who asks me for advice on their Disney vacation is to nap, no matter their age. Every trip we’ve taken, we wake up early to be there at park opening,  have lunch at the resort, nap or lay by the pool during the hottest part of the day and head back for Extra Magic Hours. Unless you’re used to high sensory during your every day life, you’ll need a break from the sensory overload that the parks bring. If your kids no longer nap, a relaxing walk around your resort, cartoon watching or reading books will help them last until the end of the night without breaking down from exhaustion. If you’re only in the parks a few days and don’t want to take time to nap, plan to do calm rides in the middle of the day such as TTA, Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress or the Monorail.
    Disney with a toddler
  5. Embrace the rain. It rains a lot in Orlando. During certain seasons it rains every day at 3 o’clock. The slowest season is hurricane season (for a reason), which is when we always visit. Don’t let the rain stop you from enjoying your time in the happiest place on earth. Bring your own poncho or buy the Mickey Mouse ponchos in the park to keep as souvenirs. If your kids won’t wear their poncho (like mine) it’s warm enough that it’s ok if they’re wet for a little while. I remember going as a kid and loving that it rained because all you saw was a sea of yellow ponchos everywhere! The rain also clears a lot of people out of the parks meaning shorter wait times. If you’re sure you don’t want to get caught in the rain, have a few inside attractions set aside to visit while it rains.
    Disney with a toddler

We would love to be able to visit Disney World every year but realistically can not. We will be better prepared for our next trip by learning from our trip this past September. We will probably wait until Star Wars and Pandora construction is done before going next (if I’m able to stand waiting that long). What are your biggest tips when traveling to Disney World with kids?

For more Disney vacation tips, check out my favorite Disney World pins:



Tips for taking your toddler to Disney world

Disney with a toddler

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Halloween Ghost Toddler Shirt

This past week we had a ton of fun celebrating fall break. Since we’ve been working so hard on the house lately, I wanted to take time to really focus on our friends and family. We started the week by celebrating Sophie and her Great Grandma’s (91) Birthdays in Chicago. I had a fun Girl’s Morning Out with my niece Fiona by getting a manicure at the cutest nail salon. We picked up Sophie and went to explore the 1830s at Conner Prairie. That night we made these cute Halloween ghost shirts with the girls, played board games, and had our first cousin sleepover at our new house. The rest of the week was spent visiting with friends at Conner Prairie and The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. We finished the week off by more Birthday celebrations at my parent’s house.

Fall Break Activities with Kids

Today I’m over at my friend Jocelyn’s site, Home Tome to share how I made this adorable Halloween ghost toddler shirt with Sophie and her cousins. It was a super easy project but was very helpful to have a second set of hands to help me because our artists ranged from age 1 to 5 years.
Halloween Ghost Craft

Halloween Ghost Shirt
 Halloween Ghost Shirt
 Halloween Ghost Shirt

What did you do on your fall break? I’d love to know about any Halloween crafts or treats you made!

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How to Make Time for Creativity with a Toddler

Do you ever feel in a slump and wonder what’s going on? You’ve been eating well, exercising regularly, sleeping well but are just feeling drained. It may be the lack of creativity that you’ve been experiencing. Having kids definitely makes creating for yourself more difficult but it is far from impossible. Like I’ve said multiple times, you’ve got to take care of yourself before taking care of others. This includes feeding your creative soul.

project life

I want to share 8 ways on how to make time for creativity with a toddler because that is what I’m experiencing in my life presently.  Hopefully you’ll be able to utilize these tips whether you have no kids, a baby or older kids.

How to Make Time for Creativity with a Toddler

    1. Set a timer. I bought the Datexx Cube Timer when Sophie was younger to help me manage cleaning. I felt overwhelmed with watching her so closely 24 hrs/day and having to keep the house up. I would set the timer for 15-20 minutes and do a quick clean and was much more efficient. The same method could be used for creating. Find 15 minutes or an hour each day to do something creative.
    2. Have a ‘sit by me’ activity on hand. If your toddler is not quite ready to play alone, create ‘sit by me’ activities to have on hand to allow you to do independent crafts near each other. Creative with Kids has a few great ideas that are inexpensive and have easy clean up.
    3. Schedule creativity. Sometimes you have to schedule in fun. This also means you have to say no to invitations to make sure you’re leaving enough time for yourself. When we were in the moving process the only thing that kept me sane was scheduling in fun by literally writing it on the calendar. It did not matter how many boxes needed packed or how much cleaning needed to be done, I stuck to our ‘mandatory fun’ schedule to relieve stress. I’ve also been known to buy online classes for myself so I would be more excited to work on a specific craft. I have my eye on Scrapbook Design & Storytelling: Beyond the Basics and Crochet: Basics & Beyond for this winter.
    4. Make creativity a routine. It sounds silly to think about an activity that is based on feelings, spontaneity and whims should be a routine but it really helps. Once you start making creativity a priority and a part of your life, you will realize how important it is for your happiness.
    5. Set up a craft day with friends. Maybe you feel guilty taking time to do crafts by yourself when you feel you should be with your toddler. Why not do creative activities with friends hitting two birds with one stone. Some of my favorite past craft projects were because I was creating with friends.
    6. Create a ‘self creativity zone’ for your toddler. If you have an easily accessible, safe area that is toddler friendly, set up in your home, it will encourage your toddler to be creative on their own. Toddlers love mimicking their parents. Having their own area to create will encourage them to follow your lead. Tinkerlab has a great post on creating a ‘self creativity zone‘ and other articles on why creativity for kids is important.
    7. Have materials easily accessible. Not everyone is fortunate to have a studio or their own room specifically for crafts. You don’t need an entire room, but a space dedicated to being creative will help make creativity more spontaneous. Organize your craft supplies in a way that makes it easy to grab the materials you’ll need for a project. The small amount of time you have for crafting will be used for creating rather than searching for your supplies.
    8. Go out! If you don’t have a space that you can dedicate to your craft, go out to be creative. Paint pottery, do a wine and canvas night or even sign up for a college art class. I’ve taken photography, art, belly dancing and horticulture through a local community college and it was a great way to keep me accountable in making time for a creative outlet. Libraries often have free sessions on creative endeavors as well.

There are countless ways to express your creativity. I’ve read several books on time management and really enjoyed my last read called The Busy Mom’s Guide to Creativity. The book includes a workbook that helped me figure out what is most important in my life during this stage and how to make more time for those things. Take a good look at what you’re spending your time doing. There are several free time tracking apps that help you figure out how to better manage your time. You might only look at Facebook for a few minutes but when it’s 10 times per day, is it really a productive way to spend your time? Finding one hour in the span of a week should not be that difficult and you will likely notice that you’re more confident, more patient with your family and not as stressed. I’d love to hear ways that you make time for creative outlets or if you’ve read any time management books that have really helped shape how you spend your days.

For fun DIY craft projects, check my DIY Pinterest Board:

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