Material needed: empty shoe box, scissors, tape, construction paper, markers or crayons, variety of cards, envelopes and a small basket or box.

Directions for making a mailbox:

1. Cover the bottom section of the shoe box with construction paper.
2. Write names and an address on the side of the mailbox.
3. Cut a hole in the top section of the box. The hole should be big enough for envelopes to fit through. Place the top of the box onto the bottom section. Now you have a mailbox.
4. Designate a mailbox location. Make sure it’s within reach of your child.
5. Collect note cards, paper, envelopes and markers. Put them in a small basket near the mailbox.
6. Write a letter to your child and put it in the mailbox. She’ll be excited to open her letter from you. Encourage her to write back. For young children, scribbles, jumbled letters and pictures are all part of learning to write. No need to stress perfection. This is a time for your child to practice and have fun.

Need ideas for what to write? How about sending your child a thank you card for picking up toys? Or encourage your child to send an invitation to her teddy bears for a picnic.  Check out our selection of children’s stationery for even more ideas at amyadele.com. And enjoy sharing this family writing time together.

The post A Homemade Mailbox Promotes Letter Writing appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.

Cinco De Mayo translates in English to The 5^th of May.  It is not a celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day as many think. That is celebrated September 16^th.  Cinco De Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862.  In the beginning, it was a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla with limited recognition in  other parts of Mexico.  For more in-depth information on the interesting heritage of this holiday, click on this link for facts and history.

With a growing Mexican population in many areas locally, commercial interest groups have helped raise awareness of the holiday, with products and services focused on Mexican food, beverages and festivities, and music. Today, here in the United States, many celebrate this day along with our cultural neighbors with piñatas, candy, ice cold beverages and colorful fun decorations.

Here are some party ideas for your fiesta:

1.  A toe-tapping music CD packed with Mexican themed music can add a festive mood to the background of your party.

2. Mark off a wide area around your piñata for the safety of all your guests.

3. Mix up a large punch bowl of your favorite citrus punch to ladle out and garnish with limes. A simple mixture of lemon-lime soda and lime sherbet is delicioso!

4.  Make table centerpieces out of straw sombrero’s. Or use the sombrero’s lined with paper and filled with chips!

5.  Keep your food simple.  Tortillas, chips, salsa, a crock pot of cheese sauce, a few bowls of jalepenos are staples to begin with.  Make a taco bar with all the fixings!

Whatever you do, have fun and take some time to share a moment with your children to expand their appreciation for our neighbors to the south. Then, send out some invitations, put on your sombrero’s, hang the piñata, and serve up some colorful fun this Cinco De Mayo. Tener una gran fiesta del Cinco de Mayo!(Have a great Cinco De Mayo party!)

The post Fiesta de Cinco De Mayo! appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.

We have put a couple of ideas below that may help to spark your creative flair in saying thank you to the teachers of our future.

1. Volunteer! Volunteer! Volunteer!  Your time means more than you can imagine!

2.  Take pictures of your child during your visit to the classroom, on class outings or field trips.  Compile these in a small picture book and label each picture with the name of the child.  These can be saved for years.  With the labels, it makes it nice to reminisce when you can remember names.

3.  Personalized book markers.  Put a quote on one side and your child’s picture on the other.  Have your child hold a sign that says, “Mrs……. rocks!” for the picture.  You have a message within a message.

4. If you bake them food, keep in mind that they will politely accept it, but may not eat it as they may have dietary restrictions or allergies. If you do bake for them, keep it simple and present it in a container that they can keep and reuse; decorated mason jars are great!

5.    Get a metal pail/basket/box, fill it full of boxed candy, a few packages of microwave popcorn, a two-liter of soda pop, and an inspirational teacher movie.  Use a great thank-you card with a special inspirational memory your child had of them written on the inside.

6.  Many teachers spend money from their own pockets for supplies.  To that end, a gift card inserted in a personalized thank-you card would be most welcome!

7. Be bold!  Ask to access their wish lists from Amazon.  You may find a whole host of items there that they really want!

8. Put together a fun “Hello Summer!” package.  Wrap a beach towel, best seller novel, and a pair of flip-flops in a ribbon.  Give right before the break for summer time.

Regardless of what fun, unique and personal gift you decide on, a teacher needs to know that they are appreciated.  They work hard to ensure our future as a nation and your child’s success in all they do.

For more fun ideas and products, visit our website here.

The post Gifts for Teachers appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.

Underwater Telephone: This game is similar to the classic game of Telephone except that the secret sentence must be delivered under water and only the final response is to be announced out loud to the players.

Stuck in the Mud: This game involves a single person being elected as “it” whose job is to tag as many people as possible. Those who have been tagged are required to stand in the “mud” at the shallow end of the pool and wait until another player releases them by swimming under their legs.

Whirlpool: Participants can create a whirlpool by moving in a circle and gradually picking up the pace. After a few minutes, just stop moving and allow the force or the whirlpool to “carry” everyone in a circle around the pool.

Follow the Leader: Everyone takes turns being the leader by taking the other followers on a journey around the pool. Anyone who does not do exactly what the leader does is “out”.

The Invisible Bottle: Just remove the label from an old plastic bottle then fill it with pool water. Have the players turn around before tossing the bottle in the pool then have them race to find it first.

Dolphin Race: Players must race from one side of the pool to the other by pushing a beach ball with their noses only. Anyone caught using anything else is disqualified.

Secret Agent: Toss ping pong balls into the pool then have players race across the pool avoiding the “land mines”. The first to safely reach the finish line is the winner.

Number Crunch: Write numbers on ping pong balls with a permanent marker, toss them into the pool, and have players collect them and find the sum of the numbers. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Scavenger Hunt: Find sinkable but waterproof items from the house and toss them into the pool. Then have players dive to find specific items.

Ice-It: Add food coloring to ice cubes and toss them in the pool. The player who is able to collect the most cubes is the winner. This works well in kids’ pools, too.

Have a great time in your swimming pool and be sure to use these simple DIY pool games to bring the pool party back to your back yard!

The post 10 DIY Swimming Pool Games You Can Make with your Kids appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.

• What better way to celebrate mom than to throw her a party? Not a birthday party—which moms usually want to be adult oriented, anyway. This is a “thanks for being our mom” party. To make it more fun, maybe have your children each choose a best friend to join the party—bringing his or her mom, of course—so that there are more moms and kids to celebrate together. Your children can use our colorful invitations to invite their mom to this special party, and bake a cake or cupcakes—or whip up other special treats—to make mom feel special.
• Another personal Mother’s Day gift would be an outing to do something mom wants to do. Moms usually choose outings based on what her children can handle; here’s a chance for her to get the trip she wants—to a park, a museum, or something else that she will enjoy. If her children are a bit older, this is also a chance for them to recognize that they, too, can sacrifice their desires in order for mom to have a great time.
• Your children can also create fantastic and meaningful homemade gift cards for mom. These can be for something creative, like a free weeding of her garden (with mom supervising, of course, to make sure only weeds get pulled!) or a promise to do some chore without complaint, resistance or forgetfulness for the next month (such as keeping a clean room or taking out the garbage).

We feel that one of the most important gifts that any child can give his or her mother is, for just one day at least, not to take her for granted. So we suggest that fathers, and other family members, help your children think creatively about how to surprise mom with that Mother’s Day gift that will say “thank you”!

The post Encouraging Creative Mother’s Day Gifts appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.

• Encourage them to think about the good times that they have experienced in the city where you live now. Then have them do some online research to look for similar opportunities in the new city.
• If they’re younger, have them tell you bedtime stories about things they’ve enjoyed doing in your city. Then you do the online research and print pictures of places in the new city where they can go to have similar experiences.
• Have them make a list of things they’d like to try in that new city, and commit to doing one a month during your first year there. This has the added benefit of ensuring that you have some family activities lined up—and since your children made the list, it should be much easier to get them to go along with it!
• Purchase some of our children’s stationery and invite them to write a thank you note to each of their friends, neighbors and mentors. Remind them that it will be a chance to remember the good times, rather than focusing on their grief and anxiety about moving.
• Order some of our calling cards, with your children’s names and new address, and have your children enclose one in each thank you note, so that everyone knows how to keep in touch.
• For that BFF that your child is certain he or she cannot live without, teach your child the concept of a pen pal. Have your child give a package of our stationery to that BFF to encourage continued communication.
• Once you have moved, encourage your child to take those calling cards to school, church and sports practice, to share with the new friends that she or he is making.
• Keep up the bedtime stories routine in the new city, so that your children are reminded daily to find something to be thankful about in their new home.

Moving is stressful for all concerned. We hope that these tips will help you with the moving process, and also give you, as parents, reminders of the importance of being thankful.

The post How to Encourage Thankfulness When Moving appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.

A children’s party theme is important when deciding on what type of reception to have for your child. First you need to decide whether you are having the reception at a banquet hall, restaurant or at your home. Most parties are usually around lunch time so if you decide on a banquet hall or a restaurant it is nice to have a buffet. If you decide on having it at home you might consider having it catered. Remember to have foods children will enjoy such as finger foods. Oh, don’t forget the cake. Bakeries usually have a variety of designs which will fit perfectly with your theme.

There are many children’s party themes to choose from that will allow you to stay within your budget. Use colored balloon bouquets to decorate the cake table. You can also place the balloons throughout the party space which can be given to the children when the party ends. A banner is a wonderful focal point and it also welcomes the child of honor.

Games should be planned for a celebration with lots of children. Some ideas would be coloring, board games, bubbles and face painting.

Some ideas for First Communion gifts are a First Communion Rosary, First Communion Bible or prayer book. Jewelry is a beautiful gift for either a girl or boy. Another great gift is a First Communion Gift Set. This set can include a variety of rosaries, prayer books, bibles, crosses, scapulars, pins and candles; they all come in a neat little box. Other ideas are First Communion books, statues and figurines. Gift cards are always a nice gift.

When the celebration ends it is nice to pass out favors to your guests. Favors can be candles, prayer books, rosaries or personalized chocolate bars. Personalization of favors will remind guests of your child’s special day.

As with any party you will need invitations and thank you notes for this special occasion. We can help with many of the items required for this special day. Contact us and we will be happy to help you make this day one your child will remember as a very special celebration.

The post A Child’s First Communion Celebration appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Babies can’t handle too much stimulation right away, so don’t stress if you didn’t have time to hang pictures or butterflies and flowers from the ceiling. Focusing on one thing at a time is good enough for the baby. If there is a fan in the room, it is probably the only thing the baby will be looking at.

Take it Easy on the Colors

According to HGTV, newborns can only register the colors black, white and gray. But as their sight develops, the first color they recognize is red. Try not to over stimulate them, though. Red in a nursery can create confusion when it’s the only color they see. Try incorporating softer tones like blues, yellows, greens and pinks. You can mix and match different colors together, focusing on a main color for the blinds. For a girls room, pink or green blinds would look great.

Choose a Baby Changing Table With LOTS of Storage

Newborns go through a lot of diapers. I mean, a lot. Having a changing table with a lot of storage will allow you to have a few packs of diapers, wipes and a handful of towels handy and ready to be used at any moment. To make the process easier, try keeping diapers opened and stacked in a basket or drawer.

Storage Racks and Wire Baskets

Social sites like Pinterest showcase DIY nursery rooms, where parents have made their own storage shelving. It’s as easy as drilling a wire basket into the wall for a make-shift library or using a hanging shoe rack or a jewelry organizer for extra toys, blankets, lotions, powders or hair accessories.

Place a Day Bed in the Room

As nontraditional as it is, placing a day bed might be a good idea for first time moms who are getting up every two to three hours to feed or change the baby. It can be a great escape and prevent disturbing your sleeping beau. So, if you have the space, putting in a day bed might be a good idea. It can also become a toddler bed when your little one gets older. All you need is a railing to prevent him or her from rolling onto the floor during the middle of the night.

Your New Best Friend: The Rocker

You will quickly learn the importance of a rocking chair. It will soothe both you and your baby in the middle of the night during feeding times. Chairs  can vary from a large arm chair to a vintage wooden rocker — whatever you’re most comfortable with.

If you don’t have time or money to get everything for the nursery, stick to the basics. All you really need in your nursery is a crib, changing table with storage for diapers, wipes and ointment, a rocking chair, lamp, bedding, waste basket — or Diaper Genie — and storage for the clothes.

For more guidance in parenting, pick up Pastor Young’s book “The 10 Commandments of Parenting: The Do’s and Don’ts for Raising Great Kids” on Amazon.

The post Nursery Design Secrets Every New Mom Needs to Know appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.

The Treasure Hunt

This one’s a classic, and flexible in terms of setting.  Choose a large park with lots of grass, trees and play-structures; the beach, if you’re near the coast; or just spread the hunt across your own neighborhood.  Wherever you place it, a treasure hunt will get the kids outside, exercising and charged to use their critical thinking skills.

First things first, sit down and figure out your route.  How many clues do you want to place?  Remember that you will have to write some sort of riddle for each location, so don’t overextend yourself.  On the other hand, if you’re feeling particularly creative, go crazy!

After you’ve determined how many clues you want to place, write your starting clue.  Your starting clue should lead the kids to their next clue (you’ll then write a clue for each location).

Perhaps you want the kids to go, first, to the jungle gym.  For younger children, the clue can take the form of an image – maybe monkeys playing around (“how do monkeys play?” “they climb and swing in trees!” “what if there aren’t trees?” “the monkey bars!”).  For children who are just learning to read, a simple “Go where monkeys play,” might do, but to really challenge yourself (and the kids) trying writing the clue in a rhyme or in the form of a riddle.

Finally, choose a treasure.  Especially if the hunt gets difficult for the kids, they’ll need a reason to keep playing (and thinking!).  The treasure can be home baked cookies, your party bags, even the birthday cake and pile of presents.  Anything that’s exciting enough to keep them interested (and sometimes surprises are the most exciting of all).

Party Olympics

We all know kids have a lot of energy.  Now multiply that by all the kids in your child’s class.  So, at party time we have to ask, how do we harness that energy?  The Party Olympics theme is great because you can plan a list of activities and engage in as many, or few, as you have time for.  It also gets the kids moving and engaged in friendly competition.

Game ideas for party olympics include sack races, three legged races, hula hoop competitions, jump rope competitions, ring toss, spitting fruit loops into a bowl (good for less athletic kids), or even quick skit competitions for the more creative.  The list of possibilities is as endless as your imagination – and research ability, the internet is full of these.

Try to have small prizes (printed awards work great) for each event, and make sure every child gets a prize.  Expanding outside of the standard 1st, 2nd, 3rd places into “Silliest Faces,” “Loudest Laugh,” and “Best Team Player” really helps make all the kids feel special and successful.

Garden Tea Party

Okay, this one might be a little more specific, but whether because of Alice in Wonderland or those wonderful costume dramas, most little girls (and some boys) dream of hosting a real tea party.  This is a little more low key, though it still takes advantage of the sun.  Borrow some card tables and set them up in the back yard with tablecloths (or white, floral sheets if you haven’t got enough real cloths).  If you haven’t got lace, or you don’t want it ruined, buy a few packs of doilies at the dollar store.  Most children will love these just the same.

A pot of tea for each table is essential, and well decorated (if sturdy) tea cups for each child.  The secret to tea treats is, make them small. Sandwiches – peanut butter and jelly will do fine – with the crusts cut off and divided into four triangles, scones, mini cupcakes, tiny tarts, Madelines half dipped in chocolate.  Again, the list can be as long or short as you like and as adventurous as you feel ready for.  The internet is full of tea recipes, so explore!

Finally, and most importantly, make sure you give the children an opportunity to don the right attire.  At its heart, a tea party is a dress up party.  Include “appropriate dress” on the invitation, but then make hats, gloves, shawls, anything you can get your hands on, really, available at the door.  If there are a couple boys, make sure you have ties ready.  After the eating is over, the kids will have fun swapping outfits and continuing with the make-believe.

Whatever the theme you choose, represent it on your invitation.  A good graphic only enhances your young guests’ anticipation.

The post Outdoor Party Themes for Children appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.

I asked my friend how she instilled such a sense of thankfulness in her children. She said:

Every night, I tucked my children into bed and just before kissing them goodnight, I led them into their last thoughts of the day.

“Thank you for…”

And their small voices collected the list – what they were grateful for; who they were grateful for. It was usually a list of people and events and objects from that evening or at best, the last day or two.

‘Thank you for chocolate cupcakes. Thank you for toads. For my bike. For Daddy.’

Some night’s lists were long. Some were nearly non-existent, but we always ended with, ‘Thank you for love.’ And I kissed them good-night and left their room feeling my own heart, swelling with gratitude for the gift they were. Even when days were long and hard, love trumped.

How often do we say thank you only because it is what we are supposed to do? Training children to reflexively speak the words thank you is not wrong, but offering children practice in feeling gratitude opens new doors to sincere appreciation… appreciation of objects, events, experiences, and people. That is how to encourage thankfulness, in our children and ourselves.

Feeling grateful creates space for a constant awareness and welcoming of love.  And that is something to be thankful for.

The post Feeling Grateful is How to Encourage Thankfulness appeared first on Amy Adele Blog.