Smiling like Sunshine

Let's Play:Kids Co-op

2012-03-16T07:00:00.000Z

It is Friday,time for our weekly playful ideas swap. There were fantastic entries again this week. Thanks to all who co-host thhe linky and share their ideas.Here are my favorite 3 posts from last week.

Paper Cutting via Teaching from a tackle box

Oooey gooey sensory bottles via Twins at play

Beautiful Cherry Blossom painting via Art Club Blog

Spring Carnival Monthly Round Up

2012-03-15T07:00:00.000Z

It has been a month since we we started hosting our All Year Round: Spring Carnival with fellow bloggers.

I wanted take this opportunity to share 3 of my favorite posts.

The Indoor Garden via The Educators' Spin On It

Discovery Bottles via Sun Hats&Wellie Boots

Rainbow Pompoms via Patch of Puddles

The spring carnival linky is open till 15th of May.
We would love for you to share your spring themed posts (celebrations, thoughts, traditions,recipes, crafts,books,arts,outdoor adventures,etc.) with us. It doesn't have to be a new post, you can recycle an old post as well.
Carnival co-hosts:
sunnydaytodaymama, Mama Smiles, Winding Circle,
The Mahogany Way, Smiling like Sunshine, Home Baked

We also have a Pinterest Board which you can follow. Sunny Mama will be pinning the carnival posts.
So come join us and celebrate the spring!

Kool Aid Playdough

2012-03-14T20:08:00.000Z

A little shop selling American goodies was opened in our town. When I came across Kool Aid there, I decided to try the playdough the US bloggers rave about.
Today we gave it a go. I tried the orange one. I was expecting the colour to be brighter but other than that, it turned out nice and smells lovely. Maybe I should have added two packets of Kool Aid?

Here is the playdough recipe that I use:

2 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of boiled water
1 cup of salt
2 tbs cream of tartar
2 tbs sunflower oil
1 packet of Kool Aid
Mix all, add some more water if necessary.Enjoy playingtogether with little ones!

Derin loves making marks on playdough. Today I also gave him some straws that I have cut into smaller pieces. He enjoyed sticking them in the dough. This activity is great for fine motor skill development.

Sorry for the blurry pictures but I love how focused he was :)

Shared with Montessori Monday

Review:Baker Ross Craft Supplies

2012-03-13T07:00:00.000Z

I am delighted to be a part of the Baker Ross Blogging Network. As you know, Baker Ross is an online shop selling a huge variety of art and craft supplies, as well as toys and games.

So Baker Ross has sent us some stickers to review. What child does not like stickers? They are great for improving fine motor skills. Perfect to keep little ones busy when you want to have a cuppa with a friend.We were sent these felt heart stickers, lovely butterfly glitter foam stickers, pretty foam flower stickers, transport foam stickers, large self-adhesive acrylic jewels and A3 Paper value stack.

Here are a few things my little ones created:

Derin (2yo) is really into cars now so he enjoyed sticking the stickers. There are trucks,cars,ambulances,boats, all sorts of transportation vehicles really. Great to talk and teach about vehicles and colors.
Defne (5yo) enjoyed making some collages as well.

We also made some bookmarks which turned out very pretty:

Disclaimer:We received the products for review purposes. This review reflects my true and honest opinion.

Book Sharing Monday

2012-03-12T10:08:00.000Z

For this week we have chosen Shirley Hughes' All Shapes and Sizes

We found the book at the school library and love it.
The illustrations are just lovely as with all Shirley Hughes books.

The text is also great for early readers.

What have you been reading with your kids lately? I would love for you to share.
If you are new here, please check out the Book Sharing Monday page above to learn what it is all about.

Review and Giveaway:Green People Organic Children's Shampoo

2012-03-10T05:01:00.000Z

You may remember I am quite careful about cosmetic products my family uses. I always check the brand I am planning to buy from the Environmental Working group. (EWG is a non-profit organization in the US. Their mission is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment.) Especially for my children,I think it is at utmost importance that I protect them from the nasties such products as they may lead to all sorts of illnesses.
Green People sent me a sample of their organic children's shampoo.

I hadn't tried this one before. It comes in a 200ml tube.
All ingredients are organic
It is made without SLS/SLES, Parabens, phthalates and artificial fragrances .

I love that it has a mild smell. It retails for £7.75. Not cheap, but a little goes a long way so I think it is a good choice.

It comes in two varities : citrus and aloe vera and lavender.

Green People has a range of products from skincare to make up. I like that they don't test their products on animals and that they never use SLS, parabens, lanolin etc.

Green People has kindly offered to giveaway three tubes of Children's Shampoo to my readers.

To enter the giveaway, please visit Green People . Then come back and tell me about what you would love to try from their range.

Please enter through the Rafflecopter system.

To enter:

1. Complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
2. Entries can be via blog comment, Twitter, Facebook etc
3. Closing Date 17th March 05:01 am
4.Competition is open to UK entrants.

Please remember you need to complete the mandatory entry first - which is a blog comment.

Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf. For information on finding the URL of your tweet please see this.

Disclaimer: I received a review sample. All opinion my own.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let's Play:Kids Co-op

2012-03-09T09:44:00.000Z

It is Friday,time for our weekly Kids Co-op where we share our playful ideas.
Here are three of my favorites from last week. Please click on the caption to go to the mentioned website.

A creative way to teach children about emotions and encourage them to speak about their feelings:

Emotional Literacy Rocks via Our Feminist Playschool

I have never seen such beautiful wriggling worms before! Lovely!

Wiggling Worms via Homeschool Mo

What a nice picture to enhance colour recognition!

Rainbow Collage via Happy Hooligans

If you are featured here today, you are more than welcome to grab my badge on the right hand side.

For more inspiration you can also like our brand new Facebook page and Pinterest Board.

How to make a mini tree

2012-03-07T07:00:00.000Z

Defne really wanted to give this a go after she watched it on Mr.Maker.
It is very easy to put together for little hands and looks very pretty.
You will need
a small piece of modelling clay
a twig
a mixture of glue and water and a glue spatula
sequins and glitter

Shape the clay into a little ball and insert the twig in it so that it forms a base.
Next spread the glue over the base and the twig.
Then decorate with glitter and sequins to your heart's content.
Defne wanted to use the twig of a grapevine she had just eaten :)
Voila!Perfect for spring!

And while you are here, remember, you can join us, at the Spring Carnival which is open for new links until May. You can also follow All Year Round on Pinterest.

Carnival co-hosts:
sunnydaytodaymama, Mama Smiles, Winding Circle,
The Mahogany Way, Smiling like Sunshine, Home Baked

And the Oscars go to...

2012-03-07T06:30:00.000Z

Many many moons ago, I used to watch the Academy Awards, not since having kids though. Sleep is very precious :) But I do enjoy watching the films. Warner Bros has kindly sent me this Oscar packet and Oscar shaped chocolate-pops :)

Very glad that Woody Allen's film Midnight in Paris which I previously wrote about won an award in the Best Picture category.
The Blu Ray versions of Casablanca, The Blind Side and Gone with the Wind were recently released. I am looking forward to watching An American in Paris tonight.

Letters to Littles: February 2012

2012-03-06T14:18:00.000Z

Each month I write letters to my children.

If you'd like to join us or read others' letters, visit Touchstonez. The lovely Zoie hosts this theme.

Dear Defne,

you are five years two months old now. Last month was not so good as you came down with a cold that lasted for weeks.You had never been so ill before so it was sad to see you suffer.Although it had been mild recently,this week it is cold again. I can't wait for the balmy spring weather and spend much time outdoors with you.This month,we have started teaching you French leisurely and you just love it. This month,because we spend many hours at home,you did a lot crafting,painting and writing. You write very well and your reading is impressing.You lost a baby teeth this month.It was very wobbly and one morning we woke up and it wasn't there. Apparently, you swallowed it :)

Love,Mama

Dear Derin,

you are two years and two months old now. You have been changing so much recently.It has been two months since you started nursery. You settled really well. There were still tears when I was leaving you until last week but last week, you turned the corner. When we arrived at the nursery last wednesday, as I was undoing the buckles of your buggy,you said "bye bye mummy" .I will never forget that moment. From your face, I could see that you were calm and contented. You are only going for two days for three hours, yet it has already made such a difference in the way you play and interact. Your language is affected as well.I hear lots of English words.You also started enjoying drawing,painting and sticking.You adore your sister and love playing chase with her. We enjoy hearing your giggles and laughs.

Love,

Mama

Book Sharing Monday

2012-03-05T07:00:00.000Z

As you know we love Nick Sharatt here so I chose another one of his books for this week:The Icky Sticky Snoot and Blood book. I first came across it on Zoe's blog Playing by the Book. The Icky Stick Snot and Blood Book

It is a brilliant book to teach children about our bodies.Lots of flaps and pop-ups are used throughout the book.Simply educational fun.What have you been reading with your kids recently? If you are new here,please check out the page above.

Kid's Co-op:Playful Ideas Swap

2012-03-02T09:57:00.001Z

This is the 2nd week of our Kids Co-op Linky where we share our playful ideas. I was amazed at the 160+ entries last week. Thanks to all who are hosting the event and to all who shared their ideas.
Here are my favorite posts from last week:

Travel friendly busy bags

Sensory Bath Fun

Home-made finger painting

If you are featured here today,I would love for you to grab my Kid's Co-op badge (on the right handside).

This week Kid's Co-op is hosted by the following wonderful bloggers:

Imprints from Tricia
No Time For Flash Cards
Train Up a Child
Caution! Twins at play
Creative Family Fun
mamascout
Share With A Kid
Scribble Doodle and Draw

One Perfect Day
Ways2Play
Mum of Twins a Toddler and a Teenager
Carrots Are Orange
Small Types
Rainy Day Mum
Smiling like Sunshine
Dirt and Boogers
RainbowsWithinReach

The Mommies Made Me Do It
It's A Long Story
Reading Confetti
B.Inspired, Mama!
The Good Long Road
PlayDrMom
ToddlerApproved
Growing A Jeweled Rose

Water Bead Fun

2012-03-01T14:58:00.000Z

The blogosphere is inundated with water beads. If you haven't heard about them they are used by florists,are non-toxic and provide a sensory experience for the kids. Ours arrived just a few days ago and the kids loved them.

At first they were teeny tiny

We added water and as we waited for them to grow and grow.

It was quite a sight when they turned into lovely bouncy balls!
Defne loves sensorial activities whereas Derin is not so much keen yet. Defne told me that they are squidgy and slimy.

There was lots of scooping and pouring.

As I was thinking of ways to include Derin more, I considered bringing some legos. I set up a slide and the kids loved posting our animals and beads through the tunnel.

It is great fun and yes,they do tend to bounce off everywhere ;-)

Review:Justin Fletcher's CD Hands Up

2012-02-29T14:27:00.000Z

If you are a parent of an under 5 here in England, chances are great that you know Justin Fletcher aka Mr.Tumble of CBeebies. Justin Fletcher is much loved by the children and a few months ago he came to our town. My kids,particularly Defne was chuffed to bits at the chance of watching and talking to him.
Justin Fletcher has just produced a new album: Hands Up

The album contains 20 songs,some of which are traditional nursery rhymes like Wheels On The Bus, Mulberry Bush, Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes etc.
I must admit it is a bit too pop for my liking however my children just love it.
The kids had a ball when at Defne's birthday party we handed out bubble mats to the children and put this CD on. The children started to dance madly,jumping on the bubble mats which was great fun!
Justin Fletcher's new album Hands Up will be released on 5th of March.

Disclaimer:We received the CD for review purposes. All opinion my own.

Review:Montessori Letter Sounds HD Ipad App

2012-02-28T07:00:00.000Z

As you know, I love the Montessori philosophy. So I was very happy at the chance of reviewing this application. It was interesting to see how the Montessori method is interpreted with the latest technology.

Montessori Letter Sounds HD application contains 4 games:

I spy... is suitable for children from 3 years old. This game helps children learn the letter sounds .
Around 4 years old children can play the “Letter sounds” to memorize the letter sounds and shapes. The traditional Montessori letter tracing activity is used here.

Between 4 and 5 years old: “Mix and match” to bring together the two first steps. As in the example below, the child needs to find the word starting with the "e" sound.

Around 4 1/2 years old: “Sound it out” to write their first words using a moveable alphabet.

The last two games are locked at first and get unlocked as the children play and win marbles. This ensures progressive learning.

The Montessori materials that you will find in a Montessori environment are auto-didactic. This ensures children can work and learn without the help of an adult. I really like that this principle is used in this app as well.

The application is also beautiful,visually stimulating.
I can hands on heart say that it is our favorite educational app so far and my 5 year old really enjoys it.

Montessori Letter Sounds HD Ipad App is available at itunes for £2.99.

Disclaimer: I receieved a promo code for the app for review purposes. All opinion my own.

Shared with Montessori Monday.

Book Sharing Monday:The Art Book for Children

2012-02-27T07:00:00.000Z

The Art Book for Children 1
The Art Book for Children 2

We bought these books when Defne was about one year old. I think it is important that children see paintings from a young age even if they don't quite "understand" them. Both books feature a variety of genres and artists. Can dressing up be art? How Do you paint feelings? Can you paint a noise? Such questions throughout the books stimulates children's creativity and imagination. Sometimes we look at the pictures and talk about them and sometimes Defne likes to "read" this book independently.

What have you been reading with your kids recently?
If you are new here and want to learn more about Book Sharing Monday,please check out the page above.

World Book Day:1 March 2012

2012-02-26T00:22:00.000Z

Thursday, 1 March will be celebrated as World Book Day. Bookaid International increases access to books and supports literacy, education and development in sub-Saharan Africa. They provided 516,138 new books to over 2,000 libraries last year alone and have sent more than 30 million books to partner libraries since 1954.

In the UK, World Book Day is celebrated nicely. The government gives tokens worth £1 to every child in full time education. Schools encourage children to dress up as their favorite character on that day. (My daughter is trying to decide whether she'll be Lola or Winnie the Witch)

It is easy to forget how privileged we are.

In Kenya, for example, hundreds of thousands of children never finish primary school, whether because of their own sickness, or because they must tend to a sick relative, or simply because they need to work to survive. Extreme poverty and HIV/Aids are commonplace. Those who do finish primary school often don't have even a single book in their classroom. Unsurprisingly, reading and writing skills are poor, and the children's chances of fulfilling their potential are slim.

Book Aid International works to change all of this. But they need funds. We can help them raise funds by baking for books, dressing up or in many other ways.

Books change lives from Book Aid International on Vimeo.

Every penny raised by fundraising for Book Aid International will make a real difference. Because books change lives.

Opposites and Numbers by Patrick George {Review and Giveaway}

2012-02-25T05:00:00.004Z

Remember the books by Patrick George? I had reviewed his fabulous books Colours and Shapes back in November and now two of his books are hot off the press: The hardback edition of Opposites is just published.
The concept used is the same: Acetate paper to make use of visual effects and this works beautifully with bold and colourful illustrations.

11 pair of opposites are illustrated in the book. I think my favorite is this one:

The second book is Numbers:

There are 10 flies flying around in this book. They are gradually reduced to one and it is great fun to discover where each fly went!

Patrick George's books have become firm favorites with my five year old. So I was delighted to learn that these books are now available in French, Spanish and Catalan. These books are visually very appealing for the children and I love that they create an interaction between the adult and the child.

And now for the exciting part: I have two copies of each book to giveaway to you lovely readers! Please enter through the Rafflecopter system.

To enter:

1. Complete the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries
2. Entries can be via blog comment, Twitter, Facebook etc
3. Closing Date 3rd March 05:01 am
4.Competition is open to UK, US and EU entrants.

Please remember you need to complete the mandatory entry first - which is a blog comment.

Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf. For information on finding the URL of your tweet please see this.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Patrick George for providing the sample and competition copies. All images © Patrick George

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring Flower Spotting

2012-02-24T08:00:00.002Z

We just had a lovely spring day here in the south of England yesterday. We have even spotted some daffodils and anemones in our neighborhood!

I have been living here in England for five years now. Still some of the flowers and trees are new to me. So I thought it would be nice to learn more about them and I came across these spotting sheets on the website of Wild Life Watch UK.
Spring Flower Spotting Sheet

Spring Tree ID

I have printed copies for myself and the trees. We will take them with us next time we go to our park on the weekend.

You can see more spring ideas, and join us, at the Spring Carnival which is open for new links until May. You can also follow All Year Round on Pinterest.

Carnival co-hosts:
sunnydaytodaymama, Mama Smiles, Winding Circle,
The Mahogany Way, Smiling like Sunshine, Home Baked

Kids Co-op:Playful Ideas Swap

2012-02-24T07:00:00.003Z

I'm so excited to introduce the Kids Co-Op to you. I'm collaborating with some wonderful kid's blogs to bring you a weekly link-up.

We would love for you to join up and share what you have been playing with your kids. Your link will show up on all of the hosts blogs!

Please check back here every Friday for the Kid's Co-op. Starting next week, I'll be sharing some of my favorite posts that were linked up the previous week!

You can also follow the weekly Kids Co-op Pinterest Board.

This week’s Kid Co-op is being co-hosted by all these wonderful blogs:

Imprints from Tricia

It's A Long Story

RainbowsWithinReach

Life & Love Expressed

Train Up a Child

B.Inspired Mama

No Time For Flash Cards

My Creative Family

Toddler Approved

Rainy Day Mum

Dirt and Boogers

Mum of Twins a Toddler
and a Teenager

PlayDrMom

The Mommies Made Me Do It

Reading Confetti

The Good Long Road

Ways2Play

Smiling like Sunshine

Carrot and Courgette Muffins

2012-02-23T07:00:00.002Z

I made these savoury muffins today for Defne's lunch box. The recipe is from one of her favourite TV programmes I Can Cook. For readers outside UK, this is a lovely show to encourage children to learn more about food and get them cooking.
They turned out lovely: Savoury but still sweet as they have raisins. I doubled the recipe and also added a handful of cheddar cheese. I also substituted wheat flour with spelt flour.
Do your children have a packed lunch at school? I would love it if you share their favorite recipes.

Review: {Cubby Kit}

2012-02-22T07:00:00.004Z

We recently received a Cubby Kit to review. Cubby Kit is a crate containing kids craft and art activities and ideas.

They are designed around themes and ours is an Outer Space one.

The kit contains three craft activities.

Papier Mache Planets

Foam Rocket

Constellations Wall Chart

All the materials and instructions are organised neatly in the box.

Making a papier mache sun

The Sun is finished but other planets are still a work in progress ;-)

Constellations Wall Chart with my daughter's favorite dot to dot activity plus glitter gel pen!

Defne enjoyed making this rocket and she loves to play with it.

Cubby Kits are designed for 3-4 year olds and 5-6 years olds. Each kit is designed around a theme which give the chance for playful learning. As I said, everything that is needed comes in the box. Great if you don't have enough time or simply don't enjoy doing craft activities or don't know how to get started. I personally love doing all sorts of crafts and activities but let's face it. It does take quite a lot of time deciding what to do and organizing all the materials.

To be honest when Defne was about two and we started doing crafts, I bought a ready Easter basket kit. It was so tricky even I couldn't manage it. There is nothing more frustrating than sitting down to do something with your child and feeling like a failure. All the contents went to the bin and it was so upsetting telling my daughter that it didn't work out. Since then I never bought a ready kit but from what I see, Cubby Kit is different. It sparks the imagination and you can really "make" something with these materials.
I also like that the leaflets contain little notes to encourage you to talk about the theme with your child. For example for our papier mache planets, whilst blowing our balloons we talked about which one is big:The sun,the moon and the earth. Great for playful learning!
Cubby Kits can also make a lovely gift or you can just take them to granny's house or to holiday with you and enjoy with your child.

Cubby Kits are sold on a monthly or annually subscription system. You can learn more about Cubby Kit here.

Disclaimer: We received a sample kit for review purposes.All opinion my own. The links in this post are affiliate links.

Book Sharing Monday:Around the World With Mouk

2012-02-20T07:00:00.001Z

Around the World With Mouk is a great hit with both my kids. Defne (5yo) enjoys speaking about other cultures and Derin (2yo) has always loved looking at the vibrant illustrations of this book.
Mook is a little bear who sets off to travel around the world. He travels to Greece, USA, Japan and many other countries and sends a card to his friends back home. I love how the illustrator Marc Boutavant captures the cultural characteristics, objects and food items from each country.

Spreadsheet images are from Tate.

What have you been reading with your kids recently? I would love for you to share. If you are new here,please check out the Book Sharing Monday page above.

Breastfeeding my two year old

2012-02-17T13:00:00.001Z

My kids have come down with a nasty cold recently. Both of them have never been so miserable before and when we went to the doctor, she said it is viral so no need for antibiotics. I am happy for that but it has been going on for about 3 weeks now so at times I wished there was a medicine that would help.
Being ill, my two year old doesn't have much of an appetite. He only had smoothies and breastmilk for a few days. It hasn't been very easy for me: Sleepless nights plus frequently breastfeeding made me very tired but at least it gives me peace of mind as I know my boy is still getting lots of nutrients by breastfeeding.
Do you know in the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
29% of energy requirements
43% of protein requirements
36% of calcium requirements
75% of vitamin A requirements
76% of folate requirements
94% of vitamin B12 requirements
60% of vitamin C requirements
Source:Kellymom

Here is a lovely video I came across a few days ago. The kids enjoy watching it as well.

Midnight in Paris

2012-02-16T11:21:00.001Z

I am a big fan of Woody Allen and I have been waiting for his latest film Midnight in Paris for ages. When Warner Bros contacted me about some of their recent movies including this film, I happily agreed to review it.
When the postman knocked the door early Saturday morning, he had a huge shiny red box including a Valentine's Pack for me and the next day arrived another packet for the children for half term fun. What a treat!

Valentine's Day, Crazy Stupid Love,Going The Distance,The Bodyguard, The Lake House and Casablanca . It is the 70th anniversary of this classic film so a blu-ray version is out now.

Kids' packet consists of a bumper box of Looney Tunes Big Faces Box Set: 10 DVDs including the classics Tom & Jerry, Tweety Pie, Bugs Bunny etc which will be great fun to watch again with Defne. And there is also Scooby Doo Mystery Volume 1 and Volume 2.

On Saturday night, we watched Midnight in Paris. I shortly mentioned it on Sunday. A romantic comedy about an engaged American couple who come to Paris for a holiday. The film opens with a marvellous Paris scenery and we have the privilege of watching Paris for about three minutes from Woody Allen's eyes. Gil, a self-confessed Hollywood “hack” of a screenwriter is on a trip to Paris with his fiance. Gil wants to stroll around Paris streets taking in the cultural environment of the city whereas Inez (Rachel Adams) is more into shopping. As it happens in Allen's movies, the couple finds out they are not on the same track. One night, after dinner Inez wants to go dancing whereas Gil, a little drunk wants to return to the hotel. On the way back, he gets lost and then a car pulls up and the guys in the car call him. Now, I don't want to be a spoiler so will not tell about the rest of it :) If you like Woody Allen's style, I highly recommend it. Another great film from the genius!

Interview with Woody Allen about the film

Disclaimer: DVDs were sent to us for review purposes,all opinion my own.

Review:Vilac My Big Game Box

2012-02-15T10:01:00.000Z

VUP Baby, an online shop which specializes in non-toxic baby products has recently send us this lovely toy to review:

Vilac's My Big Game Box contains 20, yes 20 games for your little ones to enjoy: Traditional games like jack of spades, snakes and ladders, ludo, dominoes, dice games... It is a little treasure actually. I was quite surprised when it arrived as it is heavy, weighing 2.4 kg! I told you it is wooden ;)

Unfortunately Defne (5 yo) has been very ill recently. She has come down with a nasty cold and couldn't go to school last week. Thankfully this toy helped me cheer her up a bit. We have been enjoying playing dominoes, snakes and ladders and ludo recently. Her favorite is snakes and ladders.

This is a beautifully made wooden toy great for children older than three years. The games are not only fun but also teach kids taking turns. Oh and if your kids are obsessed with winning like my daughter, I think it is important that they learn this is just a game. Sometimes they win, sometimes they don't but the most important of all is having fun.

Vilac's My Big Game Box gets my thumbs up for being gorgeously designed. The illustrations have a vintage and artisan feeling.

It is also great that you can neatly put all the contents back in the box and put it away.

Vilac toys are known for their classic look and feel. They have been producing wooden toys for more than 80 years in France. You can check out the other Vilac toys that VUP Baby sells here.

VUP Baby has kindly offered 10% off discount code to Smiling like Sunshine readers. Use coupon code; SMILE10 - valid across the full-price range. Orders over £50 are delivered for free at the moment (UK Only)

Disclaimer: This toy was sent to us for review purposes,all opinion my own.

All Year Round Carnival:Spring

2012-02-15T07:00:00.002Z

As I have mentioned a few days ago, the All Year Round Carnival is starting today. I am delighted to host this carnival together with fellow bloggers Sunny Day Today, Mama Smiles, Home Baked, The Mahogany Way and Winding Circle.
We would love for you to share your spring themed posts (celebrations, thoughts, traditions,recipes, crafts,books,arts,outdoor adventures,etc.) with us. It doesn't have to be a new post, you can recycle an old post as well. Once you add your blog post on the linky tool, it will show up on all the above mentioned blogs as well.
We also have a Pinterest Board which you can follow. Sunny Mama will be pinning the carnival posts.
So come join us and celebrate the spring!
You can also get a button from here.

Book Sharing Monday: The Story of Everything

2012-02-13T00:38:00.004Z

Defne received The Story of Everything by Neal Lyton a few years ago. The book explains the main theory of the big bang, development of life on earth from cells,sea creatures, dinosaurs,mammals and through to humans. All with facts and liberal use of humour and fantastic pop ups, flaps, spinners. Great book!

What have you been reading with your kids latel? I would love it if you share with us. If you are new here, please check out the Book Sharing Monday page above.

Music for your ears {Midnight in Paris}

2012-02-12T07:00:00.001Z

We just watched Woody Allen's latest film Midnight in Paris this night and really enjoyed it. More on the film later, today I want to share this fab piece from the film, which Allen mentions in an interview.He says he loves listening Sydney Bechet on a Sunday. I couldn't agree more. Wishing you a lovely day!

All Year Round Carnival

2012-02-11T07:00:00.001Z

Hello dear friends,today I am very happy to announce that this year on Smiling like Sunshine, I will be co-hosting the All Year Round Carnival with some of my fellow bloggers: The lovely Sunny Mama who came up with the idea, and co-hosters Mama Smiles, Winding Circle and The Mahogany Way. The All Year Round Blog Carnival will be a quarterly link collection of spring, summer, autumn and winter posts sharing seasonal thoughts, pictures, books, activities, crafts, recipes, art projects, celebrations and more.

The All Year Round Blog Carnival: Spring begins on 15th February and everyone is invited to link up old and new spring posts. You're welcome to get a button. We're looking forward to seeing your spring links.

All Year Round Pinboard on Pinterest

Review:Beco potty {the eco friendly potty}

2012-02-10T13:10:00.002Z

I was recently sent a Beco potty by Becothings, a company producing ecofriendly products. Derin has just turned two and is showing some signs of readiness for potty learning. He is not quite happy to sit on the potty yet but at least with the potty being in playroom he is getting the idea.
I was always try to steer away from plastic products. Potties are always made of plastic and after a few months of potty learning they are just thrown away, just another plastic product added to the landfills.
Enter the Becopotty. It is made of sustainable plant fibre material and 100 % biodegradable. When the child is done with it, you can simply plant some seeds in it. It will degrade over time while you nurture your plant. As an added bonus, it came with a packet of sunflower seeds! How thoughtful is that!

Becco potty comes in three colours: Neutral,pink and blue. It is designed for babies 12 months onwards.

High back offers extra support
Large splash guard helps keep potty training hygienic
Tough and hard wearing

Becco potties are sold at RRP £9.99 and are available online or at John Lewis and Jojo Maman Bebe stores.

Becothings has other ecofriendly products as well, like Becosteps,trays,feeding sets. Check them out here.

Disclaimer: We received a Becopotty for review purposes,all opinion my own.

Celebrate the International Book Giving Day:14th February

2012-02-08T07:00:00.001Z

14th February is celebrated as Valentine's day, but do you know, it is also the International Book Giving Day?

The lovely ladies, Amy at Delightful Children's Books and Zoe at Playing by the Book are working together on this project.

International Book Giving Day is a day dedicated to getting new, used, or borrowed books in the hands of as many kids as possible.

Celebrating the International Book Giving Day is easy and delightful.

1)You can give a book to a friend or relative.

2)Wrap up children’s books that your kids have outgrown and donate them your playgroup, library, children’s hospital, or surgery.

Gently used books can also be donated to Book Bus or Pelican Post in UK and Books for Africa in US.

3)Leave a good book in a waiting room or lobby. Sometimes children get bored in waiting rooms as often there is nothing for them. So this is a great idea! How about leaving a book on a bench in your local park or playground? Children would get super excited and would love to read that book.

What a great cause! Is there anything better than giving the gift of reading to children?

Please, help get new, used, or borrowed books in the hands of as many kids as possible this February. You can spread the word by liking International Book Giving Day’s Facebook page, by following @BookGivingDay on Twitter and by encouraging others to celebrate via email, Twitter, Facebook, etc. You can also post the International Book Giving Day badge on your website.

Snow Painting

2012-02-07T07:00:00.004Z

So we finally had some snow here over the weekend! Not too much though, so there wasn't enough snow to make a snowman but the kids still had some fun.

Derin saw the snow for the first time and enjoyed playing with the snow:

While the kids were playing, I was thinking about ways to make it more interesting as I said there wasn't much snow. Then it occurred to me that we could paint the snow using food colouring. I went inside, grabbed two bottles of food colouring and I drew a heart on the snow.
Then the kids enjoyed drawing some shapes. It is lovely to drip the colouring and seeing spread all around.

Then Defne started making marks using the bottle.
They had fun and experienced something new. Defne then took some coloured snow inside, which melted in a few moments. This opened up a conversation about ice, temperatues and melting.
Have you had snow recently?

Book Sharing Monday:Meet Einstein

2012-02-06T07:00:00.002Z

Meet Einstein (by Mariela Leiner,illustrated by Viviana Garofoli) must be one of the best science books aimed at preschoolers. It is such an engaging book we can't put it down.

It is simple and clear with wonderful illustrations. Whilst telling a little bit about Einstein, the book also simply talks about gravity and light. It also gives the message that the children can an also be a scientist just like Einstein.
I also love the first and last pages of the book. These pages are like an illustrated dictionary and shed light to some basic tools used in science.
I think this is a great book for children aged 3-5 and a book I would happily give as a gift.
The book also has a website including some activity pages.

What have you been reading with your children recently? I would love for you to share with us.
If you are new here, please check out the Book Sharing Monday page above.

Disclaimer:I was sent a review copy by the publisher. All views expressed are my own.

One year ago today I wrote about The Things I loved that week.

Kids' Rooms {Reading Nooks}

2012-02-03T06:30:00.001Z

via Little Hell Raiser

via ohdeedoh

via Pink Wallpaper

via Ohdeedoh

Valentine's Day Cards and 5 Crafty Ideas Books

2012-02-02T06:00:00.002Z

Bsmall Publishing has just sent us a little craft book from their Five Crafty Ideas Series: Hearts .
It is a little gem including five lovely,easy Valentine's crafts.
We don't normally "do" Valentine's Day but Defne has been asking about all theValentine's displays around the town. So I told her that Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate with our loved ones and to tell them how much we love them. She wanted to make cards for her teacher and friends using the book as a guide.

There is a heart stencil and stickers in the book. What five year old girl can resist these?

Other books in the Five Crafty Series include Eggs, Stars and Pumpkins. Bsmall publishing specializes in bilingual and activity books.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Bsmall Publishing for sending us a review copy.

Kids App Review: ABC Kids Trace

2012-02-01T07:00:00.003Z

Although we have an Ipad, we don't use the kids applications a lot. We don't let our two year old use it,as he has no self-control yet and once allowed, will demand it all the time. So the Ipad is only around when he's sleeping ;-) We have downloaded a few for our five year old but she is not much interested. She would rather challenge herself with a puzzle application for grown ups ;)
I was intrigued when asked to review ABC Kids Trace.
Being a teacher by profession, David Norton developed this application with her 4 year old daughter. It can be seen as a modern version of a sand tray where children are encouraged to write letters or sandpaper letters that are used in Montessori education.
The idea is that the child traces the letters looking at the example shown in the corner of the screen . In that example the child is guided on how to write the letter.
One issue we experienced was that when Defne couldn't draw a line in one go and wanted to continue drawing from where she left it, a dot appeared and did not let complete the line. When I asked about this, David explained to me that the application was developed to be a little bit challenging in that the stroke order must be followed. So, if a letter "B" was not completed in the correct stroke order or not traced completely they have to go back to "A" and forward to "B' and try again (this reinforces understanding of sequence). Definitely makes sense.

I think it is a good educational application that perhaps requires some parental guidance at the beginning.

ABC Kids Trace Ipad/Ipod/Iphone application is available to download from itunes for $1.99

Letters to Littles: January 2012

2012-01-31T07:00:00.001Z

Inspired by Sausagemama and Zoie at TouchstoneZ, I am writing a monthly letter to my children. If you would like to join in or read others' letters, check out the linky here.

Dear Defne,
you are five years old! How time flies, I still cannot believe it.
You had two lovely birthday parties at home.One with your friends from school and the other one with family friends.
You had a great time and now looking forward to your sixth birthday! In fact,you look forward to growing up. Everyday you ask when you will be in year 1 and when you will be in year 6 since you have made some great friends from older classes.
It looks like the age of 5 is challenging since you are trying to find yourself, trying to be more independent but it is also a lovely age as we enjoy experiencing lots of new things, like playing more board games, watching family movies, discovering fairy tales...
You love writing and you enjoy writing letters to us. You are very proud that you now know the days of the week. When it is a sunny day, you announce that it is Sunday!
This month, you started attending to a school club which you choose when the teacher handed out the club letters. You love origami so that was what you chose and we enjoy watching you learn new skills.
I am so proud of you.
Love,
Mum

Dear Derin,
you are two years old now. I no longer have a baby in my arms,you definitely turned into a little boy.
As if some magic happened,you are a calmer boy now. Your speech is really coming along and that has helped with all the frustrations you were having.It is great fun to hear you speak. You speak both in English and in Turkish which is amazing since we only speak Turkish with you. I love how you say monkey, mouse and your favorite character Maisy!
Speaking of Maisy,you are obsessed with mouses! You just love them!
You are still very selective on what you wear! You needed new shoes so off we went to get your feet measured. First attempt was fruitless as you rejected it. Second time around, it was okay but you wouldn't try the shoes. I thought it was okay as I didn't like the shoes in the shop so we left. The third time around, we had your feet measured once again and this time I was determined to buy anything really. I was anxious that you wouldn't try the shoes again, but when the lady came back with three options you just had a look and literally jumped on the bright blue shoes with orange details on them. I really admire that you have your own taste even at this age!
You have just started to nursery two days a week. You are shedding some tears as it is the first time you are away from me, but you have so much fun. When I come back to pick you up,you look very well having enjoyed the session.
Your favorite song is still Incy Wincy Spider and your favorite fruit apple these days. Your favorite activity is doing somersaults on the bed just before bedtime!
I love you my big boy.
Mum

Book Sharing Monday:The Children of the Hat Cottage

2012-01-30T14:25:00.001Z

After last week's book Winter, I thought I would share with you Elsa Beskow's lovely book The Children of the Hat Cottage . Elsa Beskow is a Swedish writer and illustrator. Swedish children have been enjoying her books for over a century. Her books typically reflect the change of seasons and tales about children's independent initiatives.
Originally published in 1930 The Children of the Hat Cottage has just been published in English. It tells the adventures of the children who when their mother leaves them at home to buy some yarn, decide to clean the cottage. They have great fun but their clothes become so messy. So they decide to wash them and want to dry them in front of a fire. But fires are hard to control... Luckily there is somebody to help.
The story is enchanting and Beskow's illustrations are gorgeous.

We purposefully did not introduce Defne to fairy tales at a young age. I believe traditional tales might be confusing for young children and they should rather learn and explore the real world. Also, some of the traditional tales are very scary. But now at 5 years old,we are slowly delving into the world of fairy tales and enjoying them. Defne enjoyed Elsa Beskow's book and it has become a bedtime favourite already.

What have you been reading with your children recently? I would love for you to share it. If you are new to Book Sharing Monday, please check out the page above.

Disclaimer: I recieved my copy of the book from the publisher.The review reflects my true and honest opinion.

Montessori activities for toddlers (5)

2012-01-25T14:51:00.001Z

Derin has just turned two last week! My baby is a big boy now. He also started to Montessori nursery. He coped really well on his first day at the nursery and seems to enjoy it.
He has entered into a stage where he loves sitting down at the table and doing some activities. He spends quite some time doing these nowadays.

I showed him how to pour beans from one jug to another:

Posting little wooden buttons in a coin box

You could also use play money or big buttons and a slotted lidded box/jar.

Matching lollipop sticks with match sticks:

He wasn't quite interested with this one.

While we were busy with these, Defne (5yo) enjoyed playing with the sensory oatmeal tray.

Happily shared with Montessori Monday

Book Sharing Monday:Winter

2012-01-23T08:50:00.001Z

Winter by Gerda Muller is a book we have been enjoying since last year. It is a picture book illustrating soft and gentle winter scenes. It has no words so it gives us the opportunity to look and talk about the pictures,change of seasons and adapting them into our life.
There are spring, summer and autumn versions of the book which we want to add to our library as well. These books are also great for a seasonal table.

What have you been reading with your children lately? I would love it if you share it with us.
If you are new here,please click on the Book Sharing Monday page (above) to learn what it is all about.

Review and Giveaway:What On Earth Wall Books

2012-01-21T07:00:00.001Z

As a five year old, Defne is very curious about the world and is asking challenging questions everyday. We love these questions and enjoy speaking about her interests. Recently, we have been reading more nonfiction books to spark her mind. So I was very happy at the chance of reviewing these What on Earth Wall Books.

What on Earth Wall Book and the What on Earth Wall Book of Natural History are written by Christopher Lloyd. As a homeschooling father to two daughters, Chris decided to write these books when he was looking for a book that told the complete story of the planet, life and people. When he couldn't find his ideal book, he came up with wall book idea. The books are in a timeline format so you can either hang them on the wall or you can read them as a book.

The What on Earth Wall Book depicts the evolution, the rise and fall of civilisations, one hundred of the top battles and, on the reverse, the story of planet, life and people from the Big Bang to the present day.

The What on Eath Wall Book of Natural History is published in colloboration with the Natural History Museum. It tells the complete story of natural history from the formation of the Earth to the latest breakthroughs in evolutionary science. A3 in size and comprising a remarkable 2.3 m long, fully illustrated timeline.
This book is more suitable for younger children and Defne enjoyed it,too. She was very interested in the pictures showing the evolution of human beings. She was also impressed by the illustration of the sun and started drawing big pictures of the sun!

I suppose both books are one of their kind,using a holistic approach connecting science and history. I really like that it is in a timeline style, packed full of information. I believe we will be reading these for the years to come as they are great sources for children and teenagers.

You can watch Christopher Lloyd speaking about the Wall Book of What on Earth.

The What on Earth? Wallbook from chris lloyd on Vimeo.

BUY IT:
You can buy the books online RRP £17.50

WIN IT:
Chris Lloyd has kindly offered to giveaway one copy of each of the books to my readers. To be in for a chance please visit the website of What On Earth Books and tell me something that you have learnt (can be a book title, new edition, something about the writer etc) Please make sure that you enter through Rafflecopter. The giveaway is open to UK residents. Good luck!

Disclaimer:The books were sent to me by the publisher for review purposes. As always, this review reflects my honest opinion.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Joy of Books

2012-01-18T08:03:00.000Z

I enjoyed watching this video by Type bookstore in Canada. Isn't it brilliant?

via Capucha

Book Sharing Monday:Helen Oxenbury

2012-01-16T10:17:00.002Z

My son Derin is not interested in books as much as his sister used to be. He is a very active little boy so I suppose he can't sit still to read a book . Generally, he gets bored halfway through, closes the book and announces that it is finished :) There are a few books though, he constantly picks from the shelf and "reads" all by himself.
One of these books is Helen Oxenbury's Tickle,Tickle

We recieved this book last year with his Book Trust packet when he turned one years old.
Helen Oxenbury's illustrations are just so lively! I suppose the big faces of the babies, their vivid expressions are what appeals to my son. He always laughs at the babies.

Over time, I borrowed Oxenbury's other books from the library.
Ten little fingers and ten little toes, Clap Hands and So Much have been firm favourites as well. I personally also like that the books show babies from different cultures.

What have you been reading with your little ones lately? I would love for you to blog about it and share via the linky. Please leave a comment when you add a post to the linky. If you are not a blogger, you are more than welcome to share your bokks in the comments section. I love hearing about what other families enjoy reading.

If you are new here,please check out the Book Sharing Monday page.

Sunday Surf

2012-01-15T20:03:00.000Z

Leigh over at Marvellous Kiddo shares tis interesting exhibition about breastfeeding: AbNORMALLY Breastfeeding

Healthy attachment leads to healthy interdependence

I am joining in to this challenge:52 weeks to an organized home

Is your baby "all business" at night? Thank the melatonin in your milk.

Gifts that keep giving:Learning at home best of 2011

Lactivist T-Shirt Giveaway

2012-01-14T07:40:00.005Z

Hello, today I am very happy to announce a lovely giveaway. The Mother's Milk Marketing Board is a company promoting breastfeeding and gentle parenting. They sell slogan t-shirts, mugs, badges, hats and more. Quality products with beautiful designs!

Here is a photo of Defne wearing her lactivist t-shirt at 9 months old.

I really like their slogans:

Now, for the exciting part: One lucky Smiling like Sunshine reader will win a t-shirt from The Mother's Milk Marketing Board. The winner can choose which t-shirt they would like. Sizes go up to 4 years old.
All you need to do is, visiting the company's website. Then please come back and tell me your favourite product.
Please don't forget to enter through the rafflecopter system. After leaving a comment, make sure you enter it on the Rafflecopter system otherwise your entry won't count.
I will choose a winner on the 21st Jan. and the giveaway is open the UK residents.
Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kids' Rooms {Montessori inspired}

2012-01-12T07:00:00.005Z

Every now and then I get asked about how to decorate a kid's room Montessori style. So I thought a post might be useful.

For a Montessori inspired room,

Try to use an open shelving system so the child can choose whatever he/she wants to play with freely.
Use baskets for storing toys so the child can easily tidy up and put it back to the shelf when he/she is done with it.
Rather than a cot, use a floor bed, so the child can easily get in/out of the bed.
Use child sized furnitures. Try to be creative and always look for ways to make your child more independant around the house. In the bathroom, hang hooks and maybe a small mirror at their height so they can reach it easily all by themselves. In the kitchen, if possible,create a corner/drawer where they can have access to their own cutlery,glass etc.

via naubrincandodeblog.

via sewliberated

via How we Montessori

More inspiration from other blogs:

Bits of Montessori shares Muncee's playroom

How we Montessori shares her son's room.

Montessori Ici shares the evolution of her children's rooms.

Happily shared with Montessori Monday

Review:Conscious Chocolate

2012-01-11T09:58:00.002Z

Conscious Chocolate has kindly sent me some of their fabulous products to review.
They are a small company that produces organic, raw, handmade bars that are free from pesticides, dairy, gluten, soya and refined sugars.

If you haven't tried raw chocolate before,I highly recommend that you try them. They taste very different from the sugar-laden chocolate produced for the mass market. So if your palate is used to very sugary tastes, you might not like these at first. But they are rich and soft, delicate and they just melt in your mouth. Lovely!
It is always said that cacao is healthy. Yes, it is healthy but not when processed/heated and loaded with sugar, full of pesticides and other nasty chemicals. Conscious chocolate is sweetened with blue agave nectar so,suitable for diabetics as it does not imbalance the natural blood sugar levels.

From the website of Conscious Chocolate:

Organic raw cacao is the primary source of the alkaloid Theobromine (Theobroma cacao, the botanical name of the cacao nut tree, literally means 'food of the gods'); it also contains high levels of the flavoniods catechin and epicatechin, which are antioxidants. There is a plethora of information relating to scientific and medical research regarding the health benefits of these substances as well as their therapeutic applications.

I tried the Essential Orange,Coconut and Berry, Minty, Berry Christmas,Plain and the nutty one. The Orange one is the my favourite, smells lovely! I love that they come in a very simple ecologic wrapping.No aluminum foil in your chocolate! These are also suitable for vegans,coeliacs and raw foodists.
As with all handmade and good quality items, these are a bit expensive, costing £3 per bar. But because they are so rich, and satisfying, one or two bites are enough and you can keep the rest for later!
You can pick up some Conscious Chocolate on their website and various stockists in the UK. They also deliver worldwide.

Book Sharing Monday:I spy with my little eye...

2012-01-09T15:01:00.000Z

"I spy with my little eye.." is one of Defne's favorite games. So this book, I spy with my little eye... by Edward Gibbs went down a treat.

There is a die-cut hole in the book,which lets you "spy". On each page there is a factual clue for each animal.

The illustrations are bold and lively. The animals are not too hard to guess, but it is a playful book that opens up conversations about animals and colours.

What have you been reading with your kids?
What have you been reading and enjoying with your children lately? I would love it if you come and share with us. Feel free to grab my button (on the right hand side) and share the love.

New here? Please check out this page for more information about Book Sharing Monday.
Don't forget to come back to visit what other people had to share.
Say hello, discover new books and new blogs!
The link stays open until the following Sunday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your book on Monday. Please add your permalink below and leave a comment after linking up.

Sunday Surf

2012-01-08T11:24:00.002Z

Okay,it has been a busy week with the birthday party and my assignment due for tomorrow so I haven't been around much. I will be back with my normal schedule tomorrow. In the meantime, I thought I'd share some of my favorite links from the past week.

I'm joining Authentic Parenting and Hobo Mama for Sunday Surf. Share your best reading of the week, and link up your post at either blog!
For more great reading, visit Hobo Mama or Authentic Parenting for the latest Sunday Surf and linky.
Happy Surfing!

I enjoyed looking at the year in pictures photos (part 1 and 2) that the lovely Erica from What do we do all day? linked to. Oh and while you are there, don't forget to check out the maths games she plays with her son.

Maggy over at Red Ted Art shares these lovely peanut finger puppets. Actually this is a post from the week before,but somehow I missed it during the busy days of holidays.I love how Maggy finds interesting ways to incorporate natural items into her crafts.

Top literacy spot posts from 2011. I always learn so much from Christie's blog Childhood 101.

Always enjoying MamaUK's gorgeous photos and the calm and peaceful tone of her blog. Here she offers tips on how to cope with unwelcome plastic toy gifts in your home.

Made with love in UK is hosting a fabulous giveaway. Don't miss out! You can win two lovely craft books from Pomadour 24 in Japan!

Have you read anything that spoke to you this week? Would love it if you mention in the comments. Have a great Sunday!

Best Projects for Kids from 2011

2012-01-04T11:35:00.000Z

Some of my favorite bloggers have organised a BlogHop to share their favorite projects for kids. It is difficult to choose just one project but ...One of my favorite projects from 2011 was Print Making Using Vegetables.
I chose this post because
1) Defne really enjoyed it.
2)I like using everyday items as a medium for art. This sensory activity also gives the children the opportunity to learn more about the veggies.
3)The prints looked gorgeous and we still have them hanging in Defne's room.

Print Making Using Vegetables

The participants of this bloghop invite you to visit their sites and their best idea from 2011. They are:
www.AngeliqueFelix.com; The Golden Gleam; Hands on : as we grow; Toddler Approved; Red Ted Art; The Iowa Farmer's Wife; The Outlaw Mom Blog; Let Kids Create; Come Together Kids; Creative With Kids; Science sparks; Mama Smiles; Rainy Day Mum; Teach mama; Kitchen Counter Chronicles; The Imagination Tree; JDaniel Fours Mom; Teach Preschool; De tout et de rien: Activités pour le Préscolaire; Tinkerlab; Mama Pea Pod; Crayon Freckles; Sun Hats & Wellie Boots; From Tantrums To Treasure Hunts; My Creative Family; Classified: Mom; Puddles and Gumboots; Art For Little Hands ; Creative Connections for Kids; ; Nurturestore.com; The Chocolate Muffin Tree; Critters and Crayons; The Mommies Made Me Do It; Mommy Labs; JamieJumble ; Putti Prapancha ; Messy Kids

Please Link Up only ONE post and be inspired by the others who linked up with you!

Wishing you a happy New Year!

2011-12-30T08:29:00.001Z

I hope you are having a lovely holiday. My husband is off work and won't be returning until next Tuesday so we are enjoying some family time without the rush of work and school. I am also enjoying a break from blogging. Next Tuesday is a certain somebody's birthday who will turn five years old. She is very excited about it! I hope to be back next Wednesday. Wishing you a happy new year!

Image via Capucha

Easy Peasy Coconut Macaroons

2011-12-27T07:30:00.001Z

I never knew that making macaroons is so easy. Only requires three ingredients and 10 minutes to spare. They taste deliccious and not as sugary as the store-bought ones. Click here for the recipe. These would also make a lovely edible gift.

Book Review

2011-12-23T07:30:00.001Z

Top That Publishing has just sent me two of their new picture books:

The Tangle Fairy is a beautifully illustrated book by Seema Barker (illustrations by Kirsten Richards). Little Jaya wants to know what gets her hair in such a tangle every night. There is a mischievous Tangle Fairy who makes up all kinds of stories to explain why her hair gets so tangly. Luckily we don't have any tangly hair issue with my daughter but she loves fairies so she enjoyed reading the book.

I really enjoyed reading Little Penguin Learns To Swim . This is a story about growing up and embracing new experiences. Little Penguin is nervous about learning to swim. As he practises, he meets friends along the way who bravely learn how to fly, how to fish and how to jump. Inspired and encouraged by friends, he finally overcomes his nerves! The illustrations are soft and just gorgeous. You can look inside the book here.This lovely story will be aired on CBeebies on Christmas Day at 1pm.!

Remember The Froobles? The iphone/ipod/ipad application of The Froobles is launched and it is free to download on itunes at the moment (for a limited period). We enjoyed the ebook (narrated by Johnny Vaughan) and playing with the immersive theatre mode where the user can create their own animated The Froobles movies, with favourite characters and their own narration. There is a colouring application as well as the ebook, animated story and educational games which promote literacy and numeracy skills.

Disclaimer: The books were sent to me by the publisher for review purposes. As always, this review reflects my honest opinion.

Festive Sensory Tray for Children

2011-12-22T07:30:00.002Z

The kids have been enjoying playing/ exploring this tray for the past week or so. I put strips of tissue paper, pompoms, pine cones, feathers, pipe cleaners, scraps of ribbons, sticks, some aluminum foil (which they enjoyed shaping into balls) and some glittery craft materials. Keeps my son (23 months) busy while I am cooking the dinner ; )

Linked up with Montessori Monday

Natural Parents Network Blitz {Best of 2011}

2011-12-20T07:30:00.002Z

I am proud and honored to be volunteer with the Natural Parents Network (NPN), a community of natural-minded parents and parents-to-be where you will be informed, empowered, and inspired. When you visit the NPN’s website you can find articles and posts about Activism, Balance, Consistent Care, Ecological Responsibility, Family Safety, Feeding With Love, Gentle Discipline, Healthy Living, Holistic Health, Natural Learning, Nurturing Touch, Parenting Philosophies, Practical Home Help, Preparing for Parenting, Responding With Sensitivity, Safe Sleep, and so much more!

The volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to make NPN the outstanding resource it is also spend countless hours informing and inspiring others on their personal blogs. To close out 2011, the NPN volunteers have come together to provide you with some valuable reading material. Each volunteer has selected either their most viewed post of 2011 or their favorite post and shared the link here. Please take a few moments to visit each post. Our intention is to expand our reach as bloggers and informed parents and parents-to-be who are still growing as we move through our own journeys. Each volunteer has provided links to other social media sites where you can follow them as well.

We hope you enjoy reading these posts as much as we enjoyed writing them. We are always looking for new volunteers so please, contact us if you are interested. Just a few hours per month can help other mamas in a huge way!

Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares her Christmas Cookie Swap Blog Hop, which is her fourth annual virtual cookie swap and most popular post of the year. Please stop by and link up your favorite holiday recipe until Dec. 31. You can find Farmer's Daughter on Facebook and Twitter.

Adrienne from Mommying My Way shares Fear vs. Faith, one of her favorite posts about how often living a life of faith can look like a life of fear, but the two are really quite different. You can also find Mommying My Way on Facebook.

Alicia of Lactation Narration retells the story of her oldest daughter's 5 years of nursing and weaning in her favorite post of 2011, The Weaning Party. You can find Lactation Narration on Facebook and Twitter.

Amy of Toddler In Tow shares Finding My Mommy-Zen, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, she shares her desire to balance her own self-esteem by choice in order to parent with peace and compassion. You can also find Toddler In Tow on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter, and follow Amyables (Amy W.) on Google + and Ravelry.

Arpita of Up, Down, and Natural shares one of her most popular posts titled Reflections. This is a beautiful look at the type of mother she wants to be. You can find Up, Down, and Natural on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Charise of I Thought I Knew Mama shares Why Do Children Have More Food Allergies Than Ever Before?, her most viewed post of 2011. This post explains the shocking info that one unsuspecting mother discovered when she started researching why her daughter had a violent allergic reaction to eggs. This is a must read post for ensuring the health of your family. You can also find I Thought I Knew Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Stumbleupon.

Christine of African Babies Don’t Cry shares The Best First Food for Babies, one of her favourite posts of 2011. This well-researched post delves into the healthiest and most nutritious food to feed your baby. You can also find African Babies Don’t Cry on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest.

Cynthia of The Hippie Housewife shares Gentle Discipline for Toddlers, her most viewed post of 2011. This post describes five gentle discipline tools for parenting toddlers. You can also find The Hippie Housewife on Facebook, Google +, and Pinterest.

Darcel of The Mahogany Way shares how Babywearing As a Way of Life one of her favorite post of 2011. This post showcases some beautiful woven wraps that she has purchased, traded, borrowed, and sold over the years. Darcel also talks about the benefits of babywearing from the newborn through toddler stage. You can also find Darcel{ The Mahogany Way} on Facebook, Twitter, Her Community for Mothers of Color, and Pinterest.

Dionna of Code Name Mama shares 50 Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids Plus Fun Serving Suggestions, her most viewed post of 2011. Most of these snacks are quick to fix and portable, so you can pack them to send with your child on play dates, at preschool, or to just have handy in the refrigerator for when your child wants to grab a bite to eat “all by himself.” You can find Dionna on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Erica at ChildOrganics shares a post that is not only close to her heart, but also her most viewed post for 2011 titled Attachment Parenting in the NICU. This post shares her top 10 tips for parenting should you find yourself with a baby in the NICU. You can also find Erica on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Gretchen of That Mama Gretchen shares her personal experience of returning to work, expressing milk, and the ups and downs in between in her 2011 most viewed post, Mama's Milk. You can also find Gretchen on GFC, Blog Lovin', Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Isil of Smiling like Sunshine shares how to make an autumn tree using pumpkin seeds, her most popular post in 2011. This post features a lovely craft activity that you can do with your kids! You can also find Isil on Facebook and Twitter.

Jennifer of Hybrid Rasta Mama shares 80 Uses For Coconut Oil, her most viewed post of 2011. This comprehensive post provides background information on the benefits of coconut oil as well as outlines 80 uses for it. You can also find Hybrid Rasta Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.

Jennifer of True Confessions of a Real Mommy shares her most popular post of 2011, Weekly House Blessing (Otherwise Known as Cleaning Once a Week). This post outlines a once per week cleaning routine for busy moms. You can also find Jennifer on Twitter.

Joella, the mama behind Fine and Fair, shares An Unusual Gripe with Bebe Gluton, one of her most popular posts of 2011. In it, she discusses the controversy surrounding a "breastfeeding doll" and offers her take on the gender role implications of dolls in general. Fine and Fair can also be found on twitter and facebook.

Julia of A Little Bit of All of It shares the story of how her co-sleeping relationship ended with her daughter, her most viewed post of 2011. This post shows how her daughter transitioned to her own bed on her 2nd birthday and the emotions involved for her mom. You can also find A Little Bit of All of It on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.

Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares True Blessings: White Noise and Grandparents, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, Kat talks about how she maximizes getting sleep and how grateful and blessed she is to have her parents be so involved in helping and spending time with her kiddos.

Kelly of Becoming Crunchy shares That Cup Does What?, her most viewed post of 2011. This post is one of a series of reviews and information on switching to all natural menstrual products - having heard so many different options and recommendations, Kelly decided to give a whole bunch of them a try and pull all the reviews together in one week for anyone interested in making the switch. This post in particular covers the ins and outs of the Diva Cup. You can also find Becoming Crunchy on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest.

Kristin of Intrepid Murmurings shares a popular post from 2011, something she and her husband made for their girls for Christmas, great for open-ended play and construction: Handmade Tree Blocks. You can also find Kristin on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Lani of Boobie Time shares Helping a Fellow Breastfeeding Mom, her inspiration for starting to blog. This post discusses the importance of fellow moms supporting each other and some tips on having a successful breastfeeding relationship. Lani can also be found on Facebook.

Laura at WaldenMommy: Life Behind the Red Front Door writes about finally entering "spring" when her child with special needs begins preschool. After battling post-partum mental illness (post tramatic stress disorder) after the preterm birth of her third child, she finally begins to feel healthy and whole again in "It's Fall, Ya'll-Again."

Lauren of Hobo Mama shares On not having an AP poster child, her (OK, second) most viewed post of 2011. Lauren's first child shook her certainty that attachment parenting meant babies never cried and toddlers grew independent — and that's all right, too. You can also find Hobo Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Luschka of Diary of a First Child shares Lactivism, Breastfeeding, Bottlefeeding and Mothers at War, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This post discusses how the breastfeeding/bottle feeding debate causes a division between mothers, leading to the alienation of women and babies, while divisive companies prosper. You can also find Diary of a First Child on Facebook, and Twitter.

Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children shares how With Privilege Comes Responsibility, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This compelling post explains her strong felt desire to stand up for those less privileged. You can also find Living Peacefully with Children on Facebook.

Melissa of Vibrant Wanderings shares a Montessori-Inspired Checklist for Choosing Toys, her most popular post of 2011. The article outlines some important Montessori principles and how they relate to children's toys, translating that into some simple guiding principles. You can also find Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Melissa of White Noise shares Modern Day Wet Nurse, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, Melissa shares the benefits of human breast milk and human milk sharing. You can also find Melissa at Mothers of Change.

Momma Jorje shares Amniocentesis - What is it *really* like?, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This open and honest series offers not only the technical process of amniocentesis, but also the emotions involved in awaiting (and receiving) the procedure and a diagnosis. Momma Jorje can also be found on Facebook.

Moorea of MamaLady: Adventures in Queer Parenting shares Fluoride: Another Reason Breast Is Best, her favorite post of 2011. This post provides research on the harmful effects of fluoride in drinking water for babies and toddlers and ways to limit fluoride consumption in your home. You can also find MamaLady on Facebook and Twitter and her Parent Coaching Site.

Rachael at The Variegated Life is Calling the Muse in her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, she describes how she uses ritual to help her tap into her creative spirit. You can also find Rachael on Twitter and The Variegated Life on Facebook.

Rebekah and Chris from Liberated Family shares Using Cloth In a Disposable Society, their favorite post of 2011. This extensive post provides a lot of information regarding the varied uses of cloth as well as the many benefits. You can also find Liberated Family on Twitter.

Sarah at Parenting God's Children shares her most viewed post: Confessions of a Breastfeeding Advocate: I Couldn't. She confesses her struggles with breastfeeding her daughters, but shares why she'll continue the good fight. You can also find Sarah on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Seonaid of The Practical Dilettante offers a science- and reverence-based meditation on The Living Earth, her most viewed post of 2011. This meditation was originally written for Earth Day, but it provides a way to reconnect with your place in the living breathing planet at any time of year. You can also find Seonaid on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.

Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes shares I Recommend (But Moira Likes This Book Too), her most viewed post of 2011. This post is a review of a wonderful book that talks about all the different ways that families can be made up, along with some of why this topic is so important to her family.

Sheryl at Little Snowflakes shares her experiences with tandem nursing in Tandem Nursing – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, her most viewed post of 2011. You can also find Sheryl on Twitter.

Stay tuned for some amazing posts from all of these tremendous bloggers in 2012!

Book Sharing Monday:The Story Blanket

2011-12-19T10:25:00.000Z

Remember The Opposite,by Tom Magrea and Elena Odriıozola? We love that book so when I came across The Story Blanket, I knew we had to read it. The Story Blanket is written by Farida Wolf & Harriet May Savitz and illustrated by Elena Odriozola.

The Story of the Blanket is a story about giving and receiving. It is set in a snow bound village. The children in the village love settling down on Babba Zarrah's big old story blanket to listen to her stories. One day Babba Zarah notices there is a hole in one of the children's shoe. She decides to knit him some warm shoes. As they are snow bound, there is no one to deliver wool so she decides to unravel a little of the story blanket and use the wool for socks. Then she starts knitting various things for people in the village and leaves them on their doorstep as a surprise. Noone understands what is going on. Until one day,when they realise that there is no story blanket to sit on.

A lovely story about generosity to read during winter. Oh and the illustrations are so so beautiful. Delicate with beautiful details. I personally would love to sit on that story blanket . It is gorgeous!

What have you been reading and enjoying with your children lately? I would love it if you come and share with us. Feel free to grab my button (on the right hand side) and share the love.

Celebrate the Winter Solstice:Handprint Sun Craft

2011-12-17T11:11:00.000Z

We talked about the winter solstice with Defne last week. Here in England, days are really short during December. It gets dark around 4 o'clock,even earlier if it is a rainy or cloudy day.

I explained Defne that days are shorter in winter. She can recall that days are longer and sunnier during the summer months. I told her that after the 21st of December, the days will start to get longer and soon spring will be here. To celebrate the solstice, Defne made a lovely handprint sun.

Food for thought

2011-12-16T11:13:00.001Z

"If a multinational company developed a product that was a nutritionally balanced and delicious food, a wonder drug that both prevented and treated disease, cost almost nothing to produce and could be delivered in quantities controlled by the consumers’ needs, the very announcement of their find would send their shares rocketing to the top of the stock market. The scientists who developed the product would win prizes and the wealth and influence of everyone involved would increase dramatically. Women have been producing such a miraculous substance, breastmilk, since the beginning of human existence. ~Gabrielle Palmer"

via BabyLunaStar

Smiling like Sunshine is 1 year old {giveaway inside}

2011-12-14T07:00:00.005Z

Hello friends,
Smiling like Sunshine will be one year old next week! I am so happy to have started writing it. Thanks to each and everyone of you who reads this blog. I am celebrating my bloggiversary this week as everyone is busy with Christmas and holidays and it will be even busier next week!
Now I collaborated with Toyella, the fabulous toyshop that brings lovely toys to the UK. We have got a fantastic toy up for grabs: Makedo Find and Make playhouse.

Makedo Find and Make playhouse is a set of 42 connecting components that enable children to make a playhouse from the materials around them.

Encouraging children to raid the recycling and find bits and bobs to build their own playhouse, it really is the ultimate eco-toy you can find! Great for creativity and a fantastic way to teach them the importance of recycling and reuse.

Now, for the exciting part:

Leave me a comment telling me what you enjoy reading on Smiling like Sunshine: Book Sharing Mondays, natural parenting (breastfeeding, baby wearing etc) , recipes, kids crafts, playful ideas, book reviews, design/decoration, Montessori related posts? I would love to hear from you. (mandatory)Please be aware that you need toenter through the Rafflecopter.

Giveaway is open to UK residents (sorry to my readers elsewhere)

And, don't forget Toyella has a gift guide if you are stuck for ideas.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Sharing Monday

2011-12-12T07:30:00.000Z

It is Monday again and this week I would love to share this book with you:

Where on Earth is the Moon? is a beautiful book about a little girl who wonders where the Moon is during the day? The story is captivating and the illustrations are soft and lovely.
We have come across this book at the library and enjoyed reading and talking about it this week. As a nice coincident, we enjoyed looking at the full moon, too.

This song,The Tale of The Sun and the Moon is a firm favorite here. If you haven't come across Eric Herman before, I highly recommend him, my children LOVE his songs.

What have you been reading and enjoying with your children lately? I would love it if you come and share with us. Feel free to grab my button (on the right hand side) and share the love.

Happy Weekend

2011-12-09T16:17:00.000Z

Things have been very busy this week at Smiling like Sunshine Headquarters. So I am looking forward to relaxing at home with my family. Wishing you a happy weekend!

Image via Emilypaigeoslie

Menu Planning Ideas

2011-12-07T14:47:00.000Z

I always try to plan our weekly menu but every now and then I fall off the wagon. When that happens, sometimes I feel stuck about what to cook and I always turn the same recipes. Tries and tested of course but it does get boring after a while. A friend recently suggested planning monthly menus rather than weekly ones. But then she admitted it took her 3 weeks to prepare a monthly menu :) I always try to plan the menus while kids are sleeping. I get my books from the shelves, to try new recipes, but oh I get so hungry reading about all that lovely food and need to fix a quick panini or hot chocolate for my good self :)

So I searched the Pinterest and came across some rather useful ideas.

Menu Planning by DaniBP

Free Printables from The Nest Effect

Monthly menu planning tips by Passionate Homemaking

The Clay Family's Kitchen Command Center

Menu Planning made simple by Mom Writes

Magnetic Menu Planning Calender by Controlling My Chaos

100 Days of Real Food's menu plans

Do you plan your menus? Have you found a system working for you? I would love to hear from you.

Book Sharing Monday:Giraffes can't dance

2011-12-05T07:30:00.004Z

We have the pop up version of Giraffes can't Dance .
The animals in the forest laugh at Gerald the Girafe because "Girafes can't Dance" but Gerald learns from an unusual source that he can dance wonderfully when he can hear his own music. Actually, this story gets me bit teary eyed. A fantastic story to help children learn that being different is okay and they can still excel if they know how to validate their feelings.

What have you been reading and enjoying with your children lately? I would love it if you come and share with us. Feel free to grab my button (on the right hand side) and share the love.

Every vote counts!

2011-12-02T20:45:00.001Z

Remember The Environment Centre Swansea? I have written about this non-profit charity a few weeks ago. They would like to cut their carbon emmisions using renewable energy. But obviously they need funding. You can help them for a greener future by voting here. It only takes a few minutes I promise. There has been a tough competition and the voting closes tomorrow. We would love for you to help and make a difference for this community. Every vote counts!
Don't forget, by voting you are entered into a prize draw and you can win a Rivercottage Veg Book.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall urges everyone to cast their vote in the energyshare fund.

This is a sponsored post.

Letters to Littles:November 2011

2011-12-01T14:24:00.000Z

Inspired by Sausagemama and Zoie at TouchstoneZ, I am writing a monthly letter to my children. If you would like to join in or read others' letters, check out the linky here.

Dear Defne,
you are 4 years 11 months old. I cannot believe you will be 5 years old very soon.
You are aware that we will be celebrating your birthday soon and you are very excited about that. You continue to amaze me every day.
The other week your class had its first Assembly and I was so proud of watching you on the stage.
Then again, this past weekend we went to watch Justin Fletcher ( to my non UK readers, he is a much loved actor on the children's channel CBeebies). You raised up your hands to tell him a joke and when I asked you what you are going to tell, you didn't want to share with me. When Justin came, and gave you a chance to tell your joke, you surprised me and made everyone laugh. I don't know when and how you learn these :)
You enjoyed playing with your Grandma while she was still here, although sometimes you asked her to go home. You are such a cheeky monkey now!
Your reading is developing really well and I love watching you read your picture books all by yourself now. You are so proud of yourself!
I love you.
Mama

Dear Derin,
my little wild one, you are 23 months old now. You have changed so much recently. Your speech is really coming along now. I love hearing new words from you every day.
You are still very active but you have finally understood that we need to wear our coats before leaving home and that mummy cannot always let you walk.
I love our morning routines. After we drop Defne to school, I let you walk back to home and you enjoy looking at the spider webs ( you love spiders) and you enjoy closing every garden gate! You also love cars and are much interested in their tyres!
Recently you have started enjoying playing with cars and another thing you love is playing with play dough. You ask to play with it daily.
Lately, you have been waking up loads at nights. This week I decided to nap with you in the afternoons. It is lovely to nap with you and then playing on the bed as you love rough and tumble play.
In January, you will start to a Montessori nursery. You will go two mornings and I hope you will enjoy your time there.
I love you.
Mama

The joys of baking your own bread

2011-11-30T12:01:00.002Z

Waay back when we didn't have any children, I used to bake our bread and I loved it. There is nothing like kneading the dough, experimenting with different flavors and flours and the smell of the bread baking in the oven.
Unfortunately I lost my habit but I think now is a good time to start again. Winter is the perfect season for baking, isn't it?
The recipe was recommended to me by a dear friend and we absolutely love it!

Do you enjoy baking? What is your favorite recipe? I would love it if you share it in the comments.

Book Sharing Monday:When the Moon Smiled

2011-11-28T07:30:00.000Z

We came across When the Moon Smiled by Petr Horacek at our school library. It is a lovely counting book with gorgeous illustrations and peep trough stars.
It tells the story of the moon lighting the stars one by one in the night sky until everything is right with the world.Stars appear as they are lit by the moon for the farm animals that haven't yet settled down for the night. Starting at one and ending with ten, another star is added with every turn of the page.
What have you been reading with your children? I would love it if you share and leave your link below. Please leave a comment after linking up. For more information about Book Sharing Monday,please check out here.

Babywearing love

2011-11-25T13:13:00.000Z

Photo via Flickr

Voting is open:Please Support The Environment Centre Swansea

2011-11-24T07:30:00.000Z

Last week,I mentioned about The Eneryshare project and that I have been championing The Environment Centre Swansea.
Here is what they have to say:

"The Environment Centre is an independent charity, whose focus is environmental information, education and activity in South West Wales. A group of local people set us up in 1994.We are very much part of our community with over 150 active members, a strong team of 30 + volunteers and over 5,000 visitors each year. We work to help local people put the environment and sustainability first.

In 1995 we moved into a Georgian building in the Swansea Maritime Quarter. Since then we have worked to not only make Swansea a greener and more sustainable place, but also to improve the environmental performance of our building and use it to demonstrate eco-design to our community.

In 2011-12 we are aiming to enter another exciting stage in our development and lay the foundations for the Centre becoming carbon neutral. Energyshare funding would pay for a big part of this allowing us to make some huge strides in the right direction."

Please help The Environment Centre for a greener future. Voting only takes a few minutes plus you can win one of the fabulous River Cottage Veg Books that The Energyshare is giving away. Don't forget there are 5 to give every day.

This is a sponsered post.

Montessori activities for toddlers (5)

2011-11-22T07:30:00.004Z

I thought I'd share what we have been up to lately:
Stacking things is Derin's favorite activity these days. Having painted a picture, Derin used his crayons to stack them on top of each other.

I know it is still a bit early but I showed him how to lace cotton reels. He had a go and then decided to make a tower ;)

Cutting his wooden fruits using the knife

He found playdough disgusting but these days he loves it and wants to play with it everyday.

Transferring marbles from one bowl to another (please note that I observed him very carefully so that he doesn't put them in his mouth)

Derin will start to a Montessori nursery in January and I am very excited to see how it goes. I can't believe my baby is growing up.

Shared with Montessori Monday over at One Hook Wonder.

Book Sharing Monday:The Ballet Class

2011-11-21T12:38:00.000Z

Defne goes to ballet so I couldn't resist buying this book when I came across it at a charity shop.

The Ballet Class by Adele Gerais (illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas) is a lovely book with beautiful illustrations.
She likes reading about the ballet terms and figures she can relate to.

Do you know of any ballet books that your children like?

What have you been reading and enjoying with your children lately? I would love it if you come and share with us. Feel free to grab my button (on the right hand side) and share the love.

Book Review and Giveaway: Colours and Shapes by Patrick George

2011-11-18T14:19:00.002Z

When I was contacted by PatrickGeorge for an opportunity to review their latest books Colours and Shapes, I thought these would be a nice addition to our library for our almost two year old.

When the books arrived I was pleasantly surprised as these are not your ordinary Shapes and Colours books.

The difference of these books is that the illustrator uses acetate paper to make use of visual effects and this works beautifully with bold and colourful illustrations.

Colours: The book introduces the child with colour by the use of acetate paper. This also helps mixing the colours and literally seeing what happens when you mix two colours.

... and when you turn the acetate page...

you can see a green fish. Lovely!

Shapes: In this book we follow a gift (a red square) as it is transported to its recipient. Again the use of coloured acetate paper, transforms the shapes into something else in a quirky and innovative way.

It turned out that, as it states on the cover of the books, these are not suitable for under threes (as the acetate paper might be too delicate for little hands)

The books spark the imagination and my daughter (almost five years old) loves the surprise and seeing a different shape or colour as she turns the page. Both of these books are great favorites recently.
They not only teach children about colours and shapes, but also encourage interaction between the child and parents/carers. Personally I think these books are very cleverly designed and I highly recommend them. Would be lovely as a Christmas or birthday present.
You can read more about the books and watch a youtube video on the publisher's website.

BUY IT:
You can buy both books from bookstores and online.

WIN IT:
The publisher of the books PatrickGeorge has kindly offered to giveaway one of each book to two lucky Smiling like Sunshine readers.
All you need to do is visiting PatrickGeorge's website, have a look around. Then come and tell me the title of a book that you would like to read.

For an extra chance:

Tweet this : Over at @smilinglikesuns two beautiful children's books are up for grabs http://bit.ly/vf3yq5 #kidlit
Link to this giveaway from your Facebook page
Follow Smiling like Sunshine @smilinglikesuns and @PatrickGeorge2 on Twitter
Subscribe to Smiling like Sunshine via Google or Networked Blogs (buttons on the right hand side)

For any of the extra entries to count you must leave a separate comment here on this post saying what extra chance you’ve gone for (eg tweeted about the giveaway etc).
Please leave your e-mail if it is not enabled on your profile so I can reach you.
You don't have to but we would love it if you follow Smiling like Sunshine on Facebook.

The closing date for entries is 25th November at midnight (UK time). The winners will be chosen at random and will be announced some time during the next day.

The giveaway is open to UK residents. (Sorry international readers)

Disclaimer: Thanks to PatrickGeorge for sending me these books. As always, this review reflects my honest and true opinion.

...and the winners are Catherine and Playing by the Book. Congratulations! I will get in touch very soon.

Quick craft:Pinecone men

2011-11-17T13:53:00.000Z

Autumn is such a lovely time of the year as the nature gives us so many things to "play" with. We had collected some pinecones, although I'm not quite sure these are pinecones. These are taller and thinner but let's call them pinecones, shall we? Inspired by Red Ted Art's Stick Men we made Pinecone Men.

Defne enjoyed cutting dresses for them from old clothes and googly eyes were taped as glue was not strong enough. But then my daughter loves taping everything anyway ;)
Have you been making any crafts with your kids lately?

Energyshare:Sourcing Renewable Energy

2011-11-16T07:30:00.002Z

Remember my post about Solar Energy? I am very happy to be part of a new project about sustainability.
Energyshare is an initiative between River Cottage and British Gas who are giving people the opportunity to source, use and even generate their own 100% British renewable energy.

Energyshare thinks that in order to make a really big difference, we all need to work together. "We’ve learned from our other projects like River Cottage, Hugh’s Fish Fight, Chicken Out and Landshare that when you bring together people, communities, organisations and the media, something really BIG can happen."

Energyshare is funding up to 100k for individual community projects . British Gas are distributing a further £3m to community renewable energy projects through the energyshare fund over the next 3 years.

There has been a stiff competition between over 1,000 community projects who registered on the energyshare.com website over the last few months. Now it is time for the second round for 100 finalist groups.

The winning groups will have the chance to fund their projects thanks to British Gas and River Cottage.

I am delighted to be involved in this project by championing one of the finalists: The Environment Centre in Swansea is a charity founded in 1994. They have been raising awareness about sustainability and green living issues since then.

Their project aims to reduce their carbon footprint and demonstrate renewable technologies and energy efficiency measures to the Swansea community. They would like to install Photovoltaic panels onto the roof of their building and produce their own renewable energy.

I will write more about this subject in a few days. In the meantime the voting has just begun today and you can support The Environment Centre by voting for them. Only takes a few minutes and don't forget everyone who votes will be entered into a daily draw to win River Cottage Veg books.

This is a sponsered post.

Etsy finds {Babywearing products}

2011-11-15T14:10:00.000Z

From time to time, I spend so much time on Etsy. There are beautiful and unique things there, I just can't resist.

Mother and Baby Card by Shine Spinner

Beautiful babywearing art by Worlds of Whimsy

Maternity and Babywearing Coat by LiliesOValley

Babywearing Mama Glass Pendant by Family Tree Glass

Babywearing coat via babywearing

Book Sharing Monday: One Snowy Night

2011-11-14T07:30:00.000Z

This weekend the weather was so beautiful here.. We enjoyed spending lots of time outdoors, walking, collecting leaves and pine cones. Despite this weather I want to share a winter book with you. We love Percy, the park keeper's adventures with his animal friends. This past week we had been reading books from our box set but this one, One Snowy Night is the first book we came across when we first discovered the Percy books and it is still a firm favorite.
Percy, the park keeper, always feeds the animals in the park where he lives. But on a very cold winter night his animal friends require more of him than just food. One by one they appear, shivering on his doorstep, asking for shelter. Soon there is no room in the bed for Percy.

What have you been reading and enjoying with your children lately? I would love it if you come and share with us. Feel free to grab my button (on the right hand side) and share the love.

Two children's books about breastfeeding {giveaway inside}

2011-11-11T11:32:00.004Z

As you know we love books and I feel very passionate about breastfeeding. So when Pinter and Martin asked me if I would be interested in these books about breastfeeding, I was delighted.

You, me and the breast written by Monica Calaf and illustrated Mikel Fuentes has just been published in October. It tells the story of the bond between a mother and her new baby.The illustrations are bold,colourful and gorgeous.

The Mystery of the Breast written by Victoria de Abitiz and illustrated by Afra is a beautiful book to prepare older siblings for the arrival of a new baby. It is told by the little girl who has a new baby brother.
I love that both cosleeping and babywearing are mentioned in the book.

As a breastfeeding mother, I really enjoyed reading these books with my nurslings.

BUY IT:
You can buy both books from bookstores, RRP £6.99

WIN IT:
The publisher of the books Pinter and Martin has kindly offered to giveaway one of each book to two lucky Smiling like Sunshine readers.
All you need to do is visiting Pinter and Martin's website, have a look around. Then come and tell me the title of a book that you would like to read.

For an extra chance:

Tweet this : Over at @smilinglikesuns two beautiful children's books about #breastfeeding are up for grabs http://bit.ly/vMUOgq

Link to this giveaway from your Facebook page

Follow Smiling like Sunshine @smilinglikesuns and @PinterandMartin on Twitter

Subscribe to Smiling like Sunshine via Google or Networked Blogs (buttons on the right hand side)

For any of the extra entries to count you must leave a separate comment here on this post saying what extra chance you’ve gone for (eg tweeted about the giveaway etc).
Please leave your e-mail if it is not enabled on your profile so I can reach you.
You don't have to but we would love it if you follow Pinter and Martin and Smiling like Sunshine on Facebook.

The closing date for entries is 18th November at midnight (UK time). The winners will be chosen at random and will be announced some time during the next day.

The giveaway is open to UK residents. (Sorry international readers)

Disclaimer: Thanks to Pinter and Martin for sending me these books. As always, this review reflects my honest and true opinion.

...and the winner of the giveaway is Val and Missilizzieb. Congratulations and I will get in touch with you.
Because Val didn't get in touch within a week I had to draw another name and the lucky winner was Circus Queen.

Kids Rooms {Wall Decoration Ideas}

2011-11-10T09:40:00.000Z

I love the eclectic mix of pieces used via conversationpieces

I love the dark walls and pretty flowers via ohdeedoh

I love the fabrics with bold colours via ohdeedoh

Lovely forest theme via pinterest

With my kids in the kitchen

2011-11-08T07:30:00.002Z

Welcome to the November Carnival of Natural Parenting: Kids in the Kitchen
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how kids get involved in cooking and feeding. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

We do love good food here in the Smiling like Sunshine HQ, so the kitchen is definitely the hearth of our home.
Like every child, my kids enjoy "helping" me in the kitchen.
Sometimes they take their "jobs" seriously:

Derin happy and proud to be cleaning the countertop!

Defne mashing the potatoes

Rolling out the cookie dough

I want to take this opportunity to share a favorite recipe. Both my kids love this classic Turkish soup and I thought you might want to try it out. Now, it might sound a bit strange to you as it contains yoghurt and it is cooked. But it is perfect for autumn and winter. Give it a try and you might LOVE it ;-)
Minty Yoghurt Soup

1/4 cup rice (do not use basmati rice. I use sushi rice or pudding rice)
5 cups of water
2 cups of plain yoghurt
1 egg
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
2 teaspoons of mint
1teaspoon of salt

Start off by boiling the rice in 5 cups of water until rice is soft.
Meanwhile, beat the egg and flour. Then mix it with yoghurt, stir well and set aside.
Put the yoghurt mix in a saucepan and cook it on very low heat. This stage is very important,you need to keep it on low heat and stir it occasionally, otherwise it will curdle. Cook it for about 15-20 minutes,then pour it slowly into the rice. Gently heat it on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once it boils, turn it down and cook for another ten minutes.
Meanwhile heat up the butter in a pan. Once it sizzles, add the mint. Let it sizzle for about 30 seconds. Keep an eye though, you don't want them burned. When done, pour into the soup mixture. Ladle into soup bowls and enjoy!

Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon November 8 with all the carnival links.)

Baking & letting go — Cooking with kids can be a mess. Nadia at Red White & GREEN Mom is learning to relax, be patient, and have fun with the process.
Family feeding in Child of Mine — Lauren at Hobo Mama reviews Ellyn Satter's suggestions for appropriate feeding and points out where her family has problems following through.
Children with Knives! (And other Kitchen Tools) — Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy teaches her children how to safely use knives.
"Mommy, Can I Help?" — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment writes about how she lets her kiddos help out with cooking, despite her {sometimes} lack of patience!
Solids the Second Time Around — Sheryl at Little Snowflakes recounts her experiences introducing solids to her second child.
The Adventure of Toddler Tastebuds — The Accidental Natural Mama shares a few things that helped her daughter develop an adventurous palate.
A Tradition of Love — Kelly at Becoming Crunchy looks forward to sharing the kitchen traditions passed on from her mom and has already found several ways to involve baby in the kitchen.
The Very Best Classroom — Alicia C. at McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts reveals how her kitchen is more than a place to make food - it's a classroom!
Raising Little Chefs — Chef Mike guest posts on Natural Parents Network about how he went from a guy who couldn't cook to a chef who wanted to teach his boys to know how the food we love is made.
In the Kitchen with my kids — Isil at Smiling like Sunshine shares a delicious soup recipe that her kids love.
Papa, the Pancake Artist — Papa's making an incredible breakfast over at Our Mindful Life.
Kids won't eat salad? Try this one! — Tat at Mum in Search is sharing her children's favourite salad recipe.
Recipe For a Great Relationship — Cooking with kids is about feeding hearts as well as bellies, writes Hannah at Wild Parenting.
The Ritual of Mealtimes — Syenna at Gently Parenting Twins writes about the significance of mealtimes in her family’s daily rhythm.
Kid, Meet Food. Food, Kid. — Alburnet at What's Next? panicks about passing on her food "issues" to her offspring.
Growing Up in the Kitchen — Cassie at There's a Pickle in My Life shares how her son is growing up in the kitchen.
Harvesting Corn and History — From Kenna at School Garden Year: The kids in the school garden harvest their corn and learn how much history grows in their food.
My Guiding Principles for Teaching my Child about Food — Tree at Mom Grooves uses these guiding principles to give her daughter a love of good food and an understanding of nutrition as well as to empower her to make the best choices for her body.
Kitchen Control — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro writes about her struggles to relinquish control in the kitchen to her children.
Food — Emma at Your Fonder Heart lets her seven month old teach her how to feed a baby.
Kitchen Fun? — Adrienne at Mommying My Way questions how much fun she can have in a non-functional kitchen, while trying to remain positive about the blessings of cooking for her family.
Kitchen Adventures — Erica at ChildOrganics shares fun ways to connect with your kids in the kitchen.
Kids in the Kitchen: Finding the Right Tools — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings shares some of her favorite child-sized kitchen gadgets and where to find them.
The Kitchen Classroom — Laura at Authentic Parenting knows that everything your kids want to learn is at the end of the ladle.
Kids in the Kitchen — Luschka from Diary of a First Child talks about the role of the kitchen in family communication and shares fun kitchen activities for the under two.
Our Kitchen is an Unschooling Classroom. — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle explores the many ways her kitchen has become a rich environment for learning.
Montessori-Inspired Food Preparation for Preschoolers — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares lots of resources for using Montessori food preparation activities for young children in the kitchen.
My Little Healthy Eater — Christine at African Babies Don't Cry shares her research on what is the best first food for babies, and includes a healthy and yummy breakfast recipe.
Two Boys and Papa in the Kitchen: Recipe for Disaster? — MudpieMama shares all about her fears, joys and discoveries when the boys and handsome hubby took over the kitchen.
Food choices, Food treats — Henrietta at Angel Wings and Herb Tea shares her family's relationship with food.
learning to eat — Catherine at learner mummy reflects on little M's first adventures with food.
The Night My 7-Year-Old Made Dinner — Melodie at Breastfeeding Moms Unite! shares how her 7-year-old daughter surprised everyone by turning what started as an idea to play restaurant into pulling off making supper for her family.
Cooking With a High-Needs Toddler — Sylvia at MaMammalia describes how Montessori-inspired activities and a bit of acceptance have helped her overcome hurdles in cooking while caring for a "high-needs" child.
Kids in the Kitchen – teaching healthy food choices — Brenna at Almost All The Truth shares her belief in the importance of getting kids into the kitchen using her favorite cookbook for kids to develop healthy food choices now and hopefully into the future.
Make Milk, Not War — Tamara at Tea for Three remembers the daily food fights as she struggled to feed a picky eater.
teaching baby birds about good food. — Sarah at Small Bird on Fire writes about the ways in which her family chooses to gently teach their son how to make wise food decisions.
5 Ways to Enhance Your Baby or Young Toddler's Relationship with Food — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares simple ways to give your child a healthy beginning to her lifelong relationship with food.
Toddler at the Table: 10 Creative Solutions — Moorea at Mamalady shares tips for preventing meal-time power struggles.
How My Child Takes Responsibility During His Mealtime... — Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy shares how she teaches and encourages her 32 months old son on adopting good manners and responsibilities during his mealtimes...
megan — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings shares six tips for overcoming some of the the difficulties of cooking with multiple young sous chefs, and a recipe they all can agree on!
How BLW has made me a better parent — Zoe at Mummykins shares how baby-led weaning has changed her approach to parenting.
My Budding Chef — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom is no cook but is happy that her daughter has shown an inclination and manages to whip up yummy goodies for their family.
Kids in the Kitchen: An Activity for Every Age — Gaby from Tmuffin describes how she keeps her kids busy in the kitchen, whether they are one week old or two years old.
The Phantastically Mutlipurposed Phyllo — Ana at Pandamoly shares how Phyllo is used to create enticing dishes at home! Anything can be made into a Struedel!
Kitchen Kids — Laura from A Pug in the Kitchen shares her children's most favorite recipe to make, experience and eat.
Independence vs. Connection in the Kitchen: won't you please get yourself your own snack already? — Lisa at Organic Baby Atlanta wishes her daughter would just go make a mess in the kitchen. But her daughter only wants to do it together.
Grandma Rose's Kitchen — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter reminisces about her childhood and dreams of filling her kitchen with people, love, noise, and messes.
Healthy Food Choices for Kids — Jorje offers one way to encourage children to make their own healthy food choices at MommaJorje.com.
Cooking food to thrive rather than survive — Phoebe at Little Tinker Tales is trying to foster a lifetime of good food habits by teaching her children about the importance of avoiding junk, cooking healthy meals, and learning about the whole food process.
Evolution of a self-led eater — Sheila at A Gift Universe shares the story of how her son grew from nursing around the clock to eating everything in sight, without her having to push.
10 Ways Tiny Helps In The Kitchen — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama explores the ways in which her toddler actively participates in kitchen-related activities.
The Complexity of Feeding a Child — Feeding children a healthy diet is no straight-forward task, but Lisa at My World Edenwild shares some general guidelines to help your child thrive.
Lactation Cookies — That Mama Gretchen shares a fun recipe that will benefit both mamas and babies!
The Best Books and Websites to Inspire Kids in the Kitchen — Need inspiration to get your kids in the kitchen? Dionna at Code Name: Mama rounds up some of the best books and websites that can serve as a source for ideas, recipes, and cooking with littles fun.
A 4-year-old's smoothie recipe — Jen at Grow With Graces and her son set out to make a smoothie without the usual ingredients. She let him improvise. See how it turned out.
Independent Food Preparation (My Toddler Can Do That?) — Megan at Montessori Moments shares simple ways for children to prepare their own healthy snacks.
Follow Your Gut — Amy at Anktangle shares her philosophy about intuitive eating, and how she's trying to foster her son's trust in his own inner wisdom when he feels hungry.
A TODDLER-STYLE LUNCH + RECIPE — Manic Mrs. Stone photographs how to have messy fun during lunchtime with a helpful toddler.

Smiling like Sunshine

Let's Play:Kids Co-op

Spring Carnival Monthly Round Up

Kool Aid Playdough

Sponsored Video:Homes for London

Review:Baker Ross Craft Supplies

Book Sharing Monday

Review and Giveaway:Green People Organic Children's Shampoo

Let's Play:Kids Co-op

How to make a mini tree

And the Oscars go to...

Letters to Littles: February 2012

Book Sharing Monday

Kid's Co-op:Playful Ideas Swap

Water Bead Fun

Review:Justin Fletcher's CD Hands Up

Review:Montessori Letter Sounds HD Ipad App

Book Sharing Monday:The Art Book for Children

World Book Day:1 March 2012

Opposites and Numbers by Patrick George {Review and Giveaway}

Spring Flower Spotting

Kids Co-op:Playful Ideas Swap

Carrot and Courgette Muffins

Review: {Cubby Kit}

Book Sharing Monday:Around the World With Mouk

Breastfeeding my two year old

Midnight in Paris

Review:Vilac My Big Game Box

All Year Round Carnival:Spring

Book Sharing Monday: The Story of Everything

Music for your ears {Midnight in Paris}

All Year Round Carnival

Review:Beco potty {the eco friendly potty}

Celebrate the International Book Giving Day:14th February

Snow Painting

Book Sharing Monday:Meet Einstein

Kids' Rooms {Reading Nooks}

Valentine's Day Cards and 5 Crafty Ideas Books

Kids App Review: ABC Kids Trace

Letters to Littles: January 2012

Book Sharing Monday:The Children of the Hat Cottage

Montessori activities for toddlers (5)

Book Sharing Monday:Winter

Review and Giveaway:What On Earth Wall Books

The Joy of Books

Book Sharing Monday:Helen Oxenbury

Sunday Surf

Lactivist T-Shirt Giveaway

Kids' Rooms {Montessori inspired}

Review:Conscious Chocolate

Book Sharing Monday:I spy with my little eye...

Sunday Surf

Best Projects for Kids from 2011

Wishing you a happy New Year!

Easy Peasy Coconut Macaroons

Book Review

Festive Sensory Tray for Children

Natural Parents Network Blitz {Best of 2011}

Book Sharing Monday:The Story Blanket

Celebrate the Winter Solstice:Handprint Sun Craft

Food for thought

Smiling like Sunshine is 1 year old {giveaway inside}

Book Sharing Monday

Happy Weekend

Menu Planning Ideas

Book Sharing Monday:Giraffes can't dance

Every vote counts!

Letters to Littles:November 2011

The joys of baking your own bread

Book Sharing Monday:When the Moon Smiled

Babywearing love

Voting is open:Please Support The Environment Centre Swansea

Montessori activities for toddlers (5)

Book Sharing Monday:The Ballet Class

Book Review and Giveaway: Colours and Shapes by Patrick George

Quick craft:Pinecone men

Energyshare:Sourcing Renewable Energy

Etsy finds {Babywearing products}

Book Sharing Monday: One Snowy Night

Two children's books about breastfeeding {giveaway inside}