Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in greater los angeles, CA

Another Leaf Contest Winner

May 11, 2009

Congratulations to Janice R. from Philadelphia who won the giveaway of an ABC Memory Game from Another Leaf.  Thanks to all who entered - we hope you check out the shop for other items because they are worth investigating!  Read more...

Cute But Ugly

April 27, 2009

Today's guest blogger is Bettijo B. Hirschi, the mother of two behind The Mommy Times, Bath By Bettijo, and a new Etsy shop called Another Leaf.  A woman of many talents, once Bettijo became a mother she found countless new outlets for her creativity.  She has moxie in great supply, too.  I was inspired by her story behind this adorable memory game, which she created because of a disdain that I share for children's products that are hard to find without licensed characters.

Maybe I'm just weird, but I HATE buying stuff with some annoying cartoon character plastered all over it. And it's not just over-licensed cartoons that bug me, it's all the other "cute" (but ugly) little pictures of who knows what that always adorn kid's products. I really don't understand why there is such an overload of this stuff. I think whoever is developing these products has forgotten that it's parents, not kids, who have the wallets -- we're the ones that buy things, so stop making them so ugly. 

When I need something new for one of my little ones (bib, sippy cup, shoes, etc), I walk to the appropriate aisle, look at the options, and pick whichever one has no character's face on it. As frugal as I am, I'll even pay more to get the product without that happy little bumble bee, but I'm lucky if that is even an option. 

While shopping for my oldest daughter's fourth birthday, I decided to get her a memory game (aka "Concentration"). I loved this game as a child, and I figured if I could find one with numbers or the alphabet it would also be educational. Sounds perfectly reasonable, right? I shopped, shopped and shopped some more -- online and in dozens of stores -- and came up with nothing. Of course I found a Mickey Mouse, Disney Princesses and Dora game set; however, even those sets all had just pictures on them, not really educational, which is what I was after.  There wasn't a single one with 123s or ABCs. So I made one. 

Our whole family loves playing it, and I decided to make a few more, and put them out there in case there are any other befuddled parents like me.

Bettijo's invention is your gain - she is giving away one of the memory games and you will be entered if you leave a comment OR email me at beingsavvysfv-la@savvysource.com by midnight on Monday May 4.  Winner will be chosen at random.  Tweet it!  Email it!  Call someone and tell them!

Watch your child's memory grow

by Kim Tracy Prince

January 12, 2009

As your preschooler grows, his memory is an amazing thing to watch. They always say children thrive on routine, and nowhere is this more apparent than when you catch it by accident. I have noticed that when I take our son back to a place we have already visited, even if it's been a long time (for his short life, even a month is a long time), he will point out something he remembers from  Read more...