Great Ideas for Your 2014 Holiday Cards

The holidays are coming. It's time to be merry and bright! One family tradition that I just love is sending holiday cards to family and friends. I love sending and receiving them, and also save the cards from years passed.

Lucky for us, my husband is a photographer. Most years, we set up a holiday scene and simply snap our pictures at home. Based on my obsessive love for holiday cards ... I offer you these ideas.

TOP IDEAS FOR 2014 HOLIDAY CARDS

1. Vacation Picture: Did you and the family spend some time away from it all this year? Did you fly from ABE to ORL to meet the Mouse? Have a shot of the kids on the beach to share? I just love when friends and family share vacation pictures on their holiday cards.

2. Top 10 List: We have a friend that includes a "top 10" moments list on her card. This is such a special glimpse into their year. I love this idea so much, that we actually did this on our cards last year and will most likely do it again.

3. Family Letter: When family and friends are scattered all over the world, it's great to send a little extra something. For years, we've included a short family letter. It's on 1/2 a page and includes major milestones from the year. We often recieve similar letters; we read them together and save them in our family memory box.

4. QR Code: I heard about this and think it's a great idea for tech and social media savvy families ... take a short holiday video, upload it to YouTube and then create a QR code to include on your card. To create a QR code, you can use bitly.com and then save the image as a .jpeg to your computer.

5. Ornament Cards: A fairly new card trend is the ornament card. You can make these yourself with fun scrap paper,  add a photo on to the front, print out a note for the back, pop a hole in the top and add some ribbon. I think this would be a fun (but time consuming) craft to do with the kids.


HOLIDAY CARDS FROM SHUTTERFLY

My preferred photo sharing site is Shutterfly (no, they are not paying me to say that). I've been using it for years and love everything I've ever bought and made via the site. For the past seven or eight years, I've also purchased my holiday cards via Shutterfly, too. Here are some fun designs that are available on their site. I just love these!

Socialization: An Important Skill for your Preschooler

Preschool may be a child’s first introduction to a community of similarly aged peers.  While different preschools have their own philosophies with regards to education and learning environments, one thing remains the same:  preschoolers need to learn how to socialize with others.

Socialization is one of the many developmental benefits to be gained from a good preschool experience.  The key difference in the home and preschool socialization experiences usually is the degree to which a child has the opportunity to interact with their peers.  At home, because of any number of circumstances, a child may have little opportunity to play, learn, share, or otherwise interact with other children of similar ages without their parents being involved.  In preschool, children learn how to interact with each other using their own communication skills.  Building a child’s communication skill is important for learning proper socialization.

A child needs to build their sense of confidence and self esteem.  This means, he or she needs to feel good about themselves.  Giving a child praise for good choices or complimenting him or her on a project they made helps a child build their confidence.  However, that is confidence and self esteem from parents or adults.  Preschool socialization helps develop confidence with peers.

Sharing and cooperation are two other important socialization skills.  A way to help develop these skills is by playing games, singing songs or reading stories.

For your young child, play is important work.  He or she grows, learns and investigates the world through play.  Curiosity plays a key role in this exploration which also helps with developing socialization skills.

Communication is a key part of socialization.  Your child expressing themselves and representing his ideas, feelings, and knowledge about the world is a key skill for your child.  When a situation or conflict occurs, ask your child how he or she feels.  By talking it through you can help your child understand his or her feelings.

When you incorporate any of the above mentioned ideas, you are developing your child’s socialization.  The world is a big place where a child needs to learn how to communicate and express their ideas independently.

Robin Hagy, Guest Blogger for Lehigh Valley Family Fun

Bethany Preschool Preschool Director
rhagy@bethanyumchurch.com

Hear ye, Hear ye, calling all Princes and Princesses!

Are you looking for a birthday party experience that will knock the socks off your little prince or princess?

Check out The Ice Cream Lab in Walnutport!

Newly added party experience "Kandy Kingdom" is a fun way to introduce your little one to a whimsical world featuring King Candy and his colorful castle of gum balls, lollipops and ice cream!

Children will create magical wands or fun pretend swords, hear a majestic story, then decorate their own crown-shaped sugar cookie. They will dress in fun princess or knight costumes, complete with majestic jewels from the king's treasure box and pose for royal pictures!

Wendy Pitts, Owner of The Ice Cream Lab invited me to sit in on a Kandy Kingdom birthday party. I had a chance to see the party first hand.  WHAT FUN!  The boys and girls were totally entertained by each activity! And they looked absolutely adorable too when they dressed in prince & princess costumes.

The staff at The Ice Cream Lab attended to the needs of the children and it was evident they truly enjoyed being part of the birthday girl's day.

For more information about The Ice Cream Lab and its offerings, please check out their website or stop by their store. Your little one will be glad you did!

How to Survive Bad Weather with Kids in the Lehigh Valley!

That's right, another snow storm. If you are anything like me, after multiple snow and ice storms, winter has now lost its appeal.  

Snow flakes hitting my face, once a blissful moment, now tends to turn my stomach. And the idea of being cooped up in the house, with the kids, can be trying.

But as we all know, being a Mom or Dad is a 24-hour job, even if the weather isn't cooperating. With that in mind, here is a list of fun things to do with your kids when Mother Nature has other plans.

Bake cookies!
A perfect way to warm up the home and make it smell yummy too! A special trip to the grocery store isn't always necessary. Many times I can find recipes based on the food items I all ready have at home. We have lots of fun recipes on our Pinterest page.

Get out those board games.

Remember those good 'ol games that are piled in your basement or hall closet? Some oldies but goodies?  Connect Four, Clue, Monopoly (love it) just to name a few.

Clean out those closets.
I have clothing that my daughter has outgrown piling up in my laundry room. A snowy day is a perfect time to gather up all outgrown or unwanted clothing and be a Consignor. A Consignor is a participant who sells new and gently-used items at local, seasonal sales events. There are many consignment opportunities coming up in the near future. The Kids Closet Sale is March 13, The Kid's Clothesline is April 4-6. The Clothing Tree is April 11-13, and Just Between Friends is April 12-13. Most events are looking for Consignors NOW.

Teach your children how to take photos.
Being stuck inside is a perfect opportunity to show your kids how to use a camera. I could spend hours looking out the window at the snowy landscape and capturing photos of it. Our friends at Dan's Camera City have great tips on their website for taking fun winter photos. A great way for kids to see things that they might not notice otherwise.

Get messy, try paper mache.
That's right, I said it. GET MESSY! Put an old table cloth on your kitchen table and let the kids go wild. Check out our Pinterest page for some fun ideas! Paper mache is super easy to make - Mix 1/2 cup of flour with 3/4 cup of water, old newspaper cut into strips - add 1/4 tbsp of salt to prevent mold and to make extra sturdy and 2 tbsp of white glue. Let it dry and then GET OUT THE PAINT! This is twofold messy fun and you will be the coolest Mom or Dad on the block! You can thank me later.  :)

Go sledding.
OK, so this is obvious. But sometimes you have to point out the most common things to those who need ideas. Sled for a little while and then make hot chocolate. This is a MUST DO in my house.

Make an Emergency Preparedness Kit.
Being prepared is a great thing. Ready.gov lists items that are commonly found in your home that could be set aside for an emergency; flashlights, batteries, water, etc. With the amount of homes losing power in a storm, this could help you and your family should the need arise. It is also a great opportunity to teach your kids the importance of being prepared.

Have a Snow Day Scavenger Hunt.
Our friends at Paper Bag Child have a list of items needed by local, Lehigh Valley charities. Check out the list and then do a family scavenger hunt in your house. You might just find a gently-used item, that you no longer use, that could help someone else in need.

So, I hope the above list helps you get through yet another snow day. Whatever you decide to do, do it together with your kids. You might just make a memory or two that will last a lifetime. 

Have fun!

Lehigh Valley Family Fun is a website resource for families of the Lehigh Valley! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Pinterest.

Go Red with Lehigh Valley Mall!

During the month of February, Lehigh Valley Mall will participate in a nationwide Simon Property Group, Inc. celebration "Paint the Mall RED" to support American Heart Month.

On Friday, February 7, Mall goers are invited to join Lehigh Valley Mall for National Wear Red Day to show their support for women with heart disease.  Every customer to visit Guest Services on National Wear Red Day and February 8th will receive a Go Red for Women Dress pin...while supplies last.

Additionally, Lehigh Valley Mall will continue its annual partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA) for the month of February and host the Go Red for Women event on Saturday, February 8th from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. in the Macy's Court.

Activities will include...
*Blood Pressure Screenings provided by McCann School of Business & Technology
*Raffle Prizes
*Macy's Go Red for Women/AHA Fashion Show (emceed by Josh Gears of 100.7 WLEV)

"We're proud to join the movement to promote healthy lifestyles for women," says Lehigh Valley Mall Marketing Director, Amanda Johnson.  "Heart disease is the number one threat to women and we want to do everything possible to spread awareness and let those in our community know that small lifestyle changes can make a big difference!"

Throughout the month of February, Lehigh Valley Mall will sell the Simon From the Heart Giftcard at Simon Guest Services located on the lower level near Boscov's.  This giftcard makes a great Valentine's Day gift and provides the purchaser the opportunity to support the Foundation for the National Institute of Health (FNIH) through the additional $1 purchase.

Shoppers can also enter to win an American Heart Association's Heart Health Goodie Tote at the giveaway table located by the escalators near Guest Services through February 27.  The winner will be chosen on February 28.

What is Tai Chi?

The goal of Lehigh Valley Family Fun is to spread the word about great programs for kids and their families. One program that I was recently introduced to is Tai Chi by our friends at the Lehigh Valley Martial Arts (LVMA). 

What is Tai Chi?

Tai Chi is translated as the supreme ultimate force and seeing both sides of things. Some think of it as a cross between a moving form of yoga and meditation. It is the calm side of martial arts.

Different than traditional exercise, Tai Chi movement is circular and a person's positioning and muscles are relaxed.

LVMA has been offering Tai Chi since 2006.
"The Tai Chi program is designed to increase health and happiness, increase energy, be a simple, effective practice for stress management, a low impact and highly effective exercise.  It is also a great way to make new friends and make strong personal connections" says Sensai Dana Eldridge, Co-Owner of LVMA and Active Learning Centers. 

I had an opportunity to watch Shifu Crystal in action and was fascinated by the meditation aspect. 

Tai Chi instructors can be called different names depending on their level of instructorship: Laoshi and Shifu.

Laoshi, pronounced Low (like cow but with an “L”) Shir, which means “Teacher” and is used to show respect for our Assistant Instructors who are training for full instructorship.

Shifu, pronounced Shee-foo refers to a fully certified instructor. In traditional Mandarin it means “Father Teacher” as in Chinese society the father is the head of the household. This title is however, interchangeable between men and women and refers to a head instructor.

Classes are held Tuesdays/Thursdays at their Fogelsville location and Mondays/Wednesdays in Emmaus.  Tai Chi is for adults only.  However, if your children want to get involved there are martial arts classes for children at all locations.

Does this sound like something you might be interested in? Please contact LVMA for more information or to get started.