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The Tiger Who Came To Tea: Sydney’s Best Shows For Kids

The Tiger Who Came To Tea via christineknight.me

Growing up, The Tiger Who Came To Tea was a favourite book of mine. It’s such a fun concept, a tiger knocking on a door and asking to stay for tea, to a family who, while a bit surprised, don’t seem as surprised as you or I might be at a talking tiger appearing at their door and devouring not them, but their cake, sandwiches and tea. Utterly ridiculous and completely charming. Written by Judith Kerr in 1968, the book is still relevant today, as shown by the enduring success of the book, and current success of this stage show.

Several months back, I was at the Sydney Opera House with Cheese and friends at one of their Babies Proms. As we left the theatre, we were amazed to see a huge tiger (note: man dressed as tiger, not ACTUAL tiger) sitting down at a fancy high tea and having his photo taken. Turned out these shots were press pics for the new The Tiger Who Came To Tea show, which opened last week.

The girls wanted to have their photo taken with the tiger, hence the opening photo, and today we finally saw The Tiger Who Came To Tea show live.

tiger-who-came-to-tea-2

As in the book, the show invites us into the lives of Sophie and her family, as they are faced with an unexpected, mayhem-inducing tea guest. The show closely follows the book, with some added details that give a bit more background into Sophie and her families’ lives. Fun songs break up the dialogue, and there is a delightfully silly dance number in the middle of the show that has the audience on their feet, brandishing their tiger claws and swishing their imaginary tails.

Another great interactive moment comes towards the end of the show, with an easy sing-a-long. The producers of the show have really done a fantastic job to create the perfect show for their target audience (kids aged 3-5-ish). The run time of 50 minutes was perfect for short attention spans, too.

Our group of two three-year-olds and one five-year-old thoroughly enjoyed the show. The wiggly three-year-olds were so mesmerised by the tiger and rest of the performance that they forgot to be wiggley, and the five-year-old laughed constantly at the physical humour (perfect casting too!).

The Tiger Who Came To Tea via christineknight.me

If you’re in Sydney next week with little kids, take them to see The Tiger That Came To Tea. Our discerning mini-theatre goers give it several very enthusiastic thumbs up.

The Tiger Who Came To Tea via christineknight.me

The Tiger Who Came To Tea is showing at the Sydney Opera House until December 28. Recommended for children aged 3+.

Toilet Training Battles With The Oricom Intelligent Potty (& GIVEAWAY!)

Oricom Intelligent Potty review via christineknight.me

Potty training in our house has been a battlefield. In the one corner, a very stubborn toddler. In the other, two very weary parents who are tired of cleaning poop up off the floor.

After six long months of trying various methods to toilet train Cheese, I met the Oricom folks at a blogging event, where, after hearing our toileting woes, I was offered one of their Oricom Intelligent Potties to try.

Honest moment: I previously thought all those fancy potties with all the bells and whistles were a waste of money. I just couldn’t see how sounds and lights and princesses were needed to get a child to do their business on a toilet. I was at breaking point though and willing to try absolutely anything to help us win the potty training war.

Oricom Intelligent Potty review via christineknight.me

And here’s the moment where I eat my words as my toddler falls for the fancy Intelligent Potty by Oricom. She calls it her “magic potty” and for the first time since we started this toilet training debacle, she is actually keen to use a potty.

Now, you may ask, what about this potty is so “magical” (or “intelligent”)? Basically, the Intelligent Potty is designed to keep toddlers stimulated, interested and curious. It has an ergonomic design that is comfortable for toddlers to sit on (the arm rests are great), and also for parents to clean up afterwards (everyone wins!).

The potty also has a pre-recordable sound module where you press he record button and record your personalised message (maximum 6 seconds). You can change the recording as many times as you like. My message went something like this: “Yay! Good girl, you went to the toilet!”.

When your kid sits on the potty and starts to go, they hear hear the sound of running water after 2 seconds, which encourages them to keep on going. When they’re finished and stands up, they will then hear your personalised message, followed by a child’s classic tune (10 different songs to choose from, like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star).

So yes, fancy and MAGICAL. And it’s WORKING.

Product details:

Available in Menthol (IP100MT) and Stone (IP100ST) colours.

High back support encourages correct posture and sitting position

Side support prevents slippage

Rounded edges to eliminate pinching

$ 89.95 RRP

Oricom Intelligent Potty review via christineknight.me

GIVEAWAY

The kind people at Oricom are offering Adventure, Baby! readers the chance to win their very own Oricom Intelligent Potty valued at $89.95.

Entry is open to Australian mailing addresses only. Enter view the Rafflecopter widget below. The winning entry will be chosen based on the creativity of the blog comment.

The competition opens 12:01am Thursday December 17, to 11:59pm Wednesday December 24, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cheese’s First Ballet: Once Upon A Time

First Ballet

Ballet has been one of the biggest loves of my life. From the age of three (yep, Cheese’s age!) I somehow became aware of ballet and started to beg for lessons. My parents thought it would be a fad like all others I’d had thus far and made me wait two years to take lessons. Unlike all of my other interests, which were mostly short-lived, ballet captured my imagination and then heart and soul.

Ballet has brought so much joy to my life that I’ve always hoped I could share this love with my child when I eventually had one. Little Cheese has clearly inherited some of my love of dance because she just loves to wiggle, twist and turn, pretty much all day long. She too, requested ballet classes recently, after our move back to Australia, and watching her twirl in a tulle skirt is one of the highlights of my week.

Since it became apparent that Cheese also enjoyed dance, I’ve been really looking forward to taking her to her first ballet performance. And that performance was Once Upon A Time, the Australian Ballet’s version of The Nutcracker for kids.

First Ballet

Cheese was so excited about the special outing, even more so when she saw the outfit I’d chosen – a very balletic dress and crossover I’d been saving for the occasion.

First Ballet

Once Upon A Time was performed at the Sydney Opera House. It’s a venue I’ve taken Cheese to a few times previously, but this performance was held in the main Joan Sutherland auditorium – the huge performance hall where all of the adult shows are held. It made the whole experience very grown up and exciting for Cheese – even more so when she saw the live orchestra under the stage tuning their instruments. She clapped her hands together, with a huge smile on her face, exclaiming “I’m so excited!”.

First Ballet

The show itself was a magical experience for Cheese. It’s a special story ballet created to be an introduction to ballet for children. Over 60 minutes, the show featured fully staged excerpts from The Nutcracker, with narration by one of the central characters to help younger kids understand what was happening on stage.

First Ballet

I wasn’t sure how Cheese would go with the large sections of classical dance, but she surprised me. She adored the story and was concerned about what was happening to the lead character, Clara. She thought the costumes were beautiful (the flowers were her favourites after Clara), and was so inspired by the dancing that she thought she would break out a few of her own special moves after the show.

First Ballet

The ballet was a wonderful experience for both me and Cheese that I will never forget. I hope that it’s the first of many wonderful ballets we will see together.

10 Unrealistic Expectations I Had About Being A Parent

Unrealistic Expectations I Had About Becoming A Parent via christineknight.me

Before my baby was born I had spent minimal time around other people’s kids. I tended to see their sweet, sleeping babies at picnics, and happily held their infants while they were smiling or snoozing, then handed them back if they started fussing.

It’s no surprise then that when I had my own baby I was in for a rude awakening of what life as a parent was really like. Here are a few of the unrealistic expectations I had about parenting—and the truth about life as it actually ended up.

1. Baby would sleep through the night after a few weeks

I actually thought that after a few initial weeks—maybe up to three months max—my baby would just go to sleep on her own and sleep through the night. Baby has now turned three and is still waking up during the night several times a week. Ouch.

2. Sleep training would magically work forever

I attempted to sleep train my infant at 10 months when my husband and I were at breaking point. While we were initially successful, a few months later she was back to her old evening habits. It turns out that infants, toddlers and preschoolers wake up for a variety of reasons, even if you sleep train them. Our nights are now awoken by bad dreams, wanting milk and just a few “no reasons” for good measure.

3. I’d fit back in my old jeans a few weeks later

I’m pretty sure I remember a friend saying they walked out of the hospital in their pre-pregnancy jeans. I’ve clearly not spoken to them since as my own experience was very different. Despite eating carefully and exercising continually during pregnancy, I was still carrying a lot of extra weight when I left the hospital, and continued to carry this extra weight for the entire following year.

4. Breastfeeding would melt away the pounds

While breastfeeding did indeed burn extra calories, I was also consuming extra calories to keep up the milk supply. While some moms looked super skinny after only a few weeks post birth, I continued to look chubby even while I was breastfeeding around the clock. Those daily bagels with cream cheese did not help, no matter how tasty they were, and it was only a change to a healthier diet removed the extra baby weight.

5. I’d get back into my old exercise routine

I had big dreams that after the first six months or so, I would get back into the sports I loved to play pre-baby with a vengeance. I had neglected to realize how exhausted I’d be from being up all night with the baby, and from entire days spent strolling, rocking, swaying and soothing. Even now, with my baby as a pre schooler, I’m still so tired at the end of a day of chasing her around, begging her to go potty and teaching her playground etiquette/road safety rules/table manners that I am desperate to just sit on my ass on the couch and eat ice cream by my self. I am starting to get back into yoga again and we are exercising as a family with bike riding on weekends, so I’m hopeful that I will be fit again with a new routine.

6. Parenting would get easier

Even though hateful people would smugly say to me in the street, when I was frantically rocking my screaming infant, “Oh, it only gets harder!” (um, thank you?), I was still hopeful that once I passed the crazy newborn stage things would get easier. I have to say, that having such a difficult baby who suffered from reflux made our baby stage a lot harder than it should have been, so while things did get a bit easier once the reflux was outgrown, a whole heap of new challenges popped up to keep us on our toes. Tantrums. Defiance. Fussy eating. Toilet training.

7. I’d be fine going straight back to work

I honestly thought I would take maternity leave and then happily leave my baby in daycare and return to my old career path, with not a care in the world. Instead, I couldn’t bare the thought of leaving her in full-time care, so I’ve been working freelance where possible, and feeling guilty (there it is, the mom guilt!) for any time I spend away from her and she’s in daycare.

8. I’d know what to do with a baby

All the parents I knew pre-baby looked so confident, toting around their babies, bringing them to weddings in their car seats where they slept through the reception, that I was sure it would be a breeze. And yet, when we were leaving the hospital, it dawned on me that I had no idea what to do with this baby. How could these medical professionals let me take home such a fragile creature, without making sure I was going to be a capable parent? How would I know what to do when she cried? How hot should her bath be? Should I use special wipes with no chemicals in them?

9. Potty training would take five days

There’s been so much hoopla about the five-day (and even three-day!) potty training method that I actually thought it would only take me five days. Try six months on-and-off and still going. With poo phobia, not wanting to stop playing to go to the bathroom and a stubborn temperament, it’s taking a whole lot longer than I could have possibly anticipated.

10. Our bond would be instant

When I was handed my baby in the hospital, I was so traumatized by the birth that I felt emotionally numb. I expected a flooding of love and happiness, but instead felt nothing but pain and exhaustion. What I didn’t know was that not all bonds between Mum and baby are formed instantly, and that it’s normal if they start slow and get stronger over time. While in the beginning I worried that I didn’t feel enough affection for my baby, over time I realised that my heart had been slowly and constantly filling with little bits of love, until one day I discovered that it was so completely full with love for my child that it felt like it was about to explode.

What unrealistic expectations did you have about what parenthood would be like?

This article first appeared on Mommynearest.com

Mem Fox: The Story Behind Possum Magic And Why You Should Read To Your Kids

Mem Fox: The Story Behind Possum Magic & Why You Should Read To Your Kids #authors #possummagic #whereisthegreensheep #kidsbooks via christineknight.me

Occasionally, blogging brings me great opportunities, like the chance to interview children’s author Mem Fox. As part of the Children’s Festival of Moving Stories I was able to ask Mem about her famous books, her writing process and why it’s important to read to your kids every day. You can hear Mem speak in person as part of the festival on December 4 at Parramatta Riverside Theatre.

 

What was your inspiration for your first book, the famous “Possum Magic?”

My daughter Chloë was an avid reader. I couldn’t keep up with her passion for books so I decided to take a course in children’s literature to find out about as many books as possible that might interest her.

One of the first assignments was to write a children’s book. In the years that I’d been reading to Chloë, I’d been shocked and dismayed by the very few Australian books available for Australian children so I determined to write a very Australian book. I wrote a four and half page story called “Hush the Invisible Mouse”. My lecturer raved about my story and urged me to try to have it published.

I submitted the story to 10 publishers. The last, Omnibus Books in Adelaide, accepted it but asked me to cut the story by two thirds, re-write it more lyrically, make it even more Australian and change the mice to a cuddly Australian animal. I chose possums because we had possums on our roof and the babies were adorable. The book was published early in 1983.

How did you get the confidence to keep shopping it around till you found a publisher?

It was extraordinarily discouraging when “Hush the Invisible Mouse”, as it was then, was rejected nine times over five years. My adoring, biased, supportive husband kept my spirits up, as did booksellers and librarians whom I knew. They all encouraged me to try, and try again. They thought it was fabulous.

“Where is the Green Sheep?” is one of my daughter’s favourite books. Can you tell me more about how you came up with the idea for the story, and how the collaboration with Judy Horacek came about?

It’s unusual for an illustrator and a writer to collaborate on a picture book in the way that Judy and I did on “Where is the Green Sheep?” As a rule, I write the story alone, finish it alone, and send it to a publisher alone, without any pictures, without any illustrative ideas, and without any suggestion as to who the right artist might be. I trust the publisher, as writers must, to find the perfect artist with the perfect feeling and tone for that particular story, to ensure that the book works well as a whole.

Cartoonist Judy Horacek had illustrated my parent book, “Reading Magic”. In 2002, I was trying to avoid writing a children’s book, and was browsing Judy’s website. She has new cartoons on her website every month, and sometimes gorgeous, diminutive watercolour paintings which she sells. I saw a little watercolour painting of a sheep: a heavenly, pale green, woolly sheep standing in a dark green field. I fell in love with it.

I felt immediately that this divine green sheep would be a great main character for a picture book and wrote to Judy. We set out some broad ideas. I told Judy I saw it as a book for the very young, with hilarious but simple, bright visuals that would present little kids with the different primary colours, patterns while exposing them to the ideas of loneliness and friendship.

Collaborating with Judy was a new experience for me. It wasn’t as lonely as writing on my own. She made writing suggestions. I made illustrating suggestions, and we worked in real time on e-mail, back and forth, with Judy sending pictures by fax whenever she had any to show. It was invigorating. I loved it.

Can you tell me something not many people might know about “Where is the Green Sheep?’”

It took an astonishingly long time, almost a year to complete, with the two of us were working on it together. The break through came to me while I was in the shower, that most creative of places!

We actually wrote eight drafts and ended up at a totally different destination from the one we’d set out for two years earlier. Writers should never do story plans. Children in school should never do them either. We learn what we will be saying by writing ourselves into it. We cannot know at the beginning what our end will be, or where.

Draft eight has 342 words and the Green Sheep as we now know it has only 190. 188 of those words have one syllable; one word: ‘asleep’ has two syllables; and one word: ‘quietly’ has three. A picture book should be under 500 words, so 190 words was pleasing.

You’ve written over 40 books, and around half of your books become bestsellers. When you finish a book and send it off to be published now, do you have a fair idea of which ones will be successful and which ones might not? Is it surprising which ones become favourites and which ones aren’t as popular?

After twenty one years of writing for children, I’ve come to appreciate that the books young children like best fall broadly into two categories: either short books with a pattern, based on rhyme, rhythm or repetition; or short books with a really good story. They don’t like nostalgia books. They don’t like first person books. And they don’t like long books. Stories, or patterns: that’s it.

Which, out of your books, has been the greatest surprise?

The success of my very first book “Possum Magic” has been my greatest surprise and delight, especially after receiving nine rejections before it was accepted for publication. Reading “Possum Magic” to my scrumptious grandson has been, and will always be, a surreal and magical experience.

“Possum Magic” remains the best-known picture book and best-selling picture book in Australia. It’s still in hardback, which makes it a publishing phenomenon as most books are out of hardback and into paperback after a year. It’s sold almost five million copies.

“Possum Magic” has been set to orchestral music and performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. It has also been made into a highly successful musical, which toured Australia. There have been many “Possum Magic” products over the years including height charts, birthday books, calendars, address books, bookmarks, balloons, a recipe book, Grandma’s-brag book, and an adorable toy possum.

On your site you say that writing children’s books is hard and can be a grind. Most us have no experience with getting a children’s book published – would you mind sharing some insight into what makes it hard and a grind, and what makes it rewarding that keeps you going through tough times?

Writing picture books is madness. It’s hell on earth. I am passionate about writing anything except picture books! When I’m writing them I detest it every minute of the way, because I’m allowed so few words and it’s so easy to write badly! Writing them well means re-writing and re-writing. My hand gets tired. My brain gets tired. Even my bottom gets tired.

When I edit, I read aloud, and read aloud, and read aloud. I do it to hear the rightness of the words and the wrongness. As I listen to my own voice stumble and falter I change things, big and small, like the entire plot; or taking out a single syllable in a particular phrase so a line reads smoothly instead of hiccupping along like coughing tramp.

Sometimes I redraft the story so many times during the day that I write the time of each draft on the top of the print out: Before breakfast. 10:00 am. 11:47 am. Post-lunch draft. 2:22 pm. Pre-dinner draft,’ and so on, till midnight.

Why do I do it? I do it because I love it when kids say, “I really love your books, Mem Fox!”.

You now spend most of your time writing presentations urging parents, teachers, and others to read aloud to children aged between 0-5. Can you share with us the importance of reading to little kids? 

Children need to hear a thousand stories before they can begin to read – or the same story a thousand times! I recommend parents read at least three stories per day. Children who know six nursery rhymes by heart by age four are more likely to be in the top reading group at school by eight.

Reading aloud to children makes all the difference to a child’s success in life. When we read aloud to children their brains develop, their language develops and their social skills develop. We bond with them and form life-long, firm attachments, and children learn that reading is hilarious, fantastic and fun. It shocks me that some parents would send their child to school without the child ever picking up a book.

Read books your children love. It’s fine to read their favourites over and over again. Try to read in the same ‘tune’ for each book, that is with the same intonations and volume and speed, on each page, each time.

Children depend upon us for their future. We have to read aloud to them. There is no choice. As we read to them they will learn about language, and all the ways of using it, and about life, and all the ways of living it.

I believe parents should follow my Ten Reading Aloud Commandments:
• Spend at least ten wildly happy minutes every single day reading aloud. From birth!
• Read at least three stories a day: it may be the same story three times. Children need to hear a thousand stories before they can begin to learn to read. Or the same story a thousand times!
• Read aloud with animation. Listen to your own voice and don’t be dull, or flat, or boring. Hang loose and be loud, have fun and laugh a lot.
• Read with joy and enjoyment: real enjoyment for yourself and great joy for the listeners
• Read the stories that your child loves, over and over, and over again, and always read in the same ‘tune’ for each book: i.e. with the same intonations and volume and speed, on each page, each time.
• Let children hear lots of language by talking to them constantly about the pictures, or anything else connected to the book; or sing any old song that you can remember; or say nursery rhymes in a bouncy way; or be noisy together doing clapping games
• Look for rhyme, rhythm or repetition in books for young children, and make sure the books are really short.
• Play games with the things that you and the child can see on the page, such as letting kids finish rhymes, and finding the letters that start the child’s name and yours, remembering that it’s never work, it’s always a fabulous game.
• Never ever teach reading, or get tense around books.

For any aspiring children’s book authors out there – any words of advice?

Aspiring picture books writers need to read picture books over and over again. They need to become familiar with the nature of rhythm by reading aloud. Start by reciting exquisite prose or poetry or a speech from Shakespeare.

The content must interest both children and adults, not just adults. You’ll never be a best seller if the children aren’t interested.

Try to write with narrative tension, try to solve a problem. Ensure your story makes an emotional impact – the reading should change the reader.

Keep your text under 500 words, if possible. You can do this by minimising description, since the pictures will provide many of the visual details in the story. A picture book is always thirty-two pages.

Remember that the secret of good writing is re-writing. Read your drafts aloud!

Finally, remain confident and upbeat after rejections. Re-write, re-think and send the story off to another publisher.

Children’s Festival of Moving Stories is Sydney Writers Festival’s first ever dedicated children literary event. With more than 25 authors appearing at more than 37 events, the Festival will bring Australia’s best loved authors together with the children of Western Sydney. 
Children’s Laureate Jackie French will appear at Bankstown Arts Centre on 3 December to discuss Magic Books which hook even that the most reluctant reader. Tickets are $10 from http://www.swf.org.au
Mem Fox will appear in You Could Write About That: The Journey from Original Idea to Finished Stories at Parramatta Riverside Theatre on 4 December to discuss her creative process and inspirations Tickets are $10 each from riversideparramatta.com.au 

 

7AM Enfant Le Sac igloo & WarMMuffs Giveaway

7AM Enfant #Giveaway via christineknight.me

A special giveaway for US readers this week from the wonderful peeps at 7AM Enfant.

One lucky reader will win a Le Sac igloo and matching set of WarmMuffs in the colour of their choice, just in time for the next polar vortex.

The Le Sac igloo is designed to keep babies warm in strollers and carseats. It features a five-point harness opening, a soft, faux fur hood that zips down to lie flat on a stroller or car-seat, and a water-repellent shell to protect children from snow, rain, and wind. For warmer outdoor temperatures, the snapped fleece blanket can be removed and the lightweight cotton lining can be used independently. The 7AM Enfant Le Sac igloo retails for $115 USD.

And for your strolling pleasure, we are also offering a matching set of WarMMuffs. These cozy hand-warmers attach to any bar or handles, keeping your hands toasty while making it easy to hand out snacks and retrieve thrown toys. The WarMMuffs’ hook and loop fasteners allow for easy attachment to strollers, shopping carts and more. The 7AM Enfant WarMMuffs retail for $38 USD.

Enter The Giveaway!

To be in the running to win your own matching set of 7AM Enfant Le Sac igloo and matching WarMMuffs, simply sign up to the Adventure, Baby! and 7AM Enfant mailing lists below, then leave a comment at the end of the post to let me know. If you’ve already signed up for both, just leave a comment saying you’re already receiving both newsletters to go in the running.

Giveaway is open Thursday November 20th 12am to Wednesday November 26, 11:59am. Entry open to US mailing addresses only. By entering the giveaway, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions listed here.

[wysija_form id=”2″]

STEP 2
Sign up for the 7AM Enfant mailing list HERE.

STEP 3
Leave a comment letting me know you’ve signed up for both mailing lists (if you’ve already signed up previously, that’s fine!).

What Dads Do When No-one’s Watching

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

I’m feeling a little sentimental today. Alec has been away for a loooooong 9 days, and Cheese and I are missing him dreadfully. As well as missing my regular sparing partner/child-washer/bedtime drill sergeant and all around wonder-dad, I’m missing having someone to talk to at night when Cheese is asleep. I’ve really noticed while he’s been gone all of the little things he usually does around the house to make my life easier, particularly at bedtime with Cheese.

So here is a look at what this dad in particular gets up to when he thinks no-one is watching – but I am, in fact, not only watching, I’m noticing the patience, love and devotion he puts into his family.

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

Daddy In The Picture via christineknight.me

What do you love to see your partner doing with the kids when he thinks no-one is watching?

Christmas Gift Guide For Preschool Girls

How is it possible that Christmas is upon us already? I’m actually really excited for Christmas this year as Missy E is finally the right age to “get” it, so if her excitement over Halloween was anything to go by, she is going to be out of her mind with anticipation for the big event of the year.

It’s only been lately that Missy E has started to ask for things that she wants, too, so I’m excited to be able to get her a few things that her tiny, enthusiastic heart desires. If you have a princess and pink loving little girl at home or in the family to buy for, here are a few things little Miss E would very much like for Christmas this year.

#Christmas #giftguide For #Preschool Girls via christineknight.meLeapFrog Fridge Phonics
These magnetic letters attached to the fridge and play the sounds of the letters when you put the letters in the bus. It also plays songs like Wheels On The Bus and ABCs. Great for teaching early vocabulary. (RRP $29.95 AUD)

#Christmas #giftguide For #Preschool Girls via christineknight.me

Smiggle Goodies
Every kid who is headed to daycare or school needs an adorable backpack. The Konnichiwa backpack (RRP $44.95) from Smiggle one is great for day trips as well – it’s a fantastic size to throw in everything little kids need, with lots of compartments for putting things like wipes, extra clothes and toys in so they won’t get lost. Bonus: the adorable kitty design is fun and girly without being too “baby” for E. I also love the Smiggle media pouch (RRP $14.95), keyring mirror (RRP $7.95) and double-decker lunchbox (RRP $24.95).

#Christmas #giftguide For #Preschool Girls via christineknight.me

Cabbage Patch Kids Twinkle Toes
I loved my CPKs when I was little so it’s really cool to see Miss E enjoying them too. This particular model is so cute, with replica Skechers shoes that light up. The CPK range is great as they’re not too pricey but are fantastic quality. (RRP $89.99 AUD)

#Christmas #giftguide For #Preschool Girls via christineknight.me

Anna and Elsa Singing Dolls
Missy E’s life is all about princesses, particularly Anna and Elsa. These singing dolls would blow her mind. (RRP $39.95 USD each)

 

#Christmas Gift Guide for Preschoolers via christineknight.me

Madeline Tea Set
E loves playing pretend tea parties of late, and this 24-piece set is just adorable. Each piece is illustrated with characters and scenes from the Madeline series. The set includes a tray, teapot, four cups, saucers, plates, spoons and napkins, plus a tablecloth, in a cute little carry box. We will be taking our tea party on the road with this one. (RRP $35 USD)

#Christmas #giftguide For #Preschool Girls via christineknight.me

Kinetic Sand
Sand play without the mess. Kinetic Sand is 98% sand and 2% magic, where the ‘magic’ a bonding agent that causes the sand to stick only to itself in a soft clump. (RRP $29.95 AUD)

#Christmas #giftguide For #Preschool Girls via christineknight.me

Disney Princess Magiclip
E is obsessed with the magiclip toys. She already has an Anna and Elsa magiclip and she plays with them obsessively. When she saw this princess set with Rapunzel, Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Tiana, she flipped out. The dresses clip on and off and can be switched between the dolls. Literally hours of entertainment here. (RRP $39.95 USD)

#Christmas #giftguide For #Preschool Girls via christineknight.me

Rapunzel Tower Play Set – Tangled
Like most three-year-olds, Missy E is really into doll sets and doll houses. She’s been begging for this one for a while now and even I have to admit it’s pretty cute and looks like it wouldn’t take up too much space. (RRP $49.95)

#Christmas #giftguide For #Preschool Girls via christineknight.meFarm Duplo
A huge set of lego with plenty of bricks for building (unlike a lot of small sets which are limited in terms of the general bricks included). Included are cute characters like cows and farmers. ($89.95 AUD)

#Christmas Gift Guide for Preschoolers via christineknight.me

Olaf Pillow Pet
This is a double-whammy toy favourite – it’s Olaf, so, duh, and it’s a pillow that folds into a toy. An instant hit with the preschool set. (RRP $34.99)

What do your kid want for Christmas this year?

Photography Tip: Get Better Photos By Taking More

Today’s photography tip is something that is super simple and yet is often how I get my best photographs.

Just take more photos. That’s it. And I don’t mean take more photos every day in general, I mean when you’re trying to capture a memory in a single moment in time, just keep your finger on the shutter and keep taking photos.

The photographs that you’ll end up loving the most of your family in particular, are those that are candid and show you all just having a blast. These photographs can’t be posed, and, when you’re working with small children (or unwilling participants, not naming any names, Husband), the only way to get natural photos that show everyone basically having a good time is to set up the shot, and keep on shooting.

Shoot 50 frames, or 100, if you need to. You’ll end up discarding about 90-95% of the photos, which is fine (hooray digital photography!) but all you’re after is just one, single, great photo that reflects how wonderful that moment in time was.

I pulled together some outtakes below to show you a typical photo sequence of little Missy E. She loathes photographs in general, so I try and make her laugh at me, tell her silly things so she finds it all entertaining instead of a chore. If you watch her face as the photos progress, there’s a great mix of wacky faces, and then, at the end, a single great frame with a huge, natural smile on her face.

Technical tip: You want the camera to be shooting quite fast to capture crisp images with no motion blur (particularly with facial expressions). The easiest way to get this is by shooting in bright, natural light. If you’re using an SLR, set the ISO a bit higher to make the camera more sensitive to the light (I usually set mine around 400-500). This helps the camera capture the images faster.

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Are you trying to take better photos? What would you like more tips on?

Halloween in Sydney

#Halloween in #Sydney via christineknight.me

The past three Halloweens we’ve been in New York, so this was our first Halloween experience in Sydney with little missy E. While we’d been away, the Halloween tradition really spread with a vengeance. A dear friend invited us to spend Halloween with her family, so we eagerly drove up to the leafy North Shore area to trick or treat with friends.

#Halloween in #Sydney via christineknight.me

The big question is always who or what to dress up as. E is hugely into Disney princesses and changed into Cinderella and Anna outfits before settling on Tinkerbell.

#Halloween in #Sydney via christineknight.me

The day before Halloween, a flyer was placed in mailboxes with a black balloon, letting residents know that trick or treating would be happening the following afternoon. Anyone who wanted to participate was asked to tie the blown up balloon to their mailbox. The kids very excitedly ran up and down the streets on the look out for the next balloon.

#Halloween in #Sydney via christineknight.me

On Halloween day in Sydney, the weather was a sweaty 30 plus degrees, making for some hot and thirsty work. With daylight savings already having started, the afternoon was super bright even after 6pm, when we decided to call it quits and take our sugar-high kids on home.

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How was your Halloween? Did you go trick or treating?