These 20 snack ideas are not only great for using up Christmas leftovers but are also a hit with kids. They're quick, easy, and full of flavour. Plus, they're a fantastic way to ensure that nothing from your festive feast goes to waste. Happy snacking!
]]>Elf's Arrival: The excitement begins with the elf's grand entrance. Have your elf leave a thank-you note for good behavior on the first day.
Christmas Tree Hideout: Let your elf hide in the Christmas tree, peeking out to surprise the kids.
Marshmallow Snowman: Arrange marshmallows into a snowman shape and have your elf sit nearby with a note about building a snowman.
Tissue Box Nap: Your elf can take a nap inside a tissue box for a cozy hideout.
Story Time: Place your elf near a stack of Christmas books as if they've been reading during the night.
Toothpaste Message: Elf can write a message on the bathroom mirror using toothpaste. Easy cleanup with a swipe of a towel!
Candy Cane Zip Line: Create a thrilling "zip line" with a string and a candy cane for your elf to ride on.
Bubble Bath Bliss: Elf can relax in a bowl of mini marshmallows, pretending it's a bubble bath.
Gift Wrapper Elf: Have your elf wrap a small gift for the kids to find.
Hide and Seek Elf: Set up a game of hide and seek with other toys in the house.
Tea Party Host: Your elf can host a tea party with stuffed animals and tiny teacups.
Flour Snow Angel: Create a "snow" angel by sprinkling flour on a table and having your elf lay in it.
Ceiling Fan Swing: Elf can hang from a ceiling fan by a string for an adventurous stunt.
Powdered Sugar Message: Write a message on the kitchen counter using powdered sugar.
Doll Dress-Up: Have your elf dress up in doll clothes for some fashion fun.
Cereal Box Fort: Elf can construct a mini fort out of cereal boxes.
Toy Car Joyride: Let your elf go on a thrilling ride using a toy car or train.
Curtain Rod Swing: Have your elf swing from the curtain rods for a daring escapade.
Fridge Expedition: Elf hides in the fridge with a note about finding a chilly spot.
Marshmallow Roasting: Elf can roast marshmallows over a candle (supervise this one closely).
Tic-Tac-Toe Champ: Set up a tic-tac-toe game with mini marshmallows, and let your elf make the first move.
Backpack Wrapper: Surprise the kids by having your elf wrap their backpacks for school.
Toilet Paper Snowflake: Create a beautiful snowflake out of toilet paper in the bathroom.
Lego Architect: Elf can build an impressive Lego structure overnight.
Sock Drawer Hideout: Your elf can take a break by hiding in a sock drawer.
Elfie Selfie: Elf can take a "selfie" with a toy phone.
Movie Night Elf: Set up a mini movie night for your elf with popcorn and a tiny TV.
Santa Impersonation: Dress your elf as Santa Claus for a festive surprise.
Banana Message: Write a cute message on a banana with a marker for a healthy touch.
Goldfish Fishing: Create a "fishing" scene in the sink with goldfish crackers.
Yoga Session: Elf can strike a pose with mini yoga equipment or exercise gear.
Dinosaur Rider: Let your elf go on an adventure by riding a toy dinosaur or a stuffed animal.
Snowball Fight: Create a miniature snowball fight scene using cotton balls.
Hot Cocoa Stand: Elf can set up a mini hot cocoa stand for a sweet treat.
Alphabet Cereal Message: Write a secret message in alphabet cereal.
Flour Footprints: Create a trail of elf-sized footprints with flour.
Candy Trail: Elf can leave a trail of wrapped candies leading to a surprise.
Doorknob Hangout: Your elf can hang from a doorknob with a tiny sign.
Toy Soldier Battle: Set up a toy soldier "battle" with your elf as the commander.
Obstacle Course: Create a mini obstacle course with household items.
Clean-Up Reminder: Elf leaves a note reminding the kids to clean up their toys.
Scavenger Hunt: Set up a scavenger hunt with clues leading to small treats.
Flour Snow Angel Redux: Elf can make another "snow" angel, this time in powdered sugar.
String Art Masterpiece: Create a beautiful string art design.
Rocket Ship Rider: Let your elf take a ride on a toy rocket ship.
Zip Line Adventure: Set up a thrilling zip line adventure between two chairs.
Backpack Wrapper (Again): Your elf can wrap the kids' backpacks once more.
Fridge Magnet Message: Write a message using alphabet magnets on the fridge.
Photo Face Art: Elf can draw a funny face on a family photo for a laugh.
Dance Party Host: Host a mini dance party for your elf with other toys as guests.
With these 50 easy Elf on the Shelf ideas, you can create magical moments for your children during the holiday season without adding extra stress to your busy life. Let your elf's creativity shine as they embark on exciting adventures and bring joy and wonder to your home. Merry Christmas and happy Elf on the Shelf-ing!
]]>We have not always been this organised!! But 5 years ago when our first babies came along and welcomed us to the reality of mum life, we soon realised we needed to be if we wanted to have any sort of plan to our day! We both slowly implemented small things that would give us more routine, structure (& control) in our everyday lives.
We know so many mums are feeling exactly the same and our biggest passion is to help these women get organised in their homes and day-to-day lives. Being organised allows you to be more productive, less stressed and not only gives you balance in spending more time with your family but also five minutes to yourself. Hopefully these tips might help you feel a little less chaotic and a little more on top of your s**t!
Weekly Planning
Spend 30 minutes every Sunday planning your meals out for the week ahead. We love (and highly recommend) a click and collect food shop; it saves so much time and is a great way to keep track of what you are spending on food shopping.
Have a shared calendar with your partner! This is a great way to keep on top of what’s on for that week, who needs to be where and when without leaving you feeling flustered or overwhelmed.
Write Lists
Write everything down! We love a list that can help keep you on track - meal plan, shopping list, cleaning list, budget/spending, weekly and daily to-do list, goals, gifts that need to be purchased. Ticking things off as you go is oh-so satisfying.
Wake up before the kids
Make time for YOU every day. Get up early and yes, that means before the kids - do that yoga session, have a hot shower or read a book with a hot coffee; anything that is going to make you feel good and set you up for the day. Having time before the kids wake up allows you to get yourself dressed and ready without the added stress, pack lunch boxes, make your bed. Find a routine that works for you!
Ten Minute Tasks
Every evening complete one or more ten-minute tasks. Put a load of washing on, unstack/stack the dishwasher, organise lunch boxes, clean the kitchen, reset the toys etc. Getting the kids clothes out or having backpacks by the door is also a great way to be one step ahead in the morning.
Tip: Set a ten-minute timer if you need to; your future self will love you for it and not only will you instantly feel better but you’ll wake up the next morning feeling less overwhelmed!
Clean Regularly
Do a load of washing most days, don’t leave it until the weekend. Did you know most washing machines have a ‘delay start’ feature? Set it up to finish early in the morning, and hang it out straight away. Vacuum the house after dinner, wipe the benches down, clean the shower while you are in it. Completing these small cleaning tasks throughout the week will make you feel lighter at the end of every day and have less to do come the weekend.
Create zones & homes for everything
Getting your home organised will make everything else in your life flow.
Your home can influence your thoughts, energy and motivation. So maybe you feel stressed, don’t quite know where to start or have difficulty letting go?
It can be overwhelming, so we highly recommend choosing one room or space to begin with (the kitchen is always a great one) and doing one drawer or cupboard at a time. To get started:
Have fun in the process, we promise you will feel a thousand times lighter at the end.
If you live in Melbourne, and all you want for Christmas is Tidy Space Tidy Mind in your home, bookings are filling fast for January 2024.
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The journey of school is filled with countless memories, from the nervous excitement of the first day to the triumphant joy of the last. As parents, we often wish to capture these fleeting moments, to reminisce and see just how much our little ones have grown over the academic year. Mikki & Me, understanding the sentiments of parents, has introduced an exclusive product that promises to be a cherished keepsake for years to come: The Reversible First and Last Day of School Milestone Chalkboards.
A Unique, Double-Sided Treasure One of the standout features of this chalkboard is its double-sided design. One side is dedicated to the "First Day of School," while the reverse captures the "Last Day of School." This ingenious design not only saves space but also offers a direct comparison of your child's growth, aspirations, and favorites from the start to the end of the school year.
Liquid Chalk Compatibility: Vibrant and Mess-Free Gone are the days of dusty chalk and smudged writings. Mikki & Me's chalkboards are designed to work seamlessly with liquid chalk. This ensures vibrant, clear, and smudge-proof writings that pop against the backdrop of the board. Plus, the ease with which liquid chalk can be wiped off ensures the board remains pristine year after year, ready to capture new memories.
Durable, Reusable, and Eco-Friendly Crafted with durability in mind, these chalkboards are slightly larger than an A4 size, providing ample space to jot down all the essential milestones. The robust construction ensures it stands the test of time, allowing it to be reused for multiple siblings or for the same child year after year. In an age where sustainability is paramount, this reusable feature reduces waste, making it an eco-friendly choice for conscious parents.
Personalised Memories The chalkboard is not just about dates and grades. It's a canvas where your child's personality shines through. From jotting down their favorite color to noting their height, it captures the essence of who they are at that moment in time. And with the recent update, the design now includes rounded edges, adding to its aesthetic appeal.
Why Every Parent is Raving About It Parents have lauded the chalkboard for its practicality and emotional value. Helen, a satisfied customer, mentioned, "Wow, this is so gorgeous. Love that it’s double-sided with first and last day and love the colors. The fact they can be used for more than one child is great."
So, as the school year comes to a close, make sure to capture those irreplaceable moments with Mikki & Me's last and first day of school chalkboard. After all, children grow up in the blink of an eye, but memories, especially those etched in writing, last a lifetime.
]]>New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
Monster Jump Obstacle Course in Brisbane: Unleash your child's energy at this thrilling obstacle course. Featuring a range of challenging jumps, climbs, and slides, it's a fun-filled adventure that tests agility and endurance, ensuring hours of active play.
Activities at Museum of Brisbane: Located in the heart of the city, this museum showcases Brisbane's vibrant history, culture, and art. Interactive exhibits, workshops, and guided tours provide an immersive experience, celebrating the city's past, present, and future.
Redcliffe KiteFest, Kidchella, Monster Jump: A trio of events that promise fun for the whole family. Redcliffe KiteFest fills the sky with colorful kites, Kidchella offers music and arts for young festival-goers, while Monster Jump challenges kids with its exciting obstacle course.
South Australia
Western Australia
Tasmania
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The thing I love most about these bliss balls is that they're incredibly easy to make. All you need is a food processor and you can whip up a batch in no time. This makes them perfect for batch cooking and freezing, so you can always have a healthy snack on hand when you need it. Plus, they're easy to pack in a lunchbox or take on-the-go, which is essential for busy families.
They’re made with all-natural ingredients, so you can feel good about giving them to your kids. The dates and dried cherries provide natural sweetness, while the desiccated coconut adds a lovely texture and flavour. Plus, the chia seeds and cacao powder provide a generous dose of antioxidants, fiber, and protein.
And let's talk about the chocolate chips for a moment. Yes, they do contain chocolate, but it's not the sugary, processed kind that you find in most snacks. Instead, we’ve used raw cacao powder and raw choc chips that are at least 70% cocoa. This means that they're rich in antioxidants and have a much lower sugar content than traditional chocolate chips with a luxuriously delicious flavour.
But the best part about these cherry and chocolate bliss balls is that your kids will love them! They're a delicious and fun snack that will keep them satisfied and energised throughout the day.
So why not give them a try this weekend and tag us @mikkiandmekids because we always love to see what you’re creating.
Makes | 12 mini balls Time | 15 minutes
Ingredients
85 g (1/2 cup) dried sour cherries
125 g (1 cup) Medjool dates
35 g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut
1 tbsp white chia seeds
10 g (1/4 cup) raw cacao powder
25 g (1/4 cup) raw choc chips (minimum 70%), cut into small pieces
Method
Place all the ingredients except raw choc chips into a high-speed food processor and mix until well combined.
Add choc chips and mix in by hand.
Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into balls. Roll in extra desiccated coconut or raw cacao powder to coat.
Perfect for batch cooking and freezing.
]]>Fast forward 25ish years and the lunchbox game has certainly been turbo charged largely in part to the bento box phenomenon. Every time I diligently pack my daughter’s lunch, I can’t help but feel an enormous sense of pride in seeing the end result but that, of course, is pretty quickly shattered when taking a peek inside the box at the end of the day.
Having finally worked out that neither jam nor that hideously awful chickpea “peanut butter” is going to cut it as a lunchbox staple, I’ve had enormous success by switching things up and tossing the sandwich out of the lunch box as quickly as I’d scoff mine as a kid. So, here’s my top 10 lunchbox ideas that don’t involve sandwiches.
Pasta Salad: It’s a fabulous way to incorporate carbohydrates, vegetables and protein in a sure to be enjoyed way. For us, the bow pasta in particular is a huge hit accompanied with cherry tomatoes, grated carrot, peas, cooked chicken, spinach and a light dressing of garlic, olive oil and a sprinkle of rosemary. Any time that you’re sending high-risk foods to school, make sure they stay safe in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack.
Mini Pizzas: Whether you’re making your own dough (flour and Greek yoghurt is all you need), or making use of a slice of bread or morning muffin, mini pizzas are such a versatile option. It’s also an easy to grab and go option from the freezer if you’re like me and enjoy prepping a whole month’s worth of school snacks in advance. I like to store the bases in the freezer and then top with sauce and any other bits and pieces from the fridge before cooking in the air fryer as needed.
Chicken Nuggets: Just like mini pizzas, whether you buy chicken nuggets or make them from scratch, they’re a guaranteed hit in most households and freeze exceptionally well. If you need to keep them warm until lunch time, an insulated food jar will be your best friend. Just make sure your child can open it independently – your child’s teacher will thank you.
Hummus and Veggie Wrap: Whist arguably there’s not much difference between a wrap and a sandwich, according to our 3.5 year old they’re from a completely different universe. To make them fun, intriguing and exciting to eat, I like to cut ours up into small rounds and pop on a skewer, or our wrap’d reusable wrap holders to avoid all the mess.
Turkey or Ham Roll Ups: Take away the bred and you’ve got yourself a turkey (or protein of choice) roll up. Simply lay out a slice of protein and spread with cream cheese (hummus works well too), add some thinly sliced carrots, cucumber, lettuce, capsicum or anything else in the fridge, and roll it up. Either cut into bite-sized pieces and use our skewers to secure, or leave whole and keep it all together with a wrap band.
Pizza Wheels: Quite possibly my favourite lunchbox snack to make in bulk and freeze ahead of time. Just grab a few packets of puff pastry, some pizza or pasta sauce, ham/bacon, cheese and vegetables and get rolling. Allow the pastry to come to room temperature, spread the sauce and then lightly layer with fillings – avoid what Tim does and jam it full, it’ll always end up in a messy disaster. Unlike my chocolate addiction, in this case, less is more. Once you’ve spread out your fillings, roll up and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to make slicing easier. Once chilled, grab a sharp knife and cut into small rounds. You can then either lay on a baking tray and brush with milk or egg and bake in the oven or air fryer. Or, you can do what I like to do, and freeze them uncooked. That way, they can be served fresh and only take 6-8 minutes in the air fryer to cook. Freezing them uncooked also takes us less precious freezer space.
Mini Meatballs: Whilst it’s probably the Italian genes, meatballs are definitely a staple in our house. They’re cheap, quick to make and last really well in the freezer. This month’s favourite flavour is chicken but we’re also a big fan of 50/50 pork and beef and turkey. Hot tip – add a touch of bacon to make them extra juicy.
Antipasto Skewers: Living with a husband whose Italian means that he can’t be trusted in the deli section at the supermarket. Inevitably he’ll come home with all kinds of delicious goodies that were definitely not on the shopping list. But they do make for inventive lunchtime snacks. Using our skewers, we add cubes of cheese, a rolled-up slice of delicious deli meat, capsicum, cherry tomatoes and an olive for good measure.
Air Fried Ravioli: Whilst my MIL almost banished me from her house when I asked to borrow the air fryer to whip up a quick snack, airfryer ravioli is now a staple snack in our house for lunches or an afternoon snack. We keep packets in the freezer so they’re ready to go whenever we need and they quickly cook in as little as 6 minutes. My daughter has now taken to calling them her favourite fluffy ravioli pillows.
Mac and Cheese with Veggies: The perfect accompaniment particularly on a cooler day. It also goes exceptionally well inside a food jar and is perfect when eaten warm.
You also can’t go wrong with any of the following inside a bento lunchbox without the sandwich:
Sushi
Boiled eggs
Mini quiche
Mini savoury muffins
Rice paper rolls
Zuchinni and carrot fritters
Dinner leftovers are also always a winner.
]]>That's why I reached out to Fern Rodrigues, an Associate Nutritionist of the Nutrition Society of Australia who holds a Bachelors degree in Food & Nutrition and specialises in avoidant eating (aka fussy eating) in children, for her top 5 tips for you to make lunchboxes with confidence. Here's what Fern had to say:
The start of school year is always a sensitive time for parents AND children. So many things to prepare and get used to. So many worries…
One specific worry that I keep hearing from parents is related to the lunchbox. Parents want to make sure they send their kid(s) off to school with the bestest (better than best!) lunchbox: Flashy colours, featuring their child’s favourite cartoon character, sturdy, visible name-tag or label, resistant to shocks and to the dishwasher, easy to clean, keeps food cool/warm, easy to open/close, no leaks, environmentally friendly, affordable etc etc etc… You’re lucky you’re here as this is the website for you!
But the worries with lunchbox don’t stop there. What goes in it causes equal turmoil in a mum’s head. There’s the fear that their child(ren) won’t eat it, that the food they WILL EAT isn’t healthy enough, that the food isn’t “nude” enough as per the school’s rules, that the other children will pick on yours because of whatever the food you send, that the other mothers will judge you for your child’s non-Instagramable lunchbox…
I hear you and I would like to contribute some advice. So, here are my top 5 recommendations for happier mornings at your home
1. YOU are responsible for what your child eats
Never feel intimidated by anybody else’s comments or unsolicited advice on your child’s lunchbox. You are responsible for feeding your kid and no one else has the right to tell you what should or shouldn’t go in their lunchbox.
If you don’t feel confident enough that the food you want to send is appropriate, please consider one of these alternatives (a) talk to a nutrition professional like a nutritionist or a dietitian, (b) check government guidelines (see references below)1, and (c) follow on social media ONLY people who have qualification and regularly disclose their information sources, like the references below.
2. Lunchbox food = Comforting food
It means sending in your little one’s lunchbox ONLY foods that they like.
In the beginning of the year, after children have spent a long period at home, with their family, it can be hard to adapt back into school routine, even for older ones. And for some, it will be their first time to experience this adaptation!
Additionally, during the school day, many things can happen. They may very well spend a wonderful day, having fun, but also, sometimes there can be upsetting moments like getting hurt from a fall-over or by feeling homesick.
So, when your little one is feeling not their best, opening the lunchbox and finding their favourite fruit or sandwich or a wrap that brings lovely memories of both of you making it together or popcorn that reminds them of the last time you went together to the movies... it can serve as a bit of comfort, and be just enough to cheer them up.
Now, imagine the contrary: they open the lunchbox to only find confronting foods. How do you think they will handle their feelings? You know that last straw that broke the camel's back...?
I always advise parents to send in their kids' lunchbox ONLY foods they already like and are familiar with. It is best to introduce new foods or repeat foods that are not yet loved only when having meals at home, when you can jump in and give the comfort they might need.
Plus, there will be less waste and frustration for all.
3. Follow allergens rules, but if you absolutely need to break them, seek an agreement
Even though there isn’t evidence that banning allergens from the school setting makes the environment safer for allergic children2, you don’t have to fight this or any other rule your school might have if you don’t have to. By all means, follow them fully.
Problem is that some parents of avoidant eaters (aka fussy eaters), may find themselves in a tricky situation where their child’s very short list of accepted foods contains most of the allergens that school won’t accept.
If that’s your case, please, do not restrict you child’s options even further. I’d suggest you to go and discuss your situation with the school. Together, find ways you can go around that. You could, for example, agree on you sending “eggs”, which your child loves, only on days the egg-allergic child doesn’t attend (if we’re talking about preschool or even childcare). Or you could even find out that this year, the school hasn’t got any peanut allergic child attending, so your boy’s only accepted protein option, peanut butter sandwich, is ok to be back on the menu.
Children’s safety is paramount and rules to safeguard that must be abided by. But there also must be reasonable flexibility to support a child who struggles to feed well when it is not going to put others at risk. Everything must be put into context and, at times, opening exceptions is less complicated than you think.
4. Make sure your child can handle their lunchbox and drink bottle
I’m also an educator in childcare and see children who are about to begin primary school and can’t open and close nor care for their lunchboxes and drink bottles by themselves.
The best way to avoid this problem is training. The way I suggest you do this is as follows:
Make a pre-selection of lunchboxes you’d be willing to buy. Take your child with you to the shop or to the electronic screen, if you’re buying it online, so they can have a say on the final pick. If you’re buying from the shelf, let your child have a go with it at the shop to test how tricky opening and closing it can be. It shocks me how hard to use some clips and zippers are!
Once at home with the lunchbox, have a few days of practice. This way, your child will get familiar with handling it and you will get familiar with packing and cleaning it.
You can also instruct them on how to care for it, avoiding unnecessary impact (aka throwing, chucking etc), closing internal containers so yoghurt stays in the container and doesn’t mingle with all the other items in the lunchbox and greets you with a ‘vomit waft’ when it’s brought back home.
All of the above for choosing a drink bottle.
5. Give more responsibility to your child
Involve your child(ren) in planning and preparing for the next day or week’s lunchbox. Also let them help packing it and cleaning it. Like I mentioned above.
This is beneficial in several ways because it is a ‘controlled’ power you hand over to your child that they do appreciate very much. This can increase their willingness to eat the food you send, as they feel acknowledged, but also accountable for their food choices.
This also teaches them self-help skills that will have an important impact in their general health throughout life.
As you can see, I’m a nutritionist who has lunchbox recommendations other than “healthy” snacks. And it’s very likely that you already have that sorted anyway. I’m more interested in helping you support your child to become a proficient eater, with a love for all foods, less dependent on you or on me.
I will make a specific lunchbox menu plan for you, if that is absolutely what you need. But one that will actually work for you, meaning it won’t add more work in your already busy day, and help you feed your child better than you would without it. But that’s a topic for another day.
I wish you and your child(ren) all the best for this school year. 😊
Fern Rodrigues
Associate Nutritionist of the Nutrition Society of Australia, Bch in Food & Nutrition, Food Technician, Early Childhood educator, recipe developer, cook and food taster.
She specialises in avoidant eating (aka fussy eating) in children, from one to 12 years old, and helps parents and educators take control of their children's nutrition with confidence.
References
1. Chat with your child: Every parent knows that children love routine which is why many children can struggle with the transition into school. New faces and a new environment can quickly throw off the most confident of kids. Sit down with them well in advance in a relaxed environment and explain to them what they can expect on their first day. This can include what time they will wake up, what they need to wear, how they will get to school and who will take them, what they will eat (it’s a great idea to make sure that they’re familiar with, and know how to open, their lunchbox, drink bottles and any snack boxes for crunch and sip), the types of activities they might do and how they will get home.
2. Visit the school: Most schools will offer an orientation day and it’s a good opportunity for your child to become familiar with the surroundings, and to meet their teacher and classmates. Your school should give you an idea of what to expect in advance so that you should know whether parents are expected to stay or leave them for a set amount of time. When dropping them off, find them an activity that they’ll enjoy and leave as quickly as possible. The longer you hang around with them, the more uncomfortable they’ll become. As parents ourselves, we’ve made that mistake before and it ended in floods of tears for all of us. Another good way to familiarise your child with the school before the terms starts is to simulate a school morning on your way to an activity that you know they enjoy. Wake up at the same time, pack their lunch, get dressed in their uniform (comfy shoes are a must!) and then drive to school. Park outside and show your child which entry point they will go through. This will help to familiarise them with the morning routine, and you can then carry on to a play in the park or another fun activity that you know they enjoy.
3. Include them in the decision making: Kids love the power of choice and being involved in the decisions which will impact their day to day lives. Whilst us parents make think that a choice between a pink or a purple lunchbox is no big deal, kids love to feel like they are in control. When shopping for school supplies like lunchboxes, drink bottles, insulated lunch bags and backpacks, involve your kids in the process. If you’re shopping online, try and use a desktop computer or laptop so that the screen is as big as possible, and have a browse in advance so that you can narrow down the choices. We recommend selecting two or three options in each item so that they don’t get overwhelmed. Make it an enjoyable and fun experience. When your order arrives, ask your child to open the parcel. Trust us, it’ll feel like Christmas Day all over again. The same goes for purchasing school uniforms and shoes. Whilst there usually isn’t any choice in the uniform, you can still involve them in the footwear purchase.
4. Establish a routine: Creating a consistent routine for your child will help them to feel safe and in control. By setting the same bedtime, wake up time and morning routine, you can help to minimise the morning stress. Setting up a visual aid for all of the tasks that need to be completed each morning, can also help your child to know what they need to do in order to be ready to go. If you need some help on surviving the morning routine, check out our guide here. Likewise, preparing for the next day is also important. Make sure that their bags, shoes and hat are in an easy to grab location and pack their lunch and snacks the night before.
5. Focus on fun: In the early weeks and months, it’s perfectly normal for your child to be more tired than usual, even if they’ve previously been in daycare. If they’re still full of energy in the afternoon, and it fits in with your family schedule, create an experience for them that you know they’ll enjoy. This could be a play at the park or a trip to the shops for a smoothie or other treat. You may also notice that they’ll either be more or less chatty than normal. This is also ok too. If you’re not getting much engagement from them about how their day was, try just asking “what was your favourite thing that you did today?” That way they only have one answer to focus on, and you’ll be able to elicit more conversation from them.
We hope that with those tips, you’ve been able to take something practical and useful from them. If you need any assistance finding the right lunchbox, drink bottle, backpack or snackbox, just reach out and let us know. We have a wide range of school essentials available and we’re here to reduce the overwhelm for the entire family.
]]>To make your life easier, we sat down with Abbey, a university qualified nutritionist who helps busy parents pack simple, nutritionally balanced lunchboxes, fast!
Below are her top 3 tips to have you packing a simple, nutritionally balanced lunchbox in no time at all.
TIP #1 - Include something from each of the Australian 5 food groups:
Fruit - Aim for a rainbow of different colours to increase the variety of nutrients consumed.
Our Lunchbox favourites -
apple, berries, rockmelon, kiwifruit, grapes, prunes
Vegetables - Aim to include raw salad vegetables and add extra vegetables where possible to baked goods or prepared dishes to bump up the quantity.
Our Lunchbox favourites -
carrot, corn, capsicum, cucumber, tomato, avocado
Grains – Aim for wholegrain varieties over highly processed refined white options. Wholegrain varieties are higher in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Our Lunchbox favourites -
wholegrain: bread, wraps, rice, pasta, crackers
Dairy/Calcium – Dairy food like milk, cheese and yoghurt provide calcium in a readily absorbable and convenient form. If your child needs to avoid dairy foods make suitable alternative choices to ensure they are still providing the important nutrients this food groups contains.
Our Lunchbox favourites -
sugar free yoghurt, cheese, cream cheese
Protein –. Protein foods include all kinds of lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans. If not eating a vegetarian diet, aim to include a mix of animal and plant based protein.
Our Lunchbox favourites -
roast meat, eggs, tuna, seed crackers, chickpeas
TIP #2 – Save some leftover protein from dinner.
Protein, I find, is one of the most difficult food groups to include in the lunchbox and one I often see missing altogether! Protein and the important vitamins and minerals it contains provides children with the building blocks for growth and development. Protein makes us feel full and helps to prevent that energy slump early afternoon.
Following your evening meal, where possible, save a portion of protein and re-purpose it for the next day’s lunchbox:
Roast chicken with vegetables is a regular dinner at our house. I save some of the roast chicken and add it to the lunchbox in a wrap or sandwich.
Spaghetti and meatballs is another favourite dinner we have, I save some of the meatballs before adding the pasta sauce and add them to the lunchbox.
When there is no protein leftover for the lunchbox - I use tuna, roasted chickpeas or eggs as easy protein options.
TIP #3 – Pack the lunchbox in the evening
I don’t know about you but our house in the morning is always a bit of a mad rush! I find taking a few extra minutes in the evening to pack the lunchbox, makes our mornings run much smoother. Always keep the packed lunchbox in the fridge overnight. In the morning put the lunchbox in an insulated lunch bag with a good quality ice pack to keep everything fresh and safe and you’re on your way!
We hope these 3 simple steps will save you time, stress and worry about what to pack in the lunchbox. For food group inspiration head to Abbey’s website to download her free lunchbox cheat sheet - www.thelunchboxnutritionist.com.au You’ll also find her on Instagram @the.lunchbox.nutritionist sharing healthy lunchbox combinations and nutrition tips.
Abbey is a university qualified nutritionist and mum of two school aged children. She helps busy parents pack simple, nutritionally balanced lunchboxes, fast! She has also just released her very first product – The Smooshie Bottle! A smoothie and snack bottle in one. The perfect companion for on-the-go nutrition. Check it out here www.smooshie.com.au
]]>As we decorated the tree this year, we had a beautiful batch of easy to make gingerbread biscuits in the oven. The house was filled with that quintessential Christmas smell. It was magical. The best part, was that both kids loved getting their handsy dirty, rolling out the dough and choosing which shape they wanted to make.
The recipe that we used was so simple and is perfect to make ahead of time and freeze until you’re ready to bake. At this time of year, I’m always making as many things as possible in advance, so once school is out and the countdown is on, there’s less mess and chaos to deal with.
This year, we decided to make some extra biscuits for the reindeers and turned them into Christmas decorations. All you need is some string or ribbon and to make a little hole in the top with a skewer whilst they’re still warm.
Ingredients
125g butter at room temperature
100g dark brown sugar
125ml golden syrup (or half gold syrup, half black treacle)
1 egg
370g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
50g finely grated fresh ginger (optional)
½ cup icing sugar
½ tsp lemon juice
Method
As much as I love seeing the joy on the kids faces when they discover what elf has been up to, it can be yet another thing that adds to what feels like the never-ending parental mental load in December. To help lighten the load and uncomplicate your elf journey this year, I sat down and brainstormed a bunch of ideas with a few friends. Here’s our top 24 ideas that we came up with (in no particular order) for Elf on the Shelf this Year:
Elf arranges kids favourite writing materials to write a letter to Santa.
Elf hiding on top of a lunchbox in the fridge with a half-eaten sandwich. Make sure it’s a good one though with biscoff, because we all know the late-night sandwich legitimately happens (in my house anyway!)
Elf has drunken half of Mum’s morning coffee ( a real life disaster).
Elf is fishing in the toilet – a skewer, tooth pick or lunch punch stix work well. Then add some string or dental floss. I prefer to tack down with blu-tack to avoid the great 2020 disaster of Elf ending up in the toilet. Don’t worry, we definitely raced out to get a new one after that.
Elf is playing a board game with an invitation to join them to play.
Elf reading to their favourite toys or the newspaper if you still get one delivered (yes, this does still happen). If anyone wears glasses, pop those on too.
Elf is perched on a bench or under the Christmas tree with an update letter from Santa and Rudolph.
Elf builds a gingerbread house out of a ginger spice jar and two pieces of bread. This one may need a note to explain it.
Elf is abseiling from a light fitting or ceiling fan.
Elf sits in the front seat of the car pretending to drive.
Elf re-decorates the Christmas tree with toilet paper – an oldie but a goodie.
Elf sits at a desk writing out Christmas cards for the grandparents.
Elf is playing with playdough (or pizza dough for the older kids) along with a note inviting them to join in.
Elf rides down the hallway on the kids bike/scooter.
Elf is watering the indoor plants (or, if like me, what used to once upon a time be a thriving plant but now looks more like a shrivelled prune).
Elf is making Mum a coffee with the coffee/tea machine/sachet/instant/plunger/however you get your caffeine fix.
Elf is putting the washing machine on (we can dream right?)
Elf plants candy canes in the garden.
Elf is checking that the BBQ gas bottle is full.
Elf leaves (finally!) – ideally with a nice goodbye note but, let’s be honest, we’ll probably all just scribble something at the last minute that says, “See you next year!”
Without even skipping a beat, Mama asked if we had a few staple ingredients in the cupboard:
½ cup salt
1 cup plain flour
2 tbsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tbsp oil (any will do)
food colouring
To my surprise, we actually had cream of tartar hiding at the bottom of the cooking box (who knows how old that was – but it worked). So off I went, tossed all of the dry ingredients into a pot, mixed the wet ingredients together and gently combined the two together, then cooked on a medium heat on the stove for about 5 minutes and ta dah! We had the softest, cloud-like playdough that was a total hit. It was soft enough for Miss 2 to pull apart and roll out with a rolling pin all by herself (one of my main gripes with store-bought playdough!)
Fast-forward to today and after a morning spent at the park, Miss 3 was desperate for a midday activity whilst I had the joy of folding the washing (whoever said being an adult was fun). So off we went into the pantry and within less than 10 minutes, we had a beautiful batch of super soft playdough ready to go. This time we added a few drops of orange essential oil and the smell was absolutely divine.
Miss 3 had an absolute blast rolling her new playdough out with her mini rolling pin and using the WMBT Stampies to create the most magical Safari-inspired play scene. We’ll store it in an air-tight container in the fridge, and it will last for at least a month or two.
]]>How do you manage the morning routine? If you’ve got a hot tip, let us know so we can add it to the list.
]]>We’re here to help. We’ve listed our 3 top picks in every capital city which kids of all ages will love, plus some great at-home activities. The kids will be entertained, happy and well behaved (maybe that last one is wishful thinking).
Victoria (17 September to 2 October)
Queensland (17 September to 3 October)
New South Wales (24 September to 9 October)
ACT (24 September to 9 October)
Northern Territory (24 September to 9 October)
Western Australia (24 September to 11 October)
South Australia (1 to 16 October)
Tasmania (1 to 16 October)
Fun at Home
School Holidays don’t have to be about extravagant adventures, particularly with the cost of living rising and for those working parents with limited annual leave.
If the weather isn’t fab, or you really just can’t be bothered (which is totally ok!), why not grab some paint sticks or beeswax crayons and kraft wrapping paper and get a head start on the recyclable wrapping paper for Christmas (yes, I did just mention that word).
Kids don't like craft? There’s always our trusty go-to, Connetix. With a multitude of ways to build new masterpieces each and every day, let their imaginations run wild. Just a tip – the parents may or may not be able to peel themselves away from it (or maybe that’s just us).
For those budding Masterchefs, there’s a huge range of cookie cutters, stampies, mini rolling pins, aprons, reusable baking mats, muffin cups and kid-safe knives to choose from.
If you’re on the road these holidays, or simply heading out for a bite to eat, don’t forget to pack your HeyDoodle reusable silicone drawings mats so that you can actually enjoy your coffee in peace.
]]>It’s a Sunday morning, the sun is rising and the kitchen is calling your name. For once, the kids are surprisingly not fighting each other (when does that ever happen more than once) and there’s time and space to get back to something you love. As a family, we love nothing more than digging into a giant shared plate of waffles, or any delicious food for that matter.
These golden and crispy waffles can be cooked and then frozen for up to 3 months. They make the perfect addition to your kid’s lunchbox (or even your own) for that special surprise treat.
Ingredients
¾ cup plain flour
¼ cup corn flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate soda
½ cup Greek yoghurt
½ cup milk
6 tbsp melted butter
1/3 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 egg separated
1 tbsp sugar
Assortment of toppings – maple syrup, berries, lemon & sugar etc
Method
This recipe has been generously shared with us by our good friend Eleanor who, prior to having children, was a highly respected chef who shared her incredible creations in the Hunter Valley’s finest restaurants. If you’re after some lunchbox and meal inspiration, make sure you follow her on Instagram @mrs.vosugar_
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INGREDIENTS
200gm dried apricots
100gm pitted dates
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
3/4 cup quick oats
2 tbsp coconut oil
1.5 tbsp water
Extra desiccated coconut for rolling
METHOD
FAQs
These are fast becoming part of everyday play, and are often used as anxiety busters for kids and adults. As a tool for staying peaceful and focused, this is a critical resource for all ages – especially for those experiencing anxiety or various challenges.
Do you remember fighting over the bubble wrap when you were younger (or older, too, perhaps)? It was fun to press on every bubble, but once they were popped, they were done.
A few years ago, these pop trays started to gain popularity and quickly became a craze. Our range is made out of non-toxic silicone. In a sense, they’re like reusable bubble wrap. They’re easy to clean, affordable and come in a range of fun shapes, sizes and colours - helping us regain focus when stressed.
With these fun gadgets, it may seem as though their demand has been influenced by TikTok and YouTube. However, many people are unaware that they’re also an excellent source of self-regulation for those who experience anxiety or live with additional needs.
For some school-agers, their learning can be enhanced by being able to soothe and redirect their movement. You will notice the constant tap of their feet when they are anxious, and how they are disruptive to others or find it hard to sit still. With the introduction of a range of sensory items, these silicone trays have a calming effect that helps with staying focused and actively listening.
With numberous developmental, sensory and calming benefits, these pop it toys are fun to play with at home, on a long plane or car ride, or at an event that may be hard to sit still at.
You simply press the bubbles in and out, whether in the shape of a heart, circle or hexagon. They’re available in mixtures of blues and greens, purples and blues and rainbow sensations.
While it may seem like this is just the next craze, it is another form of play for kids, which is really important. These creative, portable items are suitable for any age, giving kids the freedom to explore longer.
At Mikki & Me, we have various sensory experiences that stimulate learning and growth while remaining fun. We have something for every kid – from the rainbow delights of magnet tiles, plasticine, and sensory fidgets, to a range of all kinds of playthings.
These are full of possibilities and can help your little one or school-ager find calm and peace in their day, while unlocking their imagination at the same time.
]]>Play is essential for kids, regardless of their age or ability. It shapes how they develop and concentrate, so finding games or other materials that appeal will help them understand the world around them.
If you have a little one with a disability, you will see that they usually tend to follow the same sequence. However, most often, the developmental pace is delayed and may be restrained due to sensory overload.
When your little ones live with additional needs, you will find that they are likely to engage more comfortably in manipulative and functional play. This means that they are more likely to explore toys with touch, repetition, grabbing and pulling, etc., which is why we sell items specific to those needs.
At Mikki & Me, we stock various versatile toys that are great for children who sometimes find tactile experiences a bit overwhelming. These include:
These beautifully colourful pieces aren’t just about the fun you can have with them. There are many reasons why these are a top choice. Their uniformity can help calm any meltdowns, with endless possibilities for engagement regardless of abilities. They are also great for helping to build fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, as the littlies manipulate them with their fingers and hands.
All this learning and development is happening while they are having fun. This also helps with tactile defensiveness, particularly for those with Autism.
When littlies living with additional needs send a marble rolling down this track, they engage in cause-and-effect play, which is when their actions affect the result. This gives them a sense of control while also being exploratory, and the same step can be repeated while achieving the same result.
The rhythmic sound of the ball/marble is calming and soothing, which can help any kid unwind at the end of the day.
Paint sticks are ideal for kids who don't like getting messy and get upset if they get anything on their hands. Using these sticks is just like drawing with a texta – there is no need for brushes or water, and it dries quickly on the page. Your child may be more interested in engaging in this activity if it involves clean fun and minimal mess.
These are just a few of the great products we stock that are perfect for children of all abilities. Browse our Sensory & Special Needs section online for some great products at fantastic prices.
]]>As parents, we’ve spent too much on backpacks because they look adorable, and there have been instances where we’ve sent them to school with an old carrier bag because their straps broke leaving the house. In other words, sometimes good doesn’t mean quality.
So at what cost does a well-made backpack look like? Do you know what to look for? If you can cut through the noise with our tips below, we’re confident you’ll never have to worry about the dreaded ‘back to school’ panic again.
A recent study posed the question ‘Do schoolbags cause back pain in children and adolescents?’
It seems unlikely, given all they carry is a few books, a pencil case and a lunch box. But let’s explore this concept a little more.
The theory notes whether backpacks pose a risk to the spinal health of our kids. The study took into consideration things like the weight of the bag, the duration of the bag on the back, and the effects it may have on physical attributes such as posture, gait, and spinal damage.
Surprisingly, the study concluded that these factors do play an important part in our child’s chiropractic health, with evidence to support changes in foot health, muscle discomfort, and increased breathing rates after wearing a bag. But there’s something you can do about this as a parent...
It’s important to know that whilst there is some research to suggest incorrect backpack use can cause health problems, more research is pending into the findings.
We’ve gathered some helpful guidelines to support your buying efforts to make sure your little one is comfortable, whilst making the most out of their school bags:
Is it too heavy? Avoid those that appear too heavy even before books and lunches are packed. Ask your child to try the bag on and look for signs of spine curvature which may indicate heaviness. The backpack should not weigh more than 10% of your child’s body weight, so check the load of the bag (which should be on the label) prior to purchasing.
Search for a perfect fit: Check to make sure the product doesn’t hang more than 10cm below the waistline. If it hangs too low, pressure may be added to the shoulders and cause your child to lean forward when walking.
Look for padded straps: To prevent shoulder injury, look for options that include wide, padded strapping – similar to a seatbelt protector.
Choose adjustable straps: You want to make sure you can adjust the straps on the backpack to allow for growth and prevent spine misalignment.
Whilst colour and style are important, comfort and durability need to take precedence when we purchase backpacks. Sure, pick the holographic one or the one with a cool keychain attached, but make sure they also come with the points mentioned above.
We recommend checking our collection to see child-friendly options that embrace their little bodies, not place pressure on them.
]]>These essentials have been found to play an important role in a child's physical and mental development. Mikki & Me Kids encourages you to incorporate educational tidbits into your child’s life as soon as possible, as they are an excellent way to stimulate intelligence, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination for your little ones.
Here we spill the beans on the intellectual benefits different toys have on our children as they grow to school age and beyond.
Think about your child and the toys they had when they were tiny. Now, cast your mind to how those products looked, felt and what they did – is there an obvious?
Educational toys provided to babies are there to stimulate their brains from the beginning, and with things like colours, sounds, textures and shapes for them to take in, they’re always processing new information that is crucial for development.
So, with that in mind, let’s look at preschool ages and the types of products most beneficial to this demographic.
In the first six months of life, babies can already recognise colours, voices and sounds. Their language progresses and they begin to identify faces and emotions. We recommend play mats and gyms, nesting toys, rattles and other handheld toys of various textures (rubber rings, soft animals) to promote touch, sight, hearing, and tummy time.
By the age of one, bub is now copying sounds and actions. They respond to music and can accomplish simple goals like crawling to a spot or seeking something out. They can now recognise names and basic commands, and may even begin repeating sounds like ‘mama’ and ‘dada’.
Educational products – such as animal pictures, basic puzzles and toy dolls – support recognition and repetition, which serves to stimulate brainpower, problem-solving and planning skills.
At age two, they begin pointing, feeding themselves and eventually taking steps. Strollers, water, sand and other outside play activities stimulate sensation and promote hygiene, and helps the child refine their gross-motor and coordination skills.
By age three, your toddler can stack boxes, clip blocks together, and may even begin to play alone. They gain vocabulary and can follow simple direction.
This category includes soft books, play dough, easels, paints and digging toys that support learning, creativity and self-regulation. This is particularly the case when play is used to calm the child when they recognise they may need it.
At age four and up, your child is climbing, can balance themselves, perform basic counting, and throw and catch.
Educational toys – such as number and alphabet blocks, footballs, tricycles, small trampolines and climbing gyms – support equilibrium, hand-eye coordination and physical education. In turn, these skills prepare them for school.
Side Note: It’s important to keep in mind that each child is different, and their educational needs should be assessed regularly by your paediatrician. For more information and to see our recommendations on educational toys, feel free to get in touch.]]>Read on to find the best lunch box for your little one!
]]>Choosing lunch boxes for kids and especially fussy kids can really be a lot of hard work and test your patience to the end. There are loads of websites that can give you advice on what to put in school lunch boxes for kids that are picky eaters. But who tells you about the actual container that your fussy kid carries their lunch in – we do!
Lunch boxes for kids should be easy to carry. Think about it, your little ones are going to grab that container out of their bag and be in a big hurry to get to the playground or eating area.
So you need to make sure the lunch box is easy for their little hands to grab and carry. We know that at Cheese and Pickles so all our kids lunch bags have handles, so your kids lunchbox can quickly and easily go wherever you child goes.
Choosing lunch boxes for kids that are their favourite colour will help take a little of their fussiness away. Think about your child’s favourite colour, or favourite few colours, and choose a lunch container that includes one or some of those colours. Whether those favourite colours are blues and greens, or pinks and reds, check out a good range of coloured school lunch boxes.
With so many lunch boxes for kids in and around classrooms and playgrounds, make sure the lunch container you choose has your child’s name clearly marked on it, and permanently marked. Big, bold names on lunch boxes will also help fussy kids to have greater ownership of their lunch container. Personalised kids lunch bags are a great way to quickly and easily show who owns a lunch container.
So don’t flip your lid shopping for lunch boxes for kids, especially fussy kids. Follow these tips to get a funky lunch container that your child will love. Remember a style with a handle, include a favourite colour, and make sure your child’s name is big and bold. Your child will think you’re a star mum for choosing a great lunch box, and your kid will look cool at school.
Don’t get us wrong, an Easter without chocolate is like ice cream without sprinkles, but it’s a great idea to offer up some SUGAR FREE gift alternatives to keep the kids happy while they come down from that artificial high!
A vintage inspired, bespoke Alimrose bunny doll (or swan! Or unicorn!) could become the best friend they never knew they needed! For younger kids, the Jellycat range of bunnies and soft toys are the softest you will find, and perfect for snuggling up to.
As a young child I grew up with Beatrix Potter and the Peter Rabbit family (as did so many parents and grandparents!) so I love that my children get so excited about them too – not only do they get to watch them on TV but the Peter Rabbit movie will be released this week just in time for Easter!
We have a gorgeous range of Talking Peter Rabbit toys, as well as soft plush toys from the Peter Rabbit series just perfect for Easter!
It’s hard when there is just sooo much sugar in everything nowadays, but with our range of super cute Easter cookie cutters and silicone moulds you can at least control just what goes in to that cookie or cake by choosing a healthier recipe. Check out Pinterest for some great decorating ideas too!
And forget Hot Cross Buns for Easter breakfast! Our Silicone Egg Chairs are ideal for sitting a soft or hard boiled egg upright to dip your toast into!
BONUS: We are offering a FREE UPGRADE to express post on our Easter range until Sunday 25th March so you can get your SUGAR FREE gifts in time for the Easter weekend!
]]>It’s EVERYWHERE! But what happens if you aren’t allowed to eat it!?
If you have young ones that suffer from allergies, babies not old enough to have chocolate or you’d just rather not overload the kids with sugar, Easter Sunday can be a tough gig….
So if your Easter is going to be about better choices (and less chocolate) we have a range of alternatives and gift ideas to make sure that your child doesn’t miss out on the fun and festivities!
Just because you are limiting the chocolate doesn’t mean the kids can’t go on a treasure hunt!
We’ve made it easy for you with our FREE Printable Easter Treasure Hunt signs! Simply download the file HERE or at the bottom of the page, and print! Cut each shape out and attach a paddle pop stick to create little signs you can use around the garden on Easter morning.
If you are avoiding chocolate eggs and sugary treats this year, we have some adorable trinket gifts available in our online store including little Bunny Lip-glosses, Wind Up Hopping Toys and Mini LED Bunny lights!
For added excitement, place some Bunny Footprints around the house and garden! Kids will be super excited to see the prints on the floor in their bedroom – especially when they realise that the Easter Bunny must have checked on them while they were sleeping!
(We have included some Bunny Paw Prints in our Easter Treasure Hunt Printable File for you too!)
Kids will love discovering a special new friend at the end of the trail!!
Mikki & Me have an extensive range of adorable bunnies, bears and soft toys just waiting for someone to love them. Our bespoke Alimrose Designs dolls are a timeless favourite (and they make a gorgeous nursery piece for those still too little to appreciate them!)
For little ones celebrating their very First Easter, we also offer Personalised Keepsake teddies & bunnies! Choose your favourite teddy, select a design and some colours, and let us create a one of a kind soft toy that will be treasured for years to come!
If you like to take a more practical approach when it comes to gift giving, we have you covered!
Gorgeous Retro Bunny Night Lights, Pretty Pastel (and Monochrome!) Bunny Placemats, and Books to read together with your child mean their Easter gifts will still be loved long after the Easter eggs have been eaten!
Head to over to our dedicated EASTER GIFTS section to shop online and have your goodies sent directly to your door (no trying to secretly hide things in the trolley with the kids around!)
And don’t forget to download and print your FREE Easter Treasure Hunt for a fun filled Easter morning!
]]>It’s widely known that imaginary play supports strong, healthy, confident minds and creating their own enchanted fairy garden is an ideal way to capture their imagination!
Your Fairy Door is the gateway between our world and theirs….Attach it low on a wall, high on a shelf or in another secret place inside (or outside!) your home. Once your Fairy Door is attached, the fairies will know how to use it to come in and out!
Don't let little children try and open your Fairy Door though...only the fairies can open the door and it may scare them away if the door is not treated with care!
Create an enchanted garden with our range of fairy accessories: teeny tiny windows, petite fairy furniture, grass mats with flowers and lots more.
A dedicated Fairy Mail Box is the only way to get a message to the fairies and although they only come out at night, they are sometimes known to exchange notes and gifts with well behaved children. Finding their very own note or message in the morning will be a wonderful surprise when they wake up!
A Fairy Door is also helpful in guiding children through difficult times and growth in their lives – learning to go without a dummy, toilet training, starting childcare or kindy, or parents who work away for long periods. Let the fairies help them by leaving special trinkets, rewards and encouraging notes as they learn to cope with changes bigger than they are!
Children need to believe that ‘good things’ really do happen – and that magic is real. A Fairy Door will not only help encourage imaginative play and creative writing, but also help to eliminate fears
Start building an enchanted world full of surprise, creativity, and most importantly -magic for your child now!
It's officially less than 2 weeks til Christmas! Where has the time gone!?
For our 12th Day of Christmas we have a set of FREE Christmas printables for you!
Watch the kids excitement grow on Christmas Eve as they sprinkle Magic Reindeer Food out on the front lawn for Santa's reindeer to nibble on while he delivers presents.
PLUS they can plant their very own CANDY CANE trees!
You can download the FREE Christmas printables HERE
*MAGIC ELF SEEDS!
Fill your snap lock bag with tic tac's, skittles, mm's or jelly beans
Seal and fold your printable over the top and staple in to place!
To 'plant' your seeds - place them in a bowl of sugar on Christmas eve and after the kids have gone to bed, replace the lollies with candy canes!
*MAGIC REINDEER FOOD
For this you will need:
1/2 cup rolled oats
Red and green edible glittler (or sprinkles/coloured sugar/hundreds&thousands)
Simply mix together and put into your snap lock bag, seal and fold your printable over the top and staple in to place
On Christmas Eve, take your kids outside to sprinkle on the lawn or garden for Santa's reindeer to eat!
IMPORTANT INFO:
*Printables are sized to fit a plastic snap lock snack bag from your local supermarket that measures 15cm x 10cm
*Make sure you 'print to file' or UNTICK print to page - you need the printed file to measure 15cm x 10cm to fit properly!
*Pictures are for example only
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Then, the closer it gets to Christmas you have a panic and go out shopping again, buy more presents, go to shove them in that same cupboard, only to find a whole heap you already purchased throughout the year that you had completely forgotten about! You then realise you have overspent and overbought.
Well, it happens to me every year and I’m sure I’m not alone! I am determined not to let that happen this year so I put together a printable which has been so great at organising who I need to buy for, gift ideas, what I have already bought, what I still need to buy and what I have spent.
I am hoping this will prevent me overspending AND over spoiling!
You see, I have 3 children and year after year I buy gifts for them and don’t take into consideration that they will also be getting gifts from Grandparents, Uncles and Auntie’s… They end up with a lounge room full of gifts (and a recycle bin full of wrapping paper!)
It makes me feel ill how much they get when I know there are so many millions less fortunate that get nothing. This year I am determined to educate my kids and encourage them to give at Christmas to those less fortunate, rather than just receive.
After all, giving is so much more fulfilling don’t you think?
Would you like a copy of the Christmas List Printable? Its FREE! All you have to do is subscribe to our newsletter HERE and we will email you the PDF! Too easy!
Liza xx
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It’s no surprise that when we decide that a family holiday further abroad is called for, that the list of stuff needed to keep the kids placated grows at an alarming rate…
Kids get bored easily. My kids are usually happy for 5 minutes and then it begins….
’Are we there yet?’
‘Mum, I’m bored!’
‘Timmy is touching my part of the seat!’
‘She looked at me!’
‘I’m hungry/thirsty….again…’
But it doesn’t have to be that way!! With these 5 essentials in your travelling arsenal, your child will be content, your sanity will be preserved and your family vacay pictures should show smiles all round!!
Food is a necessary when travelling with kids! With tummy’s much smaller than ours, they are always going to eat more frequently than we do, so lots of healthy snacks are ideal.
But what to carry them around in!?
YUMBOX are perfect if you want to pack yohgurt or dips for the kids to snack on – along with other foods. They have leakproof, individual compartments so you can pack a range of finger foods to keep a variety of foods fresh on the go
SKIP HOP INSULATED FOOD TUBS are great for bringing a warm lunch in cold weather. You can keep soups, stews, pastas and more warm and they come with their own fork attached so you can eat whenever and wherever hunger strikes. And they come in a super cute range of designs too!
BOON TRUNK & CARGO SNACK BOXES have their very own handle so your child can carry their snacks around with them! Plus they are full of compartments so you don’t have to worry about those cheese cubes touching the strawberries!
If they aren’t hungry, they’re thirsty…
Get them a cute water bottle of their very own and all of a sudden water tastes SO much better!!
The ‘Forget Me Not’ range of flip top, straw drink bottles have a handy Velcro strap that you can attach to a bag or pram, plus a 2nd spare straw just in case!
If you are worried about drinks staying cold, we have a range of personalised, insulated drink bottle holders that will stop your kids drink bottles going missing, and keep them colder for longer!
Everything is better when you share it with a friend!
New places, strange beds, and long car drives aren’t so bad when you have your very own teddy to cuddle. A personalised cubby or teddy bear could be just the reassurance they need to get through the night!
Just like a teddy, being wrapped in a warm, comforting blanket can make everything seem better!
Our Ripple design blankets are fair trade and handmade with love, and are ideal for rugging up at night or on a long car drive. If you little one isn’t quite up to size yet, our baby blankets are perfect size for over the car seat or in the pram and will keep them rugged up and snuggly without burying them in a giant wad of material!
The keyword is quiet!!! If you’ve been stuck In the car or on a plane for hours with the kids, chances are 10 minutes peace and quiet will go a long way… So quiet activities that they can do on their own will be a lifesaver
Try our Felt Creations storyboards. Kids can use their imagination to create a wonderful world of fantasy. Once they are finished, they can simply start again!
Another timeless activitiy is drawing and colouring in. Our personalised pencil cases are large enough to hold those pencils, crayons, textas and more. Just throw in a cheap scrap book or colouring book and they will be amused for ages!
We have recently added some personalised car organisers to our website and they are PERFECT if you are planning on spending time with kids in the car! Easily accessible from the back seat, the kids can keep all of their precious travel gear in one convenient location! Plus the large clear pocket fits an iPad (hello peace & quiet!) and it contains lots of compartments to keep all their gear in!
So now you know what we recommend to have on hand to keep the peace next time you are on holidays with the kids and to help them deal with the change in scenery as smoothly as possible… have you got anything that you would like to add?
Feel free to leave your comments below
]]>Kids love fun, bite sized food. Bento style lunch boxes are perfect for this; they are made up of small compartments that you can fill with a deconstructed style lunch. For example, instead of giving your child a salad wrap, you could put one salad item from that wrap into each compartment, along with a small wrap cut into wedges. You might put cherry tomatoes in one section, small cubes of cheese in another etc. If you still prefer to make wraps or sandwiches, try cutting the wraps into small, bite sized pieces, or using cutters to cut sandwiches into fun shapes that will make them irresistible to kids.
Not only are bento boxes more appealing to kids than the usual sandwich and piece of fruit, they are also so much easier to put together, even the kids can get involved. You can keep prep time to a minimum by using small fruits and vegetables that don’t need cutting, like grapes, cherry tomatoes, dried fruits, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Bento boxes might look time consuming, but they are really quite quick and easy.
Another benefit of bento lunch boxes is that they completely eliminate waste, which is perfect for schools that ask all parents to send along zero rubbish lunches. Because of the many separate compartments in a bento box, everything has its own place. You will save money and the environment by not having to use sandwich bags, zip lock bags and other forms of disposable plastic.
Ready to give bento boxes a try? Firstly, SHOP HERE for a range of different styles/sizes on Bento Boxes
THEN,
Include at least one item from each of the groups below and you have a healthy, balanced bento lunch that any child will be excited to eat.
Start with a protein, such as
Next, add some grains like
Add some vegetables
Include some sweetness with fruit
Finally, add in a few snacks
The foods you include might be the same as your child has always eaten, but because they are presented in a different way they will suddenly look far more fun to eat, after all we eat with our eyes. It’s also a great way to encourage your kids to try new foods. There is a good chance your children’s’ lunch boxes will all of a sudden come home completely empty. Even if there is still some food left uneaten, because everything is kept in compartments separate from each other, any leftovers will likely be good to eat as an after school snack.
Here are some examples of packed lunches using Go Green, Bentgo and Yumbox
Inspired!?
We hope so!
Leave any comments about Bento Style eating below.
Liza x
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When you’re browsing through the Mikki and Me Kids you are looking at quality products which are tried and tested by a real family; just like yours.
Many new customers coming onto the site are looking to find something for their newborn bub or for an upcoming baby shower gift, so we decided it was time to gather our list of Top 5 gifts for newborns in one easy-to-share post!
Baby Book
Our Baby Book is gender neutral, meaning it is ideal for a baby shower or birth arrival, especially in instances when the gender of the unborn bub is a surprise! The Baby Book is the perfect gift to document all the milestones and special moments experienced with a new born baby. Record moments with ease on the featured Enviroboard paper.
While we love Facebook as much as the next parent, there is something incredibly rewarding about holding this baby book between two hands and recording your moments within this A4 spiral bound baby book. You can treasure these for years to come.
Those with toddlers will agree it feels like a lifetime ago that your two year old was just born, so having a book which can take you on a trip down memory lane is priceless! See for yourself here.
Personalised Cubbies
You can’t go past our personalised cubbies… They are thoughtful newborn baby gifts. We are constantly receiving orders for these bespoke baby gifts and they are always received with delight!
With so many to choose from, we can barely choose a favourite Personalised Cubbie. Cubbies are personalised with embroidery with your chosen colours, font and message. Browse the entire range online today.
OB Designs Baby Blankets
Mikki and Me Baby Kids stock practical, affordable and adorable gifts – and the OB Designs Baby Blankets are no exception! Bestsellers from day one, these blankets make a cute gift that is not only a pleasure to look at, but soft and snuggly too. Those receiving them as a gift for their baby will be elated. There are a variety of designs to choose from, so you can find a style to suit. Why not bring a soft touch to a bedroom décor with the gorgeous Sky Ripple baby blanket by OB Designs.
Marquee Lights
You’ll find our collection of Marquee Lights to be that perfect finishing touch on your newborn babies’ room. Our range of Marquee Letter Lights and Marquee Shaped Lights can be hung on a wall, or stood upright depending on the look you’d like to achieve.
The letter lights are available in letters A – Z.
Why not spell out your new bubs name, or perhaps words which make a statement such as: L-O-V-E or B-A-B-Y.
If you have a unique light décor idea, don’t keep it to yourself, share it with our Facebook community, we’d love to hear from you!
Personalised Pillows
We believe there is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’, especially when it comes to a name! It’s why Mikki and Me stock a wide variety of personalised products, including our Personalised Pillows. Our range of pillows can be personalised with your name of choice and complements the OB Design Baby Blanket’s perfectly.
We love seeing our customers happy with their new gifts! Why not share your pictures with our gorgeous Facebook community. Simply like us to stay in touch, see the latest products and by inspired by the latest in Australian baby boutique products.
Mikki and Me Team xx
P.S. This list is like the baby shower equivalent of your 2016 Christmas wish list being pinned to the fridge door but perfectly tailored for those in charge of throwing a baby shower! Why not share the not-so-subtle hint with your friends and family with the simple social share buttons?
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