Embracing the Quiet Box

As I mentioned earlier this week, we've hit a hard spot with sleep recently. I don't get a lot of sympathy on this matter because, well, Ada's four. It's expected that the nap is going to disappear eventually. Kids get up early. Kids don't want to sleep, etc. But -- I mean, c'mon. When you're in a good rhythm and -- all of a sudden -- the morning, noon, and night changes all at once? It sucks!

According to BabyCenter, children age four need between 11-12 hours of sleep each day. It might be divided into 9 to 12 hours of nighttime sleep and between 0-2.5 hours of nap. Of course, these are averages and suggestions. There's no set standard. Knowing that Ada needs 2-3 fewer hours of sleep than she did last year does help me feel better about the change.

But I'm still not cool with losing my me-time. Right? After all, I'm pregnant. I've been particularly exhausted lately. I work from home primarily during preschool and nap times and before wakeup/after bed times. And I know I will soon have a newborn, so we all need all the rest we can get.

I had looked up quiet time boxes on Pinterest back when Ada was two. She had a nap strike back then and I thought it was all over.  

(Side note: First-time moms of younger kids + tots -- don't give up on the nap so easily! All kids are different, and -- yes -- yours might want to give up napping early. But persistence, if you can, is key. Ada had multiple times throughout the years when I thought she'd be done with napping, only to return to months upon months of awesome 2-hour naps up until this stage. Fight the good fight!)


Anyway, I could write a lot about naps. But today I just want to share our quiet box. It's been working really well. Ada's occupied and having fun while I get some quiet time to get stuff done, like work or dinner preparations.

Or while I take a half-nap.
Yeah.
That sounds good.



There are so many ways to do the quiet box thing. Some people have one for each day of the week with different stuff in it. I decided I didn't have the space for that, so:

• I rotate out different things each day. Or not. Usually I try to put at least one different thing in and not everything you see here is in the box at all times. I try to keep it to four or five activities, so as not to overwhelm.
• I also don't go crazy trying to make it endlessly entertaining. I strongly believe it's OK and even GOOD for kids to be bored and to have to come up with new uses for the same old stuff. 
• The same goes with the actual content. You can get really educational or just go with open-ended play. I choose play. Ada gets enough learning at school, and I think she just needs to have the opportunity to be creative, to dwell in her thoughts and imagination.

Other stuff:

• She can only play with the quiet box during those designated quiet times. So, if she wakes up too early, we have an OK-to-wakeup time set, and then she can get the box. She has to at least try to nap before she can play with the box (and yesterday she napped 2 hours -- there are days when she really does still need it!). 
• She has to stay in her room while playing. If she needs assistance with a project, I'll give it to her later, so she just sets it aside. For example, she wanted to make a big ball out of the pipe cleaners today, but she waited and did other things until I could help her.
• Everything in the box needs to be cleaned up before we move on to the rest of the day. If she throws something around or makes a mess, that activity gets taken away.

 Here's some of the specific things in our box right now:

• Sesame Street Slide-and-Learn Flash Cards
• Barefoot Books Yoga Deck
• Dollar Store Coloring Books
• B. Toys Pop-Art Beads
• Crayons (less mess than paint or markers)
• Melissa + Doug Water Wow Books
• Books
• Popsicle sticks with velcro to make shapes
• $1 Spot "Lego" Blocks from Target
• Lots of pipe cleaners
• Shapes made from a stack of felt
• $1 Spot Felt Animal and Shapes from Target
• Child-safe scissors
• Strips of Rick-Rack and ribbon for whatever

So far this system is working out well for us. I'd love to know if you do something similar. I'd also love suggestions for things to put in the box, ways to deal with super random sleeping times (wakeups/bedtimes are all over the place -- I'm sure we're just in a big transition), and anything else related to preschool age sleep.

HAPPY FRIDAY! And don't forget to enter the $75 PinkBlush #giveaway!

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Spring Bucket List

It was like a whole new world outdoors yesterday. Yeah, there was still some stubborn snow on the ground. (And, yeah -- we’re getting more over the weekend.) But we don’t take walking outdoors without coats (and shoes -- in my case!) for granted. Even in April. Here are a few things on our spring wish list for 2015.

I think it’s going to be a good one.

#1: Finish projects. We have several projects in our home that we started and never finished. Painting is a big one, and we’ve already spent some time this week checking rooms off the list. I have a few things to complete in the kitchen, but I’ll be writing more about this stuff soon.

#2: Hike in nature. We didn’t do much of the whole hiking thing with Ada when she was a baby. But we’d like to start taking her to more local natural attractions. So, some hikes in the Finger Lakes are in order.

#3: Take a weekend getaway. We don’t have the means to travel much, but I’d like to go on a one or two night trip somewhere -- with Ada -- within close driving distance. Maybe the ADK or down in PA. Not quite sure yet. Suggestions?

#4: Go river rafting down Pine Creek. There’s an all day 17-mile trek that Stephen and I would like to check out before the waters dry up in the summer.

#5: Cook out. Time to bust out the grill for the season and start cooking up some meals al fresco. I’m thinking grilled pizza is on the top of my list. I need to perfect that method/recipe.

#6: Do some landscaping. New year, new house. We want to start looking at landscaping. We won’t be able to do it all this year, but I have pinned some ideas of flowers and plants that I like. Can’t wait to get our yard looking lush.

#7: Visit family. Along with other mini trips, we’d like to get down to visit both families at least a couple times before the summer. Ada doesn’t have cousins, so it’s nice to see her spend time with Stephen’s cousins’ children in particular.

#8: Race here and there. I don’t have a ton of races on the calendar, but I’d like to do a few in the time I have before TTC again. After a few weeks of ramping up mileage from zero to, well, anything -- I’m planning to follow this intermediate 10K plan for the Laurel Festival 10K in June.

#9: Frequent festivals. There are lots of big and small festivals that go on in our area -- and we haven’t been to most of them. I want to get out there and experience the culture (food, music, fun) our area has to offer versus always wishing I was living elsewhere.

#10: Advance the homestead. Along with making the yard look pretty with more plantings, I want to get our composting system going and plant our vegetable garden. I think I might be a bit too late to get my seeds started (I had such good plans!), but I may end up getting some plants from a local nursery this year.

What’s on your spring bucket list?

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Activities For Shut-In Preschoolers

A couple years ago, I wrote about a bunch of indoor activities for young toddlers to do during the winter months (or whenever they’re stuck indoors). I can’t believe Ada’s grown so much since then, and -- thought a lot of the stuff is still fun for her -- the list needs some revision and updating.

Still, I encourage you to check out the original post with more details. You can enjoy a lot of the activities without spending much more than your time. Try having a beach party. Or make a quick sensory box. Plan an indoor picnic. Set up all your kid’s animal for a petting zoo. Or have a non-Easter egg hunt.

Now, here are a few ideas for the preschooler crowd.

#1: Quiet Boxes

I haven’t actually made any quiet boxes yet, but I’m obsessed with the idea. Basically, just get a bunch of independent play activities together and separate them by day or whatever system you choose. When your kid isn’t napping or is just getting on the brink of insanity -- pull out a box and let them explore the contents on their own. Independent play has become difficult over here since we’ve been indoors together all.the.time, so we’re working on this one a little more each day.

#2: Snow Dough

I’ve made homemade play dough, DIY craft kits, table top explosions, and all other kinds of messy play (here are 20 great ideas). Lately, Ada’s been digging snow dough, which is a simple mixture of 2 cups corn starch or arrowroot powder combined with around 1/2 a cup of canola, vegetable, or olive oil. You can add glitter for extra impact. Store in an airtight container when not in use.

#3: Rocks

I stumbled upon a box of rocks we gathered from the Jersey shore last summer. So, I figured Ada might enjoy looking at them through her magnifying glass. I also put them in a container and filled part with water. I gave her an old tooth brush and told her to clean and polish the stones. I was surprised how long she stayed transfixed with this activity!

#4: Fuzzy Caterpillars 

Take some regular glue, popsicle sticks, and poms. Then stick the poms on the sticks to make colorful caterpillars of all shapes and sizes. We even made stick houses and other shapes and designs. Plus, you can play with these furry guys long after you make them. Bonus points for googly eyes.

#5: Magnetic Dress-Up

This is the most expensive activity on the list at a whopping $10-$15, but I promise it’s worth every penny. Get your child one of those Melissa + Dough magnetic dress-up kits. They can stick the magnets on the fridge too. Ada loves trying out all the different combinations, and it’s great for her fine motor skills.

#6: Seed Planting

We’re dreaming of our summer garden already, and we’re starting off from seedlings this year. Get all the stuff you need -- seeds, planters, and soil -- and have your child help you get started. You can let them grow in a sunny room of your house even when the temperatures are frightful. Then you can have your little helper plant them with you when the winter finally lets up. Read all your seed packets carefully for growing and timing info.

#7: New Art

Try something new with art. If you do lots of paint, color with crayons. If you always do markers -- do clay. Skip the coloring books and go free-form. We recently did one of those projects where you use painters tape to make shapes, and Ada really enjoyed peeling off the tape when her paint had dried.

#8: Couch Potato

The rules around TV has somewhat gone out the window this winter. Well, not totally. But when the day is going especially bad (and you guys with cabin fever know exactly what I mean), I don’t think twice about running upstairs and snuggling in my bed with Ada watching a movie. In fact, it’s glorious. Pop a bag of popcorn to make it a full event.

#9: Baked Goods

Bake a cake. I love spending time with Ada in the kitchen. On the coldest of days, we’ve made all sorts of meals -- from slow cooker soups to baked doughnuts. The best part? Decorating the finished product. Let loose with some of your sugar rules and break out the mini marshmallows and sprinkles. It’s not like your kid is going to eat the entire cake. (Although, Stephen and I may have had a good chunk of this guy.)

#10: Outdoor Play

When all else fails, you can’t go wrong by bundling up and playing outdoors. Even in extremely cold temperatures, a few minutes is incredibly helpful. We’ve had plenty of -35 degrees F windchill days . . . and warming up the car and driving to a friend’s house or to the mall was a great alternative. Our tolerance for cold has increased as the winter had gone on, so we’ll gladly play outdoors for a stretch even when the temps are below 10. Just dress your child in many layers and cover as much skin as possible to prevent exposure. And start with small stretches of time, always supervised. 

What are your favorite activities for preschoolers during these shut-in months?

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