Children | Crayons and Croissants

10 tips for entertaining a toddler on an airplane

May 10, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

It’s no wonder that parents of toddlers think twice before getting on an airplane. This is not an age when kids are able to sit still for very long – unless they have a lot to do! Here are some of our favorite tips for traveling with our own energetic toddler. We bought these two airplane books, Plane and Airport, for Little M and we read them together in the days leading up to the trip. It’s also nice to […]

Categories: Jet Set • Tags: Activities, Airplane, Children, Family, Toddler, Toys, Travel

A Rainy Day in the City

May 8, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

Rain rain go away, come again another day… Enjoy the rain with this beautiful new picture book. In Rain (by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christian Robinson) we see how differently a child and an adult experience a rainy day in the city. The little boy in the book exclaims “Rain!” while a grumpy man complains “Rain!” The boy dons his green frog hat and rain gear and ventures out with his mother to splash in puddles, while the man grumbles as […]

Categories: Read • Tags: books, Children, Family, Organic, Picture Book, Rain Gear

Bébé Gourmet: French-Inspired Recipes for Raising an Adventurous Eater

May 2, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

This new cookbook offers delicious recipes for your petite gourmand. As many of you may remember, Bringing up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting (by Pamela Druckerman), was published about a year ago and inspired a great debate about French parenting styles. French Kids Eat Everything: How Our Family Moved to France, Cured Picky Eating, Banned Snacking, and Discovered 10 Simple Rules for Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters (by Karen Le Billon) soon followed and piqued my curiosity […]

Categories: Bites, Read • Tags: books, Children, Cookbook, Family, Food, French cooking

Getting Crafty with Glob Natural Paints

April 30, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

Art projects and toddlers seem to go hand in hand, don’t they? Painting is always a big hit in our house, Little M has a chance to have fun, be creative and make a mess! I use non-toxic natural paints and am always looking for safe eco-friendly options. GLOB makes some of our favorite paints. They are made from fruits, vegetables, flowers and spices with natural ingredients and organic extracts. They are similar to watercolors; just add water to the pigments to […]

Categories: Craft, Play • Tags: Activities, Art, Children, Crafts, Family, Organic, Paint

Our Stay at The Peninsula New York

April 24, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

We recently got back from a fabulous trip to New York City, where we stayed at the beautiful and ever so luxurious Peninsula Hotel! New York City holds special memories for us. It is where the hubby and I met, and we have family and close friends who live there. We have visited once before with Little M and this time we decided to make a vacation our of it and stay at the Peninsula Hotel. Our weariness from our flight […]

Categories: Jet Set • Tags: Children, Family, Family Travel, New York City, The Peninsula Hotel

Happy Earth Day: Tips for Gardening with your Kids

April 22, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

Happy Earth Day! Little M and I have chosen to celebrate Earth Day by adding a couple of plants to our, admittedly tiny, balcony garden. Whether you have a huge yard or a small balcony space, as we do, here are some tips for getting your little ones involved in gardening and caring for plants throughout the year. I believe in the importance of teaching kids where their food grows and how it reaches our dinner table. Little M and […]

Categories: Nest, Play, Read • Tags: books, Children, Eco-conscious, Family, Food, Gardening, Organic

Zoë b Organic Dishes

April 19, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

Little M and I are very excited about his newest dishes from Zoë b Organic. These dishwasher-safe dishes are eco-friendly, organic and made from corn. They are also super cute and functional. The plate is a good size, yet light and manageable for Little M’s toddler hands. And the bowl is deep enough for all of his favorites: soup, pasta, fruit or even cereal and milk. I love the bright and vibrant colors. I also love serving his food in new […]

Categories: Bites, Shop • Tags: Children, Eco-conscious, Family, Food

Our Favorite Children’s Books about New York City

April 11, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

Little M and I have been reading about New York City a lot recently. The hubby and I met in NYC (many) years ago and we have been fortunate enough to travel there with Little M and introduce him to some of our favorite places. Little M is fascinated by the taxi cabs, subway, parks and museums. Here, in no particular order, are some of our most loved picture books about New York City. This Is New York by Miroslav Sasek This […]

Categories: Jet Set, Read • Tags: books, Children, Family, New York City, Travel

Bathtime with Whales and Bubbles

April 10, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

Lately, Little M and I have changed things up a bit when it comes to bathtime. He loves splashing around in the tub and our small bath mats didn’t work as well for an energetic and active toddler. So we made the switch to this Skip Hop Moby Bath Mat. How cute is that smiling whale? Little M loves it. Whenever he is hesitant about getting into the tub, I just have to remind him about the whale and he […]

Categories: Play, Shop • Tags: Bath, Children, Eco-conscious, Family, Organic

Eco-friendly Easter Ideas

March 25, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

It’s easy to know that Easter is almost here, supermarkets have started carrying chocolate eggs, easter baskets abound in gift shops and adorable pictures of bunnies and chicks are everywhere! Here are a few of our favorite non-toxic Easter crafts, toys and activities. Who doesn’t love dyeing hard-boiled eggs for Easter? This Bon Appetit blog outlines a fabulous way to color eggs using natural ingredients like beet juice, hibiscus tea, and blueberries. Or simply use this Nature’s Magical Egg Dyeing Kit […]

Categories: Bites, Craft, Shop • Tags: Children, Crafts, Easter, Eco-conscious, Family, Food, Holidays, Organic

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