Entertainment at Home and on the Go with Netflix for Kids #NetflixKids

May 24, 2013 By Sippy Cup Mom 16 Comments

My husband and I have long been a fan of Netflix. In fact, we often have Netflix dates where we send the kids to Grandma’s house and we spend a night in catching up on our favorite television shows. When Netflix Just for Kids was introduced, I was excited for a special section for my son with all of his favorite television shows.

When we had our twin girls this year, life got even busier for us. I work from home and I’ve had to adjust from going to one to three kids! The most important thing I’ve done with my twins is try and get them into a routine before bedtime. While my husband and I get them ready for bed, my son gets to snuggle in our bed while he enjoys his own personal Netflix time.

Getting ready to watch his favorite show on Netflix!

Why We Love Netflix

We love Netflix for the wide variety of quality shows that it offers for children. The Netflix Just for Kids section has all of your family favorites that are appropriate for children ages 2- 12. Best of all, all of the content in this section is selected with help from Common Sense Media to provide ratings, reviews and information so parents can easily make choices for their kids!

Hayden loves watching episodes of his favorite show, Jake and the Never Land Pirates while we get his sisters to bed. He recently has really gotten into Batman and we have a mini Gotham City set up in his bedroom. I recently was checking out Netflix Just for Kids and found out that you can stream episodes of Batman & Beyond. The kid is now in love with the series and it’s been a special request of his lately. I love that I’m able to find his favorite shows and movies right on the television. No more flipping channels hoping to catch an age-appropriate show, especially in the evening hours.

Netflix has recently added new content from Hasbro, Disney Jr. and Cartoon Network so we have enjoyed exploring both old favorites and discovering new shows.

I miss getting one on one time with Hayden since the girls have arrived and I definitely miss my snuggles! One of my favorite things to do is snuggle with him in bed while we watch one of our favorite movies. Luckily, one of our favorite movies is right on Netflix! We absolutely love Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and it’s one of our go-to movies to watch on family movie nights.

Netflix On The Go

One of our favorite things about Netflix is how you can really access it anywhere you go. Like I mentioned before, life has gotten busy with the addition of our twins and it seems like we are always on the go. We had a lot of doctor’s appointments for them early on and I had to bring my son with me most of the time. When he got tired in the waiting room, I loved that I was able to pull out my iPhone or iPad and bring up Netflix so he could watch his favorite shows.

You can even continue what you are watching from home. There’s been a few times that he has been in the middle of a movie or a television show when we had to leave. All you have to do is open your device and resume watching!

The Netflix apps are free and available on hundreds of devices – you probably already have one in your home! We watch Netflix through our Apple TV, our Blu-ray Player, our iPhone and our iPad.

What are you watching on TV with your family? Netflix has family favorites from Disney, Disney Jr., Hasbro, Cartoon Network and Dreamworks that are available to stream anytime, anywhere.

And streaming is easier than you think! Download the free app on your iPad, click on the Netflix app on any gaming device, go to the website on your computer – and you’re in business. Check it out here!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Netflix, Sippy Cup Entertainment

Smart Storage Solutions for Outdoor Playsets

May 23, 2013 By Sippy Cup Mom 7 Comments

Now that it’s warming up outside, it’s time to start gearing up for fun in the sun this summer! And as any parent knows, you can’t send your kids outdoors empty-handed…but what do you do with all of their playthings at the end of a long day?

If your family is like most, you don’t have a separate storage unit exclusively reserved for your kids’ items, so you must make room in your garage or shed. Although it can seem like a daunting task, rearranging your outdoor storage to accommodate toys from your backyard playsets is not as tough as you think!

Here are some creative solutions and basic tips for incorporating your outdoor playsets into your existing garage storage.

Bookcases for Beginners

One of the easiest solutions to a storage dilemma is to mix in a bookcase. As they are often tall and slim, they can fit most anywhere and provide you with a simple way to get toys and other items (shoes, cleats, beach buckets and shovels, swimmies and floaties, etc.) off the ground and up against the wall.

A great project that you can complete with your child FOR your child is to paint a bookcase. Since children love having personalized items in their favorite colors, a bookcase is the perfect canvas for painting. The many exposed sides and shelves offer different painting options to create the palette of your child’s imagination!

Just be sure to use non-toxic paint that can be easily wiped down or cleaned (use latex, not oil-based), and paint in a well-ventilated environment. If it’s a nice day outside, drop a tarp or old sheet on the driveway or in the backyard and paint out in the open. If you are painting in the garage, be sure to open the garage doors and windows to allow air flow into the space. Finally, make sure you have sufficient time for the shelf to dry before piling on your play set toys.

Cast a Wide Net

Another option for corralling those loose sports balls and bulky (yet lightweight) toys from your outdoor playsets is to toss them all in a large net.

You can find many inexpensive options by looking for nets most often used for laundry. They come in different sizes and colors so you can add another level to your organization by color-coding or separating toys based on net size (or child-owner!).

For larger nets or nets containing heavier items, hang the net from a nail or hook in the wall just high enough so that the bottom of the net rests upon the ground. This way, the net is off the floor but the ground supports its weight.

Personalized Storage Bins

Another great option for separating play items in the garage or shed is by having separate storage bins. Purchase rubber or plastic tubs and paint one side of them with chalkboard paint in your child’s favorite color. With a piece of chalk, label the bin on the painted side with the contents.

This way, you can create cohesive and stackable storage units that you don’t have to remove from the shelf or uncover in order to find out what’s in it: it’s written on the side!

Outdoor Items

If you would rather have storage units that you can leave outside indefinitely and keep close to your outdoor playsets, consider the following guidelines:

Waterproof and weather-proof containers that can be power-washed, scrubbed and disinfected are essential;
Use containers with lids – outdoor trash cans (not metal) are a good idea as they’ve been developed to withstand the elements and keep unwelcome visitors out (rain and raccoons alike!);
At the same time, don’t use materials that will rust, rot or melt: for example, avoid placing plastic bins out in direct sunlight;
Beware of containers that will retain heat (like metal) and potentially burn your babies!

Best Garage Storage Practices to Adopt

Whether you create a new bookcase (like the project above) or your rearrange your existing garage shelves, make sure to secure the shelf or case to the wall with nails, bolts or screws. Another thing kids love to do is climb so ensure heavy items don’t come tumbling down upon them if they decide to venture upward one day!

Additionally, store heavier items closer to the ground – unless they are pieces of yard equipment or otherwise inherently dangerous (chain saws, hedge trimmers, axes, nail guns, etc.). Keep these items out of reach at all times.

Also to be kept out of little fingers and away from reaching arms are hazardous solutions and containers of poisonous chemicals such as antifreeze, paint thinner, gasoline, motor oil, and insecticides.

What are some of your ingenious storage solutions for outdoor play items? Have you tried something that turned out to be a good idea in theory only?

Jay Harris is a Home Depot “on the floor” sales associate in Illinois and writes regularly for the Home Depot website. Jay provides advice to homeowners on outdoor projects, including children’s outdoor playsets and swing sets.

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Home, Home Depot

Becoming A Mom…Again

May 22, 2013 By Sippy Cup Mom 43 Comments

I’m excited to share this great post from Jackie of With Just a Bit of Magic!

Becoming a mom is one of the most wonderful things that can happen to a woman and it doesn’t matter if it’s through adoption or your natural born child… it’s still an amazing experience. One that you’re never forget.

When my daughter was born my life was completely changed and in so many ways that I could never go back. My heart was full of love, my future was bright, and I was so full of ideas of all things that my daughter and I would do together… the great times that we would share throughout the years.

The first few years were wonderful and then along came another little girl… and then another. My heart and hands were full. Life was complete and I had three beautiful little girls that were the light of my life.

To this very day they are my everything.

Then one day life changed.

I took a test that forever changed our lives.

Two blue lines.

I was going to be a mom again. A new mom again after my oldest was a teen… after all three of my girls were potty trained… after I had gotten rid of every single baby item that I ever owned… after I had been a mom of self-sufficient kids for so long that it was like starting all over again.

There was a bright side! I had three helpers and all the gadgets that are out there on the market now are immensely better than they were when the girls were babies. Once I came to terms with becoming a mom again I was happy about it and was really planning all the things that I’d do different and how easy it was going to be.

Oh. My. Was I ever wrong! The pregnancy was not as easy as it was the first three times and I have my age & lack of exercise to blame for that. Then once my absolutely beautiful son was in my arms my life was forever changed yet again… my heart was so full of love. It’s amazing the capacity one has for love, isn’t it?

I was a mom… again. I quickly learned that some things were like second nature… diapering, feeding, burping, and the cuddles. I relished in the cuddles and holding my little boy but what I didn’t expect was the fussing that was rather frequent or the spitting up or trying to figure out why. I had no clue what was wrong… it was literally like being a new mom again. Then the girls were asking constant questions about him and they were questions that I really couldn’t answer. It was kind of scary… I didn’t know why he was fussing, crying, not sleeping, spitting up, or any of it.

We made it through the infant stage with lots of babywearing because that is what seemed to work the best to soothe him.

Now, we’re at the “fun” part. He’s a toddler.

The terrible two’s and wondering why’s of a three year old and every day it’s something new and different with him. He’s in a constant state of motion from the moment he wakes until the moment he goes to bed at night and there are times I wonder what in the world did I get myself into!

Becoming a mom again after your kids are older and rather self-sufficient is a definite challenge and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. It just takes a lot more patience (which I’m low on at times), energy, and help from those around you.

Jackie is a wife, mother of 4 kids from toddler to teen, a project manager, a writer, and social media consultant and to pull it all off it takes a bit of magic! You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and just about everywhere in between. And yes… she does have a magic wand!

Filed Under: Guest Posts

Does The Feminizing Of Bingo Turn Men Off The Game?

May 21, 2013 By Sippy Cup Mom Leave a Comment

While bingo has never truly been capitalized on by men, it was once a game enjoyed by almost equal proportions of both men and women. This was never out of the ordinary because bingo is game of luck, not skill, boosting its appeal for members of both sexes, young and old alike. Nowadays though, it appears as though the game of bingo has gone feminine, being dubbed a “woman’s game,” ultimately driving men away from the game altogether.

Slowly but surely, the bingo halls lost their appeal to the male gender, becoming even more popular amongst women. It is no longer strictly about the game anymore, but more or less about the social aspect of it. Women literally flock to bingo halls to fraternize with each other, passing on the latest gossip floating about the local community. Stereotypically, men are not the biggest gossipers by nature, so the idea of sitting in a cramped bingo hall with a small army of yapping women is not very appealing.

And it’s not just the bingo halls that are changing; online bingo has gradually become targeted primarily towards women. 2013 has played host to a number of new bingo sites operated by webmasters who realize just how valuable the female demographic is to their bottom line, with sites draped in pink and purple backgrounds, sending an overall girly vibe throughout the entirety of the site. Even long standing online bingo brands like Party Bingo exhibit overtly feminine design themes that are very obviously pandering to female sensibilities. Adding to the girly vibe are the online bingo games themselves, which are “cute” in nature, featuring bright and vibrant colors coupled with soft designs. The prizes, when not monetary, are oftentimes directed towards women as well.

Many new sites in particular have emerged that have become quite popular amongst the female gender. Some of the more popular names in online bingo include Woman Bingo, Foxy Bingo, and Silk Bingo. If the names were not obvious enough, a quick visit to these online bingo hotspots will quickly reveal just how oriented to women the game has become. The appearance, the prizes, and the overall feeling upon visiting a few of these sites will quickly reveal a feminine side, and while there are still men who frequent them, these sites are definitely geared more towards women.

Whether we’re talking about the local community bingo hall or a hot, new bingo site, the fact remains that the game definitely caters more towards women. This blatant feminization has turned many men away from the game. While women find bingo to be the perfect opportunity to chat and gossip with one another, it appears men just want to relax and enjoy the game. At this rate—whatever the reason may be—the game of bingo will become dominated completely by the female gender.

Filed Under: Guest Posts

“Because I’m Your Dad” Father’s Day Book {Giveaway}

May 21, 2013 By Sippy Cup Mom 24 Comments

One of the things I love most about my husband is seeing what an amazing Dad he is. He always gives it his all and does everything he can to create wonderful memories for all three of our children. Seeing him interact with them on a daily basis and seeing the bond that he has with them, especially my son, makes me so happy.

A father/son bond is a special thing and I know that they have so many activities that they like to do just the two of them. To little boys…Dads are just COOL!

Both my husband and I love snuggling in bed and reading books to Hayden and many times while I’m giving the twins their baths and getting them ready for bed, I’ll hear Hayden pick out a book and bring it to his Dad to read. I was so excited when I received a new book written by Ahmet Zappa called Because I’m Your Dad.

Ahmet Zappa is the son of late rock musician/composer Frank Zappa and, as he puts it, “My awesome mother, Gail.” In addition to developing several television shows and movies – including “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” – he also wrote the book Because I’m Your Dad. The book is both a tribute to his happy childhood and a promise to his daughter, Halo. Ahmet grew up with a learning disability and now writes books to help children discover how wonderful reading can be.

Zappa knows just how cool it is to be a Dad and this is the perfect book for your little one to read with his Dad!

Because I’m your dad, you can have spaghetti for breakfast, French toast for dinner, and rocky road ice cream in the bathtub.

In a book that is both playful and loving, a father expresses his hopes and dreams for a one-of-a-kind relationship with his child. Whimsical monster characters bring the silly and sweet scenes to life and keep the book universal. The book’s ending, a moving tribute to the author’s father, guarantees intergenerational appeal.

Because I’m your dad, I will do all of these things for you and more . . .
because that’s what my dad did for me.

I have to admit, as I listened to my husband read this book to my son as they cuddled on the couch and heard the ending, I couldn’t help but crying. It’s such a sweet book and I think it would be a perfect gift for Father’s Day.

My son absolutely loved the book and it reminded him of all the silly things he does with his Dad and inspired him to think of some new things to do also!

The perfect thing to go with the Because I’m Your Dad book are these super cute coupons. I know I’ll be printing these for my son to give my husband.

Click to open and make these coupons bigger!