Monsters University Fun Food for Kids

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Disney’s Monsters University for Blueprint Social.  All opinions expressed are authentic and my own. 

Monsters Inc. was the first movie I saw with my husband when we started dating so Mike and Sully have always had a special place in my heart. My girls have seen the movie countless times (we love Boo) over the years so we were all buzzing with excitement over watching Monsters University upon it's release this summer.  It didn't disappoint! We ALL loved it and knew we'd have it own it on DVD so we could watch it again and again. Guess what - the Blu-ray Combo Pack is available for you to own starting today, October 29th! Yay!

The whole family has been looking forward to the DVD release of Monsters University so we could enjoy it all over again - it was hilarious!  We were lucky enough to get an advanced copy which we enjoyed with a fun MU Themed Family Movie Night. 

I wanted to come up with a fun (quick & easy) menu for the girls to enjoy as we watched the movie. Strolling through the bread aisle at the supermarket, my eyes fell on some spinach wraps and I instantly thought of Mike Wazowski. 

How cute are these Mike Wazowski Cheese Quesadillas? 

They were a hit with the Lil Divas and so easy to make. Don't you love quick & easy kid friendly food?!  To make these Mike Wazowski cheese quesadillas simply start with a green spinach wrap and your favorite cheeses (my girls prefer cheddar) - I find shredded cheese melts best. 

You can heat/melt these on your stovetop or in the microwave. Go with whichever method you prefer. I love a yummy melted cheesy quesadilla.

To make Mike Wazowski, I used some of our sliced cheddar cheese and cut a circle shape for the famous eye and a fun toothy smile for his mouth. To finish off the eye I used a little black food gel and a blue M&M.

Let the children dig in & enjoy!

You can't have a movie without popcorn and what's a MU movie without MU themed popcorn!

Another super easy snack idea for you. 

Start with your favorite popcorn (ours was white cheddar, yum!) 

and add in green and blue M&M's - Mike & Sully all the way!

Crunch, munch and enjoy your easy-peasy MU Themed family movie night!

If you have MU fans in your house be sure to check them out on

Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest

and take a peek at the fun projects other bloggers have been doing

for some more Monsters University themed inspiration.

Bern

Witch Crafts and Activities for Kids {The Sunday Showcase 10/26/13}

Halloween is next week and last week's linky had lots of awesome activities shared so I thought I would highlight some witch activities that caught my eye -

Check out each idea by clicking the links below to take you directly to each blog.

Witch Broom Lollipops

(We Made That)

Halloween Potions

(Plain Vanilla Mom via Gummylump)

Halloween Witch Stew

(Coffee Cups and Crayons)

Witch Cauldron Cupcakes

(Rainy Day Mum)

Sticky Witch Hat

(Two-Daloo)

What fun Witch Activities!

Looking for Halloween books?

Here are some of our favorite 

Halloween Chapter Books & Early Readers

and 

Monster Books for Kids

Now it's your turn to share!

Do you have witch activities to share? 

Please share them with me in the linky, 

by commenting below or by visiting our Facebook page. 

Be sure to link up your child centered ideas while you're here.

I love to see what everyone is doing.

If you have been featured, grab a button you deserve it!

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Sunday Showcase is hosted on FOUR blogs!

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Here Come the Girls

Inspiration Laboratories

Learn Play Imagine

Each blog showcases their own features so be sure to check them all out!

If you are here for the first time please read this informational post for the full details.  Anything kid friendly and/or child centered is welcome!  You are welcome to share more than one post,  but we don't accept links for giveaways,  shops, or downloads for purchase, etc.  They will be deleted.

If you're linking up we encourage you to visit other links 
& our Pinterest board!  

*Important* 

Please note that by linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section and on our Pinterest board!  

-------------------------------------------------------------

Link up and share your child centered ideas with us!

Bern

An InLinkz Link-up

Pumpkin Crafts and Learning Activities {The Sunday Showcase 10/19/13}

Halloween is almost here so I thought it would be fun to feature some pumpkin activities for kids. 

Check out each idea by clicking the links below to take you directly to each blog.

Jack-o-Lantern Squish Bag (Fantastic Fun and Learning)

Planting Pumpkin Seeds in a Pumpkin (JDaniel4's Mom)

Pumpkin Suncatchers (Le Baby Bakery)

Pumpkin-cano (Little Bins for Little Hands)

What fun Pumpkin Activities!

Of course I have to share some 

favorite Pumpkin Activities from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas -

No-Cook Pumpkin Spice Jell-o Pudding Play Dough

What's Inside of a Pumpkin?

Colored & Glittered Pasta Pumpkins

Looking for books?

Here are some of our favorite 

Halloween Chapter Books & Early Readers

Now it's your turn to share!

Do you have pumpkin activities to share? 

Please share them with me in the linky, 

by commenting below or by visiting our Facebook page. 

Be sure to link up your child centered ideas while you're here.

I love to see what everyone is doing.

If you have been featured, grab a button you deserve it!

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Sunday Showcase is hosted on FOUR blogs!

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Here Come the Girls

Inspiration Laboratories

Learn Play Imagine

Each blog showcases their own features so be sure to check them all out!

If you are here for the first time please read this informational post for the full details.  Anything kid friendly and/or child centered is welcome!  You are welcome to share more than one post,  but we don't accept links for giveaways,  shops, or downloads for purchase, etc.  They will be deleted.

If you're linking up we encourage you to visit other links 
& our Pinterest board!  

*Important* 

Please note that by linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section and on our Pinterest board!  

-------------------------------------------------------------

Link up and share your child centered ideas with us!

Bern

An InLinkz Link-up

10 Frame Fun {with Pom Tree Kids Crafts Stickers}

This post is sponsored by PomTree Kids via The Blueprint Social. All ideas, activities and opinions expressed are our own. 

The Littlest Diva is a strong reader but math concepts do not come as easily for her. She is struggling with getting a handle on basic concepts so I've been trying to find fun, hands-on ways to make it meaningful for her in the hopes that things will start to "click" for her.

When we received our amazing box of goodies from PomTree I knew that aside from crafting, building and playing with their awesome sets I had to use their adorable stickers in some learning activities. The Littlest Diva loves stickers so I knew they would capture (and keep) her attention. 

Her first grade class is working on addition facts and learning how to make 10. The goal is to help them learn basic facts by memory in order to assist them when working with larger numbers. I decided to make a simple ten frame mat and utilizing the stickers from PomTree Kids we worked on making number sentences equal to ten. 

Ways to Make 10 

with Ten Frame Sticker Activity Mats

Materials:

Ten Frame Mats (download my 10 Frame Printable)

stickers

pencil

In order to practice basic 10 facts the Littlest Diva took out some of her favorite stickers from the tub - the felt animals and their accessories (they are super cute!). 

I printed out several copies of the 10 Frame Mat and using the stickers as our manipulatives the Littlest Diva got busy exploring all the ways we can make 10. 

In order to make it concrete she worked in order which helped see the number patterns.

After we reached 5+5=10 we talked about all the related facts. Using the stickers made it easy to see how the numbers were reversed.

I plan to utilize all these PomTree goodies for many more learning activities. The stickers are great from matching games, counting and math play, creating sticker stories and so much more.

Of course we also explored the awesome kits that came in our box. Oh, how I LOVE these kits. No glue, no mess and they come with everything you need. The only thing I had to add to our supplies was a scissor - that's it!

The Lil Divas immediately wanted to build the Pet Playset. It was a great activity because it's like a puzzle and involves problem solving and fine motor coordination to put together. The Lil Divas needed help with the swings but besides that they out it together using the photo on the box. They didn't even use the enclosed directions. They opted to go by trial and error which was wonderful. 

They have enjoyed playing with the playset many times over since they first put it together. It offers a wonderful opportunity to engage in creative/imaginative play. 

These no-mess, glue-free kits are great options for traveling, eating out or crafting at home. They can be used over time since the pieces fit together like a puzzle without any adhesive. 

We can't wait to use the other kits to make bookmarks, bracelets, headbands, play items for the Lil Divas dolls and so much more. Each kit has so many pieces that there are numerous ways to use them.

To learn more about PomTree Kids follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

Guess what! I'm super excited to announce that the generous folks over at PomTree Kids are giving away 10 PomTree gift baskets worth $50.00 each. How amazing would it be for you to win one of these baskets? AWESOME!

Which set would you most like to try - a 3-D playset kit, creativity mega kit, sticker tub or a sticker storybook?

Enter to win via the Rafflecopter form below -

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck, 
Bern

Disclosure: This post is part of a #sponsored campaign we participated in on behalf of PomTree Kids via The Blueprint Social. I received product samples and a promotional item as a thank you for participating. All opinions and experiences are 100% mine and honest. Your opinion and experience may differ.

Halloween Books for K thru 2nd Graders

Wow, it's been way too long since I had time to sit and write a post. Full time teaching has me swamped (to put it mildly). The Lil Divas and I haven't had much time for cool crafts or extra activities but we always make time for books and reading. That's our sacred time around here and no matter how busy (or stressed out) this mama gets - I always make time for us to read together.

Being that it's October and the girls are in full Halloween prep mode, I thought I'd share some of our fave Halloween themed chapter books with you. If your kids (or students) are anything like mine Halloween frenzy is in full effect so instead of trying to fight, this mama rolls with it and uses it to gain their interest in books amidst all the excitement.

Today, I wanted to share 10 of our favorite Halloween themed books for readers in Kindergarten thru 2nd grade.

Picture Books 


Room on the Broom - This has been one of the Lil Divas favorite Halloween books for years. Repetitive rhymes make this a wonderful read-aloud and as always Julia Donaldson's illustrations are lovely and engaging. Children will enjoy coming along on the witch's adventure as she generously let's animals aboard her broom. When her broom breaks and a dragon tries to eat her, it's the animals turn to save her. Children will enjoy the not-so-spooky witch and her broom riding adventure.


Hallo-Weiner - An adorable book about a dachshund who gets made fun of for his size and shape by the mean dogs in his neighborhood. On Halloween his mom makes him a hotdog costume which means even more teasing than ever. All seems hopeless until he saves the other dogs from the lake, proving his bravery and finally gaining their acceptance. This is such a hilarious story.  Not only is Oscar a lovable hero but the illustrations will have kids laughing out loud. This is one story that is sure to be read over and over again.



The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything - I love reading this book aloud to kids. It's so fun to read and they always get into it and help "read" once it gets going. A fun book to act out and get kids moving a bit while you read. It's also a wonderful book to use when work on prediction skills and story sequencing.


Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise - Whether you have read these books before or never read any before, this Mercy Watson installment is sure to please. The Lil Divas found princess Mercy hilarious (what's not funny about a pig dressed in a pink princess dress). The illustrations really add to the text and these books are perfect for K-1 readers and as read-alouds for younger kids.

Early Readers and Chapter Books 


Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia - The Lil Divas are at an age (6 and 7) where they can really appreciate how funny the Amelia Bedelia books are with all of her hilarious "misunderstandings". This one has a Halloween theme and is great for those starting to read on their own. It isn't too hard and the illustrations showcase the "word play" adding to the overall comprehension and understanding. 


Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt - Nate the Great books are great for readers beginning to tackle longer books who want to delve into first chapter books. The books aren't too long and make use of many illustrations. In this book Nate's friend Rosamond needs his help to find her lost cat. Of course Nate takes the case and off he goes with his faithful dog Sludge to find her. The Lil Divas always enjoy trying to figure out the case with the clues before Nate's big reveal and the "extras" provided at the back of the book provide some fun book extension activities for both home and school.


Heidi Heckelbeck in Disguise - This is a fun beginner chapter book series with illustrations throughout that help hold a new chapter readers attention. In this particular book Heidi who does not like scary costumes decides to dress up as one of her friends when she finds out she is going to be a witch. Is it funny or poking fun? Great conversation starter on how to treat others and keep people's feelings in mind.



Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve - Magic Tree House fans (we are!) will delight in this spooky adventure as Jack and Annie travel to a haunted castle to recover Merlin's stolen Stone of Destiny. This is mysterious, spooky fun which kids will enjoy as they try to figure out what is making the castle haunted and try to return it to normal. 


Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew: The Halloween Hoax - The Clue Crew series is a huge hit in our house. They are perfect to read together. In this book, Nancy, George and Bess are trying to uncover the mystery of a haunted studio set of their favorite show. Kids will have fun trying to piece it all together along with the Clue Crew.


Junie B., First Grader: Boo....and I Mean It! - My 1st grader gets such a kick out of Junie B. In this Halloween themed book one of Junie's classmates tells her some scary "truths" about Halloween that leave her too scared to enjoy trick-or-treating. She's on a quest to find a scary costume to scare the monsters that are out on Halloween night. Unfortunately, her clown costume doesn't scare anyone. Junie B. is left scared and unhappy until her Dad returns home from a business trip and receives a huge fright when he peeks in at her sleeping. 

Monster Themed Activities for Kids {The Sunday Showcase 10/12/13}

With Halloween on its way I thought it would be fun to feature some not so scary monster activities for kids. 

Check out each idea by clicking the links below to take you directly to each blog.

The Letter Monster (How We Learn)

Hungry Monsters Color Sorter (Twodaloo)

Colorful Mummies (Blog Me Mom)

Monster Math (The Measured Mom)

Halloween Science Fun with Fizzing Eyeballs (on B-Inspired Mama)

So many fun Monster Activities!

Of course I have to share some 

favorite Monster Activities from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas -

Preschool Monster Activities

There Was an Old Monster

Monster Brains: A Sensory Bin Scavenger Hunt

Looking for books?

Here are 12 of our Best Loved Monster Books

Now it's your turn to share!

Do you have monster activities to share? 

Please share them with me in the linky, 

by commenting below or by visiting our Facebook page. 

Be sure to link up your child centered ideas while you're here.

I love to see what everyone is doing.

If you have been featured, grab a button you deserve it!

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Sunday Showcase is hosted on FOUR blogs!

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Here Come the Girls

Inspiration Laboratories

Learn Play Imagine

Each blog showcases their own features so be sure to check them all out!

If you are here for the first time please read this informational post for the full details.  Anything kid friendly and/or child centered is welcome!  You are welcome to share more than one post,  but we don't accept links for giveaways,  shops, or downloads for purchase, etc.  They will be deleted.

If you're linking up we encourage you to visit other links 
& our Pinterest board!  

*Important* 

Please note that by linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section and on our Pinterest board!  

-------------------------------------------------------------

Link up and share your child centered ideas with us!

Bern

An InLinkz Link-up