Spring has sprung! Here are a couple of educational, earth-friendly and fun projects to get little ones involved with nature…

This eco-friendly birdhouse kit is made of 100% recycled plastic bags, milk jugs, soda and water bottles. It’s a great way for kids to learn about recycling and helping mother nature. It’s easy to assemble (no nails), and includes stickers for decorating and a plush bird to get kids excited about the project. Also provided is some information about common backyard birds so they can birdwatch and stay interested and involved with the project for a long time to come.
$14.97 at WhateverWorks.com

Or why not make your own hummingbird feeder from an old plastic bottle? It’s a great way to teach children that you can transform everyday “trash” into useful products. With a kit from YankeeGardener, it’s easy and fun for kids. Simply empty and clean a plastic 16 or 20 ounce plastic soda bottle and fill it with sugar water or nectar solution and hang! The kit includes red netting (to attract hummingbirds), the plastic adapter base, a plastic hanging attachment, nectar recipes and a funnel to fill the feeder bottle. Another great way to get kids interested in nature and recycling.

$4.95-$7.95 at YankeeGardener.com

Thinking of painting the nursery for a new baby? Redoing a kid’s room and need a fresh look?

Billed as “the greenest paint there is“, The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company offers completely safe paints that are a great alternative to traditional, chemical-laden, hazardous paints. They use an old-fashioned formula made with a milk base that actually dates back 6000 years, and are all completely biodegradable and safe for the environment and us.

One of the best qualities of their simple, unique, and effective paints is that they’re totally safe for use around all people- newborn babies, kids, pregnant women, people with chemical sensitivities, you name it. They’re No-VOC, which means there are no harmful fumes to be inhaled. In fact, the only scent you can detect while painting with these is a slight milky smell! So just don’t mistake your paint bucket for a giant milkshake and you should be fine. (You’d actually be just fine if you did ingest the paint, that’s how safe it is. However, they & we do not recommend you do this!)

They’ve recently introduced a new line of their fantastic paints specifically for interior use. Called SafePaint, it’s just as safe as the original formula but designed for better coverage on previously painted interior walls or sheet-rock. Although you can use original Milk Paints on any surfaces you’d like, they do give an “old world” look to surfaces. SafePaints are made to create an even, uniform look just like you’d expect from any other interior paint. (And yes, moms & dads, the painted surfaces are washable. Although if you’re expecting to wash the surface a lot you might want to use one of their natural sealers as a top coat.) Great for use in any room in your home, and also for many craft projects and kids furniture.

All paint comes packaged in a brown paper bag in powder form, and all you have to do is add water! Pretty cool. Plus they have a great 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you don’t like the product for any reason they will refund every cent you spent, including tax and shipping charges.

Visit the Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company’s website for color palettes, ordering info and retail locations, coupons, and extensive information.

Any exhausted parent who’s had a fussy, inconsolable, no-napping baby understands how absolutely maddening it is when said baby finally does go to sleep, only to be woken up by a doorbell. And when that doorbell was rung by a solicitor or other equally unwanted visitor you may likely want to give them a piece of your mind, ring their neck, or simply cry out of sheer frustration.

I cannot stress how much I do not want to join your church group, go to a Mary Kay party, or buy meat in bulk quantities- (what’s the deal with that, by the way? Is it some east coast thing I am not familiar with? Or am I just in a weird neighborhood?) I am this close to putting up a big, flashing, neon “Naturally-Beautiful Vegetarian Atheist” sign on the front door. Seriously.

My son has been having terribly terrible-twos, or what we’ve begun to call “day terrors”. So yesterday when he finally went down for a nap, I was relieved he could finally get some much-needed rest. And then… Yes, the doorbell rings. The dogs start barking. All hell breaks loose. (It was the church people again, just in case you were wondering.)

So I just had to share what I found when I Googled “do not disturb baby”: These wonderful (and funny) solicitor-deterrent doorknob signs from BabyKnobNots.

They feature a red stop symbol, a picture of a baby sleeping, and your choice of message. My favorite is “Baby Sleeping. Mother Will Hurt You.” Perfect. I am so getting one as soon as I finish posting this, and will report back as to it’s effectiveness.

There are a variety of different messages made for parents or different caretakers, and can be personalized with your child’s name if you want to pay a little more. You can choose blue, pink, or yellow, and even purchase them in a variety pack- especially handy if you’re on the go or vacation, etc.

I realize these signs are not for everyone, as many parents either don’t share my sense of humor or don’t want to condition their babies to sleep only when it’s quiet. However, for those with colicky/possessed kids like mine who need a moderately relaxing environment to get just a bit of shuteye, I don’t see anything wrong with attempting to give them some peace and quiet in which to do so. Now I just hope this sign will help me with that a little.

$3.50 each at BabyKnobNots.com

Finding activities to keep the kidlets occupied on rainy days is a difficult task at best. So why not nab two birds with one stone and let your kidlet decorate their very own umbrella? This very hip craft is a perfect indoor activity that has a very practical use. When they’re done, your kidlet will be proud to show off their creation and have fun in the rain, too.

These kits are available for kids in different age groups: permanent markers color umbrellas for ages 4 and up, while paint pots and glitter are available for ages 7 and up.

$15.98 at Hearth Song.

Did you know that most St. Patrick’s Day parades around the country are happening today? I sure didn’t until I just heard something about it on the news.
So grab the kids and head out to your local parade for some fun and good bagpiping. It’s a good excuse to get them out of the house and in the fresh air!

Click on your state below to find what events and parades are going on near you with this info provided by st-patricks-day.com :

Alabama | Arizona | Arkansas California | Colorado | Connecticut
DC | Delaware Florida Georgia Illinois | Indiana | Iowa Kansas | Kentucky
Louisiana Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota Mississippi | Missouri | Montana
Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey (N) |New Jersey (S) | New York City | New York State North Carolina | North Dakota Ohio | Oregon | Oklahoma Pennsylvania
Rhode Island South Carolina | South Dakota Texas | Tennessee Utah | US Virgin Islands
Virginia Washington | Wisconsin | Wyoming

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