Simple Discipline

Discipline is not all about punishment and consequences.  It can also be about love and guidance.  I was reminded of this when I wrote my post: Books that Speak to the Soul.

My philosophy when working with children is to try to avoid having to constantly discipline.  Allow children to solve any problems they can independently and offer guidance when needed.

One way I do this is by scheduling a bit of downtime into the day.  This small amount of downtime goes a long way to deter fighting and arguing.  Many times 10-15 minutes will do.  The main focus is quieting the mind and rejuvenating the body.

Most of the time I will take this time to snuggle with my boys and watch a movie, read a book, or take a quick nap.  Okay, so sometime the nap is not that quick.

If you allow your child the needed downtown during the day, many times discipline is rarely an issue.  The children are refreshed, refocused, and ready for the rest of their day.

To be honest, this is why I love nap time in kindergarten.  Even those children that no longer nap get up with a happier disposition than that prior to this time of quiet solitude.

As for the times, when discipline is needed, I love natural consequences.  By natural consequences, I mean the kind that are logically the next step for a given situation.  For example:  Sorry your brother gets a snack and you don't.  He ate all his dinner.  Did you eat all your dinner?  What should you do if you want a snack?... go finish the dinner.

Natural consequences are hard to argue with.  You have set up a system or guideline.  If it is followed, A happens.  If not, B is the natural consequence.  Another example of this could be simply... I am going to the pool in 10 minutes.  If your room is clean, you may come.  If not, I will see you when I get home.  Of course this only works with older kids.  For little ones, you would probably say something like... I would like to leave for the pool in 10 minutes if your room is clean.  If not, we will have to try again tomorrow.

Always make sure that the natural consequence is something you can follow through with.  Would you actually leave your 3 year old home alone?  Probably not, but it would be perfectly acceptable to not go swimming  and try again tomorrow.

Another strategy that seems to work is to allow your child to feel in control.  Instead of arguing with your child about when to do homework or fold his/her clothes... offer options.  I can see that you do not want to fold you clothes right this minute. Would you like to fold your clothes in 30 minutes or before bath time?

Offering options to a child allows them to feel control in a somewhat crazy, fast paced world.  Remember though, just like with natural consequences... only offer options you are willing to live with.

The final strategy I use to deter constantly disciplining my children is to unplug.  When children sit & watch tv  or play video games for long periods of time, their brains are working on autopilot... very inactive so to speak.  I have found this inactivity to cause very unpleasant behaviors in my children: bickering, yelling, easily agitated. 

I am not saying that I do not allow my children to do these activities cause I do.  It is part of today's society.  I do, however, have sections of my day that are No TV Times.  By No TV, I mean all electronics.  The only exception being the Nook... our eReader.  I purposely purchased the eReader without Internet access because it would be too tempting.

During these times of No TV, boredom is inevitable.  Boredom will bring about the most creative times in your child's day.  It is hard not to offer up suggestions and map out this down time, but please do not.  By allowing your child the gift of boredom, you are allowing your child to find out new interests, build a strong sense of self, and learn a bit about the world around them.  Bordem is like the icing on the cake allowing your child to explore all the world has to offer.  It is an amazing gift that cost absolutely nothing.

So with all this being said...
What strategies do you use to discipline through love and guidance?

Alphabet Stones Rock

Have a little one getting interested in the alphabet?  Creating an alphabet set out of rocks is simple.  Plus, it isn't plastic.  Natural materials add a soothing sensory experience to play.

Here's what you do:

Collect small smooth stones... 50 or so will work perfectly.  Reuse a container from around the house for storage.  I am using the bottom to a terra cotta flower pot, but a repurposed glass jar would work great as well.  Gather a permanent marker in any color you choose. I used black, so it would be easy to see.  Another idea would be to have the vowels in a different color than the consonants.

With materials already gathered, you are ready to begin.  On the smoothest side of each rock, record a lowercase letter of the alphabet.  You should consider making about 5 of each of the commonly used letter and only 2-3 of the less used letters like "x" or "z".

*NOTE*

I have children practice with lowercase letters instead of uppercase because we write almost exclusively in lowercase letters.  Only important words are capitalized.  I never really understood why most parents work on uppercase letters... just doesn't make sense to me.

Here are some ideas on how to use your new alphabet stones:

 

1.  Practice spelling your name.

2.  Practice spelling common words.

3.  Place the alphabet in order.

4.  Work on letter sound correspondence. 

For example:  Orally say the word "cat".  Have your child find the letter that begins the word or ends the word.

Another Example:  Say a letter name or sound and have your child locate the correct letter.

There are so many ways to use the alphabet stones.  These are just some of the very basic.  If you need help on how to correctly pronounce each letter sound, check out the Johnny Can Spell site.  You will be a master of letters and their sounds in no time.

Books that Speak to the Soul

Two of my all time favorite books, Peaceful Piggy Meditation and 
Moody Cow Meditates, helps children to decompress and ground themselves.

I bought both of these books when my oldest son was in second grade and needed to learn how to calm down and focus.  He was behaving oddly at school and overall seemed to be overwhelmed.

Peaceful Piggy Meditation is focused on creating a special place in the home for meditation.  A few suggestions to create a spot of relaxation in your home include:

• a small cushion to sit on
• a smooth stone to rub
• soft music to drift away to
• etc.

Anything that brings peace and tranquility are welcome.

The book also includes a description of how children can meditate, as well as, directions on how to create a Mind-in-a-Jar Experiment.

I could go into detail on the experiment, but I wouldn't be able to do it justice.  It is such a simple thing that truly demonstrates a peaceful, yet active mind.




Moody Cow Meditates was a must have in our family.  All my boys (husband  included) tend to get angry a bit easier than most.  Nothing terrible, but it often leaves them in a  funk.

Moody Cow Meditates goes through the day of Moody Cow as he experiences several unsettling things.  After all, who wouldn't be upset by bad dreams and wrecking your bike?  I know, I sure would.

Anyways... when Moody Cow returns home, he is visited by his wise grandfather.  His grandfather creates a Moody Cow Mind Jar to help the little cow to calm and refocus his day. 

The directions for creating the jar are in the back of the book.  Basically, you drop colored sparkles into the water... one pinch for each angry thought you had during the day.  You watch the water quietly until all the sparkles have settled calmly to the bottom.  By the time, the last sparkle falls the angry feelings will have vanished or at least subsided a bit.

The concept is again very simple, but works its magic on the mind of children both young and old.

The next time your child is experiencing soul fever or just having a difficult day consider one of these awesome children's books as a source of guidance.  Your child might just smile again before bedtime.

What are some of your favorite go to books for children? 

What books help your child work through a personal dilemma big or small?

Homemade Toys

I have finally finished Little J's b-day toys from November.  Yes, November.  He has been playing with his cloths and clothes pins so much he hasn't even realized I had not glued the pieces together for his mushrooms and finished sealing the blocks.

All of the toys are made from wooden pieces from the local craft store.  I painted each piece using milk paint and sealed them with a glossy polyurethane.  Milk paint was a bit tricky to get use to as you are mixing the paint from powder.  Once you get the hang of it though you will be hooked.  The colors are very basic with a primitive feel. 

To learn more about milk paint, click here.

As for the polyurethane, I used it basically out of convenience.  I knew that I would not oil the pieces often enough to keep the color of the toys from bleeding.  The polyurethane did the trick.  I wish I could find a healthier alternative that did not require more than a one time application.  I just do not know of any.

If you have any ideas, please share.

I plan to reuse a basket from our home to store his newly finished treasures.  The basket will contain:

• stars
• blocks
• mushrooms
• & eggs

as well as some numeral cards to use for creating sets.

J is sure to have a blast counting, patterning, sorting, and going math crazy with these little gems.  Now, if Daddy will make us a gnome home we will be set.

Tips From Kim John Payne

Tried to embedd the video and was not able.  Here is a link to a 5 minute video with Simplicity Parenting author Kim John Payne.

To see more video clips, check out the Simplicity Parenting Blog.

Getting Back in the Rhythm

What do you do when life has turn inside out and upside down and the rhythm you created for the family is no longer apparent?  Well, for my family a visual schedule was exactly what was needed.  I knew what I was looking for, so I headed to Target to pick up the one thing I would need.

I originally wanted a dry erase board.  What I found was even better... a colored dry erase board that is also magnetic.  Here is how I created our schedule: 

First, I sat down with my boys and decide what events needed to be included.  Then, we discussed the order and came up with a plan.  The boys would complete everything that required being upstairs first and then move to the downstairs.

This was not the idea plan because it has them brushing their teeth before breakfast, but at least they get it done.  Before this new routine, there were several days that teeth just didn't fit into the time frame. 

Finally, I wrote out the list of events in order on each board... one board for our morning routine and one for our evening routine.  I added pictures next to each event since my youngest is not yet a true reader.

Even though I still need to hang each board my boys have begun using them.  I have noticed each morning that the oldest kiddo will look at the board and move a magnet down to the next event he is working on.  This has created a morning and evening rhythm that is so much more enjoyable and alot less stressful.

Eventually, I would like to have the boys write out the words and create the drawings for the boards.  I am saving that project for a rainy day. 

How  do you keep the natural rhythm flowing in your home?

What do you do to make mornings and evenings run smoothly?

*note:  Noticed the first photo has the orginal schedule and was not updated.  Sorry 'bout that. <wink>

A Simple Approach to Healing

As this cold days drag on and the weather changes from wet to sunny in the blink of an eye, sickness is inevitable.  Last week, I had the flu and other various illnesses I caught from the children in my kindergarten class.  I thought that my family had skated by with their health intact, but alas my 8 year-old is down for the count.

What can you do to help your little ones when they just plain feel lousy? 

Well, to be honest it isn't always the same.  My boys get extremely irritable and moody amongst the sickness... as do most, I am sure.  You try something one time and it works fabulously and the next they can't handle it.

I try to stick to basics as a rule of thumb. 

We begin with a hot bath.  Lavender or chamomile essential oil is added to the bath as well as a bit of oil to soften the skin.  The bath is not long... only enough to warm the child and induce a bit of relaxation among the mayhem of not being well.  We apply lotion to the skin before returning to our jammies.  The rhythmic repetition of applying the lotion is very soothing and enjoyable for a sick little one.

After the bath and jammies, we gather the perfect healing blanket.  Any warm, snuggly throw will do.  The healing is in the comfort and feel of the blanket, not really the blanket itself.  I have been known to mist the blanket with a lavender water mixture to help soothe the soul a bit.  This works like quiet magic enveloping my boys into sleep.

After a nap or two or three, I try to get my boys to drink tea.  The kind of tea depends upon what ails them... lemon and honey for a sore throat, peppermint for sinuses, chamomile for the ickies.  If tea doesn't work, we go for water.  Sips of water here and there... as much as they will drink.

As for eating, I leave it up to them.  They will know when they are ready.  We generally try to start the boys out with soup... something brothy and not too hardy.

Here are several chicken soups to try:

• caldo de pollo
• grandmom's chicken noodle soup
• slow cooker chicken noodle soup

So, that's it.  I do not give my boys medication unless it is an absolute must.  I have various other remedies to try before hand.

What do you do when your boys need you by their sides, but are not well enough for lots of interaction yet?

We snuggle, read, curl up to watch a good movie (though most of the time is spent napping).  I think their favorite would be the reading... a really good chapter book full of lots of imagination.  Hugs and kisses work well too, of course.

How do you help your child when he/she is sick? 
What is your favorite thing to do to help ease the uncomfortable time of unwellness?

Posts of Interest:

• oil rub for the feet... deters colds
• warm foot bath... stimulates the immune system
• natural health remedies for children

A Journey Renewed

As the holidays hit and the stress of life took over, I am sad to say I veered from my path.  My path of simplicity collided with too much and I hit over load.  As I hit over load, so did my family and my life. 
We began to spiral back into old habits that I had thought we left behind... no more dinner rhythm, less structure, and more clutter.  I sat back the other day and wondered...

How did I get back here?

I worked so hard to find a simple rhythm, begin to declutter my environment, and to cut back on technology.  All of this was lost in the face of too much.

Luckily about the time I came to this realization I was asked to do a book study with some parents at my school.  The school wanted me to read Simplicity Parenting.  Of course, I jumped on the idea.  What better way could there be to help put myself back on track?

After only 2 meetings and without copies of the book yet in hand, the group has made huge strides.  We are a small group of 5 moms trying to simplify. 

Here is what we have accomplished thus far:

• lessened the amount of adult conversation that was being heard at home... the benefits are already being noticed by one mom in only a week
• organized the family art table by simplifying the available supplies... the children are showing more creativity as they play
• implemented a daily schedule to enhance the rhythm of the home... the house has run more smoothly with less stressful interactions among family members
• toys have been cleaned out and decluttered... the new organization has given a new life to old favorites and destressed the clean up process
• laundry has been sorted and donations are bagged... still more to go on the laundry issue, but it is definitely much better.

Simple ideas for the future...

• weekly meal planning:  Designate a theme for each day of the week & stick to it.  This makes meal planning a snap.  For example: Mexican Monday, Italian Tuesday  Chicken Wednesday, etc.  You have tons of freedom, but less stress on coming up with ideas.
• organize your To Do List:  Divide one piece of paper into several boxes.  Label each box as needed.  For example: grocery list, appointments, must do, need to do, etc.  Cross off items as you finish.  On Sunday night, write a new list including any items that you did not complete.  No need for several calendars or organizers.  Plus, a sheet of paper can go anywhere tucked in a pocket.
• create a routine:  What part of your day is most hectic?  mornings?  evenings? dinner time?  How do you want that part of your day to run?  What feeling do you want to achieve?  Think about some simple things you can implement to bring about the change you want.

Question to ponder...What is the most stressful part of my family life?

What small change can I implement to help make that part of my life run more smoothly?

Think simple. 

I implemented making lunch in the evening to take something off my son's morning to dos.  It has worked out in everyones favor. 

I also created a schedule of events for my kids to follow both in the morning and evening.  It is a daily rhythm that keeps the boys on track and helps to lessen stress from too much.

The schedule of events has the added benefit of peace of mind.  My peace of mind.  I am no longer having to repeat request over and over.  I can refer to the board and have the boys take it from there. 

So... does this story have a happy ending?  I think it does.  When life gives you lemons, make lemondae... and lemon pie and lemon cupcakes and lemon...  Turn it into something that truly makes you happy.

Power of Vunerablity

Simplicity Parenting Blog posted a wonderful video on the Powerof Vunerablity.  It's worth the 20 minutes.  I promise.

Tackling the Bedrooms

My small challenge last week was to tackle box clutter.  I didn't quite manage that with the holidays because something more important came up... the boy's bedrooms.  What began as the infamous lego sort ended with an good thorough room sweep.

Here are the highlights of our cleaning adventures:

• remove all toys out of the closet and little hidey holes
• sort clothes and place them in the correct drawer or location
• throw away all paper that does not have a purpose or a place
• sort through books and store in closet or give to Good Will.

When we went through the remainder of my boys' toys, there was very little to get rid of.  We have gone through their toys so many times now that their isn't much left.  We placed the remaining items in a large plastic tub and shoved the tub in Little J's closet.

As for the clothes, T man folds and puts away his own clothes and Little J takes his folded clothes and places them in his drawers.  I do not check the drawers that often because honestly it is not a fight I want to have.  I know the drawers are a mess only days after cleaning them.  I think the next step for us to take will be to lessen the amount of clothing each of the boys have.  I think I will have the boys select enough clothes for a 2 week period.  This really should be plenty and hopefully will help with the excess that seems to tumble out and onto the floor.

Paper seems to be a key to the mayhem my boys create in their bedrooms.  They want to keep every item that has been created or every flier we receive in the mail.  I had a hard time convincing them that even though they painted something doesn't mean it needs to be kept for months down the road.

We decide that we would keep 10 papers from each grade level as mementos and a mall handful of artwork form each year.  The papers must be able to fit in the provided drawer or on the peg board in T Man's room.  I need to get one for JJ as well because this really does give them a place to showcase their accomplishments.  You would be amazed at the amount of paper I was able to recycle during this cleaning session.

Finally, we sorted through 100s of books.  I am a kindergarten teacher and one of my guilty pleasures is reading.  I read 10 books in  the 2 weeks I had off over the holiday break.  I did not have the boys help me with most of this process because I wanted to ensure we were keeping the quality literature and getting rid of the books that just do not have much substance.

I ended up taking two bags of books to Half Price Books, 1 box of books to school to add to my leveled library, and filing about 50 or so books on the shelves in each of their closets.  Little J now has a book box that contains less than 10 picture books sitting next to his dresser.  T Man has about 3 favorite series and maybe 5 on level books on his shelf above the bed.

We can always go to the closet when we want to select something new, but when the boys are reading and looking at books independently the choices are limited.  This allows for more "reading" and less time flipping through pages trying to make a decision.

Overall tackling the bedrooms was a success. 

What do you do to keep your children from becoming overwhelmed in their own personal space?

How do you help our children make smart decisions when simplifying?

Book on Every Bed

*I wish I had come across this concept before the holidays and not a few days too late.*

The Book on Every Bed Campaign is simple:

• Wrap a book.
• Place a book on the end of every bed in your house for Christmas morning (or whatever holiday you celebrate).

What a wonderful new tradition to add to your family. 

The great part is that it transcends time.  There is no age limit to consider. No worry that the gift will not be well received.  Even if the recipient is not an avid reader; you can always choose an audio book. 

The Book on Every Bed Campaign strives to bring literature and reading to the forefront of every family... to instill the love for and value of reading into a culture that is lacking in so much.

In this technological age of video games, I Pads, computers, and gadgets, take a step back to the basics.  Place a book on the bed of every person you hold dear. 

This does not have to be a holiday tradition... consider birthdays, Easter, the first Saturday of the month.  You hold the key to giving this amazing gift to those you love.  They will get to share the memories with you for years to come.

Lego Overload

It may not have been one of my many boxes (small change challenge), but it was definitely CLU-TTER.  We tackled part of the boys' rooms today... with their help.  What started out as a bit of Lego fun ended up in tears and finally smiles.

T Man got a wild hair to build one of his Star Wars Lego ships the day before Christmas.  Well, both the boys have mixed all the different Lego tubs (knights and castles, Star Wars, airport, etc.)  making this an impossible feat without sorting the Legos into colors.

Sorting the Legos proved to be major overload for T.  He had this wonderful idea to dump his entire collection on the floor in order to better find what he needed, but with 1000s (literally) of Legos it was pointless.

Daddy stepped in to help out by having both boys working on a single color and making piles.  This helped a little with the stress, but the job was still too big to feel like any real improvement as accomplished.  I waited for awhile and let the family work toward a solution.

Finally, I couldn't take the tears and heartache anymore and I made a suggestion.  I gave T a small bucket and had him place two handfuls of Legos in the bucket.  He then went to the sorting piles and sat down.  This allowed him to have a smaller focus, the stability of not having to move from place to place to sort, and a sense of accomplishment each time the bucket was emptied. 

...SMILES...

After we finished sorting maybe a third of the Legos, I called it done for the day.  Daddy helped the boys get various bins from the tall storage system in T's room and place the sorted piles into individual bins.  I quickly picked up all unsorted Legos and placed them in a large tub with a snap on lid.

For now, the boys will play with the large tub of unsorted Legos.  They will only take out the Legos needed for their creations.  After playtime, the pieces used will be sorted into the correct color bins.  We will continue to do this until all Legos have been sorted.  Once all the Legos are sorted building specific structures will be much less stressful because each bin can be removed from the storage system and placed on the floor near the builder.

Now, I know some of you might be thinking...

Who needs 1000s of Lego's?  Really?

I know I should get rid of some of the Legos.  I know the amount of Legos my boys play with is ridiculous.  At this time, I just can't do it though.

My boys do not play with or have tons of toys.  I have decluttered and simplified the toys already many times.  If I simplify much more, there will be nothing left.  Legos is the one constant in my boys play.  I honestly believe they are learning alot in the process:

• hand eye coordination when snapping the pieces together
• engineering when they have to figure out the best way to assemble the pieces for stability
• following directions when reading the maps on how to build specific structures
• sorting (enough said)
• measurement when they have to find a Lego of a specific height and length
• creativity when they build from their imagination
• cooperative play when they create a world all of their own and interact together towards a common goal
• etc.

Our Lego overload has taught my family many things:

• Don't make a mess that you cannot clean up.
• Too much makes us sad.
• We get angry when we are overwhelmed.
• Take time to STOP and make a plan.
• When we work together as a team, we can reach a common goal.

What have you accomplished as a family?  How did your family reach their goal?

On a side note, I did get rid of one large bin that was filled top to bottom.  The container was about 2 1/2 feet tall and 3 1/2 feet wide.

One Small Change

The week of Christmas is it is about spending time with family and finding a small change that I can address since I will have two weeks off from work.  I have always been pretty good with scheduling and routines, but my environment is always a mess.

It seems as soon as things get cleaned something else is cluttered or dirty.  I think I have mentioned this before, but our house has very little to no storage.  I have boxes in just about every room... mostly holding stuff for school.

My small change is to spend 10-15 minutes a day tackling a box.  Most boxes will not be finished in that time, but I am going to slowly trudge on until all boxes are GONE.

I am really debating just throwing a couple boxes out in their entirety.  If I do not open the box, I will not know what I am missing.

How do you go about decluttering your home?

What advice can you give this "stacker"?

Simplified Holidays

My holidays as a child were a gluten fest.  We received just about everything we asked for plus things we didn't even know we wanted.  Starting out as a new mom, I followed this model to a tee.  I think more time was spent unwrapping some of the gifts than actually playing with them.

I remember several times looking at the heaping pile of toys wondering... "What was I thinking?"  "Do my kids really enjoy all this 'stuff'?"

After JJ turned 2, I began to rethink my holiday spending.  At the time, it was mostly due to money restraints.  It wasn't until the last year that it was truly with the intent to simplify.

To keep track of the gifts I had purchased and what was still needed, I created a template.  My children would get a gift from each of the following categories:

• parent gift
• environmental friendly
• book basket
• technology
• from sibling
• kid’s choice
• additional item.

This has worked great the last two years.  This year we went with old school toys: marbles, jacks, pick up sticks, etc.

Next year though, I think I have an even simpler plan.  I was reading a post on Simplicity Parenting by Vanessa Kerr.  She made a suggestion that falls right in line with what I, myself, do to simplify the holidays. 

Here are the 4 areas of family gift giving:

• something you want
• something you need
• something to wear
• something to read.

Isn't that just perfect?!  Plus, the teacher in me loves the sing- song rhyming flow of the words themselves.

Closing thoughts to ponder:
What is it that you feel is most important as far as gift giving?

How do you plan to simplify the holidays?

New Organizational Books

I have been hunting for ways to simplify and declutter my home.  I have stumbled upon several books that look promising.
 

Below are my newest finds and why I am so interested in each of these books.

Zen and the Art of Housekeeping: The Path to Finding Meaning in Your Cleaning

Makes it sound like cleaning can become a 'zen' experience.  If this is possible, I definitely want to give it a try.  Being at peace while cleaning  would be bliss!

Sidetracked Home Executives(TM): From Pigpen to Paradise

Sounds like a book written by real women, not some perfect example of what a woman is supposed to be.



Clutter Clearing Choices: Clear Clutter, Organize Your Home & Reclaim Your Life

This book just had such rave reviews.  I couldn't help but include it in my list.



Organize Now!: A Week-by-Week Guide to Simplify Your Space and Your Life

Week-by-week instruction with checklists.  Checklists are my favorite.  Spiral bound and lays flat... even better.



Household Wisdom: Traditional Homemaking Tips for Modern Living

Old school remedies from cleaning your home to saving seeds to polishing silver, etc.  A bit of everything you need for your home and your sanity.

Do you have a favorite organizational book or site?

I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Simple Gifts for the Holiday

My  boys do not play with many mainstream toys.  Even before embarking on my simplification journey, the boys knew what they liked.

When T Man was really little I was enamored with the Little People toys... the farm house, airport, etc.  I think he had almost all that was on the market at the time.  Every occasion would send me out in search of a new design.

Now, don't get me wrong.  He did play with them, but the time was short before his attention would wane and he would search for something else.

Blocks, legos, and tinker toys have been the main stay at out house.  Anything that gets my boys building is a hit.  Lately, both of them have been into playing games... both old school and new.  Something as simple as rock/ paper/ scissors can give them an hour of entertainment.  Uno... let's just say the whole evening must be dedicated.

With this being said, I decided to go old school this year.  Money is T-IGH-T, so I had to also go for items that have the most bang for the buck.

Here is the list:

This marble and pouch set also contains a book on the history of the game as well as several different ways to play. 

The little wooden case these jacks come in is fantastic.  This set reminded me of the past and hours of fun spent with friends.

I love the fact that these wooden pick up sticks come in such natural hues.  Have this natural element made these a first choice in pick up sticks.

  

This is the largest wooden build your own marble run set I have found.  The price is about half as much as some of the other sets and it has gotten very good reviews as well.

The spinning top above is wooden and comes with a nice history booklet full of various tricks to keep kids entertained for hours at a time. 

This isn't the exact dart board that I got the boys, but it is very similar.  My boys love throwing things, so I thought I would give them a constructive way to take care of that boyish erg.

Pretty much that is it.  I do have a few odds and end for stocking stuffers, but other than that it is a done deal.  I hope they enjoy playing with these traditional toys as much as children have in the past.

*Little J (4 years-old): spinning top, pick up sticks, marble run, tangle free parachute,

fairy tales collection

*T Man (8 years-old): dart board, jacks, marbles, What's Happening to Me?: Boy Edition, The Boy's Body Book, tangle free parachute