AA Gifts & Baskets Idea Blog

Archive for July, 2010

Just as there are books for every subject, there are also a fitting book gifts for every occasion!  At All About Gifts & Baskets we carry a large variety of book gifts for men, women, young and old!

Check out our selection of sympathy book gift baskets.  An appropriate book selection, like a Footprints In The Sand  flip book containing inspirational quotes for each day, is surrounded by items to help soothe the grieving soul.

If your favorite bookworm is celebrating a birthday, we have a birthday book gift for them!  Many of our baskets give you a choice of popular best sellers to include along with delicious snacks like butter toffee popcorn, cookies, pretzels and more!

It's never to early to start Baby's own library!  We carry a large variety of baby book gift baskets for the new arrival!  Many of our baskets also include other essentials for baby like toys and plush animals.  The parents will appreciate a gift that enhances "together" time!

Best of all, we carry a variety of book baskets that can cover any occasion - even no occasion!

Reading to your child everyday is one of the most important things you can do for your child - and it should start even when they're a baby! A baby listens to everything that is said to them and stores it away.  You can broaden their vocabulary more quickly by reading stories and poetry. In fact reading to your child everyday can very easily develop into lifelong enjoyment of a fantastic hobby for your child.

You might think that your child is not interested in reading, but there are several ways to spark their interest with a little patience and injection of fun into the process. If kids feel like they are being forced to read, then they will dislike it. But if you start the process at an early age, reading can become second nature to your children. Giving book gifts is another way of reinforcing reading as a pleasurable experience.

Make sure you are aware of your child's interest, and choose books accordingly. A field trip to the library is a great idea, then they can choose their own books. You may be surprised to find what your child wants to learn about!

Praise and compliment your child's reading abilities, to build their confidence level and increase their enjoyment of reading. If reading makes your child feel good, they will continue to do it!

One of the most successful techniques for teaching your child to read is the show and read technique. This is where you read to your child while pointing at each word as you read so that your child can see the words and repeat them. Doing this on a daily basis will not only help your child learn to recognize words, but it helps with their memory skills as well!

When a child sees a word and hears it being pronounced at the same time, they will in time learn to recognize the word, how it is said, what it means and how to use it in a sentence. This can take many repetitions, but they will get there.

Remember - reading is one of the best gifts you can give your child, because that skill will help them develop into a successful student and adult!

If you're looking to get out of the heat this summer and need a fun indoor activity, how about whipping up some play dough or clay in your own kitchen!  With a few ingredients you find around your home, you can create hours of fun!

Scented Kool-Aid Play Dough

Supplies:

2 1/2 C. Flour
1/2 C. Salt
2 packages of Kool-Aid®
2 C. Boiling Water
1/4 C. Oil

Directions:

1. Mix together the flour, salt, and Kool-aid®
2. Boil 2 Cups of Water
3. At the same time, mix the boiling water and oil into the dry mix.
4. Kneed the dough until it becomes the consistency you desire. (Lots of kneeding!)

Store in a zip-lock baggie.

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Cornstarch Clay

Supplies:

1 cup salt
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Food coloring or tempera paints (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat the salt and 1/3 cup of water over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. (An adult should prepare this mixture, which gets quite hot and bubbly.)
2. Remove from heat and add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. The mixture should now look like thick mashed potatoes; stir until it thickens.
3. Let cool for a few minutes before kneading. If the dough feels too sticky at first, work in some extra cornstarch as you knead.
4. Add food coloring, if desired.

Great to make small bowls, a lasting impression of your child's hand, or Christmas ornaments. Dries within 1-4 days (depending on size of item). Cornstarch Clay will keep unrefrigerated for up to 2 weeks when stored with a small bit of wet sponge in a plastic bag or sealed container.

Summer is here, that means the kids are ready for fun!  Here are some great homemade recipes that the kids can help make.

Ultimate Bubble Mixture

2 cups Joy® dish detergent
6 cups water
3/4 cups Karo® syrup

Combine all ingredients and let settle for 4 hours. Store covered in refrigerator to extend suds life. Warm to room temperature before using.

Rainbow Crayons

Broken crayon pieces
Muffin Tin

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Remove paper from broken crayons and place pieces in a muffin tin.
3. Place tin in preheated oven until crayons are melted.
*Do not move pan too much when removing, or colors will become muddy*
4. When slightly cooled, place in freezer until crayon becomes easy to remove.
5. Enjoy some rainbow coloring fun!

Finger Paints

1/2 Cup boiling water.
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
6 Tablespoons Cold Water

Dissolve starch in cold water in a cup. Add this mixture to boiling water, stirring occasionally. Heat until it thickens and becomes glossy. Color water with food coloring. Store in air tight container. Use freezer paper as paper to paint on.