Celebrating Spring at our momstown Milton Baby Sensory Groups!

Momstown Milton’s Baby Sensory program is always a big hit with moms and babies alike.  It is such a hit in fact that we have had to create two groups in order to accommodate everyone!  We have a group that meets every other Friday at  11:00am, and another that meets every other Tuesday at 2:30pm.  Though the locations differ, both groups explore the same sensory activities.   We’re excited to  have some photos from each event! This week the little ones had fun exploring a Spring themed sensory bin.   

The bright and beautiful sensory bin was filled with Springy things that our little explorers could touch, hear, taste, and see.  Green Easter grass; silky flowers; stuffed insect toys; colourful shaker eggs and plastic bugs provided fun and fascination.

The stuffed insects were a lot of fun for the babies.  These colourful little bugs have crinkly wings that make a nice rustling noise, jingly bells inside, and shaker beads.

Easter eggs recycled from our egg hunt were half filled with dried mung beans, rice, and dried kidney beans.  The eggs were taped closed to avoid choking hazards.  Babies love shakers!

Not surprisingly, the green Easter grass was the biggest hit.  The little ones loved shaking the grass, pulling it apart, and covering their faces with it. 

It is always such a thrill for a mom, watching her baby light up, laugh, and explore new things.  The Baby Sensory program is a wonderful chance to find new and simple ideas that bring a lot of joy and wonder to the day for our little ones.  This beautiful little bin of Springy things brought a lot of happiness to two groups of babies and mamas this past week.  

See you next time at Baby Sensory, when we will be getting wet, wet, wet with a fun water table!

To learn more about what momstown Milton is all about - Click Here

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If you are a business that would like to sponsor our events or advertise with us please contact info.milton@momstown.ca

 

Submitted by Paula Porter, a momstown Milton member and

 mother of two children.

Les Dinosaures Apprenent les Couleurs was our Scholastic Canada Sponsored book at our French Tales for Tots Program

Spring has finally graced us with its glorious warmth. And our grateful eyes filled with its joyous colours as we take in the colours of the flowers and the brightness of the green grass. Colours were indeed on the mind of the momstown Milton group as little ones and their families gathered together at Indigo for another fun and educational French Tales for Tots session sponsored by Scholastic Canada.

After momstown Milton mama, Sam Kassam-Macfie, explained the easy-to-make dinosaur craft , the little hands went straight to work!  They had fun pasting the colourful scales on the dinosaurs body and repeating the names of the colours in French: "Jaune (yellow)! Rouge (red) as they assembled them.

Finished dinosaur crafts proudly in hand, it was time to sit down and read the Scholastic Canada featured book: Les dinosaures apprenent les couleurs by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. The children's imaginations soared to bright and colourful heights as they followed the adventures of ten dinosaurs as they described their lives in colour. Little eyes and ears were enraptured by the descriptions: une serviette violette sur le plancher (a purple towel on the floor) and pointed eagerly at the pictures and repeated phrases as Madame Liz read through the French passage of the book first and then translated into English.

Following the reading of the featured Les dinosaures apprenent les couleurs, Madame Liz went through another book called Les formes, les couleurs which reinforced the lessons of shapes and colours. The children were asked to show where the various shapes were (for example, square - carré)  and had a lot of fun doing it!  

After singing a few crowd favourites, the group played a fun and very interactive game reinforcing the colours they had just learned. Singing about a bakery stocked with delicious donuts, the children were asked to identify the number of donuts (for example, deux - two) on the ground and choose the donut colour (for example, brun - brown) as called out.

The children also got a hand in playing a colours matching game with their families as each child was given a sheet of paper and with the help of their families, had to match the name of the colour in French  as it was called out alongside with the colour block.

Before concluding, a draw was held for the Scholastic Canada featured book,  Les dinosaures apprenent les couleurs,  and the very joyeux winner was little Zachary!

Au revoir amis! See you next month.

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Written by Liz Marques Kogan, a momstown Milton member and mother of two children. You can check out her blog at: www.orchidaforever.blogspot.ca 

Where to take Mom for Mother's Day Meal in Milton

Are you wondering what to do for mom for Mother’s Day?  Our momstown Milton mamas agreed that a day off from the kitchen would be a welcome surprise especially if it meant not having to do dishes!  Here are some great options for you to choose from to treat mom to a special Mother's Day meal and support our local Milton Restaurants at the same time!

At the Marquee Steakhouse & Piano Lounge their vision is to create a space that is warm and enticing, one that draws you in and makes you feel at ease. Food and music are two cornerstones of culture. They offer an exceptional repertoire of musical talent that will enhance your dining experience and create for you a memorable and highly entertaining evening. Click here for a peek of their special Mother's Day menu.  I promise it will make your mouth water!

The Mohawk Inn –When it first opened in 1967 in the hamlet of Campbellville, the Mohawk Inn was billed as the first “electric motel” in Ontario – an establishment with a rustic, early-Canadian colonial style, and the comfort and convenience of “all electric” heating and cooling. Its objective was simple: to provide a restful atmosphere in which clients could relax and enjoy themselves. The restaurant has two options for making moms day extra special.  Choose from either taking mom and grandmas to brunch or treat them to a delicious dinner.  Both are affordable and everyone will leave feeling satisfied.

Shoeless Joe's Sports Grill is all about celebrating sports with family and friends. Whether you're celebrating your favourite team's victory, your league game with teammates or your child's big win, we're here to serve you!  Located at 800 Main St E the Milton location has a great deal for all moms!  Mom's eat FREE!  Click here for more info on this awesome deal!



The Grand Chalet & Tony Spiducci's Ristorante is known for quality fresh food and delicious taste along with our impeccable service. Authentic Italian foods are served in the restaurant Tony Spiducci's daily, showing you simplicity at its best. – located at 324 Steeles Ave E it will be open for dinner beginning at 5pm. Choose from a wide range of selections off their menu.   Who doesn't love authentic Italian food?

 

The Harrop Restaurant -This elegant colonial mansion was built by an emigrant Scottish family, in a slower, more gracious era. Constructed of local limestone in 1870, the house originally stood on a 2000 acre grant of crown land. The true regency character of the house is discernible only from within. Join them for a Mother's Day Brunch that mom won't soon forget!

 

Bon Appetite and Happy Mother's Day to all! 

 If you are a business that would like to sponsor our events or advertise with us please contact info.milton@momstown.ca

 This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy TimeOut.

momstown Kids take a Trip Around the World to Japan!

Konichiwa!

Our momstown Milton mamas and tots had a great time traveling to Japan at our Trip Around the World program.

We started off talking about the Japanese language.  We learned that the word "konichiwa" means hello, and looked at how the word is written.  We first looked at the English word "hello' and the children identified the letters.  Then we looked at the Japanese word "konichiwa".  We learned that Japanese characters are different from the abc's that we use in the English language.  Next, we watched a short segment of Japanese Sesame Street so that we could hear how speaking the language sounds.  I think the kids were surprised to see Elmo speaking Japanese!

We then talked about the flag of Japan.  Our travellers identified that the flag was made up of a red circle and a white rectangle.  Japan is also known as "the land of the rising sun", and the red circle represents this.  We all made a flag - a very quick craft!

 

After the flag, we talked about the delicious food that comes from Japan.  There are so many great dishes, however I chose to focus on sushi.  We talked about the different ingredients that go into sushi - the special rice, the nori (seaweed), and the filling - we chose avocado, cucumber, and yams.  Our World travellers had a chance to taste some nori.  A hit with some, but not for all!

 

The children were interested to see sushi being made.  Once the sticky rice was spread over the nori, the sweet potato was added.  Using a sushi mat, I rolled it up and voila!  Sushi!

Everyone was invited to try some rolls, and received a small amount of soy sauce on their plates for dipping.

Once we were all finished with the yummy sushi, we talked about origami, a popular activity for Japanese children.  We made simple hats.  This could easily be done with a sheet of newspaper for party hats, pirate fun, or a rainy day activity.  Our hats were about the right size for a doll, or for an adorable baby!

We headed to the back yard where everyone was given a colourful origami boat to float in the pool!  This was a hit with the kids!  Making a boat is really easy.  Our boats floated, but didn't last too long in the water!  The boats falling apart in the water was also very entertaining for our little travellers, so no one seemed to mind when boats started sinking and falling apart!  

It was a wonderful morning.  Thanks to everyone for coming out, and thank you to all the brave travellers who tried sushi for the first time today!  Sayonara!

To learn more about what momstown Milton is all about - Click Here

To register for a 6 week FREE trial membership - Click Here
 

If you are a business that would like to sponsor our events or advertise with us please contact info.milton@momstown.ca

 

Submitted by Paula Porter, a momstown Milton member and

 mother of two amazing girls.

Mother's Day keepsake - Bouquet of Photo Flowers

Here is a great Mother's Day gift that is perfect for mom or grandma.

 

Moms love to receive homemade crafts from their little ones. Adding photos in the mix is a terrific way to make it personal and meaningful.  Don't forget to bring along a box of tissues because it may  bring a tear or two when mom is presented with the final product!

 

 

photo credit: http://freebies.about.com/od/grandparentsdayfreebies/tp/grandparents-day-crafts.htm

 

Bouquet of Photo Flowers:

 

What you need:

- Construction paper

- Glue stick

- Photos of your child

- scissors

- tape

- chenille stem (pipe cleaners)

How to Assemble it:

1.  Cut photos of your child in circles to be used as the flowers center

2.  Cut simple flower shapes out of the construction paper

3.  Glue photo circle to the center of the flower

4.  Tape the chenille stem to the back of your flower

This is a fun and easy craft that can be made by children as young as 2 with a little help from mom and dad.



This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy TimeOut.

momstown Milton Top Local Mother's Day gift ideas!

It really isn't hard to please us mamas; although some hubby's make it seem like they were looking for the meaning of life when trying to decide what to get us as a Mother's Day Gift.  Here are some gift ideas that are sure to be a hit with most moms.  Don't forget to show your hubby this list as a subtle hint!

 

1.  Spa day - This is a hit with any SAHM, WAHM or moms who work outside the home.  We all need a break once in awhile to concentrate on us.  With all the work we do planning and organizing our family life, we almost always forget about us.  A day at the spa will give us the relaxation that we all need.  (Try to remember and have a massage thrown in, carrying those heavy babies is tough on our shoulders and backs).  Vixen Nails & Spa offers great services for mom. 

2.  Special mementos from the kids - Getting a handprint ornament or a photo book with our favorite pics of our kids shows that you put a lot of thought into the gift and it will surely bring a happy tear to our eye.  Wee Piggies and Paws and Simply Creative are wonderful places to visit for the perfect gift

 

3.  Sleep - Get the kids dressed, make their breakfast and take them out in the morning giving us a chance to sleep in.  I don't think I have met a mom out there who couldn't use an extra hour to sleep on the weekend. 

4.  Family jewellery - Be it  handmade jewellery with our kids names or fingerprints on it or a family ring/necklace that has our kids birthstones in it, this will be a big hit.  Lovelinx has some beautiful pieces I know any mom would love. 

5.  Flowers - A beautiful spring bouquet to brighten up our day.  We don't expect you to go over the top with 24 roses.  Some nice daisies, tulips or lilies will put a smile on our face. Drop by Crawford's Garden Centre to choose from a variety of options!

6.  Thank you - A simple thank you from hubby and the kids showing us you really appreciate all that we do is a great gift.  Put it in a special handwritten note or a handmade card from the kids so we can keep it forever.  Check out our momstown site for some wonderful craft ideas




Any and all of these gifts will go a long way.  Remember, Mother's Day is on May 12 this year so its time to start planning:)

This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy TimeOut.

momstown Milton: Mom of the Month: Sarah Luskey May 2013

Name: Sarah Luskey
Age: 36 (ugh!)

Born In: Brampton, ON

Children’s name and age: Addisyn (2.5), Peyton (1)
 

Childhood Ambition: I always wanted to be a lawyer when I was a kid (probably cause I love a good debate) but knew in my heart that teaching was the profession for me... I did try to rebel though and went in to business first
but it only took about a year for me to head back to school and do what I always knew I would love.

Fondest Memory: Family vacations in Florida... Starting from a very young age we spent 3 weeks as a family in St. Pete's beach. We would go with my Aunt, Uncle and 2 cousins (who were both close in age to my brother and I). We spent 3 days driving there, playing games and stopping to eat and sleep in various places each year. There were many laughs and adventures along the way.
My favourite memory has to be of the time my cousin and I were left in charge of the younger two... Our parents were just outside having adult time around the pool but we manage to destroy the room with a couple cans of whipped cream, it was hilarious until we had to clean it all up! Since I value the memories created here so much, we have begun this tradition with our kids as well. Last year we took the girls to Disney for their first time and the whole family spent two weeks together at the beach... I love reliving those precious moments again through the eyes of my daughters!

Wildest Dream: I would LOVE to go skydiving but I'm not sure I would actually have the courage when it came down to it! So... I dream of a relaxing vacation with my hubby in Bora Bora, staying in one of those cabins with a window in the floor so that you can see right down in to the ocean.


Proudest Moment: I have many of these as the girls grow and develop each and every day, amazing me with the things they can do! However, the day they were born will always be the best thing I've ever done!

Biggest Challenge: Managing the balance between my professional and personal life. I am highly ambitious and have many goals for my future in education but have realized quickly that those things are going to happen
much slower now that I'm a Mom. I have to remind myself daily that I can't dedicate nearly as much time as I used to outside of my regular work day if I want to spend quality time enjoying my girls. If only there were more
hours in the day OR I didn't value my sleep quite as much as I do!

Perfect Day: Would start with a “sleep in”... I think I'd like to wake up some time around 9 :-) We would have a late breakfast/early lunch as a family and then go for a walk or a bike ride to the park so that the girls could play.
We would go out for dinner (so that I don't have to cook or clean up) and then have a snuggle and read a few good books with the girls before they headed to bed. I would then enjoy a relaxing bubble bath with a nice glass of red wine and a good book before settling on the couch for a movie and some alone time with my hubby!

First Job: I worked at the Sports Camp my Dad ran in Georgetown starting when I was 12... This was probably about the time I realized I was destined to work with young kids.

Indulgence: I have a MAJOR sweet tooth... I have a hard time resisting ANY type of candy, especially Mike & Ike's and ice cream! I compensate by spending much of my “me” time working out so that I can eat what I want!


Last Big Purchase: We purchased a new house in December 2011 in Georgetown... Although it's not built yet, we are super excited to move in 2014.

Favourite Sport: Although I love many sports, I am a die hard when it comes to baseball and volleyball. I spent a MAJOR part of my life playing girls softball in Brampton and miss it very much! I can only hope that one of my girls will love it as much as I did so that I can relive my passion for the game!

How long have you been a member of momstown Milton? Since July 2012
 

Describe your experience as a momstown member: Being a part of the momstown Milton family has been a great experience for me. I was worried after I had my second daughter that it would be difficult to balance the
needs of both girls with the financial strain of being on maternity leave however, joining Momstown made it easy!

There are so many wonderful activities available each and every day designed to target the interests of both babies and pre-schoolers. Some of our favourites include Chipmunks play-groups, Baby Basics, Art & Play, Junior Chef, Little Scientists, and Trip Around the World. Not only did these programs engage Addisyn's interests but they also gave me an opportunity to meet other Mom's and share ideas about dealing with the daily challenges of managing two young girls at home.

I also love how open Sam and her team are to new ideas and suggestions from their members. Hosting the Shake, Rattle and Read program allowed me to deal with some of my Mommy guilt about not doing anything that was just about Peyton. I know she really loved spending time with all the other babies and it allowed me to meet some really great first time Moms. Even though I have now
returned to work, I know that my momstown friends will still be there to offer support and we will definitely be joining some weekend activities so that we don't lose touch!

We would love to have you join us and become part of our momstown Milton family!

Register here for your 6 week FREE trial.