I can remember when my kiddos were little and they had so many toys all over the house.  I used to hate having to step over the blocks, balls, puzzles, musical toys and more just to get to the couch in the living room or to the dining room table.

And as they got a few years older, it was I want this toy, I want that toy.  They were never satisfied with what they had, they always wanted something new and different.  Every few months we would have to go through their toys and either donate or sell several of them just to have spare room.

Now that I get to get my grandbabies so much I love to have toys around again.  But I do not want my house overflowing the way it was when my kids were small.  Just a few small toys would be ideal.  But I also don’t want to have to continue buying the next age appropriote toys.  That can get expensive fast.

That’s when I decided to look into Sparkbox Toys.

For a monthly fee, you receive a box of toys shipped directly to your home…and when you’re done, you simply return them with free shipping.

You can choose a new box to arrive every 4 weeks or 8 weeks.  Every 8 weeks work well for us since my grandkids are only with us about 2 days a week.  Since they are not playing with them daily, they do not tire of them as soon.

Sparkbox Toys say, “As a parent, your role is to observe, enhance and augment your child’s playtime experiences! The more you know about yourself, your child’s development and the underlying concepts of play, the more you will be able to enhance your child’s cognitive, emotional, linguistic and physical growth during the developmental years”.

1. Work with Sparkbox Toys to select the right toys and use them at the right time
2. Be an active and engaged play partner that guides and encourages
3. Always leave room for your child’s own method of play to support individual growth
4. Offer a diverse group of play partners, varying in age and abilities, so your child can experience a full range of social interaction: patience, empathy, compassion and support

Finding the right toys for the right stage of a child’s development is not easy.  But good news .. Sparkbox Toys did this, so you don’t have to. Here is how SPARKBOX chooses their toys.

Here is a little more info from Sparkbox Toys:

Play Value:

They look for toys that teach compelling skills, encourage a child’s involvement, and inspire future learning in manifold ways. The toys withstand the test of time by providing new discoveries and adventures with the natural progression of your child’s development. In addition, the original “Play Time Ideas” for each toy adds even more stimulating, engaging fun for the whole family.

Quality:

Sparkbox Toys chose brands with a reputation for creating high quality, award winning toys delivering on the promise of providing true learning value & quality. Sparkbox Toys brand partners adhere to our mission of using safe & sustainable materials, manufacturing & assembling responsibly.

Variety:

They create the curriculum to ensure a cross-set of different types of toys in each box. Every detail from learning benefits, to age suitability, to material is carefully thought through.

Design:

Toys whose design intentions mirror our own: to educate, to inspire and to engage are chosen. Great toy designs are accessible, emotionally resonant and inherently creative.

Safety:

All toys Sparkbox has selected are tested by the manufacturer and by an independent laboratory. They meet the U.S. consumer product safety commission standards and the U.S. government standards of safety requirements.

Sparkbox Toys believes that all children should have the opportunity to grow through toys. If you’d like to help your old toys find a good home, please send them Sparkbox’s way. They are working on a partnership with Second Chance Toys – a philanthropy that donates toys to underprivileged children. You can send the toys to their office or email them at [email protected] to learn more!

You can also find Sparkbox Toys on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!

The post What is Sparkbox Toys? appeared first on GraceandGravy with a side of life!.

Ten years ago, my husby and adopted a little, bright and cheery twelve year old girl. No one explained in depth what an emotional roller coaster life would be like for all of us. Sure you are given the ins and outs, but come on, this is life, real life. There is no script that can prepare you for the struggles of when past and present collide.

And Oh Boy, did they ever collide!

Fast forward ten years. Our daughter Gracie is getting ready to give birth to our second grandbaby on Thursday! Yes I did say grandbaby! My husband and I were both fairly young, married 5 years with two toddlers when we adopted. I knew there would come a time when I would be a “young” Mimi, but I’m not sure if I was really prepared for when it happened!

When I think about grandma’s, I think of little gray haired ladies with buns, sitting in the rocking chair. (:
Not sitting at a laptop blogging about my crazy life of cooking, homeschooling and TEENAGERS!

One good thing is, I am young enough to chase after those kiddos!  And yes there is more than one.

Last year Gracie got remarried to a man who has two boys from a previous marriage.  Gracie, has her daughter Lilli from a previous marriage for a total of 3 children.  Now with Gracie getting ready to have Laila, there is a grand total of 4 children 6 and under.  Wowzers!!

They were very limited on space for a baby room, but after finding an awesome “Closet Nursery” on the ever so wonderful Pinterest, everything started coming together.

The closet was painted pink, in with the crib, and up with a design on the wall. VOILA!  Ready for baby Laila.

photo courtesy of my daughter Gracie

I really wanted to make something special to personalize the space, even if it was small.  I found these adorable letters that came 2 in a pack from a local craft store and they are only appx 3 inches tall.  PERFECT, for above the crib.

The theme is owls, but I wanted to incorporate other designs onto the letters, so I choose a variety of polka dots, chevron, stripes, and a cool old sheet music design.  I even found a sheet that had all the designs I picked out on that one sheet, which tied the letters all together.

I pilled out my old Mod Podge and Glue Gun (for owls and birds), and got to work.  I really like using a pencil to trace around the letters on the back of the paper.  It makes it so much easier to cut out evenly.

After all my letters were cut out of paper, I Mod Podged them onto the wooden letters and added one extra coat of Mod Podge on top to seal them good.

After all the letters were complete, I added wooden owls and birds to some of the letters to tie the theme of the nursery in!

I am really excited how well they turned out.  All together it was appx a 1 1/2 hr project.  Not bad for a Crafternoon!

Did I happen to mention Baby Laila will be making her appearance today?  Yes, you heard right!  My daughter is being induced this morning so Laila should be here before tonight!

Even though I am so very excited, I am also very nervous.  See, when Gracie was in labor with my grand daughter Lilli, She started having some issues with her blood pressure dropping which caused Lilli to go into distress.  Very scary moment for me as a mom, watching your daughter have complications during Labor.

I’m asking for Prayers today for Gracie and Baby Laila, that everything will go smoothly!

And I would love to see any  Mod Podge Projects you are working on!

Miranda

The post DIY Tutorial Thursday: Mod Podge Letters & BABY ON THE WAY! appeared first on GraceandGravy with a side of life!.