Easy DIY Learning Tower

This year I became friends with a mom who had recently moved back to Canada from England. In her kitchen she had a learning tower that her dad had built -- learning towers are all the rage in the UK but haven't seemed to catch on in Canada yet. A learning tower allows your toddler to stand at the counter to observe and participate in the kitchen. It is based on the Montessori model of education that encourages independence in learning. Now, I didn't realize that at first -- I just knew it would help to keep my very busy toddler entertained. Which is normally a pretty exhausting feat each day.

 

Learning towers go for around $200 online. Whoa. Not in our budget. So after almost resigning myself to the fact that I wasn't going to get a learning tower for Gemma, I decided to ask my hubby (who, like myself, isn't much of a DIYer) to make one, and I am so glad I asked.

Gemma just loves standing on her learning tower. It was a hit from the moment we brought it in from the garage. She will stand on it and help me make my coffee in the morning by taking the lid off the coffee can and putting a scoop of grinds in the French press. She pretends to cook by stirring and whisking uncooked macaroni noodles, and practices scooping up the noodles and dumping them in another bowl. When she gets really excited, she plays a fun game where she throws the macaroni on the floor and mommy or daddy pick it all up (sound like a toddler much?). Yes, some of this newfound freedom has backfired, but for the most part Gemma seems to be learning lots by observing and "helping" mommy in the kitchen. I've been especially impressed with her improved use of utensils. She holds her own fork and spoon better now that she's used measuring cups and practiced scooping.

Now, with anything you build for children, parental supervision is a must. I know you know this, but I thought the reminder wouldn't hurt. You will need to move any potential dangers, of which there are many in a kitchen, way out of your child's reach. When she stands by the cutting board, I put the knife block on the other side of the kitchen. When she's by the toaster, I make sure it is unplugged. That kind of thing. Also be watching carefully that they don't try to climb on the counters. Some of you have climbers. And I can't imagine the stress your climber causes you each day. And despite all the barriers on this learning tower, toddlers have a knack for hurting themselves. So just stay near them.

The rest of this post comes from my wonderful husband who I must admit surprised me with his handyman skills here. I have now come up with a whole list of new projects for him to tackle (shh... I haven't told him yet!).

To handy hubbies and towering toddlers,
♥ Dion

DIY Learning Tower - Step by Step Instructions

This summer my wife asked me to build a learning tower for our 18 month old daughter.  Being not a handy man, I was a little nervous.  On my wife's advice I looked to Pinterest to get a few ideas, and after a bit of looking, found one that I thought looked both good and pretty simple.  It uses an Ikea BEKVAM stool for a base, with a fabricated railing set up on top.  Here's how it was done.

 

 

1) Picked up the stool from IKEA

2) Purchased materials from Home Depot.  Some of these materials I already had, but the list below has everything I used:

-1.5" x 1.5" x 7'

-3/4" x 3.5" x 5'

-dowel 11/16" x 1.5'

-these measurements should give you a bit of wiggle room, but not a lot if you need to redo cuts

-small box of 2 1/2" wood screws and 1 1/2" wood screws

-wood filler

-fine grit sand paper

-spray paint primer (2 cans to cover)

-coloured spray paint (this wasn't bought at Home Depot because they didn't have the right colour.  We ended up buying from Serres: Liquitex paint - Phthalocyanine Green 7.  (2 cans but I may have been able to do it with 1)

-clear, spray paint sealant (satin finish)

3) Tools needed:

-skill saw

-drill and bits

-saw horses

-tape measure

-square

-pencil

-wood bore bit (11/16")

4) Cut the wood to length and assemble

-the posts that stand vertically on top of the stool are 1.5" x 1.5" x 16.5" (the 16.5" makes the tower flush with our countertop.  Be sure to measure the height of your counter to ensure that the tower is not too tall, or short; the IKEA stool is 20" tall when assembled by itself).  CUT 4

-I then attached the four posts to the top side of the upper step of the BEKVAM stool using the 2 1/2" wood screws (see photo).  I drilled pilot holes in through the bottom of the stool into the vertical posts, and then attached them.

NOTE: I did not fully assemble the BEKVAM stool until the very end, as you can see in the photo.

-I also used the same 1.5" x 1.5" wood for the lower braces on the sides of the tower; mine were 6 5/8" long but yours maybe be different, depending on how close you place the vertical posts to the corner on the top of the stool.  CUT 2.  I attached mine with 2 1/2" screws 6 1/2" from the top of the stool.

-next you should drill the hole for the dowel.  I drilled mine through the two vertical posts at the back using an 11/16" wood bit.  Drill right through both posts and when you attach the top railings, it will cover up the holes and hold the dowel in place.

-the dowel I used was 11/16" but 5/8" would work fine too.  I cut it at 14 1/8" but again be sure to measure yours because it's length will depend on how far your four vertical posts are apart from each other. Insert the dowel before you attach the top support rails

-the rails around the top and front are 3/4" x 3.5".  The side rails are 10 1/4" (CUT 2) and the front rails are 13 3/4". CUT 2

-I attached them as shown in the photos using 1 1/2" screws.  Be sure that the screws you use are not too long that they go right through the wood and poke out, and that they do not hit other screws you've used to attach other pieces and possibly split the wood.

-I then used wood filler to fill the screw holes and sanded them down.  I repeated this one more time, and also gave the rest of the pieces a quick sand to smooth out any rough parts, especially on any exposed cut surfaces

-finally, I assembled the BEKVAM stool and attached the upper structure to the rest of the stool

5) Paint

-first I primed the learning tower

-sanded it down in some areas and primed any spots I missed

-painted with the coloured paint (1-2 coats to touch up)

-finally, sealed with clear spray paint satin finish, to give it a somewhat shiny (not too shiny) finish, which should make it easy to clean.

That's it.  It was a really fun, simple project.  And if it was something that this unhandy man could complete, pretty much anyone can.

Adapted from mintinthemiddle.com and ikeahackers.net

 

What I learned from a stay-at-home dad

Last week the hubs and I switched roles – he stayed home with Gemma all week while I put in a week of contract work that had me downtown all day. I call this post “what I learned from a stay-at-home dad” because that week was enlightening, to say the least.

When we first decided that I would pick up this work, I could tell Matt was a little nervous about a full week taking care of Gemma without any relief.  Up until then, he’d probably only had her for one full day max. Looking after a toddler can be draining, so I suggested we hire a babysitter for a couple mornings. You know, give him a break and let him do something for himself. Matt wasn’t too keen on that idea, and I get it – It  sounded like I wasn’t confident in his parenting abilities, which isn’t true, but I must admit, I was worried about what shape he’d be in after a full week! Alternatively we decided that Gemma could spend some time at her grandparents through the week to give Matt the breather he might need; however, as we got closer to last week, we ended up having a death in the family and my parents flew to Ontario for the funeral. Matt was going to be on his own. Dun, dun, dun!

When the week finally came, I must admit I was looking forward to coming home each night and having my husband bow down before me, praising me for all my efforts in taking care of the home and Gemma. But instead of a flustered husband, a burnt supper, in a toddler-trashed house, I came home to a collected husband who had made a lovely dinner in a perfectly toddler-trashed house (there’s no superpower to counteract a toddler’s mess making abilities). Immediately I thought, man, he’s better at this than me! I kept asking him how the day went; he just seemed too positive and relaxed.

And guess what, to my disappointment, the rest of the week went just a smoothly (I know, I feel awful being so honest).

So I’ve decided that instead of resenting my husband for being so awesome at my job, haha, that I might as well learn from him.  Here’s a few takeaways:

1.)    RELAX. My husband has a pretty relaxed nature. As he says, “my highs don’t get too high, and my lows don’t get too low.” Now that’s a picture of mental health! I could tell that he didn’t let the day-to-day challenges/struggles/annoyances/frustrations of parenting a toddler get to him too much. There were temper tantrums, meals that went uneaten, and messes made, but he seemed to let them roll off his back instead of holding on to them and letting them build up inside. I, on the other hand, like to bank my frustrations and let them earn interest. Not a wise investment.
 

2.)    Make a to-do-list. I had given my husband a couple things I’d like him to complete this summer, and he decided to bite off one of the projects this week. I wasn’t too sure if he would complete it, but he did! He kept a manageable mental to-do-list of what he had to accomplish each day and took the opportune moments to do it. I, on the other hand, try to accomplish everything at once, and find myself frenetically going from playing with Gemma, to cooking, to cleaning, to starting a project, to changing a diaper, all in a matter of half an hour. It gets exhausting. A to-do-list, especially a small one, is a good idea.

3.)     Take advantage of time to yourself. My husband actually had down-time that week. That was really annoying! I asked him about it, and he said that once he accomplished what was on his manageable to do list, he just sat down and read, or watched tv, or went on twitter. Seriously, it’s that easy? Moms, if you’re like me, I think overestimate the importance of doing things for our families and underestimate the importance of relaxing and recharging ourselves. A frazzled mommy snaps, and well, that’s just dangerous. And so, after I write this blog, I am taking my husband’s advice and sitting down with a coffee and doing nothing. Or, at least I’ll try.

4.)    Housework is optional. It’s ok if your toilets go uncleaned this week. No one cleaned our toilets the week I was working and we all survived.

5.)    Working full-time is not for me. Ok, so this is sort of a lesson I taught myself. Coming home each night and having missed out on every story, every game, every adorable moment—well, that was just brutal. I’ve been teaching part-time since Gemma was one, and it isn’t easy juggling it all, but at least I have some extra time home with Gemma each school day. Not having this time was really tough, and it provided some of the clarity I needed about career decisions. In particular, being a full-time working mother is not for me. I need the balance between work and home.

But the most important lesson I learned was to LET GO. The world keeps spinning on its axis without mommy at home. What a relief.

I’ll finish with a quote from my husband, reflecting on staying home:

“One day, simple. One week, doable. One month, painful. One year, brutal. The rest of my life, no thank you.”

It’s a good thing I’m happy to stay at home part-time.

To stay-at-home moms AND dads,
♥ Dion
 

Summer. Toddler. Fun. - St. Albert Market

I am starting a new series of blog posts on fun, affordable and toddler-friendly activities to do with your little ones this summer. Matt and I decided that this summer we would simplify our lives by ‘staycationing’ and explore all that Edmonton and area has to offer.

 

Today I took Gemma on a mother-daughter date to the St. Albert market. I’d heard a lot of great things about this market from family and friends but had never made the trek out there. As soon as we got there, I was filled with regret – regret that I hadn’t gone sooner!

The market is good sized and has excellent variety in vendors. The produce looks truly beautiful. Many of the growers are familiar to me since I order most of my produce through the Organic Box, so although we only came home with a cucumber and some tzatziki (thank you internet dictionary for helping spell that), I’m confident it all tastes as good as it looks.

Despite the really hot weather today Gemma seemed to have a good time. She sat happily in her stroller for quite a while, soaking up the rays (with 60 SPF) and people watching. The vendors were very generous with the samples -- she enjoyed trying out all the dips, cookies and berries at each station. I owe thanks to all those samples to keeping her happy in her stroller for so long. Parents know that food = entertainment, and I was glad she stayed entertained so I could SHOP.

Some of the particularly child-friendly aspects of the market are the bouncy castle and the balloon animal station. I gotta admit -- Gemma didn’t notice either, so we just strolled by, but I bet if we go next year she’ll be all over that. They also had a few outdoor pianos, one of which is a kids’ piano. Gemma enjoyed watching other kids ‘play’ the piano, but when it was her turn to tickle the ivories, a little stage fright kicked in. I got one picture at least!

To me, the most awesome thing is that there is a parking lot on site! As someone who can hardly park, let alone parallel park, street parking sends panic through my veins—especially with a toddler potentially crying in the backseat. It was easy finding a parking spot and I had plenty of room to comfortably take out the stroller and grab Gemma from the backseat, without being worried about being side-swiped. I am a tad paranoid.

There are a ton of vendors that specialize in children’s products, including teething rings, security blankets, taggie blankets, clothing, tutus, Frozen (the movie) themed apparel, and even baby cocoons. Not sure what those are for. I almost bought Gemma’s dolly a new wardrobe at the dolly clothing store— there is truly something for everyone and everything at the St. Albert Market. A fellow shopper looked at the clothes and said to me, “who’s baby is this small?” haha. She had no clue.

Some of our favourite food vendors included the popsicle lady at the far end of the market. Her popsicles are all natural (something this mama loves) and she even dips them in Lindor chocolate (something else this mama loves). Gemma has been cutting some teeth like crazy so this was the perfect treat for a hot teething day. But of course, one treat is never enough. We caved (I hold Gemma equally responsible) and had 4 bite sized stuffed brownies and blondies. They made this chocolate-lover’s day. When Gemma is really enjoying something she’s eating, she stuffs as much of it as she can in her cheeks and kind of just lets it sit there. She was doing that with these brownies. I had to cut her off so mommy could get some!

We left the market on a sugar high, which led to the inevitable afternoon energy crash. I timed this perfectly with nap-time. It’s 4:15 and Gemma is still napping. You see, a hot day at the market is just what every toddler and mommy needs.

To long summer days and long summer naps,
♥ Dion

For information on all the Edmonton and areas farmer’s markets, here’s a map courtesy of Made Urban.

Link to full size map

How I Con My Toddler into Eating Spinach EVERY Morning – Recipe: Gemma’s GREEN Smoothie

We are officially in the toddler picky-eating stage. It’s brutal. One moment she’s stuffing her face with what I’ve made for her, the next moment the whole plate is on the floor, on her head, or even better, all over mommy.  Last night for dinner Matt and I had hot dogs – Gemma, on the other hand, LITERALLY ate  ketchup by the handful. Tell me you can relate. Please, tell me.

So when I find a meal that is healthy that Gemma will consistently eat, I’m sure to put it in the rotation frequently.

Although Gemma is great at eating her fruits, and not bad at eating veggies (meat is a whole other story), I like to feed her smoothies for breakfast to make sure she’s getting all her nutrients. Lately I’ve been making this green smoothie for her, and its fast becoming a favourite for her. I know some toddlers have an aversion to eating anything green, but Gemma hasn’t developed this yet. I’m hoping that as long as I keep offering her some green foods that she enjoys, that she’ll continue to try other green foods I serve.

Gemma’s GREEN Smoothie

Blend all the following ingredients well to ensure there are no chunks and serve immediately. Serves 2-3 (or one Gemma – she keeps asking for “mo”).

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other preferred milk)

1 cup fresh spinach leaves

1 pear or apple

1 peach or ½ mango

1 banana

2-3 pitted dates*

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or chia seed

3-4 ice cubes

*dates are an awesome way to sweeten smoothies without using sugar

Yum!

To conning children into eating their veggies,

♥ Dion