If you haven't already, one day you will tell your child not to play with their food. But then they would be missing out on a great learning opportunity! Math, science, sharing, and food tips, can all be learned in the kitchen.  Playful Chef helps to teach young sous chefs how to productively play with and prepare their food.  They have created kid-friendly cooking sets complete with an apron and all the tools an aspiring chef could need. The kits come with recipe cards and cooking tips.  I asked CEO and founder, Lisa Ligon, what her favorite recipes were to make with little ones. She said that some of her favorites include Golden Chicken Nuggets, Fruit Yogurt Parfait and Chocolate Mountain Lava Cake.  I was also curious about where the company idea came from. She said she came up with the idea while volunteering with kids at San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point YMCA. You can have a good meal; you can hang out with all your toys. ~ Parents: Do your tots like to play in the real or pretend kitchen ? ~

Even Dawn Margolin, the mastermind behind Kindergym, doesn't know that the first thing we did when we moved to the Bay Area was come to a Sunday Play Date.  We left before snack and storytime, but have more than made up for that in the year of Kindergym and Toddler classes that we have attended and enjoyed. Dawn uses every minute of her class time to make playing with the same toys and equipment a new and fun experience every week.  With so much time spent teaching kids, I wanted to know what insights she has gained from her experiences. She shared that "the Kindergym and Toddler classes that I have taught for the last 26 years have brought me many lessons and joys.  The biggest lesson is perhaps that children are resilient and desire to please those they love. Our worries as parents about our children are good tools for protecting and advocating for them. At the same time, it's clear to me that we can trust that our kids will bloom, learn to share, become reasonable decision-makers and bring much joy to their families and teachers."  The best teachers are constantly learning.  ~ Parents: What lessons have you learned from playing or reading with your children? ~

One of my two good friends named Mindy (the one who does not make jewelry) grew up in San Diego, and lived there until four-and-a-half years ago when she moved to Reno with her fiance. They are now married with one daughter, three dogs and a home.  And a lot of snow to shovel.  Still a "California Girl" at heart, Mindy doesn't "know from snow" as they say. But when the garage door is frozen shut and icicles are forming on your home, it's time to take the toddler out to play in the snow. Without a sled readily available, this innovative mama searched for something sled-worthy, and came up with her daughter's old infant bathtub. With just a couple of bungee cords, and a lot of ingenuity, she fashioned a sled worthy of a first ride in the snow. Is that "Upcycling" or what!  ~ Parents: What were your kids' first snow days like? ~

I am currently in email talks with the San Francisco Ballet about whether my well-behaved music and dance aficionado toddler can attend "The Nutcracker" this year. Their website discourages bringing in young children, so I emailed them to see if we would be turned away or just frowned upon.  I got a nice and prompt reply stating that they think age four is the best time to start attending the ballet, as they don't think she would be likely to remain both happy and seated throughout the entire performance. However as the mother of this particular child they have left the decision up to me. I also forgot to mention to them the beautiful dress and coat we were given when Tiny was born, and that we always planned to take her to see "The Nutcracker" in this outfit which fits now!  ~ Parents: Have you brought your tot to any live performances meant for an older audience? ~

I asked Kim, owner of Sugar Chic Baby, what you could do with her adorable felt baked goods topped with beaded sprinkles.  She said that they could be used as food while pretend baking or having an imaginary tea party. She thought they would look nice displayed on a cake platter in a bakery-themed kitchen or "just because you like them!"  She noted that they make a great without going overboard, and are easy to ship.  We have a set of the felt barrettes, and they are too cute as well!  ~ Parents: What are your favorite pretend foods? ~

If there's one thing we all get sentimental about it I think it must be the ball pits found at kids' play gyms, fast food establishments and pizza parlors.  As much of a germ fest as they may be we can't help but toss our tots in to swim in the multicolored ball pool. In the new landscape of play structures they are something familiar that we can all count on seeing.  ~ Parents: What did you play as a child that you find yourself introducing to the kids in your life? ~