Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in charleston, SC

Tuesday Top Five: Foods Your Child Probably Hasn't Tried, But Just Might Love

by Nicole Teed

April 28, 2009

I grew up in a household that focused on two key foods: meat and potatoes. It wasn't until I reached my twenties that I started to explore and enjoy a variety of cuisines.  Now, I'm trying to introduce my children to a wide range of foods early on, and one of the richest sources of that palatal diversity is ethnic cuisines.  Here, I've listed five world cuisines with the dishes that have gotten the thumbs-up from the short crowd.

Nutrition Work-Arounds: If She Won't Drink Milk, Get Calcium This Way

by Nicole Teed

April 27, 2009

I don't know why, but neither of my kids really drink milk. They aren't lactose-intolerant, they don't have a milk allergy, but they just don't seem to like the taste. It's not a big deal, except for the fact that it makes ensuring their calcium intake is sufficient a little more tricky. Here are some of the ways I've found to get calcium into their diets.

Most Important Meal of the Day: Kiddo Breakfast Ideas

by Nicole Teed

April 20, 2009

The idea of skipping breakfast doesn't come up in our house. Both of my children wake up hungry and eat before changing out of their pajamas.  While we've been known to indulge in Krispy Kreme every so often, on the whole I like to make sure that breakfast is healthy --  better: healthy and fast!

Here are a few ideas for making sure you start the day out right. All of these suggestions are kid-tested, and all of them include good nutrition for staying power through the morning. 

Kid-Friendly Breakfast Nooks in Charleston

by Nicole Teed

March 23, 2009

I don't know how things are around your house at dinnertime, but the 6 pm - 7 pm time slot seems to be a witching hour for my preschoolers. They're tired and cranky and hungry, and while my husband and I might like to head out to dinner sometimes, it's just not worth it. Instead, we've decided to treat the family to a meal out a breakfast on occasion, when the kids are fresh and kid-friendly food options -- pancakes! eggs! bacon! -- abound. Here are a few places I'd recommend if you and the family are eating out for the most important meal of the day.

Tuesday Top Five: Local Ways to Get Your Farm On

by Nicole Teed

March 10, 2009

I really wanted the farmer's market to be open last Saturday.  The weather was perfect to head downtown Saturday morning and pick up some fresh produce while enjoying lemonade and boiled peanuts.  Sigh.  Soon, though, the markets will be returning and the produce will be flowing from local farms.  Here are some great ways to bring the farm home to your family, and to get your family out to the farm!

December's did you miss...?

by Nicole

December 31, 2008

Wow. Where did December go? I think I must have scooped it up and tossed it out with all of that wrapping paper and the collapsed gingerbread house. While you are probably ready to move on, let's just take a moment to review what we learned in December that we can carry through with us to the new month and the new year! In the best of worlds, the holiday season is about giving. I hope that you  Read more...

Holiday helpers in the kitchen

by Nicole

December 24, 2008

My To Do list today includes baking cookies for Santa with my four-year-old daughter. We bake together a fair amount, actually, and I'm hoping that in doing so we're creating memories alongside the yummy treats. Whether you're a pro at involving kids in the kitchen or a novice just trying to muster up the courage for the mess that might ensue, here are a few tips for making it easier for you  Read more...

Happy Hanukkah!

by Nicole

December 22, 2008

Hanukkah began yesterday at sunset and will continue for eight days in a festival of light! The Hanukkah (or Chanukah) celebration commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. There was only believed to be enough oil to fuel the altar flame for one day, but the flame miraculously burned for eight days. Jewish families celebrate the holiday by lighting the menorah each night,  Read more...

Happy thanksgiving!

by Nicole

November 27, 2008

The turkey's been dressed, the pie has been made (or, in my case, purchased) and the television football schedule has been perused. While food and family may dominate the weekend, don't miss this opportunity to share gratitude for and with your children. Ask them what they're thankful for. Their answers may surprise you. Share your own ideas about gratitude. Let them give a  Read more...

Kids in the kitchen for Thanksgiving and beyond

by Nicole

November 26, 2008

I spent some time baking with my four-year-old daughter this weekend, and knowing that the topic of cooking with kids was coming up, I tried to actually pay attention to everything we were doing. Baking, as it turns out, is full of teachable moments. Measuring teaches counting and math. Adding ingredients and mixing them up challenges both fine and gross motor skills. Discussions of baking  Read more...

Tuesday top five: bookshelf essentials for Lowcountry kids!

by Nicole

November 25, 2008

There are some books that you simply need to have around if you are a member of the Charleston short crowd. Here are some ideas for exploring -- and adding to! -- the Lowcountry charm. Seashells of the World (A Golden Guide) by R. Tucker Abbott While your preschooler will probably need some help to use this guide, this book is the perfect way to turn that trip to the beach into a  Read more...

It's friday, so what are you doing this weekend?

by Nicole

October 10, 2008

You want ideas? I've got ideas. Confession: I rarely go to Daniel Island. I live in West Ashley, so the only reason for me to drive way out there is for a Battery match. That said, the park there is very cute, and this weekend is the Daniel Island Park Day . There will be live music, jumpcastles, arts and crafts, pony rides, and even a mechanical bull. Yeeee-haaaaw! This event runs Saturday,  Read more...

A taste of china in Charleston

by Nicole

July 28, 2008

Charlestonians are like Chinese: They eat rice, worship their ancestors, and speak in a language that's hard to understand. ~ Advertisement for a classic rice cooker at Kerrisons Dry Good Company [via Spicelines ] The best way to escape to a far off place -- and there's nowhere further than China, really -- isn't by plane or train or boat, but by mouth. If your family is new to Asian  Read more...

Escape by licking?: a lot-o gelato in Charleston

by Nicole

July 25, 2008

There's nothing like a sweet, frozen concoction on a hot summer's day. Ice cream and popsicles are fine, of course, but why not turn that afternoon treat into a little taste of Italy? There are two gelato shops downtown, Paolo's Gelato and Gelateria Modica , and they are both fabulous. If you haven't tried gelato before, you'll be delighted. It's more flavorful than ice cream, and with less fat  Read more...

Tuesday top five: tabletop destinations

by Nicole

July 22, 2008

As the daughter of Midwestern meat-and-potatoes type of folks, I grew up eating dinners of classic American family meals: pot roast, homemade pizza, spaghetti, and the like. If we wanted to get ethnic, we had Mexican food -- and since we lived in Arizona, Mexico wasn't really THAT foreign. Then I met my husband, who introduced me to Cuban food on our first date and didn't stop feeding me until  Read more...

Fabulous Fieldtrip: Blueberries!

by Nicole

June 18, 2008

Blueberry season is here, and there is no better way to enjoy this fruity summertime delight than fresh from the bush. I've mentioned Champney's Farm (4492 Rose Drive, Ravenel, SC. Phone: 843-763-6564) briefly before, but I wanted to share our recent trip to their place. It makes a great field trip for the whole family -- and it's actually in a FIELD! If, like me, you're working with your  Read more...

Feed the Family: Three Little Birds Cafe

by Nicole

June 12, 2008

I love to eat out. It always feels like a special treat for someone to put beautiful food in front of me and then NOT have to do the dishes. However, it's not always easy to find restaurants friendly enough for the whole family that serve up healthy food grown-ups want to eat. But if I had a checklist for the characteristics I look for in a family-friendly restaurant, Three Little Birds cafe  Read more...

How to Cultivate the Tiniest Green Thumb

by Nicole

May 26, 2008

I'll be frank: I'm a vegetarian, cloth-diapering, thrift-store-shopping mother who has been dubbed the "recycling Nazi" for berating certain family members for tossing out plastic bottles. While folks in Berkeley or somewhere equally self-important might call me a lightweight, around these parts, I'm about as crunchy as they come. This spring and summer, we've been really focused on food --  Read more...