Make Nutrition Fun and Even Colorful!

Check out this really fun and cool idea on how to make nutrition fun for you child!

We found this article on www.parenting.com and it says that a really colorful way to get your little one to eat healthier is to color coordinate each day with certain foods of the same shade.

For each day of the week, pack their lunch with a certain color of the rainbow! Not only will they learn their colors, they'll be eating healthier, too... (something all moms want!)

Monday
Color: Purple
Fruit: Toss a handful of blueberries into vanilla yogurt.
Veggie: Layer eggplant slices into slightly defrosted lasagna.

Tuesday
Color: White
Fruit: Wrap peeled pear slices in ham or turkey slices.
Veggie: Saute chopped cauliflower, then fold into mac 'n' cheese.

Wednesday
Color: Red
Fruit: Add unpeeled apple slices to a peanut butter sandwich.
Veggie: Spear cherry tomatoes on toothpicks with cubes of cheese.

Thursday
Color: Orange/Yellow
Fruit: Top cottage cheese with fresh apricot slices.
Veggie: Sweeten up cooked carrots with butter and brown sugar.

STUCK INSIDE? CHECK OUT THESE ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS!

Stuck inside on a rainy day? Feeling tired and don't want to get up to go to the park with your kids? No worries!

Check out these cool indoor crafts and activities that can keep your baby or toddler busy! With a few simple materials, your little ones will be entertained for hours-and you can lounge out on the couch! :)

We found this article on www.parenting.com**

Stick 'em Up

What you'll need: Pad of sticky notes, crayons

Best for: 1 and up

• Stick a few rows of notes to a wall or the side of your desk and have your toddler take them off and put them back up again (and again!).
• Hand your older toddler a pad of notes and a few crayons and say, "Would you draw a picture on each, and then decorate this door?"
• Write a number from 1 to 20 or an individual letter -- from the alphabet, or just the ones in your child's name -- on each sticky note. Place the numbers or letters out of order on the wall and challenge your preschooler to put them in order.
• If your child counts but doesn't yet recognize numbers, put one star on one note, two stars on the next one, and so forth. Then he can also line up his notes by the number of stars.

Souped-up Stickers

What you'll need: Paper, two or three sheets of different stickers
Best for: 18 months and up

• Draw small shapes and letters on the piece of paper. Toddlers can simply cover each shape or letter with a sticker.
• Preschoolers can follow a key: Dog stickers go over the letter "D," for example, or stars on top of every "S.

Mythical Creatures

What you'll need: Kid-safe scissors, catalogs, glue stick, paper, crayons
Best for: 2 and up

• Have your child cut out pictures of people and animals. (You'll probably do the cutting for a toddler.) Cut heads off bodies.
• Your child can mix and match heads and bodies and glue them to the paper, or draw his own bodies after gluing the heads.

Little Weavers

What you'll need: Six rubber bands, sturdy cardboard or notebook, pencils, kid-safe scissors, paper
Best for: 2 and up

• Place the rubber bands around a piece of cardboard. Toddlers can "weave" pencils over and under the rubber bands.
• Preschoolers can cut strips of paper and weave these into the bands.

Polka-dot Masterpiece

What you'll need: Paper punch, paper, envelope, glue stick
Best for: 3 and up

• Punch out a few dozen holes and put them in an envelope for your preschooler. She can glue the circles onto another piece of paper.
• When she's done, tape the paper with the punched-out holes onto another piece of paper; let her use it as a stencil by coloring in all the holes.

GREAT WEBSITES FOR ONLINES COUPONS!

It's Hip Hop, Baby! totally understands the importance and need of finding bargains and steals whenever possible!

Saving money on anything can really make a Mom's day! Finding coupons and amazing deals on anything you may need for your family can only be a click away!

On Parenting.com, we found an article that featured their favorite online coupons websites as well as super deals on diapers, foods and other products!

Check it out and start saving!

Coupons:

www.flamangoworld.com
www.couponcabin.com
www.couponmountain.com
www.thecouponclippers.com
www.savingsmania.com
www.retailmenot.com
www.swapbabygoods.com

Read the full articles for other cool deals!

http://www.parenting.com/article/Mom/Work--Family/Coupons-for-Mom-1000066036

CHECK OUT IT'S HIP HOP, BABY! AT THE TASTE OF CHICAGO 2009!

CHICAGOLAND PARENTS!!!

It's Hip Hop, Baby! will be performing at the Taste of Chicago 2009!



FRIDAY, JULY 3!

***Show Times: 12:10pm, 1:40pm, 2:55pm

Bring your toddlers and children out for a wonderful day in beautiful Grant Park in Downtown Chicago!

There will be plenty of action and excitement at one of the most memorable events of Chicago's summer: The Taste!

We will have a stage just for your children to dance on with the kids from the It's Hip Hop, Baby! DVDs and CDs!

Miss Dre will host the show with a fun-filled dance routine and plenty of expertise to teach your kids some moves!

Come out for the perfect family outing and support It's Hip Hop, Baby!

***Look for "The Fun Stage" on the Southwest corner of Columbus and Jackson!

***Parking Garages: Millennium Park, East Monroe, or Grant Park

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

GREAT FOODS FOR EATING AND EVEN BETTER FOR TEACHING!!

Here at It's Hip Hop, Baby! we're all about teaching toddlers and children in the most effective and fun ways!

Check out this article we found at www.parenting.com about 6 cool foods that are wonderful for teaching your toddler about the world around them!



These foods are great for learning colors, numbers and more!

Your toddler won't mind learning when it tastes so good!

Here's the list!

1. Jell-O (colors)
2. Earth's Best Letter of the Day Cookies (letters)
3. Keebler Graham Bug Bites (insects)
4. Cheez-It Scrabble Junior (letters)
5. Fruit Roll Up Stickerz (colors)
6. Campbell's Chicken Alphabet Soup (letters)

Click this link to see the full slide show!

http://www.parenting.com/recipes-gallery/Recipes/7-Snacks-that-Teach