Category Archives: Age 7-10

Little Girl Fashion Guide: 4 Adorable Ballet Flats for Little Girls

Age 3-5, Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Fashion & Style, Style Guide, , , ,

Gone are the days when little girls run around in ‘play shoes’ all day, every day. Now little girls, at least mine, want to wear cute shoes whenever they can.  My daughter plays dress up and when some girls might want to wear mom’s high heels, my daughter is perfectly happy in a pair of sparkly ballet flats.

Here are a few of my daughter’s favorite ballet flats.. as of today. 🙂

Little Girl Ballet Flats

1 – OLD SOLES Kids’ Cruise Ballet Shoes (Powder Pink) at Shoes.com – $60

2 – Lelli Kelly Kids’ Fiocco Fluo Shoes (Orange) at Shoes.com – $40

3 – Cole Haan Kids’ Air Tali Buckle  Shoes (Black) at Shoes.com – $64

4 – Sam Edelman Kids’ Fiona (Silver Glitter) at Shoes.com – $50

Does your daughter have a favorite shoe style?

Alicia, The Mommy Insider blog author

4 Reasons Kids Should Wear Sunglasses + 4 Cute Pairs of Kids Sunglasses!

Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Alicia's Corner, Health, Travel,

On a perfect summer day you and your children are walking into Disney World. You’ve been planning this adventure for months. On your way into the park, you do a last minute check of your bag. Do you have everything? Food, extra clothes, sunblock, and a pair of Ray-Ban Junior glasses?

Why would your child need a pair of sunglasses? For the same reason you need them, for protection from Ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Many people are aware that UV rays can cause sunburns, skin damage, and even cancer.  Less of us are aware that too much sun can cause sunburns on the cornea.  This is a painful reminder to kids and adults to wear sunglasses, but it heals eventually. What doesn’t heal over time are the long-term effects of too much UV. UV is a contributing factor to eye diseases like cataracts. When parents protect their child’s eyes with high-quality sunglasses, they reduce the risk that their child will develop eye problems later in life.

Now all of this may be a lot to think about on a summer day at Disney World.  But during the spring and summer months it is especially important to protect your baby or older child from too much sun. Unfortunately, children are at more risk for eye damage than adults. They are still growing and have less natural eye protection. They are also outside more than adults and have greater sun exposure than Mom and Dad.

How Not Wearing Sunglasses Can Be Harmful for your Child:

  1. Squinting requires muscle activity and can be a contributor to a child’s headache and twitching eyes because (contraction of the muscles).
    Adults should keep in mind that wearing sunglasses will cut down on crows’ feet around their eyes.
  2. UV exposure is harmful to the eyes as well as the skin – Source: Webmd.com
  3. After a long day in the sun, your child’s eyes may be bloodshot, swollen, and light-sensitive. – Source: Webmd.com
  4. Many ophthalmologists educate parents about not only the long-term health risks from UV exposure, such as cataracts, but short-term benefits of wearing sunglasses such as being able to see better in very sunny situations such as on the beach or in an area with a lot of concrete sidewalks such as Disney World, a popular summer vacation destination.

Fortunately, several companies make kids’ sunglasses that are stylish, cool and kid-proof. Ray-Ban Junior, RealKidsShades.com, and Julbo Kids Sunglasses, all offer excellent eyewear options for children.

Here are a few kids sunglasses worth taking a look at

 

Kids Sunglasses

1 – Ray-Ban 65mm Shield Sunglasses (Big Boys) Grey/ Green One Size at Macy’s

2 – Julbo Looping III Sunglasses – Girls’ at REI

3 – Chili’s Jellie Sunglasses at REI

4 – Baby & Kids Sun Smarties Sunglasses with Strap at One Step Ahead

When shopping for your children, look for glasses that are designed for kids with a pair of straps. Adult glasses may not offer the same level of sun protection.  Ray-Ban Junior offers the same level of quality they have on their adult products, but sized for kids.  Julbo Kids Sunglasses offer fun, functional products that are shock-resistant with customized kids frames.  At RealKidsShades.com, you can find products that are comfortable, durable and cool. All these companies offer straps for their glasses.

It can be tempting to buy a pair of toy shades for your little one. Toys only give your baby the illusion of protection during hot summer months. Vendors like RealKidsshades.com offer quality products that have 99-100% UV protection and sturdy construction.

Now is the time to teach your children to take care of their eyes by using quality sunglasses. Just like eating right, if you set the example now, you’ll be giving them a great foundation in life.

 

 

 

St. Patrick’s Day History for Kids and Printable Coloring Pages & Activities

Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Alicia's Corner, Crafts, Holiday, , , ,

St. Patrick’s Day is a fun holiday for both children and adults. It is one of my husband’s favorite holidays.

To understand what is special about this holiday kids should learn about the man it was named after. When Patrick was 16 years old he was captured by Irish raiders and sold into slavery. During his time in slavery his faith in God became strong. After 6 years he escaped and returned to his family. Patrick became a priest and was later sent to Ireland. Patrick wasn’t always treated well in Ireland and endured many hardships. He still managed to win many converts to Christianity and established several schools, churches, and monasteries.

The color originally associated with St. Patrick’s Day was blue. The knights of the Order of St. Patrick wore blue. Some legends say that the color representing St. Patrick was changed to green because it represented Ireland’s independence.

There are many legends surrounding St. Patrick. He supposedly drove away all the snakes that were in Ireland and he reportedly used a three leaf clover to explain the Holy Trinity. He was born in Britain in the fourth century and is usually given credit for bringing the written word to Ireland.
Legend says he died on March 17, in the 5th century. This day celebrates Christianity coming to Ireland. Children traditionally wear green, orange, and white badges to celebrate. Today kids try to pinch each other if they don’t wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. Many people eat corned beef and cabbage on this day in the United States. However, pork is a more popular dish among the Irish.

St. Patrick’s Day was first celebrated in the United States in Boston in 1737. Although St. Patrick’s Day is not a legal holiday in the United States, it is a public holiday in Ireland.

Help your kids get excited about St. Patrick’s Day by decorating the house, wearing green clothes, making St. Patrick’s Day crafts, printable coloring pages, and printable St. Patrick’s Day activities.

St. Patrick's Day coloring pages, cookies, crafts, and activities for kids

Here are a few fun St. Patrick’s Day recipes, coloring pages and activites:

Oscar de la Renta Knows How to Dress a Child for the Holidays!

Age 1-3, Age 3-5, Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Ages 10-13,

Oscar de la Renta..a name I grew up familiar with.  Not because I wore Oscar de la Renta clothes as a child but because the store my mother shopped at sold Oscar de la Renta and I would play in the isles while she tried on what seemed to be endless amounts of clothing and shoes.

When I cam across their winter children’s wear line recently, I fell in love in an instant.  The designs are gorgeously classic and the pieces are timeless fashion statements.

Here are two outfits I put together for my son and daughter:

Oscar de la Renta children's clothing
My Favorite Oscar de la Renta Children's Holiday Outfit for my daugther

This outfit’s main piece is the Plaid Gathered Sleeve Dress – $325

The ballet shoes are the icing on the cake.  The Sabrina ballet flats are crafted in Spain with luxurious velvet, leather soles and finished with a dainty bow. With styling so classic, your daughter will be able to wear these flats with jeans, a tutu, or her favorite dress.

Did you know that Oscar de la Renta has coordinating outfits for little girls and boys!  Maybe that’s the stitch that will bind my two together.. finally?

Sebastian, my 13 year old son, likes to wear stylish button down shirts but he pairs them with cargo pants most of the time.  That’s a little painful for me to see.  Better than basketball shorts to school every day though, isn’t it?

Here is the outfit that I picked out for my son:

Oscar de la Renta children's wear - Boys
My pick of Oscar de la Renta clothes for my son

The small check plaid shirt is right up Sebastian’s alley.  He loves checks and plaids.  I would totally wear this Cashmere V-Neck Sweater when he’s not wearing it but seeing as how he loves soft sweaters, I think my opportunities would be slim.  And don’t these shoes look so cool.. and comfortable?

 

What I love about Oscar de la Renta’s pieces is that they can be passed down from generation to generation.  It’s not just the classic designs of his children’s clothing, but the quality that make the pieces timeless, don’t you agree?  Some parents may wonder if they will get their return on investment if they buy their child an Oscar de la Renta dress or sweater.  Remember, that dress or sweater will be worn many times, and will likely be handed down or given to a family member who’s child will also wear it many times.

Do you already have your children’s holiday clothes picked out?

4 Adorable Winter Capes for Little Girls

Age 3-5, Age 5-7, Age 7-10, , , ,

 

4 cute winter capes for girls

1 – Baby Girls Ivory Faux Fur Ribbon Special Occasion Cape Jacket – $37.49 on Amazon.com

2 – Roxy Kids Sweater, Little Girls Cable Knit Poncho – On sale for $34.50 from $46.00 at Macys.com

3 – Kids Wool Cape – $74 at American Apparel

4 – Fuloon Newborn Baby Toddler Girl Fleece Hoodie Cape Coat – $25.99 on Amazon.com

 

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