Mama Smiles

Joyful Parenting

MaryAnne at Mama Smiles Welcome to my blog! I'm MaryAnne, and I write about building a rewarding family life through mindful parenting and educational and creative family activities. Learn more.

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End Picky Eating Now: Simple Ways to Help Your Fussy Eater

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How to deal with picky eaters: simple steps to help your fussy eater who won't eat strong flavors or avoids textures. Today's post is a guest article written by my pediatrician blogger friend, Dr. Orlena Kerek. My kids eat really well now, but a few years back it sometimes felt like one of my kids in particular wouldn't eat anything! Orlena has some fantastic advice for … [Read more...] about End Picky Eating Now: Simple Ways to Help Your Fussy Eater

How to Make a Weighted Blanket Sewing Tutorial (Sensory Friendly)

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Tutorial for sewing a weighted blanket. Newly updated. A couple weeks ago one of my sisters mentioned that she wanted a weighted blanket for her son, who has some sensory issues.  Weighted blankets are pretty expensive, so I said I would look into how to make a weighted blanket. I slept on it for a couple nights, and came up with this very effective method. I was … [Read more...] about How to Make a Weighted Blanket Sewing Tutorial (Sensory Friendly)

Winter Fun for Kids: Bring in the Snow for Winter Sensory Play!

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Do you have kids who love to play in the snow, but they don't feel well or you just can't keep dressing them up to go out for two minutes? Try bringing in snow to play with indoors! Winter sensory play brilliance! We don't see much snow since we moved to sunny California, but back when we lived in Massachusetts it was a fixture of our lives for months on end. The kids … [Read more...] about Winter Fun for Kids: Bring in the Snow for Winter Sensory Play!

Family Volunteer Day: Simple Ways to Volunteer as a Family

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Family Volunteer Day is a great way to move the focus from getting to giving during the holiday season. I love these simple ways to volunteer as a family. Sponsored post. Every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Disney and generationOn sponsor a Family Volunteer Day. This year they’re sponsoring this post to raise awareness about the event and to help families see … [Read more...] about Family Volunteer Day: Simple Ways to Volunteer as a Family

A Storytelling Routine to Help Kids Get Ready for Bed

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Help kids get ready for bed without fussing thanks to this brilliant storytelling routine. Perfect for over-tired kids who are resisting sleep. I wouldn't say that any of my children are exactly fans of bedtime, but five-year-old Anna finds it especially despicable. This is particularly true when she is excessively tired, and desperately needs to sleep. Thankfully, my … [Read more...] about A Storytelling Routine to Help Kids Get Ready for Bed