Category — Family Fun

Image: Flickr user GetHiroshima

It’s not quite Halloween yet (school’s barely gotten started!), but National Costume Swap Day is right around the corner. On October 8^th, families across the country will be getting together to exchange gently used Halloween costumes at events sponsored by KIWI magazine, Green Halloween, and Swap.com. And there are plenty of good reasons to take part: In addition to saving the money you would’ve spent on new costumes for your kids, you’ll also be doing something to help the environment. In fact, swapping half the costumes kids wear at Halloween would reduce annual landfill waste by 6,250 tons—about the weight of 2,500 midsize cars!

Many neighborhoods and towns have already begun planning their swaps, but you can start one from scratch in your area, too. Either way, consider these tips for making your community swap an eek-o fabulous success:

Collect costumes It’s best to have a small variety of costumes available so that people who arrive at the beginning of the swap have choices. Put out a call at your school, church, or neighborhood association, or see what’s available at local thrift stores. No matter where the costumes come from, make sure they’re in good condition with no significant tears, holes, or stains.

Make it an event In addition to swapping costumes, bring in more fun with games, face painting, or a craft station where kids can decorate their own reusable Halloween bags. You can even hold a bake sale with (healthy) Halloween-themed treats and donate the proceeds to a local charity.

Stay organized When parents and kids bring their old costumes, hang them on a rack or lay them on tables organized by size so that people won’t have to sift through messy boxes.

Stage a changing area or remind kids to come in swimsuits or long underwear so they’re able to try on costumes before taking them home.

Ready to get started? Find existing swaps—plus information to help you start your own at CostumeSwapDay.com.

-Marygrace, staff writer

Image via flickr user Bedtime Champ

American Family Day isn’t exactly a major holiday—or even, it seems, much of a minor one. Though it’s been observed on the first Sunday in August since 1978, you never see those store displays overflowing with decorations and treats like you do for most other holidays. In fact, I’m not sure Hallmark even acknowledges the day, which is funny, considering they churn out cards for other Really? holidays like Citizenship Day (September 17^th) or National Doctors’ Day (March 30^th).

On second thought, I should check. I mean, Hallmark usually has every holiday in existence covered.

I was right. American Family Day is not featured on Hallmark’s list of holidays and occasions!

Still, with camp, play dates, lessons, sports practice, work, and more, dedicating an entire day to spending time as a family probably happens (much) less often than we’d like. So even if the idea of a holiday to celebrate family feels a little cheesy, setting aside one day where parents and kids hang out and appreciate each other is definitely a good thing.

And you don’t just have to play board games, either. (Though you can if you want to! I’d play Scrabble with my family all day if they were willing to indulge me.) Some ideas for fantastic family fun:

Get to know the outdoors If the weather isn’t unbearably hot, why not take on an educational adventure like bird-watching or stargazing?

Cook! Let each family member plan one meal course, then get in the kitchen and whip up an old-fashioned Sunday supper. Cheesy Zucchini Fingers make a tasty appetizer!

Preserve your memories You know once you crack open one photo album you’ll end up spending the whole afternoon going through all the rest of them anyway, so why not make an event of it? Go through your old pictures and make a family scrapbook—you’re guaranteed spend hours laughing at silly baby pictures and embarrassing fashion choices.

-Marygrace, staff writer

Image via Flickr user Atvance under a Creative Commons license

Here we are, in the dog days of summer. If the novelty of hitting the pool is starting to wear off, shake up your family’s summer vacation routine with these fun, inexpensive ideas.

• Visit a local stable to learn how horses are cared for. Find out if you can bring carrot sticks or rolled oats to feed them.
• Have a green birthday party for everyone in your family—call it Everybody’s Birthday Day.
• Hang an old sheet on a clotheslines, then fill spray bottles with a mixture of nontoxic paint and water. Spray away for a unique, colorful masterpiece!
• Make ice pops with 100% fruit juice.
• Become citizen scientists by collecting data for environmental researchers—right in your backyard!
• Turn your garage into a neighborhood theater and put on a play.
• Throw a tea party.
• Blow homemade bubbles: Add ½ cup natural dish liquid and 2 teaspoons sugar to 1 ½ cups water and mix well. For colored bubbles, add a few drops of natural food coloring!
• Make dreamcatchers.
• Give your child a set budget (say, $10), then head over to a local thrift store and have her pick out the wackiest items he can. Come home, dress up, and have a photo shoot.
• Pick fruit at a local farm, then bring it home to make pie or jam.
• Attend a parents and kids yoga class.
• Set up a movie theater in your own backyard and watch your family’s favorite flick after the sun goes down.
• Take a bird watching walk with an expert. Contact your local Audobon Society chapter to find bird watching events near you.
• Make rainbow cake—but don’ forget to use natural food coloring!
• Decorate tote bags with buttons, rick rack, and natural paint. Then head to the library and check out as many books as will fit in your bags. Try to read them all before they have to be returned!
• Help furry friends in need by volunteering at a local animal shelter.
• Make pizza from scratch. See if you can toss the dough over your head without making (too much) mess!
• Learn how to make balloon animals, then set up a free sidewalk stand to give the creatures away.
• Set up a fort in your backyard and camp out under the stars. If possible, roast marshmallows.

What are your favorite frugal summertime activities?

-Marygrace, staff writer

Now that summer is officially here, it’s a good time to talk about watering the garden. If you’re a new gardener, you may have no idea what kind of watering routine is necessary. While it’s not totally rocket science, you still have to walk a fine line between too much water and not enough.

Best Time of Day to Water

The best time to water is in the morning before the sun gets too high in the sky so that plants are able to soak up the water as they need it during the heat of the day. The next-best time to water is in the early evening, but be sure to water the base of the plants—not the leaves. If the leaves stay wet during the night, you’re creating a welcoming environment for disease and fungus. The worst time to water is in the middle of the day. It’s wasteful because the water will evaporate before it does your garden any good.

How Often to Give Your Plants a Drink

The best way to tell if your garden needs watering is to stick your finger in the soil. Get down about 3 inches or more. If the soil is dry, it’s time to water. It’s like putting a toothpick in a cake to see if it’s done. Gardeners will often give their garden a good soaking once a week, leaving the water on for a few hours. This lets the water soak deep into the soil and encourages healthy root growth. A superficial sprinkling every day will encourage surface growth, and your plants won’t be as robust as they could be. If you wait until your plants look dry and thirsty, you may have waited too long. On the other side of the coin, if you water too much and too frequently, the soil will get soggy, which can cause the roots of your plants to rot.

The general rule is that your garden needs about an inch of water per week. The easiest way to figure out what this actually means for your garden is to get a sprinkler and a rain gauge. Leave the sprinkler on until your gauge fills up an inch. Make a note of how long it takes to get an inch, and there you go: You know how long to leave the sprinkler on.

How I Water My Garden

In my garden, I use a combination of drip hoses, sprinklers, and hand watering. But the most important tool for me is a mechanical water timer that shuts the water off automatically after a certain period of time. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. More times than I’d like to admit, I flooded my garden by forgetting to turn off the water. One year, I flooded so many times that I had moss growing between the plants. So now I always use a timer. Gardening is always a learning process.

Why Mulch Is Magic

I cannot stress enough the importance of mulch, especially when it comes to water conservation. A nice thick layer of straw, shredded leaves, or organic compost is a great way to retain moisture in the soil, so you won’t have to water as often. BONUS: A thick layer of mulch will almost eliminate the need to weed your garden.

How to Get Your Kids Involved

Kids love water—at least my daughter does. She wants to play with the hose every chance she gets. She calls it “water games.” But of course water is our most precious resource and should not be wasted. My wife and I try to use these water games to teach her about water, water usage, and water conservation. We tell her how lucky we are to have access to clean water the way we do, and how we can’t take it for granted. She’s a smart kid, so on some level she gets it, but a lot of the time it just turns into fun with a hose.

I mentioned in an earlier blog post that she has her own raised bed in our garden, so she has a keen interest in making sure her plants have water, although she has a tendency to give them a little too much.  She also seems to think that earthworms love swimming, so there have been many times that I’ve rescued these poor creatures from a watery fate. I love when she helps me water the garden, but inevitably she will catch me off guard and get me with a cold blast of water.

For more tips on smart watering practices, visit Organic Gardening.

-Eric Hurlock is the online editor at Organic Gardening magazine. He lives and gardens in Chester County, PA, with his wife, daughter, and new baby. Follow his Real World Gardener blog at http://organicgardening.com/blogs/realworldgardener.

Summertime in New York City is no joke—it’s hot, humid, and there is virtually no breeze. Top all that off with roughly 8 million people jammed onto one very small island and you’ve got a recipe for one sticky, sweaty summer. These days, most buildings come with central air, but what if you don’t have air conditioning or simply don’t want to run it as often? Here, a few eco-friendly (and economic) ways to keep the whole family cool—without cranking up the A/C.

Get outside early The morning can be a great time to get out and get some exercise—and the earlier the better. Have your child help you pack a picnic of breakfast foods to take to the park, or take your bikes out and ride around the neighborhood—getting kids outside before the temperatures start to rise will keep them active during the summer months and help avoid the inevitable crankiness and discomfort that the late-afternoon hot weather can dredge up.

Keep your house as cool as possible It may seem counterintuitive, but keep shades drawn and windows closed during the day, since sunlight streaming through your windows can create a mini greenhouse effect in your home, and leaving windows open lets warm air in and cool air out. At night, keep your windows wide open—as long as the nighttime air is cooler than the air inside your home—this will allow cool air to circulate and help keep your house cool during the day. Another tip? Plant a tree—or place a big potted plant—along the side of the house or in front of the windows to absorb some of the sun’s rays.

Eat cold snacks Just like drinking cold beverages, eating cold foods can help cool your body from the inside out on a hot day. Frozen grapes are still one of my favorite summertime snacks, or have your child help make lemonade pops or a cold soup. If you do cook, try to avoid using the stove or oven, as they’ll only heat your home up more. In fact, try to keep most electronics and appliances off and unplugged (even when in standby mode, they tend to stay hot).

Keep plenty of water on hand It may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s definitely worth repeating—water is the easiest way to stay cool. Whether taking the kids for a dip at the pool or downing an icy beverage, you’ll feel immediate relief. Not up for swimming, but still want to get your child outside? Soak his t-shirt in water before going outdoors—just make sure it’s lukewarm, as cold water can sometimes be too chilly. At night, give kids a cool bath before putting them in cotton or linen jammies—these natural fabrics tend to be more lightweight and breathable than fabrics made from synthetic fibers like nylon or polyester.

What about you? How do you keep your family cool in the summer?

-Dana, KIWI Intern

I’ve been an allergy-sufferer for almost my entire life. Dogs, dust mites, grass—you name it, I’m probably allergic to it. (As my allergist put it to me at the tender age of five: “You probably shouldn’t have any animals in the house… But you can still hug the trees!” I was devastated.) So I can relate to parents who may be hesitant to introduce a pet to their young child—especially if they themselves have ever suffered from being around animals (itchy eyes, itchy nose, itchy throat—so much itching.)

However, you may want to think twice before deciding against that four-legged companion completely. A recent study suggests that not only is it unlikely that being around a dog or a cat for most of the childhood years will increase a child’s chances of developing allergies as some studies have shown, but early exposure could actually lower the risk.

Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit studied 565 18-year-olds who had been followed from birth. They found that teens who had cats during their first year of life had 50 percent less chance of developing pet allergies later, compared to babies born into cat-free homes. Boys who lived with a dog during the first year of life had about half the risk of developing allergies as compared to those without a dog in the house, though, oddly, this wasn’t true for girls—a fact that researchers were unable to explain.

In fact, being exposed to pets anytime after the first year of life seemed to have no effect on allergy risk at all, which, researchers feel indicates that a baby’s first year is a critical time when it comes to the possibility of a child developing pet allergies. The reason for this? Researchers believe it may lie in the “hygiene theory”—the idea that early exposure to certain environmental factors, like dust or animal dander, might trigger the immune system to develop a tolerance for common allergens, therefore reducing the likelihood of a child developing sensitivities.

Still, researchers are quick to point out that even though the study indicates that having pets early in life could help protect kids from allergies, this doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship—meaning you probably shouldn’t rush out to get a pet in the hopes that it’ll make your child immune to pet allergies. However, if you’re planning on getting a pet, it might be better to get one sooner rather than later.

Fortunately for me, my allergies have never been life threatening, and my mom agreed to keeping pets in the house, so long as my symptoms didn’t get out of hand. To this day, I live quite happily with a cat of my own, and though I still take a pill everyday to help relieve some of that awful itching, I’m an animal lover and a pet owner, and I wouldn’t have grown up any other way.

What about you? Did you grow up with animals and allergies? Do you think exposing your child early in life to common allergens could prevent them from developing allergy symptoms later in life?

-Dana, KIWI Intern

Finished bean teepee

In my last post here at Kiwi, I wrote about gardening with my daughter; I mentioned that we were going to build a teepee for our beans to climb up. And by design, it’ll be a fort for my daughter to play in—a shady secret hideaway for the hot summer days that are right around the corner.

So much has happened since my last Kiwi blog—most importantly, the birth of our second child. The company I work for has a very generous paternity leave policy and I was able to be home with my family for two weeks, during which time my toddler and I finally built the teepee that we’d been dreaming about all winter.

Materials you’ll need:

• 10 bamboo poles, roughly 8 to 10 feet in length.
• A ball of twine
• 4 wooden stakes
• Pole bean seeds
• Organic compost
• Mulch

Tools you’ll need:

• Hammer
• Knife
• Ladder
• Shovel

Bamboo is usually pretty easy to find. Most people who have bamboo growing on their property are more than happy to let you cut some. You might also be able to buy sticks of bamboo at a garden store.

Take four of the bamboo poles and tie them together in a bundle at one end using the twine (I used the twine from bales of straw, but you could probably use an old clothes line or some other kind of smallish rope.) Tie them together while they’re horizontal on the ground and then set the bundle vertical, spreading the four poles 4 to 5 feet from each other. This will form the basic support structure of the teepee—the four corners of the teepee, if you will.

I decided to stake these into the ground to prevent the teepee from blowing away once it’s covered with bean vines. I cut four 20-inch stakes out of a maple branch that fell in my yard over the winter, but you could use any kind of wood as long as it’s strong enough and long enough that it won’t pull out of the ground. Simply hammer a stake into the ground next to each bamboo pole and tie them off with twine.

Space the six remaining pieces of bamboo evenly around three sides of the structure, leaving one side open for a door. Push the ends of the poles into the ground about 6 inches. Tie them all together at the top. You may need a ladder.

Wrap the teepee with twine in a spiral fashion to give the vines more support as they climb their way to the top.

After I built the teepee, I ripped out the grass around the base and dug a trench. I loosened up the soil and added compost from my compost pile. A few days later, my daughter and I planted bean seeds in the fresh soil, spacing them every 6 inches. We kept the seeds moist over the next few days (which was easy because it has rained an awful lot in southeastern Pennsylvania this spring). In about a week, the beans sprouted. When they get a little bigger, I’ll mulch around them to keep the weeds down and to retain moisture in the soil.

Make sure you plant pole beans rather than bush beans. We planted three different varieties: ‘Blue Lake’, ‘Turkey Craw’, and ‘Kentucky Wonder’.

There is a chance that I’m a little more excited about the teepee than my daughter is, but in a few months when it looks more like a secret hideout, I think she’ll come around.

-Eric Hurlock is the online editor at Organic Gardening magazine. He lives and gardens in Chester County, PA, with his wife, daughter, and new baby. Follow his Real World Gardener blog at http://organicgardening.com/blogs/realworldgardener.

Every year in May, the League of American Bicyclists sponsors National Bike Month—giving riders a chance to celebrate an activity that’s good for the body and the planet. And with warm weather starting to arrive, now’s the perfect time for the whole family to dust off their bikes and hit the pavement. But before you head out, you and your child might want to freshen up on safety and riding skills first. So whether your little one is setting out to learn on her first set of training wheels, or your big kid’s gearing up to try out his brand new 10-speed, we’ve got tips for parents of riders of all ages.

Give your bike a proper tune up Just like a car that hasn’t been used in several months, you want to make sure your bike is in good working order before hitting the road. Have your child help pump air into the tires, check reflectors and headlights (or attach them if you haven’t already), and check the brakes and handlebars. You also want to make sure the seat is properly secured and that the chains are oiled and good to go. The League of American Bicyclists offers easy-to-understand tips and instructions for bike upkeep at bikeleague.org/resources/better/maintenance.php.

Wear a helmet This may seem obvious, but it’s certainly a safety rule worth repeating, since according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 91 percent of bicyclists killed in 2009 reportedly weren’t wearing helmets. If you establish–and enforce–a helmet rule as soon as your child starts riding, it will become a habit for life. And if she seems resistant to the idea because she thinks helmets are ugly or uncomfortable, talk to her about why you want her to protect her head. While there’s not much on the market in terms of eco-friendly helmets, you can find helmet-buying tips and advice, as well as a list of the Consumer Reports top rated bike helmets for kids at and adults, at squidoo.com/kids-bike-helmets. And if your child chooses a helmet himself, it might be more likely he’ll want to wear it.

Follow the rules of the road Explain to your child that even if they’re on two wheels instead of four, bicycle riders have to follow the same rules as cars and buses, and then some! Make your child feel like she’s part of a special club now that she’s big enough to ride a bike (riding on the right side of the road and following traffic signs are for everyone—wearing bright colored clothes and a helmet are special rules for kids in the Bike Riding Club only!). Need to brush up on your bike safety rules? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a list of riding tips for parents and kids.

Practice, practice, practice! Take your younger child to a school or church parking lot to get a handle on the basics, like starting and stopping, and looking both ways before crossing a street. Even if your little one is still on training wheels, this is good practice for when she decides to take them off. If your child is on two wheels, have him ride in a circle, as well as a straight line, to master balance; and then along a painted line while looking back at you without swerving, to get the hang of straight-riding. Remind him to keep an eye out for possible dangers, like potholes or broken pavement.

Plan a neighborhood ride Once your child seems comfortable and ready to ride, map out a neighborhood ride to take together. Encourage her to take the lead, finding the best routes to take to get to school or a friend’s house—this will enable her to put the new rules she’s learned to use. Or check out websites like traillink.com or maps.google.com to find nearby bike trails you can hit together.

Bike riding can be a fun and healthy activity for the whole family, and the safer and more prepared everyone is, the better! For more bicycle safety and maintenance advice, during National Bike Month and all year along, visit bikeleague.org.

 
-Dana, KIWI Intern

For me, there’s nothing quite like that wonderful feeling in early spring when the sun finally starts to make its way through all the gray, and you’re filled with the anticipation and excitement of knowing that long, sun-filled days spent outside are just around the corner. And recent research has found that this happiness most of us experience from being outdoors isn’t only in our minds—turns out, nature is an essential component for good health, too.

According to University of Illinois environment and behavior researcher Frances “Ming” Kuo, a closer look at research done throughout the past decade has repeatedly shown that access to nature and green spaces actually improves health—physically and mentally—regardless of factors like age or income. “In greener settings, we find that people are more generous and more sociable. We find stronger neighborhood social ties and greater sense of community, more mutual trust and willingness to help others,” Kuo said in a news release.

Kuo’s research has found studies that show that more time spent outside can result in everything from a speedier recovery after surgery to better cognitive functioning, whereas a lack of access to nature has been linked to higher rates of anxiety, clinical depression and childhood obesity. So the next time your child’s ready to settle down in front of the TV or computer, suggest heading outdoors to play instead. Getting outside will improve your family’s overall wellbeing, and might even inspire a lifelong appreciation of wildlife and nature in your child. A few fun activities to try:

Start a collection When I was growing up, I had what I thought was the world’s coolest rock collection. Granted, most of them were pebbles I’d found on the playground at school, but that hobby definitely got me outside looking for potential new additions. Whether it’s rocks, bugs, or leaves, starting a collection of some of nature’s finest goodies will not only get your child outside, it will make her want to be there.

Play good old-fashioned games Classic outdoor games like red rover, red light-green light, and flashlight tag are not only tons of fun, they’re a great way to get families outside and moving together. If you’re feeling really inspired, help your child plan a neighborhood scavenger or treasure hunt with friends.

Write a book Whether it’s a pretty plant at a nearby park, or that cute squirrel in your backyard your child has adopted as his own, Mother Nature offers plenty of story ideas to creative minds. Next time your child wants to go outside, have him print this wildlife watch journaling activity from the National Wildlife Federation’s website—little nature lovers can write down the different animals and plants they see and write a story about them, then they can upload stories and photos to share with other outdoor enthusiasts.

Turn nature into works of art Even if your child isn’t necessarily on his way to becoming the next Monet, suggest he take his next art project to the great outdoors. You can collect and press dry flowers, make leaf prints with all-natural ink and foam stamps, or even make watercolors with fresh-picked berries—all you need are some mashed up berries and a paint brush (plus plenty of newspaper, to avoid major messes!).

What about you? Now that the weather’s (finally) taken a turn for the better, how do you and your family plan on spending time outside?

-Dana, KIWI Intern

My daughter watering the seedlings

As a dedicated father and organic gardener, I can safely say that my daughter will not be one of those kids who grows up not knowing where vegetables come from. She’s two and half (32 months actually) and she’s already an accomplished gardener. A year ago, she planted her first row of potatoes. It was great—she said goodnight to each little spud as she covered it with dirt. What else would you say when you’re putting something in a bed?

A few months later while we were eating homemade mashed potatoes, I asked her where these potatoes came from.

She said knowingly, “The garden.”

And who grew these potatoes?

“I did.”

So far this year, we’ve planted our peas and onions, and we’ve started lots of seeds indoors under a light in the basement. Every day we go down the musty steps of this old farmhouse to spray our little seedlings. She is completely invested in the well-being of these plants; from the tiny basil sprouts to the robust zucchini seedlings, she knows that at some point we’re going to eat good food thanks to these plants.

Potatoes and onions!

Gardening with kids, in my opinion, is one of the most important ways to teach a child how to engage with the world. The child learns nurturing, caring, and compassion. Gardening teaches patience, rhythm, and the importance of timing. A kid in a garden will be connected to nature in a way that a kid with a video game or a plastic action figure never will be. And besides, what’s more fun than playing in dirt?

Here are a few ideas to get you and your kiddo started in your own garden.

Bean teepee I usually make a bamboo tripod to support the climbing vines of bean plants. But this year, I’m going to go a step further and build a teepee just outside the garden fence next to Iris’s sliding board. It’ll be about eight feet tall and by the middle of summer will be covered by a thick green and growing mass of bean vines, creating a fun and shady fort for us to play in all season long. And at the end of the summer, we’ll harvest the beans.

A Raised Bed Think of a raised bed garden sort of like a sandbox, except you play from the edge instead of actually climbing in. A four-foot by four-foot by twelve-inch box is all you really need for a small first garden. Build it from untreated pine boards, fill it with organic soil and compost, and you and your kids will have an awesome place to plant, dig, and grow together. This article from Organicgardening.com will tell you more about how to build and garden in a raised bed.

Real Tools Like most of you, I’m not a big fan of plastic—so I was excited to find kid-sized garden tools made of metal and wood. They feel real in your hand, which I think gives my daughter gets the sense that these are tools—not toys (but still lots of fun). And they’ll last a lot longer than plastic. We bought these the Rumford Gardener Kids Hand Tool Set. ($13, rumfordgardener.com)

What to Grow Here’s my Top Ten list of veggies and flowers that are easy to grow, fun to eat, or both.

• Peas Kids love cracking open the pods and eating the peas right in the garden.
• Potatoes Potatoes are fun because you have dig for them. It’s like digging for buried treasure.
• Carrots Growing carrots requires equal amounts of patience and faith.
• Beans Watch as these climbers grow higher and higher.
• Cucumbers The best reason to grow cucumbers: Pickles!
• Marigolds Sunshine, water, and love will turn a few seeds into beautiful flowers.
• Pumpkins Carving a jack-o-lantern from a pumpkin you grew yourself—priceless.
• Lettuce Leafy greens are easy to grow and are a great way to introduce kids to salads.
• Zinnias These are cut-and-come-again flowers. They’re easy to grow and look great in the garden and in a vase.
• Sunflowers Watch as these beautiful giants follow the sun across the sky.

Growing Organically While there’s much more to organic gardening than simply not using chemicals, when it comes to gardening with kids, being chemical-free is simply the way to go. Remember to use organic soil and compost, and be sure to buy seeds and seedlings that are GMO-free, as well. I like to get my seeds from High Mowing Organic Seeds. As for soil and compost, talk to your local garden center—most places will have an organic option. The other way to get organic compost is to make it yourselfwith leaves, grass clippings and organic food scraps from your kitchen.

For more ideas about gardening with kids from Organic Gardening magazine, check out our Gardening with Kids page.

Eric Hurlock is the online editor at Organic Gardening magazine. He lives and gardens in Chester County, PA, with his wife, daughter, and new baby. Follow his Real World Gardener blog at http://organicgardening.com/blogs/realworldgardener.

This Saturday, at 8:30 p.m., homes, businesses and landmarks around the world will go dark for one hour as part of a global campaign to raise awareness about energy use. Every year for the last five years, Earth Hour has challenged people to take off one full hour from electricity—no television, no computers and of course, no lights! Earth Hour 2010 reached 1.3 billion people and this year’s is shaping up to be the biggest one yet—the campaign’s website is reporting that a record-breaking 131 countries have registered to participate, with landmarks such as Times Square and The Eiffel Tower committing to go dark.

If you and your family haven’t participated in Earth Hour before, there’s no reason not to make this year the first of many to come. It’s a great way to start new traditions and to get kids thinking about how their actions can help fight climate change. Here, some electricity-free ways for you and your family to celebrate Earth Hour:

Enjoy treats by candlelight Invite friends and family over for after-dinner, no-bake goodies, like chocolate fondue or ice cream sundaes. Have everyone you invite bring their own candle, and make sure they arrive in time to have an Earth Hour “countdown” to a lights-free hour.

Have a game night Telephone, charades, hide-and-go seek—these classics all provide a great opportunity for families to let loose and spend time together. Have your child come up with a list of games they think would be extra fun to play in the dark, or, help him organize an in-the-dark scavenger hunt with friends.

Shadow puppet theater Help your child write and put on her own shadow puppet play. Or, have the whole family write down some story ideas or themes and draw them out of a hat to make an improv night out of it.

Picnic in the dark If it’s a nice, clear (and semi-warm!)  night, pack up and go for a picnic in the park or the backyard. Have your child print out a star chart to star gaze after dinner.

Make eco-friendly resolutions Spend your hour in the dark making Earth Hour resolutions—invite the whole family to write down two or three ways they can reduce their carbon footprints, then hang the list up on the fridge as a reminder throughout the year to be kinder to the planet. Next year, review your lists to see if you stuck to your commitments, then come up with a new set of eco-conscious resolutions.

For more info and more ideas on how you can spend your power-free hour, visit earthhour.org. And remember the message behind the campaign itself—even though you’re just one family you can still make a difference, especially by making green efforts all-year around.

-Dana, KIWI Intern

February is Heart Health Month, and I have discovered the absolute best way of lowering everyone’s stress (especially mine): I brought my dog Penny to work. Seriously, studies have shown that dogs can lower blood pressure and reduce stress, which are linked to heart disease. And Penny is doing a great job improving everyone’s heart health: She makes sure to visit all the staff members, even when they aren’t eating lunch. She is also available to be called over for a stress-reducing petting session at any moment. She’s very agreeable that way.

So to all of you with a furry friend and a lot on your plate: Give your pet a hug today! Penny says to.

—Sarah, editorial director

These three contests for kids are great because kids can learn about important things–cooking, ocean conservancy, and endangered species–while they work on their entries. Plus, of course, they can win great prizes!

* Next Great Young Chef. This is KIWI’s own cooking contest, and a really great way for kids who love to cook to show of their skills. Send in a video of your child cooking his or her original recipe for a chance to win cash and a feature in KIWI! Here’s a hint from one of the judges (me!): Have fun! It’s totally okay if your child is a little nervous, but if he looks like he likes cooking and sharing what he knows, we’ll be charmed. Entries are due May 31.

* Project Blue Planet. Kids can make a difference, and this contest proves it. Kids—always full of ideas, right?—come up with ways to protect our oceans, do research on it, and share what they’ve learned. The team with the best project wins a trip to the National Zoo in DC. This one is for a group of kids—classmates led by a teacher, or a group of homeschool kids led by a parent, or…get creative! You have to finish your project by April 30, so now’s a great time to get started.

* Endangered Species Art Project. Got a kid who loves to draw? He could win a trip to DC, too, in honor of Endangered Species Day on May 20. Kids in four different age categories (K-2nd grade, 3rd-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, 9th-12th grade) can submit their original drawings of an endangered species for a chance to win. Entries are due March 15, so hurry!

-Sarah, editorial director

If you are looking for the perfect gift for your little one- look no further. KAIKU, meaning “to grow” is a brand that knows how to provide your children with safe, active and meaningful designs. Designer Scot Herbst, a graduate of the Art Center College of Design, uses modern designs to create a variety of products such as modern furniture, consumer electrics, housewares and toys. During this holiday season, check out Herbst’s award-winning Zen Wagon. This all-natural and ergonomic wagon is one item your kids will definitely want! Enter NATURALWHEELS at checkout now to save $25. For more information on KAIKU, please visit kaikudesign.com.

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

I am a chocolate junkie. And while I manage to refrain from indulging my sweet tooth after every meal (only in a perfect world!), when I do eat the dark stuff, I like to choose bars that are socially-responsible. Some of my favorite chocolate comes from Equal Exchange, whose goods are fair-trade certified. Founded in 1986 the brand seeks to empower small farmer co-ops and support sustainable farming methods. They often partner with co-operatives of farmer who provide high-quality organic coffees, teas, chocolates, bananas and snacks from all over the world. Equal Exchange is trying to provide local communities with a better food system and in turn, a healthier planet, which in my book, is pretty sweet. For a limited time, Equal Exchange is offering KIWI readers 15% off on any online order through 1/15/11. Just enter code KIWIGIFT for yummy, discounted holiday gifts that do a whole lot of good.

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

No matter which tunes your family loves, I think I speak for everyone when I say music plays an important role in kids’ lives. Growing up, I listened the sounds of jazz and blues with my grandparents, and it really helped to establish my taste in music and culture today. Of course, if you aren’t sure your little ones are quite ready for such complex listening, there are plenty of music options made specifically with kids in mind. Problem is, us grown-ups usually have to listen, too, and some of it can start to drive you nuts after a while. Enter jam master Keller Williams, and his new album for the under-10 set, Kids. Fun, fresh, and funky, this is one CD your whole family will be able to live with (and after a few listens, may not be able to live without!). Listen to samples and order your copy today at kellerwilliamskids.com.

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

Tonight, many of us at KIWI will be celebrating the first night of Hanukkah, and we know many of you are doing the same. Here, a craft from our December/January issue (on newsstands next week!) that’ll make the Festival of Lights even brighter.

Materials
•    8 small glass jars
•    1 large glass jar
•    White paper
•    Several colors of nontoxic 3-D paint
Instructions
1.    Soak jars in warm soapy water to remove labels; dry.
2.    Slip a rolled-up piece of white paper inside the jar. This will make it easier to see what you’re working on.
3.    Add a simple shape—such as a flower, circle, or star—with one color using dots of paint. Repeat the shape in several places on the jar. Another easy way to start is with a line around or across the jar.
4.    Outline the shapes in a different color with more dots. Continue adding dots, either outlining the original shape or creating new patterns until the entire jar is covered. You may need to take a break to allow the paint to dry as you move around the jar.
5.    Once complete, put a votive candle or tea light in each jar.

-Marygrace, staff writer. Craft by Kris Bordessa.

As we reach the bustle of the holiday season, I’m willing to bet you need a vacation more than ever—if not just from the insanity, then also from the cold weather. I’ve been spending my days dreaming of relaxing in the sand and sun, and am already jealous of the future winner of the YoKids Real Food, Real Fun Sweepstakes. Beach lovers, here’s your chance: Enter today to win a luxury Included 4 day/3 night family vacation for two adults and two kids to any Beaches Resort in Turks & Caicos or Jamaica. Hurry, contest ends December 31st!

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

This year, it seems more folks than ever are eschewing big, glitzy holiday gifts in favor smaller, more personal presents (or no presents at all!). And I’m all for it: Creating handmade gifts is one way to put some extra time, thought, and care into giving this season. Not handy with the glue gun? Me neither—but that’s okay! All across the country, local craft fairs abound over the next couple of weeks, giving us less-than-artistically-inclined people the opportunity to seek out the perfect hand-sewn doll, glass-blown vase, or silkscreened tote for everyone on our list. Not only will your gifts be more awesome than anything you could pick up at an overcrowded mall, they’ll support artists in your community and give money to your local economy. (Local, handmade gifts also likely require less resources, since they aren’t mass-manufactured, tend to use more sustainable materials, and aren’t shipped long distances.)

Sounds good, no? Even better, craft blog Hello Craft recently posted a huge list of craft fairs in major cities across America, with plenty more happenings posted by readers in the comments section. I’m actually almost tempted to take a road trip across the country to stop at craft fair after craft fair, but then I’d probably wipe out my holiday gift budget just on gasoline alone. No worries–I’ll definitely be checking out the Local Foods Holiday Gift Fair at here in Austin to pick up some extra special treats to round out my homemade edible gift baskets. (Note: The Local Foods Holiday Gift Fair is probably one of the many, many gift fairs that aren’t included on Hello Craft’s list, so be sure to check your town’s local listings, too!) And if you can’t make it out to a craft fair in your community—never fear! There’s always Etsy.

Are you supporting handmade gifts this holiday season?

-Marygrace, staff writer

On a last-minute search for the perfect vegetarian or vegan main dish for your Thanksgiving table? Our suggestions from last year were such a hit, we decided to share them once more. Instead of another rice-stuffed squash (or worse–fake turkey!), consider the following:

1. Mushroom strudel. Saute sliced mushrooms with plenty of olive oil, garlic, fresh thyme, and—if your guests do dairy—a splash of cream. Place the mixture running down the center of a large rectangle of phyllo dough, then fold dough over and crimp shut. Cut into slices and bake until dough is golden brown. Serve with a meat-free gravy.
2. Squash and mushroom lasagna. Just like regular lasagna, but replace layers of red sauce with sauteed winter squash and shiitake mushrooms. You can even make the dish vegan by making a tofu ricotta (whiz 2 lbs. firm tofu in your food processor with a few tablespoons olive oil, some salt, basil, oregano, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice).
3. Winter veggie potpie. Roast onions, carrots, squash, and potatoes until caramelized. Then, make an easy cream sauce with a few tablespoons each butter (or non-hydrogenated buttery spread) and flour, plus milk (or unsweetened soymilk). Combine the veggies and sauce in a baking dish, then top with rounds of puff pastry. Bake until pastry is golden.
4. Mushroom bourguignon. Just like the French classic, but made with earthy portobello mushrooms instead of meat (and vegetable stock rather than the traditional beef). The best recipe I’ve found is right here.
5. Kale, sweet potato, and chickpea gratin. Toss chopped kale, thinly sliced sweet potato rounds, and chickpeas in plenty of olive oil, seasoned breadcrumbs, minced garlic, and salt to taste. Bake in a foil-covered casserole dish until potatoes are tender, then top with Parmesan cheese (if desired) and bake uncovered until cheese is melted.

-Marygrace, staff writer

Charlie, making a strange face for the camera

Usually, allergy talk is reserved for springtime—but here in Austin, environmental irritants are a year-round issue (one of the few drawbacks to living somewhere that doesn’t really experience winter). The pollen, mold, and grasses cause problems for just about every person I know: Even I, someone who was never affected by seasonal allergies while living in New Jersey, am nearly bedridden throughout January due to all the cedar in the air. What’s more, they cause problems for pets, too.

August was when we first started noticing my dog, Charlie, scratching herself more than usual. She scratched so much, in fact, that she started to keep us up at night. At first, we tried to ignore it—we didn’t think anything really bad could come of some harmless scratching (could you tell we’re first-time dog owners?)—until one day we noticed a patch of fur missing from the top of her head. Even worse, the skin was raw and bloody.

Obviously concerned, we brought Charlie to the vet the next day, where we discussed possible allergies to Charlie’s food or indoor environment, as well as tested for potential fungal infections. We knew it wasn’t the food, and Charlie had been fine in our apartment for the nine months before the scratching happened. The fungal tests also came back negative. The vet said we could give Charlie steroids to help with the itching, but also said that they could damage her health in the long term. So we ruled that out, and instead opted to try to ease her skin troubles naturally: Feeding her a fish oil capsule each day to reduce inflammation, and giving her frequent oatmeal baths to take the itch away. When the scratching got really bad, we’d give her a quarter of a Benadryl tablet so everyone could at least get some sleep—though I felt pretty unhappy about consistently feeding my dog OTC antihistamines.

Fast forward to November. Charlie’s still scratching like a fiend, and has lost a significant amount of fur on her sides and hind legs. She’d also developed some hot spots on the raw skin from biting and licking at it. I felt really terrible, but I still didn’t want to put her on the steroids. That’s when I found DERMagic. An all-natural skincare system, the line consists of a peppermint and tea tree oil shampoo, plus a lotion and salve made with aloe, vitamin E, lanolin, beeswax, and plant oils. The testimonials on the website sort of made the products sound like a miracle cure, so I was skeptical. But I wanted Charlie better, and I didn’t want to use drugs–so I asked for a sample kit.

Adelia Ritchie, the creator of DERMagic who has a background in organic chemistry and has two dogs of her own, was super nice, and I received my DERMagic samples just a few days later, on Friday afternoon. We bathed Charlie with the shampoo (which smelled great, by the way!), applied the lotion, and put a t-shirt on her so she couldn’t lick any of the stuff off. We applied the lotion twice more on Saturday and again on Sunday, and by Sunday evening, noticed that all of the raw, red spots on Charlie’s skin were gone. What’s more, she slept through the night on Friday and Saturday, and was scratching much less overall.

I’ve been using DERMagic for five days now. Not only has Charlie’s skin and scratching continued to improve, but the fur is now growing back on the bald patches around her hind legs. The DERMagic system calls to bathe dogs once a week with the shampoo, apply the lotion twice daily for the first week, once daily for the second week, then however often is necessary to keep itching and irritation at bay. That’s something I can live with.

Am I exactly sure what’s behind Charlie’s skin problems? No. But after a lot of research and observation, I’m fairly convinced environmental allergies are to blame. I could bolster her immunity against the allergens with steroids—and if there was absolutely no other option, I would. Fortunately, though, there is another option, and that’s DERMagic. Hooray!

-Marygrace, staff writer

Halloween might be over, but since most kids get enough sweets from trick-or-treating to last them all the way to Thanksgiving (and beyond!), the candyfest has just begun. Of course, I’m all for enjoying some special treats, but having a chocolate and sugar supply big enough to see me through the end of 2010 just feels excessive—especially when 1) I work hard to eat healthy, balanced meals the rest of the year and 2) within a couple of weeks, I’ll begin to be tempted by a whole new batch of holiday desserts.

What’s more, I’m willing to bet many of you feel the same way. At the same time, though, your child probably worked pretty hard to fill her candy bag to the brim yesterday—so how to cut the goods down to a more reasonable amount? A few ideas that I like:

Candy experiments I’m not sure whether these projects would work quite the same with all-natural sweets, but I have a feeling your child received more than just Equal Exchange chocolate bars yesterday. So, hold onto the healthier stuff and use the HFCS- and artificial dye-laden sweets for the projects at Candyexperiments.com, which features free, at-home science experiments for a variety of candies. My favorite? Putting a Skittle in water and waiting for the “S” to float to the top. Gross!

Great Pumpkin Fairy I heard about this idea while listening to an NPR podcast about Americans’ relationship with candy. For however many years old your child is, she has to remove that many pieces of candy from her trick-or-treat bag. Then, that candy is placed outside for the Great Pumpkin Fairy, who in return leaves a prize. This might not fly with your older kids, but it’s still fun for the younger set.

Bake it up Crush up some treats, then sub in for the chocolate chips or nuts in your favorite cookie recipe. Admittedly, this isn’t the healthiest idea. But, it uses up a lot of candy—and you can share the batch of cookies with everyone you know, dispersing the sugar among a larger crowd.

How do you ensure the Halloween candy doesn’t stick around til New Years? We want to know!

-Marygrace, staff writer

Happy (almost) Halloween! We’re celebrating by sharing some ghoulishly great posts from our favorite mom blogs. Got a blog you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!

• They really are that good. Smiling Green Mom reviews YummyEarth organic gummy bears and candy drops.
• Post trick-or-treating, how about a spooky family flick? Try one of these picks from MultiMinding Mom.
• Green Baby Guide‘s got plenty of last-minute tips for a green Halloween. Get ‘em while you can!
• It’s probably too late to make our own, but we’re definitely saving MooMama‘s Halloween Countdown box idea for next year.
• Green Phonebooth shares a roundup of their own Halloween posts from past years.

-Marygrace, staff writer

There’s no way around it: Halloween is a sugar fest. In that past, I’d try to limit my candy consumption (or even avoid it entirely), but that’s just no fun. What works a whole lot better? Enjoying sweets that are healthier for my body (no artficial sweeteners, dyes, or fats) and kinder to the planet. Best of all, there are more green candy options than ever! Here, my list of must-haves:

Equal Exchange Organic Dark Chocolate Minis Perfect-sized bites of chocolate-y goodness that are Fair Trade certified, plus vegan and gluten-free. You’ll get a healthy dose of antioxidants, too! ($35 for 150-pack, shop.equalexchange.com)

Yummy Earth Organic Gummy Bears These chewy cubs have something for every princess and pirate at your door, with sweet and sour flavors like pomegranate pucker and strawberry smash. And at only 44 calories a bag with 50 percent of the daily vitamin C requirement, you may want to keep some for yourself. ($7 for a 30-pack, yummyearth.com)

Treat Size EnviroKidz Peanut Choco Drizzle Crispy Rice Bars Don’t let the fact that they’re whole grain, low fat, and low sodium fool you: These bars are super-tasty. Plus, these new gluten-free, snack-size treats are perfect for the growing number of ghosts and goblins who are avoiding gluten. ($6 for an 18-pack, naturespath.com)

Endangered Species All-Natural Milk Chocolate Treats They’re made with premium, ethically traded chocolate that children (and grown-ups!) will love, and 10 percent of the company’s profits are donated to help support endangered species. These bites of bliss are also available in dark chocolate. ($6.70 for 24-pack, chocolatebar.com)

St. Claire’s Organics Naturally Sweet Tart Candy One box of the assorted fruit tart pouches packs a tangy punch of lip-puckering pleasers, with flavors such as sweet peach, watermelon, and sour lemon. You can dole out these low-carb, low-cal treats sans worry as they’re certified organic, allergy-free, and vegan. ($11 for 12-pack, stclaires.com)

Come Sunday, what will you be munching on giving out?

Who doesn’t love showing off photos of their (adorable, brilliant) kids? We’re giving one lucky family the opportunity to get great photos for free. Enter the Sears Portrait of Health Sweepstakes for your chance to win a cute custom portrait collection that’s worthy of sharing with everyone you meet. Enter today, contest ends January 31st, 2011!

Guest blogger Melissa Graham blogs at Little Locavores.

Late October is a scary time. Both the crisp autumn air and the falling leaves whisper the promise of ghosts, ghouls and goblins soon to arrive. These days also bring other frightful things. While I know I’m going sound like a fuddy-duddy, I have to ask: when did Halloween become the holiday of excess?

When I was growing up, people didn’t seem so nutso about Halloween. We decorated – a pumpkin or two would sit on our stoop, waiting to be carved. We might add a few small touches, like cardboard black cat cutouts, perhaps even a small broom, implying the presence of a witch inside. Yes, there were always the outliers – the dramatically creative who would create bigger and bigger scary displays each year that we would visit and ooh and ah about, but most people seemed rather sensible in their decorating.

These days, you can’t drive a street on the north side of Chicago without your eyes being bombarded with Styrofoam gravestones, life size mummies, gigantic light displays, and of course, the ubiquitous spider webbing wrapped along fence after fence in neon Halloween colors. Seemingly, every empty store front (of which in this economy are many), is filled with spooky supply shops full of an endless supply of cheap Halloween goods, manufactured who knows where. While some of these adornments are used year after year, most, I suspect, are destined for the trash heap – more garbage for our brimming landfills. Given our wont to overdo, Halloween has become a very scary holiday for those of use care about the environment.

Halloween has also become a very scary day for us health conscious parents as the excess is certainly not limited to the decorations. As I mentioned in my first post, I’m no candy hater. When we crafted the mission statement of my non-profit, Purple Asparagus, we intentionally left out any reference to the word “healthy,” but instead talked about good eating. Good eating we feel is a diet high in vegetables and whole grains, which leaves room for sometime foods, candy included. I certainly remember loving Halloween especially post trick-or-treating when I inspected my loot, organizing it, and rationing it out. For me, it’s a matter of degree. When I was my son’s age, I would travel 3 to 4 blocks in my suburban neighborhood and come home with the same amount of candy that my son gathers in one small 1/2 city block. Back then, I got one piece a house. Nowadays, people throw handfuls of the stuff like beads off Mardi Gras floats.

Perhaps, it wouldn’t be so bad, if it were limited to trick-or-treating, but these days, there are the parties, school and otherwise, with goodie bags stocked full of candy. It’s all too much.

Because we’ve still got some time before the sugar blob arrives, I wanted to give my top five tips for making Halloween a little less scary this year. There’s a bonus: none of them will get your house egged!

1. Limit the trick or treating and organize a neighborhood potluck instead. On our street, we visit a handful of houses and then head to a party organized by a friend and neighbor. All the neighbors bring a little something, soups, salads, and other potluck fare. If we’re lucky, the weather is decent and we sit outside on our stoops, eating and sipping adult beverages while we watch the kids run around releasing the sugar rush generated from their Halloween loot. The recipe below, Spiced Pumpkin Muffins, would be a nice addition to a potluck table.
2. Help your little ones triage their candy. This is a particularly effective strategy for little ones who like to sort things. The morning after Halloween, my son and I dump out his goody bags the not-so-bad such as Hershey bars, Snickers, Reese’s (the candy that at least resembles real food). The not-so-bad pile is further sorted to include three categories: 1. Eat now, 2. Give away to Daddy’s office (they’ll eat anything), and 3. Save for his advent calendar (a treat each day of December before Christmas).
3. Work with your child’s teacher or the school administration to encourage healthy school celebrations that don’t focus on sweets, but instead activities. There’s so much you can do, including good old-fashioned fun like bobbing for apples or decorating pumpkins.
4. When decorating your house, look to use natural and recycled materials. For example, cheesecloth, used and washed, makes terrific spider webs. Soak it with leftover coffee grinds to give it a little color and then shred it. It holds up a lot better than the webbing sold at junky Halloween stores that turns in to spider blobs after a few rain storms. I’ve always wanted to transform my front yard into a set piece from The Blair Witch Project. Anyone remember the stick and cloth figures suspended from the trees? Oooh, what a terrifying movie moment and easy to recreate with items around the house.
5. Be a good role model. It’s easy just to pick up a bag of Halloween branded candy from the megamart. But there are some great online stores that sell a better product. For example, Natural Candy Store has a section of Fair Trade Halloween candy Given that it’s National Fair Trade month, it would be an appropriate choice. It’s a little more expensive, but if you’re not giving out handfuls of candy, the cost will likely even out and you’ll have done your part to make the day a little less scary. Let the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins take care of that.

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

I used to make this recipe with golden raisins instead of chocolate chips. My little locavore suggested the switch and we’ve never gone back. For these pictures, I used my adorable Williams-Sonoma acorn cake pan – they’re just as good in a regular or mini-muffin tin.

Makes 18 muffins

2 large eggs
½ cup canola oil
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Fill 2 standard muffin tins with 18 paper or silicone cups. Whisk together the eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, and ¼ cup water. Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin tins equally. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a tester comes out with only a few crumbs.

The bedtime (or anytime) story just got a virtual makeover, thanks to online communication tool, Readeo. Seeking to connect kids with far-away family members, the web-based service integrates video chat with children’s books to create an interactive reading experience called BookChat. It’s sort of like Skype—but instead of a users just seeing each other’s faces, they also see a picture book that they’re able to read together.

Readeo’s BookChat is easy to use: Sign up as a guest (you’ll get access to the site’s featured Book of the Month), or purchase a monthly membership for $9.95 to access a full range of kid-friendly titles from Blue Apple Books, Candlewick Press, Chronicle Books, and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. Since Readeo.com uses browser-based technology, you don’t need to download any programs—the story time occurs entirely through the web page.

Are your child’s grandparents are living in another state? Your spouse is serving in the military? You’re away on an overnight business trip? Whatever the case, give Readeo a try—and tell us what you think!

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

August is one of my favorite months of the year—and for good reason: The first week of August is International Clown Week. First celebrated in 1971, President Nixon started International Clown Week to recognize the joy clowns bring to children’s hospitals, charities, and everyday people looking for a laugh. When I was younger I always loved the circus, but specifically the funny clowns (Grandma from the Big Apple Circus was my favorite!). So this week, I’m celebrating with an at-home circus of my own—and I encourage you and your kids to do the same! Here’s how:

Pick a name Find silly clown names of your own (Dr. Taffy or Zippery, anyone?) at clown-names.com. Or, try this online name generator, which gave me the clown name Lady Jillarooni Butter-Bee! 

Dress up Whether you’re a clown, acrobat, or lion tamer, all members of the circus need to wear a costume. Best of all, you probably have all the gear you need on hand. Dad’s old work shoes can be transformed into oversized clown feet, and Mom’s red lipstick will make a great clown lips and nose!

Make some snacks Homemade snow cones are the best way to create a snack-tastic circus. Crush ice cubes in a blender or by putting it in a towel and crushing with a hammer or rolling pin. Put the crushed ice in cups and pour fruit juice (or flavored syrup, if you want to go all-out) over top. Yum!

Invite the animals It’s not a circus without animals, right? You might not be able to bring an elephant into your living room, but you can make balloon critters (and did you know latex balloons are biodegradable?). See these easy instructions for miniature pooches, elephants, giraffe, and more. 

Pitch your tent The most important piece of a circus can be made from any large household cloth, like a sheet, curtain, or tablecloth. Drape over a few chairs and get ready to perform!   

-Jillian, KIWI intern

There’s a fantastic new book out called Make These Toys: It has 101 easy crafts you and your kids can make with things you have (like toilet paper tubes and paper clips). Here’s one of our favorites:

Rolling Dogs

Materials

• Flimsy paper plate
• Markers or crayons
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Drinking straw
• Two small empty spools

Fold the paper plate in half. Draw the outline of the profile of a dog’s head and body on the plate so that the fold will run down the center of the dog’s back. Cut out and decorate your dog with markers or crayons.

Hold the front legs together and punch a hole in them 1/4 inch from the bottom. Do the same for the back legs.

Cut the drinking straw in half. Slip one piece of the straw through a hole in the front leg. Put a spool over the straw, then put the straw through the hole in the other leg. Even out the straw and trim so 1/2 inch sticks out from each leg. Repeat this process for the back.

Now your dog will stand up on the spools. Give him a little push and watch him roll!

Reprinted from Make These Toys by Heather Swain by arrangement with Perigee, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Copyright (c) 2010 by Heather Swain. 

Fourth of July weekend is just around the corner. How will you celebrate? If you’re planning on grilling out, consider these tips for an eco-friendly barbecue. You’ll know you’re taking better care of America the beautiful.

Clean Greener

Is your grill grate overdue for a scrub? Avoid putting toxic chemicals in contact with your dinner—you can make a homemade cleaner from pantry items. A mixture of baking soda and white vinegar will disinfect and loosen crud, lemons will cut grease, and you can rub the grate down with olive oil to prevent food from sticking again.  There are also several manufactured green grill cleaners, like SoyClean Non-Toxic BBQ Grill Cleaner, Simple Green Heavy Duty BBQ and Grill Cleaner, and Seventh Generation Multi-Surface Concentrated Cleaner

Fuel Greener

Gas grills certainly have a smaller carbon footprint than classic charcoal grills. But for many, it wouldn’t be a barbecue without the charcoal flavor. If you’re charcoal die-hard, consider natural, ‘lump’ charcoal. They burn more neutrally than run-of-the-mill briquettes, whose additives burn off as particulate matter and cause smog. Definitely avoid charcoal lighter fluid—it releases volatile organic compounds which cause ground level ozone. Try a chimney starter instead. The Big Green Egg grill’s unique design is engineered to conserve charcoal and has a built-in smoker.

Eat Greener

There’s no shortage of delicious grill-ables in season right now. Check out what’s in peaking at your farmer’s market. Need a little guidance? Health and Earth-conscious New York Times food writer Mark Bittman just published “101 Fast Recipes for Grilling.” They’re not fool-proof, but he points out some inspired flavor combinations (number 77: pickled red onions on top of cumin-carrot lamb burgers) and makes use of lots of seasonal ingredients (check out the fresh-from-the-garden grilled ratatouille recipe). Skip the paper plates, napkins and plastic cutlery for a truly green BBQ!

Decorate Greener

No need to buy all those red white and blue decorations, use what you already have. Look around the house for items you might have thrown into storage-possibly those Red and White holiday lights. Candles can be used as easy and quick lighting that is extremely inviting. Instead of buying three huge tubs of ice cream, buy one plain vanilla and add red and blue food coloring to make it as patriotic as you want!

-KIWI Editorial interns

Today is Take Your Dog to Work Day, a day that encourages adoption from humane societies and shelters, and I’m celebrating by having my own shelter dog help me out in the office. As you can see, she’s getting right in on the action. She’s had some great story ideas for KIWI, such as:

• Which natural and organic company sends delivery people who will pet me?
• Wouldn’t it be more eco-friendly to turn off your computer and pet me? 
• If I sit on Amy’s foot and stare at her longingly, will she pet me all afternoon?

My husband and I adopted Penny, who’s 3,  just a few weeks ago. She has already settled into her new life: She’s properly deferential to the cat we adopted several years ago (that’s Pepper, below, still a little wary), and she likes to run and relax in the same ratios that we do (a little running, a lot of relaxing).

Do you have a shelter dog? Share your stories!

-Sarah, KIWI editorial director

I remember thinking that when I was younger, the last few weeks of June felt a little bit special. School had just let out, and the entire summer—which back then, felt endless—was stretched out ahead of me. 10 weeks to do whatever I wanted? Amazing!

Fast forward to the middle of July. I’m bored. All my friends are on vacation, and I’m sick of spending time at the pool. Oh, and no thanks Mom, I’m not interested in starting my summer reading book quite yet.

Clearly, my 10-year-old self needed some focus. Enter the vision board, a collage made up of photos, words, and sketches that symbolize a person’s goals. Usually kept in a place where it’ll be seen every day, a vision board works as a way to plant the seeds of success in your mind. After defining and organizing goals in a collage, you’ll consciously or unconsciously begin to work towards—and eventually, achieve them.

Sounds like a concept better left to grown-ups? It’s true, lots of adults use vision boards professionally and creatively (hello!), but with a little guidance, kids can make them, too. And as I can surely tell you, there’s no better time than the start of summer to find a little bit of direction. How to get started:

1. First, have your child spend fifteen or twenty minutes brainstorming her goals. It might help to provide her with a few categories to get started, such as friends and family, sports and hobbies, and the upcoming school year. Then, she can pick a goal for each. Maybe she wants to fight less with her little brother, conquer the diving board, or make honor roll next fall. There’s no right or wrong answer here!
2. Next, she can go through old magazines and newspapers to find images or words that she feels represents her goals. After gathering a sizable collection, your child can start arranging and attaching the clippings on a poster board, leaving a space blank in the middle. Then, she can paste a photo of herself in the empty area.
3. Once your child’s vision board is complete, help her hang it in a prominent spot, like the wall in her bedroom. Every time she sees it, she’ll be reminded of her goals—and before she knows it, she’ll be achieving them!

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

At KIWI, we love when you’re online, reading our blog and checking us out on Facebook. But we also know how much it matters to your kids when you’re not checking your e-mail or tomorrow’s weather or the comments section on your own blog. That’s why we love Offlining, an idea being promoted by two dads: They’re not asking you to give up your phones or TV entirely. They just want you to take the Offline Resolution and commit to ten device-free dinners between now and Thanksgiving. You can do that, right? Ten dinners? Let’s try it! Sign up, and when you’re back online, let us know how it went!

-Sarah, KIWI editorial director

Throughout my entire life I have always been exposed to exercise, sports and the benefits of constantly moving.
When I entered college, my sisters kept saying “don’t gain the freshman fifteen.”

To them, it was just a taunt; but to me, it was serious!

 
The freshman fifteen is every college student’s fear and many take the time and effort to exercise more than normal.
But now there are more than just health benefits.

 
At Saginaw State University, 266 students were tracked based off exercise habits and grades. The study showed that students who vigorously exercised had higher grade point averages.
In this study, students who had a constant vigorous workout seven days a week averaged 0.4 points higher than those that did not exercise.

 
While the study focused on older kids, it is a great idea to exercise with your little ones as well. Instead of going to the gym there are many things you can do right in your own home.
For example, dancing-many don’t think its exercise, but it is! Put on your child’s favorite songs, and have fun with the beat. Get the entire family to participate by having each person come up with one or two moves and then put them all together for a whole routine!

 
In the morning, some easy things to do are a few yoga moves. Not only does yoga fuel the mind, but it gives your kids a great stretch after a good nights sleep.
Try these moves at home and let us know what your favorite ways to exercise and move with your kids are.

 
Sunrise/Sunset
In yoga, we move as we breathe. For example, we stretch on the inhale and relax on the exhale. The Sunrise/Sunset pose is a good all-over warm-up for any activity.
1. Stand up tall. Take three to five deep breaths.
2. On the next inhale, lift your arms above your head. Press your legs and feet down toward the ground and stretch your spine and waist toward the sky.
3. As you exhale, bend the upper half of your body at your waist down toward your legs, as if you were diving into a pool. Bend your knees a little at first, to avoid straining your back. Bend as far as you comfortably can. As you inhale again, open your arms wide and stand up slowly, stretching your arms to the sky.
 4. Repeat this six to 10 times. As you inhale and stretch, think of the glowing, rising sun. As you exhale and fold, think of the setting sun.

By Victoria, KIWI Editorial Intern

I’m not an extreme sports type of girl. In fact, heights kind of freak me out. So while I can’t really offer any rational explanation as to why I decided to spend my vacation time hiking, canyoneering, rock climbing, and biking through the mountains of southern Utah (save for the fact that I’ll jump at the chance for some quality time with my best friend!), I can say that it was one of the best experiences of my life—which is why you should do it, too.

Located about two hours north of Las Vegas, Zion National Park boasts 229 square miles of pristine trails, canyons, mountains, and wildlife. If you want to get into the extreme stuff, it’s there (hello, scrambling up an 1,800 foot cliff!), but activities abound for everyone. Visitors can hang out at the camping ground next to the Virgin River, or stay at the Zion Lodge or Zion Mountain Ranch (the lodge is closer to the center of the park, but the ranch is located on a 1,500-acre buffalo preserve!). After arriving, families can have their pick of walking or biking the mellow Pa’rus Trail, watching for 271 species of birds, horseback riding, or taking a guided hike. What’s more, kids can complete an activity book (find them at the Visitor Center) and become certified Zion Junior Rangers.

While All the outdoor fun you can have at Zion alone makes it well-worth the trip, but for many people (myself included), I think it offers something even greater: an authentic experience with nature. This isn’t a stroll through your town park’s two-mile trail—this is the real deal. There are no buildings on the horizon, no guarantee you won’t run into a snake, and certainly no cell phone service. That all might sound a little scary, and at first, it is. But the return is worth it. After all, how many times in your life do you get to step back in time and see what the world looked like before modern society set up shop? The enormous rocks, the rushing water, the hundred-foot drop over the unprotected ledge—it’s all pretty humbling.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

I have a dear attachment to my dog, Bailey. Not only is he an important part of our family, but he brings me more joy than I ever imagined possible from a pet. So in addition to giving my dog all the love (and toys!) in the world, I make sure to give him the best food possible—all-natural chow that helps him stay happy and healthy. (Unfortunately, many pet food brands contain harmful ingredients and icky by-products, so it’s extra important that pet owners read labels carefully to ensure your pup gets a good meal!)

As far as I’m concerned, Wellness makes the best food for both dogs and cats.  A group of animal lovers themselves, their mission is to help pets live life to the fullest by providing them with real, nutritious food. They work alongside veterinarians and nutritionists to determine what pets need to be healthy—then make it taste great (to your dog, at least!). If you’re a dog or cat owner, I highly recommend you check ‘em out at wellnesspetfood.com. You and your pet won’t be disappointed!

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

In the Chicago area? Be sure to check out the Chicago Green Festival this Saturday or Sunday, May 22nd-23rd. The family-friendly event showcases over 350 local and national green businesses, and features over 150 speakers to participate in panel discussions and presentations on eco-conscious living. Looking for more? The festival also offers how-to workshops; Fair Trade, Green Home, Community Action & Green Career, and Organic Food and Gardening Pavilions; green kids’ activities; and yummy samples of vegetarian food plus organic beer and wine.

The festival runs from 10am-7pm on Saturday and 11am-6pm on Sunday. For more information, visit greenfestivals.com/chicago.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Whether your child loves to read or needs a little pushing to open a book, we have some great ideas for finding great books and making the most of your reading time:

* Check out Bookworms, the KIWI book review page. Our fantastic reviewer, Mary Talalay, scours through all the new releases to find and recommend the very best.

* Visit We Give Books, where you can read a book with your child right online. It’s free, and for every book you read, Penguin (the book publisher that stocks the site with their classic titles) will donate a book to a child in need.

* Explore One Potato, a lovely little online bookstore with great choices you might not see highlighted at your local big-box bookstore. You’ll buy through Amazon, but browsing here is like talking to a very knowledgeable children’s librarian.

* Speaking of children’s librarians, be sure to support yours: Visit the library today!

-Sarah, KIWI editorial director

If it’s not already marked on your calendar with a big, red circle, grab a pen—Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 9th. To gear up, some members of the KIWI team decided to share what they love about their moms. Here’s what they had to say:

• Nicole McGovern, Editorial Intern:  “I’d choose to spend time with my mom over anyone else. She’s my other half; I’m pretty sure everything would fall apart without her!”

• Brittany Golde, Marketing Manager: “My mom is the most selfless person I’ve ever met and would go to the ends of the Earth for me. She’s truly an incredible person who will always listen to and support me—and always has something new to teach me.”

• Rosemary O’Connell, Creative Director: “My mother is my teacher and my friend all in one! She is there for me no matter what.”

• Sarah Smith, Editorial Director: “I could talk your ear off about all the reasons I want to grow up to be just like my mom: she’s generous, she’s funny, she’s clearly in control of the space-time continuum because how else does she get so much done in a week without breaking a sweat? But what I might love most of all is how she always finds the right words to say. Whether she’s thrilled or disappointed, whether she’s been asked for advice or is asking for help, she has an artful, graceful way of saying what she thinks so that people will hear, and understand. I love that she believes that words make a difference, and I believe that if anyone’s can, they are hers.”

• Maxine Wolf, CEO and Publisher: “I love how well my mother knows me. She is very non-judgmental and will never offer her opinion, but when asked, she is amazingly on point in her perceptions, analysis, and proposed solutions. I love her for many, many things, but particularly take joy in knowing that I can count her on to know what’s going on with me without me having to tell her, to understand me without me having to defend myself, and to support me no matter what. I hope I am that to my own daughter.”

What makes your mom the best in the world? Let us know in the comments!

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Recently, I blogged here about the recent trip my daughters and I took to Puerto Rico.  The whole island is amazing – great food, great people, interesting things to do – but the island of Vieques, about an hour’s ferry ride from the main island – made our list of must-visits.  Vieques, full of cute open-air restaurants and artists selling their wares – looks like something Jimmy Buffet would invent.  It’s flip-flop casual and flippin’ fun.

During the day, the Vieques beaches are where it’s at, but nighttime is the time for the bio luminescent bay, the world’s best destination for viewing glow-in-the-dark dinoflagellates, a microscopic form of plankton.  Vieques’s bio bay has an especially high concentration of these tiny creatures.  When the organisms are agitated (how?  By your kids’ swimming among them, of course!), they throw off a bluish light.  Get them in your hair and it looks like you’ve been sprinkled with fairy dust; swim with them in the water, and it will appear that a ghost is dogpaddling along.  If your kids are anything like mine, they won’t get out until they’re pruny. 

Head to the bio bay on a night with just a sliver of a moon.  While many tour operators take tours out, be sure to look for one that offers a kayaking option, not a boat – the fun part of the bio bay is jumping right in (and don’t worry, the water’s warm)!  One note of caution: Although all tour guests wear  life vests on the bay, you’ll need at least a one adult per kid ratio.  It’s dark out there with no moon, and you’ll want to keep a close eye on your swimming kids.

—Guest blogger Lisa McElroy

Southern California readers, take note! The Whole Children, Whole Planet Expo is happening next Saturday at the Highland Hall Waldorf School in Northridge, CA. The natural parenting event seeks to educate families and the community about sustainable living practices, holistic medicine, non-toxic products, organic foods, better nutrition, and enrichment learning programs. (Plus, they’ll be giving away samples of KIWI Magazine!) Sounds like the perfect way to celebrate Earth Day!  Find more information at wcwpexpo.com.

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

Last week, we reported that thanks to artist Brian Yanish and his creation, The Scrap Kins, kids are having fun learning about key environmental issues the hands-on way. Here’s a little more information on what the Scrap Kins are up to next!

Yanish and The Scrap Kins have partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society and are organizing a series of recycled arts and crafts workshops (“craft jams”) around New York City. Kids get to build crafts (bird houses, book marks, masks, and robots, to name a few) out of scrap materials like cereal boxes, toilet paper tubes, and egg cartons. Yanish also organizes eco-fashion shows—catwalk and all!—where he teaches kids how to make costumes out of recycled materials.

Even if you’re not in New York, your kids can still get in on the Scrap Kins fun with Digger’s Page Peeker bookmark, an eco-craft made from an old cereal box. Check it out!

-Stephanie Eckelcamp, KIWI editorial intern

Great iphone apps for kids! These’ll get your family outside from spring break well through summer:

• Turn the park into a wonderland. With the amazingly cool app The Hidden Park, your family will see your local park in a whole new way. You may not realize it, but there are hidden trolls and fairies in your neighborhood—you just need this app to see them. If you don’t live near one of the big-city parks already part of the app, you can use the Park Builder to create your own magical scenes.
• Go geocaching. Geocaching is like a scavenger hunt–by using GPS coordinates, you can find little treasures hidden by other geocachers. It’s a great family activity, and you can use the Geocaching app to search for more than a million stashes hidden all over the country.
• Enjoying the scenery? Find out what you’re looking at! The TreeBook app will help you identify the 100 most common trees in North America by looking closely at the leaves. Your kids will get a kick out of narrowing down the possibilities until–success!–there’s only one tree it could be.

-Sarah, KIWI editorial director

My job includes frequent traveling to different green festivals across the country. On a recent visit to New York, I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Yanish, the creator of Scrap Kins, an eco-creativity program for kids based on the adventures of a group of monsters living in a recycle center (creative, isn’t it?).  Itcher, Digger, Chomper, Stacker, Swooper, and Wrecks come straight from Yanish’s imaginative childhood drawings, and their cozy recycle center is built with materials humans throw away everyday. The Scrap Kins’ mission: to promote eco-awareness and encourage kids to create stories, recycled art, and even re-purpose fashion using old-fashioned imagination.

In addition to helping kids get their creative juices flowing, the Scrap Kins are hard at work spreading their green message all across the country. In 2009, they developed a line of paper portfolios and theme books for RiteAid and Albertsons stores featuring art project ideas and eco tips. This year saw the launch of a sticker activity calendar (printed on 90% recycled material, no less), boasting  12 months of eco-creative activities, crafts, and games just for kids.

Want to learn more? Check out scrapkins.com for news, upcoming events, plus free recyclable art projects for children of all ages; or become a fan on Facebook or follower on Twitter. And be sure to check back next week when we give away 5 Scrap Kins calendars!

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

The next time you and your kid  head outside, be sure to bring a pencil and notebook to keep track of the plants and animals you spot. Then send your findings to Wild Watch, a national nature watching program for people of all ages. In addition to learning more about your local environment (and having fun doing it!) you’ll help the National Wildlife Federation track the health and behavior of wildlife and plant species nationwide. Ready to get started? Check out nwf.org to start sharing what you see!

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

For a lot of people, Christmas or Hanukkah (or maybe Halloween) are the holidays they remember being most excited about as kids. But me? I just loved Easter. I loved searching for plastic eggs filled with quarters (or scratch-off lottery tickets, which my dad hid for us one year. A little unorthodox, maybe, but totally awesome to an eight-year-old), going to my aunt’s house to eat shrimp cocktail (Easter always meant shrimp cocktail), and eating tons of candy. Oh, and dyeing the eggs! I loved watching those color pellets dissolve in the water, and can still remember the smell of the vinegar bath that would lock in the pretty pastel hues.

Nowadays, I shy away from conventional egg-dyeing kits, since they’re usually filled with artificial ingredients that aren’t the healthiest. So imagine my excitement upon finding out that Eco-Kids USA has an all-natural Easter egg coloring kit made with ingredients like purple sweet potato, paprika, red cabbage, and blueberries. Best of all, they’ve offered to give a kit to one of our Facebook fans. Want to win? Head over to our Facebook page and check it out!

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Planning a family movie night? Keep your kids entertained and teach them them a thing or two about caring for the planet at the same time with these green-themed flicks:

• March of the Peguins. Adorable, tuxedo-clad birds walk (and walk, and walk, and walk) to raise their babies and find food.
• Wall-E. Seven hundred years in the future, Earth has become uninhabitable. Leave it to this small but mighty robot to make the planet healthy enough for humans again.
• Bee Movie. Barry B. Benson wants to do more with his life than just make honey. His plan? To venture out of the hive and get a bee’s-eye view of the human world.
• Ferngully: The Last Rainforest. An oldy but a goodie: Fairies (and a hilarious bat voiced by Robin Williams) try to save their rain forest home from human destruction.

Does your family have a favorite eco-flick? Let us know!

Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

When the mercury drops, it’s all too easy for kids to veto active pastimes in favor of the TV or computer. Help yours beat cabin fever and get moving with these indoor activities:

• Animal dance party. Boogie like a monkey—or a walrus! Take some inspiration from the Minnesota Children’s Museum, where kids get in touch with their wild sides by dancing the way they think their favorite animals would. Together, cut out images of animals from a magazine and spread them out on a table. Then, turn on the tunes! As each song starts, have everyone pick a new animal.
• At-home scavenger hunt. Hide items around the house, along with clues that’ll lead kids from one object to the next. Try a theme—little ones can search for items in rainbow colors, while big kids can look for objects that represent a region of the world. Even bigger kids can create a scavenger hunt themselves!
• Rock climbing adventure. Kids scaling the walls? Let them at it. Rock climbing is ideal for teens and tweens looking for somewhere to go other than the mall or movie theater, but even kindergarteners can do it: Most climbing gyms feature wall challenges for kids as young as five, says Aaron Snyder, a personal trainer and nutritional coach in San Diego, California. Find a listing of gyms near you at indoorclimbing.com.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Has your kid ever wished she could be an underwater explorer (maybe after watching Finding Nemo)? Now she can—without even getting wet! Nintendo Wii’s new game, Endless Ocean: Blue World ($29.99) allows players to dive into waters around the world to discover  sea creatures like fish, mammals, and turtles. What’s more, players can also explore habitats and the health conditions of different species (and if Mr. Whale isn’t doing so well, help him out with “healing energy”). Further, Endless Ocean: Blue World isn’t just about floating around. The game features a storyline that players can choose to follow including Oceana, a woman trying to investigate the “Dragon’s Song”. Another fun adventure? Stopping by Nine Ball Island to  swim with a dolphin.

The game allows friends with broadband access to connect and dive with each other through their Wi-Fi connection using a microphone (perfect for a day when you’re snowed in, no?).  To learn more, visit endlessocean2.com.

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

I know some people who say animals belong outside, but I’m not one of them. Growing up, my family had cats and a dog that lived indoors with us (and sat on the couch with us, and slept in bed with us, and sometimes even managed to eat at the table with us, though  that was a practice we usually tried to avoid). And today, things are pretty much the same. Of course, my pup loves to chase squirrels and run through big piles of leaves, but she’s also content to stay by my side while I’m reading (or writing for work!) or snuggle next to me while I snooze. How else could I treat my best friend?

With all that, it probably comes as no surprise that I think keeping Charlie healthy and strong by feeding her a high-quality diet is important. That’s why I’m so excited that Holistic Select has offered up one free dog-  and one free cat gift basket filled with natural pet food for KIWI to give away to two of our Facebook fans. Want to enter to win? Check it out!

P.S. Yes, that’s Charlie up at the top!

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer