Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in albuquerque, NM

5 Easter Crafts

by Alison

April 07, 2009

Looking for something new to add to your egg-dying repertoire?  Or maybe you're looking for an alternative activity.  Here are some "egg"-cellent ideas for you to try, some-"bunny" is bound to enjoy them!

1. Cut out egg shapes from white cardstock (or just construction paper) and let your child decorate these with markers, crayons, paint, glitter, torn paper, colored macaroni, yarn, cereal pieces, or anything else you can think of.

2. Make these adorable Rice Krispies Easter Eggs and use frosting and sprinkles to decorate them.

3. Use your child's thumbprints to create bunny pictures . You could also this technique to create egg shapes or baby chicks as well. (from LollyChops - scroll down about a third of the way to see the example).

4. Use circles of varying sizes, fold them over and decorate with feathers.  Create a pen for them too!  See an example of this craft at Kiddio

5. Have your child make his own basket.  If you can find a strawberry container with open sides, help your child weave construction paper through it.  Cut the top of a gallon milk jug (be sure to leave the handle - make your cut at an angle) to make a basket to decorate.  For some other decorating ideas, see this page at FamilyFun.com
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5 Windy Day Activities

by Alison

March 31, 2009

Personally, I think spring is a bit overrated here in Albuquerque. Don't get me wrong, the weather is beautiful, but the wind - yikes! Too often I use the wind as an excuse to stay inside, but there are some activities that you just can't do any other day! Yesterday I wrote about kites, and here are some other windy weather activities for you to try with your kids:

1. Choose several objects of varying shape and size, such as rocks, paper, leaves, and maybe a small toy.  Take them outside and see if the wind will carry them away, and if so, how far they will go.  Allow your child to make guesses as to which objects will "fly" and how far they will go.

2. Use a pushpin, paper, and a pencil to create a pinwheel . To involve your child a bit more, have him or her decorate the paper before you cut it and attach it to the pencil.  Show your child how he can blow it to make it move, and then take it outside so she can see the wind make it move!

3. Use bubbles to teach your child about wind direction.  Have your child guess which directions the bubbles will go before you blow them.  Show him that regardless of where you stand and what direction you are facing, if the wind is blowing hard enough the bubbles will always go in the same direction.

4. For another lesson in wind direction, make a wind sock together.

5. Show your child that the wind can make music by making a wind chime. This one uses soda cans, silverware, CDs, nails and anything that would make noise when it clangs together.  Let your child choose materials and you could make several to see which one makes the best music or which one has the highest pitch.  Read more...

Let's Go Fly a Kite

by Alison

March 30, 2009

What better activity for a windy day than kite flying?  Simple kites are relatively inexpensive (buy several though, because they seem to break easily) or you can make your own using supplies you have around the house. These won't fly as high or as far, but I imagine your child will still love his kite that he made all by himself!  The simplest of all requires just paper, string and some crepe paper or ribbon.  Just cut the paper in a diamond shape to look like a kite (don't forget to cut some "sticks" out of the paper too to glue on one side) attach some string to the middle and the crepe paper to the bottom corner.  It will "fly" if your child runs around while holding on to the string. My son has made kites like this at preschool and he has a lot of fun with them.  The internet is full of directions for making your own simple kites. Some more involved than others.  Here are a few that I found:

• This bumble bee kite is made using just string and paper.
• Here's a paper kite that calls for a dowel or other piece of wood, so it's going to be a bit more sturdy than the others.
• A plastic grocery bag or garbage bag can be used to make a kite also.  Here's some directions that include a video as well.  I've never tried it, but I've seen grocery bags flying high in the air on windy days, so I imagine you could also just tie a piece of string to each bag handle and then join them together and perhaps make a pretty efficient kite.

The next time the wind is howling, no need to stay inside.  Just find an empty field (though your backyard will work well for these smaller ones) and fly a kite!  Come back tomorrow for more windy weather activities.  Read more...

5 Ways to Celebrate Spring in Albuquerque

by Alison

March 24, 2009

The temperatures are higher, the trees are blooming, and the wind is blowing - it must be Springtime in Albuquerque!  Celebrate the arrival of a new season with some of these activities.

1. Head to a good tree observing spot (your local park should do, or maybe even your front yard), gather some art supplies, and draw pictures of the beautiful blooms.  Talk about how the blooms one the different trees are the same or different.  Some trees may be done blooming, while some are just barely opening.

2. Visit the new animal babies at the Rio Grande Zoo.   There's a baby howler monkey,  a new kangaroo, a baby orangutan, a baby Bactrian camel, and more. Signs will point you to the new additions and in the meantime, check out some photos of the new arrivals.

3. Stop by your local home improvement store or nursery and pick up some flowers to plant.  You can plant them in your yard, a small planter, or even in a paper cup in your kitchen!

4. Enjoy a baseball game.  The UNM Lobos are in full swing.  Adult tickets are $5 and children's tickets are just $3, so it's an affordable family activity.  The April 17th game is 'Pack the Park' night and all tickets are just $2.  Softball tickets are just as inexpensive, and this weekend is 'Pack the Park' weekend and tickets are only a dollar.  The Isotopes kick off their season on April 9.  You can also try and catch a little league game.  Many of the local leagues have websites with schedules.  Do an internet search for "albuquerque little league".

5. Visit your local library and pick up some books all about Spring.  Better yet, look through this list, reserve a few and have them ready for you when you arrive! 
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Kids Will Eat (or At Least Try) What They Grow

by Alison

March 16, 2009

My four year old loves eggplant.  Yeah, you read that right.  And I don't have to hide it between layers of sauce and cheese in eggplant parmesan.  He eats it just lightly breaded and baked in the oven.

This love came about last summer when we planted some eggplant in our garden.  For some reason he took a liking to this plant in particular, especially once the purple fruit was visible.  So, needless to say, he was excited to try the eggplant after we harvested it. He's the same way with the peas in our garden, those are easy for him to pick and he likes to just eat some right away as a snack. We aren't always this lucky when it comes to him eating the produce from our garden, though if he's taken some responsibility when it comes to planting and watering, we don't usually have a problem getting him to at least try it. 

If you don't have any room for a garden, that doesn't mean you can't grow some food of your own.  Many vegetables can be grown in small containers that you can place on your front or back porch.  We've had success growing tomatoes in containers and currently we're trying lettuce and spinach (because they don't grow well in our backyard!).  For more on container gardening, check out this link.

Watching a vegetable go from seed (or small plant) to your dinner table is a fascinating process, especially for a preschooler. To fully involve your child in your gardening experience, let her choose a vegetable to grow.  Be sure to do your research first and make sure it will grow well where you are.  The Albuquerque Master Gardeners website is a good resource, as is your local nursery.  Now, let your child get messy and plant the seeds.  Put him on water duty and maybe even purchase a small watering can that would be easy for him to carry. Take pictures every now and then, so when it does grow into a mature plant, you can look back on all the stages it has gone through. And don't forget to get your child excited about eating what she's growing!
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Gardening Without a Garden

by Alison

March 10, 2009

Spring is just around the corner, which means many people are deciding what to plan in their gardens. From learning how plants grow to learning about life cycles and appreciating nature, gardening offers a multitude of learning opportunities for preschoolers.  Just because you don't have the space for a formal garden doesn't mean your child has to be left out, though.  Here are some ways your family can take advantage of a garden without having a full-fledged garden of your own.

Container Gardening
Do you have a patio or porch?  Then you can have a garden!  Many vegetables can be grown very successfully in small containers.  Let your preschooler have one container of his own to plant and take care of.  Want more information? Try this guide to container gardening or just do a google search for "container gardening"

Community Gardens
Simply put, a community garden is a piece of land gardened by a group of people. Individuals, families, or groups have their own plot in the garden to plant, tend to, and harvest (or donate!). The Rio Grande Community Farm offers a community garden. Call 345-4580 or send an email

Community Supported Agriculture
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) allows your family to take advantage of fresh garden produce without any planting or growing!  This is a great way to introduce your children to new vegetables that they may not otherwise be exposed to.  You simply pay for a "share" of a farm and then each week your family can enjoy a box of locally grown fruits and vegetables.  Los Poblanos Organics offers year-round service, while Erda Gardens offers produce from May through October.  Each garden has slightly different policies and procedures, so read carefully to see which one works best for your family. Visit this link for a full list of CSAs around the state.  Read more...

99 Things To Do In Albuquerque Before Your Child Grows Up

by Alison

October 14, 2008

Whether you plan to live in Albuquerque forever or for a month, here is a list of can't miss activities for you and your family to enjoy.  Many of these activities are free or just require a small parking fee.  Some will require a day trip, or even a weekend getaway.  Don't let your child grow up without experiencing as many as you can!

1. Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.  Clearly an obvious one because it's such a unique experience.  Go early in the morning and walk around balloons as they prepare to fly the skies. Chances are, it's a experience your child will never have again.

2. See the sharks at the Aquarium.

3. Expore the ancient houses at Bandelier National Monument.   No, it's not in Albuquerque, but a two hour drive away. Your preschooler will love this because she can climb inside many of them and imagine what it might have been like to live in such a structure.

4. Get apples from Dixon Apple Orchard

5. Watch UNM battle it out on the gridiron, or any other sport you desire! 

6. See some neat looking rock formations at Tent Rocks National Monument.

7. Go to the Zoo. 

8. Ride the Sandia Peak Tramway.  It's the world's longest aerial tramway and it's in your backyard! 

9. Visit the Rio Grande Nature Center .  A perfect way to introduce your children to the river and the nature surrounding it.  You're sure to see a variety of wildlife and there's plenty of room for the kids to run crazy.

10. Go Fishing at Tingley Beach. There's a special pond just for kids
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5 Best Ways to Enjoy the Bosque

by Alison

September 16, 2008

The bosque is the beautiful open space surrounding the Rio Grande River. It's home to a variety of trees which create a shady forest habitat for beavers, birds, turtles and snakes. It's one of my four year old's favorite places to go, he loves exploring there. Here are five ways you can enjoy the bosque with your children. Take a walk. The Paseo Del Bosque trail extends for 16 miles from  Read more...