Cooking Tools

Here's an adorable set of child sized cooking tools. Erik has an apron, whisk, rolling pin [although we use it for playdoh] and wooden spoon.

Trains - 09

A low table with train tracks and trains. There are Thomas the Tank Engine brand ones, I think they are the most expensive. Thomas is compatible with Brio brand (I'm pretty sure). A friend got her son a less expensive train table set at Choo Choo Bob's in St. Paul. They have a website.

IKEA has inexpensive sets called Lillebo that are compatible with other brands.

sporting equipment - 09

Target carries some nice kids versions of sports equipment like T ball and golf.

Museum membership - 09

The Science Museum of Minnesota - http://www.smm.org/

Edinborough Park - http://www.edinboroughpark.com/content/facilities/edinborough_park/adventure_peak/season_pass/index.htm

The Minnesota Zoo - http://www.mnzoo.org/guests/membership.asp

Lessons/classes - 09

Erik and I have been attending gymnastics class through Community Education. It's a nice way for him to burn off some energy.

Erik and I have been attending Barnehage, a Norwegian language preschool. It meets at a church in Mpls and is a parent and child (or grandparent and child!) class.

The St. Louis Park Rec Center has a fantastic pool that you could buy Erik a membership to for the summer.

Magazine subscription - 09

The Nat'l Wildlife Federation puts out Ranger Rick for kids seven and up and they also have a magazine for 1-4 yrs olds. It's called Wild Animal Baby. I've never seen one but the description sounds very fun. I'd love to try it for a year. It's 10 issues for $20, kind of spendy, but it sounds like it's published in board book format so it would be durable. Also, Erik would get a dish and utensils free!

Also, the publishers of Cricket magazine put out magazines for smaller children. Babybug is for 0-3 year olds, Ladybug for 3-6 year olds. Each are 9 issues/year for $33.95. If you found older issues on ebay or at a garage sale, that would be fantastic, too!

National Geographic also has a magazine for 3-6 year olds called Little Kids. This one is only $15 per year.

Gardening set

Erik loves to help me garden. He always wants to play with my tools, but since there are clippers and things, I hate to let him have them. There's a store in Minneapolis called "Wonderment". Last summer I saw a nice children's gardening set there. It is metal and has a rake and a shovel. That's all I remember about it. I think Erik would love to have his own tools, shovel, rake, bucket, gloves, kneeling pad, for example. I/he doesn't have his heart set on the ones from Wonderment.