Otterhop Guides

When I was contacted by a press representative asking me if I'd like to review a copy of Mindy Avra Portnoy's new book A Tale of Two Seders I gladly accepted thinking it would be about the ways different families conduct Passover Seders. Boy was I wrong.

The Jewish festival Pesach (Passover) began for us last night which means it's Seder time folks! A Seder is a very special meal which is accompanied by the reading of the Haggadah, the story of Passover. And, as those of you who celebrate Passover or have been to a family Seder know, these meals last hours meaning very squirmy kids. Of course kids play a huge role in the success of a Seder, but one worries if all the symbolism and customs are lost on the littlest participants?

I really do love children's holiday books. We fill our humble living space with decorations and a full basket of themed books we've collected over the years. At this point we have such a nice collection of books for each holiday that we are, perhaps, even slightly more excited about the books than the decorations.

Every Friday my children light the Shabbat candles. My 10 year old handles the matches skillfully, while my 3 year old daughter gets help from my husband (much to her disliking).

And because she wants to be just like her older brother, doing everything he does without help from mommy and daddy, it's going to be a real challenge come Chanukah this year. My husband and I will wrestle to hold her hand so she doesn't burn the house down or worse, herself.

Practicing counting skills and number recognition is easy as "1, 2, 3," when your toddler buys into the process of what you're trying to teach her. Getting her to take ownership in her learning is key. Kids love all things Halloween so why not use this as a motivating theme to get the learning started in a fun and pleasurable way for your toddler?

We're recent transplants to San Francisco (via Los Angeles) and we've been gobbling up the delicious mix of kid-friendly arts, culture and events that the city has to offer. We've experienced quite a bit in just under six weeks.

If, like a husband buying a panty rose from the 7-11 at 7pm on Valentine's Day, you and your spawn have procrastinated figuring out how to honor the patriarch of your family don't sweat you still have time. Dads also love receiving homemade goodies manufactured by his precious little ones. Here are a few places to find some quick and easy projects for your sentimental big guy:

For Younger children:

Despite my best efforts to bring enough reusable canvas bags with me when I go grocery shopping I always end up with a plastic bag or two either because I neglected to catch the bagger in time to tell him I really don't need a whole bag for three bananas or I spy some deal I can't pass up...I mean, who really needs 10 cans Hunt's Pasta Sauce? Apparently I think I do.

We had a basic, basic plastic container worm bin about four years ago, which didn't yield a substantial amount of rich humus. However, maintaining the box proved to be fruitful in an entirely different way. Our young son (4 at the time) was totally mesmerized by the bin and its squirmy occupants which opened up several discussions on worms, recycling and taking care of living things. Who knew a silly little bin would hold so many teachable moments? I was crushed when we no longer were able to maintain it due to a home remodel (RIP worms).

When you're looking for something "crafty" to do with your toddler and the ol' Play-Doh has been did why not make a few batches of colored pasta? Yes, I'm talking pasta. The same pasta you use to make delicious soups with in Autumn. The same pasta you use to string up to create special fancy "jewelry" and "parent gifts" when you were just a kinder yourself. Yes, the same pasta but with a super cool color twist. Not to mention you probably have everything you need to whip up some of these saucy pastas today.

To make colored pasta you'll need: