Come join our special celebration in honor of National Neighborhood Local Toy Store Day. A wonderful opportunity for the kids to share their wish list with Santa. Kids will be able to call him on our "Hotline Santa Phone" on Saturday, November 13th from 11:00am-3:00 pm . He will anwser all of thier curious questions. Hot chocolate, treats, Preview of our Top Toy picks will be share too. Spot the Elf and get a special prize!! Please call to reserved a spot (973) 783-6100.

http://www.auntjeanstoys.com/

Save The Date Aunt Jean's and Friends Block Party

On Sunday, September 26 from 11:00AM-5:00PM, come celebrate our third annual block party fund raiser for families in Haiti. We will close North Willow Street and will have live bands, delicious food, arts and craft by Studio Art Kids, vendors, moon bounces, games and much more.... Call for more information (973) 783-6100.

See ya then.

Aunt Jean's Summer Puppet Shows

Come and enjoy your summer Friday nights with us and Mark Dolson, supreme puppeteer! Starting July 30, from 6:30-7:30PM, we will have the next three shows(8/13 and 8/27) at Crane Park along Glenridge Avenue , Montclair. Five dollars per child and parents are FREE!!. Call to reserve a spot (973) 783-6100.

See ya there!!!

Water Games Fun

Summer is winding down, so make sure to enjoy a little fun in the sun with these great water games!

SPLAT!
What you need: A drive-way, water balloons, chalk
Prepare all the water balloons so that they are about the same size. Have each child separately throw the water balloon from over the head onto the drive way to make a water mark. Outline each mark with the chalk and see who has the biggest water mark. Or see who has the craziest splash mark or tinniest.

Duck Duck Splash
What you need: a sponge
Just like the game Duck Duck Goose, you have a group of kids sit in a circle. But instead of saying "Goose!" you yell " Splash!" and ring the sponge on their head.

Balloon Squat Relay
What you need: water balloons for each child and a few extras
Create equal number of teams and have them each form a line. Each child will then run with their water balloon to the finish line and squat on the balloon to make it pop. Once that is accomplished the child runs back and tags the next person. If the water balloon pops while running there, the child must run back and get a new one. The team that finished first is the winner.

Need a few other ways to cool off?

For the little ones - Fill n' Fun Water Playmat: (infant)

For the bigger kids - Geyser Gusher: (6-8 years)

Game Fun!

Do you want a great way to help your kids improve their math skills without them even knowing it? Double Shutter is an oldie, but a goodie math game! Originally created in the early 1900's, Double Shutter is a fun game for the whole family. Roll the dice and add up the dots to shut the tiles in any combination you want--throw the dice until no more tiles can be shut and the player with the lowest remaining tile total wins the round. Shut all the tiles in the super box and gain extra points!

Cooking Fun

Cooking is a great way to engage kids and have fun! Allrecipes.com is a resource I use frequently for kid-friendly treats! My kids love making these little hot dog men...

INGREDIENTS
* 8 hot dogs
* 8 slices bread
* 8 slices American cheese
* ketchup and mustard to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Make a slit down the middle of one end of each hot dog; this will be the legs. At the other end, make a small slit each side; these will be the arms. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, and add the hot dogs. Boil for about 5 minutes until the slits open up.
2. Place slices of cheese onto slices of bread. Set the hot dog men on top. Use ketchup and mustard to make a face, hair and clothes or buttons.
(photo and recipe from Allrecipes.com)

And don't forget an apron for the chefs!

Cowboy Apron

Cowgirl Apron

Creative Play!

Creative Play Plus released an article recently on the importance of creative play to a child's learning ability and development of problem solving skills. At Aunt Jean's we are always looking for great creative play toys...here are some of our favorites!

Teaching Cash Register

Pretend and Play Office Set


Hokey Pokey Skirts   (these are a HUGE hit in the Store!)