Horton Here's a Shoe!

Ah you just can't grow up without a pair of Converse on your feet. And now that Dr Seuss has thrown the Cat and his Hat at this iconic brand, there's never been a better reason to pick up a pair, one for Thing One and one for Thing Two...We just need them down this-a-way please as currently they are only available State-side..BAHHH!

Little Big Shots

The international children's film festival Little Big Shots is now touring Australia and with a list of animation and action as long as your two wee arms put together, this ridiculously fabulous event will enthral kids from 2 to 82. Best selling children's books move from page to big picture - watch out for that crazy pigeon from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, kitchen capers in The Bake Shop Ghost and our all time favourite Oliver Jeffers gem, Lost and Found. And if you don't shed a small bucket of tears at this one, I'll eat my words and the bucket too!

Kindergallery

Want to share an appreciation of art with your kids? Want to invest in some great international design without the hefty price tags? Well look no further than Kindergallery, a Sydney based company with a second home in Berlin, who source art and design for kids from around the world. Created to suit all budgets, their website is a delight to explore.

Petit Collage

Aliette

Meredith Gaston

Zoom Zoom

So after much deliberation, this is what the birthday boy got. His however is super fast red with matching handle bars, as he quite simply, couldn't possibly have the same colour as his friend P. We were advised that they are the very best when it comes to safety, balance, coordination and bravery, so watch this space, hold your breath and let's see how well he goes!

Birthday Boy

Today it's Brother Trimm No. 1's birthday. He is turning a very big THREE!. Feeling nostalgic I pulled out the party photos from last year and could not believe the difference a year makes. That little baby face has grown in leaps and bounds and he can now proudly out-sing me in every Justine Clarke song in the car. In case you were wondering my party research has led me to new heights, all of which I will share a little later down the track. We are just hanging on a few more weeks til his Irish grandparents make the big trip to Tasmania.
Happy Birthday Gentle One!

Where the Wild Things Are

In a former life in Dublin, I once peddled my way as a mural painter...oh to have worked with someone like Pacquita Maher, This Melbourne based artist has a background in graphic design and illustration and happened upon her current career quite by accident. Isn't that how the best things are created? Pacquita is a lot more than a muralist, she really is an interior artist.

Imagine a room straight out of Max's wildest dreams!

via The Design Files

Monkey Business

This cool little sticker kit is the perfect stage to create your very own jungle adventure story. What a great gift for any little explorer! Personalise each page with five sheets of removable stickers and a cute and colourful gallery of inspirational ideas to get you started! This is the clever creation of Hello Hanna, a design duo whose mission is to design simple and unique products to spark the creativity in all of us. Hello Books are also made with FSC-certified recycled paper.

via Upon a Fold

Stitching Cars

I've fallen in love. Two of my favourite subjects merged in magnificent symmetry! Embroidery and machinery....ahhh sweet heaven! Ok so I am exaggerating a little on the love of machinery, but aren't these just the SEWeetest creations, you've ever seen? Created by Dutch designer Christel Hoksbergen, this is such  a gorgeous way to introduce your boys to this more traditionally girly craft.

via Present and Correct

Cooter Cute

The Cooterboy collection of stationery is just uber-super if your boys love vintage cars, trains, plains or ships. Oh hang on that means ALL boys right?! There are diaries, notebooks and magnets galore, so many goodies that you'll just have to start a collection...

Tricky Treat!

Fancy a change of face today? How about a little Buddy or Hercule? Well The Brothers Trimm are here to help with this Print and Cut Disguise Kit from Jen Allyson. Trick your teachers today!

Case in Point

Completely impractical for travel, but oh so gorgeous, these vintage mini suitcases would look so great on a carousel! I'd probably keep them at home and use them for storing all those toy planes picked up at the airport...

Star Light, Star Bright...

If you plan to sleep under the stars next holiday then I suggest you read a very touching post from our pals at Classic Play. Just remember, savour the simple stuff with your boys and you'll cherish those moments more than any others. Oh and if you are in need of a supercool Star Gazer Kit, well this is the one for you!

Pick a Card, Any Card

“Who’s inside the cage?” This colourfully cute deck of playing cards is perfect for evenings around the camp fire, or after a visit to the zoo! Each card is printed on both sides with one side a unique animal (different for each card) and the other side of a boy peeking through a cage. Brilliant! With the list of animals drawn on the cards, what a great way for children to remember the animals they visited or practise their scary roars! We love them, we do!

Long Haul Travelling

My lovely friend and Brothers Trimm logo designer Emma recently took her two small children overseas ALL BY HERSELF! (applause please) Although her children are admittedly girls, they do love to run around and have just as much energy as two small boys. With a very practical head and warm as toast nature, I knew she would be the perfect Mum to ask for top tips when flying with smallies. Here is her excellent list of Do's and Don'ts... Read on if your kids are aged 4 and under.

DO
-arrive at your destination in the evening so you (and the little ones can roll into bed just like you want to)
-take two complete changes of clothes each, on board, just in case.
-layer up so that if you too get soiled with sauce or juice, you can whip off your top and be grubby-free just in time for landing!
-take ipod with playschool and child-friendly headphones
-Call airline before and arrange assistance at the airports
-put all your belongings in a mini back pack for plane time. Take one mini wheely case for airport time.
-take lots of snacks
-take pre-measured out powdered milk that you can add bottled water to, its a great comfort in a strange land!
-drink lots of water
-befriend a welcoming face so you can leave the child with them when you need the bathroom!
-take lots of tissues and wipes.


DONT
-take too much stuff on board
-if your little one isn't toilet trained, use pull ups with wetness liners, they dont' have the capacity of usual nappies, but pull up style nappies are far easier to use in these tiny toilets than regular tabbed nappies
-fly at night, it stresses you out when you and your kids aren't asleep and everyone else is, AND you can't see anything as its soooo dark!
-expect to be able to read or do anything for yourself on board, you are there for the kids.....
-worry if they/you dont' sleep, whats the worst that can happen?!

Travel Tricks

For lots of our readers its holiday time, whether its escaping the winter chill or enjoying this years hot northern summer. If you're lucky enough to be heading away, we have dedicated this week to sharing some travel tricks. No camping crankies or plane pain here. Bon Voyage!

Today we talk travel toys. The general rule of thumb is to not bring too many, keep them light and inexpensive. You don't want any favourite treasrures disappearing under plane seats now do you? So for car, boat or plane, here are a few of our crafty favourites.
1. Wikki Sticks - bendy, waxy, reusable craftiness! Make animals, faces, letters, houses, 2D, 3D, yeeehaaa, imagination  overload! Great for ages 3 and up.
2. Little Airport Sticker Activity Book - For boys aged 4-8, this is a gem as the stickers are reusable, and, well, its got planes in it.
3. Bubble Wrap Travel Game - super easy to pre-make, recycled and fun for big and little. This is how you make it.
4. Audible.com - when heads are tired and fuses are blowing, pre-download some new stories or a few old favourites for that ever-lasting car journey.

With thanks to Oh Dee Doh and Delicious Baby

Horsing around this weekend?

Phew, what a week... I need a big lie down! If I was in the UK I'd be heading to Graham and Green and picking up a cushion or two from their gorgeously fresh animal collection. Horse or Stag, I'll take both! Isn't this a refreshing change from robots and rockets? Cuddle up with your boys this weekend and let them tell you a story. Relax well everyone, next week it's all about travel!

Peter and the Wolf

Grab a cuppa and take a seat. This week's post from our favourite lady in London is a goody and sure to set your memories a-flowing. This breathtaking animated adaptation of the all time children's classic will be sure to impress both you and your boys...


I remember as little girls, my sister and I would sit captivated whilst listening to our precious Peter and the Wolf cassette tape. The tingling suspense and flurry of musical activity always had us at the edge of our seats! 


Originally written and composed in 1936, by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev, this musical symphony was intended to cultivate 'musical tastes in children from the first years of school'. Like JM Barrie before him, the initial response to his Peter story was poor and failed to attract attention. Never did he dream that his simple story would become such a revered classic among all ages for years to come.

There have been many adaptations, both musical and visual, with one of the very first animated versions created by Walt Disney in 1946. Sixty years later Suzie Templeton has directed a moody and evocative adaptation, with the soundtrack performed by the world-renowned British Philharmonia Orchestra. Templeton's stop-frame animation has received huge critical acclaim, including an Oscar in 2008, and deservedly so, as the technical achievement is startling, revealing a level of care, sensitivity and imagination that leaves the audience mesmerised and wanting more.

Peter's cherub face and magical blue eyes, the Grandfather's gnarly knuckles, the duck's naive and friendly demeanour, the pompous cat and mischievous magpie, all of these elements and many many more combine to make this a magical sensory adventure.

It's probably worth mentioning that Templeton's decision to produce this film without any narration makes for a piece of visual entertainment that can be enjoyed by global audiences of all ages, however the wolf is a little bit scary so this may not be quite suitable for little ones! 

The film is available to buy on DVD from Amazon, download from iTunes or watch it in four installments here 

Reading with Boys - Interview with Sarah Webb

I'm so thrilled to introduce a very old friend, fellow Irishwoman and super successful adult and children's writer,Sarah Webb to The Brothers Trimm. With writing being Sarah's dream job, she can travel, read magazines and books, watch movies, go shopping, and interrogate friends and relations - all in the name of research! She has written nine adult novels including Always the Bridesmaid and The Loving Kind, plus the Amy Green series about teenage agony aunts. She also reviews children's books for the Irish Independent and is on the board of Children's Books Ireland.
In our inaugural Brothers Trimm interview, she kindly took a break from her final draft of Amy Green 4, to share her well versed views on boy's and books. Welcome Sarah!



Do you think there is a fine line between encouragement and pressure for boys to read by a certain age?
Yes, I think it's a difficult one. Many readers, boys especially, read in their own good time and for some this isn't until they are seven or eight. What's important is keeping them interested in a story while they learn the mechanics of reading, and reading aloud is vital. Audio books are also an excellent idea, comics, anything that keeps them interested in stories really.

How would you suggest nurturing good reading habits?
First of all, it's vitally important that we as parents are seen as 'readers'. We must read in front of our children - magazines, newspapers, books - and talk about what we are reading. This is especially important for boys. Often they do not see any male reading role models in their household. They see women reading - teachers, mums - not men.
I'd also encourage book vouchers as presents - and not judging what the child wants to pick! Let them read Captain Underpants or Wimpy Kid if it keeps them reading.
There is a huge difference between raising a child who can read and raising a reader - raising a reader is a life long thing and starts when they are teeny tiny. Board books in the cot, buggy books, picture books at bedtime, regular trips to the library and bookshop.


Are there any titles you would suggest for those just starting to read on their own?
Yes, the Dr Seuss early readers - oldies but goodies. The Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems is inspired - silly, great illustrations - perfect for boys.
The Happy Families series by Allan Ahlberg has always been a favourite, and also for boys, the Captain Underpants books by Dav Pilkey are brilliant. A little rude, yes, but they sure keep the boys reading!

What are pre-teen boys reading in Ireland at the moment?
The Wimpy Kid books are very popular at the moment, as are the Derek Landy books - Skulduggery Pleasant, about a skeleton detective and his side kick, a 13 year old girl. The Artemis Fowl books are also very popular, featuring a child criminal genius and fairies. Anthony Horowitz is also a huge seller.

You too have a son, what are his favourite books?
He loves Anthony Horowitz and is also a huge Eoin Colfer and Derek Landy fan. He also enjoyed Wilderness by Roddy Doyle, about two boys on a husky adventure for readers of ten or eleven upwards.

Cameo roles

Today I am proudly featuring on the wonderful Classic Play. Jennifer Cooper, a wonder woman and beautiful writer has invited us into her fold and we are very excited to be part of the Classic Play crew. Visit her super duper blog, which shares The Brothers Trimm philosophy down to a very big T.

Milking it

Do you remember free school milk? We used to get them each morning in tiny cartons with flowers on the back. I remember staring at a thistle and wondering why school milk always had to taste so warm? Those days are long gone, but the great benefits of good milk remain, whether from cow, goat or bean. These sentiments are shared by the lovely ladies at Belle and Boo, who have just released two nostalgic hand screen printed pictures, one for boys and the other for girls, of course! There's something about that font that reminds me of Cadbury's Dairy Milk. Maybe its a subliminal message to make chocolate milk!

Lets Go Lego

Uh oh, if you are lu-hucky enough to live in or near New York, LOOK what's just opened at Rockefeller Centre. Ohhhh every boys idea of heaven...

via swissmiss

Vintage Birthdays

From the indisputably awe-inspiring pages of Bloesem Kids, here is one savvy suggestion for creating a party to remember. Via the effervescent Etsy, Bkids suggests: a donkey game from LittleMe123 and bingo from vintagebutterfly94 would come in very handy when organizing a vintage themed party. It wasn’t hard finding intact old streamers that you can also use as a tablerunner, from TinselandTrinkets. 30one's Vintage playing cards are perfect to use for garlands or wall decoration. Perhaps the Mickey Mouse Birthday Book can give you more ideas on how to throw the perfect vintage party, from recyclarama. I am not a big fan of kids running around with lollipops in their mouths, but would love to make an exception for these colorful and tasty-looking "originals" on paperbased sticks by VintageConfections.  Thanks Bloesem Kids for some ace advice. Happy Birthday if you're celebrating one this weekend! 

Birthday Cards

Birthday cards are a dime a dozen, but isn't it heaven to receive a really special one? Why not deliver something special to your chap. Rifle Paper Co. do nothing wrong in the stationary department. In fact, I can't find a fault with them. Go vintage with this nostalgic circus scene or blow them away with this balloon greeting.