Creating a fun environment for kids to enjoy their meals can be just as important as the presentation of the meal. Especially if you can get them learning at the same time! Here are a couple of ideas and a great giveaway.

1. Personalised and ABC/123 placemats from Love Letters StationeryMade of hardwearing melamine, board and cork, these mats are heat-resistant and scratch-resistant. There are a variety of designs to choose form. A perfect gift!

    

   The ABC/123 placemats are a great way to teach the alphabet and counting from a young age while having a meal. Love Letters Stationery has kindly offered a ABC placemat as giveaway – see the end of post for entry details.

    

   They also personalise placemats. This makes your child feel special having their very own mat and also prevents fighting when you have more than one sibling. We all know that if you give children options, they end up wanting the same or one anothers!

1. Royal VKB kids puzzle dinner tray from YuppiechefA clever way to teach kids the proper table setting early in a fun way.

    

   The melamine tray is like a puzzle with indentations for a fork, knife, plate, cup, and two spoons. The learning starts with little knobs on the cutlery making it easy for small fingers to grab and handle. Fine motor skills are developed, as well as matching shapes to place the items into the proper places. The tray has little feet, making it a versatile item to be used almost anywhere. Perfect to get kids to learn while they eat.

1. Maxwell Williams Cheeky childrens cutlery setMy daughter received this as a gift from my sister and loves having fun with the ‘little men holders’ – they also act as soaring aeroplanes!

1. Melamine plates from l’Emile et SonAlthough melamine products cannot be used in a microwave oven, it is durable and dishwasher safe. Any jungle boy or princess girl will have fun eating out of these colorful plates. My daughter has a plate with a cat on and cannot wait to finish her food to show us the ‘kitty’.

Now for the giveaway!

All you have to do to win the ABC placemat:

1. “like” the Lovilee Facebook page.
2. “like” the Love Letters Stationery Facebook page.
3. Leave a comment on Lovilee’s facebook page, telling us who would be receiving the placemat.

Terms and conditions of the competition:

• The competition closes at midnight on Wednesday, 19 September 2012, South African time.
• The winner will be determined by means of a lucky draw.
• The winner will be announced on Lovilee’s facebook page on Friday, 21 September 2012.
• The prize is not transferrable for cash.
• A South African postal address will have to be provided for us to send the prize to.
• Regrettably, only people residing in South Africa will be eligible for the prize.

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about the author

If it is different, made with love and contains Italian parsley or rosemary, I love it! I'm inspired by my daughter, born Sept 2010, a good latte served with a pretty piece of cake or even better: a carrot and cream cheese-centered muffin. I live by the motto "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day". May you be inspired to live a lovilee life! - ElmaRi