Any suggestions?

We here at Little Seouls are always on the look out for exciting new products. If you have any suggestions, please let us know!

Also if you have any questions on anything and want us to answer on the blog, ask away!

Teach Korean to Your Kids this Summer

Now that the school year is coming to a close, it is the perfect time to consider teaching your children (or yourself) Korean! If a Korean class is not easily accessible to you, these Korean learning workbooks are a great alternative. We have just added some new Korean learning books for the summer.

New Little Seouls Dol Birthday Invitations!

We just added 4 new designs! Great for not only dols but for 100th day, regular birthdays, birth announcements, etc.

Baby of the Month Contest

Not too late to enter for this month's drawing! We will announce the winner on June 1st. If you would like to enter, just email us at contest@littleseouls.com with a photo, permission to post photo for contest, name of child, age and address. Past prizes have included Korean podaegi, play mat, toys and long johns.

Korean Festival in Hawaii

Korean festival will be held at Kapiolani Park on Saturday, July 11, 2009. It is right by Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. For more information go to their website at www.koreanfestivalhi.com.

Photo taken from official website.

Dibo

Another popular animation in Korea.

Prenatal Trends in Korea

	Expectant mothers stretch their arms before a ballet class at D Qube Dance Gallery, located in Sinsa-dong , southern Seoul. [JoongAng Ilbo]

Knitting, listening to Mozart and reading fairy tales are so yesterday for expectant mothers.

With an increasing number of moms-to-be seeking novel approaches to prenatal education, a host of new programs has surfaced.

Most recently, the National Palace Museum of Korea launched an eight-week program called “Royal Prenatal Education: Raise your baby in a royal way.”

During the eight-week program, which started April 16, mothers make baby journals and benet jeogori (the traditional first coat worn by a newborn baby) using traditional methods. The origin of benet jeogori dates back to King Jeongjo (1752-1800).

“Instead of luxurious silk, our ancestors used cotton, which has no color or pattern, to make the coat, hoping for their babies to learn modesty,” Kim Eun-young, an instructor who gave a brief presentation of the class, told attendees during one of the classes.

Some expectant mothers are also taking ballet classes.

One dance company says that stretching movements associated with ballet help expectant mothers to relax.

On one weekday last month, a dozen mothers were stretching their arms and legs as classical music played in the background.

“I chose a ballet class because I thought ‘this is something new,’” said Kim Ju-yeon, a worker who was 21 weeks pregnant at the time.

“I’m very satisfied with my decision. I used to wake up in the middle of the night because of pregnancy cramps, but I sleep well these days since I started regularly working out and learning abdominal breathing from this class.”

	“Baby EQ” Provided by Universal Music Korea

One company - Universal Music Korea - even capitalizes on the needs of mothers who are fed up with Mozart. Its “Baby EQ” CD essentially features renditions of well-known pop songs using instruments that emit high-frequency sounds.

The instruments include bells, glockenspiels and celesta.

The songs include hits from artists such as Madonna, Elton John, Sting and U2.

The company claims the high-frequency sounds help calm babies, said Lim Hang-min, an official of Universal Music Korea.

The CD is available at music stores, and more artists such as Stevie Wonder and Phil Collins will be added in the near future.

Some women, instead of, say, knitting, are opting to spend their free time making Blabla dolls.

The marketplaces sell do-it-yourself kits for making the doll.

Blabla dolls are all out of proportion.

They are taller and more colorful than traditional dolls, and the arms are longer.

Many mothers who make Blabla dolls believe that needlework is good for enhancing the intelligence of their unborn babies.

From Joong Ang Daily

Styling Korean Children's Hair

I don't know about you, but I've had bad experiences going to a salon that doesn't specialize in Asian hair. I have the typical thin, straight Asian hair that lacks body and texture. My Korean children have the same hair so this past year we decided to all start going to a Korean hair salon. We were all pleasantly surprised with our hair cuts as the Korean stylist really knew our hair type as well as fashionable hair styles.

I do warn you that Korean styles tend to be more adventurous with perming and coloring children's hair, so if that's not your thing, make sure you don't give them free reign to do whatever they please. :) For example, Koreans seem to really like perming male hair (young and old). Just look at Boys Over Flowers main male lead with his curly hair do above.

A popular Korean hair salon that has a chain of stores across the US is Kim Sun Young. Here's the link.

Korea's version of a Kid's Cafe

Korea has also been impacted by the emergence of children's gyms and play cafes. Here are some photos of one called Little Bear Cafe in Korea.
Photos taken from www.littlebearcafe.com.

All invitations 20% off for the first time! No minimum order.

Baby Shower Ideas

Are you throwing a baby shower or party soon? Here is a cute way to package sandwiches for your guests.

Taken from http://barammaneo.com/

Decorating Your Dol Items

Look what a mom did in Korea to dress up the dol items for her child's first birthday party!

It is Korean tradition to lay out various items in front of the birthday child, as it is believed that the item that the child will pick will predict the child's future. For example, if the child picks up a book, Koreans believe that the child will be scholarly.

Painting of my son

Recently I blogged about a local artist that goes by the name August Eve (aka Seth). Well I commissioned him to do a painting of my son with his favorite blankie. Here's the final result (which I love!):


If you'd like a custom piece done, contact him and tell him Little Seouls sent you! He's really reasonable!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Training Chopsticks for Kids

Below is a clip of my 2 year old daughter using Edison's Training Chopsticks. It is so simple to use that a two year old can pick up a soybean with it!

"Edison Chopsticks are patented education products that enable children aged 2 and older with the wrong posture to immediately learn the principles of using them.
Also, they are new-concept kitchen utensils to help children to get used to using chopsticks in an easy and fun way, and develop finger motion which is impossible with forks, as well as concentration, focus, and intellect."

You can purchase them by going to our store's link here.

How to Make Kim Bap

Kim bap is similar to cooked sushi roll and is often given as a lunch box item for children and adults alike. American parents like to sack peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, while Korean parents sack Kim bap!

Here is an episode from Cathlyn's Korean Kitchen, a cooking show which airs on Time Warner Cable on Fridays, Channel 12. Cathlyn Choi Michelson shares her recipe on how to make Kim bap. If you plan to make it for your child, I would stick to just the meat and vegetables that your child is accustomed to eating. You can also use sausages instead of boolgogi (Korean beef). More recipes and information about this show can be found here at www.cathlynskoreankitchen.tv.

Small World Dolls Get New Hanboks!

After a long anticipated wait for the re-opening of Disneyland's hallmark ride, "Its a Small World," we were happy to see the new dolls in their new and improved, traditional Korean attire.

Happy Children's Day!

Children's Day in Korea on May 5th!

If you don't know, Children's Day in Korea is bigger than Christmas. It's a day parents do everything the child wants on that day. Usually it's amusement parks, zoos, and going on a picnic. Start a tradition in your family and do something special with your children on Tuesday!

Great Gift Idea for Teacher Appreciation Week and Mother's Day

Teacher's Appreciation week begins this coming week: May 3rd to May 9th. Its not too late to purchase that special gift for your child's teacher. These towel cakes are a cute and unique surprise for any teacher. We can send these towel gifts directly to your teacher with a personalized note to the school in order to expedite shipping.

Also a great mother's day gift! Just go to www.littleseouls.com

May's Baby of the Month Contest Winner

Here is one year old Luca who is our winner this month! How handsome he looks in his traditional Korean hanbok!

All monthly winners are randomly chosen. We are now taking entries for June's Baby of the Month. If you would like to enter your child, please email us a photo, name, consent to use photo for contest, age to contest@littleseouls.com. Remember you can re-enter as many times as you like until you win! Just email us to have your child be re-entered for next month's drawing!