Name: Eleanor, 1
Location: U.S.A.

Eleanor is our youngest of four children and she just turned one. We celebrated in our backyard as a family. I wanted to keep it super low key but still special. 

We are still waiting for Spring. If I thought I was antsy in March, now I'm about ready to claw Mother Nature's eyes out - not to mention the weather forecasters! Recently we pulled out my daughter's favorite cardboard playhouse to keep the boredom at bay, and it reminded me how many more houses are out there.

Did you have flower sheets on your bed at some point in your childhood? I definitely did. The motif is incredibly common and has clearly been around for, like, ever; William Morris was already making good use of it in the mid-nineteenth century for his wallpapers. So we know you can easily find some pretty flower sheets anywhere. But we were looking for a different take on this traditional theme, and we wanted to round up some unique and modern garden bedding for kids. So, see how we did after the jump.

What kid doesn't love elephants, lions, and monkeys when they're young? A zoo or general animal-themed party is a slam dunk when you're looking for inspiration. And if the birthday cake doesn't get a bunch of kids bouncing off the walls, these bright colors certainly will. Let them have their big day with these fun decorations:

SKYLTA Market Stand

• $14.99
• IKEA

Play stores are the new play kitchen. This cardboard version is cheap enough to create a whole farmers market at home. Or use outdoors this summer as a lemonade stand.

Name: Evelynn, 9
Location: Vail, AZ

My daughter loves horses, vintage things, and food! So we came up with the idea of a "Country Fair" party. 

Name: Julian (5 months)
Location: Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois

I didn't know if I was having a boy or girl. So I picked out all the details for both scenarios. Our decorator executed it while I was at work after I gave her a sealed envelope from our OB. 

Artist Gwenn Semeel has created a children's book and a series of paintings based on her research into the incredible variety of gender roles, family structure, and partnering in the animal kingdom...

Our home is our first classroom, but in Bea's case, her home really is her classroom. Her mother, Nichole, homeschools her and runs a small, part-time home-based preschool. This classroom is inspiring whether you are planning a space for formal learning or just looking for ways to create an environment at home to inspire and edify your child.