Healthy and strong with microgreens. Read More »
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]]>Chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, and dried peas: let’s sprout them all!
Spring is here, bringing a craving for freshness, greenery, and renewal. What better way to embrace it than by adding a touch of all this to our daily diet? But what if the little ones turn up their noses at anything that looks like a plate of vegetables?
Instead of cooking broccoli and carrots, let’s play at planting our own miniature garden. Who knows—maybe watching our little greens grow will make us want to harvest them and add them to our sandwiches!
Vegetable sprouts are a true superfood.
Rich in vitamins and minerals, easy to digest, crunchy, and tasty, they’re used by top chefs to add an extra touch to any dish.
At home, we can grow them ourselves—all you need to get started are a few simple materials. If the idea catches on, you can buy a sprouter and different types of seeds to expand your indoor growing setup.
To start, you’ll need: a clear glass jar, a handful of dried legumes, a piece of gauze, a rubber band, and a little water.
You can sprout all edible seeds: beans, chickpeas, lentils, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds—or best of all, dried peas or mung beans, whose sweet taste is especially appealing to children.
The only sprouts that are not safe to eat are those from nightshades (like potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers). If you happen to have seeds from these plants, do not use them.
The jar method involves soaking a handful of seeds in water at the bottom of a glass jar overnight.
Do not seal the jar with a lid: cover it with gauze and secure it with a rubber band so the sprouts can breathe. In the morning, gently drain the water and place the jar near a window. Rinse and drain the seeds twice a day to remove excess water.
Each type of seed has its own sprouting time.
Most begin to sprout within a few days and reach the ideal length for eating (between 3 and 5 centimeters) in about a week.
When it’s time to harvest, take a small handful of sprouts and add them raw to your meals. They’re great in soups and salads, or finely chopped and mixed with rice.
Our favorite dish? A toast topped with avocado cream and a fried egg.
Sprinkle the sprouts on top of the egg—their crunchy touch makes the dish tasty, beautiful, and nutritious. Give it a try!
#cresceregiocando #giocaconprimigi
*Article written in collaboration with Giovani Genitori
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]]>Mother’s Day: Strawberry Pinwheels Read More »
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]]>Strawberry pinwheels are the perfect treat for Mother’s Day: they’re incredibly easy to make, they always turn out great, and they’re bursting with joy and deliciousness!
When simplicity rhymes with happiness, the days feel light and carefree.
Let’s celebrate Mother’s Day in the spirit of togetherness by baking these sweet strawberry cookies—they're outrageously tasty and super quick to prepare.
No kitchen chaos, no long hours, and once they’re baked, these pinwheels are perfect to pop into your bag for a park snack or a springtime picnic.
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone!
Pour the soft butter into a bowl and start whipping it with a mixer together with the sugar, salt, vanilla and lemon zest.
Then add the two egg yolks and continue to beat until the mixture is soft.
Add the flour a little at a time to the mixture and mix until you obtain a soft but fairly compact dough.
Place the mixture between two sheets of baking paper and roll it out with a rolling pin into a rectangle measuring approximately 30 x 35 cm and half a centimetre thick.
Spread the strawberry jam evenly with a spoon, leaving a few centimetres free from the edge.
Add some strawberries cut into small pieces, all of approximately the same size.
Using the baking paper, roll up the mixture.
Wrap the roll in baking paper and place it in the refrigerator to firm up for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, turn the oven on to 180°.
When the roll is firm, cut it into slices with a sharp knife, so that the pinwheels do not lose their shape.
You will thus obtain approximately 20/25 biscuits.
Place the pinwheels on a baking tray lined with baking paper and cook in a static oven for approximately 18 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool completely. The snack is ready!
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]]>Ready for the first steps? Read More »
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Every child develops at their own pace: some crawl, some roll, some scoot around on their bottoms, and others wait — only to suddenly stand up, ready to walk. But generally speaking, when does a child start to walk?
“THE HUMAN BEING IS A BIPED – a unique characteristic among all animal species, including mammals,” explains Daniele Simonetti, podiatrist and posturologist. “During the first two years of life, a child progresses from the newborn stage, where they lie supported on their trunk, to the stage of straightening up, where they achieve an upright posture.” Each child follows their own path – some are bolder, others more cautious.
But what are the general developmental stages that lead a child to walk?
“Around 4 to 5 months, the rolling phase begins. The transition from the prone position to crawling on all fours occurs in 100% of children by the 15th month. With support, a child between 7 and 9 months can bear their own weight, but is not yet able to maintain balance.”
This transitional and learning phase challenges the child both physically and emotionally, which is why the attitude of parents is so important. Support, encouragement, lots of love — and no anxiety are the right ingredients to accompany their first attempts.
“It’s important to stimulate the child to walk, but without forcing it — walking is a natural, free, and spontaneous movement that will happen automatically, at the right time,” the expert says. “The child will try to stand up, often using a parent’s hand for support.”
Independent walking generally takes place between 9 and 18 months.
At first, the child walks by placing their entire foot flat on the ground and holding their arms up. Only from the end of the second year do they lower their arms and begin to roll their foot, reducing the base of support. Complete walking maturation occurs around age 7.
A well-fitted first shoe protects and supports the foot and helps the child maintain stability.
“The foot is a sensory organ, with billions of receptors connected to the central nervous system. Walking barefoot – when it is safe – can stimulate environmental perception,” concludes Daniele Simonetti.
Discover our first walking shoes for boys and girls.
Article written in collaboration with quimamme.corriere.it and Dr. Daniele Simonetti.
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]]>The Big Easter Carrots Read More »
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]]>A sweet Easter gift without chocolate
At Easter, as we all know, kids get more chocolate than they do all year round. Let’s leave the joy of giving shiny surprise-filled chocolate eggs to grandparents and uncles and aunts.
We’ll make something different—handmade, festive, and fun. Because if the Easter Bunny has stopped by, he must have brought carrots!
To make these festive little packages, you’ll need two rolls of crepe paper (one orange and one green), a nice wicker basket, a few neutral-colored ribbons (raffia or string works just as well), scissors, and glue.
Cut out two rectangles of crepe paper—one green and one orange. Shape the orange one into a cone, fill it with all your little gifts, and twist the top to close it.
You can put all sorts of things inside the carrots—even sweets—but why not go for colorful beads and string to make a bracelet, bubbles, a sheet of temporary tattoos, stamps, or a mini squishy (those soft, squeezable rubber toys like stress balls)? Any small surprise that sparks a child’s imagination will do just fine.
Making package for Easter sweet gift. Step 2
Roll up the tips of the fringes and apply a thin layer of glue along the bottom edge of the rectangle.
Wrap the green rectangle around the orange cone. Tie it all together with a ribbon or a bit of string. Our carrot is ready!
Arrange the carrots in a lovely basket and place it on the table for Easter morning. The kids will have something new to play with, and we’ll get to enjoy a moment of peace.
Happy Easter!
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]]>Venice with children Read More »
The post Venice with children appeared first on Primigi.
]]>The right suggestions for a family-tailored trip of adventure, explorations, and magic.
Every traveller’s dream, Venice is the most charming city in the world: steamboats to catch, small bridges and streets to be lost in, the noise of the steps in the silent alleys between houses and wonderful buildings.
Despite being splendid and unique, it’s not a city that families can easily visit. Many parents give up or postpone the trip scared by the steps non suitable for strollers, by all year around crowd and by the long walks.
And yet, Venice is always worth the visit, just organise in advance a different itinerary according to the age.
Although we would like to avoid the most touristic routes, there are places in Venice that cannot be missed out, starting from the postcard, San Marco square, with the Torre dell’Orologio, Palazzo Ducale and the Basilica with its golden mosaics. The entrance is free, but queues can be very long. Don’t be discouraged and climb up to the Loggia (admission with fee) to enjoy a wonderful sight.
Between San Marco and Campo San Polo, the largest squares in Venice, there is Rialto and at its feet the fish market, where Venetians outnumber tourists. Going down south from Rialto towards Campo Manin you can admire the amazing spiral staircase of Palazzo Contarini of Bovolo (Bovolo means snail/spiral in Venetian).
A gem not to be missed, not far from San Marco and Rialto, is the Liberia Acqua Alta, a timeless and special corner, where old books - victims of high water - have been turned into work of arts: worth a stop.
The best way to discover Venice is to escape the usual routes and take the time to explore the most unknown places. In San Marco district, that along with San Polo is the most ancient part of the city, the endless game of getting lost and finding the way again can start, entering streets with no way out, looking for the bridge on the stream without using the map, since it’s useless here (Google Maps too) due to the subtle and intricated venetian topography.
Less crowded than San Marco is Cannaregio where the Jewish ghetto is, with its calm water canals and houses with windows at the same level of the water. Here, not far from the station, there’s an incredible place: the Giardino Mistico, that host a garden and the orchard of “the lost tastes”, with 40 different varieties of fruit trees.
To escape the most touristic itineraries, the best option is Giudecca Island, authentic and less crowded. Besides, once a year you can reach it by walking from Venice thanks to the boats bridge set-up during the Festa del Redentore.
Next to Giudecca, San Giorgio Island offers a unique experience: the climb to the belltower of the Basilica of San Giorgio, equipped with a lift, that allows people to admire Venice from a different point of view, at 75 metres of height, with a special vista on the whole lagoon.
In Dorsoduro district, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni hosts the Guggenheim collection, that displays the main masters of the figurative art of the XX century. The house-museum of Peggy Guggenheim even organises Kids Days, every Sunday, for children from 4 to 10 years old, to “draw the little visitors near modern and contemporary art in an engaging way”.
https://www.guggenheim-venice.it/en/learn/activities-for-families/kids-day/
For parents and older children, the M9, at Mestre, is a 20th century museum inaugurated in 2018 not to be missed. An architectural treasure chest that contains the most effervescent and engaging story of the Italian twentieth century, including entertainment, services, and lots and lots of immersive technology.
In the Fondaco dei Turchi you can visit the Natural History Museum, filled with intriguing treasures like the skeleton of a big dinosaur or the fossils collection, while lovers of ships models, nautical charts, and different treasures of the Serenissima cannot skip the Naval History Museum.
The Foundation of Venetians Civic museums organises the initiative “Families at the museum”: recreational and educational activities designed to stimulate the curiosity of children from 5 to 12 years old. Every month there’s an offer in a different museum, with diverse and free activities to enjoy museums naturally and joyfully!
For further info: www.visitmuve.it/it/servizi-educativi/famiglie-al-museo
Not only small bridges, canals, and narrow alleys: in Venice there are also open spaces where children can run and play safely. First, fields like the Campo Santa Margherita or Campo San Geremia, next to the station, with the Savorgnan playground. Or the Giardini of Sant’Elena and the gardens of the Biennale, with equipped playgrounds. In this area, near Giardini Napoleonici, the small cafe situated inside the Serra in the gardens (an ancient Fioriera full of flowers and plants) is the right place to have lunch or an unusual snack: it’s called Caffè La serra and it’s a meeting place and an educational space. It offers sandwiches and cakes, inside tables and outside tables in the garden.
Among the most Venetians fields there is Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio, which offers shade, a drinking fountain, and a community garden. Here children reign supreme: in the afternoons after the school, they go there and play hide and seek, football, with scooters (the most used means of transportation of venetians children).
There are plenty of islands in the lagoon that are worth a visit, starting from Murano, to find out all the secrets about glassmaking. The most picturesque of them all? Burano, no doubts, with its colourful houses and the crooked belltower. Among the attractions to visit there is Casa Bepi, a multicolour house owned by Bepi Suà, an old local artist, decorated with geometric figures of all colours.
During spring and summer seasons, moving to the Lido is a very good option: the island, long and narrow, can be covered by bike up to the Oasi delle Dune degli Alberoni. A short break in the beach will make children happy since they can play with the sand while their parents can enjoy a drink with the sunset.
In Venice it’s possible to experiment with unusual and family-friendly ways of visiting.
For example, Macacotour (macacotour.com) organises original experiences like “the treasure hunt for families” – at the discovery of the mysteries and stories revolving around Campo Santa Maria Formosa, “the historic team game” – a challenge among the alleys, small squares, panoramic terraces, and unique means of transportation, or “the game in the boat for families”, that takes place along Canal Grande. The association Best Venice Guides (bestveniceguides.it/kids) as well offers captivating visiting routes, to discover unusual places and classic wonders. An example? “How is Venice built?” is a guided tour thought to explain in a fun way how the city was born, how it developed and how to orient oneself in its magical labyrinths.
Colourful and festive, intriguing and evocative: Venice Carnival is one of the most beautiful In the world, and it’s celebrated with a calendar full of events, shows, games, music and masked balls. Many events are planned this year as part of the Carnival, which will appeal to both adults and young people: from February 14 to March 4, 2025, a wide range of activities are scheduled, making it well worth organizing a lovely family trip.
For info: www.carnevale.venezia.it
Discovering places and museums of the city along with the adorable, red-spotted little dog is a completely different thing! The guide "Pimpa Goes to Venice", written by Altan, is an exploration route with info, games, and curiosity (Franco Panini Editore)
It could be very fun for the little ones to try to be guided by the illustrated Map of Venice (Italy for Kids). It’s a map thought for them, with games, stickers, and 15 ideas of things to be done in the city.
Exploring a wonderful city without a car requires great attention when choosing shoes: the kilometres you will travel will be many! Comfort, of course, but without sacrificing style, since a beautiful city demands appropriate clothes. For children, since first steps to adolescence, the perfect shoes can be found in Primigi shop: bold, very comfortable, light, they will be the perfect companions for exciting days full of adventures and discoveries.
*Written in collaboration with Giovani Genitori
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]]>Biscuits for birds Read More »
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]]>But what do birds eat in winter?
Now that the leaves have fallen from the trees, the birds have little left to peck at. What will they eat throughout the winter, especially if it rains or snows?
We will prepare some appetizing biscuits, designed especially for their beaks and their delicate stomach which - as we well know - is not suitable for feeding on breadcrumbs.
Few recycled materials
There are several ways to feed wild birds in winter. We will prepare fat and cereal balls that will make the little birds happy. Collect some small containers, a few ounces of seeds, string and scissors, some garlic or lemon nets and get to work!
To prepare the biscuits you need 100-200 grams of solid vegetable fat (margarine or solid coconut oil) or animal fat (butter or lard) and a little cooking oil. For the birdseed, prepare a mixture with 2 ounces of sunflower seeds and another 2 or 3 ounces of chopped walnut kernels, oat flakes, bran sticks and, if desired, some raisins or other dried fruit, to provide to the birds wild all the necessary nutrients.
Heat the fat in a saucepan to melt it, then add a little vegetable oil to prevent the birdseed from becoming too tough. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cereal mixture. Pour half the mixture into the moulds, add some ring strings to hang the seed balls and pour the other half over. If you want to use a simpler process, just fill a garlic net with the mixture and leave to cool.
The biscuits should be kept refrigerated overnight. The next day gently detached them from the forms and hung them on the balcony or on the branches of a tree.
You can also wrap them up and turn them into gifts for grandparents or friends.
Soon you will see wild birds coming to help themselves to seeds at all hours of the day. They are very greedy and will always come back, which is why we make a recommendation: once you start feeding the birds, continue until spring!
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