What could be more fun than a sandbox? A sand AND water box! The Activity Sand and Water table has the best of both worlds for your kids to explore and enjoy.
And you're not limited to just sand and water, you can fill the "water" bin with not only water but pinto beans, marbles or just use good old H2O and you can vary the sensory input the kids get.
The size of this table allows four to six children to play at once and it encourages group play. For easy clean up and storage, the lid snaps on and keeps the items in the sand table - inside. The table stands 24-inches and has 4 caster wheels. There is a handy drain valve on the water side of the sand table that lets the water drain out easily.
This is a great toy for kids 3-years old and up to enjoy outdoor play along with different sensations. Your kids can spend hours creating different play scenarios and this is a wonderful toy to encourage not only group cooperation, but also pretend play.
Want to teach your kids to appreciate nature? Growing their own garden is a great way and you can do this one even if you reside in a little apartment in the middle of the concrete jungle.
Gardening is easy and most children take to it like ducks to water. What's not to like? There's dirt, learning and fun to be had!
The Indoor Gardening Set by Green Toys is a great way to let your kids learn the value of patience. This indoor gardening kit is not only fun and educational but also very environmentally friendly as it is made in the United States by recycling plastic milk containers. This is a safe plastic that you can feel good about using.
The set includes a planter tray to hold your pots that is shaped like a peapod, 3 planting pots, 1 hand trowel, enough soil for your project, 3 packages of organic seeds and very easy to follow instructions for setting up your indoor garden. Even if your own thumb is brown, you'll learn right along with your kids about the right wayt to water, let the light hit your plants and watch them grow!
After you get your feet wet with this project, try planting green beans and let your kids pick them, wash them and "snap" them - you'd be amazed at how much your kids will finally enjoy their vegetables.
Are you sick and tired of buying batteries for the toys your child plays with? Batteries die quickly on some riding toys that will drain in less than 10 minutes and then need to be recharged for a couple of hours for another 10-15 minutes of riding "fun" - what fun is that?
No child likes to wait and there's no point in getting your child a toy that will simply prove to be frustrating and making them wait time and again to play with. Instead, have you considered a Plasma Car?
A Plasma car requires no batteries or other power source, they are solely kid-powered. It's easy to operate too. All your child has to do is rotate the steering wheel from left to right and the car will move forward. It can also move in reverse and turns just as easily. Once your child learns the easy rhythm of operating Plasma car, you're going to have a hard time getting them off their new favorite toy to come in for dinner!
In addition to being easy to operate, the Plasma car is built to last through many fun rides. It is constructed from state-of-the-art, high-quality ABS plastics which make it both light and durable for your children to use. The Plasma car has six wheels, a comfy seat, footrests and an easy to grip steering wheel.
You can get a Plasma car in your little one's favorite color as it comes in blue, green, purple, and red. It's sleek like a race car and you don't have to worry as it doesn't go as fast as one. As with all riding toys, always make safety a priority and never let your child ride a Plasma car or any other riding toy unsupervised. This riding toy is age appropriate for children from three years old to twelve years of age and will hold up to 200LBS on its frame.
Do you ever stop and marvel at how "modern" the world is that your kids live in? Depending on your age group, many parents actually managed to grow up with only a black and white television in their homes, no cable, no MTV; children's song were listened to on 45 records or 12-inch albums; no CDs or DVDs, early models of cell phones were a huge clunky affair to lug around and the reception was terrible and books were often our best friends when it was too wet or cold to go out and play.
Fast forward to today and you probably have a 3-year-old that can program your DVD player or a 5-year-old that asks permission to go to Noggin online and knows how to get there if you say it's okay. Finding toys that challenge your kids and keep them learning and most importantly, interested in learning, is a real challenge.
Time Travel for Kids is an amazing creation written just for the 3-5 year old crowd and will give your preschooler and great idea of what times were like at different points in history. Your child will go through space and time and land at each place and learn through seeing interesting stories present other cultures and historical facts. Through the use of interactive games, creative arts and amusing musical activities your child will learn about dinosaurs, find out about the habits of prehistoric man, visit Native Americans in their village to discover their traditions, and enjoy an Alien's visit from space to learn about the stars above.
Learning about history doesn't have to be dry or boring, make it fun and your kids won't even know they're learning!
By the time your little one is entering or about to enter school, you will have read and been told a hundred thousand times that children learn and retain knowledge easiest through pretend play. Have you ever thought about how much you can expand on that?
Pretend play doesn't have to be about playing house or coffee shop and learning just colors, numbers and shapes. It is also a valuable way for kids to learn to interact, be considerate of other's ideas and opinions and also develop valuable social skills that are paramount for classroom activities and getting along in a group. These are all skills your child will take throughout his or her life. If your little one can't get along in a group and never learns social skills, he won't fare much better as an adult in an office job and may wonder why he never gets that promotion or special project to work on. It all goes back to the basics we learn as kids and you can give your kids a headstart in life by letting them learn through group play and other social building skills.
Another fun way to learn that develops young imaginations as well as teaches history is to let your child dress up in a costume and learn about figures or historical times past. Dressing up as an colonial and learning about the early Presidents is a great way to both teach your kids how America was founded as well as making history come to life. Let him dress up as General George Washington and act out Crossing the Delaware. There are tons of preschooler and early reader history books at both your local bookstore as well as your library - indulge your child's love of learning and let him really live the part too!
Babies are on the go and their little minds are like sponges. Whatever you put in front of them, they soak up. If you have a little one that is on the move, give her a safe place to play that is also stimulating for learning.
The Alphabet Foam Mat is a fabulous place for your little one to crawl, play and learn letters and colors. The foam letters are far to big to pose a choking hazard and are easy for little hands to handle and grasp due to their squishy, foamy design.
It makes for great interactive play with your child as well as a cushy place to do it. Sing the Alphabet Song to her, talk about colors, and play games like "Find the Letter". When she's a toddler, ask her what her favorite letter is, favorite color and have her point them out. Toddlers love to be opinionated about everything!
Your little one will stay safe and clean, while she'll love the bright colors and things to do on her mat. The 5-foot by 5-foot square mat has interlocking pieces that go together like a puzzle which will really please a curious toddler. When your child is even older, she will be delighted to discover that the assembled squares can be put together into cubes for large-sized building play.
If you like toys that can grow with your little one, this is another great addition to your child's room!
Does your little one seem bored? A quick glance in your child's toy chest may yield the reason why. Numerous toys that are sold for smaller children today are so advanced they actually play for the child too. Electronic coloring books are safer for your newly painted white walls but your kids don't learn as much about the colors from touching dots of color on a screen with a light pen. Tactile senses - being able to hold and feel what they are playing with - are important to the development of children.
Because of the boom in video games, many children have exquisite hand-eye coordination but lack development in other fine motor skills. This isn't to say video games are a bad thing - they aren't and there are a good number of wonderful learning programs that will give your child a leg up on learning. But as with all activities - they should include parental involvement and limit their use. Diversity in activities will keep your child's mind stimulated and ready to absorb information.
Another good way to get your young child's fine motor skills up and running is to use some of the types of toys you probably remember from your own childhood. A simple wooden pounding toy will delight your young child and he will quietly be learning to place the hammer where his eye sees the point to hit and in turn develop his fine motor skills. You can also talk about the shapes and colors of the various parts and help him brush up on his colors and shapes. If you've been skittish about buying wooden toys, rest assured the fine folks at Plan Toys have taken your concerns to task. All Plan Toys are safe and non-toxic made with replentishable rubberwood. It's made by a natural process and contains no wood preservatives. The toys are inspected to have all sharp corners removed and made with safe, non-toxic paints. Last but not least, this toy is assembled using a proprietary non-formaldehyde glue replacing the traditional wood glues that are high in chemicals and formaldehyde.
As a parent you have numerous worries every day, is your child eating enough good foods? Is your child doing well in school? Is your child developing at the pace he or she should? Is your child exercising enough? All of these are valid worries and now more so than ever, childhood obesity is becoming a larger problem (no pun intended) than ever - but there are steps you can take to keep your child out of this group.
First of all, leave healthy choices out for snacks. Children tend to grab whatever is easiest and "there" - get rid of the fruit roll ups, chips and crackers and substitute those items with real fruits, carrot sticks or other veggies chilled and crunchy, and if your child likes a sandwich for an afterschool snack, make it a healthy one with fillings ranging from tofu to cheese to peanut butter.
Teach your child to watch portions. Once you start going over what a serving size actually is, your child may discover that he's actually been eating 2 or more servings of cereal or crackers at a sitting - those calories add up and the end result isn't good health. Start teaching your kiddo to make good choices now and they'll carry that lesson into their adult years.
Getting up and exercising is another way for kids to stay fit. In the colder areas of the United States, going outside and playing every day isn't an option so indoor activities have to . If your child enjoys playing video games or being on the computer - let him but limit those activities so they don't fore go healthier pursuits.
Having something to exercise on such as an Airwalker is also a great idea. It's fun and it gets the whole body moving. Another way to get your kids moving is to exercise with them, make some time to get up and stretch your bodies and move to some music - 10-minutes a day is even enough - just do a little exercise!
Teach your kids to make good choices with their foods and their bodies; in doing so you'll raise a healthy young person that make healthy decisions instead of another obesity statistic.
If you have younger children, you know what a challenge it is to keep their minds and hands busy. If you don't have something stimulating, they tend to get bored and start getting into mischief.
With winter in full effect for most of the country; your kids may be a little blue because the weather conditions don't allow them to go outside and play, you can take the opportunity to work with them on learning skills through fun play activities.
Study after study has shown that children readily absorb, maintain and can recall lessons learned through pleasurable activities such as simple play more than any other teaching method. If your little one is ready to start dressing himself, work with him on simple skills to help him learn to use his fine motor skills.
You can have fun with your kids as they use the Basic Skills Board and learn how to zip zippers, lace up laces, tie strings into knots and bows, button up the buttons and snap the snaps. All of these are skills that are necessary for being able to dress themselves.
The fun bear has a ton of fun things to do (and undo) again and again and you can let your child challenge himself and set a kitchen timer and see what his best time is for doing the whole board. You can also do only buttons or or just laces - and set a time for each one.
Another fun activity this board can be used for is to learn colors. Ask your little one to "Button the green button" and what him find it and do it. Then let him tell you a task to do. And take turns.
There are so many ways to use this fun board and all of them will not only keep your kiddo having fun - but learning!
Fill and Spill that is. It's never too early to stimulate your baby with a toy that will encourage development on many levels - along with being a whole lot of fun.
Babies love repetition as a part of play. Many babies become unsure or even frustrated when a toy doesn't perform the same sound or movement over and over. Most babies have an innate need to know what to expect and this in turn helps them gain confidence.
Pour objects out and watching them fall again and again through the grace of gravity is a never ending fascination for most babies. Give your little one a fun toy that will also work on building up his or her fine motor skills as well as grasping skills.
Melissa and Doug have put out so many wonderful toys for kids and the Fill and Spill is no exception to that rule. The Fill and Spill will keep your baby entertained for hours with four buggy friends that each make their own sound. One buggy rattles, while another jingles. Another squeaks and that last one crinkles. The toy is completely washable and easy to keep clean.
The bugs can be put into the container again and again and then poured out. Your baby will have so much fun experimenting with putting his or her hand inside the "bug jar" and then swirling the buggies around and then tipping the entire container and pouring them out. They can be stacked, counted and you an even play games and ask your baby to give you the bug that jingles or tell your baby to show you the color blue on a bug. There are so many levels of learning with just this one toy!
Delight and stimulate your baby with the fun of a Fill and Spill Toddler Toy and watch your child's mind and skills grow.
Did you ever consider how powerful of a learning tool a simple bunch of blocks can be?
There are so many ways to work with your child no matter what his or her age and teach them so many things with a simple group of building blocks.
The first thing that children can gain from playing with blocks is the development and fine tuning of gross and fine motor skills. Stacking blocks takes practice and even very small children will enjoy practicing carefully putting one block on top of another until it becomes unbalanced or an unsteady handy hits the wobbly tower of blocks and it comes crashing down - an action which delights most children too!
With practice, your child will learn to cause and effect. What happened when he or she stacked up the blocks too high? Finely placing blocks one on top of another also develops manual dexterity needed for grasping and picking up the blocks as well as learning to place them on top of each other in a straight manner.
You can move on when your child is older and talk about the shapes of the blocks. Squares and make rectangles and other shapes by stacking up blocks. Play guessing games and create shapes or have races and stack all the blocks of a like color together. All of these create fast thinking and decision making skills in your child.
Older children love and appreciate pretend play. Build a simple block house. Decide if it's really a house, a school, an office and talk about what could be going on inside.
There are so many ways to learn with a simple set of blocks, if your child doesn't already have a set, get one this week and watch how many ways your child can blossom!
Got a little one in your life? Whether it's your first, fifth or simply the friend of a relative or child you love and adore - you can't start stimulating his or her mind too early. Study after study have shown that the majority of infants and toddlers respond to and have their minds jump started with simple, repetitious play. The simple is so it's easy for the young child to catch on to the object of whatever activity you choose to do and the repetitious is also important in the beginning as babies especially can get frustrated if they don't know what's going to happen.
Simple colored ring toys have been a staple of young children's toy boxes for decades and as it turns out - they are also very good for the development of both senses and skills. The bright colors will stimulate the cognitive skills of the child and the graduated ring shapes will stimulate the motor functions necessary to put the rings on the holder. The rings you had as a child were probably made of plastic - these rings are made of wood and make a fun "clack - clack" as they are placed on the holder on top of each other.
Build the rings from the biggest to the smallest at first and then turn the game around and make it from the smallest to the largest on top. You can also teach your child colors with ease by saying, "Let's put on the red ring" and when the child picks up the appropriate ring, praise them mightily. It's a great way to learn without knowing they are learning a thing - as far as the little one is concerned, it's just a fun game!
With the cold days of winter here you kids may be spending more time inside than they usually do and when they do the walls of the house can seem more closed in and smaller than ever when you have a couple of bored kids in the house. Even if you live in the parts of the country that stay warmer during the winter months - there will still be cold, rainy days your kids are indoors.
Pretend play is a great way to pass the days and encourage group play, turn taking and stimulate imaginations - all they need is the right tools to do so. Something as simple as a play tent can do the trick. The Train Station Play Tent is a marvelous way to give your kids a place to play and create imaginary scenarios.
This pop up tent is perfect for providing hour upon hour of fun play. There's lots of space with mesh roof windows for plenty of fresh air, as well as roll-up windows. The tent is made of long wearing 70 Denier 190T polyester and combined with the Pacific Play Tents exclusive "G-3" patented pole system, the indoor/outdoor tent is a breeze to assemble with the color-coded tent pole system and attached connectors; the train station will be ready to begin hosting endless imaginary play with your kids within minutes.
An accessory that is very fun but must be purchased separately is the 19" tunnel portal that your kids can run through to get to the train station. The Train Station itself has flaps and velcro stays and is easy to keep clean with mild soap and water.
With the colder days of winter fast upon us -and your kids stuck inside the house during inclement weather - you'll be hearing "There's nothing to do" even though they have a drawer full of video games, a computer, a television, bookcases full of books and numerous toys - what they might need is some imagination stimulation that will keep their minds creating and therefore keeping boredom at bay - try art.
Kids love to create. Whether it's with clay you bought at the store or tried out your Mom's old recipe for making flour based salt-clay-doh for the kiddos to play with, painting or other artistic endeavor - your kids will love to create. Why not make it even easier with a central place to do it in?
An art station makes a wonderful place for just one or even a small group of kids to gather around the table and create to their heart's content. The Creation Station has drying racks to hold priceless works of art while they dry, recessed paint cups for easy access for brushes and hard to spill, trays to hold the brushes neatly, rolled paper for endless artistic creations, paper towel holder to keep it neat and six supply shelves to keep the art station neat and in order.
Be prepared for those winter blues when they hit and have an activity ready for your kids. Give the kids a theme and let each one draw a specific thought or feeling - it is so interesting what each child will come up with. Add a Creation Station to your child's play area or bedroom - it will keep boredom at bay!
For over ten years, Skoooch has quietly been making kids all over the world very happy with their combination skateboard and bicycle scooter.
The beauty of a Skooch is that kids can learn to ride it with a very small learning curve unlike both skateboards and bicycles that usually cause injuries (although mostly minor) during the "learning to ride" process.
The Skoooch will also encourage your kids to get away from their computer screens and video games and go outside and get some exercise. The age appropriate range for Skoooch is 3-6 years of age. Kids that are too big for a scooting toy and too small for a "big kids bike" will love to ride their very own Skooch.
As with any riding toy, make sure that your kids wear the appropriate safety gear when riding this toy. This can include a helmet and knee and elbow pads. The Skoooch has dual read skids and a hand brake that most children learn to use with ease. The non-skid footboard makes it easy for little feet to grip and best of all, the Skoooch comes 98% assembled in the box, so no waiting to go play!
Even in the modern day of video games, Wii, XBox, junior text messengers and other high tech inventions, kids still love to play and relax the old fashioned way.
Most kids will drop the video games to fast moving game of War with an old deck of cards or boards games still bring many children joy. The difference? Most people believe it's the actual "hands on" experience that you just don't get with video and computer games. A keyboard or a joystick needs to be held - but the experience can't be considered truly hands on.
Another once commonplace item that is making a comeback for kids is their own rocking chair. It's a great way to harness young energy and the majority of children are naturally soothed by a gentle back and forth rocking motion. When choosing a rocking chair for your child, make sure it is truly designed for a child as there are certain safety requirements for furniture for children such as the length of the rockers and the size of the space between the slats that won't allow a little head to get caught between them.
Another plus to purchasing a quality made rocker is that it will most likely last well past your child's young years and when your child is a parent of their own - their rocking chair will be ready to provide a ready seat to their own child.
The bad part about winter weather is that the kids basically get cooped up inside and when there's a lot of excess energy they aren't expending, you can have some grumpy kids. The good part about winter is you can make it fun by adding an indoor play toy that will keep the kids occupied and playing.
Kids love pirates and the "Pirates of the Carribean" movies have done nothing to diminish that and with that in mind, you can give your kids a fun pirate filled holiday season. Start off with the Pirate Ship Loft by Guidecraft which is a colorful and feature-filled toy that not only will keep your kids occupied, it also encourages the expansion of young imaginations as well as group play. Your kids will love playing on their own pirate ship and it has fun extras such as stairs to the upper decks where your kids can slide down to the floor again and again while pretending that they are in charge of their very own pirate ship.
Include a pirate costume for each of the kids and maybe even let them create their own treasure maps and "treasure". This loft will deliver hours of fun for your kids - don't lament the long days of winter - let your kids be pirates!
There is one way to divide children into two groups. Those that love to read and children that will do anything to avoid reading. Many parents bargain, plead, punish, make deals and still can't get their kids to crack open a book. The secret is to make it fun. Knowledge gained through play is the easiest and most effective way for children to learn any task, including reading.
Wordspot is a great way for kids to learn to read and they'll be having so much fun doing it they won't notice they'll learning!
The object of the game is very simple. Find hidden words among the lettered tiles and mark them using the included WordSpot tokens. Words may be spelled in almost any direction. They can go up, down, across, backwards, and diagonally. The first player to use all of his or her tokens wins the game!
This game is so easy to learn and kids will play round after round. Not only are they developing their cognitive skills for recognizing words quickly no matter what order they are laid out in, your kids will be encouraged to awaken the creative sides of their minds and create new words.
When your child has mastered small words in this game, increase the minimum word length to accomodate growing skill levels. This is a great game to have on hand to keep the kids busy and interested, adults too enjoy this game. If you're tired of toys that are little more than gadgets that don't expand the minds of your children and teach them little to nothing, get them a fun toy that will let them learn to read and enjoy every minute of it.
Has your little girl been showing signs that she wants to engage in more pretend play? As you know, pretend play is a wonderful way for kids to work out socialization skills, engage in group play and also expand little minds through creative thinking.
Children love playing out the things they see every day and no way brings that type of play out better than a doll house. The KidKraft Glamour Dollhouse is a great gift for your child that will give her hours of fun play alone or with others and this isnt' just a dollhouse.
This dollhouse has lights, sounds and four full levels of pretend play waiting for your child. Also this dollhouse comes with a 21-piece furniture collection and certain built in pieces light up with just a push of a button. The bedroom vanity mirror, two gorgeous chandeliers, and the stove all will light up and appear to be "on" enhancing the pretend play time. Other features include a piano, toilet and stove that make realistic sounds when their buttons are pushed.
Each room in the dollhouse is brilliantly decorated and there are six large windows on the outside of the doll house so a larger number of kids can see in and watch the action while they play. If your little one already has some favorite fashion dolls, this dollhouse will easily accommodate dolls up to 11.5-inches in height. The dollhouse is made from sturdy materials and will deliver hours of fun play for years to come and no sad faces on Christmas morning with this present - batteries *are* included!
Have you been looking for an activity for your kids that doesn't involve staring at a television screen for hours on end or simply watching a toy "play"? Go back to the basics and provide an activity that will give them enjoyment for hours on end.
Let your kids turn their imaginations loose and let them run wild with a Super Art table. This table has room for more than one child because creating is more fun with a friend and it comes with storage for everything your kids need to unleash their inner artist.
This isn't a cheap plastic table either, the table is constructed of durable hardwood and has a paper roll holder that will stay hidden away underneath the table so your kids will always have paper neatly stored away until they feel the need to create. When they are tired of creating on paper, the chalkboard-like tabletop surface will let them switch from crayons or paint, to chalk . There is a wood paper cutter, three recessed cup holes and a printed canvas storage bag to keep the art supplies both neatly put up as well as handy and within easy reach.
The intelligence of design even translates to the two benches that come with this table. They both have side handles making it easy for the toddler crowd to scoot right up to the table and create along with the big kids. The Super Art Table comes with three cups, a roll of 18" paper, and a storage bag.
Give you kids the gift of the art and encourage their the expansion of their minds through creative play - the rewards are limitless.
Autism is one of the most often misunderstood diagnosis given to children today. Many people think it means the child is locked only in their own head or is in some way mentally challenged and unable to learn - those assumptions couldn't be further from the truth.
There isn't just one type of autism and depending on the type the child has been diagnosed with, the therapy to help the child will be a little different. However, many caregivers agree, nearly all children with autism thrive on sensory integration. Sensory integration is simply learning to combine our given basic senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste) to coordinate and interpret the world around ourselves. This is something most people do effortlessly as they grow up, however autism can rob a child of the ability to do this automatically and it must be learned.
One way it can be learned is through play. There are a large number of sensory developed toys that can enrich the lives of autistic children and help them learn to coordinate what they are feeling, seeing, etc; and interpret it to the world around themselves. Toys that encourage movement, touching, or change as they are played with are all good choices to use. Tactile bars are a great example of sensory play. These bars have several different textures on them and the children can feel of them and learn the different ways that various items "feel".
The sooner the child starts sensory integration, the sooner you can start seeing results. Make sure that your child has tactile toys outside the therapist's room and keep his mind working and growing through sensory stimulating play.
If you choose to celebrate Halloween, make sure you do it safely. Use these tips to ensure your kids have a safe and spookerific Halloween.
First of all, choose your child's costume wisely. Avoid costumes that have full face covering masks. They are difficult for children to see out of and your child could wind up tripping over an unseen object or worse, not seeing an oncoming car when crossing the street. Opt for face paint, or costume effects such as a single eye patch, funky glasses or other add ons that won't impair vision.
Next, if your child is going trick or treating, younger children should go in a group that is supervised by at least one adult and older children should always go out in a group. Houses without lights on are to be left alone. Houses with Halloween decor that are lit are usually welcoming trick or treaters.
"Please" and "Thank You" should not be forgotten just because your child is someone else for an evening. Tell your child to be sure to say, "Thank you" for any treats they get. Also, tell your child not to munch on any candy until they get back. It's not likely one of your neighbors is attempting to harm your child with candy, but check everything in their treat bag to make sure it's wrapped and safe to eat.
If trick or treating isn't an option in your area, many malls and schools provide save havens for trick or treat parties where there are games, goodies and all their friends are gathered in costume having fun.
Halloween was meant to be fun and you can keep it that way be teaching your kids the safety basics and make sure if it's not yourself, another responsible adult is with your kids on Halloween. Have a safe and Boo-tiful night!
If you happen to hear something similar to "yo ho ho and a bottle of rum" coming from inside your child's room, don't panic, he is just pretending to be a pirate.
Pretend play is probably one of their favorite activities and more than likely it is the same for the parents or caregivers because it gives you an inside peek at the fascinating mind of a child. Imagination rules a child's playtime which is great and should be encouraged while they are young because the real world comes far too quickly in their life.
It's not uncommon to hear someone tell a child to grow up and while, yes it is a necessary step in their development it should not come too soon. Nor should it happen all at once. It should be a gradual process, helping them to adjust to this new world of reality and responsibility. This can be accomplished in any number of ways, perhaps beginning with small age (and size) appropriate chores or jobs.
Do not get frustrated when he seems like he comprehends everything you are trying to teach one day and the next its back to what? This is very normal and expected since their attention span is often very short for a number of years. Just be patient, he will eventually understand what is expected of him and will also begin to learn why these lessons are important.
You know just how much you always wanted to cook with your mother or your grandmother as a child each and every time they were hard at work in the kitchen. The smells of something delicious baking in the oven were enough to draw you in. However, once you caught a glimpse of what they were putting together, you couldn't help but want to join in.
As your children begin to grow and explore around the kitchen, there are going to be times when they will want to get right in there and help with the cooking just like you did. For these times, you might want to set aside little projects that they can help you with. Simple cookie recipes are always nice when the holiday season rolls around, or they can even help you put together some delicious decorate chocolates. Either way, this will be the starting point for the kinds of cooking skills that your children will carry on with them as they grow into teenagers and then to adults.
The Little Farm House Table & Chair Set is a delightful selection of furniture that you can have in your kitchen for your children to use when they are helping you cook and create. Either use while they are mixing and kneading or even let them sit down and reap the rewards of all of their efforts after they are finished helping you. Holiday goodies and the perfect place to enjoy them are the best ways to create special moments of bonding that you can cherish for a lifetime.
Before the weather begins to get too chilly, think about taking your kids outside to enjoy some of the crisp, fresh fall weather to paint and enjoy other crafts. This is such a wonderful time of year, especially because all of the leaves are beginning to change color and there are so many vibrant, wonderful things to look at outside. Taking the time to share this season with your children can be an incredible experience that you can share and make amazing memories that you can cherish forever.
Kids really enjoy getting involved and taking on projects with a hands-on approach. Instead of having them sit inside to create, take it one step further and bring their art supplies and easel or table outdoors where they can get up close and personal with the changing weather and all of the beautiful colors of the fall season.
Art Kits are perfect to take outside with them to use on their table or easel to capture some of the good stuff that fall has to offer. Use the non-toxic paints to help the kids paint the backsides of leaves and then press them onto paper. You can even have them take a pencil or crayon to outline leaves on paper and then color them in with water colors, paints and crayons.
Because there are so many different things to see and enjoy while you are outside with your kids, the possibility for craft projects are endless. You might just find that this will be a regular ritual that you will enjoy with your kids every time this season rolls around.
What are you going to be? I don't know, what are you going to be? Mom, it's almost here, when are we gonna get it?
This is just an example of a conversation that will quite possibly occur in every child's home very shortly, that is, if it hasn't already. Halloween is one of the holidays that kids love most. You may be thinking, of course it is, when else does a kid get to run around in the dark and get tons of candy. Not only do they have their parent's approval, the adults are usually the ones leading them by the hand in the dark to get the candy. Pretty sweet deal for a kid isn't it?
But, the candy is only part of the fun. They have probably been thinking about their halloween costumes for this year, since the day after Halloween last year. Their ideas are only limited by their imagination. As a parent or caregiver you know that your child's safety is the most important consideration. They may not understand it, or like it for that matter, when you have to tell them that no, it's not ok to walk around with a full mask even if they claim they can see just fine. Or, telling your little princess that yes those high heel shoes are very pretty, but too dangerous to walk in. Even though suggesting alternatives may not be the most popular choice, we know it is necessary.
You can always give them a few choices so that they will know they at least had some input on their costume. Perhaps instead of being a princess she can be a ballerina with those cute toe shoes. Or suggest a really cool Ninja costume that has a mask, but doesn’t cover the entire face. A costume with versatility like a 3-in-1 costume that will allow your child to be a pirate, vampire or little devil is also a great choice.
Either way, remind them that the best memory will be, not the amount of candy they got, although still very important, but how much fun they had with all of their friends.
How many times, while watching your child, have you found yourself thinking that something they did or said reminded you of your own childhood? Everyone probably does this at one time or another and if you use this information it may just help you raise your child.
This can be useful for any number of reasons; perhaps it may be something like comforting them after a friend hurts their feelings, or being able to anticipate a result or reaction and preparing them for the outcome. This is not meant to imply that you will be able to do this all the time or even that you would if you could because many of these things are necessary life lessons.
However, it does give you a little edge when trying to think of something to make them feel better about what has happened or maybe even help you make the actual lesson a little clearer to them. Many times you will be able to give the "I know how you feel" speech and while they may not believe it at that particular moment, they will remember it.
You can also use it as a way to show them alternative actions for expressing their feelings. A father may look at his son and tell him that fishing used to make him feel better or even playing sports. As a mother you may tell your daughter that whenever something like this would happen you used to go play with your dollhouse. A doll and dollhouse can be very effective when trying to show them how a fight with a friend might have been avoided or showing different ways to handle a situation. They can accomplish this perhaps by role-playing using the dolls and dollhouse.
As parents you want to keep anything that might disappoint, hurt or frustrate your child away. But you also know it is not possible and not even always practical to try. All you can do is your best and remembering your childhood can be a help.
Raising a child, especially in this day and age, is never an easy task. First time parents are naturally a little less sure of themselves then some of the "seasoned pros". Many times quite a bit of trial and error is involved and even then you may not be sure that you did the right thing.
Obviously parents and caregivers make mistakes, although I tend to think some our parents would never admit to that, it is still a fact. And at the risk of sounding very sexist, girls can be harder to raise than boys. Ok, that said, perhaps a little elaboration is in order.
First it is believed that girls mature quicker than boys, so it stands to reason that they will test the waters concerning independence, etc. at a quicker pace than boys. And we know that peer pressure for both sexes starts at a very young age, but in girls at times that tends to lean more towards being self-centered or self-involved. That can be very hard for a parent, not to mention anyone else in the family, to handle. At times, all kids considered themselves more grown-up than they actually are, but with girls in particular in can happen much sooner and a lot more frequently.
As a caregiver you do want to encourage independence, but you also don't want it to completely consume your child. You might consider a small compromise or two as a way to satisfy you both, For example, your daughter thinks her room is far too childish for her now, but some of her ideas of change may seem more appropriate for a young (or maybe not so young) adult woman living on her own. If you state this outright you are liable to create another world war, or a case of hysterics at the very least. Take a simple furnishing such as a vanity, while most often they are seen in an older girls room there are some that are completely fine to have for a younger girl. One example of this is the Pretty n' Pink Vanity Table for Kids, its simple style is perfect for a girl that wants to be "grown up".
Be sure to tell your daughter that a vanity is something very special, dating back to even the medieval times where a lady would await the return of her prince. Well, ok, maybe not quite like that but you get the idea.
If you have children or you work with them on a regular basis, you are fully aware of the kinds of projects that they like to get involved in and anything they get to touch and have a "hands on" experience is a big plus. No matter where you go, they are constantly looking for things that they can get their hands into. Whether you are going to the park to play on the playground or even the beach so they can build sandcastles. However, what do you do when they ask about sandcastles and you have absolutely no way of getting them to the beach?
Luckily for parents and teachers today, there is Moon Sand! One of the coolest hands-on kits that you can get your children, you will swear that the sand that comes in this set came straight from the beach. If you have never heard of Moon Sand, it is a great way for your kids to play with what feels like dampened beach sand, only it never dries out. There will be hours upon hours of time that your children will be able to spend while working and molding this terrific sand product.
Non-toxic and full of fun, Moon Sand is completely re-usable as well as allergen free! If you think that this handful of sand cannot get any better, you even get a great inflatable tray in the package along with two pounds of sand and fun molds to shape the sand in castle form and more.. No matter what time of year it may be wherever you live, kids can get right into the thick of things with Moon Sand and it will almost feel like they were able to enjoy a great beach adventure.
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot get toddlers to interact with one another without a little bit of coaxing. Even if one child is willing to play and socialize with others, there may always be one or two in a group that just want to sit on the sidelines for a while. When you have a first play date planned for your child along with one or more children, you might want to think of having a couple of toys handy that will promote interaction as well as socialization.
While crayons and crafts are wonderful, sometimes it takes a little more to get kids on the path to making friends and playmates. At toddler age, it can also be a bit difficult to find a way to get children to share with one another, since this is a trait that they really have not had too much experience with as of yet. Having a toy or collection of toys that can be used by multiple children at once could be the best move you ever make with a first play date.
The Brick Me Building Set is a great choice for toddlers, especially when they like to put together colorful pieces in stacks and patterns. This is a nice set of large blocks made from plastic, which makes for easy handling and plenty of ways to build, share and interact with one another. Having such a set of blocks on hand could make life easier for any parent that would like to enjoy a memorable play date with their children.
Whether you are a parent or caregiver, you realize that stimulating a child’s mind is very important in helping them grow and mature. Many experts agree that there is a vast difference in children that are encouraged to use their imagination opposed to those that have little or no stimulation. The ones that have been encouraged to be curious and explore are far more likely to grow and mature into a
What could be more fun than a sandbox? A sand AND water box! The Activity Sand and Water table has the best of both worlds for your kids to explore and enjoy.
