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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Making Children Learn For the Past so many years

NG covers a huge range of interesting topics. I like the fact that the reader can choose how deep they want to dig into the magazine.Sometimes you just want a little brain candy, so you look at the pictures and maybe read the captions. Other times you want it all, so you read every word of an article about some obscure topic like "leaf-cutting ants of the congo". No matter how you decide to use it, you're guaranteed to find something new and interesting.

National Geographic is possibly the most inspiring magazine I have ever read. I started reading NatGeo as a little kid and it really instilled a taste for adventure, science, and exotic locales/cultures in me. I have never lost that interest and always thought running NatGeo would be a blast.If you are curious, have kids, or just love to look at beautiful pictures, I highly, highly recommend getting a subscription to National Geographic.

I am such a fan of National Geographic magazine and I remember pouring over the National Geographic World magazine as a child. So, I had no hesitation when I received an offer for National Geographic Kids magazine. My five-year-old son loves learning about the world and will choose areas out of the encyclopedia so that we read about them together. As I filled out my order form, I envisioned spending rainy afternoons snuggled up close to my son while we read his new magazine.

Now I know National Geographic is considered a “science lite” magazine meaning that while the articles are not going to be found in your average scientific journal The magazine does skirt issues relating to science, nature and the world in a way the average non-science-minded sort of person could easily understand. I really expected the children’s version of this magazine to do roughly the same, after all, I was given the promise that “NG Kids brings kids face-to-face with amazing animals, geographic adventures, incredible wonders of the deep, terrific technology and inspiring children all over the world.” If you dig far enough into the each issue, you’ll find some appropriate articles for your children. My son was fascinated with several articles including one on earthquakes, the debate about whether cats or dogs are smarter (and we learn that both are smart in their own ways) and what happens when people encroach into mountain lion habitat.Ask any person why they subscribe to National Geographic and the first word out of their mouth is usually, “The photos.” Since the magazine is so well known for their photos, you’d expect the children’s magazine to carry some of the more fun photos. The children’s version does have some of the cuter photos but, again, the colorful, splashy advertisements on the opposing page often detract from the photos themselves.

By : maailk khan

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Virtual Pets for Kids

There are literally thousands of types virtual pets for kids. They are loads of fun and really easy to use. Virtual pets for kids have been around for years and with time they have just gotten bigger and better and more sophisticated.

You might remember the virtual pets known as Tamagotchi, which was a huge hit among pre-high school aged children (and it still is a hit today). This is a basic pet made up of just a few pixels and fits easily in your pocket. Today virtual pets for kids are much more sophisticated. The graphics have improved considerably and there are now many more things that you can do with your virtual pet.

These virtual pets generally exist on your computer, on the Internet, on specific virtual pet handheld computers or on the very popular Nintendo DS. The Nintendo DS version of these virtual pets for kids is especially great because the touch screen allows your virtual pet to seem so much more life like. You can literally pet your virtual dog by stoking the screen. The technology has improved so much since the early days of virtual pets.

Virtual pets for kids are great because they help teach children the responsibility of taking care of a pet and the child gets to have loads of fun doing it. Studies have proven that children learn valuable lessons about how to care for pets properly by raising virtual pets. It also means that parents do not have to feed and wash the pets if the children neglect them. A virtual pet is the perfect pet for children because it is so much fun and it doesn’t matter if children make a few mistakes in raising the pets. They can certainly ease the stress of children constantly complaining that they want their very own pet.

There is so much you can do with a virtual pet. You can play fetch and teach your virtual pet to do tricks. You can go to the pet store and buy toys and clothes for your virtual pet, you can take your virtual pet to the virtual vet when it gets sick and you can even enter your virtual pet in beauty competitions to win prizes.

A virtual pet is the perfect thing for kids who want to have fun while taking care of a pet. The kids can name their pet and change the color of their pet and they can become good friends with their virtual pet. Great for long car rides, or airplane rides or even just to keep the kids entertained while you have a bit of peace and quiet. Virtual pets are truly great for the whole family.

By : Jonathan Giles

Building Self Confidence in Children – Tips To Build Kids Self Confidence

This article describes building self confidence in children. Children are very sensitive for encouragement and learning progress. They need the support from adults or guardians from their environment to grow up well balanced. Therefore, it is very important to know that the adults or parents play an important role for building self confidence in children.

Provide children self confidence. It is important that children developed a positive image of their own. A positive image means that they are self confident, that they know their own limits and trusts their own abilities. People who are having a positive image have more fun in life. They can handle themselves in tough situations. So, it is the same situation for children, in order to start building self confidence in children, adults and parents should bring out the confidence in their kids. This feeling is not congenital. It’s created by the environment of the kid. True verbal and not verbal messages are very important to give many kinds of great of signals to the child. He or she sets this in to feelings of being accepting new things and activities in their lives. These messages are some sorts of important and useful signal that been created and stored in the children subconscious mind.

Give the children the value that they deserved. The most important thing is that we accept them for the person that they are. Whatever the children done right, we shall provide them with great compliments and celebration as an encouragement to continue their successes. If the children done something that are not really appropriate, then we have to give them great advices with right manner without yelling at them. We have let them to know that they are in the progress of learning and every mistake that they made eventually created another value for them for leaning another new thing. This will help for building self confidence in children.

Let children to be independent. Even it takes longer or if they making a mess, kids actually learn a lot more by trying out for them self’s. Patience and confidence can do a lot. Give kids the time and space to tryout something new and learn from their mistakes. Provide them with helping and cares if they need it, and be proud if they achieved their goal. Our progress for building self confidence in children will be worthy if the kids get more learning possibilities. Kids learn this way to become more confident. Some example exercises that we can try are letting children to solve their puzzle games by themselves.

Always encourage kids to try out new things. By giving kids positive thoughts and advices they learn to improve their skills and behavior. They learn to expand beyond their limits higher that we cannot ever imagine. When the children facing failure and feeling down, please step by their sides, bring them up again to solve the problems that they are facing. Let them understand that they are actually on stepping stone to success and they are the one who have the wills and powers to overcome the problems. Playing strategy boards games and scrabbles will provide them the opportunity to try on their own abilities. Hence, building self confidence in children can be a fun and learning process.

Give them the perfect role model. Kids learn a lot from adults. The way we and other adults deal with them will influence them a lot. We have to act as a role model to give them the right example.

We can start building self confidence in children now to start building their path to success.

By : Raymond Teh

Friday, July 31, 2009

Encourage Your Children with Educational Toys, Games, and Puzzles

The market for educational toys, games and, puzzles continues to grow. This growth can be attributed to lower costs of electronics part, increased shelf space in the big market, and a growing demand for educational value in toys by parents. The worldwide market reached $1.7 Billion in 2005 and is estimated to be over $5 billion by 2010. Twenty years ago I had an educational toy called Alphie. It was in the shape of a robot. You put a card in the front panel and played a matching game. The card, however, was just a piece of plastic and no matter what card was in Alphie the answers were the same so ti wasn't long before I didn't even need the cards to get a perfect score. Educational toys have come a long way since then.

Children have this natural desire to learn and the earlier your child starts, the smarter they become. Any toy can be described as educational if it is being used to promote play in a meaningful way. Playing with educational toys , games, or puzzles is one of the means that help children to establish contact with the world he is living in, especially during the infancy stage. One good example would be a toy train set. Interacting with the trains will promote hand eye coordination and the mastering of small movements. It also will encourage an awareness of cause and effect. Toys don't just teach cognitive ability, they motivate the child practice them and encourage the child natural inventiveness and imagination.

However, it is not enough to just hand you child the toy and leave them alone. This is no better than just setting them in front of the television. Parents must embark on the "magical learning experience" together if the toy is to have any real value. No matter what developmental toys your youngsters like to play with, playing with you is more important to their development. It is in your participation in the playing that determines the benefit a specific toy has for the child who is playing with it.

It is important to focus on your child's needs for physical and emotional development. You should look for toys that can help them grow in those areas. For example, a baby needs toys that can help him learn to reach and grasp, to encourage learning hand eye coordination. Toddlers, however, need toys they can pack around with them as they explore the world around them. Toy laptops and mobile phones are of value to young children as an aid to imaginative play. Look for toys that will not stifle a child's imagination. Too often, electronic toys merely encourage button pushing rather than stimulate the child to learn and explore(like the Alphie toy I talked about). With electronic toys, interaction is the key. Also, avoid toys that can be easily lost or broken. Children play rough sometimes and if it breaks the first time they drop it then it was a poor investment.

More than anything, children want to have fun. So look for educational toys that are fun for your child, fun for you, and stimulating to their minds.

By : Jay Corbin

From Classic Claymation to the Animated Kids Bible

The Animated Kids Bible is not a new concept. There have been many previous successful attempts at bringing the Bible to life through the use of Animation.

Nowadays, we are so used to state of the art 3D-CGI animation which is so slick and realistic looking that we tend to forget that it was preceded by an incredible stop and start form of 3D animation called Claymation.

Many people who grew up in the 1950s and 1960 were raised on animated Bible stories which were produced in Claymation. In this form of animation, the figures were made out of clay or some other type of pliable or moldable material and were made to appear as if they were moving by starting and stopping the camera every seven frames and repositioning their limbs and facial expressions.

This form of stop and start animation involved a lot of work but it provided us with many Classic Bible television shows including "Davey and Goliath" which featured a talking dog famous for his droll way of saying his owner's name. This series was created by Art Clokey and was the longest running national television show produced by a church for children.

Other notable Claymation Classics include specials such as the "Gumby and Pokey" series, also produced by Art Clokey and "Martin the Cobbler" which was based on "Where Love Is", a short story by Leo Tolstoy.

Although there were a number of these Claymation specials on television in the latter part of the twentieth century, they were morality tales that explained Christian values not stories taken directly from the Bible. One of the few Claymation series that told a Bible story was "The First Christmas", the story of the birth of Jesus, beginning with Mary and Joseph's trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It was narrated by Christopher Plummer.

The technology used to make the Animated Kids Bible is vastly different from this early form of 3D classic Claymation. In Claymation, because the figures were not computerized they appeared slightly jerky, whereas the characters in the Animated Kids Bible move seamlessly thanks to the use of 3D-CGI animation. Tricks of perspective make them appear so smooth and molded that they feel as though they are part of our own reality as they move through a variety of different and exciting environments from deserts to sparkling seas and ancient temples. The colors are also more vibrant as they are chosen from electronically generated palettes. Old forms of 3D Claymation were subject to studio lighting and unfortunately many of them have dimmed with age.

In spite of all this, Claymation is still used successfully today. Naturally, it has evolved and is far superior to the original form of Claymation.

There was and still is of course another type of animation, namely 2D animation which was used by Walt Disney for his Classic children's films, the most famous of which is the 1937 Disney Classic "Snow White". This type of animation was hand drawn and a very lengthy and expensive process.

Today's Animated Kids Bible is a shining example of what happens when today's technology is linked with inspiration and a successful age-old method of telling a story. It can recreate and bring to life stories that once upon a time could only have been seen through a vivid imagination. Also, because the animation is a digital form of entertainment, the sound is far superior to anything we heard as kids when we were watching Classic Claymation Bible shows on television.

By : Tom Broadbridge

Sunday, July 12, 2009

The Animated Kids Bible is not a new concept. There have been many previous successful attempts at bringing the Bible to life through the use of Animation.

Nowadays, we are so used to state of the art 3D-CGI animation which is so slick and realistic looking that we tend to forget that it was preceded by an incredible stop and start form of 3D animation called Claymation.

Many people who grew up in the 1950s and 1960 were raised on animated Bible stories which were produced in Claymation. In this form of animation, the figures were made out of clay or some other type of pliable or moldable material and were made to appear as if they were moving by starting and stopping the camera every seven frames and repositioning their limbs and facial expressions.

This form of stop and start animation involved a lot of work but it provided us with many Classic Bible television shows including "Davey and Goliath" which featured a talking dog famous for his droll way of saying his owner's name. This series was created by Art Clokey and was the longest running national television show produced by a church for children.

Other notable Claymation Classics include specials such as the "Gumby and Pokey" series, also produced by Art Clokey and "Martin the Cobbler" which was based on "Where Love Is", a short story by Leo Tolstoy.

Although there were a number of these Claymation specials on television in the latter part of the twentieth century, they were morality tales that explained Christian values not stories taken directly from the Bible. One of the few Claymation series that told a Bible story was "The First Christmas", the story of the birth of Jesus, beginning with Mary and Joseph's trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It was narrated by Christopher Plummer.

The technology used to make the Animated Kids Bible is vastly different from this early form of 3D classic Claymation. In Claymation, because the figures were not computerized they appeared slightly jerky, whereas the characters in the Animated Kids Bible move seamlessly thanks to the use of 3D-CGI animation. Tricks of perspective make them appear so smooth and molded that they feel as though they are part of our own reality as they move through a variety of different and exciting environments from deserts to sparkling seas and ancient temples. The colors are also more vibrant as they are chosen from electronically generated palettes. Old forms of 3D Claymation were subject to studio lighting and unfortunately many of them have dimmed with age.

In spite of all this, Claymation is still used successfully today. Naturally, it has evolved and is far superior to the original form of Claymation.

There was and still is of course another type of animation, namely 2D animation which was used by Walt Disney for his Classic children's films, the most famous of which is the 1937 Disney Classic "Snow White". This type of animation was hand drawn and a very lengthy and expensive process.

Today's Animated Kids Bible is a shining example of what happens when today's technology is linked with inspiration and a successful age-old method of telling a story. It can recreate and bring to life stories that once upon a time could only have been seen through a vivid imagination. Also, because the animation is a digital form of entertainment, the sound is far superior to anything we heard as kids when we were watching Classic Claymation Bible shows on television.

By : Tom Broadbridge

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Making Exercise A Fun Game For Kids

Most of today's kids are suffering from obesity and the rate is growing day by day. The problem arrives from the fact of not having physical exercise in children. Today most of the kids want to enjoy their spare time by playing video games, watching television, or by reading. Earlier kids had enough exercises which they achieved while playing games like football, baseball, or by even climbing trees.

Active kids are found to be better and fit. An exercise program includes work out for achieving strength and flexibility. The program followed by kids is completely different from the ones followed by grown ups. The main reason for kids hating exercise is that they found it repetitive and boring. For gaining their interest, one has to make the exercise a bit interesting. That can be done by adding fun in the form of games. In other wards some games can be modified by adding more physical activity in it. Initially parents or teachers should organize such games. They have to participate with them in such games. Once they acquire interest, they will invite their friends so that it will be a group activity.

Exercise is a very important activity needed by today's kids as most of them are in active and not enthusiastic. Without having a physical activity will create some many problems later in their life once they cross the age of forty. Changes have to be made in their lifestyle so that they will become more happy and energetic. There is unique factor found in almost all kids and that is there fun loving nature. Child psychologists suggest including the fun factor in all the activities which there are hesitant to do.

Parents have a major role in influencing the kid's nature of interest. If you want your kids to follow a healthy lifestyle you should also practice it. You can change the lifestyle in such a way that kids will start imitating you. For example if you were using elevator instead of stairs your kids will also follow you. But instead if you use the stairs the kids will be happy to follow you and after some they will use the stairs even in your absence.

You should plan the exercise schedule interesting and fun filling so that kids won't stay back in front of the television to watch entertaining serials and shows. You can make it further interesting by doing a group activity with all of your family members so that the kids will be thrilled and amazed. The above strategy can be followed while performing activities like walks, cycling, swimming, biking, etc. Always try not to push your child too much for exercises which will have a negative impact on the kid by loosing interest. Kids should never feel that is a sort of punishment to them.

The children in higher classes at school will get the opportunity to practice soccer, baseball and basket ball. You can also practice the game with your child at home by using the garden space. The kid should feel that you are a participant of the game and not a trainer. These types of games will boost the spirit and energy level of your kid and they will never get lazy to do physical activities.

By : Victor Epand

Family: The first unit of Society

“I don't need help meeting women. I need a shortcut to the right women," says a client. He reasons, "We outsource computer work for clients. Why not outsource the initial part of dating, which is meeting the right people in the first place? The matchmaking industry is filled with a lot of fraud and a lot of litigation. People are ripping each other off. Matchmaking is a very, very difficult business because you're dealing with emotional currency and extreme expectations and that’s the hard part”. Fees are based on time and start from $25,000. The matchmaker goes on a simulated date, usually a lunch that can last several hours, to observe the prospective client at a location he/she selects. In addition to criminal background checks, clients must see a therapist to make sure they are "emotionally available" and an image consultant before any matching occurs. Matchmakers even go on home visits — as many homes as the client has. However, Executive matchmaker company, Selective Search knows when love is in the air, and what to do if the chemistry is there." Wall Street Journal, December 2001

Match Making:
Teens:
Interactions with nature resulted in enhanced self-esteem, independence and initiative. Body image is forever changing. It is sensitive to your mood swings, physical environment, and your experiences. It is formed out of every experience you have ever had and all of the people around you - parents, role models, the media, and peers who give you an idea of what it is like to value your body. For instance, if blue eyes are valued in a family because almost everyone in that family has them, anyone who is born with any other color eye will feel a smaller sense of belonging to that family. They will wish that they had blue eyes. This negatively impacts one's self-esteem and can even go as far as impacting one's self-worth.

Children
Recess, soccer practice, the neighborhood playground -- all are great avenues for getting our kids up and out. But when it comes to their mental as well as, physical well-being, children need something else, something elemental: They need nature, for a child, a deep forest or sprawling parkland can be the best playground ever. The terminology ‘Nature-Deficit Disorder’ stems from shrinking green space, over scheduling by families -- whatever the reason, the result is limiting the potential of today's young people.

The absence of nature in many children's lives is key when it comes to problems they increasingly face, such as obesity, attention disorders, depression and stress. "Kids who play in natural areas -- those with bushes and trees -- have been shown to engage in more creative and cooperative play."— Participation in sports can build character and teach time management and teamwork. Studies have even found that kids who play sports get into less trouble and are more likely to seek higher education. So what can you do to foster their fascination with superstar athletes like Mia Hamm, LeBron James and Tiger Woods? Create a sports-themed room! Psychologists today – encourage this kind of home decoration – in vogue as it can be fun and create lasting memories. Start by finding out their favorite team. If they're into college sports, . There you'll find an array of live-action wall-sized photos of football stadiums and basketball arenas from schools like the University of Kentucky. They'll feel like they're at the game.

Family History
How much time do you spend on the treadmill indoors? Get the same benefit by taking your kids on a hike and your family for a walk in the neighborhood at night. Relax on a chair outside after dinner and read on the lawn. Just break the habit of coming home and staying inside for the rest of the day. You have to take the first step. You also, run the risk of becoming obese with age. Here’s what the big-butted Television Star Kirstie Alley (weighs in) saying, I don't have some disease. I don't have the fat gene. But I have a character flaw, which is I have a tendency to get out of control, and I have to rein it back. She says that she’s not appreciated back when she was, yes, thin.

By : Gabriel Phillips

Thursday, July 9, 2009

The nannies canada ensure your child’s well being

As there is ever increasing demand for time in all areas of time, life has become very intricate in its course. This hectic life schedule often disrupts the normal familial life and may bring in some gaps and differences between family members. In fact, the life of the family members is also greatly affected with the children being the worst victims of industrialization. They have to keep alone at home while their parents toil day and night and go on business tours. They miss the very company of their mothers and fathers and thereby their childhood days get filled with utter loneliness and sorrow. Their childhood feels wasted without their parents at their side to guide them, to play with them and spend some quality time with them.

This staying away of the parents at times can be very bad for the children. Especially if the kids are growing up and are adolescents, this unavailability of the parents at home can lead to their developing of bad habits and staying with bad company that is not suitable for them. Now as there are some great nannies canada services in town, this problem and fear of the parents of such kids that are left alone for long durations can be aptly combated. It is so because the nannies that these organizations provide with are there to ensure that working parents are ensured of the safety and well being of their kids. As these organizations aim at restoring the familial values in children and to inculcate great positive attitude in the kids, they provide with the best of the nannies canada possible for each such household, where there is a great need to handle the children when their parents and relatives are not around. These nannies take ample care of the proper and effective upbringing of the kids and are well specialized in the areas concerning active nursing, teaching and other various areas that cater to the effectual overall development of the child and need to be well cared for.

With the times it has been seen that increasing numbers of people are opting for the nannies canada as these nannies render them stress free regarding the well being of their children. As the parents can remain tension free concerning the proper development of their children, they contact these nanny services in Canada in large numbers. These nannies that they hire for their kids make sure that impart proper values and help in inculcating the right kind of habits in their children that are like soft moulds and thereby need a lot of companionship and guidance to stay on the right track of life. All the nannies that are provided by these services and organizations are well educated and cultured and thereby take proper care of the kids. They help in their personality development as well as in their studies so that the children never stay behind in any walk of life and acquire a confident persona.

All the information that pertains to hiring of the nannies in Canada to ensure that the children are safe and well taken care of can be availed online very easily.

By : Pumnul Aaron

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Nannies Canada, an alternative for parenthood

The professional life of individuals have made the personal family life intricate and demanding. Because of this we are unable to meet the requirements and needs of a family life which have led to gaps and differences of opinions in between the family members. The industrialization has given rise to nuclear families with kids being the worst victim of all this. With both the parents working because of the earning and professional urge to earn more, kids have been left alone to groom of their own. This has also led to various psychological disorders in the little kids who miss their parents more than any materialistic things in their lives.

But as there are problems, so we do also have solutions for them. In spite of keeping the kids alone at home with nobody to reach or feed them, the parents these days are opting for the services of nannies. These are caretakers who can be just like parents to your kids and look them while you are toiling day and night in your offices or are busy on your business tours. These nannies will give your child a company like a father and a care like a mother. These nannies make sure that your child doesn’t live his or her childhood in utter loneliness and distress. Many parents in Canada have felt great relief after using nannies canada services because of which they don’t feel that their child’s childhood is wasted and ignored. They are satisfied with the nannies canada who guide these kids as parents and play with them as their friends. These nannies spend and share quality time with the kids so that a proper grooming is given to them.

With nannies canada, you can be ensured from any kind of stress related to your kids at home. These nannies take care that the well being of the children is ensured. You as a parent can remain tension free in your office whereas on the other hand, your child will be getting proper development at home. These nannies are skilled professionals in the child care sector who know how to behave and manage with your kids. They are educated enough to offer your kids moral values and habits so that they become a good child of yours and a good citizen of the country.

There is no denying the fact that kids are like soft moulds that need a proper guidance in their childhood days so that the right companionship and direction can draft their future for life. Any single mistake in the child’s grooming can result in the disaster of the child’s future and can leave parents repenting for their absence in their child’s parenting. Therefore, parents should make a decision and take care of the services of the nannies canada who are well qualified and cultured professionals, and experts in the rearing of your kids. So, if you want your child to be grown into a confident persona, then hire nannies canada today while contacting at nannies-canada.com

By : Pumnul Aaron

The future of childrens bedding

To fully understand the future of children’s bedding you have to first delve into the past. Born out of a need to keep dirt off of duvets, bedding has evolved over the years to be an item of decoration for the bedroom. Children's bedding has followed this trend of becoming a style accessory and has tuned into what children love best.

Original children's bedding designs were generic such as spacemen, dinosaurs, fairies and cars. Now the commercial world has opened up a whole new exciting adventure for kids and they can now have duvet covers, curtains, blankets and many more bedroom accessories in the theme of their favourite TV characters. These colourful designs of children’s character bedding could be quite costly though if they were made out of the traditional 100% cotton kids bedding. To balance the kids need for themed bedding and a parents budget manufacturers of kids character bedding mostly make them as a 50% cotton and 50% polyester composite. The current era of children's bedding

At the present time long standing kids favourite characters such as Winnie the Pooh, Scooby Doo, Batman, Disney Princess and Spiderman dominate the market of children's bedding. This is probably due to these world renowned themes being a safe bet of selling, which in this current economic climate is exactly what manufactures and retailers alike want. A year or so ago relatively new characters such as Ben 10 and High School Musical were given a chance to shine. This proved to be a huge success and they were definitely a gamble that paid off. Items for these themes of children's bedding included duvet covers, curtains, valance sheets, blankets, rugs and lots of other items that meant kids could have their full bedroom decorated in those themes. These were manufactured on a grand scale so prices were relatively low so parents were happy, kids were happy and retailers were happy. A dream combination!

The future of children's bedding The influx of many new themes that was seen over a year ago is not likely to be seen for a couple of years with manufacturers of children's bedding cutting back on production of new lines due to fear of them not being a success. The safety first approach is a sensible business decision but many a child is hoping that with so many great new characters about such as Danny Phantom, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Horrid Henry and Jonas Brothers that just maybe the manufacturers will bow to popular demand and take a leap of faith with new themes.

This is not to say that the world of children's bedding will be a dull place for the immediate future as there are plenty of themes that have been rejuvenated with new designs. The likes of Mr Men bedding have just brought out a really cool colourful new range and the same can be said for the new range of Scooby Doo bedding. So the immediate future is likely to see traditional characters leading the way with new bright vibrant designs that will prove very popular too. As for the long term future of children's bedding the imaginative new characters are sure to force their way to the forefront of manufacturers plans and give a very exciting future to children's bedding indeed.


By : Danny McLean

Sunday, June 28, 2009

All about Swing Sets

If you have a decent sized yard then you actually should take a look at some children's playground swing sets. It would be astonishing for your kids to have their own playground swing set installed in their own garden or back yard. This does not just benefit your kids but it will benefit you as well knowing that your kids are playing safely at home rather playing in some local park.

Now that you have determined to add an outdoor swing set to your back yard you might as well get out a piece of paper and pencil. Make a rough sketch of your yard, and start marking in basic measurements. Make a decision on how much you want to entrust for your swing set. Once you get your basic idea of space, then you will know roughly what size unit will fit. You will be able to find simple, small swing sets, for one or two people to gently sway back and forth. Alternatively, you may choose to fill in your space with a huge unit with a number of swings or other play sets and invite the whole neighborhood over to play.

There are many shapes, sizes and styles of swings that can be used for your kids. You can find a swing that has openings for legs, and a support that small kids can stay upright in, while someone pushes to commence the swinging motion. Other items that can be put on swing sets may include a rope ladder, sliding poles, acrobat bars, and teeter-totters.

The seat of swing sets are made of various materials. You can find seats made of flexible canvas, plastic, wood, heavy vinyl, and rubberized tire treads. Any of these will work well for older children. The most ordinary backyard swing set is the use of a wood board that is hung by chain or rope from tree branches. Older children are able to swing high above the ground.

Swing set safety is top priority, it is very important to pull out the owner's manual and review with the children the rules. Children need to understand the rules so everyone can play safe. When shopping for a swing set or play structures make sure all components & accessories are engineered & manufactured to meet or exceed current safety guidelines for residential playground equipment.

By : Playsafe Kids

A Green Toy

That's Eco-Friendly The Discover Rig is eco-friendly in every way. It is made from a composite of reclaimed wood products and recycled plastic. Colored dyes are mixed into the composite before the product is manufactured. No decorative paints are used.

The packaging is minimal and made of post-consumer waste. And the manufacturing facilities were selected based on their commitment to minimizing their carbon footprint.

Where Can I Buy It?

The Sprig Toys Discover Rig can be found at online store such as EduFunToys.com and brick and mortar store across the country.

The Sprig Adventure series includes the Discover Rig, the Rally Racer and Baja Buggy. Each comes with an adventure guide. Each is sold separately.

By : Doug Morris

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Sprig Toys Trucks: EduFunToys.com Now Offers Eco-Friendly Toy Line

EduFunToys.com now offers the Sprig Toys line up of activity vehicle and toy construction vehicles. Sprig Toys best selling item is the Discover Rig – an eco-friendly toy truck. Inspired by safaris, it is designed to take kids on indoor and outdoor adventures.

As kids push the Discover Rig, the driver, called an adventure guide, lights up and sings a song. The Rig will also emit realistic engine noise. So the more the Discover Rig is pushed, the more your child will want to see and hear it.

The Cap Faraday Adventure guide comes with the Rig. He sings a song about his trek through the African Serengeti. While he sings, you can hear animal noises.

You child makes all of this electrical and recorded fun possible, no batteries are required. The wheels works like an electrical generator powering all of the activity.

It's Educational

Trucks and construction vehicles are great pretend time toys. Kids like to create their own worlds. The Discover Rig is designed to bring new worlds to your child. The story behind each adventure guide opens your child to new experiences and helps transport your child to a different part of the world. From Africa to the Arctic, then from Mt. Everest to South American and Australia. Pretend play is a critical component of child development. It helps kids develop communication and language skills. Helps them interact with other children and adults and provides a level of self-confidence. The physical activity helps them build strong core muscles. Research has shown that core muscle development is a key factor in class-room learning. Of course, when they are running around outside pushing the Discover Rig, they can’t be inside playing video games.

It's Fun

The Discover Rig is designed for fun. Its big wheels and push bar make it easy for kids to push indoors and out. Kids play with it right out of the box. The adventure guide’s helmet lights up as soon as the Discover Rig begins moving. Then just switch modes to hear engine sounds or the song. The Sprig line is designed to be expandable. The Discover Rig can hold three adventure guides. Firewire technology allows each adventure guide to clip into the driver seat and sing his (or her) own song. The manufacture states, “We help make the world a better place and we get kids off the couch. Pretty cool, huh?”

By : Doug Morris

Monday, June 8, 2009

All you need to know about childrens double duvet covers

Finding a double duvet for a child can be somewhat of a challenge and trying to find information on the kids double duvet sets can be nearly impossible! For this reason I have decided to write an article on the seldom spoke about large sized kids duvet set. The first thing I will mention is the size of Children’s double duvet covers as this is sometimes a point of confusion. In the United Kingdom single duvet covers measure 140cm x 200cm and childrens double duvet covers are sized 200cm x 200cm and come with two matching pillow cases instead of the lonely one pillow case that comes with a single duvet cover.

The scope of both my knowledge and the context of this article are solely on double duvets for children in the UK which is why the only sizes I have mentioned above are for the UK. The one bit of information I will give you for the American version of a childs double duvet set is that they are known as a full size duvet in the USA. This is something to look out for if you are buying a double duvet as the American version is also slightly different in size.

If you are looking for a particular design of childrens double duvet for your child you may be disappointed. Unfortunately not every kids character has a double version of the single duvet which is due to not as many kids having a double bed as have a single bed. Never fear there are still lots of kids character duvet covers in a double size out there.

You may also find that childrens double duvet covers are more expensive than the singular version. The reason for this is not just because of the extra material used but also because of the extra cost involved per unit of manufacturing fewer quantities.

Manufacturers usually test the water with the single duvets and then the popular ones are also made into double duvets. This means that if you get your mates with single beds to go out buying the single version you may get the chance to have your favourite children’s double duvet!

Due to children’s double duvet sets only being made in the popular themes it also means that if you do manage to find a double duvet in the kids character theme you are looking for you will also be able to take you pick from a whole host of other kids bedroom accessories. The matching accessories for a childs double duvet are likely to include things like, kids curtains, rugs, lamp shades, blankets, towels, valance sheets, stickarounds and many more fun items

Most children’s double duvet covers in character theme are made out of 50% cotton and 50% polyester. To find a 100% cotton kids double duvet cover you will probably have to go for a plain theme or a checked style of kids double bedding.

All in all you may have to work a little bit harder to find your child a double duvet but there is still plenty of choice out. The reward of seeing your child with an extra big smile on there face is worth the extra effort so don’t give in!

By : Danny McLean

Sunday, June 7, 2009

What to Do With Your Child's Baby Clothes?

If you are like most mothers, you have saved your children's entire closet of baby clothes. While some of the items are sentimental, most of the items you can get rid of. There are several options for you to consider: you can sell it to a local re-sale or consignment shop, you can list the item on an online auction site, you can list the item for sale in an online consignment shop or you can donate the used baby clothes to charity.

To start, search through the used baby clothing and place it into piles. Some of the clothes will likely be in excellent condition, and some may even have the sales tags on them. If any are damaged and cannot be repaired, throw them out. You will want to sort through the rest of the baby clothes by their current condition; used, slightly used or worn. The clothing should also be sorted by size and/or the age of the baby such as 0-3 months, 3-6 months, etc. After you have sorted the baby clothing, you need to consider which route you will use to dispose of the items.

If you choose to donate the items to a charity, consider charities that are local to your hometown that work with children and families. Call to find out where you can drop the clothing off, what types of used clothing they accept and whether they provide a receipt. The receipt is needed when you file your taxes, as you may be able to take advantage of a tax break the following year.

If you decide to sell them to a re-sale shop or consignment shop in your area, be sure to ask a number of questions before you complete the sale. If you are selling to a re-sale shop, be prepared for them to offer you very low prices since they are going to need to make a profit when they sell the used clothing that you are bringing in to other buyers. If you are going to use a consignment shop, be sure to ask them what their commissions are, how long you can leave the clothes in the shop for sale, how they track the clothing that they display and what their suggested pricing per piece is.

If you decide to sell your used baby clothing online, start with either an online auction site or an online consignment shop. For both of these options, you will need to write detailed descriptions of your items and have digital pictures of each item so that you can upload them onto the websites. Many buyers will offer a 'lot' of used baby clothing that is similar or all within a size grouping (0-3 months). If you choose an online auction site, the items will be sold to the highest bidder. Many of these sites allow for a minimum bid as well as a reserve bid (minimum bid that you will sell your item for), which are good for items that are newer or in high demand, to make sure that you get a fair market value. If you choose an online consignment shop, be sure to ask what their fees are and what their website traffic is like to give yourself the best take home price per item possible. For both of these online options, since you will be shipping the items, make sure that you take this into consideration when you are selecting your bids or sales prices.

Selling your used baby clothing is a great option to make extra money and is simple to do. Someone else in the world needs what you need to get rid of.

By : Victor Epand

Saturday, June 6, 2009

All About Cubby House and their Safety

Cubby houses nowadays are at the top of most children’s ‘must have’ list, but anything larger than a cardboard box takes planning, and some cubby house may need council support. We give you a guide to building or buying a cubby and some of the highs and lows that you could face on this child-bonding journey.

For those caregivers who would love to build a timber cubby, but just don’t have the time or expertise, plastic ready-made cubbies will keep children smiling for hours. And there are no frustrations about building or council approvals. Be prepared though, they can be like putting together a Meccano set. Many large toy retailers sell plastic cubby houses and activity centres.

If you decide to build or buy the cubby house it is important to remember that such a prized possession will instantly make a child the most popular in the street, therefore, prepare for the attack of children in the yard (and house) for a large hunk of the weekend. If you are prepared for a possible kiddie’s attack, please read on.

Cubby house types

If you thought a cubby was just a cubby, well you're wrong! If you plan to start searching for a cubby, you should disseminate yourself with cubby lingo:

Fort – is an open structure supporting various accessories such as scramble nets, slides or towering above a sandpit

Traditional – this is the most popular cubby and is a virtual mini-house with windows, a door, and verandah and if the child is lucky, comes with a few accessories. If a child is really lucky, the cubby house could imitate the main house.

Activity centre – has one solid wall and half height solid wall together with scramble nets and sand pits (a built-in version of a fort).

Accessories

If you want to actually impress your child and their friends there is an option to add accessories such as: slide, ladder, rope ladder, scramble net, swing, trapeze bar, sandpit, steering wheel, periscope/telescope, various handles to encourage climbing - and for those who just can’t live without one – a telephone.

Cubby safety

• Parental supervision is the number one way to prevent accidents.

• If younger children are crossing a raised cubby or fort, try to include guard rails, or you could also install soft rubber matting underneath

• Vermin would also love to inhabit the cubby after kids have been cooking in the kitchen, so make sure it is cleaned and secure at the end of a day’s play

• Be careful of holes that could house snakes or other creepy crawlies, including timber-loving spiders • Round edges

• Use non-toxic materials

• Adult access

By : Playsafe Kids

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Choosing the Proper Baby Sun Protection Products

Lots of important factors should be taken into consideration while choosing the proper skin care product for a baby. Skin of babies are extremely sensitive and extra care should be taken while choosing a baby product especially if it is regarding the skin care. The sun block product for a baby should be properly tested under pediatric control. Skin get damaged if exposed under the combined effect of the UVB and UVB rays. Skin can get burnt if exposed under excess UVB; tanning is possible if skin is exposed under the excess UBA. It may also result in pigmentation.

Some of the sun protection products which are suitable for the sensitive skin of a baby are as follows:

Sunshine Kids Cool-Shade-Solar Sun Protection

California Baby Sunscreen Lotion Citronella Bug Blend

Mustela High Protection Sun Lotion

Play Boys Green Frog Sunhat

SunBlankie(R)

California Baby Aloe Vera Cream

Sun Smarties Rubber Frame Sunglasses

Baby Banz and Kids Banz Sunglasses Sol-Cool Car Seat Shade

The sunshine cool- shade solar sun protection can be stuck to the glass window by a cling system. This acts as a shield and helps to protect the child from the sun rays. This product also helps to keep the temperature of the car low thus preventing the sun rays to harm the skin. The California Baby Sunscreen Lotion is a SPF 30 sunscreen lotion which is an effective sunblock specially formulated for the children. This sunscreen contains citronella, cedar wood and lemon grass. These ingredients are natural insect repellent and is mild enough for the tender skin of the babies. The greatest benefit of this product is that it can be used right from the birth of the child. The Mustela High Protection Sun Lotion is very gentle on the skin of a child. It is so gentle that it can be also applied to the face of the baby. The kind of sun protection that the lotion offers is high and safe for the little ones.

Some other baby sun protection and toddler sun products are hats and sunglasses that can prevent the harsh rays to affect the tender skin of the kids. Play Boy Green Frog Sun hat has UPF 50 and is a perfect product to save a baby from sun rays. Made of UPF 50 and fabric this sun protector works like magic. It has a colorful frog print on one side of it to attract the kids. This product can be shopped on line and will be shipped at the customer's postal address. Some soft and comfortable sunglasses are also found for the babies. The shatter proof lenses offer 100% UVA and UVB protection; it is also a smart accessory for the kids. There are so many ways to protect a baby from the heat and sun. One has to make a right selection from the array of sun protection products available in the market

By : rohan arora

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Wondering Why Unexplained Weight Loss in Children?

If you know someone who has a son or daughter who was previously overweight and lost a lot of weight almost suddenly you may be a little concerned. Maybe you are that parent or guardian yourself. No matter what the case may be it is important to examine the reasons that weight loss may occur. When a child is developing and growing a lot of physiological things can occur so surprises like this can happen. No matter what the case is it is important to not become a heavy-duty detective and ask the child too many questions that are personal.

Dramatic weight loss in kids and children can happen for a number of reasons. Sometimes there are biological things playing a role in the weight loss. For instance if your child is the in range of puberty beginning to take place then this can play a huge part in weight loss. Hormones can have a drastic effect on how the body holds and retains weight and metabolism rates as well. Puberty and hormonal changes often play a role.

Possibly the child has taken on new hobbies or activities at school or in their spare time you are not aware of. They may be more active than they were previously and now doing a lot more cardiovascular activity and burning more calories.

If you suspect that there are outside forces that may have resulted in the child̢۪s weight loss this is a possibility but always approach this angle respectively and carefully. If you suspect the child is involved in drugs or has an eating disorder these are important things to address but make sure you are in an appropriate position to address these issues. If you are not the child̢۪s parent or guardian it is probably a safe bet to just contact the parents instead.

By : Andrew Maule

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

It’s very easy to download South Park

Animation series always attract kids more than teenagers and South Park downloads are also made by kids. That’s why most of the websites offering South Park download follow a very simple pattern so that kids can download their favorite series easily.

South Park is an animated series centering on four boys Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick. Series is a creation of Trey Parker and Matt Stone. All the boys are seen understanding the world around them and experiencing that not only kids but adults also make mistakes. South Park is sharp, funny and a very brilliant TV show and kids’ throughout the world are crazy for this whacky animation. Series is currently running with thirteenth season.

Like the other TV shows, thousands of sites are offering South Park downloads. Most of the sites want you to avail their membership whereas others promise to provide complete TV shows without paying anything. Before I continue writing, let me tell you that nothing on internet comes in terms of free. And, if you’re looking to download free South Park, then, sorry, you can leave the article now.

But, if you’re interested to download South Park by joining a website, then you’re welcome. Such kinda website needs you to avail their membership. Become a member and get an access to download unlimited American, British and Canadian TV shows. While downloading anything, always make sure that you’re getting enough for your money. And believe me, this ‘enough’ has no limits when you’re downloading from a worthy website.

Several modes of memberships are available. You can go with a limited membership or can avail lifetime membership. If you pick up limited membership, then, you’ll be allowed to download your TV shows for that limited period only. But when you go with lifetime membership, you get a lifetime access to thousands of TV shows, just by paying single time charges. And, the best part is that you don’t need to download any extra software to support your download.

So, forget about DVDs and such kinda stuff and download South Park episodes. Downloading is very easy and hassle free task and if you know the right way to go ahead then success would be yours. So, go for South Park downloads and watch whatever you want whenever you want.

By : Symonds Adi

Monday, June 1, 2009

Music for Life – The Benefits of Starting Kids Young

The gift of music is one of the most important gifts you can give your child. Whether you give them guitars, drum sets, or toy pianos, their musical ability will begin to foster. The younger the child starts, the more advantages they will have. Enrolling children in musical lessons is one of the best ways to accelerate their melodic abilities. The progress young children show in their abilities is often astonishing, since children are often faster learners than adults. With companies making toy pianos and other instruments geared toward smaller children with smaller hands, your child can start developing their artistic abilities at a much younger age.

Once your child has enough experience with their instrument, for example they can play whole songs on their toy pianos, they can put on concerts for their friends and family. Parents can set out all of the kids furniture around the child to create a mini concert setting. When the child’s friends come over, they can all have a seat on the perfect sized kids furniture and listen to your child play away. Other parents will be impressed and the children will be too. If the kids get bored with the concert, they can always arrange the kids furniture to form a fort or for a fun game of musical chairs. After they can grab other fun melody makers that anyone can play, like tambourines or maracas and all play together. Your children will love to share their musical abilities with their friends and will be overjoyed to have them join in as well.

The Benefits of Music

Music has also been shown to help children academically. Children who play instruments and are involved in extra-curricular activities often do much better in school than those who don’t. The counting involved with playing an instrument, and especially the ability to read music, often gives children an advantage in mathematical courses. The ability to read notes is especially relevant and advantageous when fractions are introduced in math classes. The ability to play and read will translate into enhanced academic ability as well.

Another benefit is the lifelong ability music will give your child. From playing on toy pianos, to playing at concert halls, from playing around a circle of friends on kids furniture, to a circle of society’s elite at a prestigious venue, you never know where it will take your child. Music is a great gift to give because the ability to play an instrument will stay with them forever.

Overall, music is a great way to inspire your children and give them an academic and artistic advantage. Whether you start you kids playing toy pianos when they are young around a groups of pals on kids furniture, or you give them voice lessons and they sing in the school play, music will give them the confidence and abilities to life a rich, fulfilling life with artistic skills that not everyone is lucky enough to possess.

By : Jennifer Boris

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Building Blocks For Kids - Extremely Useful

Most of the kid's toy basket has LEGO blocks. These can't be considered just as a set of interlocking bricks. Depending upon the interests of the kid, a wide variety of variants of building blocks are still available today. Usually kids opt for wonderful themes of building blocks. In addition to the kids many parents are also fond of building blocks. Parents can also participate in the activity along with their kids so that so much of child parent bonding takes place here. In addition parents will get the chance to analyse the creativity of their children through play bricks. Building blocks are mostly used by children of age under 12. But older kids are also interested in play bricks so that there is no need to throw it off once the kid crosses the age limit.

Building blocks are very easy to follow as it is included with pictures for assembling and adequate directions are mentioned. It is very easy to follow for a kid. Building blocks has got three categories of products for pre school kids depending upon the age group. Pre school age group is classified into a category of one month to eighteen months, a second category of one year to three years and the third category of two years to six years. The peculiarity of these blocks are they are big parts are easy to assemble.

Creativity of the children can be improved very much using play bricks. The plastic accessories and blocks in this box are easy to manipulate by the kids. It can be used to create lots of items depending upon the creativity of the kid. Most of the play bricks sets can be used by swapping each other which means items of two different sets can be exchanged and assembled. Thus there is no limit for the construction which purely depends upon the creativity of the kid. Parents or elderly ones can guide the kids initially to assemble. Building blocks are a perfect gift for any kid which can be gifted on occasions like birthday. A website is opened by play bricks and kids can join the LEGO club free of cost. These website and club provides updates of new releases. Kids can interact with fellow members of LEGO club through message boards.

While buying a toy for your kid one should ensure the quality of the material used for manufacturing the toy. Recently there was a warning for the poor quality plastics used in toys. LEGO maintains a standard quality by using quality products while manufacturing the parts. This is very safe for kids as there is not any hazardous product in the toy. Another feature of play bricks is its long lasting nature where it can be used over and over again. Building blocks toys are available widely where one can purchase it from local shops or buy online. Now online play bricks games are also available. There are different categories like Creative; Action, Preschool, Puzzle and Exclusive of building blocks games are now available which can be played online. These online games give a good exercise to your kids' brain where the task has to be done in the specified time limit.

By : Victor Epand

Thursday, May 28, 2009

The Food That Kids Love

Most of the kids have poor eating habits which is a worrying factor for most mothers. It is very difficult to find the favorite food for the kids, because they keep changing with time. Every kid has got different tastes in food, but one can find a common item which most of the kids like. One such item is dessert. Apart from that, one can find their kid's favorite food by doing some trials, research, and of course by talking to them. If you have a big family with lots of members, you will be having a difficult time to prepare dishes according to match everybody's taste. Once you have identified those interests, you can prepare meals which everybody in your family can enjoy.

By preparing a variety of meals in a week and find out which all dishes your child has got interest. This can be made possible by observing the intake of your kid and recording it. Always takes your kid with you to a food market for purchasing groceries. Ask them what all items they like and buy those items. Remember to choose items with nutritional value since most of the time kids are more inclined to junk food. One can't find the likings of kids if there are too small to express by words.

Then they should keep different items in from of the kid and observe which one he/she chooses. Most of these time kids will be attracted towards colors of food. Once they taste the food, we will come to know whether they liked it or not. Before preparing the meal itself you should ask your little ones about their choice. You can tell them to choose between items like bread/pasta or chicken/egg. You can also ask them to name a vegetable of their choice and prepare a side dish out of it.

Most of the parents are worried about the picky eating habits of their kids. They will have food in small quantities and that too only a few favorite foods. Most of the upset parents have the tendency to feed the kids by using force and punishment which will result in their strong dislike towards food. There is no point in getting frustrated while dealing with such kids. The only way is to make their meal time more enjoyable. You can add the items which they like while preparing a meal though they belongs to the 'junk' category. But the quantity should be limited but at the same time kids will get the feeling that that is the one they were longing for.

As a parent you should never categorise a food item as bad or forbidden in front of your kid. Once the kids find anything forbidden or restricted they will be attracted more to it. This is a basic child psychology. The kids will wait for an opportunity to have them in the absence of you may be from outside. Another way to find out your child's favorite food is taking him/her to a good restaurant. Hand over the kid's menu to your child and let her chose the favorite and order for it. Most of the standard restaurants follow the health standards while preparing kids menu. You can prepare the food which your child opted for, at home with the recipe.

By : Victor Epand

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Fun in the Sun: Ways to Keep Your Kids Entertained This Summer.

If you are like most parents, you are looking for ways to keep your children engaged and entertained this summer. Without school to fill up the time, summer days can seem very long to your children. However with some imagination and cool activities planned, the hours will fly by and the children will have a blast on those carefree June, July & August days. Whether you are home with the tykes all day long, or only on the evenings and weekends, the following activities are sure to be a hit.

Chalk Time

Most children love to play with chalk and turn their driveways and sidewalks into masterpieces. With the variety of fun colors and a little imagination, anything is possible. A piece of cement can transform into a school, a house, or a castle. Lines can be drawn on the ground, and the sidewalk can become a race track for bikes or scooters. Whether one child, or the whole neighborhood, this is an easy, cheap activity that is fun and lets everyone enjoy the warm days of summer.

Inflatable Bounce Houses

With the amount of residential use inflatable bounces houses available on the Internet these days, it is now feasible to own a variety of inflatable bounce houses in your own backyard. Gone are the days of the rare occasions where someone would rent commercial inflatable bounce houses for parties for kids to enjoy. These days anyone can own these amazing pieces and use them whenever they want. There are lots of new imaginative designs, including inflatable waterpark bounce houses. Instead of taking kids to an actual waterpark, you can blow up your own waterpark in the yard. Kids will love jumping up and down in the water in the waterpark. There is no better way to have fun in the summer than to cool off with water activities. Whether splashing in the water, or going down the wet slides, everyone will have a blast. So wait for a really sunny hot day, break out the bathing suits, towels, and sun screen, and let your children get soaked engaging in this fun activity. Not only will little tykes have a riot running around, but so will parents overseeing the activity.

Kites

Running around with these high flying devices can be great fun for all. Just wait until a semi windy day rolls around, uncoil the long strings, and let your flying machine go. This activity is best done in a wide open space, like a park. Kites come in all different kinds of fabric and colors. There are red ones, and blue ones, and even ones that sparkle. Some are shaped like butterflies, ladybugs, and bumble bees. Others are shaped like planes, trains, and trucks. This is an easy and fun activity your kids will love.

Whether you engage your tykes in chalk time, jumping in inflatable waterpark bounce houses, or flying kites, summer is sure to be a blast and the time will fly.

By : Jennifer Boris

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Today's Children

Children today are different from what their parents were in their childhod. The age of innocence ends very early today compared to yesteryears. Children are very well aware of their surrounding world and of daily affairs. The rate of literacyin first world countries is very high and increasing in the other nations. Most children receive a formal education starting with kindergarten and then school. There is a sense of early maturity in terms of intellect among kids. The internet enables any child to get information on any topic be it good or bad. Most kids read newspapers and are aware of current affairs and have their say on most topics. Surveys show, buying habits of families are greatly influenced by the children of the family. So it is very fair to say how children are socialized today determines the destiny of society, because ultimately these kids will grow up to become responsible citizens- responsible if they are groomed today for the betterment of society.

It's true that children today are getting much more freedom than ever- and this is only increasing. In the US, we see cases where children sue their parents for some or the other issue. Macaulay Culkin, the home alone star sued his parents at the age of 16 for money misappropriation. The truth of the story, no one can decide. Children are exposed to violent TV shows most hours of the day. The video games famous today are full of blood and gore. More the violence, better are the sales. Sometime back in an American public school, one fine lad entered with a gun and shot down many students and teachers. And this is not a lone incident.

The evils of the internet are readily available for all kids to see. Quite a few hackers in their teens have been found and roughed up by the cops. It's true that parents have ensured the best education for their children. But at the same time have the required values and morals also been inculcated. Working parents leave their kid alone at home or at a baby-sitter's. This lack of attention slowly diverts the child to bad habits. The number of children smoking or involved with drugs is unbelievable. In Britain, some years back there was a 12 year old kid becoming a father, so much for innocence and childhood. Juvenile delinquency is on the rise. More and more unique cases are spread all over the globe. Children need more of positive motivation to achieve meanigful goals in life.

By: CDM

Child Recliner - Constructed with Love

Child size recliners have become a very popular gift over the past few years. I currently have over 500 of these recliners in over 2-dozen styles ready for the holiday season. But how do these great chairs come into being?

I recently took a trip to visit several manufacturers of kid recliners. These manufacturers come in varying sizes, from shops with only a handful of employees to full blown factories with hundreds of workers. Surprisingly, the child recliners were all made in a similar fashion, regardless of the size of the manufacturer.

Let’s start from the beginning. At some point each of these manufacturers decided to build child recliners. They all have someone, usually the owner in smaller shops, who creates patterns for anything they’re going to create. This person probably took an adult recliner, ripped it apart and created miniature patterns for the child recliner. Two sets of patterns are created, one for the material and another for the wooden frame.

The material is then cut to the pattern. Imagine metal tables laid out end to end for 50 feet. Fabric is rolled out across these tables. Because time is money, the fabric is laid out 10 to 20 layers thick and cut to the pattern all at once. The pattern is laid out on top of the fabric and marked with chalk. To make the cut, an electric or air driven knife is used that resembles the electric knife you would use to cut up a turkey on Thanksgiving.

Once the fabric is cut, it goes to the sewing station. The factories I visited all had row upon row of sewing stations set up. The smallest shop had 10 stations while the largest had closer to 100. The pre-cut fabric is sewn together leaving various holes so that the fabric can be put onto the chair and the padding can be inserted.

While the fabric is being prepared, another set of craftsmen are creating the frames. Depending on the chair, they are cutting either hard wood or plywood based on the previously created patterns. They use table saws, band saws and various other saws to shape the wood. Everything is done using stop blocks created long ago to speed the process. Once the wood is cut to pattern, it is combined with a pre-purchased lift mechanism using several techniques depending on the quality and cost of the chair. Staple gun, gang nail, air gun and screws are all used to hold the frame together.

At this point the frame and fabric are combined. The fabric is stretched over the frame and tacked or stapled into place. Usually a combination of tacking and stapling is used. Tacking can create some nice effects in visible areas, while stapling is the standard and used anywhere people won’t see.

Once the fabric is attached to the chair, the chair is stuffed with fiber foam. The foam is blown in using a special machine. You can view something very similar at any Build-A-Bear™ workshop.

Some final stitching is done to close up the hole where the stuffing entered and voila, a fantastic child recliner is born. It is then wrapped in a plastic bag and put in a specially sized both, ready for delivery.

By: Craig J. Clark

Friday, May 22, 2009

Different Types of Baby Crib?

The terminology used in describing baby cribs can be confusing. Manufacturers don't make it any easier either and often give their own name to a more generic term. What follows is a concise definition of the different types of baby cribs that are available.

The main difference between a bassinet and a cradle is that a bassinet is placed in a stand and is stationary. For more help visit to: www.create-super-baby.com. A cradle is usually designed so that it can be rocked back and forth. Many parents will choose to use either one of these after the birth of the child as these have low sides and are very easy and convenient to use. When the baby reaches 3 or 4 months of age it's time for other sleeping arrangements.

Sometimes referred to as a conventional baby crib, this type usually comes with single or double drop sides making it easy to put in and take out a small baby. As this has drop sides there's no need to adjust mattress height. The Jenny Lind is a good example of this type of crib. A standard baby crib is usually quite cheap to buy and will serve your baby until about the age of two.

This sort has become quite fashionable in recent years. Many parents say that this type uses less space than a traditional one. These types of cribs can be rather expensive.Sometimes referred to as a bonnet crib, this is for those who like a 'fairytale' or 'princess' look. The canopy serves no real purpose except for 'presentation'. Again, they are more expensive than traditional models.

There are two types: 3-in-1 and lifetime. The 3-1-in baby crib can be converted from crib, to toddler bed, to day bed. These convert by simply removing one side of the crib. Some brands come with optional straight rails that can be used on the toddler bed - they help in preventing the baby from rolling out. Some 3-in-1 models also come with storage drawers. Lifetime cribs can also be converted to full size beds, which mean a child can use it until their early teens. This type does cost more but they can save money in the long run.

These are second hand cribs that have been used by another baby. Whilst it may seem a good idea to use or buy one of these, the advice from most safety organizations is never to buy a used crib. For more detail go to: www.babies-tips.com.Ones that were made a number of years ago may not have the safety features that are required today. If you do buy a used baby crib, use the following guidelines.

By pallvi sandhu

Baby Carriers and Baby Slings

While baby carriers and baby slings give your baby the developmental benefits of intimacy and physical closeness to you, the most convenient benefit to parents is their easy, hands-free operation. For more help visit to: www.create-super-baby.com. With your baby safe and your hands free, you can go about everyday tasks such as grocery shopping, running errands, or even vacuuming with peace of mind.

Many carriers come in chic, modern designs focusing on both comfort and style, so you can stay in fashion and still be comfortable while wearing one.

Many carriers hold your baby facing your chest when he's small. Then—once your baby has sufficient head control—some baby carriers let you face your baby forward so he can explore the world and enjoy the view. Some carriers are reversible even, switching from front- to back-carrying so you can carry a small baby on your chest and then use the carrier as a backpack when your infant is about 6 months old.

Also, as your baby grows, carriers can be easier on you since they distribute your child's weight more evenly along your back instead of concentrating on your shoulders. Generally, baby carriers work great for newborns and toddlers up to 30 pounds.

With a little practice, baby slings and wraps can be easier to put on and take off compared to the typical baby carrier. For more detail go to: www.babies-tips.com.Slings and wraps not only allow you to nurse discreetly, but they even let you lay your baby down without waking him. This is because of an important distinction between carriers and slings: carriers have safety restraints, whereas slings and wraps do not.

For this reason, many parents opt for slings when the baby is newborn and not quite as active as an older infant. Some parents can continue to use the sling throughout the first year and even when their baby becomes a toddler, although many children find the sling too restrictive once their muscles and senses develop more.

Baby backpacks are best for an older infant—your baby must be able to sit up alone before riding in a backpack. Baby backpacks are very similar to camping-style backpacks in that most have a lightweight frame that supports and distributes weight along with padded backing and shoulder straps. Many backpacks offer additional strapping, such as a waist or sternum strap, to distribute the weight over more of your body.

If you and your baby are the outdoorsy type, you should look for models that come with accessories such as sun or rain canopies (or the option to upgrade or add-on) so that your baby stays cozy and shielded from the elements.

The drawback to backpacks is that some models can be cumbersome to put on and take off if you’re by yourself or if you need to make frequent stops. However, some baby backpacks are equipped with frames capable of standing on their own and even acting as a baby seat, supporting your little one while you take a break.

By pallvi sandhu

Baby Care: Baby Crib and Surviving Pregnancy

One of the most important first purchases for your new baby will be a baby crib. If you're like most people you like a great deal. Some go to great lengths to get the best deals on products and part of the routine is buying second hand.

However, for more help visit to: www.create-super-baby.com. when it comes to a baby crib, it is always a good idea to buy new. Your infant will spend a lot of time in his crib. It is essential that your baby’s crib is safe and up-to-date.

Many cribs no longer meet today’s standards for quality and safety. Many years of research has lead to the current construction of baby cribs. Older cribs may pose dangers for your infant.

A baby’s limbs can become caught between the bars of a baby crib that does not follow the current guidelines. The bars need to be at least two-and-a-half inches apart to assure that the baby does not get his arms or legs stuck in between them during the night.

Current research on baby cribs revolves around the baby crib bedding. There are so many attractive crib sets that include blankets, pillows and bumpers. For more detail go to: www.babies-tips.com.Although it is important to keep baby warm at night, blankets and bumpers pose a risk for suffocation. The baby can easily become entangled in his blanket, obstructing his airway. The crib’s pillow can be dangerous as well if the baby winds up under it during the night.

Baby crib bumpers help protect the baby from getting stuck in between the crib’s bars and they are designed with an extra soft filling that insures that the baby will be cushioned if he hits his crib. However, bumpers need to be securely fastened in place in order to insure the ultimate safety. Just like pillows and blankets, bumpers pose a suffocation risk if the baby becomes entangled in it.

Blankets, pillows can be great for decoration, but they should be removed when it comes time for baby to go to sleep. Bumpers should be fastened properly and double-checked at the baby’s bedtime each night. During colder nights, parents put their babies in wearable blankets that form right to the baby. There is no risk of the baby becoming entangled in the wearable blanket. Parents should check on the baby during the night to insure that he does not get overheated when wearing the very warm blankets.

With a few little steps, parents can insure safety with their baby’s crib bedding. However, they need to remember to avoid using older baby cribs. Older cribs do not always meet today’s safety standards. They often do not come with instructions and missing a minor detail in the instructions could be disastrous.

In order to insure your baby’s safety in a crib, it is very important to consider turning down the second hand offers from your friends and family and buy new. The investment will be worth the peace of mind in knowing that the baby crib you chose is safe and secure. A new baby crib is the most important item you can buy for your new baby during their first few months of life.

By pallvi sandhu

As The Brats Take Dominance In The Doll Fashion With Brats

Fashionable footwear is one of the most valuable things that we should never miss up when fixing up our wardrobe. Of course, the whole ensemble would not be complete without the precious air of footwear unless you want to walk barefooted at the street. But how do you compare ordinary footwear from those which can beautifully highlight your legs and feet?
By mukesh kaushal

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Some Advice For Internet Safety And Kids

Chat rooms and instant messaging are potential havens for online predators and opportunist on kids' weaknesses and innocence. Unfortunately, these means of communication are so popular among kids and it is very difficult, if not impossible to ban the use of these. So to make sure that you are still safe while using chat rooms and instant messaging, it is important that you understand properly the dangers of these services and the ways to avoid them.

Important Safety Advices for Kids

• Don't trust anyone you meet in the chat rooms. People aren't necessarily who they say they are online.

• Chat rooms often ask for profiles, make sure that you don't give personal information and leave as much blanks as you can.

• The best way to create relationships is by meeting people personally and not in the chat rooms. In this regard, it isn't safe to build relationships online and meet them personally afterwards.

• Choose moderated and child-friendly rooms. Stay in public chat rooms and don't engage in private conversation with people you don't know. Ignore any private messages from unknown people.

• If you entertain private chat, don't give any personal information such as your name, phone number, address, email address, credit card or bank account information, pictures, and school details. IM softwares aren't encrypted so sending sensitive information such as bank account or credit card numbers can be picked up by other users with the right tools.

• If you aren't comfortable talking to someone online, ignore his/her message. Stay away from people harassing you. Report them if necessary.

• Talk to your parents if you have experienced unpleasant or uncomfortable conversation to others.

• Don't use your real name; use a nickname.

• Don't use your primary email; use an alternative one.

• Don't allow other people to view your webcam. Don't use a webcam if unnecessary.

• Don't accept unsolicited files from other people. Disable automatic downloads. If you ask for a file, scan it first with your antivirus before opening.

• Listen to your parents.

• Don't engage in fighting with anyone in the room.

You may not follow everything stated above but remember this: you make consequence through your actions so better be safe at all times than suffer the consequences later.

By: Jonathan Sin

Some Internet Safety for Kids Age 11-13 Years Old

The transition from childhood to adolescence is where kids develop their curiosity on the world they are living. Kids at this age encounter rapid changes in their body as well as in their lives. They test their capacity although they are still dependent on their parents. They test new things without consulting in someone older and think of themselves as grown ups. Kids of this age are the most vulnerable to danger.

Internet threats to Kids Age 11-13 Years Old

Kids age 11-13 start to utilize the internet for school projects and research. They also use the internet to play online games, visit pop star sites, use instant messaging, use e-mail, and download music.

They also start building relationships from online acquaintances, develop sexual interest and may look on pornographic sites, and can easily be lured to enter personal information through registration forms, contests or surveys or reveal personal information to strangers.

To protect them from internet dangers, here are the important safety tips.

• Set up rules on when and what purpose the internet should be used. This doesn't mean though that you restrict them from using the internet outside school-related work. Just make sure that they are guided in the right ways to use the internet.

• Take time to surf the internet with your kids. In this way, you will know the sites they are visiting and you can recommend sites that are suited for their age.

• The internet connected computer should be placed in an open area and not in the kids' bedroom.

• Place a security setting on the computer so that your kids can't access or accidentally open sites that aren't suitable for them.

• Tell them to ignore spam mails and not to open email attachments from unknown senders.

• Talk to them about pornographic websites and direct them to good websites for health and sexuality.

• Tell your kids not to disclose any personal information about them or your family including your names, address, their schools, email address, passwords and bank account numbers.

• Warn them about the danger of online chat and talking to strangers online.

• Teach your kids to become responsible to their actions online and not to engage into fights and bullying.

Since kids of this age still lack correct judgment and feel otherwise, online is a place where they can encounter great danger. Imposing these safety tips will help reduce these dangers.

By: Jonathan Sin

Baby Not Sleeping Through the Night? Get Immediate Relief!

Up all night with a crying baby? Half-asleep all day, knowing the next night will be more of the same? Well there's a fantastic new solution to the problem of your baby not sleeping through the night - all you have to do is apply it.

It's a worst-case scenario: you're a bleary-eyed new parent with a baby who's up every hour, on the hour, crying to be held. Sometimes the baby needs food, other times it needs to be held, still other times no matter what you do your baby not sleeping through the night is keeping you both from enjoying your days. The previous bad night's sleep leads to jagged, broken sleep patterns during the day that perpetuate the problem into the following evening.

The good news is that you're not alone. Desperate and exhausted parents everywhere have experienced this problem since babies were first being born. The better news is that now, it doesn't have to be this way. Newly developed methods and techniques have been proven effective at not only helping put a crying baby to sleep... but in keeping your baby asleep throughout the night. Using these techniques, you and your baby will enjoy deep, peaceful sleep, night after night, hour after hour, waking up refreshed and fully awake the next morning. And once you've got your baby on the right track to these beautiful sleeping habits, he or she will continue to sleep that way for the months and years to follow.

If this sounds too good to be true, stop and think of all the friends you have with normally sleeping babies. The friends who have no issues with their baby not sleeping through the night - the friends who brag about how good their child sleeps in his or her crib. What are they doing right that you're doing wrong? Is their baby different than yours, or are their methods different? Perhaps that friend is doing something right and not even knowing it!

The first thing you need to realize is that every baby is different. Once you understand this, it's an easy jump to realize that no one sleep method will work on every child. You'll need to examine your child, know his or her daily habits, physical limits, eating patterns and many other factors. Once you've compiled that list and know what sleep category your baby falls into, then and only then will you be able to apply the proper techniques that will correct the problem of your baby not sleeping through the night.

Because no two babies are the same, no two sleep solutions will be the same either. There are dozens of small corrections you can make to your baby's routine that will allow him or her (and you!) to enjoy a full, restful night's sleep. The Baby Sleep Solution offers you long-term success through these methods, while offering you quick and easy techniques you can use in the short term that will help your baby gain more sleep. And once the determination is made as to what type of sleep pattern your baby best falls into, the core problem can be dealt with in just five easy steps.

When all these techniques are applied together, you can kiss the problem of your baby not sleeping through the night goodbye! Tried and tested in thousands of homes over multiple countries, the Baby Sleep Solution is 100% guaranteed to work each and every time. You can begin applying the program in less than an hour, and enjoy the benefits of a good night's sleep by nightfall.

By: Aurelia Mcaleese

Get Prepared For Prom Night - The Last Minute Checklist

Prom is fast approaching and you have done all of the hard work. What else do you need to do to make sure that you are ready for this very special day? Start by laying out all of the things you will wear. Get your jewelry picked out. Be sure that you know when your hair appointment is and when your last tanning session will be. Then, there are a few things you will need to plan to do the day of before and the day of prom. Here is a checklist to help you to make it happen.

The night before prom, you need to make sure you have done everything you can. If you will have your eyebrows waxed, do that this day. You also may want to get in that last tanning session. The day before prom, be sure you have tried on your dress and broken in your prom shoes. Wear them for a few hours so they are more comfortable on your prom day. If your dress needs any alterations, have this done now. That way you do not have to worry about it on your prom day itself.

Create a checklist for your prom day itself. What should be on here is everything that you need to do on prom day. This includes everything from what time you will get up and shower to shaving and your nail appointments. Be sure that you have eaten something throughout the day, too, otherwise you won't have any stamina for the long night ahead. If it is possible, try to take a late morning or early afternoon nap, before you head out to get your nails done. This will be one long night and you want to be at your best.

You may also want to include a checklist of items to take with you that day. This includes your prom tickets, your purse and wallet, and any identification you have. You may want to have your cell phone charged and ready to go. Keep your lipstick and touch ups for makeup in your bag as well. You should have some cash on you, just in case there is a need, but usually there is not a need for a lot of money. Make a list of anything else you may need for this night so you can quickly run it down right before you leave for prom.

There are many things to think about for your prom day. By making a fast checklist of anything you need to keep in mind, you are well on your way to having an amazing evening without forgetting anything. It can also help you to enjoy planning for prom more.

All above are some last minute items to think about before you leave.

By: Gen Wright

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

How To Find Shoes For Toddlers

Some experts suggest that barefoot is better for this stage of age, nonetheless, when we need to take them out of the house we need them to wear shoes for their own safety and health. So, here some important tips to find the right shoes for toddlers.

Comfort

One of the problems with toddlers is that they can not say to us exactly what they like or feel yet. All we can do is read their body language and their behaviors. Best shoes for toddlers are flexible, sturdy but soft soles. Thin material is good for them. Thin leather or other soft material is better. It will give them enough room, since their feet grow fast. Flexible material will give them comfort to move any kind their like. Try to find shoes for toddlers that are light enough for them to use. Too much weight will make them easy to get tired and off course can cause them to trip or fall.

Another thing we should pay attention in choosing shoes for toddlers is size. We can not give them smaller or larger size, it has to fit properly with their feet. Usually when we bought shoes for toddlers, it’s only fit enough for short term because they are in rapid growth stage. We should watch them every time they going to wear the shoes. If the shoe size is already small for them then we should put it away. Uncomfortable shoes could make your toddler doesn’t want to wear shoes anymore. So, make sure when you get shoes for toddlers find which that make them so comfortable with.

Safety

Toddlers need balance. They are still learning to walk, so, balance is a huge matter. Thickness of shoe soles can become very important in their safety. Too thick soles can cause your toddler to have injuries on their ankles when they fall. Remember, it is natural for toddler to fall when they are running or even walking. Most of rubbers are much better than plastic and wood for soles material. Soles of shoes for toddlers should give them good grip on any surfaces. Slippery shoes, even with very cute design are not safe for your toddler.

Favor

When parents buy shoes for their toddlers, expensive or cheap shoes, often they only care about their own taste. It is also important that we also ask our toddler to choose which design they like and let them try to wear them first before we pay. From my experience, it is useless to buy shoes for toddlers if they do not like the character or even the design.

Also, try to find shoes for toddlers that easy to put on by themselves. Shoes that don’t have laces or need to buckle will be their favor. This also will give advantage for the parents too. It will give them learning process to do things by themselves.

Rika Subana is an Indonesian, married, and had formal education in Communications. A former reporter and country editor, she is now a freelance writer on parenting and fashion. Rika is the owner of Centro Fashion

by urique

Children's Sleep - Tips On How To Put Your Little One To A Good Night Sleep

Sleep is a essential to a child's health and growth. Sleep promotes alertness, memory and performance. Children who get enough sleep are more likely to function better and are less prone to behavioral problems and moodiness. On the other hand, lack of sleep will affects their performance in school, during extracurricular activities, and health.Sleep-deprived children are also more likely to be overactive and noncompliant. And sleep problems can have an incredible effect on the entire family—the parents get cranky and irritable, too.That is why it is important for parents to start early and help their children develop good sleep habitsMost of children sleep problems are related to poor sleep habits or to anxiety about going to bed and falling asleep. Persistent sleep problems may also be symptoms of emotional difficulties.Sleep problems will not magically disappear, so it is important to identify them early. This most important matter of good sleep for the child depends not only on the health of the body but on the ease of the infant's mind. It is wrong to treat the child otherwise than through understanding, where he is afraid, or in a strange place. Waking up, after being put to sleep in a strange room, the little one may receive a shock which may prevent sleep for the rest of the night. If he is patiently soothed and matters explained, all will be well; but it is a great cruelty to thrash or threaten in such a case. To do such a thing as to frighten a child with ghost stories is to commit a serious crime. It is not dealt with by the law, but it certainly deserves to be.Never bring before a child's mind any imaginary terrors; rather teach it to understand them in such a way as to remove any cause of fear. But do not force a child to examine an object of its fear; you may do terrible damage before you can explain. All fears should be most carefully dealt with, and no force employed; the little one who has no imaginary terrors, and is kindly taught to think every fearful image at bottom some innocent cloak or shadow, will sleep sound and grow healthy in mind.When, however, ill health is the cause of wakefulness, other means must be used. Cold feet and chilly feelings generally, frequently keep children from sleep. Pack in such cases the lower limbs up to the waist in thick folded flannel fomentation. This will often not only give sleep, but prevent more serious trouble.Often the child is sleepless from feverish heat instead of coldness; then cooling applications should be used. These may take the form of two caps for the head of thickest cotton cloth; one, tight fitting, to be wrung out of cold water and put on, the other, looser and dry, to be put on over the first. This alone will often secure a night's sleep.Did you find those tips on Children' Sleep useful? You can learn a lot more about health and other useful tips at TipsToday.110mb.com

by surfmarket88