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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