Do you remember how it was when you where a child? What was your main activity? Was it working? Of course not. Your main activity was playing. You had no concerns. You needed toys and your parents where supposed to provide you with them. They had to find toys you wouldn't throw away and believe me, it wasn't easy for them.
Now you are a parent and you are in the same situation as your parents years ago. You're looking for toys that your child will like. That's why you must know how to choose the right toys. My parents made one common mistake: they would buy me toys that they considered wonderful. But usually, when they would give me the toy, I would either consider it too girlish or too boring. It wasn't fun for them to see how a toy they bought for me to play with would stay forgotten in my closet.
How to find out what's the right toy for your child?
Just watch your child closely to determine his preferred activities, skills level, preferred band(s) and movie(s), and so on. Based on these observations you can get a clue on what types of toys your child would prefer. For instance, if your child loves the movie Lord of the Rings, I bet that he'll also like Lord of the Rings toys...
Now don't just go into the first toy shop and buy the first Lord of the Rings toy you find. Observations aren't enough. There are some other very important factors you must consider. Adding them into the equation helps ensure you that your child will have lots of fun with the toy you'll choose to buy for him.
Here are the factors you must consider when choosing toys for your child:
o Child's age - This is very important. If you buy toys too advanced for your child's age, chances are that he might get injured. Toy manufacturers struggle to make their products as safe as possible, but if you don't follow their recommendations, your child may suffer. On the other hand, if you buy toys made for children with age under that of your child, he will consider them too boring. The best thing is to choose toys designed precisely for your child's age. Here are two articles that will help you choose toys for babies and toys for toddlers.
o Child's gender - This is exactly what I said above that my parents bought me toys that I considered to be girlish. I'm a boy, but the same is with girls too. Any detail that may make the toy look as for the other gender than that of your child will make the toy undesired.
o Toys your child's friends play with - When your child is playing with his friends, watch to find out if he manifests interest in any of his playmate's toys. If he does, then it's very likely that he would like to have a toy similar the one his friend has.
o Sometimes, a child tells his parents what toy he likes or wants, thus saving them from a lot of hard work. But don't count on this. Some children aren't very keen to talk with parents unless they really want a certain toy.
o Safety - This is the most important factor you must consider whenever you need to decide what toy you should buy for your child. Unfortunately, this is also the most overlooked one. Usually, parents forget to check if the toy they choose for their children are safe.
o Is the toy educational? - It's a good thing if the toys you choose for your child can help him develop new skills.
And please remember that the age difference between you and your child is of at least 20 years. The fact that you liked a toy when you were a child does not mean that your child will love it too. Children from different generations like different types of toys
Make sure you offer the toy to your child in the appropriate manner!
When you offer the toy to your child, don't do it in a "Here's your toy. Now go and play with it" manner. If you do it this way, that toy won't mean a thing to your child. Rather, try to make a game. Hide the toy somewhere where the child can easily find it, and encourage him to look for it. Laugh with your child, search for it together... And when the he finds the toy, don't just let him play by himself. Get involved in your child's play. Make that the fun of a lifetime. A parent is a child's first and best friend.
Kamis, 29 Juni 2017
Rabu, 07 Juni 2017
Summer Fun - 8 Weeks of Creative Fun For Kids
Summertime. The kids are out of school and they have the long lazy days of July and August ahead. They could spend their days in front of the TV or they could be using their imaginations to create projects that are a reflection of their own unique talents.
Does it matter what kids do on their summer vacation? After all, they are in school 10 months of the year and most do take some art classes. Don't they get enough art lessons in school?
Creative and artistic are not the same thing. Creativity is an approach to life. Creative thinkers know that problems have many different solutions. When they encounter an obstacle, they find a way around rather than giving up. They have to be willing to take risks as they learn new skills. These are important life skills that need to be encouraged in children.
Crafts and creative projects give children the opportunity to learn and practice these skills. Even if they follow a project guide exactly, they will still to make decisions about shades of colours and where to place items. Once they are familiar with the project, most children will want to make it again. That is when they get really creative. First the colours change, then the shapes, and suddenly it is a new project from their own imagination.
Creative projects encourage children to find the resources to make what they want, rather than opening up a box that has all the supplies in one place. The first project in the weekly project list (see below) uses an old knee-hi or pair of pantyhose. What if none are available? Should the children wait until someone else finds all the 'right' materials. No, have them start thinking about what they could substitute. Would an old sock work? How about a dish cloth? It is fun to sit back and watch children solve their own problems.
These Summer Projects encourage children to work with a wide variety of materials. One of the best things about summer projects is that they can be done outside. Less mess to clean up!
Summer Projects
Week 1 - Hairy Heads (old knee hi or cut off panty hose, grass seed, dirt, 2 small elastics, and decorations)
Put 2 tsp of grass seed in the bottom of toe of the panty hose. Add 1-2 cups of dirt. Make sure the seeds stay in the top of the head, otherwise you'll have hair sprouting from under the eyes. Use the small elastic to pinch off a nose about half way up the head. Use the second elastic to tie off the bottom. Decorate by pasting on eyes, mouth, ears, or what ever else intrigues the kids. Use paper, felt, colored plastic, markers, pipe cleaners, any materials you have on hand.
Keep the Hairy Head in a small dish with water in the bottom. The 'hair' should sprout in less than a week. Kids can style the hair with elastics, clips and scissors. (Warning: My daughter decided to cut her own hair after giving her Hairy Head a trim!)
Week 2 - Fabric Paint on T-shirts (plain shirts, fabric paint, card board, brushes, and sponges)
Have the kids start with an old T-shirt or piece of fabric in the beginning. Put a piece of cardboard under the first layer of fabric to make sure there is no leaking. Some fabric paint comes in squeeze bottles which is good for lines, or they can use a paint brush or sponge. Designs from handprints are interesting and make a great present for grandma. If they need pattern ideas, use the pictures in a child's coloring book for line drawings.
Week 3 - Pet Rocks (rocks, acrylic paint, glue, brushes)
Collect a lots of rocks. Be sure there are different sizes and shapes. Start by choosing the rocks that will make up the pet (head, ears, maybe a nose, body, arms and legs). Paint the entire rock, top and bottom in one color. When the first coat of paint dries, start adding the details, eyes, whiskers, fur. When everything is dry, glue the pieces together.
If the kids get tired of the pet, it can become a door stop, book end, garden ornament, or paper weight.
Week 4 - Make your own Fossils (clay, items to imprint - leaves, coins, bugs)
Make a rock or plaque shape from the clay or use the dough recipe (included below). Use water to make a smooth surface. Make imprints with different objects. Try leaves, coins, shells, or even a small toy. When it dries, rub on a bit shoe polish and acrylic sealer to make it last for months and months. Bury them in sand or dirt and have a expedition to dig up fossils like an archeologist. Combine with a treasure hunt (week 8), and use as clues to a treasure.
Dough Recipe (1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tsp cream of tartar) mix all ingredients in a pot and stir over medium heat. Mixture will be soupy with lumps, suddenly it will form into a ball. Remove from heat, and knead on a non-stick surface. Useful for many types of projects. Store in fridge, or allow creations to air dry.
Week 5 - Start a Journal (notebook and pen or pencil)
Find a interesting blank note book and have the kids write in it each day. A great time to start a journal is on the first day of a trip. Then, there will be lots of new things to write about and it can become a habit.
Adults can help ideas for topics. Ask is the first thing the child can remember? Was there a birthday that was his or her favorite? What does he or she like about their best friend? What is the best thing they have ever done? Keep a list of these questions on the last page of the journal for quiet days.
Week 6 - Rain Sticks (long tubes from gift wrap or paper towel, strips of cardboard, paper, tape, seeds or rice)
Cut out two 4 inch circles out of the paper (trace a cereal bowl for the shape). Put one over the end of the tube, and fold the sides down, and tape around the tube. Make sure the cardboard strips are narrower than the tube (about 1 inch wide should work). Fold them back and forth like a fan. Put the strips into the tube. The first one should fall to the bottom of the tube. Keep adding strips until they reach the top of the tube. Pour in 1/4 cup of rice and 2 tbsp of seeds (dried peas, popcorn, or lentils). Tape the other circle over the open end of the tube and tape in place. Decorate the tube with markers, paints or by glueing on paper or ribbon.
Week 7 - Memory Board (Matt board, exacto knife, photos and objects)
While on vacation, take photos and have the kids collect objects to remind them of their trip (shells from the seashore, ticket stubs from a fair, pine cones from a walk in a forest, brochure from a hotel or attraction). When the photos are developed, have the kids select 2-3 to have enlarged into 5x7 or 8x10. The photos should be a mix of sizes. Get a large piece of matt board (Art Supply stores, or framing shops). Have the kids try different arrangements of photos and objects until they decide on the one they like best. Trace lightly in pencil where each of the objects is placed. An adult should use an craft knife to cut out the holes for the photos (slightly smaller than the pictures). Tape the photos on from the back, and glue the objects on from the front. If you have a frame the same size, but it in a frame with a cardboard backing (no glass on front) or just hang it on the wall without a frame. The kids have all their mementoes in one place.
Week 8 - Treasure Hunt
There are many different ways to plan a treasure hunt. For younger children, an adult can hide clues in different locations. Each clue can lead the child to the next clue (picture of shovel and pail would lead to a clue hidden in the sand box). The final clue would lead to the treasure (plate of cookies, invitation to go to the water slides, movie pass, lemonade). For older children, the clues could be riddles they need to solve. Or have one of the kids make a treasure map (or list of directions) that would lead to the treasure. In the beginning, limit the number of clues to the age of the child ( 7year old could follow seven clues to the treasure).
Does it matter what kids do on their summer vacation? After all, they are in school 10 months of the year and most do take some art classes. Don't they get enough art lessons in school?
Creative and artistic are not the same thing. Creativity is an approach to life. Creative thinkers know that problems have many different solutions. When they encounter an obstacle, they find a way around rather than giving up. They have to be willing to take risks as they learn new skills. These are important life skills that need to be encouraged in children.
Crafts and creative projects give children the opportunity to learn and practice these skills. Even if they follow a project guide exactly, they will still to make decisions about shades of colours and where to place items. Once they are familiar with the project, most children will want to make it again. That is when they get really creative. First the colours change, then the shapes, and suddenly it is a new project from their own imagination.
Creative projects encourage children to find the resources to make what they want, rather than opening up a box that has all the supplies in one place. The first project in the weekly project list (see below) uses an old knee-hi or pair of pantyhose. What if none are available? Should the children wait until someone else finds all the 'right' materials. No, have them start thinking about what they could substitute. Would an old sock work? How about a dish cloth? It is fun to sit back and watch children solve their own problems.
These Summer Projects encourage children to work with a wide variety of materials. One of the best things about summer projects is that they can be done outside. Less mess to clean up!
Summer Projects
Week 1 - Hairy Heads (old knee hi or cut off panty hose, grass seed, dirt, 2 small elastics, and decorations)
Put 2 tsp of grass seed in the bottom of toe of the panty hose. Add 1-2 cups of dirt. Make sure the seeds stay in the top of the head, otherwise you'll have hair sprouting from under the eyes. Use the small elastic to pinch off a nose about half way up the head. Use the second elastic to tie off the bottom. Decorate by pasting on eyes, mouth, ears, or what ever else intrigues the kids. Use paper, felt, colored plastic, markers, pipe cleaners, any materials you have on hand.
Keep the Hairy Head in a small dish with water in the bottom. The 'hair' should sprout in less than a week. Kids can style the hair with elastics, clips and scissors. (Warning: My daughter decided to cut her own hair after giving her Hairy Head a trim!)
Week 2 - Fabric Paint on T-shirts (plain shirts, fabric paint, card board, brushes, and sponges)
Have the kids start with an old T-shirt or piece of fabric in the beginning. Put a piece of cardboard under the first layer of fabric to make sure there is no leaking. Some fabric paint comes in squeeze bottles which is good for lines, or they can use a paint brush or sponge. Designs from handprints are interesting and make a great present for grandma. If they need pattern ideas, use the pictures in a child's coloring book for line drawings.
Week 3 - Pet Rocks (rocks, acrylic paint, glue, brushes)
Collect a lots of rocks. Be sure there are different sizes and shapes. Start by choosing the rocks that will make up the pet (head, ears, maybe a nose, body, arms and legs). Paint the entire rock, top and bottom in one color. When the first coat of paint dries, start adding the details, eyes, whiskers, fur. When everything is dry, glue the pieces together.
If the kids get tired of the pet, it can become a door stop, book end, garden ornament, or paper weight.
Week 4 - Make your own Fossils (clay, items to imprint - leaves, coins, bugs)
Make a rock or plaque shape from the clay or use the dough recipe (included below). Use water to make a smooth surface. Make imprints with different objects. Try leaves, coins, shells, or even a small toy. When it dries, rub on a bit shoe polish and acrylic sealer to make it last for months and months. Bury them in sand or dirt and have a expedition to dig up fossils like an archeologist. Combine with a treasure hunt (week 8), and use as clues to a treasure.
Dough Recipe (1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tsp cream of tartar) mix all ingredients in a pot and stir over medium heat. Mixture will be soupy with lumps, suddenly it will form into a ball. Remove from heat, and knead on a non-stick surface. Useful for many types of projects. Store in fridge, or allow creations to air dry.
Week 5 - Start a Journal (notebook and pen or pencil)
Find a interesting blank note book and have the kids write in it each day. A great time to start a journal is on the first day of a trip. Then, there will be lots of new things to write about and it can become a habit.
Adults can help ideas for topics. Ask is the first thing the child can remember? Was there a birthday that was his or her favorite? What does he or she like about their best friend? What is the best thing they have ever done? Keep a list of these questions on the last page of the journal for quiet days.
Week 6 - Rain Sticks (long tubes from gift wrap or paper towel, strips of cardboard, paper, tape, seeds or rice)
Cut out two 4 inch circles out of the paper (trace a cereal bowl for the shape). Put one over the end of the tube, and fold the sides down, and tape around the tube. Make sure the cardboard strips are narrower than the tube (about 1 inch wide should work). Fold them back and forth like a fan. Put the strips into the tube. The first one should fall to the bottom of the tube. Keep adding strips until they reach the top of the tube. Pour in 1/4 cup of rice and 2 tbsp of seeds (dried peas, popcorn, or lentils). Tape the other circle over the open end of the tube and tape in place. Decorate the tube with markers, paints or by glueing on paper or ribbon.
Week 7 - Memory Board (Matt board, exacto knife, photos and objects)
While on vacation, take photos and have the kids collect objects to remind them of their trip (shells from the seashore, ticket stubs from a fair, pine cones from a walk in a forest, brochure from a hotel or attraction). When the photos are developed, have the kids select 2-3 to have enlarged into 5x7 or 8x10. The photos should be a mix of sizes. Get a large piece of matt board (Art Supply stores, or framing shops). Have the kids try different arrangements of photos and objects until they decide on the one they like best. Trace lightly in pencil where each of the objects is placed. An adult should use an craft knife to cut out the holes for the photos (slightly smaller than the pictures). Tape the photos on from the back, and glue the objects on from the front. If you have a frame the same size, but it in a frame with a cardboard backing (no glass on front) or just hang it on the wall without a frame. The kids have all their mementoes in one place.
Week 8 - Treasure Hunt
There are many different ways to plan a treasure hunt. For younger children, an adult can hide clues in different locations. Each clue can lead the child to the next clue (picture of shovel and pail would lead to a clue hidden in the sand box). The final clue would lead to the treasure (plate of cookies, invitation to go to the water slides, movie pass, lemonade). For older children, the clues could be riddles they need to solve. Or have one of the kids make a treasure map (or list of directions) that would lead to the treasure. In the beginning, limit the number of clues to the age of the child ( 7year old could follow seven clues to the treasure).
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