Inspire the Baby Genius
Let me tell you, this is not a criticism but just an observation. New parents can be a little competitive in terms of what their kids learn first or can do first. Well, they may be the same age as little Johnny next door but my little girl can count to ten and sing the alphabet forwards and backwards. Parents want to give their kids and edge, to help them learn to make learning fun. It give them so much pleasure when they succeed in acquiring a new skill and sure there is the added benefit that they can call a brother, sister , parent or friend to 'brag' a little. Isn't this part of the fun of being a new parent? Enjoying all these little moments of learning? Sure it is, so enjoy it because these moments are so fleeting and the next thing you know you'll be packing their things to head to College.
With this in mind what better gift than a newborn baby gift basket with an educational theme. These sets will include a variety of items that can trigger all of the senses and be a big hit for parents as well as the infants. Included will be some of the most popular learning tools from Baby Einstein. Books with bright colored pictures, CD's with music that will envelop them with sounds, a variety of shapes and textures, and DVD's that will compliment the theme and serve as a very valuable learning tool. Anyone can go to their local big box discount store and get Diapers, face cloths, lotions and cotton swabs but these educational gift baskets are thinking far beyond the basic necessities and focusing on stimulating their senses and helping them develop new skills and learn about their environment.
Another great feature about the gift baskets, the reusable containers the gift items are packed into. Bins and baskets done up in bright colors with no toxic paints of course. Containers that can be turned into toy containers, waste baskets, or hold a collection of toiletries. Have you seen a baby with a box? Some of these containers can serve as functional party hats for toddlers too if they get their hands on them. If you are looking for an ideal gift for a newborn, these gift baskets with an educational theme are a great choice and one that ever new parent will put to use for sure. Help give those new parents the bragging rights they deserve!
When was the last time you listened to and really appreciated Mozart and Beethoven? When was the last time you thought about British Poet Laureate William Wordsworth? "Baby Mozart" and "Baby Beethoven," award-winning titles in the Baby Einstein DVD Collection, lead you and your baby to discovery of music and the orchestra. In the Baby Einstein DVD devoted to study of nature in the backyard, you and your baby will share Julie Clark's and Wordsworth's faith, "Nature never did betray the heart that loved Her." Your baby discovers the great big world all around, and you rediscover the classics of music, art, and literature.
Two Fundamental Design Principles in the Baby Einstein DVD Collection
Themes from and allusions to the classics run through the entire series. Julie Clark, originator of the DVDs, wanted to share her love of and passion for the arts, the classics, literature and nature with her daughter. Wise enough to know that passion for wonder works of human imagination comes from full engagement with them, Clark developed Baby Einstein DVD to engage, enthrall, and enchant young minds with the humanities' greatest hits.
Julie Clark conceived of her work as creation of a "digital media board"-the high-tech equivalent of an old-fashioned flannel board. Although the videos have a narrative element, they give priority to sights and sounds, encouraging your baby to respond, to engage with all they see and hear. The "digital media board" concept has at least three advantages:
(1) Hands free-Your Baby Einstein DVD leaves your hands free, so that you may point to on-screen images, prompting your child to respond. With your hands free you also may clap and gesture, guiding your baby's responses to all she sees and hears.
(2) Guidance and behavior modeling--you guide the viewing experience, modeling emotions and behaviors which your baby willingly will imitate. Psychologists refer to "the jukebox theory of emotion": when they encounter new concepts, babies imitate their parents' and role models' reactions. When you express surprise, your baby learns how to express surprise. When you express amazement, your baby learns how to express her own amazement. Watching the Baby Einstein DVD Collection with your baby, you teach her how to express joy, delight, happiness, fascination, excitement, and the full spectrum of new and powerful emotions.
(3) Control of the viewing experience-Naturally, because you control the television and video, you control the viewing experience, speeding up over scenes and episodes for which your child shows little interest, slowing down and becoming involved with sounds and images that naturally command your baby's attention. The designers assure the developmental appropriateness of each video, but you have the luxury of tailor making your Baby Einstein DVD to fit your baby's needs and tastes.
Baby Einstein DVD Collection Helps Parents and Children Share Joys of Discovery 10 meses- Viendo Baby Einstein Video Clips. Duration : 5.52 Mins.
Joy of learning always beats genius as a straight flush beats a pair of eights.
Recall an episode from The Paper Chase. It begins, "I'm a genius you know." Ford declares the fact flatly. Not bragging. Just reporting.
"My college roommate was a genius," Hart says, tentatively sipping his drink. "Certified genius. IQ off the top of the chart. Matter of fact, he was the one who first told me about Harvard Law." Hart looks Ford right in the eye. "We took the LSAT and applied to Harvard. He didn't get in, and here I am drinking with you." Hart, the simple Midwestern boy, shrugs. "Genius," Hart shrugs again.
At Harvard Law, in Berkeley graduate programs, in Cambridge undergraduate programs, the geniuses frequently number among the first to flunk out. Students with insatiable curiosity and a passion for learning complete their degrees and advance in their professions. The Baby Einstein DVD series promotes children's passion for discovery and learning.
Baby Einstein DVD does not make geniuses.
No, no matter how many times you replay each and every award winning Baby Einstein DVD, the series will not make your child a genius. It will, however, spark his curious, inquiring mind and inspire him with a lifelong passion discovering the wonders of the great big world all around.
They insist. They come right out and declare it. They do not hesitate. They agree, and they take a firm stand. Artists, writers, editors, producers, directors, and consultants on the series flatly assert a Baby Einstein DVD does not make your baby smarter. Watching and listening to "Baby Mozart" will not assure Junior's admission to Julliard. Watching "Baby Wordsworth" will not empower Junior to attend Cambridge and become Poet Laureate. Watching the entire boxed set will not prepare Junior to unlock the secrets of the universe.
The people at Disney who collaborate on these remarkable videos do insist, however, their collection will forge an unbreakable bond between you and your child, and it will inspire Junior with a lifelong desire to discover and learn more. Educators will testify they prefer one child with a love of learning over a school bus load of geniuses. The Baby Einstein DVD series promotes pure joy, unspoiled delight in learning about all the amazing things the world holds in store.
Baby Einstein DVD Promotes Joy of Learning Ash does really good signs Tube. Duration : 1.13 Mins.
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Planning baby's first birthday party can be a lot of fun. Everybody knows that the 1st birthday is a major milestone in your baby's life so of course you want to plan the perfect party to mark the occasion. Here are some planning tips and first birthday ideas to help make things easier for you.
Start by Picking a Theme - If you are going with a theme for the party, picking it should be the first thing you do since this could influence many of the decisions you will make.And finally, we can't forget the birthday cake! Decide what type/theme cake you want and choose your cake, frosting, and filling flavors ahead of time. Make sure to order your first birthday cake at least a week ahead of time and arrange to pick it up the morning of the party.
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Choosing a new baby gift to welcome a new family member or friend's baby into this world should be fun. Take our advice and start your search for the perfect baby gift with this list. If you are not into shopping malls, shop online. You can find some great deals, cheap shipping and lots of wonderful ideas.
Diaper cakes are a unique and thoughtful new baby gift. Each tier of the cake is made up of disposable diapers held together in a circle by ribbons, blankets and burp cloths. Then the diaper cake designer adds wonderful and useful baby items to decorate the cake. The new parents will love the booties, toys, bottles, bibs, washcloths, rattles and bodysuits that decorate the cake. The difficult part will be deciding what theme you want the cake to be designed in. If you are buying for a baby girl, princess, pink teddy bears and cupcakes are popular. If you are buying for a baby boy, cars, blue teddy bears and sports are trendy. Great picks for a unisex baby gift cake are Winnie the Pooh, Dr. Seuss and Baby Einstein. Select the size of the diaper cake based on your budget. One tier diaper cakes cost the least and four tier the most.
Gift baskets are a traditional new baby gift but always very classy. Prices range from $30 to $400 so you can find a basket based on your budget. Just as with diaper cakes, first decide if you are buying a girl, boy or unisex gift. Do you want the gifts tucked in a wicker basket or in a storage bin? The nice thing about baby gift baskets is that all the items are useful. The parents can use the basket later to store toys, books or stuffed animals. Bump up the oohs and aahs of your gift by having it personalized. You will find baby gift baskets where you can have the blanket, bodysuit or bib personalized.
Gift sets are similar to gift baskets in that a lot of coordinating baby items are assembled for you. The only difference is that they are not tucked into a basket. You will find gift sets containing baby layette (a fancy word for baby clothing, bibs, burp cloths, blankets), skin care or toys. A gift set is an easy gift to give as it has already been put together for you by people who know how to design.
A personalized children's book is sure to become a treasured keepsake. The new parents will love to read a book to their baby that is written just for him. Later when the child learns to read, he will read a book about himself and delight to see his name in print!
A personalized plate and placemat gift set is very thoughtful. Parents will receive plenty of bibs, bodysuits and blankets. Why not give a gift that the child can use later? Give the parents a personalized meal set that will grow with their child.
Show up to the baby shower with one of these top 5 baby gifts and hear the rave reviews.
Copyright 2010 Yellow Bear Shop
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Laundry
Laundry is one of those tasks that is NEVER ending. Some people don’t mind this and feel a sense of
accomplishment with every towel folded or sock mated. Most people, however, despise the drudgery of this chore and either procrastinate until they have no undies left or they procrastinate and just go buy more undies. If you fall into the latter, her are some tips to help you stay on top of this never ending job.
Pick a day or night of the week that is set aside for laundry. Put it on your calendar to avoid double booking. Then take that time to sort, wash, dry and fold everything. While this is happening, read a book, watch a movie, hop online or even (gasp) clean the house. If you start doing this consistently, you will find it takes less time because the piles of dirty clothes aren’t as large. And, you may realize you don’t need as many pieces of clothing because you have most of your clothes to choose from as they are hanging in your closet not lying in the hamper. Another perk to this plan is that you can mentally check laundry off the list. It has a designated time and space in your life and will get done right when it is suppose to.
Another option that works especially well if you have a large family or LOTS of steady laundry is the nightly load. Basically, every evening you do a load. For example: Monday’s are darks, Tuesday’s are lights, Wednesday’s are whites, Thursday’s are sheets, and Friday’s are towels.
Bottom line, make a plan and do the plan that works best for you. Don’t be afraid to get the kids involved. Even toddlers can separate colors and gather from the hampers. If you start teaching your children how to take care of themselves early on it will benefit them and you in the years to come.
Home Keeping
If you have children then you probably have ring around the tub. Especially now that summer is here and outside play leads to dirty hands, feet and well…everything (I’m amazed where the dirt can get trapped!). To quickly and easily clean that ring around the tub, wet the tub, sprinkle with a nonabrasive powdered cleaner like Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend to create on on-surface paste (or use a creamy cleanser like Soft Scrub) and let it sit for five minutes. Avoid harsher powdered cleaners like Comet and Ajax, which can scratch the porcelain causing it to become porous and more receptive to germs. After the five minutes has passed, rinse with water and TADA!, clean tub!! For a more natural alternative, Seventh Generation Shower Cleaner is safe to use while you are taking a shower, although more elbow grease may be required.
Closet Maintenance
By installing a valet hook right outside (or inside if you have a walk-in) your closet, you can plan out your outfits for work, parties or trips. It’s also useful for hanging and airing out dry cleaning before it goes into the closet. Be sure to take the plastic bags off first so the clothes can breathe.
Time Management
Do you have trouble getting out of the house on time? Try these tips to get your departure off smoothly and without stress.
Lay out your clothes the night before. Have them ready to wear including any ironing and accessories you intend to wear. Don’t forget the kids – get their clothes picked out the night before and avoid complaining and confusion the next morning. This will go much easier with my closet maintenance tip above!
Establish a place for your keys and stop hunting for them every time you have to leave the house. Get a simple hook and hang by the front door or use a decorative bowl to drop them in when you walk in the door. Then, walking out and locking up will be painless and quick!
Get lunches ready the night before. Plan breakfast out and have “table set” – get cereal bowl and spoon out and on the table, put pot on the stove with pre-measured water ready to boil for oatmeal, get coffee pot ready and just turn on (better yet, get one with an automatic timer!).
Pack your briefcase, purse or diaper back and leave by the door, ready to go.
Think about how long every action takes in the morning and be sure to get up early enough to get it all done. Shower, blow-dry hair, makeup, dress (20 minutes) + breakfast (20 minutes) + kids dressed and teeth brushed (15minutes) + clean up kitchen (5 minutes) = How much time you’ll need before walking out the door (1 hour).
Home Decorating
Now that you’ve revamped your nighttime and morning routine to get you out the door on time, consider this. Is your home helping or hindering your efficiency in time management. For example, the foyer or main doorway is a place that gets a lot of traffic. Is that space set up to handle busy traffic and serve you the way it should? Maybe you need to add coat hooks for purses, briefcases and jackets; a basket for shoes; an umbrella stand or even a rug to help minimize tracking dirt throughout the house. Take a look around each room’s space and think about what its purpose is, and then decorate accordingly. You can find beautiful yet functional pieces everywhere from Pottery Barn to Wal-Mart and many places in between.
Family
Most families don’t do restaurants much – especially if you have more than one child. However, if you do find yourself dining out with your kids I’ve found this trick to be really effective, especially with a 2 ½ year old.
Keep a small bag of books and toys that are ONLY for special outings and occasion when you need to entertain a small one. Don’t let these toys/books get mixed up with the everyday ones. That way the child will appreciate the “new” or “special” ones. I have a small tote that I take along for just these times. Some items I have in our bag are: a slinky, a stress ball, a small doll, a “magic” wand with glitter in it, a kid’s magnifying glass, mini markers and a notepad, smaller books that play music (Baby Einstein, Thomas, Disney’s Cars, Elmo etc…), flash cards, and the pies de resistance…a mini Mr. Potato head and friends (Spud Buds). This has worked well for us whether in a restaurant or any non-kid friendly setting. Hopefully, this will help you enjoy your time out and about!
Health & Beauty
What’s really needed for the basic beauty routine? The word on the (dermatologist) street is that you must exfoliate, tone and moisturize daily to reap the rewards of smooth and beautiful skin. Genetics doesn’t hold all the secrets (of course it helps) but consistently doing the right regime can take you from dull to radiant. Each of these steps plays an important role in helping your skin. Step 1, when you exfoliate you are sloughing the outer layer and allowing the fresh, new layers to surface. It’s called cell proliferation in the skin care biz. This process slows down as we age causing our skin to look dull and old. Exfoliating speeds up the skins turnover rate helping it look fresh and young. Step 2, when you tone it’s important to find a toner that is alcohol free and pH correct to your skin. Alcohol is severely drying and disruptive to the natural pH of your skin. Finding a toner that is pH correct will give you the advantage of enhancing your skin’s natural defenses as you face the elements. Step 3, moisturizing is vital to your skincare regimen. It offers protection and nutrients that will support your skin throughout the day or night. Finding one with SPF is a smart move as skin cancer is on the rise. However, be sure to read your labels. Lotions with mineral oils and petroleum derivatives are actually more harmful than good and can block the healthy ingredients from getting into your skin.
Nutrition
If you are looking for ways to make healthier choices and also learn why those choices are better, subscribe to this 7-day Fitness Boot Camp [http://www.smartandhealthyliving.com]. The information is both educational and practical, not to mention free!
Cooking & Kitchen
Cherries are one of the summer’s tastiest and fun fruits. They are great straight from bowl but what if you want to put them into a fruit salad? You can’t throw them in with apples, grapes and watermelon if they still have their pits!! Now, you could go to a fancy kitchen gadget store and buy a cherry pitter OR just take a large paper clip, unfold it at its center and (depending on the cherry’s size) insert either the large or small end of the clip into the top. Loosen the pit and pull it out. To leave the stem intact, simply insert the clip from the bottom.
Relationships
We have the unique opportunity, whether positive or negative, to impact the people around us. It’s our choice what attitude we bring to the relationship; whether or not we are ethical in our dealings; even what we believe is right and wrong. I want to encourage you to take the time to think about who you really are and what you honestly believe about yourself. Consider the attitude you wear day in and day out and take 100% responsibility for the fact that it is your decision and choice to put it on. As Zig Ziglar says, “It’s not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life, it is how you handle what happens to you.”
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Having trouble figuring out a theme for your child's birthday party? Look no further, here are some ideas to get you started:
Girls
There's a wide array of classic choices for any girl's birthday party, consider a princess theme, cowgirl theme, fashion, ladybug, butterfly or beading party.
Boys
For boy's there are themes centered around trucks, cars, fire trucks, cowboys, construction, kung fu among many other themes.
Music
Music themed parties have skyrocketed in popularity thanks to Disney channel movies like High School Musical and Camp Rock. More music themes include Hannah Montana well as Elvis and other musical groups.
Movies
Movie themes have been popular for a while. Popular movie themes include Iron Man, Spiderman, Batman, Wall-E, Madagascar, Star Wars, Pirate of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, Kung Fu Panda and many others.
Sports
Sports is a popular theme as many kids love sports. Any sport that the child likes can be used as a theme, including baseball, basketball, soccer, football, tennis, even car racing, bowling and other sports. There are now official party supplies for many teams and drivers in the NFL, MLB, NASCAR as well as other sports. Due to the popularity and wide availability of official team party supplies for the Superbowl, World Series and other major events, it's easier than ever to theme a party after your child's favorite sports team or sports hero.
Sleepover or Slumber Party
A fun theme for girl's between certain ages is to have a sleepover party. Girls can have fun stargazing, telling stories, watching movies, making popcorn and snacks and generally have a good time.
Crafts
Crafts can be a great theme for kid's parties. You can choose many crafts or concentrate on certain types of crafts. For instance, a baking party can include the baking of cookies, cupcakes and other treats. A painting party can include the painting of mugs, clothing, hats as well as other painting activities like finger painting, face painting and sidewalk chalk painting.
Interests
You can also theme your party by the child's interests. Does you child love space? How about dinosaurs? Or the ocean, wildlife, tractors, fire fighters, fashion, horses, trains, the circus or cats? Virtually any interest can be turned into a birthday theme. Does you child love to read? Even reading can be turned into a theme by choosing a favorite book to use as a theme.
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Traveling with a little baby doesn't have to be the disaster it's always painted out to be. Smart moms know that the secret to a hassle free trip with a happy smiling baby is...packing! How prepared you are for any eventuality on the flight is what determines the kind of flight you have.
Apart from the usual diapers, formula and feeding bottles that are an absolute must, every parent needs to pack enough play things to keep baby entertained on flight. If you're lucky enough to have your baby drop off to sleep during a 4 hour flight, then you have no problem on your hands. If not, make sure you arrive on board with simple, space saving and more importantly, noiseless toys.
A string of beads or bracelets with loose beads strung together can provide a less than a year old baby almost an hour of fun. Choose toys that are soft and colorful, and include movement. Examples include push type dolls or rubber faces that the baby can squeeze to get the eyes to pop out.
Something as simple as disposable colorful cups and straws can provide hours of entertainment. At this stage in his development, your baby can focus his concentration for a long period of time on a single object.
Books with loads of colorful pictures are another hit with babies. Make sure they are made of thick paper or cardboard that's not easily torn. You don't want to have to spend the entire flight picking up bits and pieces of paper that he's torn, and strewn on the ground.
A portable DVD player is a handy thing to have on a long flight, and can be used for kids of all ages. Bring along his favorite Baby Einstein videos and you're guaranteed hours of peace and quiet.
When it comes to babies, you don't need a bag full of toys to keep him happy. A roll of duct tape, a calculator - just every day things that lie around the house can keep him entertained. But bring a variety of things to keep him entertained - when he gets bored after a while, you don't want to be short of things for him to occupy himself with.
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Handmade gifts are a fun way to encourage children to give to others. Gifts children can make are usually simple and inexpensive, but are often treasured by the recipient. Making gifts is also a good way to teach children the importance of giving, rather than monetary value of the gift.
Enhance your child's gift making with a craft kit, like the Galt Silk Painting Set, or try one of these fun and simple ideas for gifts children can make.
Designer Candles
You will need:
White pillar candles in various sizes
Dull pencil or yarn needle
Permanent marker
Fine tipped paintbrush
Acrylic paint
Colorful ribbon
Draw designs on the candle with a permanent marker. Stars, Christmas trees, and snowflakes are nice for Christmas candles or try flowers and swirls for spring. This gift children can make can be adapted for most any season or occasion!
Use the dull pencil to carefully etch out the pictures. Brush paint into the etched grooves and let set for about 5 minutes. Clean away excess paint with a cotton swab. Decorate with a coordinating ribbon tied around the middle of the candle.
"Hand"y Kitchen Accessories
What grandparent doesn't love showing off their grandchild's artwork, especially when it's a dear handprint? These adorable gifts children can make are sure to please!
You will need:
Solid colored dish towel and oven mitt
Fabric paint in coordinating colors
Paint pen for fabric
Brush fabric paint on your child's hand and make prints across the towel and mitt. Get creative and use fingerprints to make a candle and flame or handprints in a circle to represent a wreath. Finish off your creation by adding your child's name and the date with the fabric pen.
Designer Picture Frames
Picture frames are simple gifts children can make for any occasion. Use a plain, wooden frame and add your own embellishments with a hot glue gun for a cherished one of a kind gift creation. A few ideas:
Glue small dog bone treats around a frame for a dog lover.
Paint jigsaw puzzle pieces in bright colors and glue creatively around the frame.
Use colored buttons in various shapes and sizes
Craft stores offer a wide selection of sparkly and decorative embellishments to create even more unique picture frames.
Luxurious Scented Bath Salts
You will need:
4 cups Epsom salt
2 cups rock salt or sea salt
¼ tsp glycerin
Food coloring
Essential oil fragrance (vanilla, peppermint, strawberry, etc.)
Combine all ingredients using 2 to 3 drops of food coloring and 5 or 6 drops of fragrance. Mix well and spread out to dry. Spoon the bath salts into decorative jars and enhance with a colored ribbon. Clean, dry baby food jars or candle jars work well for this easy gift children can make. You can also let your child paint the jar with acrylic paints or stitch a fabric piece to cover the top for an extra personal touch.
Helping Hand Flower Pot
This is an adorable gift children can make for relatives, teachers, and more! It can be used as a photo holder or in the kitchen to hold a recipe!
You will need:
Small flower pot or decorative pail
Florist foam to fit bottom of pail
Moss
Assortment of small, stemmed silk flowers (5 to 8)
Short wooden dowel
Heavy cardstock
Wooden spring clothespin
Decorate the flower pot with paint or stickers, then place the foam in the bottom. Cover with moss and arrange flowers in the foam. Trace a hand onto cardstock and cut. Use hot glue to attach the clothespin to the hand and then glue the hand onto the top of the dowel. Insert the dowel into the center of the pot with the clothespin upright and to the back of the display.
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Arts and crafts activities are a great way for young children to reinforce the ideas they have learned as well as creatively explore new concepts. Art time is very enjoyable to most children, especially toddlers and preschoolers. An art activity by itself can open a number of teaching opportunities on a variety of topics. These yummy projects can be part of a lesson on nutrition or as fun activities that initiate discussions on healthy eating and good nutrition.
My Own Food Pyramid
On a large piece of poster board, draw a large triangle and divide it into a standard food pyramid with all five food groups and the fats and sweets portion. Label each section with the food group name as well as the recommended number of daily servings. Let your child cut or tear pictures of food from magazines and sales papers or use food stickers. Glue the food pictures into the correct groups.
You can use real food to make art projects too! Some are safe to eat, while others are just to look at.
Cereal Necklace
String round cereal like Cheerios or Fruit Loops onto a piece of yarn. This activity is great for building fine motor skills in toddlers and can also serve as a fun and healthy snack!
Spaghetti is Good for Me
Dip cotton balls into brown paint and dry on wax paper while you cook, drain, and cool spaghetti noodles. Glue the cooled noodles onto a Styrofoam plate. Paint sauce on the spaghetti with red paint. When the paint dries, glue on the cotton meatballs. Do not eat this project and throw it out after 2 to 3 days to prevent mold.
Fruit and Veggie Painting
Slice a variety of fruits and vegetables into chunks and thick circles. Potatoes, apples, carrots, and radishes are good for this project. Get creative and include celery pieces and various shaped pepper pieces. Prepare paper on a child sized art easel. Dip the veggie pieces into paint and stamp them onto the paper.
Bugs on a Log
Spread a celery stalk with peanut butter and top with raisins for a healthy afternoon snack.
Colorful Toast
Mix a small amount of milk with food coloring and let your child paint a piece of bread with a small brush, taking care not to get the bread too wet. Toast the bread, top with butter, and let your little one enjoy her masterpiece.
There are also lots of fun food crafts you and your child can make from paper and other simple art supplies that encourage nutrition education.
My Favorite Pizza
Paint a paper plate red and let it dry. Provide your child with a selection of pizza toppings like yellow yarn pieces for cheese, red circles for pepperoni, small brown pom-poms for sausage, and green paper strips for green pepper. Spread glue over the plate and let your child glue on her favorite toppings. You may even sprinkle with oregano for a realistic smell.
A Healthy Breakfast
Cut apart an egg container and make bacon and toast out of brown construction paper. Provide you child with dry cereal as well and glue her glue the components of a healthy breakfast onto a paper plate. Glue the egg container sections on for eggs and consider a paper cup with orange or white construction paper in it for juice or milk. Glue on the bacon, toast, and cereal as well.
"best sippy cup. easy for my toddler to hold with easy, durable drinking spout. doesn't leak. (it's nice that the lid is one solid piece. easy to clean & my toddler isn't able to pull the spout off like some of the other brands that have a soft removable silicone spout, which could be disastrously messy)" Choking Hazard - RomeroT - Olympia, WA USA The instructions say do not chew on therefore it must not be for a baby - Myra Cedars - Phoenix
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Choosing educational baby toys that are designed for your baby's age group can provide a stimulating effect on their developmental milestones. The Baby Einstein collection of toys, books, games and DVD's are all designed to be educational and stimulating for your child's age group.
Baby Einstein is a line of multimedia products and toys that specializes in interactive activities for children aged 3 months to 3 years old. The Baby Einstein line of toy products are specially designed from the infant to toddler point of view with interactive activities being the focal point for educating kids from a very early age.
Using real world objects, music, art, language, poetry and nature, Baby Einstein is a wonderful active way to begin experiencing the world around your young child. You'll see how Baby Einstein can help you and your little one discover the world together. Baby Einstein DVD's, books, CD's, and the whole line of fun toys are designed so that parent's can interact with their little one.
These educational toys for toddlers have received many awards and accolades from parenting resources. The Baby Einstein series is a exceptional line of products that will inspire your child with stimulating and exciting products.
Baby Einstein products are available in a wide range of categories and are designed to interact with each other.
THE DVD COLLECTION
The Baby Einstein DVD Collection is designed from a baby's point-of-view. Your little one will relate to the colorful images and sounds on the screen. Some of the popular DVD's include Baby's First Sounds, Lullabye Time, Discovering Shapes, Baby Noah - Animal Expedition, Baby's Favorite Places and so many more!
THE CD COLLECTION
Baby Einstein CD's are specially created for "little ears" and introduce them to a variety of enjoyable music. There is a special CD for almost every occasion! Start and end your child's day with beautifully composed music from the Baby Einstein Wake Up and Goodnight album! This CD provides little ones with songs to get them out of bed in the morning as well as soothing music that will lull them to sleep at night. Some of the other popular CD's include Lullabies and Sweet Dream, Baby Einstein Sing and Play and Traveling Melodies.
THE BOOK COLLECTION
Baby Einstein books are designed to stimulate and engage babies and toddlers. Some of the books have textures, mirrors, shapes and interactive designs. For example, the Touch and Feel Farm Animals board book features stunning full color photos of farm animals with touch and feel panels. Babies will be introduced to farm animals through endearing text and delightful illustrations. They will enjoy touching a sheep's coarse wool or the mane of a horse.
THE TOY COLLECTION
The Baby Einstein Toy Collection includes a variety of colorful, stimulating and easy to grasp toys. Some of the toys include balls, puzzles, hand puppets, shape sorters and more! Also popular are the activity toys such as the Around the World Play Gym, Discover and Play Activity Center and Discovering Water Activity Gym.
THE FEEDING COLLECTION
Make mealtime fun with the Baby Einstein feeding products. The Eat and Discover Infant Mealtime Set is the perfect way to introduce your little one to the eating process. The Eat and Discover Spoons and Spill and Discover Cups are designed to coordinate with the mealtime set. The items in the feeding collection are designed in bright primary colors to engage baby's attention while eating.
Most of the above items can be found in an all-in-one Baby Einstein Gift Basket.
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There's nothing more "ingeniously" simple for a birthday party than Baby Einstein! The name says it all!
If you are looking to host a party that is sure to go over well, check out the tried-and-true party ideas below.
This popular theme party can be prepared in less than a day, or in only a few hours for those high energy hosts!
Decorations
*Decorate with primary colors such as red, blue, and yellow
*Fill the room with stuffed animals
*Alphabet games
*Puzzles
*Primary colored numbers
Costumes/Attire
The kids can come dressed as their favorite character, whether it be the lion, duck, turtle, or one of the many other cute characters.
Activities
While activities are for the kids, adults will have to assist. Be sure to include activities that the adults will enjoy as well.
*Puppet show
*Baby Einstein Bingo
*Find the hidden prize- one of the Baby Einstein stuffed animals is a winner
Invitations
Create invitations out of cardboard (like a board book) or construction paper. Use primary colors with basic phrases such as "Hello" or "How are you."
Food & Drink
A great cake is shaped like a long, wavy caterpillar. Use primary colors for each connecting ball, and add licorice for the antennae along with jellybean eyes.
Have a wonderful Baby Einstein theme party!
"My 19 month old absolutely loves this soother. He has been going to sleep with it since about 12 months. We used the Rain Forest soother before and after forgetting it at grandma's once, we purchased this one instead. It plays a lot longer than the others on the market, which has worked great for my son who takes a while to go to sleep. The music is soothing and he loves his fish! I do agree that if you play it a lot you have to replace the batteries. But that is true with any product. We always keep an extra set of C4s on hand in case the batteries die right before he is going to bed." Very Disappointing!!! - Jack's Mommy - good idea, broke after 3 months - twinmom - 
Image : http://www.flickr.com
Playtime is one of the most vital parts of childhood development. Research has proven that all areas of development are enhanced through a child's play activities. Healthy growth and development is stimulated through play as early as birth and on into the school age years. Children play in a variety of ways with a number of different toys. Each activity has a different affect on development.
Newborns and infants enjoy a social play style that builds their trust as they prepare to explore the rest of the world. Babies interact with their parents and caregivers as they learn to bond with people and develop a basic understanding of emotions. Social games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake are common play activities for older babies and toddlers.
As young children grow, playtime is the biggest contributor to the healthy development of large muscles. Crawling, walking, and running all develop gross motor skills. Preschool and school age children develop socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically through outside play. Childhood games of tag, Red Rover, and hide and seek are great activities to encourage healthy development.
The most beneficial play is initiated by the child. During free play is when most learning takes place in young children. A child's natural curiosity leads him to explore possibilities and test each one. A child playing with blocks will begin to stack them. Through this simple activity, the child is learning basic problem solving skills while discovering the effects of gravity and exploring sizes and shapes.
The earliest forms of play in childhood are functional play. A child will use an object for the same purpose over and over again. Through this repetition the child gains confidence in his abilities which will encourage him to do new things. Filling a bucket with sand and then dumping it out and filling it again is an example of functional play. During this type of play, children typically strengthen fine and/or gross motor skills as well as logic thinking.
Constructive play is common in preschool age children. A child playing constructively will create something through his play. This would include things like playing with blocks, doing art, or staging a puppet show. Galt's line of giant floor puzzles will initiate hours of constructive play to develop cognitive thinking, problem solving skills, and creativity. Group constructive play encourages team work and healthy social emotional development as well.
Pretend play is a very important part of healthy development. Most children pretend and role play from their preschool years through early elementary school. This type of play has a number of benefits to the growth and development of a child. Pretend play helps children process the things they see and hear each day. It invited children to be creative and to expand their imaginations. Playing make-believe strengthens language skills and aids in proper social development.
Children gain a strong foundation for learning through play. Playtime is fun. Young children love to explore and discover new things about the world around them and about themselves. Solitary play fosters independent thinking and problem solving while group play encourages cooperation and understanding. For healthy growth and development, children should spend most of their days in free play. Allow your child to play his way and encourage him to solve problems during playtime.
Image : http://www.flickr.com
We're different from a very early age.
An observer of a mixed-gender group of children of any age will see pretty standard gender-specific behavior across cultures, starting with the hospital nursery. Newborn girls are smaller and lighter, but healthier and developmentally ahead of newborn boys. Baby girls maintain more eye contact, while baby boys are more active and irritable.
Girls talk better at an earlier age. Boys, once having learned to walk, roam more. At age two, children prefer sex-typed toys (although they do not yet label them as such). By age three, boys have more muscle mass; girls have more fatty tissue. Also by this age, boys are able to throw a ball farther and more accurately, and build taller, more unstable structures.
On the playground, girls are more likely to congregate and welcome others to their activity, while boys are more apt to run around individually, and any newcomers to a "boys" game must prove their worth before joining. Girls express emotion through words (including gossip) and use persuasion and negotiation to resolve conflict; boys show emotion through action (including hitting), and tend to use threats and physical means to solve problems. Boys' social interaction occurs in large groups away from adult supervision; for girls, the opposite is true.
What studies of the brain have taught us.
Differences can be observed much earlier than preschool, even earlier than in the hospital nursery. A couple of decades' worth of neurobiological research fully support the anecdotal evidence. With the advent of MRI and PET scans, we can study the brain, even in utero.
Obvious differences in brain structure explain the differences in the way members of the two sexes think. In both, the two hemispheres of the brain are connected by bundles of nerve fibers. As baby boys develop in utero, testosterone is produced. It then binds to brain tissue, doing significant damage to the connective nerve fibers. By the middle of gestation, the concentration of testosterone in the brain is comparable to that of a young man. The brain is permanently transformed.
The male brain shows more hemispheric asymmetry; the language area of the brain is larger in females. In an ultrasound exam at no later than 26 weeks of gestation, we can distinguish between male and female brains.
Because the female brain's connective nerve fibers remain intact, females use both hemispheres for processing phonetic language and problem solving, while males use only one. Males are better at gross-motor movements and are usually better and faster at arithmetic and math.
Now we understand why men seem to have trouble putting their feelings into words. The fact is, they can't, because the left brain controls speech, and the right, emotions. In men, these two parts are not connected. Also, feelings occur in a more primitive part of the brain than does speech. This changes during childhood; the brain's "feeling" activity moves to a higher part of brain during adolescence, but only for girls. Grown men can no more put their feelings into words than can young children of either sex.
As for the parallel parking, the male brain has a significantly larger inferior parietal lobule, the part that is responsible for spatial awareness. It's that straightforward. By the way, this part was especially large in Albert Einstein's brain, and is in other physicists' and mathematicians' as well.
So, whatever kind of environment we choose to create for our children, the fact is, the environment is acting upon different kinds of brains.
Please continue to Part 3
"The Baby Einstein Star is the first toy that my baby smiled at. She loved looking at the red blinking lights and hearing the music by Mozart-that we commonly know as "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." The great thing about this toy, besides the English, French, and Spanish "Good Morning" and "Good Night," is that it is versatile. It can be hooked onto a crib, carseat, or baby gym where a baby can play with it lying down. This is also a great toy for a baby who can sit up. Although my baby never played with the attached ribbons (on the top left and right points of the star) when she was younger, these ribbons fascinate her now (at 7 months). This is a toy that can capture the interest of your baby from the first months to about one year of age, possibly later." Love this! - Becky - Ohio
