Wordless Wednesday!

Rock and ROLL!!!
(And whatever you do, don't go to bed when you're supposed to)

Wordless Wednesday!

At least he knows the rules about greeting strange dogs.

Even if the "dog" is a wolf and what is "strange" is that it's cast from bronze.

5 tips for caring for your toddlers teeth.

At some point your little toothless butter ball is going to sprout some teeth. Toddlers teeth appear in a fairly predictable pattern: two on the bottom in front, four on the top in front, two more on the bottom front, four molars two on top and two on the bottom, four canines two on top and two on bottom, and finally four more molars. From the time that your baby's first tooth sprouts it is time to start implementing oral care. For the first six months or so, after those first couple of teeth show up, a washcloth dipped in a weak mixture of water and baking soda should be enough to combat any type of decay. However, at some point you will need to introduce the toothbrush in order to continue to maintain good oral hygiene for your toddler. Here are a few more helpful ideas for getting the most out of your little beavers tooth brushing routine.

1. Get an electric toothbrush.
It may seem a bit extravagant, but for your toddler it will make brushing his teeth a lot more fun. A regular tooth brush is fine if you can't afford or find an electric one, but it has a lot of drawbacks. Firstly, your little grin master will only let a foreign object which is under your control in his mouth for a very limited time, so getting to all the teeth and brushing them thoroughly will be harder. Also, your toddler will quickly lose interest in the idea of using the regular toothbrush as a tooth-cleaning tool and will begin to think of it as a funny spoon that is for feeding him baby toothpaste, which kind of defeats the purpose. And finally, the struggles that you have over trying to get your little guy to use the regular toothbrush properly might instill a strong aversion to the idea of brushing teeth. An electric model is interesting, fun and easy to use. You can often brush your little chompers teeth in half the time with half the struggle.

2. Teach your toddler to chew gum.
I know that this might sound counter intuitive, and just so we are clear I'm not talking about huge wads of sugary goo. I'm just talking about huge wads of goo. The American Dental Association has come out in support of sugar free gum, especially gum that contains xylitol. They recommend giving your children gum to chew for about 20 minutes after meals in addition to regular brushing. To teach your toddler how to chew gum, give her a large amount to start with. One and a half sticks should be enough to discourage swallowing without raising the risk of choking. The entire wad should be about the size of your toddlers thumb. After your toddler has gotten the basic idea of chewing without swallowing, you can reduce the amount of gum you give.

3. Offer your toddler a sippy cup of water before bed.
Throughout the day food, milk and juice will leave residue in your toddlers mouth. Even if you brush once in the afternoon and once at bedtime the food and drink particles in your little nibbler's mouth can do some damage during the rest of the day. Having some water will help rinse away most of those harmful little tooth destroyers. I recommend giving your toddler a sippy cup of water in the morning and in the afternoon. Not only is drinking water a great habit for preventing tooth decay, but the health benefits of drinking water throughout the day will have lasting positive effects in all aspects of your toddlers development.

4. Sing a fun song or rhyme while you brush.
Getting your toddler to spend an appropriate length of time scrubbing his chompers can be very difficult. A great trick to help extend the time he spends brushing his teeth is to sing a little song or recite a rhyme while he brushes. Having a nice rhythm to brush to helps your toddler grasp the concept of repeated up and down/back and forth brushing. Also, knowing that the song comes to an end will help you little brush man anticipate how long he should brush. Time is still a slippery concept, and after 10 seconds your little fella might feel like he's been at it for hours, but a song or rhyme will keep him going for a few more minutes.

5. Give your toddler a turn.
To make sure your toddlers teeth get sufficiently clean, you should take the first turn with the toothbrush. A quick once-over from you will get the best results, but then turn over the tooth brush to your little chicklet so she can both imitate the example you just set and gain a feeling of personal pride in her ability to brush her teeth by herself. Doing the brushing at the beginning, rather than after your toddler has had a try at it, will help avoid your little bubbie from feeling like she has done something wrong and is being corrected while giving her a good example to follow for her own turn. As she gets better at brushing, you can eventually let her take over and do the whole routine herself.

One of the best ways to save money as your children get older is to eliminate expensive dental bills, and this starts with good oral hygiene habits. Teaching your little sugar-fiend how to care for his teeth early will instill a great sense of awareness that can have lasting positive effects. Remember to talk to your dentist for the latest information on childhood tooth care and to schedule regular checkups for your little snuggle bug. If you have found these tips helpful, please forward them to all the parents of toddlers that you know. Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome. Happy parenting!

Wordless Wednesday!

Looking spiffy! Dress up is so fun!

Toddler Tuesday: 5 tips to help your toddler build social confidence.

As your baby grows and develops into a little person, social skills and confidence will become increasingly important. For your little one milestones, like entering preschool or going to a new park, can be terrifying experiences, or exciting new adventures waiting to be explored. To help your little trooper prepare for these new challenges it is important to inspire a strong sense of socially appropriate behavior and respect for himself and others. Though there are many strategies out there, these five are my personal favorite, because I've seen them work.

1. Play dates with older kids.
Play dates of any kind are great for toddlers. However, for learning social skills a slightly older child is a wonderful roll model. Just one or two older children are plenty, any more, and your little social butterfly might start feeling shy or get ignored. The ages of the older child or children shouldn't be more than a year older than your little one so they will still identify with one another. The benefits to your little cub will be quite obvious, but the older child will benefit as well. When older children play with younger ones, they build their sense of empathy and gain confidence too.

2. Sign up for gym class.
Or a dance class, or a karate class. Physical activity can help children of all ages overcome social barriers. Class settings provide a great social structure complete with rules, turn taking and example setting and following. These skills translate directly to social interaction, and the confidence your little ducky will get from learning new physical skills will translate into confidence when confronted with any new and intimidating situation. You might think that a toddler is too young for a class like this, but there are many classes available, including Gymboree, that are specifically designed with toddlers in mind.

3. Introduce manners.
As your little flower blossoms, language skills will begin to develop right alongside physical feats like walking and running. From the very beginning if you model appropriate manners, and insist that your toddler use them too, your little half pint will be ahead of the game when it comes time to interact with other children. Saying please, thank you, I'm sorry and excuse me are still some of the best ways to begin friendly conversations. Other manners, like eating with your mouth closed, taking turns and sharing might be a bit harder to instill, but starting early will make the lessons easier to learn when the time comes. And once your child has these skills, social interactions will be a lot less confusing and intimidating.

4. Puppet shows.
Puppet shows aren't just a great way to spend a fun afternoon giggling with your little playmate, they are also the perfect setting to model appropriate and inappropriate social interactions. A great way to do this is to make puppets using pictures of your toddler and some of her friends. Then tell stories about real and imagined social situations, like the time Suzy asked to borrow your toddler's toy rocket ship. Highlighting positive moments when your toddler made the right choice is great. Negative situations should mostly be imaginary, to keep a positive light on your toddler's experience. Also, try to cast your toddler's puppet in the roll of instructor to the other puppets, showing them the polite way to behave, and reminding them of fun ways to play together. If your toddler wants to control the puppets, of course let her. Then pay close attention to the way she makes the puppets play and talk together. Often a child's concerns and fears can be expressed more clearly through this type of play than through any other.

5. Ask your toddler for help with chores.
Nothing builds confidence better than a job well done. As your toddler begins to identify himself as a member of the family more and more, he will probably express interest in grown up activities. He may want to help sweep the floor, carry the groceries and wash the dishes. Every time you let him help he will learn that he has valuable contributions to offer the world. That may sound dramatic, but right now, you and your home are his world, and if he can offer a part of himself to make that world better for everyone in it, he must be a pretty great person. Whether you want to introduce standards that his contributions have to measure up to now or later, I just urge you to keep those standards reachable. For example, if he wants to wash the table it would be reasonable for you to require that he wash all around the edges. But if you insist that the table must be completely clean, with no missed spots, he may learn that he is not good enough. It is a delicate balance to strike, but as long as you express appreciation and show that you value your toddlers contribution, he will gain loads of confidence which will benefit him for years to come.

Many parents see themselves in their children, and many of our own anxieties about our childhood social interaction will color the fears we have for our kids. It's always a good idea to take a moment or two when worries start to crowd in to step back and take a good look at your toddler. We can hope to make the best possible impact on our little ones, but in the end, our kids will be their own people, with their own experiences. If you have found these tips to be helpful, please pass them on to any parents of toddlers you know. Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome. Happy parenting!

Wordless Wednesday! "Caption Contest."

I have written and deleted 10 captions that were nowhere near witty enough for these pictures.

Why don't you give it a go? What do you think would be a great caption for this series?

I'll post the best response with a credit and a link in a couple of weekends. Be sure to leave an address for me to link to.

Toddler Tuesday! 5 tips for toddler road trips.

Now that you have a wiggly and wild toddler, hitting the road for a quick weekend getaway might sound like less of a vacation and more like "enhanced interrogation techniques". For some toddlers a ride in the car is no big deal, while for others, even ten minutes is a struggle. But any child who has to remain in their car seat for more than an hour or two will most likely be pretty unhappy about it. Hopefully these tips will give you a few ideas for things you can do to keep your little back seat screamer from losing his patience.

1. Pack a small toy box behind the driver's seat.
While the box needs to be small to fit behind the driver's seat, the toys in it can be pretty big. Interactive toys like a xylophone, a see-n-say, or any one of the Leap Frog brand toys are great for travelling with. Smaller toys are good too, but they should be softer. If your little fuzzy-bunny suddenly throws a fit, you don't want her to also throw a small hard object inside the car. Though she may not be able to cause any real damage to anything herself, the distraction to the driver is potentially serious. Some soft small toys that are good for travel are Beanie Babies, finger puppets and cloth books.

2. Bring some gum.
One of the first things I think of when I think of chewing gum is how my mother would always tell me that my teeth would rot if I had it too often. Turns out that though my mom was right back then, times have changed. Now it is actually recommended that you have your children chew sugar free gum with xylitol a few times a day to fight cavities! Also, as you drive up and down mountains your toddler's ears might need help to relieve the pressure from altitude changes and chewing gum is great for that. If your little caterpillar thinks that he is getting a special treat, all the better. Just be sure to cover your car's seat cushions with towels or blankets if your toddler is not used to chewing gum.

3. Bring music and headphones.
If you have any type of mp3 player be sure to download a few fun songs for your funky little chicken to groove to while you roll on down the road. Since you might have a different taste in music than your little one, bringing earphones can be a great relief. Your toddler will probably think they are way cool, and enjoy putting them on and taking them off several times before settling down to listen. This should buy you a good chunk of time to relax and enjoy the scenery.

4. Make a schedule of stops.
One of the worst hazards of road trips for toddlers is diaper rashes. If your toddler makes a mess in his pants and sits in it for even 10 to 15 minutes it can result in a much worse rash than normal. Taking a rest stop every 2 to 3 hours to change your little poopers poopies is a great idea. Since it can be easy to lose track of time when you are on the road, planning where you are going to stop before you leave will help keep you on a good schedule.

5. Have special labor-intensive snacks on hand.
My favorite versions of the labor intensive snacks are food necklaces. Froot loops, popcorn and Cheerios are easy to thread onto a length of string and hang around you little muncher's neck. I only recommend this type of snack for times when you will be able to closely supervise your toddler, because if left unsupervised, even a simple snack necklace could be a hazard for your child. If you are uncomfortable with placing the snack necklace around your toddlers neck, you can also tie it around one of your little piranha's car seat straps. Other fairly tricky snacks are a box of raisins, jello in a Ziploc bag with a small hole cut in the corner for your toddler to squeeze the treat out and sugar free lollipops.

Trick: Iphone toddler games.
One more little trick you can use if you have an Iphone, is to download a free toddler game like "memory" or a simple vocabulary "touch the picture" game. These games can captivate your little passenger's attention for quite a long time. The only problems are, you might want to be playing a game on there yourself, and your toddler could mess up your phone if you don't keep an eye on him.

Having a successful road trip with your little adventurer is not really all that hard for most families. Starting off with a plan, and lots of strategies for helping your little buddy stay occupied is key. Don't forget to bring several sippy cups with water in them for hydration, and a blanket for propping up your toddlers head if she falls asleep. If you have found these tips helpful, please forward them to other parents of toddlers that you know. Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome. Happy parenting!

Wordless Wednesday

Stickers = inexpensive fun.

Toddler Tuesday: 5 tips for a stress-free visit to the park.

Going to the park is simple right? Right. Well, yes, as simple as anything is once you have a toddler to consider. Parks are a great place for kids to get exercise, socialize and get fresh air, but they can be a source for a lot of stress as well. With all of the benefits come stressful hazards like keeping your toddler hydrated, watching out for bullies and the inevitable small scale injury. Besides keeping some hand sanitizer and a bit of antiseptic spray in your diaper bag, there are a few more things a parent can do to make a trip to the park more enjoyable for everyone.

1. Bring back-up toys.
As the name implies, these special "back-up" toys are not the only ones. Give your little gazelle her choice of one toy to bring to the park, then slip a couple more into the bag. This way she is more focused on the one toy that she specifically got to choose to bring to the park instead of wanting to bring the whole nursery. Also, if there is a problem at the park later, say another kid has a sand shovel, and she really wants to take a turn, but the other kid is not sharing, then you can produce a shovel from your bag. Some basic back up toys are: a shovel, pail, truck, doll, ball and a box of sidewalk chalk. The sidewalk chalk makes a great distraction if there is a situation where your toddler is trying to take away another kids toy, or having trouble sharing her own toy. A nice big box of sidewalk chalk generally has enough pieces in it that everyone can have something to color with, and whatever the issue it was that caused the disruption is quickly forgotten in the light of an opportunity to deface public property with parental approval.

2. Bring a snack and 2 drinks.
Even if you are not going to be at the park that long, chances are that you will just get settled when another child at the park will start to have their snack. Nothing inspires hunger in a toddler like watching someone else eat. You don't need to bring much, a baggie of little crackers, a box of raisins and a banana are generally enough to satisfy any sudden cravings. The reason I recommend bringing two different kinds of drinks is that if your child is watching another kid drink juice, then water is hardly going to be what he wants, so one of the cups should have some diluted pure fruit juice. Then, by the time you are getting ready to go, it will not matter what other kids are drinking, he will probably just be thirsty, and nothing is better for pure thirst than fresh clean water, so your second cup should have water in it. I generally discourage parents from bringing milk to the park because it can spoil so quickly, but if you have a cooling pack and an insulated carrier to place the milk in it should be fine.

3. Bring the umbrella stroller.
You may not need it on the way to the park, there is no reason to keep your toddler in there because chances are she would much rather walk. But, after an hour or two in the sun it may be your best bet at getting your exhausted little munchkin home without having to carry her. I use my umbrella stroller to carry the diaper bag on the way to the park, which is extra helpful because the extra drinks and snacks make that bag pretty heavy. The back up toys can go in the stroller too, and if your little helper needs something to do, she can always help push. I particularly like the umbrella style for a quick jog to the park because it is light and easy to maneuver, and if I run into sand or mud, I can just pick it up.

4. Apply sunscreen before leaving the house.
Getting out the door to go to the park is tough, and many parents forgo the application of sunscreen in an effort to save time. However, once your little ping pong ball sees the park with all of the fun waiting to be had, holding still long enough to get a thorough coating of the protective lotion is going to prove to be a struggle at best and a total meltdown at worst. It is much better to have the smaller shorter struggle at the house before you leave than to risk the frustrating wrestling match I not-so-lovingly refer to as "greasing the piglet".

5. Wear appropriate shoes.

This goes for both you and your little Tarzan. If the park you are going to has grass, a shoe with a little bit of tread is good. For sandy or wood-chip covered parks, I recommend socks and sneakers. I know that you might think that sandals would be best, but with all the running and climbing your little spider monkey will be doing, the friction caused by a few grains of sand or a couple wood chips inside a sandal can get very uncomfortable. Also, unless you are very familiar with a park and are confident in its cleanliness, do not let your child go barefoot in the sand. I have found everything from rusty nails and broken glass to poisonous spiders and used drug needles in the sand at parks, just waiting to skewer an unsuspecting little foot. For parks with the rubbery stuff, sandals are fine, as long as they are snug and have good traction for playing on the climbing structure.

Trick: Use a timer when it is time to go.
Since leaving the park can cause quite a fuss, I have found it is much easier if it is not my "fault" that it is time to go. When you go to the park, set an alarm on your phone, or bring an egg timer with you. Explain to your toddler on the way to the park that when they hear the bell it is time to go home. Then when you are ready to go, set off the alarm. Your toddler still might not like the idea of going home, but he will be much less likely to fight it. Also, letting him push the stroller for a block or so before you put him in it will give him something to do to keep his mind off the fact that you are leaving the park.

Trick: Bring a blanket.
Now the sun may be shining down as hot as it has ever been, but bringing a blanket to the park is still a very good idea. On hot days sometimes the sand gets too hot to sit on, but you can spread a blanket to sit on quite comfortably. Also, swings can be too hot, slides, teeter-totters or just about any surface that your little fire-walker might want to play on. A blanket makes a great easily adjustable barrier for any of these. And if the weather takes a sudden turn, you can bundle your baby beluga against chilly breezes. Then, when it is time to head home, if you have an awning on your stroller, you can drape the blanket over it for a bit of added sun protection.

An outing to the park is a wonderful activity on a nice sunny day, especially if there is one fairly close to your house. Hopefully with these tips you will have a couple more ideas for how to take the stress out of an otherwise fun day in the sun with your little one. If you have found these tips and trick helpful, please forward them to any new or expecting parents, or parents of toddlers you might know. Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome. Happy parenting!

Toddler Tuesday! 5 tips for bathing your big kid.

The bath might be bigger, but it doesn't necessarily make it easier. As your baby grows he will trade sour milk and sweaty cheese-neck for dirty nails, a grimy snot-nose and stinky feet. Your little dust-bucket might love taking a bath or act like you are attempting to dip him in boiling oil, but love it or hate it, the bath must both begin and end on a fairly regular basis. Some parents find bathing their kids as easy as pie, for those lucky few: "move along, there is nothing to see here." For the rest of us, here are 5 tips that hopefully will make bath time a little easier on you and your lovable little water spout.

1. Start with 2 inches.
The first couple minutes of your toddler's bath are the most important ones. Fill your tub to only about 2 inches of water, then lay your little mermaid in the tub on her back and give her a toy. This way you can conquer the hardest part of the bath at the very beginning: the hair washing. Take a cup and pour it over her hair, but away from her face, apply the shampoo, lather and rinse as fast as you can while still achieving cleanliness. The low water level makes the prospect of laying in the tub for a few minutes less of a stretch for your little squid, and can greatly simplify the process of hair washing. After the hair is washed, your little one can sit up in the tub, and you can take the washcloth to all of the parts (like behind the knees), that are traditionally immersed in water for the duration of the bath. After soaping your child up, turn the water back on. The rest of the bath, whether short or long is now safely designated as play time.

2. Splash-proof the bathroom.
It is a good idea to take toilet paper, magazines and anything else that you don't want to get wet out of the room for the duration of the bath. Try as we might to explain why mommy and daddy don't want water everywhere, we can't explain away the fact that splashing is fun. So, since splashing will probably happen no matter what we say, why not prepare for the worst? You can still try to encourage the bath time behavior you would prefer, without as much potential mess to clean up if your water etiquette rules are flouted.

3. Set a timer.
This is a good idea whether your little jellyfish loves the bath or despises it. If there is a set amount of time that the bath is to last, you will not be the one to blame for ending it. If your child has fair, or sensitive skin, this is also a good way to limit the length of your toddler's bath to help prevent a dry skin rash, or a flare up of psoriasis or eczema.

4. Have potty time first.
I think the reason for this is obvious, but it is hard to remember to do. If you include it as part of your bath time routine, it will be much easier. Also, if you can get your little marine biologist to sit still on the potty while you fill the tub, not only does that keep him out of your way, but the running water might help inspire some pee pee action at the same time.

5. Jump on in!
The most boring part of bath time is sitting there waiting while your little bubble blower splashes about having a grand old time. Every once in a while you should throw on your swim suit, or not, and jump in the tub with your toddler! You might be surprised what a fun and creative playtime you can have sloshing around the tub together. I love to play with my son at bath time, but bending over the tub, or kneeling on the hard bathroom floor makes it something I do less often than I would like. Jumping on in is the perfect solution, it really makes bath time more fun and less stressful for everyone.

Getting your sweet little tsunami clean can be such a chore, but it can be both easier and more fun with just a few small tweaks. Please forward these tips to any parents of toddlers you know if you find these tips helpful. As always, questions comments and suggestions are always welcome. Happy parenting!

By: Naomi Tripi
http://tripibabytips.blogspot.com

Wordless Wednesday!

We had such a fun 4th!

Here are some pictures from my friends BBQ.

(That's her on the left.)The party begins!

Yummy corn on the cob!

Time for a little music.

Thanks for a wonderful day!

Toddler Tuesday: 5 fun kid games.

Now that your baby is entering the world of the big kids, it's time to have some fun! Not that there wasn't a great deal of fun to be had watching your baby suck on her own feet, but now that she's starting to walk, talk and interact more, you can play too! Many games will spring up naturally between you and your little pal, but sometimes it helps to get an idea or two for new games to try.

1. Chase me!
This is the "Monopoly" of toddler games. You can play one-on-one or with a lot of friends, it can go on for a very long time, and depending on who you're playing with the rules might be slightly different. Basically, you either let your toddler get a little ways ahead of you, and then make a big deal about how you're going to catch him, or you can run away very slowly, shrieking about how scared you are that your toddler is going to get you. Whenever anyone gets "caught" kisses, hugs and tickling are the result.

2. Funny face.
This is a great one for a quiet Saturday when you just want to sit with your little jitter bug on the couch. How it works is, you hold her on your lap facing you. Then you poke your cheek and make your eyes cross as if there were a button in your cheek that made you cross your eyes. Then when she pokes your cheek you do it again. You can also touch your nose and stick out your tongue, pinch your chin and wiggle your eyebrows, or any other variation you might think of. This gets really fun when you bring in a mirror and watch your sweet little clown-bottom try some funny faces of her own.

3. Where did you go?
This is a good toddler game to play if you have missed the gym and need a workout. What you do is sit on the floor, and wait for your toddler to walk behind you. Then you make a big show of looking for him while purposefully missing where he is over and over. As your toddler tries harder and harder to show you where he is, you can actually pick him up to look under him. Then toss him onto your shoulder and lumber around the room turning quickly from side to side when you hear him laugh, saying "I know your around here somewhere, I can hear you laughing!" When you are out of breath, you can find your toddler again and tumble to the floor expressing to him how much you missed him and showering him with kisses and tickles.

4. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... BLAST OFF!
This is also a good exercise game. This one is excellent for little climbers. In this game, you sit slightly forward on a chair, with a good sized space between you and the back of the chair. Then you encourage your little jaguar to climb up. As soon as she gets right behind you, reach back and get a good hold of her then start the count down. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... BLAST OFF!! At which point you jump up and run around the room, giving your little astronaut a good bumpy piggy-back space ship ride, complete with the best sound effects you can produce. Dump her in a pile of pillows and cushions, or carefully on the couch, then return to your chair. Try to act like you don't know why she is laughing and climbing up behind you again until she gets all the way up, then repeat the flight around the room.

5. Wrong words.
This is one of my son's favorites. When he brings me a book that I have read a hundred times and I need to spice it up a little for my own sanity, this game comes in real handy. It's pretty simple, You start reading the book, but when you come to certain pivotal moments in the storyline, you say the wrong word instead of the one on the page. Most likely your little smarty pants will correct you on your "mistake". If he doesn't, you can pretend to try to correct yourself, substituting sillier and sillier words for the one you got wrong until your toddler either corrects you or turns the page. Then you can continue to make mistakes on the next page. If my son isn't enjoying the game when I substitute funny words, I will often change my strategy to substituting funny sounds. Sounds which toddlers find particularly funny are squishy sounds, ding-dong's, woo-woo-woo's and "stinky" sounds.

It is amazing how quickly playing a game with your toddler can transform a dull or frustrating afternoon into a fun and special bonding time for you both. It can seem like it would be hard to shift gears from grouchy and grumpy into giggles and grins, but it happens very easily when I hear my little guy laugh. I hope you find these tips helpful. Please forward them to any parents of toddlers you know who might also like them, and as always, questions and comments are welcome. Happy parenting!

By: Naomi Tripi
http://tripibabytips.blogspot.com

Wordless Wednesday!

Ever get a picture of your little one that gives you a glimpse into what they will look like as an adult? Well, that's what happened for me when I took the top picture. It made me a little excited for the future, and a lot wistful for the past. That's why I'm also posting one of my favorite videos of my baby laughing. I'm going to rely on videos like this one a lot over the years I think.

Toddler Tuesday! 5 tips for shopping with a toddler.

The days of a quick trip to the store are over. For the next couple of years every time you go to the store with your little Tasmanian Devil, you will spend your visit avoiding one disaster after the next. It's a miracle we end up at the check stand with anything we came for in our basket at all. Though tying your little cherub to the shopping cart is a tempting option, I do have a few other ideas you might want to try first.

1. Bring something they love to hold.
There is so much to grab at the store! Colorful, crinkly, even squishy things beckon to your little one from all sides. You may be able to occupy one of her hands in the steel trap that is yours, but the other little hand will have only mischief to do, unless it too is occupied. My son has a piece of pottery that we found on the river bank while we were camping a few weeks ago. He LOVES this thing. I try to keep it away from him as much as possible to preserve the novelty of it. It is one of the few things I bring with me when we go shopping. He holds so tightly to this treasured little piece of clay that his hand is completely unable to touch, grab or pull everything within his reach. If your child has special items like this, they are a life-saver for keeping your toddlers hands to herself.

2. Pretend the shopping cart is awesome.
Shopping carts are not awesome. They are squeaky, bulky and difficult to steer. However, as far as your little Mario Andretti is concerned, they are a shiny race-car. Or a space ship, train, speed boat, dump truck or anything that your little feller thinks is the coolest thing in the world, as long as you say it is. The only hard part is maintaining the illusion while shopping. I try to keep a selection of 5 or 6 special "sound effects" that I can consistently make while navigating the store to help my son maintain the fantasy that I've sold him. Since he likes race cars, I screech when I stop, squeal when I turn, rev the engine while standing still, make gear shifting noises while accelerating and beep the horn when my son taps the cart's handle. What ever sounds you come up with, they can help turn the captivity of the shopping cart into a pleasant game.

3. Have labor intensive snacks available.
Now when I say labor-intensive, I do not mean for you. I mean snacks that it takes time and concentration for your little cart-gnome to eat. A simple one is a small box of raisins. One that takes a little more prep work is a cheerio necklace. If you like, you can also take an old straw-style sippy-cup and remove the straw, then toss in a few raisins, some freeze-dried yogurt drops, small crackers or whatever you want, and then show your child how to tip the cup over to get one or two at a time. I've also brought a Pez-dispenser filled with dried cranberries before, it was a little messy, but it was fascinating for my son.These difficult-to-get-at snacks are a great way to keep your little whipper-snapper's attention on them and off of creating a disaster zone in the store.

4. Ask for help with everything.
Nothing lights up a toddler's day more than being able to teach mommy or daddy a thing or two. A desire for freedom has come along with physical capability, and the ability to use words (or tantrums) to convey his needs to the adults around him. When the confinement of the shopping cart seat can no longer restrain your little "big boy", try letting him out, but asking him for help pushing the cart instead. Or help putting the pears into the bag, or help putting the boxes of cereal into the basket, or anything you are doing. For him it can seem like the most enjoyable thing in the world to help his parents with their tasks, even if those tasks are as mundane as handing the money to the cashier. A quick dose of hand sanitizer is a good idea after your toddler has been touching all of the germ-ridden surfaces at the store, especially if you let him handle money. You don't want to be adding a bunch of cold and flu bugs to the things you are picking up at the store.

5. Play I-Spy
Games like I-Spy are a great way to occupy your child for anywhere from 10 minutes to 10 hours (as in a long car-trip). Simply tell your little eagle-eye that you can see something, and then encourage her to try to see it as well. If your child is not familiar with this game, try it out in a more relaxed setting first like the park, where your attention can be more focused on helping her grasp the basics of the game. Another version of the game is to look for a certain thing, like "blue pants". Then every time one of you sees a pair, you can do a little song and dance. Oh, yeah, since you are in the super market, you may only want to give a high-five. As your little tulip-bud gets bigger you can try a version of the game where you bring a list of items for her to spot, like curly hair, apples, a baby, a balloon... etc. Then as she masters that version, you can begin to give her her own copy of the shopping list, and the game can become helpful as well as fun.

Over time the trips to the store will get easier. However, since we have to deal with going to the store now, try to keep in mind that as long as you are relaxed and trying to have a good time, your toddler will be more relaxed and open to trying fun new things as well. Think of each excursion as an adventure and you and your toddler will be able to share the fun instead of fighting your way through each trip. Please forward these tips to any parents of toddlers you know, and remember, questions and comments are always welcome. Happy parenting!

5 tips for choosing the right stroller.

Whether you call it a stroller, pram, baby buggy, carriage, perambulator or a pushchair, picking the baby-mover that you will trust to carry around your most precious cargo is no small decision. Should you get a light little umbrella-style, or a heavy-duty ATV looking job? What about a jogger or one developed by some young cutting-edge designer? There are so many different choices available today that a parent can get to feeling quite overwhelmed with the amount of research there is to do. Here are a few things you can do to help you narrow down your search more quickly.

1. Get a car seat-frame for the first few months.

For the first few months your baby will spend a lot of time in a car seat. Those car seats are heavy, bulky and hard to handle. Taking your baby in and out of a car seat can be difficult and frustrating for you both, so you may want to get a stroller frame that you can simply attach your baby's car seat to. They are lightweight and inexpensive and can save you both a lot of time and effort.

2. Evaluate your lifestyle.
If you are the type of parent who will be heading out for long outings on a fairly regular basis, you will want a stroller with a big basket, and easy turning capability, if you are more of a fashionista, a cutting edge design will suit you better. If you are really outdoorsy, an all-terrain style will be best, joggers will benefit from a jogging stroller (obviously) and impulsive families who like to travel a lot or run out for a quick visit to the park at a moments notice would be better off with a lightweight umbrella-style one. Of course it is possible to find strollers which straddle a few different categories, but if you take a good look at how your stroller needs to fit your lifestyle before you start shopping you will save yourself a lot of confusion.

3. Prioritize your most desired features.
There are certain features that most parents look for in strollers, like awnings, easily collapsible, weight, size, food tray, cup holder, fully recline-able and quality of construction. Some of these features are available on at least a few types of every style of stroller, but not all of them, so it is good to know which ones are less important, and which ones you cannot live without. For me an awning and fully recline-able seat are paramount because napping is so much easier with these two features. For many parents a food tray may not be very important because they don't anticipate needing to feed their child while she is riding in the push-cart. Whatever your personal list of important features are, if you have the ones which matter most to you in mind while shopping, it will greatly simplify the process.

4. Shop within your budget.

The perfect stroller is almost always available for hundreds of dollars. It sometimes seems that the more perfect it is the more expensive it is. However, with a sharp eye for the most important features, and a preferred style in mind, staying within your budget should be completely attainable. Besides the top designer brands, there are knockoffs available which nevertheless have a wide range of features and styles to choose from. You don't even need to sacrifice style in many instances because there are several sites where people sell covers for all kinds of strollers made from beautiful and creative fabrics.

5. Let durability be your deciding factor.
I think the single most important thing to keep in mind when shopping for a stroller is durability. Durability translates into monetary savings and safety for your precious little passenger. If you can find a stroller that will grow with your child as well, it will also save you money, but only if it is durable enough to last through the abuse that it is likely to suffer as it is tossed in and out of trunks, tumbled through the airline baggage system and taken on countless excursions through every type of terrain. A quality brand I can recommend which is on the less expensive end of the spectrum is "Safety 1st", they use high-quality materials, and have a fairly good range of features available as well.

After you have a short list of a few contenders for the title of burp-buggy-extraordinaire, you might find yourself at an impasse between two similar push-carts. This site http://strollers.baby-gaga.com/reviews.php is great for helping to differentiate between similar strollers in your price range. It rates strollers on durability, has honest parent reviews and makes quick easy comparisons between strollers based on size, weight, price and design. This site is the best resource I have found for choosing the right stroller, though there are more out there, as well as many review blogs and of course Consumer Reports. I hope these tips prove helpful (for my personal choice in strollers look here). I've received so many requests for stroller advice over the last couple of weeks that I wanted to give parents some really good tried and true ideas for how to make the right decision for them when it comes to strollers. Please share these tips with any new or expecting parents you might know, and feel free to leave questions or comments. Happy parenting!

Wordless Wednesday!

Here are a couple of pictures from our camping trip:


Camping with a toddler is TOUGH. We had a great time though.

Toddler Tuesday! 5 tips for camping with a toddler.

Toddlers are wild and crazy, you might think that taking them out into the wild would be as natural as breathing, but it is really a lot of work. There are more ways for your snuggly little tsunami to hurt themselves out in the woods than there are in a public restroom! However, getting your favorite bunny-hopper out doors is good for them too. You might not be able to enjoy the peace and solace of nature like you used to, but with a few tips, navigating some of the common pitfalls will be much easier.

1. Child-safe bug repellent.

Coppertone Bug & Sunscreen With Insect Repellent, Kid's Formula, SPF 30 is the highest rated bug repellent for kids on www.goodguide.com, however I prefer a more natural approach. I bring a spray bottle with 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon eucalyptus oil and 2 tablespoons lemon oil in it. Then while we are camping, I mist his clothes and hat with it every morning, and as soon as the air starts to cool off each evening. I am careful not to get it in his eyes or near his mouth, and always shake it up before each application. This seems to work well in combination with long loose-fitting pants, a long-sleeve shirt and a cotton hat. I try to keep one outfit for him to wear each evening and morning over his regular clothes so that I only have a couple of things that are covered with the smell, which while not unpleasant, can linger in clothing long after it has been washed.

2. Safe play area inside tent.Secure all of your dangerous camping items in containers you can keep outside your tent, and keep the inside area clean and organized. This way, if you need to take a few minutes to start the fire or chop up some potatoes, you can put your toddler in the tent with a few books or toys, unzip all of the windows, and close the main door flap. Your child will be contained and safe while you finish doing whatever it is that you have to do, then you can let him out and resume the chase around the campsite. Make sure your tent is secure and stable before placing your child inside, and never allow yourself to be out of sight or earshot in case your baby needs you.

3. Bring a high chair or booster seat with a buckle.

If it is feasible for you to lug this type of equipment out camping with you, it is a great idea. It's hard enough for your little explorer to hold still long enough for you to get a good picture, let alone long enough to down a whole meal. If you can strap your toddler into a secure seat for 10 to 15 minutes, it will be a lot easier to make sure he is eating and drinking enough. It is also another place you can secure your bouncy one while you do food prep or work on the fire.

4. Pack proper camping attire in place of over-using sunscreen.

Sunscreen is a good idea whenever you and your toddler are outside, but sometimes sunscreen wears off, and it provides no protection from biting insects or rash-producing plants. I recommend that parents pack lightweight long sleeved shirts and long legged pants for sunny camping days. The material is a good way to reduce sun exposure, and it is protective of your child's sensitive skin. Remember to bring a hat, preferably one with a chin-strap to keep it on your toddlers head through wind or rambunctious play. Of course, if you intend on wading in streams or swimming, bring water shoes, a bathing suit, water-safe diapers towels and sunscreen.

5. Pajamas & bedding.

When it comes time to go to bed for the night, you may have the same problem I have. Do you have a wiggle worm who will find a way (while completely asleep) to get out from under any type of blanket you put on her? If so, to make sure she will stay warm enough throughout the night, layer on the pajamas. Several layers of warm pajamas will keep your bundle of kisses warm while allowing a full range of movement. As long as she has a soft comfy surface to sleep on she should be able to stay comfortable until morning, in spite of the cool night air. I like to bring our portable baby cot, but we tend to camp at drive-up sites where this is more feasible.

Camping in the great outdoors, is a wonderful way to share a love of nature with your small child. Though there are many pitfalls awaiting toddlers, if you come prepared for the most common ones, you'll be able to have a much more relaxing time together. Enjoy the summer safely, and you can revel in your little explorer's sense of adventure and fun! If you found these tips helpful, please forward them to any parents of toddlers you might know. Happy parenting!

Toddler Tuesday! 5 Tips to help cut costs.

What can a family do when they have to feed, dress, entertain and educate the same number of children on half the budget? Times are tough right now. Most people are tightening their proverbial belt, and most people with kids are tightening their literal belts. In other words: money is tight. Well, I'm no financial guru, but I will share with you a few toddler-based cost-cutting techniques that you can implement to reduce the over all strain on your budget.

1. Use inexpensive alternatives when planning nutritious meals for your toddler.

Bulk up on the beans, rice, pasta and potatoes. Your meals will cost much less if you can place the emphasis on these inexpensive, filling and nutritious staples. Try to make sauces in large amounts, and freeze portions for use at a later date. Frozen veggies are another less expensive way to add variety and nutrition to the meals you create. Adding more of these things as the base of your meal means you will need to add less meat and cheese. Meat and cheese are very expensive, and the less you can get away with using the better for your budget. Try to compensate for losing the iron source in the meat by adding fresh leafy greens to your dishes when possible since they also are rich in iron. Shop for fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season, because they will be cheaper, and always try to buy local produce. Locally grown produce is less expensive, and it is usually much higher quality, since it has not passed through any"middle men" or been shipped across the country.

2. Substitute found objects and home made items for buying new toys.

You may have been used to buying new toys for your baby as he grew, but now find that he is suddenly a toddler and you cannot afford to purchase new age-appropriate toys for him. Well, lucky for you Toddlers can have fun playing with just about anything. Try the old "pots and pans drum set", or a bucket of water and a cup in the back yard. You can go to your local grocery store and ask for old cardboard boxes to use for imaginative play. Re-purposing odd socks to make hand-puppets or stuffed animals is an old trick that still holds up. Though trading used toddler toys with people you've found online is a good option, if you decide to connect with parents over the Internet who are giving their toddlers old toys away, please don't go to meet them alone.

3. Help your toddlers clothes last longer.
Who needs an entirely new wardrobe every 6 to 12 months (besides various starlets and heiresses)? Your toddler, that's who. I knew that my little boy would go through clothes like crazy, but knowing it, and having to deal with how frustrating it can be to buy something that your child only wears once, are two very different things. I thanked heavens for parents who gave their old baby clothes to me in the beginning, but as my boy grew these donations seemed to dry up. I asked my friend where all her boy's old clothes had gone. She said that Toddlers are a little harder on their clothes than little ones who can't walk. Now I am in the middle of it and sure enough, my boy rips, stains and loses such a large portion of his wardrobe that I find myself faced with buying him new clothes more and more often. So, what do I do to extend the life of the clothes he has? Well for onesie undershirts, I've begun cutting the snaps off of the bottoms. He can still wear the undershirt tucked into his pants for a long time before it will be too small on the upper body portion. For pants, I've started patching knees, and letting out the elastic a little, so that his pants sit lower on his hips, then, as summer comes in I cut and hem his worn out or short pants into shorts. For shirts, I buy packs of white t-shirts and then dye them and decorate them with iron-on printouts or fabric paint. It is a bit more time-consuming, but if I have time, and no money, it helps. I have also started cutting the feet out of my boy's footy pajamas, and sewing warm socks on the ends of the legs as well. I always keep two or three nice outfits in the closet that are only for going out to nice places. As soon as we get home I change my boy out of these clothes and launder any spots right away. It makes keeping his nice clothes nice much easier if there are fewer articles to worry about.

4. Entertain your toddler with a variety of free activities.
Entertaining a toddler gets harder and harder every day, especially if you don't use T.V. very often or at all. The best way to keep your toddler entertained without having to spend money on going to expensive places like the zoo, a children's museum or an aquarium, is to have play dates with a small group of other toddlers and their parents at inexpensive or free areas like city parks, pools, nature centers and the back yards of members of the play group, which should rotate for fairness. If each parent who is part of the play group takes a turn putting together some sort of fun art project, educational or otherwise, it takes the pressure off of you to come up with something fun every single day for your little steam roller.

5. Try home remedies for the bulk of your medical care.
I know that no one wants to skimp on health care, especially for their precious children. However, the fact is that many of us are losing our health care coverage along with our jobs, and even if we have savings to help us bridge the gap we can't afford to whisk our kids off to the doctor for every little sniffle. Old wisdom such as "Starve a cold, feed a fever" still holds true today, and when you combine that with herbal remedies like garlic, and the well-known strategy of drinking a lot o f fluids, you can sometimes chase a cold out of your toddler in under 48 hours. The Internet can hold a wealth of information for a family that cannot rely on the doctor like they used to, and you can always try one or two of the many home remedies you find here (though you should always be sure to use reputable sites). Fresh fruit is packed with vitamin C, and should be given liberally to any child who begins to show signs of a fever or sore throat. Putting fresh fruit in a yogurt based smoothie is a great way to soothe the pain of a sore throat while delivering the nutrients your toddler will need to fight off the virus. Fresh steamed veggies or pureed vegetable soup works wonders for many common ailments as well. My own mother always treated earaches with a few drops of warm olive oil, though I've heard that garlic oil is even more effective if you can get some. If you ever feel that your toddler is not reacting well to a treatment of any kind, do stop at once and call your pediatrician. Getting advice over the phone from either a doctor or a nurse is also a great way to save a little money while still using a reliable source.

I hope these tips are helpful. I know that tight financial times are not easy, but with reliable knowledge of a few of these quick and easy techniques for reducing the biggest toddler-related costs, it can lighten the load on the whole family. If you know any parents who might benefit from these tips, please send them to this site. Also, remember that questions and comments are always welcome, and if you have any cost-cutting ideas for toddlers, I'd love to see them! happy parenting!

5 tips for getting your toddler to love veggies.

Okay, you've done all the groundwork. You've slowly introduced cereals, then pureed veggies, then pureed fruits to your baby over the course of weeks and months. Now your little chomp-tastic eating machine has cut her first set of molars and she is ready for more complicated food mixtures and textures. I usually tell parents to be as slow and steady with the introduction of textures as they were with the introduction of flavors, too many textures too quickly can be overwhelming and can lead to strong textural aversions which are difficult to overcome. The introduction of textures should only take about a month or two, then your toddler is ready to tackle the world of big-kid food. This is the perfect time to instill a life-long love of vegetables in your little one. Some kids will just naturally gravitate to vegetables, but most need a little nudge to really develop the veg-love that can last a lifetime and help you avoid the pitfalls of picky eating later. These are a few little tips for inspiring your toddler's veggie-tooth.

1. Explore different kinds of seasoning.
Every culture and ethnicity has struggled with the "picky eater" issue since the dawn of time, and many flavor combinations were probably originally designed to make eating veggies more appealing to toddlers. My own son rejected spinach very firmly until he had it in palak paneer. Now he will eat it in lasagna, stir fry, and quesedilla's. Eventually I will give the steamed or sauteed spinach another try, when I come across a recipe that I think he will like. This strategy holds true for many vegetables which are traditionally rejected by the picky young eater. Broccoli is yucky, but broccoli in chili is delicious, string beans are slimy, but string beans and angel hair pasta with a creamy garlic sauce is delightful and asparagus=disgusting, but asparagus sushi rolls=fun. Contrary to a commonly held belief, garlic is not associated with giving children gas (or any other health problems) in fact there are many health benefits associated with this and almost every other classic herb. You should go easy on the salt and butter (try substituting olive oil for butter and Parmesan, or another hard cheese, for salt whenever you have the chance) to promote healthy habits later in life, but a little now and then won't hurt.

2. Use high quality fresh veggies.
My good friend didn't know how green beans were supposed to taste until she was an adult. Her mother had always popped open a can when preparing them for dinner. It wasn't that they couldn't afford fresh veggies it was simply a different time. Now that she has tried fresh plump sweet green beans fresh from the farmers market, she loves the veggie that she thought of as culinary torture in her youth. My own mom, who was pretty good about the fresh veggie thing, still would grab cans of creamed corn or packages of frozen broccoli florets. I fully admit that these things, canned and frozen goods, are huge time and money savers, however if your mission is to get your toddler to love his veggies, some fresh sweet peas will win him over much faster than the mealy grey-green peas that come out of a can. Planting and growing some veggies yourself, if you have the space, can be a great way to get cheap, organic, fresh produce, not to mention that it is educational and fun for kids.

3. Prepare veggies as the sweet desert.
Some veggies make a great dessert, like sweet potatoes (spoon bread), beets (tart) and corn (pudding) among others. The way your toddler first experiences a vegetable has a big impact on whether they will be likely to try them again in the future. The Sneaky Chef has some great free recipe's here: http://www.thesneakychef.com/free_sneaky_chef_recipes.php though make sure you tell your toddler all of the delicious veggies that are in the dessert that they are eating. The Sneaky Chef's hiding techniques are really meant for older picky eaters who have already decided that they hate nearly every vegetable.

4. Wait until they are really hungry.
Ever notice that the food you eat when you are starving is the best tasting food in the whole world? That is one of our bodies quirks that can be put to good use. On a day that you are introducing (or reintroducing, if they rejected it as a baby) a new vegetable, wait for an hour, or even two, past the time when you usually feed your toddler. If they ask for a drink during this time, only give them water then when they are just about to completely have a melt-down, present them with some delightfully seasoned fresh veggies that they have never tasted before. As they eat repeat the name of the veggie ("This is a parsnip. Can you say parsnip?) and reiterate that it is a yummy vegetable.

5. Eat veggies your self.
The best learning tool your toddler has is your example. Modeling a love of vegetables for your toddler will have more of an impact than anything else. In nature, baby animals often learn what kinds of foods are good to eat and which ones to stay away from by smelling their parents breath. Watching you eating healthful nourishing veggies with enthusiasm and gusto will inspire a desire to experience that same joy in your child.

Trick: Hide and go seek.
Anyone can play this game with their children, you hide veggies in a delicious meal, then ask if they can figure out which veggies are in it. This is a fun game to do with baked Root Vegetable Lasagna, and Ripe Olive and Avocado Quesadillas (yes, I know those are both technically fruits, but they taste like vegetables).

Now you are armed with some great tips and a trick to inspire a life long love of vegetables, the picky-eating fairy will hopefully pass over your house and you will be blessed with a child who grins from ear to ear when you say that you are having veggies for dinner! Of course every child is different, and if your toddler is particularly resistant to a certain food, there is a possibility that they might have an allergy. Keep your eyes peeled for any type of hives, or diarrhea after certain foods so you can get your little wiggle-monster tested for allergies at your next check-up. If you find these tips helpful, please pass them on to any new or expecting parents (or parents of toddlers) you might know, and don't hesitate to leave a question or comment on any of my tips or tricks. Happy parenting!

Toddler Tuesday: 5 developmentally stimulating games

Toddler Tuesday Tips!

So today I am introducing Toddler Tuesday! I may not be the first person to ever have this idea, but I still think it is a good one. Each Tuesday, my tips will be for the parents of toddlers! Today I thought I would share some of the fun and educational activities that are good for a toddler to do. Some of these will be easier and some will be harder, every child is different, so don't worry if one of these activities seems a little beyond your little finger-food fanatic.

1. Stacking blocks.
Just regular old run of the mill blocks will do for this activity. Padded blocks don't stack well, big card board box blocks are never really square and odd-sized blocks can be frustrating at first. Just a normal set of wooden alphabet blocks that are uniformly square are great for stacking. First let your baby look at the blocks and investigate them on their own for a little while, then begin to model for them the right way to stack the blocks. Count each new block with an excited voice as your tower gets taller, then say "time to knock it down!" and push over the tower. Your toddler will be most interested in knocking down the tower at first, but keep at it, and soon you'll see great stacking skills develop.

2. Throwing a ball.
For this I recommend that parents start with a soft ball. Your toddler might take a long time to figure out how to get the ball to fly through the air like you do, or the ball could come hurtling right at your head on the first try, so plan for the worst. This activity is a great one to do outside on summer days, or in the living room during the winter. Try sitting with your feet touching your child's feet so that your legs form a diamond shape, then tossing and rolling the ball back and forth.

3. Make-believe with stuffed animals.
You may have already had your baby pick up the remote control and hold it to their ear while saying "heh-woeh?", in which case CUTE!!! The next step is to get your child to use figure-type toys, like stuffed animals, dolls or action figures to model behavior that he sees around the house. Sit down together with some spoons and an empty cup and "feed" the stuffed bear, or use a brush to help the dolly comb her hair. The nice thing about this kind of activity is that it doesn't require you to always be around for it to be fun. The other day my son was making the penguin clap it's hands while reciting "patty cake". He was rolling on the floor laughing while I was tidying up the kitchen!

4. Sorting colors and shapes.
There are a million toys on the market that are made to help your child do this exact activity, so use whichever one you have handy, I don't have much of a preference here. If you want you can combine sorting with putting the shaped in the holes, or sorting colors by stacking the disks on the pegs. I really love when there are a couple of different ways to sort the same objects. Like first sorting them by color, then resorting them by shape. An advanced form of this game would include things like texture and sound, but move at whatever pace is comfortable for you and your child. Sit together at a small table and begin by modeling the type of sorting that you want your child to do first. If they try to participate, but are getting it wrong, simple kindly explain where that piece really goes and why, then move it there yourself.

5. Threading beads on a pipe-cleaner.
This is a great fine-motor coordination activity. The hardest part about this activity is the amount of concentration and attention span that it requires. I wouldn't push your child to do it with you, but perhaps if you sit and do it for a while near where they are playing, they will come and express some interest. Use large wooden or plastic beads, so there is less of a chance that they will break or be ingested, and attach one to the end of the pipe cleaners to start with so that the beads your baby puts on won't just fall off the other end. If you fill a couple of strands you can segue into a fun game of dress-up in which the beaded strands can be crowns, and necklaces! This is one of those activities that my son has to have mommy help him with and that requires some clean up afterward. No one wants to step on a bead in the middle of the night.

I hope you all like my new segment, Toddler Tuesdays!, the regularly scheduled 5 baby tips will be back tomorrow. Thanks for reading, and as always, if you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you!