Buying toys for children? No thank you!

Not all parents can afford to buy big amount of toys for their children. To save money and still allow your kids to have fun you can make toys from things you already have in the house. It will improve your child's imagination. Here is few great ideas:

www.themummyadventure.com

- Make drums out of saucepans. Children love to use a wooden, metal spoons and play on different sizes of the saucepans. I know it might me noisy but children will deffinitely love it.


- Tent. Make it out of a blanket, biuld it from the cushions, put a chair beside a courtain and let your children play games in it.

What other games can children play not using toys bought in the shop? Have you any ideas? Please share them with me and I will add them to the list. Let's help all the parents to allow their children use their imagination when playing.

Encourage your child to read

Why many children refuse to read?

Why do they treat reading as a punishment?

 Why children do not enjoy reading?

The more children read, the better readers they become and what the most important is they start enoy reading. But how to encourage your children to read more?

1. Children MUST see their parents reading. There is no way that a child will be passionate about books and will read a lot when parents don't read.
2. Leave different types of books and magazines around the house.
3. Use your child's hobby or interests as starting point and pick books and magazines about it - children like reading about what they are interested in!
4. Bring your children to library, let them look at the books and pick one or two each week and then maybe read them together?
5. Tell your children about good book you have read. Maybe they will be happy to do the same?
6. Bedtime stories, reading Nursery Rhymes for small children will encourage them to read books in the future. It is important to start reading to your children as early as possible.
7. Encourage your child to read aloud! Show interest to what your child is reading whether it is a book, story or a joke!
8. Put a nice shelf in your child's room where all the books can be stored.
9. If you want to give your child a gift - give a book about your child's interests. Child will be more keen to read it than something completely new.
10. Your child read a book about zoo animals? Go to the zoo and  your child will be able to tell you a story about each animal, use it as a game. Your child is reading a book and you know about film based on this story? Why not promise to go watch it together when child will finish a book?

There are countless opportunities for your child to read like menu in the restaurant, road sign, advertisements, food labels or leaflets. Every child has some interests and will be happy to read more about them. Have you any other tips on how to encourage children to read? Maybe your child is refusing to read and you want to share your story and how you dealt with it?

How to get your only child ready for a new baby?

 

myravishing.hubpages.com

 

New baby is on the way. How to prepare your son or daughter for the new baby's arrival? Here are some tips that can make it easier for you and your child:

whattoexpect.com

1. When first signs of pregnancy are visible, you can talk to your child about a new baby. I know that sometimes child can be too young to understand the impact of having the sibling. By talking about new baby your child will be aware of the situation and you will avoid the suprise of a new baby in the house.
2. You can talk about babies, read books or sing songs about them, point out on them in the pictures or on the streets. You can watch the film where the new baby arrives in it. By doing this you will familiarise your child with babies so it will not be a big shock having one at home. You should also talk about advantages of having little baby sister or brother and advantages of being a big brother or sister!
3. You should allow your child to participate in preparations for the arrival of a new baby. You can go shopping and pick a lovely baby clothes, baby toys or something for the new babies room. You can also buy something small for your child so will not feel forgotten.
4. After the big day comes, you should allow your child to visit a baby in the hospital. This will make a connection between children and you can bring the new baby home together.

During first weeks after arrival of a newborn, you can see different signs of the  jealousy from clinging behaviour to kicking and temper tantrums. This is common behaviour because of the changes in the child's life and it should be ignored while you can prise your child for positive behaviours instead. You should make your older child special and never forget about spending time with the firstborn. Organise your daily activities the way to find time for your older child as well as the baby. Talk to each other, play a game, do something what only two of you can do together and make sure you stay close.

smartrelationshipadvice.com

Did you have some problems with your firstborn after new baby arrived? How did you solve them? I will be happy to hear your stories.

What if your child refuse to drink water

In the hot weather we makes sure that children are hydrated and drink enough fluids. What if your child is refusing to drink anything? There are few ways to trick them and make sure that they are hydreted. Choose food and snacks containing lots of water.

• Fruts and vedgetables that include 70-95 % of water. Sometimes children are not fans of fruit then a good idea is to blend fruits. You can also ad a youghurt to them. To make it more fun you can put the mixture in the cups, pop them into the freezer and serve them as fruity ice cream! Children will love it!

•   Nearly every youghurt contains about 80% of water. If your child does not like eat youghurts maybe you can try drinkable ones? You can also make a lovely dessert for your child. First you put a yoghurt  of child's choice in te bowl. Then top it up with fruits that child loves! You can have so much fun doing it together!

 

Source: dreamstime.com

•  Pasta, rice, couscous and beans absorb water as they cook. Children love pasta and there is a great choice of shapes available. Children like pasta with bolognese sauce. You can also mix pasta with yoghurt and fruits.

 Are your children drinking enough water? Have you any other advice on how to keep children hydrated?

Baby's room

Here is an inspitation for the parents! There are different ways to decorate baby's room. Here is one of them:

Source: projectnursery.com

What is your idea for your baby's room decoration? What colour scheme is best for baby boy and baby girl? Feel free to share your ideas with me.

Foam Mats for Kids

Foam Mats for Kids

Foam mats are becomming more and more popular amongst the parents. Apart that they are practucal and safe for children, they are also educational. There are many various types available including alphabet, shapes, numbers and pictures. Before parents will decide to buy them, they should check why they are bought so often.

Mats on the floor in the winter work like isolation and keep your children warm while playing on the floor. They are one of the most practical toys for children. Variety of colours and shapes influence child's development. When mats are on the floor they protect you children while falling.They are brilliant for babies so they will not hurt themselves while playing on the floor and also for todlers that are starting to walk.


What mats should we choose?
There is a big choice of mats available,  various shapes and coulours. Which will we choose? First of all we should avoid buying mats from the places that are not checked and the most important is not to buy mats of unpleasant smell as child may get an allergic reaction. Also the thicker mat the softer it is what gives you little one good protection during the fall and allows to play comfortably and safely.
Mats have another good advantage. You can take it with you anywhere and child can play on them not only in your house but also while visiting family or friends.

Mats are safe for the kids and enhance their development!

Here is an example of how mats can be used instead of a carpet in baby's room. On the website different styles and designes can be found including wood grain foam mats that look like floor panels.

Source: www.softtiles.com

Drinking water to avoid dehydration

In the hot weather it is easy to dehydrate. Adults know that drinking water is important but we also have to remeber about our little children that can dehydrate very easily. Some parents overlook the first symptoms of dehydration and it can become quiet dangerous.

• Child may look tired, be irritated and has no energy to play it is a sign that child needs a drink. We can think it is because it is hot but it can be a first sign for the parents that indicates not enough intake of liquids that child receives. 
• Not going to the toilet is another symptom not seen as serious.

When child is thirsty it means that already got dehydrated and it is parent's responsibility to offer kids a drink even if they do not complain that they are thirsty. Drinking water helps to avoid getting heat related illness which can result child ending up in the hospital. We have to remeber to always have a cup of water or juice for children especially in the hot sunny days.  I recommend Tommee Tippee cups for little children - easy to hold with two handles,  not to big what makes it handy to bring with you anywhere you go.

 Remember, when we feel thirsty, children do as well!