New Year’s Eve Fun With the Kids

Plan a New Year’s bash with your kids that is fun and educational. Kids can feel left out of New Year’s celebrations because they can’t stay up until midnight. But with a little planning your kids can have a New Year’s bash that they will remember for years to come.

It’s Always Midnight Somewhere – Plan your party by the world clock and ring in the New Year when the clock strikes 12 somewhere else. This is also a great way to teach geography and world cultures. Another option is ring in the New Year at noon.


Imitate the Ball Drop – Buy a pinata so you can imitate the Times Square ball drop. At midnight, let the kids crack it open to get the candy. Or, try a balloon drop. Put a bunch of balloons in a large trash bag and then release them at your faux midnight.


Toast – Use plastic, fancy glasses with sparkling cider


Think Up Resolutions-  Help your child stick to their resolutions by writing them down or making posters to remind them.


Make Noisemakers - Fill toilet paper roll with rice or dry beans. Cover both ends with paper and decorates the tube. Shake it as the ball drops to welcome the New Year.

Happy New Year!

What To Do With The Kids During Break

With the kids off from school this week parents are looking for activities to do with the kids and here are a few ideas:

· Kids Movies Playing Now - There are plenty of kid’s movies out this holiday season. Try checking out The Muppets, Happy Feet 2, Arthur Christmas, Hugo and, for older kids, War Horse.

 · Museums- Many museums have holiday displays or even special events for the kids to check out over the holiday break.

 · Roller or Ice Skating- Have your kid’s burn energy while skating. Just make sure they wear protective gear.

 · Take a Hike- Take a family hike and discover the outdoors.

 · Be a Chef– Let your kids help you in the kitchen while you supervise. This can be a great learning experience. Reinforce counting as you measure the ingredients. Let them help you pour the ingredients in a bowl to practice coordination and fine motor skills.

 · Science Experiments – You can do some really interesting home science experiments with household items. Teach them about static electricity by rubbing your feet on the carpet and touching each other to see if a static shock develops. Mix some baking soda, vinegar and raisins and see if you can get raisins to dance. Search on the Internet for some more interesting science experiments you can do at home. Just use your best judgment to determine what’s safe for you and your child.

 · Pen Pals– Teach your child how to send a good old fashioned letter. Let them create their own holiday cards and send them to relatives or even classmates. Your child’s friends will be excited to get mail and your child will have fun creating their own holiday cards, for just the cost of some stamps.

 The holidays are a special time for children. Take the time off to slow down, spend quality time with the family and enjoy the special moments.

Make a Snow Globe

Supplies:

• Baby food jars (medium or large) or any other type of jar with a lid
• White and/or silver glitter or fake snow
• Hot glue gun
• Ribbon or felt

How to make it:

• Wash and dry your jar completely, including the lid.
• Fill jar with water to within 1/2 inch of top. Use cold water, warm water tends to cloud. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of glitter, or “snow” into water.
• Add any other objects that you think would add to your snow globe.  Another idea is to add food coloring to the water.
• Using hot glue gun, line inside of lid with glue.
• Dab lid dry if any water dripped or spilled. Apply a layer of hot glue around the rim of the lid to seal shut.
• Let stand and dry overnight -- lid side up.
• Decorating the lid rim with decorative ribbon with glue, use plastic holly berries for a holiday feel, or use colored felt.  There is no wrong way to decorate your globe be as creative as you want.

A Season for Sharing in Fire Safety

Each year fires occurring during the holiday season claim the lives of over 400 people, injure 1,650 more, and cause over $990 million in damage. According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), there are simple life-saving steps you can take to ensure a safe and happy holiday. By following some of the outlined precautionary tips, individuals can greatly reduce their chances of becoming a holiday fire casualty.

Selecting a Tree for the Holiday

Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needle should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.

Caring for Your Tree

Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.

Disposing of Your Tree

Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

Maintain Your Holiday Lights

Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.

Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets

Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires - they should not be warm to the touch.

Do Not Leave Holiday Lights on Unattended

Holiday Decorations

Use Only Nonflammable Decorations

All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.

Never Put Wrapping Paper in a Fireplace

It can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers and may result in a chimney fire.

Artificial Christmas Trees

If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.

Avoid Using Lit Candles

If you do use them, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never leave the house with candles burning.

Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree

Do not go near a Christmas tree with an open flame - candles, lighters or matches.

Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan.

Source: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/holiday-seasonal/holiday.shtm

Car Seat Safety

With so much information about car seat safety many parents wonder and worry if they are keeping their child as safe as they should be.  Below are guidelines set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA).

           * Select a car seat based on your child's age, height, and weight.

           * Keep your child in a car seat for the maximum age, as long as your child 

              fits the seat's height and weight requirements.

 * All children under 13 should ride in the back seat.

Birth – 12 months

Your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat.

There are different types of rear-facing car seats: Infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.

1 – 3 years

Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It’s the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness.

4 – 7 years

Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

8 – 12 years

Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. Remember: your child should still ride in the back seat because it’s safer there.

Many local stores and organizations offer safety checks were certified technicians are available to check your car seat installation for free. Click HERE to find your nearest inspection station.

Source: http://www.nhtsa.gov/

Learning to Write Letters

Writing the letters of the alphabet is a skill that preschoolers who plan to enter kindergarten next year should be learning. Here are some tips on how to help your child learn to write their letters. 

• Have paper and big easy-to-grasp crayons available to your child. Tell them to scribble and have fun writing as much as they want.

• Don’t be that concerned if when you child starts writing letters, they are all over the paper. Children learn individual letters first and it takes some time for them to grasp the concept of words.

• Don’t be that concerned if your child spells words without vowels. As kids enter school they are taught the concept of vowels, proper spelling and the difference between upper and lower case letters. The concepts really begin to develop as a child learns to read.

• Don’t expect handwriting to be neat initially. Motor skill need time to develop.

Remember patience is the most important thing you can bring to the table when you are teaching your child how to write.  It will come over time and with lots of practice.

Learning another Language

December is learn a foreign language month, so now is a perfect time to teach your child a second language. Because the brain of a young child is in language hyper-drive learning mode, they can learn a foreign language much faster and much more effectively than a teen or adult. In fact, by the time your child reaches middle school that part of their brain is developed.

Here are a few steps you can take to introduce a foreign language to your child:

•       Use bilingual books and toys
•       Have them regularly interact with someone who speaks a different language like a babysitter or caregiver
•       Immerse your child in foreign culture through travel or by visiting areas of your city or town where one culture is prevalent
•       Take your child to cultural events like fairs, food markets and restaurants
•       When teaching your child the names of objects and body parts, refer to them in both languages
•       While playing games say the words in both languages
•       Begin to use basic words in the second language
•       Listen to music, or television in other languages
•       Watch your child’s favorite movie in another language

Have fun teaching your child to embrace different cultures and languages.

Learning Through Games With Toddlers

When your toddler is around 3 years old you may want to start thinking about using board games to help them learn and grow. When we were growing up, board games were all the rage. But as technology and hand-held gaming devices started to rule the kid’s game market, the traditional board game fell by the wayside.

You may be asking why you should dust off the old board games in the attic. Board and card games have a lot to teach your children. Not only can they teach them about success and disappointment, they can teach valuable cognitive and social skills through hands on experience. And many children learn more effectively through hands on experience.

Here are some of the benefits of playing board games:

•     Learning to follow rules
•     Being honest
•     Focusing on a single task
•     Social Skills
•     Taking turns
•     Sharing
•     Learning to count
•        Matching
•        Learning colors, numbers and letters

A few examples of games that incorporate these skills:

•     Candyland          
•     Chutes and Ladders
•     Sorry
•     Hi-Ho Cherry-O
•     Trouble