Child expert Wendy Toone offers fun ways to expand your child’s mind during the dog days of summer.
We may be in knee deep in those lazy, hazy days of summer, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t keep our kids active with challenging games and activities that will keep their minds buzzing. In fact, here are some great rainy day and car ride activities that will challenge your kids to think on their feet!
1. Mind games can keep boredom away as well as physical activity. Even small children can follow an adjusted version of “I Spy.” Just be sure that the clues are age appropriate and not too tricky. Look for easy to spot shapes, bright colors, or unique characteristics (animals, common objects such as pencils, etc.). Remember to let them give you the clues, too, to really work their brains. Finding an object is different than coming up with a clue for an object.
2. Once your child is a little older, around 4 years or so, theme games can be played. A favorite (still) of my kids is the animal game. “I Spy”-like clues can be given, but your child must rely on their memory and knowledge of animals instead of looking for pictures or representations of them. These types of games are great for long car rides, and you can make them more challenging, as your children get older. Go in order through the alphabet…”I have a long nose and tongue” = Aardvark (or anteater, both will work in this case); “I’m totally white and live in the cold” = Beluga whale. Get it?
3. READ, READ, READ. Reading to your child, no matter how young, increases their vocabulary, imagination, and overall cognitive abilities. Hearing language creates synapses – the connection of brain cells. Most of us parents think that reading at bedtime is sufficient. And while bedtime stories create a wonderful bonding time between parent and child, so can reading a story with your child snuggled on your lap in a waiting room. Granted, you can’t be expected to tote a small library around with you at all times. But if you know your day will include a little waiting time, why not pop your child’s favorite book in the day bag. Or maybe a story you haven’t yet read to them? Or take advantage of digital children’s books that can be downloaded to your cell phone or iPod? These digital books can do double duty, as oftentimes they are books that are enhanced with narration (sometimes even music and sound effects are added), so your little one can hear the book as they see the words on your phone or iPod screen.
So the next time you find yourself exasperated trying to tame the savage beast that is a toddler with nothing to do, try a few of these tips. Not all of them will work at all times or in every situation. But hopefully if nothing else, it will spark your creativity to engage your child and use your waiting time as teaching time. For there is no better teacher for a child than his or her own parent. Good luck!!!
Wendy Toone is a child expert having owned and operated a leading franchise children’s fitness center and now producing MobiStories, Digital Books for KidsTM, as well as being a mom to her two children. To experience the world of digital children’s picture books, visit www.mobistories.com.
To download a free copy of Mommy’s High Heel Shoes for your PC or Mac, visit MobiStories.com and enter the promo code: MHHS0710. The offer expires 8/22.Mommy’s High Heel Shoes is also available for download as an app via the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad in the iTunes store where you can check out more great story apps from MobiStories: To order a hard cover copy of Kristie Finnan’s book, Mommy’s High Heeled shoes, visit her at KristieFinnan.com.
*This advertorial post is sponsored by the Role Mommy Writers Network.
A child will begin to balance on one foot by the time they’re 3 years old and they should be able to hop between 3 1/2 and 4 years of age.
There are several activities and toys that will promote your child’s ability to balance and hop on one foot. One incredibly easy trick is to roll balls to your child and have them put one of their feet on the ball and roll it under their foot and kick it back. You can also get some sidewalk chalk and draw a line for your child to stand behind and draw a target close to them that they can try to hop to. By gradually increase the distance you ask your child to hop to, their ability to hop will dramatically improve. While you have the sidewalk chalk out, draw a hopscotch to play with your child.
If you forget how to draw a hopscotch (I know it has been quite a few years since you were playing hopscotch at recess), check out eBeanstalk’s Smiley Face Hopscotch.
Playground fun takes on a happy face year round with this Smiley Face Hopscotch game. Smiley face and numbered mats fit together easily for safe play that builds balance and coordination skills. Six foam mats and two foam pucks come neatly packed in a tote bag. Assembled set covers approximately a 6 x 2 space. All sets come in a soft, clear, plastic carry case. (ages 3+, $21.95)
The Wobble Deck is another toy that promotes great balance. Put your balancing skills to the test with the Wobble Deck Game. It?s an electronic balance challenge, with three multi-level balance games: Memory Match, Speed Play and Freestyle. Includes sturdy balance board with two volume settings and three game variations. Requires 3 “AA” batteries, not included. (ages 5+, $49.95)
The Hop 45 ball is made from super strong, yet (latex-free) soft vinyl material and has a special patented handgrip safety handle. Hop 45 can be used indoors or outdoors and inflates easily with a hand or foot pump. It?s hard to find good gifts for 3 year olds, but this toy is one of the best! (ages 3+, $29.95)
The key to helping your child balance, stand on one foot and hop is to make it extremely fun for them and not frustrating.
Pop On Pals is a line of exciting and imaginative toys for toddlers I was recently introduced to thanks to Team Mom.
Pop On Pals is a world of fun for children ages two to four. The entire line of toys include 2 in 1 Mix & Match Fun Pal Packs, Playsets, 2 ‘n 1 Vehicles, Deluxe Vehicles, Mix ‘n Match Deluxe Ring Packs and Pet Packs. We were able to receive one of the Pop On Pals playsets–the amusement park playset, which is a playset that includes a strong man striker, a roller coaster, a milk toss game, a dragon swing and a musical Ferris wheel, all in one easy to move, plastic set.
The entire set also includes one pal and three park themed easy pop-on rings which you can switch your pal into depending on what they are doing while at the amusement park.
If your pal is riding the roller coaster, put on the ring that shows your pal’s hands in the air, there’s also a ring with a mallet to play with the strong man striker and also a standard yellow ring for when your pal is doing anything else. If you collect more than one playset or purchase additional pals, you can mix and match their rings and create endless possibilities when it comes to playing with Pop On Pals.
If you’re looking at the easy pop-on rings wondering just how easy they are to change, here is a very short video tutorial (a whole 16 seconds!) from my four-year-old stepdaughter explaining the whole process to her dad.
The amusement park playset lights up and has sound and music, which will really make the playset come to life and will keep your child busy for quite a while. This playset is really great for younger children, the only thing I really wish it came with is an extra pal. The playset only had one pal included, which is pretty boring even if a child is playing with it by themselves because they can’t make their pals interact with each other. In my case, it was quite challenging because we had two kids that both wanted to play with the amusement park playset at the same time. Of course, you can purchase additional pals, but I do think the playset should come with at least two.
This is a toy that will most definitely be on any small child’s Christmas list this year. Pop On Pals are available at most major locations where toys are sold, such as Target, Kmart, Toys R Us, and others.
A big thanks to Team Mom for giving us the opportunity to try out the amusement park playset from Pop On Pals.
Summer brings a great change of pace to our lives. The kids are out of school and are now home all day long; of course, much of that time is spent telling you how bored they are. It’s incredibly easy for kids to fall into a routine of doing not much else besides vegging in front of the television. I remember back when I was a kid and summer was the greatest time ever. This, however, was before so much technology took over our lives; before there were interactive games for young children or computers or whatever else is keeping your child occupied–but indoors.
While you may have some great activities or family vacations planned where your children will be getting out and having a great time, they can still have a lot of fun on your average summer day right in your backyard. Here are some fantastic children’s toys that will make any kid excited to get out of the house and play.
My First Bubbles Peek-a-Boo Surprise
Ages 18 months and up
No streams of bubbles going everywhere, no spills, and no sticky hands here. My First Bubbles Peek-a-Boo Surprise is a no-spill toy where toddlers simply pull down the handle for endless bubbles to begin emerging from the spout of a friendly whale hiding inside. This toy uniquely combines a game of Peek-a-Boo with bubbles and will delight and entertain your toddler while also teaching them action and response.
Gather & Grille Playhouse
Ages 1.5 and up
Your child will have their very own place to hang out with their friends while you and yours mingle on the patio furniture. The Gather & Grille Playhouse will let your child mimic you by giving them their very own grill, a patio area, and a bench for two. There is a built-in kitchen with sink and fun decals, an electronic doorbell, and includes a 5-piece accessory set.
Makin’ Mud Pies
Ages 2 and up
Making mud pies are a timeless childhood activity. Every kid does it, but not every kid is lucky enough to have an awesome outdoor kitchen set solely dedicated to mud. The Makin’ Mud Pies kitchen set has a hand-crank mud mixer that pivots up and down, it has a real working sink that uses a water reservoir to make sure their dirt can be turned into sufficient mud, and no batteries are needed.
Cannonball Splash Water Slide
Ages 5 and up
Lazy, hazy summer days can get the best of us all. Set up the Cannonball Splash Water Slide for your kids and they’ll be cooled down and having a blast. This water slide is definitely one of the cooler ones I’ve seen. It is 13 feet in size with a huge 8 foot splash pool with a comfortable landing pad, so no one is going to get hurt in a freak water slide accident.
Nerf Super Soaker Shot Blast
Ages 6 and up
Who can’t remember playing with water guns as a kid? Whether your kid is running all over the backyard with their friends in a game of water wars or sneaking up on you and soaking you when you least expect it, the Nerf Super Soaker Shot Blast is a must-have summer toy item. Just slide the air-powered water blaster’s pump handle forward to load and then slide it backward to blast a stream of water that will travel up to 25 feet.
Explaining to your young child that a new sibling will be joining the family can be a pretty difficult task; Beleduc, a company that prides itself on helping children to learn during their play, have created 5-layer puzzles that make it easy to teach children about the human body while putting together a fun puzzle.
One of the puzzles teaches boys and girls about their bodies, from the skull and outward to what they see when they look in the mirror, and more interestingly, a mother’s body puzzle ($22.50) that makes it easy to teach small children about their mother’s new pregnancy, showing them the various stages of their new sibling’s development. The puzzle is directed towards children ages 4 and up, but I would think could be used for children as young as 3. It contains 29 wooden pieces in all and made of birch plywood, German water-based paint and lacquer.
I think this puzzle is a great idea; it’s always a good idea to back up any close-to serious conversation you need to have with your small child with some fun games and toys and it can definitely be a tremendous feat to portray exactly what is going on that they should be aware of during a pregnancy and an impending new sibling. However, of course concepts like this are novelty items that aren’t always “in season” when it comes to the various toys children accumulate, so this puzzle is a bit on the pricier side.
Would you use a puzzle like this to help explain pregnancy and a new sibling entering the household to your child or is it a waste of money?
The Plan Toys Activity Bus (provided by eBeanstalk, a company dedicated to learning toys and baby toys for educational development) is an extraordinary, safe and green toy for children ages 3 and up that is sure to capture the attention of your children. It is a bus that opens up into a classroom and comes with two little people, desks and other school accessories to play with and is a great educational tool.
When we first received this toy it was right around back to school time and since one of my stepdaughters was headed to kindergarten and the other was headed to Head Start (pre-kindergarten) it was a great experience to be able to let them play school and get acquainted with the school bus, since they would both be taking a bus to their schools. This is a must-have toy for small children who are either just starting school in the coming year or who are still having trouble adjusting in school; this makes it fun for them to experience the school environment right in your own home and get rid of any fear, hesitation or conflicting thoughts about the beginning of the going to school process your children may have. The girls just loved this toy and it quickly became something that they regularly wanted to play with, even now.
What I love most about this activity bus is that it is made by Plan Toys, who make green toys and pride themselves on safety and using only natural materials, proving that it is possible to maintain superior quality of toys and safety standards in addition to following a path of environmental and social responsibility. With that in mind, I would definitely recommend talking to your children about the materials that are made to make their favorite toy and introduce this toy as something that is safe and environmentally conscious.
About eBeanstalk:
eBeanstalk is dedicated to providing the learning and educational toys that promote a child’s development…and we go far beyond just toys. Our mission at eBeanstalk is to “plant the seeds that help children grow” while making gift-giving easy and special.
eBeanstalk is a place where you can give expert selected newborn toys, baby toys, toddler toys and toys for a preschooler. All of our learning toys are packaged into a GIFT SERIES, where every three months a new gift arrives that is perfectly suited to the appropriate stage of a child’s development.
Looking for a fun, engaging and educational way to spend time with your child? Then look no further, the U-Play Mat is here.
Designed by Pediatrician (and mom of two sets of twins), Dr. Jennifer Canter, or Dr. Jen as she likes to be called, designed the U-shaped mat and accompanying picture cards “with the goal of enhancing interactive floor play between toddlers and parents.”
The U-Play Mat is a U-shaped, 4ft x 3ft deep mat with 15 large, clear pockets on its surface. The innovative “U” shape allows the child to sit inside the opening of the “U” with full access to the 15 pockets. Your child now has full visual and tactile access to the whole surface, without having to crawl atop the mat. The see-through pockets are child-safe and secured to the mat surface. U-Play Mat comes packed in a cute tote, with 8 outer pockets to store the cards in. Plus, a handy instruction booklet to help get you started.
To begin play sit across and engage the child in a variety of exercises using the adorable theme-based card decks, (ie. Food, Home, Play, Dress). There is no writing on these durable cards, so you can play/teach your child in any language. Here’s a look at some of the things you can do with U-Play Mat:
Exercise 1: Identification, works on receptive vocabulary
Exercise 2: Labeling, works on expressive vocabulary
Parents magazine just recently launched the Parents iPlay ‘n Learn iPhone app that will uniquely teach and engage your children to help them learn letters, numbers, colors and shapes.
The iPlay ‘n Learn iPhone app was planned by child development experts and features quizzes, tracing, flash cards and also exciting animations like exploding fireworks, chugging trains and rocket ships that deliver positive reinforcement for children and will also keep them completely engaged and learning–happily and quietly during long car trips, waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting in doctor’s offices, or anywhere else where your kids can become impatient or cranky.
You can get the Parents iPlay ‘n Learn app for the iPhone or iPod Touch in the iTunes store for $0.99.
As soon as I came across Big Eye Dummies’ website I knew I had come across something very unique and very, very fun. Their website alone will make you crack up; from the first glance over the website and you notice that they recommend their designer plush dolls for kids ages 2 and up to immature adults and you know what, they are completely correct in that assessment. I recently had the opportunity to receive Slicka the penguin from the Big Eye Dummies collection and I have to admit, me and my partner played around for it for a good long while before handing it off to the stepkids.
Big Eye Dummies are incredibly cute, incredibly wacky designer plush toys that come with two sets of interchangeable eye and mouth pieces letting you change the way your toy looks by mixing and matching to your heart’s content!
Big Eye Dummies were designed and created in New York City by David Lipson who is a professional Animation Producer and Director. He has worked on television shows like Word World, Lizzie McGuire, Schoolhouse Rock, and also shorts for Sesame Street!
The quality of Big Eye Dummies is incredible; the eyes and mouth are gently sewed down so after you cut the threads you can immediately begin mixing and matching. What I love the most about the toys is that the interchangeable parts are magnetic; they are not Velcro which has the tendency to get pieces of lint, hair, and whatever little easily-stickable things that are on your floors or furniture caught in it and after a while becomes unusable. Because Big Eye Dummies uses magnets to stick the eyes and mouths on the plush toys, they will last a good long time!
Not surprising in the least, Big Eye Dummies have received great recognition for their toys and have even received Creative Child Magazine’s Preferred Choice Award!
We love Big Eye Dummies; the kids had a great time mixing and matching them and I think my partner and I had just about as much fun with them! You can purchase Big Eye Dummies on their website for $19.99 each.
Big Eye Dummies is giving away a free doll every month! If you want to enter their contests, become a fan of Big Eye Dummies on Facebook. Further instructions are provided on the site.
New toys are made with petroleum and trees and sadly, a lot of toy companies do not take into consideration that these are resources that we need to last us a good, long while. That is precisely why it is so important to support toy companies and buy your toys from companies that use recycled resources. These toy companies also use less packaging and they recycle manufacturing waste.
Here are some toys from respectable companies that use recycled materials for infants, toddlers, and children up to age 9.
Green Toys Cookware and Dining Set
Colorful pot, skillet, and place settings made from 100% recycled milk jugs; phthalate and BPA-free, and packaged in recycled, recyclable cardboard. ($26.50)
Sprig Toys Discover Rig
Truck made with the Sprig’s trademarked recycled wood and reclaimed plastic composite; self-powered LED lights and sounds. ($34)
Sexuality is something to be celebrated and explored and we hope to help you do just that with the articles and reviews we publish in our love and sex category.
If you forget how to draw a hopscotch (I know it has been quite a few years since you were playing hopscotch at recess), check out eBeanstalk’s 
The 
The 
My First Bubbles Peek-a-Boo Surprise
Makin’ Mud Pies
Cannonball Splash Water Slide
Nerf Super Soaker Shot Blast
Explaining to your young child that a new sibling will be joining the family can be a pretty difficult task; Beleduc, a company that prides itself on helping children to learn during their play, have created 5-layer puzzles that make it easy to teach children about the human body while putting together a fun puzzle.
The 
When we first received this toy it was right around back to school time and since one of my stepdaughters was headed to kindergarten and the other was headed to Head Start (pre-kindergarten) it was a great experience to be able to let them play school and get acquainted with the school bus, since they would both be taking a bus to their schools. This is a must-have toy for small children who are either just starting school in the coming year or who are still having trouble adjusting in school; this makes it fun for them to experience the school environment right in your own home and get rid of any fear, hesitation or conflicting thoughts about the beginning of the going to school process your children may have. The girls just loved this toy and it quickly became something that they regularly wanted to play with, even now.
Looking for a fun, engaging and educational way to spend time with your child? Then look no further, the U-Play Mat is here. 
The quality of Big Eye Dummies is incredible; the eyes and mouth are gently sewed down so after you cut the threads you can immediately begin mixing and matching. What I love the most about the toys is that the interchangeable parts are magnetic; they are not Velcro which has the tendency to get pieces of lint, hair, and whatever little easily-stickable things that are on your floors or furniture caught in it and after a while becomes unusable. Because Big Eye Dummies uses magnets to stick the eyes and mouths on the plush toys, they will last a good long time!
