About.com Babies & Toddlers

Holiday Gifts for Toddlers

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:44:38 +0000

_{Radio Flyer Scoot About}
_{Photo © PriceGrabber}

I made a run to the library today and along the way caught a glimpse of the mall. There wasn't an empty parking space to be had. I cannot even imagine how bad it's going to be on Friday. For all of you celebrating this week -- Happy Thanksgiving and good luck on all your gift buying excursions! Here are some ideas to get you started:

Gift Ideas for Young Toddlers
These toys make great toddler gifts for the 9-to-18-month-old child who is just beginning to gain mobility and become interested in the mechanical workings of the world around him. You'll want to purchase sturdy toys that can handle repetitive use as well as toys that allow him to practice his emerging social and motor skills.

Gift Ideas for Older Toddlers
These toys are for the 18-to-24-month-old child who is mastering mobility and exploring the more physical aspects of his world. These toys help him refine his large motor skills plus they allow him to practice his growing vocabulary.

Gift Ideas for 2-Year-Olds
These toys are for the 2-to-3-year-old child who can be very active at times and yet will readily engage in quiet, cognitive activities at other times. This age is a time of both balance and discovery, which can be enhanced with the right toys. These gifts will do just that.

And of course, don't forget about getting your toddler some stocking stuffers. I like to use this time of year to replace old, worn-out items like socks, crayons, markers and toothbrushes and then I throw in a few fun items, too.

Stuck on what to get for Dad or Grandma? I've got a round-up of great gift ideas if you need help figuring out what to buy for other folks in the family, too.

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Holiday Gifts for Toddlers originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 11:44:38.

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Soap Flakes for Holiday Crafts

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:00:20 +0000

And speaking of gingerbread houses, Barbara writes:

"I am trying to build a gingerbread house. I need snow and, of course, I do remember when you just beat Ivory flakes. If I grate the bars, will I get the same effect?"

Yes, this will totally work. Craft recipes (like soap crayons and paints) sometimes call for Ivory Soap Flakes. Unfortunately, the company stopped making the flakes in 1993. Here's how you can make your own soap flakes and maintain the quality of these recipes.

I do recommend using the smaller holes (like the kind used to make extra-fine cheese) for this activity and of course the finished product will not be edible. This is fine, though, since gingerbread houses are rarely eaten, anyway, and are purely for visual effect. Even if you could eat it, some of the items (like gum drops and hard candies) that make great decoration are actually choking hazards for toddlers, so close supervision during this activity is required.

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Soap Flakes for Holiday Crafts originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 15:00:20.

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Making Gingerbread Men and Houses with Toddlers

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:00:57 +0000

_{Gingerbread Men}
_{DaveFayram / Flickr}

Making gingerbread cookies is one of my favorite holiday activities. We love to make the men and flat pieces for gingerbread houses, too. Like making cinnamon applesauce ornaments, this is an activity where toddlers can participate in stirring, mixing, measuring and using cookie cutters. If you're not into baking or are short on time, try picking up a gingerbread house kit like this one from Wilton where all you have to do is start decorating (just watch out for items your toddler can choke on like gum drops.)

For years, I've been using this recipe to make gingerbread men because it's low in fat and the cookies come out very soft. For houses, you'll want one that crisps up like the gingerbread recipes here (house instructions included).

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Making Gingerbread Men and Houses with Toddlers originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 14:00:57.

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Holiday Shopping Deals and Free Shipping for Online Shoppers

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:59:22 +0000

_{mysza / Flickr}

Today as I left Costco, I was handed a booklet of coupons letting me know about all the sales going on over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I didn't really need this information, though, since I've been keeping up with all the rumors (and truths) online. I love going to Fat Wallet to see their long lists of Black Friday deals. It's easy to find out whether something I'm thinking about buying is going to be on sale that day (and it saved me from some mishaps today).

I also love the Black Friday coverage on the Productopia Blog (an About.com service, by the way) because while long lists are great, I can be a bit lazy when it comes to comparing and working out the numbers. It starts to get a bit painful like trying on bathing suits and then I implode from information overload. They're doing the bean counting for me on some of the items I'm thinking about this year. No toys, yet, but how about that KitchenAid Mixer for mom this year? (Totally justifiable because it can be used to make lots of healthy snacks for the kids, don't you know?)

All in all, though, none of the Black Friday deals are sounding so good that I want to get up at 5:00 a.m. and brave the crowds. The crowds were bad enough just today. I know there are a lot of folks who head out to the stores and get all their gift buying done in a day. I'm just not one of them. I prefer to do my holiday shopping from the comfort of my living room with a side of pecan pie. If you're doing the same, be sure to check out Single Parents Guide Jennifer Wolf's list of stores that are offering free shipping this year. Relax and save a buck at the same time. I guess I'm just more of a Cyber Monday kind of gal.

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Holiday Shopping Deals and Free Shipping for Online Shoppers originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 21:59:22.

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Fingertip Amputations Prompt Recall of Maclaren Strollers

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:18:26 +0000

_{Maclaren Quest}
_{Photo © CPSC}

No matter how ridiculous you think the recent Baby Einstein DVD return program is, and unlike the debate over whether or not to continue using the recalled Little Tikes Workshop nails, what we've got here is a much more serious situation. I'm talking about over a million strollers that are affected with reported injuries. Yes, 12 actual fingertips were sliced off after getting caught in the hinge mechanism during opening or closing, so please don't ignore this recall. Stop using your stroller and get the repair kit from Maclaren if you have one of these sold in the last 10 years:

Volo
Triumph
Quest Sport
Quest Mod
Techno XT
Techno XLR
Twin Triumph
Twin Techno
Easy Traveller

If you don't have this stroller now but it's on your list and you're looking to save a buck by getting one used, be aware of what you're getting. Baby Products Guide Heather Corley says:

"Maclaren strollers have typically been popular for resale since they hold up well over time. Would-be used stroller buyers will want to make sure that used Maclaren strollers have had the repair kit for the hinge recall installed."

She's also got more tips on buying used strollers and ways to keep your toddler safe in the stroller even when there are no design or manufacturing defects to worry about.

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Fingertip Amputations Prompt Recall of Maclaren Strollers originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 15:18:26.

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Celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover's Month in November

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:31:17 +0000

_{Yum! Peanut Butter}
_{Jason Tromm / Flickr}

That's right. November is the time to celebrate that ooey-gooey, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth treat -- peanut butter. There are a lot of reasons to love peanut butter. It's a great source of protein. It's a natural part of a vegetarian or vegan diet. It's got no cholesterol. It's very low in trans fat and the natural/organic types have no transfat at all. It's also packed with magnesium, folate and niacin.

So what's not to love? Well, for one thing, if you've got a history of allergies in the family, you should wait before introducing peanut butter to your child. You've also got to be careful with little ones even when allergies aren't a factor, because it can be a choking hazard.

All in all though, peanut butter is an easy way pack the most nutrition into your child's diet. To help you and your child celebrate, I've pulled together some of my favorite peanut butter recipes in a month-long "I Love Peanut Butter" newsletter. If you hate to cook but still want snacks that pack the peanut butter punch, try two of my son's favorites: Clif Zbar Peanut Butter Snack Bar (compare prices) and Late July Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies. Both are organic, healthy and tasty to boot. I've also got some peanut butter trivia you can quiz yourself on, so start celebrating with your wee one today.

Celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover's Month in November originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 23:31:17.

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Post-Halloween Dental Care For Toddlers

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:52:52 +0000

_{Mark and Allegra / Flickr}

Trick-or-Treating and Halloween parties are over and now you've probably got an industrial-sized supply of candy. With all that candy around, it's difficult to explain to a toddler why she can only have one or two pieces a day. All your effort will be well worth it, however, when her teeth are healthy and she still has room for nutritious food. Dentistry Guide Shawn Watson has some ways to set limits on your child's candy consumption so you can manage all that sugary goodness to your toddler's delight and still keep her teeth free of decay. For instance, you might be thinking that letting your her have a piece or two a day between meals is the way to go, but Watson advises against this and for good reason:

"Schedule candy time once a day, preferably with snacks or meals, not in between. It is always best to eat sweets with other foods. The presence of the additional food increases the saliva production in the mouth. Plaque thrives on the acids produced by sugar. This increase in saliva helps to break down the sugar quickly, which in turn decreases the amount of acid produced in the mouth."

Right now is one of those times when dental care is at the forefront of your mind, but good oral hygiene is important every day. Baby teeth are more than just a temporary set of teeth and it's important to take care of them from today until tooth fairy time.

Learn More or Share Your Ideas:

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Post-Halloween Dental Care For Toddlers originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 13:52:52.

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How to Carve a Pumpkin

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:54:10 +0000

_{Carved Pumpkins}
_{alicia rae / Flickr}

Just walking around the neighborhood lately has revealed a sad lack of Jack-o'-Lanterns. This struck me as a bit odd since it's so close to Halloween, but then I had to consider that I haven't carved any pumpkins myself in recent years. I found a book from ages ago that came with patterns and pumpkin-carving tools -- dusty and unopened -- in my closet just last week. Oops. It's just another activity I didn't get around to in the hustle and bustle that has become Halloween these days.

This year, though, I'm going to do it. There's a church within walking distance that has a pumpkin patch set up, so my son and I are going to head down there today and get us a nice one and carve it up. I've watched this instructional video (where I learned that carved pumpkins may only last a day to a week thus explaining my neighborhood's lack-o'-lanterns) and picked out a simple pumpkin pattern (I'm going for happy rather than spooky) so I'm ready to go.

If you're thinking about carving a pumpkin with your toddler this year, make sure you do it safely. Pumpkin carving tools are sharp and pumpkin flesh isn't the most yielding stuff even for the sharpest of knives. Make sure you keep your toddler at a distance as you carve and put sharp objects out of reach when not in use. If you can, have another adult around to supervise your toddler as you work. Remember that roasted pumpkin seeds are a great treat for adults, but can be a choking hazard for toddlers. And of course, when you light the candle inside, make sure your put away any matches or lighters.

An alternative to carving a pumpkin is to cut out the eyes, nose or other markings on your pattern or template, tape it to the pumpkin and let your toddler color the pumpkin with a black magic marker (like a stencil). You can also keep your toddler occupied and safe as you carve nearby by putting him in his high chair with a miniature pumpkin and some markers or crayons or set him up at his own table with some pumpkins and paint. You could even paint your pumpkin first and wait to carve it just before Halloween.

More Fun with Pumpkins

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How to Carve a Pumpkin originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 17:54:10.

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Last-Minute Halloween Costumes

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:00:30 +0000

My Halloween costume this year came about rather accidentally. I went camping last weekend and had these flying goggles that I brought to avoid smoke in my eyes. I figured I would be doing a fair amount of cooking over the campfire. The other mom I was camping with (who did way more cooking than me and ended up with the goggles on her head instead) laughed and said I looked like the Red Baron and thus, my costume was born. How easy is that? Goggles, red scarf, leather jacket, khakis, boots. So easy you could even turn your toddler into the Red Baron if you were pressed for time.

I think there may still be a little time -- depending on the shipping option you choose -- if you're looking to purchase a Halloween costume for your toddler online. If you're like me and can't make up your mind or like to procrastinate, Sherri has a ton of ideas for last-minute costumes and most of them use stuff you probably have around the house. (No purchase necessary - sweet words for this frugal mama!) Many of these would work for a toddler or an adult, so no matter whose costume is undecided, she's got you covered.

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Last-Minute Halloween Costumes originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 19:00:30.

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Daylight Saving Time is Not Over Yet

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:04:18 +0000

Some users of Windows who haven't installed the DST patch and others with clocks programmed to end Daylight Saving Time on the last Sunday of October got a little surprise this morning. But it's not quite time to disrupt your child's sleep schedule just yet. Next Sunday (Nov. 1) is when Standard Time begins and you'll need to move your clocks back an hour.

That means now is a good time to start transitioning your child into a new bedtime. A toddler with a bedtime of 7:30 p.m. is going to feel like he's hitting the hay at 8:30 p.m. after the change takes place. If you start tonight, you can start putting your child to bed ten minutes later each night and by the time you get to the time change, you're all caught up. Some parents play it by ear, though, rather than make any changes. My son didn't mind the later bedtime as much as he did the earlier waking with the time change in the Spring, for example, but your child's temperament and sleep preferences will determine how well he adjusts. If you have a grumpy guy or gal on your hands if bedtime is ever late, then I suggest giving the transition a try.

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Daylight Saving Time is Not Over Yet originally appeared on About.com Babies & Toddlers on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 14:04:18.

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