5 Ways to Help You Child Improve Their Writing Skills

Learning to write is such a huge part of our children’s development. It helps them build confidence,
discover their creativity, and express themselves to the rest of the world. Wherever your children are in
their development, they could always use a helping hand and strong focus on improving their writing skills.
But like everything else with our kids, if it’s not fun, they’re simply not going to do it. And who can blame
them? They’ll have their whole adult lives to do things because they ‘have to’. Childhood is about play,
and even working to improve their writing skills should be as playful as possible. This isn’t about tests or
grades; it’s about giving them the tools to succeed in life. So here’s a look at five ways you can help you
child become a better writer that they’ll actually embrace.

Set up a chalkboard wall. While your child is learning to write, you’re going to want to set up opportunities
for them to experience writing as art. And one great way to do that is by creating a chalkboard wall in
their room. You could buy a chalkboard and set it on an easel or hang it from the wall, but you should try
painting a chalkboard on the wall itself. It’s cheap and easy, and there’s something about a chalkboard that
just encourages kids to write. At first they may use it to draw, but you can sit with them and suggest words
or stories they can connect with their images.
Bring writing wherever you go. You’ve got the chalkboard wall, but opportunities for writing don’t have
to stay in the bedroom and the classroom. Pick up art supplies that will let them practice their writing
wherever they are. Sidewalk chalk is fun and easy to use, and you’ll never have to worry about the mess it
makes. Bathtub paint is another fun options, so they can show you the new words they’ve learned during
bath time. And an etch-a-sketch [Read more…]

Zombie Zoo Review and Giveaway

Zombies are the new vampires! They are everywhere, even in Little Man’s preschool. Why just the other day the kids were playing ‘zombie’ where one of them lays down then gets up and chases the other kids around making odd noises. Not sure how this game is won, but if its anything like a zombie movie, there aren’t any winners.

If your kids are obsessed with zombies and all things gory, but you know the horror movies and horror memorabilia is a bit much for them right now, give Zombie Zoo a shot. This line of toys follows the adventures of five zombie animals. Boo the cat, Muck the monkey, Rob the rabbit, Stitch the pig and
Toxic the snake. Each critter has its own personality and quirkiness to it.


Rob is the leader and is a great listener, he has the best ideas and is always helping the other animals whenever he can. Muck is a playful monkey who loves eating snacks and partying. Not what you would expect from a bunch of stitched up, reanimated critters. The [Read more…]

How to Keep Your Kids Entertained While You’re Working

The stay at home mom is swiftly becoming a thing of the past. Sure, we always have some time to focus on
our family, but for many of us the work has to go on. There’s a lot to juggle when you work from a home
office. You’ve got to deliver results, or the arrangement won’t last. But it isn’t always easy for your kids
to understand that there are certain times you can’t give them the level of attention they want. So for their
satisfaction and your sanity, you’ve got to come up with ways to keep them entertained while you’re on the
job. Here’s a look at a few methods you can use to get your work in even while the little ones are around.

For the toddlers. Toddlers are tough, because you generally can’t leave them alone. But there are ways to
keep them entertained while you work. One interesting idea is to try a play exchange. I know, you might
think I’m crazy to suggest bringing a second toddler into the space when you have to work, but consider
it for a second. You may have to get them started, but more often than not they’ll spend the afternoon
entertaining each other. They can hang around nearby, but won’t need as much from you. And it’ll come
back to you twofold when the other parent takes both the kids off your hands for a while. That will
guarantee at least a day or two a week of complete quiet. If a play date doesn’t work for you, think about
giving your kid his own keyboard to play with. Toddlers are like little sponges, and if he sees you tapping
away on the keyboard, he’s going to want to do the same. Give them their own, and they’ll be more than
content. Or finally, pick up a big tub of nontoxic bubbles. Every once in a while, take a bubble break. You
can blow bubbles while still focusing on your work, and it will entertain your little toddler during those
moments when they just won’t leave your alone.

For preschoolers. Now they’re talking more, and they’re much more active. So your entertainment is going
to have to be a bit more interactive. Think about turning your lunch breaks into real events. You’ve got [Read more…]

5 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Immunity

When it comes to your kids, you obviously want to do everything to can to make sure that they are as
healthy and happy as possible. Unfortunately, you can’t make them live in a bubble until the age of 18,
which means they’re going to come in contact with all manner of germs, viruses, allergens, and other
substances that could cause them to suffer from immune reactions. But rather than simply treating
symptoms as they occur, you can try to boost their immunity in order to keep them healthier on the whole.
Here are a few options you may want to look into.

1. Daily vitamins. This is an easy one for most parents as there are so many daily supplements made
specifically for kids, with the proper levels of vitamins and nutrients they need to grow strong
and develop properly. You can talk to your doctor about which vitamins are best for your kids
(tests can determine if they have any particular deficiencies you should focus on). But in terms of
immunity, you’ll certainly want to ensure that they’re getting adequate levels of vitamin C. You
may want to discuss other immune boosters like zinc with your pediatrician before you give them
to kids since you’ll no doubt find that certain supplements (heavy metals, in particular) are not
recommended for children under a certain age.

2. Diet. A balanced diet that contains plenty of fresh foods and vital nutrients is essential for the
ongoing health of your kids, helping them to thrive and develop correctly. So leave the processed
foods on the shelves and shop the perimeter of the store (where the fresh options reside). You [Read more…]

Teach My Preschooler Review and Giveaway

As our little guys and gals get bigger and bigger, we all know the day will come when they will pull on their backpack and trot into preschool for the first time.
We all try our best to prepare them as best we can, practicing letters and numbers, reading to them, teaching little lessons about life when appropriate. Often times, the best way to keep your kids interested is by making a game of it, playing with toys and keeping the lessons fun.

It is this way of thinking with got the Teach My Preschooler the iParenting Media award as well as the Dr. Toy Top 100 toy award. With this package, you get 4 packets each, with emphasis on a different preschool subject- math, reading, printing and counting. Each packets has flash cards, foam letters or numbers, activities and tons of different ways to learn and have fun with your kids!


The fun part of Teach My Preschooler is it’s similarities to a board game. So if your kids like playing board games, it can be easy to incorporate this into learning time. Another [Read more…]

Hop Screening

Tis the season for bunnies,chicks, eggs and of course Hopping.
In the spirit of the Easter season, we recently held a Hop screening in our living room, complete with party favors and loads of fun.

We had some of the neighborhood kids come by and watch the movie Hop, starring Russell Brand as E.B. EB is the star of the movie he is the nephew of the Easter Bunny and a bit of a rebel who leaves home to become a drummer in a rock n roll band in LA.


In the process of leaving home, EB meets (or rather gets hit by) Fred, who is a very unmotivated individual. The story is easy for kids to follow and is fun. For adults, it is something that has been done before, to a degree. This movie reminds me of The Santa Clause, in that it deals with a heavily religious holiday without being religious, taking a more light hearted feel to the holiday. This is quite the compliment considering EB is actually an animated character. Tim Allen in Santa Clause [Read more…]

Spot It! Review and Contest

My kids range from 9 years old down to 3 years of age. Finding games to play with our entire family isn’t always easy. Whether a board or card game, someone is usually not old enough to play, or the older kids are simply too old to play a younger game. No one likes being left out of a game right? This makes it difficult at times to make everyone happy on game night. When we do find a game that let’s everyone jump in and enjoy it becomes a regular favorite that we just have to share with others!

This week our game night battles came to a happy end with Spot It, from Blue Orange Games.

Spot It! is a fun, fast paced and or even slow paced depending on how old the kids are game loading with lots of fun. There’s 4 different ways you can play this game which makes it even more enjoyable. All variations of the game are easy to understand and three out of my four kids were able to get the hang of each variation.The one game that we enjoyed the most was called – The Tower. Here’s how you play it

We [Read more…]

Getting Your Kids to Eat Their Vegetables

Last year, it was reported on CNN.com that only 22% of children between the ages of 2 and 5 are currently
meeting the government’s regulations when it comes to vegetable consumption. This isn’t good news
because we all know that especially when it comes to a child’s development, vegetables are a vital
nutritional resource; they’re a building block chocked full of the vitamins and minerals that they need to
become healthy and strong individuals.

However, if you have a child, you also know that if they don’t like veggies, it can be an extreme battle of
the wills when it comes to getting them to eat them. The truth of the matter is that kids don’t care much
about what all of the research says. All they know is that “Vegetables are icky.” For them, it’s just that
simple.

If you’re someone who’s at your wits end when it comes to getting your kids to eat their vegetables, here
are some ideas to try.

Do some taste tests. Although there a few, it’s rare that children hate all vegetables. In other words,
if they don’t like peas, they may like carrots. If they won’t want squash, they may be open to some corn
on the cob. Don’t get immediately discouraged because the salad that you make continually remains on
their plate every time you make it. Get creative with your presentation methods. Hold a taste test contest
at home where a first prize ribbon is awarded to the vegetable that your child likes the most (and eats
the most of). There are a couple of benefits to this. One, they had to eat at least a spoonful of a couple of
vegetables to know which one they liked and two, they got rewarded for actually finishing a portion of
their favorite one.

Let them create some of the menus with you. If you’ve ever gone back and forth with your child
about why they should finish the food on their plate, before long, you may notice that it’s not so much
about the vegetables, but them feeling like they are being forced against their will to do something that
they don’t want to do. In the wise words of [Read more…]