kids Archives - Page 87 of 127 - Have Sippy Will Travel

Helping Kids Overcome a Fear of Dentistry

January 27, 2012 by Samantha 2 Comments

Most parents don’t worry about how their kids will react to a dental visit until it’s too late (and a
phobia has already formed). Or perhaps they consider the possibility, but feel that there’s no reason
to raise the issue until there is actually a problem. However, this is a rather shortsighted position
considering how many children (and even adults) seem to harbor a fear of dentistry. So it behooves you
to approach the situation proactively by finding ways to prepare your kids for impending dental visits so
that they aren’t alarmed when they arrive and the poking and prodding starts. Here are just a few steps
that every parent can take to lessen the possibility of dentophobia.

1. Find a pediatric dentist. The first step is really to find a fantastic dentist that has experience
working with kids. Children may be especially afraid of the dentist for a number of reasons that
their parents don’t understand. Think about it; they’re forced to lie in a chair while someone
in a mask and creepy specs forces their mouth open and pokes around with pointy, metal
instruments. Add in the sounds of the drill (or other upset patients), the smell of disinfectant,
and the awful taste of various cleansers and rinses and it’s no wonder kids freak out. A pediatric
dentist understands these concerns and compensates in a variety of ways so that your kids will
[Read more…]

Filed Under: family, health, kids

Preparing Your Child for College

January 25, 2012 by Samantha 4 Comments

An argument could be made that preparation for college begins the day you bring your little bundle
of joy into the world. For your part, you set up a college fund to start saving for his future and you
begin to teach him the basics. Over the course of his childhood you will help him to learn academically,
but you will also instill in him a love of knowledge, a strong work ethic, and a sense of personal
responsibility; all will help him once he is out of the nest and on his own, working towards a future in
which he is independent, confident, capable, and self-sufficient. All those skills required for study in online accredited colleges, which require a different set of personal skills than state universities. At least, that’s the goal. At least, that’s the goal. But if you fail to adequately prepare your child for the rigorous demands of study at the college level, he may never realize these dreams. So here are a few areas you’ll certainly want to look into as a way to get your child ready for residence in the ivory tower of education.

1. AP classes. Advanced prep classes are probably just what you suspect; they are college level
courses meant to prepare your child for what he will face at a university. Often, they come with
bonuses like a higher possible GPA (5.0 as opposed to 4.0) and even college credit (so your child
can get some of his general education out of the way in high school). However, they are quite
difficult, so only advanced students should consider taking them.

2. Testing. The biggest hurdle for most kids looking to get into college is the standardized testing
they must complete. Your child will certainly have to take the SAT (Standardized Admission
Test), the results of which will determine the universities willing to consider him for entrance.
And you [Read more…]

Filed Under: education, kids

W!N an iplay Non-spill Sippy Cup

January 24, 2012 by Samantha 2 Comments

I know that many of you have your kids off sippy cups by age 4- but for me, my guy is still a hot mess with his cups and so, we still use our sippies. We are loving the new Green Sprouts non spill sippy cup that my little guy just got- he likes the animals, of course- I like that it doesn’t spill!

New Interchangeable Design! BPA free! This sippy cup is designed to keep our baby’s beverage from spilling.

BPA and PVC free! All parts are interchangeable with all other green sprouts bottles.

Designed with a one-way valve to prevent messy spills. Soft sippy spout is

gentle on baby’s gums and teeth. Soft-grip handles are removable. Available [Read more…]

Filed Under: baby, giveaway, kids, review

How to Make Your Backyard More Kid Friendly

January 24, 2012 by Samantha 6 Comments

With the current generation of youngsters more technologically connected than ever before, using
iPods, smart phones and video games at unprecedented levels, many parents are searching for ways
to encourage healthy outdoor activities for their children. Creating a vibrant, exciting and kid friendly
backyard for your little ones to enjoy is the perfect way to nudge them away from sedentary video
screens and towards an active lifestyle. No matter what size your home’s backyard happens to be, there
are plenty of convenient and inexpensive ways to transform a fenced off patch of grass into an oasis of
fun and adventure for your family.

When you first begin envisioning a more kid friendly backyard, your first inclination may be to fill it to
the brim with toys, jungle gyms and swing sets. In actuality, carving out nooks and crannies of empty
space is the best way to go because the room to play and run around is essential. Of course, a selection
of hands on components like slides and swings are always welcomed, but be sure to spread your
stations out so that open space is always accentuated. One of the easiest ways to create the illusion
of space in cramped backyards is to turn the fences into windows to a new world. If you are artistically
inclined, spend a weekend with the kids painting the backyard fences according to their favorite themes.
You can create a cowboy themed Western landscape, surround the yard with your child’s favorite
cartoon [Read more…]

Filed Under: home, kids

Kings Island- Now With Dinosaurs Alive!

January 21, 2012 by Samantha 25 Comments

Where else can you go on one of ten roller coasters while your kids play on one of eighteen Peanuts themed attractions (ok, while mom takes the kids and dad rides the coasters, in our case)? King’s Island is one of those places that make you realize what an amusement park should be. It is clean, family friendly, the lines are manageable, and they have a waterpark that is included in the price of the theme park- what??? Yep- that is what makes Kings Island my favorite theme park of all time. Mark it down. I have been all over the world, to 29 countries, and all up and down the coast and to about half the 50 states- and if you have only 1 theme park to go to- I’d make it Kings Island, for sure. And it just got even better!

Right now there is also a really neat exhibit called Dinosaurs Alive!, only $5 with park admission, which is a recreation of a half dozen dinosaur scenes. These scenes vary from carnivores setting up a mud pit trap to long necked sauropods. These scenes are astoundingly accurate and kind of surreal when you get down to it. They are on motion sensors, so they move and roar as you walk by. Eerily, you can pass by a recreation flash flood scene from a dinosaur era. Then a second scene showing the deceased dinos and a third showing the fossilized remains of said dinos- sort of strange- not scary, though. Very interesting and mesmerizing. Not only for adults but also for kids. The dinosaurs are realistic but not overly scary for kids.

“Dinosaurs Alive! at Kings Island features more than 60 life-sized dinosaurs in a 12.5 acre Jurassic forest setting, including 56 animatronic models.
Highlights of Dinosaurs Alive! include the vicious-looking Irritator and its cousins the Baryonyx and the Spinosaurus, the lizard-like Stegosaurus, the meat-eating Tyrannosaurus Rex, the three-horned Triceratops and the flying Pteranodon.

Four [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, kids, travel Tagged With: family, family fun, family travel, Home Entertainment, kids, ohio, theme park, travel, water park

How to Fund Your Child’s Education

January 20, 2012 by Samantha 5 Comments

Even if your child is still a toddler that just means there is plenty of time to start thinking about their
college education! Okay, so this might be scary for you to consider – you don’t want them all grown
up just yet – but, especially if you are paying back your own student loans, thinking about your child’s
future now instead of later means that your additional planning time will help them out in the long
run … and may give them an extra boost for success. Besides starting up the college fund most people
wish their parents had put away for them, here are a few other sources to help fund your child’s future
educational experiences.

Scholarships and fellowships. Scholarships and fellowships are the best option because they’re totally
free! Scholarships can be found almost anywhere you look (your child’s future guidance counselor will
prove invaluable when the time comes to hunt them up), and are usually tailored to a particular area of
your child’s expertise (if they’re musically inclined, for instance, you would look into music scholarships).
Outstanding scholars are usually subject to a fantastic array of scholarships and fellowships as well.

Grants (or more free money!) You can look into applying for a federal Pell Grant, which are offered to
undergraduate students whose families make under $20,000 annually. Another grant that may prove
helpful is the Federal Supplement Educational Opportunity Grant, designed for needy undergrads. If
your child maintains a 3.0 GPA during high school, during their first year in college [Read more…]

Filed Under: education, family, kids

French Toast- the best clothes for the best kids- W!N Yours Here

January 19, 2012 by Samantha 2 Comments

School Uniforms have classically been plain and average looking. French Toast is a school uniform company- but none of the that. Their clothing is of high quality, classic simple designs, and also low cost. The tops can be customized by adding your school emblem making it a classic school uniform or left as they are. The uniforms come in both boys school uniforms and girls school uniforms.

We had the opportunity to try out a few pieces. First up, the long sleeve knit polo, this piece is a classic, as part of a uniform or simply an addition to your young one’s wardrobe. It can be paired with just about any skirt maybe something a bit loud and bright.

The flat front all season pant is up next these pants have a nice fit and are very comfortable according Kamikaze. She likes how the pants are a little wider at the bottom. Would go good with a sweater or even a nice short sleeved [Read more…]