The Crew News. . . . . . . » Child Development

Lullaby and Good Night

Lorie — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:31:07 +0000

Mollie Sleeping Bag from Out of the Toy Box

I’ve chuckled to myself while watching my 10-month old grandson fight going to sleep at times, when I would give anything to be able to turn off the world and zone out for a power nap. He doesn’t want to miss anything going on around him, but when he finally succumbs, he wakes up refreshed and in a much more cheerful mood. It’s as simple as that. Just sleep.

It is my personal opinion that the world would be a much happier place if it would simply get some sleep. I know I feel better when I get a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night. Not that it happens often, but there is a noticeable difference when it does.

And if I, an almost 40-year old woman, can benefit from full eight hours of rest at night, what about babies, children, and teenagers, who experience rapid growth spurts and tremendous hormonal changes in their bodies on a daily basis? How much sleep do children really need?

The answer is a lot more than we think and probably a lot more than they’re actually getting. Of course, everybody is different, but I think this article has some good guidelines.

Here are some tips for helping your child get a good night’s rest:

Turn off the television early. Give them some time to get that last show out of their mind. This goes for the computer too.

Read to them. It benefits them in more way than you can imagine. It they are older, they can quietly read to themselves.

Have them take a warm bath. A warm bath before bed is relaxing and calming.

Adjust the temperature of the room. Everyone usually sleeps better when the temperature of the room is mild and on the cool side. Shoot for between 65 and 70 degrees.

Be consistent as possible with bedtimes.

Be careful about late night snacking. Too much heavy food on the stomach can make it difficult to go to sleep and also to have peaceful sleep. Foods that contain caffeine, such as chocolate and colas, should be avoided during the evenings.
Augie Alligator Sleeping Bag from www.OutoftheToyBox.com

And speaking of sleep, these adorable sleeping bags would make any child want to hit the sack!

Fun Exercising for the Whole Family

Lorie — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:24:21 +0000

My son-in-law is doing a research paper on childhood obesity, and I have been quite intrigued to read his research findings. This subject is in the headlines quite often, and there is no disputing that Americans have a weight problem and have handed it down to their children. Too much television, video games, and social websites like My Space and Face Book, definitely keep children indoors and in stationary positions for long periods of time. While none of these things are inherently wrong, moderation is the key to keeping kids from being sedentary.

We all know that exercise is good for our bodies, but let me go a step further. When we exercise and our heart rate goes up, our body releases endorphins, or chemicals in the brain. These chemicals can moderate our appetite, among other things. I’m not suggesting that we make our children run five miles a day, but incorporating physical activity into our daily lives is one way to establish a healthy way of life from early on.

We parents need to offer some alternatives to endless television viewing and computer use. Out of the Toy Box has a fantastic selection of fun toys and games that will draw families outside and get them moving.

Check out these cool, colorful jump ropes by Just Jump It. They’re reasonably priced so everyone can have their own, and there is also a 16-foot group jump rope that the whole family can play with together. Imagine how your children will feel with mom and dad jumping alongside them! This skipper ball and rope is also a variation of a jump rope and helps to develop coordination, as well as getting the heart pumping.

Now that the days are warmer and longer, everyone can go outside and play a game of Yackle Ball. Yackle Ball is fun for every member of the family because it is specially designed for easy catching, so that even little ones or special needs kids can play along.

My personal favorite is this adorable croquet set by Melissa and Doug. What child won’t want to go outside and play a round of croquet with this colorful equipment?

Happy Giddy Croquet by Melissa & Doug

Get Your Daily Dose of Vitamin D

Lorie — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:19:30 +0000

After a particularly cold winter for this part of Mississippi, the flowers are finally blooming and spring fever has officially hit everyone I know. I am enjoying getting outside and doing yard work right now, which is a stark contrast to my opinion of yard work in July, when it is at least a 100 degrees and 100 percent humidity. Unfortunately, my allergies are in full bloom, too, but I’ll take allergies over sweltering heat any day.

This is no time to be cooped up indoors watching television or playing on the computer. Let’s draw our children outdoors for a heavy dose of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps aid the absorption of calcium and phosphorous in the body. UV rays from the sun trigger vitamin D synthesis in the skin. How cool is that? That is why spring and fall are the perfect times of the year to be outside. Even though little ones (and older ones) should still wear sunscreen for prolonged time outdoors, the sun’s rays are not as strong as they are in the summer, so there is less chance of sunburn.

With the Easter bunny coming soon and all the spring birthday parties that are being planned, not to mention first trips to the beach and my all-time favorite excuse which is “just because I love you,” here are some great gift ideas for some outdoor toys.

These gardening “tools” are colorful and fun and will get your child working alongside you in the garden or flowerbed.

How cute is this bug catcher by Melissa and Doug? Your child will spend hours catching rolie-polies and grasshoppers.

Are your children begging to go swimming? How about letting them run through this adorable sprinkler while you work on getting the pool in shape for summer? Check out all our fantastic outdoor toys right here. There is something to get everyone outdoors and into the light!

Fun Times In The Kitchen

Lorie — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 04:22:32 +0000

Sometimes we adults forget that the most mundane chores such as cooking dinner, can, in fact, be quite exciting to a young child. Cooking together is a fantastic way to spend quality time with children while teaching them a valuable life skill and even a little math and science to boot. I recently bought my niece Zoe this adorable little chef’s outfit by Melissa & Doug for her fourth birthday, and we had our own pretend cooking show right in the kitchen. I took the time to help her measure and count, and I even explained technical things, like why baking powder goes into cookie dough. She might not remember everything we talked about, but I know that she had the time of her life, and the best part for her was getting to eat what she had made and then serving it to others with a big proud grin.

I have found that children love the hands-on part of cooking. They love putting their little fingers in dough, rolling it into little balls and then patting it out. I have also found that if they have a part in creating it, they will be more likely to eat it, which is a great trick to getting them to eat healthier foods. They might not eat raisins or celery alone, but show them how to create “Ants on a Log” and you might be surprised to see them gobble it down.

Cut up a bunch of vegetables and tell your child to arrange them on a big platter any way they want. This helps them use their imagination and even develop an eye for art by creating a way for them to learn how to combine colors and arrange shapes.

Don’t feel you have to follow a recipe exactly. Who says that the only thing that goes on a peanut butter sandwich is jelly? Let them decide what they think would taste good. If you’re the type that stresses over a dirty kitchen, take a deep breath and just let them do their own thing for a bit. You’ll be glad you did.

Insert Directly Into Mouth

Lorie — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:13:54 +0000

My grandson is at that cute but very slobbery stage of trying to insert everything he can get his little hands on directly into his mouth. As I rocked him today when he and my daughter came to visit, he gnawed on my (clean!) t-shirt until he fell asleep on my shoulder. It seems almost impossible to keep up with what he tries to put in his mouth, and we are constantly moving items away from him.

Babies love exploring with their mouths. They want to taste everything and find out if something is hard or soft or what it feels like exactly. This type of learning, known as mouthing, can last well through the second year. It only makes sense that the mouth would play an important role in their development. The sucking reflex shows up immediately after birth and provides much comfort and satisfaction, as well as the obvious job of getting nourishment. As babies get older and start teething, they often plunge things into their mouths to ease the pain of tender, swollen gums. This brings relief for the little ones, but adds a new worry for moms which is trying to keep items germ free and clean for tiny mouths.

Soft Rainbow Stacker by Melissa & Doug

That is one of the reasons my daughter loves the line of soft baby toys from Melissa and Doug. The toys can be washed in the washer with mild detergent and some can even be put in the dryer on low heat. This is especially convenient when there are other babies or toddlers around sharing toys. Dirt and dust are one thing, but viruses and bacteria are spread by human contact. Although we can’t protect our babies from every germ, we all like to feel like we are doing all we can to prevent sickness and maintain healthy homes.

Thinking Ahead

Lorie — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:23:12 +0000

My six month old grandson is growing like a weed, and it seems like every day he reaches a new milestone. One week he was opening and closing his little hand as though he was a rusty tin man badly in need of an oiling, but the next week he was grasping a teething ring and plunging it in his mouth as if he had been doing it his whole, albeit short, life.

I know all the baby books and websites give schedules about what babies will be doing at certain ages, but let me share with you a little secret: babies and children follow their own schedules and couldn’t care less about statistics and well-controlled studies. My daughter started walking when she was just seven months old, well ahead of the nine to twelve month time frame most books give. That’s why I like to think ahead and be prepared. For Christmas I bought my grandson several toys that I knew he wasn’t ready to play with yet, but I also know his little brain and body are developing so rapidly that it would be hard to pin point the exact moment he will be ready to graduate from shaking a rattle to putting little wooden shapes into their matching shaped holes. The toys are ready and waiting for him to explore and play with, even if he doesn’t “do it right.”

One of my gifts to him was the EverEarth Activity Walker. He loves looking at the bright colors and touching the little knobs and buttons and I believe this helps his little brain to process information such as colors and shapes and also to develop hand/eye coordination, even if someone has to hold him up to it right now.

It’s often helpful to think slightly ahead of schedule for toy buying; that way children can grow into their toys. Of course, some toys are off limits at young ages because of choking hazards or other dangers, so parents should evaluate each toy carefully and always be closely supervising. But many toys are age-labeled as a general guideline. The great thing is that my daughter has some toys in her closet to pull out when he shows signs of needing more stimulation and activity.