Gifts to Go

With the holidays just around the corner, you’ve probably started making your shopping lists.

Today Amy Bevins, Assistant Editor and Toy Expert for FAMILY Magazine, shared a few tips about “Gifts to Go,” on the WUSAS Moms Like Me segment.

According to Amy, whether you are mailing a package across the country or delivering it down the street, you want to find something sure to please. But what is the perfect gift to send to the cousins in Oregon, give as a holiday hostess gift, wrap for a secret Santa swap or even have for that long car ride back from grandma’s house?

Here are Amy’s criteria for choosing Gifts to Go as well as some great choices for this holiday season.

If you are mailing a package, be sure it is:
Lightweight
Small
Sturdy

If you are getting a toy or game for travel think about:
Limited number of pieces
Quiet sounds
Multiple uses
Consider the number of users - Is it individual or shared?
Independent of interactive?

Here is a listing of great “Gifts to Go” – fun-filled presents that are perfect for holiday giving, last minute surprises or to take with you on your holiday adventures.

Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) Imaginets
Imaginets are the perfect travel toy – colorful, engaging, creative and quiet. The wooden carry case has two white board surfaces and contains 42 vibrantly colored magnetic, geometric shapes and a deck of simple to complex design pattern design cards. Or kids can make their own freeform creations. Bring along a dry erase marker to add to the possibilities – making play options endless.

Approximate Price - $24.95 www.mindware.com
Awards – Major Fun Award, NAGC Parenting for High Potential Award, Creative Child Toy of the Year


Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) Finn and Maeve Paper Dolls
These charming paper dolls, Finn and Maeve and their fanciful companions, a witch, a fox and a cat, take your child on an enchanted imagination adventure complete with castle ramparts and a fire breathing dragon. Beautifully illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell and packing easily into a carry case, the dolls, outfits and double-sided play stand will delight your child for hours of creative play.

Approximate Price - $15 www.eeboo.com
Awards – Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award

Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) Teens/Adults (13+) Dig It
Doggone fun on the go with Dig It. Nestled inside the perfectly planned travel case are the pieces to the puzzle of where the dog buried his bone. Use keen wit and clever strategy as you work through the increasingly complex puzzle challenges to uncover the golden bones. Tail wagging fun for kids and adults alike.


Approximate Price - $19.99 www.foxmind.com
Awards – Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence

Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) green start™ little polar bear storybook and plush box set
Eco-friendly and the perfect pocket pal, this soft, loveable little polar bear comes with a story about the life of an arctic polar bear cub. A great learn and play toy that promotes environmental awareness in a cuddly friend. Other earth friendly sets include a panda bear, an elephant and a gorilla plush each with a book.

Approximate Price - $10 www. innovativekids.com
Awards – Dr. Toy 2010 Best Green Product Award


Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) Teens/Adults (13+) Spot it Pocket
Who can be the first to Spot It? In these four fast-paced games of I Spy, players race to find matching symbols. Packed in a pocket-sized on-the-go case, Spot It is perfect for cars, planes, restaurants, rainy days and grandma’s house. Easy to learn and quick to play, Spot It makes anytime game time.

Approximate Price - $11.99 www.blueorangegames.com
Awards – NAPPA Gold Award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, Major Fun Award, Dr. Toy Best Vacation Products, The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval, ASTRA’s Best Toy For Kids, TDmonthly Top Seller Award


Infant (0-2 years) Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) Zoobies Storytime Collection
Just right to snuggle, cuddle and love. A Zoobie is a plush pal, a comfy pillow and a cozy blanket all tucked in one loveable package. Choose your child’s favorite story time friend – Olivia, Spot, Paddington, Mr. Happy, the Very Hungry Caterpillar and more. Some even come with gift books included. So curl up with your little one and her new friend and bring a story to life one page and hug at a time.
Approximate Price - $35-40 www.zoobies.com
Awards – Dr. Toy’s Best Vacation Product


Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) Teens/Adults (13+)
Eeboo Metallic Colored Pencils
For preschoolers to teens, add some bling to artwork creations with Eeboo’s metallic pencils. Drawings glitter and sparkle with six different colors – gold, sliver, turquoise, aqua, purple and copper. The pencil’s unique chunky triangular shape makes gripping easy for even the youngest artists.

Approximate Price - $7 www.eeboo.com


Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) Teens/Adults (13+) Perplexus
Intriguing, engaging, addicting, amazing. Perplexus captures attention with twists and turns. The goal is to roll a small silver marble through the maze-filled transparent ball. But how do you reach the end? It’s perplexing, absorbing, enticing . . . and so much fun.

Approximate Price - $19.99 www.perplexus.net
Awards – National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, Premio Brasil de Excelencia em Brinquedo


Infant (0-2 years) Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) Spot Hand Puppet
Soft, snuggly and oh so cute. Everyone loves Spot. Bring a childhood favorite to life with this adorable Spot Hand Puppet. From his cuddly paws to the brown spots on his back and tail, this puppet is perfect for hours of imaginative play and language enrichment.

Approximate Price - $16 www.kidspreferred.com


Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) Teens/Adults (13+) Ratuki
Furiously fast! Outrageously fun! Race to place your numbered cards on “shared ascending/descending stacks.” Up and down, back and forth. Watch out for the wild card, it changes everything. No reading makes this fun for the whole family (and Shhh! It even sneaks in a little learning too). Are you a quick draw in the numbers game? Then Ratuki is for you.

Approximate Price - $9.95 www.usaopoly.com
Awards – Major Fun, Chicago Tribune’s 10 Cool Games


Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) Zingo to Go
Shake, rattle and roll on down the road. Zingo! to Go is like Bingo on wheels. Packed in a travel bag is everything you need for a travel game for the younger set – traffic light themed game boards and a Zingo shaker. With lots of different ways to play, Zingo will keep this kids busy as you drive off into the sunset.

Approximate Price - $14.99 www.thinkfun.com
Awards – Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, Dr. Toy’s Best Vacation Product


Infant (0-2 years) HABA Wooden Rattles
Flowers, trains, lions and more. These charming child-friendly wooden rattles are a delight to babies and parents. Their soft bells and clacks, moving parts and bright colors engage babies’ senses. The beech wood construction, quietly pleasing noises and child-safe water-based stains make them a parent pleaser too.

Approximate Price - $8-14 www.HABAusa.com
Awards – Creative Child Seal of Excellence


Infant (0-2 years) Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) Educational Balls
Make learning go round. These colorful soft, squishy balls are made of eco-friendly natural rubber and have raised shapes, numbers or letters making them tactilely interesting, fun to play with and a learning opportunity all in one spherical toy. So whether you roll them back and forth, play catch or give them a kick, kids can learn and play simultaneously.

Approximate Price - $5.95 www.rubbabu.com
Awards – Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, Dr Toy Best Vacation Products, Parents' Choice Award, Tillywig Toy Awards, Brain Child Award


Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) Teens/Adults (13+) Word Shout
Shake, rattle, roll and shout. Smaller than a cell phone, Word Shout is a go-anywhere game of quick thinking and verbal speed. Roll the 10 letter dice, be the first to spot a word and shout it out. So pack it in you pocket and get ready to word hunt.

Approximate Price - $6.99 www.patchproducts.com

Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) FuzzOodles
Oodles of fun with twisty, bendy, goofy, play-it-again FuzzOodles. With colorful, hugely furry, oversized pipe cleaner noodles and FuzzOodle parts (think silly eyes, monster toes, grinning lips, beaks, hats and more), kids can make a myriad of creations, take them apart and make something else imaginative, wearable, decorative or just downright hilarious.

Approximate Price - $7.99-24.99 www.giddyup.com
Awards – Dr. Toy's Best Children's Products and Best Creative Products Awards


Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) Teens/Adults (13+) Princess Reading Diary
Just right for thoughts and dreams, with a lock and key to keep it private. The Princess Reading Diary (and other fanciful locked diaries by eeBoo that feature fairies, fawns, castles, mermaids and butterflies) have over 200 inviting pastel pages to fill with secrets and stories, adventures and hopes, the day-to-day and the special moments.

Approximate Price - $11 www.eeboo.com

Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) Teens/Adults (13+) Graffiti Sky Ball
What can leap a tall building with a single bound? It’s a bird, it’s a plane. No, it’s Sky Ball. With cool graffiti patterns in bright colors, this “hypercharged” ball’s ability to bounce will amaze you. So get ready to run off some of that winter energy as you bounce and toss Sky Ball. Also available in solid colors and jumbo sized.

Approximate Price - $9.99 www.mauitoys.com

Infant (0-2 years) Preschool (3-4 years) Elementary (5-9 years) Aniwheelies
A complete zoo on wheels. No, it’s not your minivan stuffed with kids. It’s Aniwheelies. These soft flocked, natural rubber animals roll around on wheels by kid-propulsion. From giraffes and hippos to lions and ducks, the colorful assortment of animal choices offers a barnyard of fun.

Approximate Price - $4.95 www.rubbabu.com

Elementary (5-9 years) Preteen (10-12) Teens/Adults (13+) Solitaire Chess
Use chess moves to stretch your synapses. Solitaire Chess is a mental strategy game that uses the components of chess to solve logic puzzles of increasing difficulty. All components from playing pieces to instructions pack in a compact travel/storage case, making it a great on-the-go option for those who like a brain workout.

Approximate Price - $19.99 www.thinkfun.com

Deal With the Candy Witch

Do you dread the candy holidays? They start in February with Valentine’s Day and continue year-round with the biggest candy fest happening on Halloween. What is a mother to do?
The good news is that kids usually forget about the candy after a few weeks. Sometimes letting them go nuts for a day or two gets it out of their systems. Here are a few suggestions to help you deal with the onslaught and avoid turning into a candy witch:

Deal With the Candy Witch
1. Buy a limited quantity
2. Make young children carry their own bag.
3. Sort the candy.
a. Set a limit for each day.
b. Move to the freezer.
c. Throw it away.
4. Plan ahead.


• Buy a limited quantity of the treats so you and your family won’t be tempted to eat leftovers.
• Make young children carry their own plastic pumpkin or bag. When they start saying it is too heavy, it is time to go home.
• Sort the candy. Limit the ones that are high in saturated or trans fats.
a. Set a limit on how much they can have in a day.
b. Set a time limit when the candy moves to the freezer.
c. Set a time limit when the candy will get thrown away.

• Plan ahead. Knowing the candy is coming, start to avoid fast food and cut down on fat and refined flours. This teaches balance. Get out your crock pot or slow cooker and make more meals with lots of vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. Serve more fresh fruit snacks.

Healthy Kids Fun Run

Marc Goldman with the Marine Corp Marathon for the Healthy Kids Fun Run spoke with Peggy Fox this morning about getting kids in shape for the Healthy Kids Fun Run.

FAMILY Magazine has been sponsoring the run as well as the activity fair, Camp Miles for several years. In fact, FAMILY gives out a cash reward to the school that enters the most students.

With one-third of American children fighting obesity, healthy children should be our number one priority FAMILY Magazine has found that sponsoring the Healthy Kids Fun Run is a way for the magazine to encourage individuals and communities to become and stay physically active.

Here are Marc’s tips on making this event fun and healthy:

Running is fun.

Running is a family sport.

Run for distance, speed or both.

Here is the link to the run and fair:
http://www.marinemarathon.com/weekend_events/kids_run.htm

FACTS:
Healthy Kids Fun Run, 9:30 AM
October 30
Ages 6-13
Pentagon North Parking Lot
Advance Registration Needed

Camp Miles
Free Interactive Family Activities
9AM-2PM

You can still register now open for the annual Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Fun. The race will be held in the Pentagon North Parking Lot. Children ages 6-13 are invited to participate in the one-mile just-for-fun event. All participants receive a t-shirt, medal and snacks at the finish line.

Also, Camp Miles will be going on.
Parents, families and runners are invited to visit Camp Miles, a free all-day activity area featuring interactive challenges and games focusing on health and fitness. Camp Miles activities begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 2 p.m.

This year's activities include:
-CNN - Q&A with health experts including Dr. Sanjay Gupta
-FitArlington - Ring Toss, Fitness Dice, Hoop Jumpers, Ring Toss and more
-Washington Redskins Cheerleader autographs
-Junior League of Washington bookmark coloring activity
-Madame Tussauds wax figure of a surprise celebrity
-City Football Club street soccer game
-Pre-race warm-ups with Fit & Healthy Schools and Clif Bar
-Other great activities hosted by: National Children's Museum, DC United, Verizon Wireless, Max Muscle, FAMILY Magazine, Silver Diner, Toys for Tots and Sarah Stanley Inspired

They have a lot of great information about the race and all the activities on their website.
http://www.marinemarathon.com/Weekend_Events/kids_run.htm

Also, on the website you can download course information and other descriptions about the event.

It will be a lot of fun, and a great way to encourage our children to be healthy and stay physically active. If you go, send us your pictures so we can post them on our Facebook page.

Have fun!

Brenda

Internet Safety

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Going Back-To-Work and Breastfeeding

Now is the time of year when a lot of moms go back-to-work. But what if you are breastfeeding? American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommends to breastfeed for at least a year, but many moms have difficulty reaching this goal once they return to work. Is there a way to successfully continue the positive breastfeeding relationship and work?

American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommends is 1 full year of breastfeeding.

32% new mothers give up breastfeeding within 7 weeks of returning to work.

Successful Return to Work --
Make a Transition Plan
Talk to your employer in advance
Remind yoru employer of the benefits to them
Nursing mom is happier
Less sick days for the baby
Lower health care costs overall
Begin to pump and freeze 2 weeks prior to returning to work
Get a fast, portable breast pump
Stick to your routine for your pumping schedule

*Non Breastfed Babies have
2033 more physician visits
212 more days in the hospital
609 more prescriptions

*According to a study by the Department of Pediatrics and Steele Memorial Children’s Research Center at the University of Arizona


If this topic is of interest to you, the September issue of FAMILY Magazine has a article concerning freezing and thawing breast milk. Here is a link to the complete text. There are also several other articles concerning breastfeeding that are linked to this article.

Information on healthcare reform concerning employed breastfeeding moms:

Developing Positive Parent-Teacher Relationships

Having a good relationship with your child’s teacher will help ensure his success. Why is this important and what can parents do to develop this relationship?



Why is it important to have a positive relationship with the teacher?

It shows your child you care about their education

A prior relationships is helpful if there are problems in the future

Conversations are easier with the teacher





Ideas on how to build a positive relationship with your child’s teacher:



Meet the teacher as soon as possible

Don’t wait until there is a problem to meet your child’s teacher. And, try to meet her with an open mind.



Volunteer in the classroom.

Offer to decorate a bulletin board each month, Xerox worksheets or do other time consuming jobs that takes the teacher away from the students. At the same time, you will get to watch your child interact with other children and meet his friends.



Share your talents.

If you play an instrument, have traveled to another country or exciting place, or have an interesting job or hobby, offer to share it with the class. Children like to learn about new things and are usually very welcoming. Leave lots of time for questions and stories.



Help out with field trips.

If you can’t volunteer in the classroom because of your schedule, try to clean a day to accompany your child on a field trip. If you can’t do that perhaps you can prepare and keep track of permission slips or provide snacks.



Keep in touch.

Keep the teacher informed of any changes or stressful events that affect your child’s performance. Things such as a grandparent’s visit, death or injury of a pet, new sibling or death of a family member can affect a child’s school performance.







What can Dad’s do?



Read to the class once a month.

Eat with your child in the cafeteria once a month.

Attend parent-teacher conferences, concerts and open houses.

Volunteer for special projects or field trips.

The relationship you build with your child’s teacher will be rewarding to you and will benefit your child. It will boost their performance and your teacher will appreciate your involvement. The investment you make in this relationship now will be a positive force for the new school term.

Looking for fun Fall festivals?

September ushers in the beginning of the Fall season. With Labor Day meaning the end of the summer for kids and parents alike, we look ahead to great festivals that are coming up this month.

Today Liz McConville, Resource Editor for FAMILY Magazine was on WUSA9 News Now with Peggy Fox discussing family-friendly events for September.

From September 19th through September 24th, George Mason University is presenting the 2010 Fall for the Book Festival. The festival is a week-long, multiple-venue, regional festival that brings together people of all ages and interests. Some of the events include readings, book sales, meeting authors and much more. Events take place at George Mason University’s Fairfax, Virginia Campus and at locations throughout Northern Virginia. Washington DC and Maryland. All events are free and open to the public, however the events featuring Greg Mortenson and Kathryn Stockett need advance reservations. For more information, please visit www.fallforthebook.org.

Young children can celebrate the wonders of Fall at McLean Community Center’s Harvest Happenings. Performances feature Kidsinger Jim and Rocknoceros. The event will be held on September 25th from 11 AM-2 PM. Activities include amusement and carnival games, arts and crafts projects, face painting, temporary tattoos, a moon bounce, prizes and much more. Kids can purchase small pumpkins to decorate. There will also be free popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones for attendants, as well as The Tender Rib selling their entrees. Admission is $5 per person but free for children 2 and under. For more information, go to www.mcleancenter.org.

Getting Ready for Kindergarten

As summer is drawing to a close, many of you are getting your little ones ready for their first day of kindergarten.

Today, FAMILY Magazine’s Assistant Editor Amy Bevins talked with Peggy Fox during the WUSA Mom’s Like Me segment about preparing your child for kindergarten. Here are a few of Amy’s tips.

Research shows that children from language-rich homes have an edge when they start school. So talk with your child.

Together observe the world around you. Count stairs. Compare big and little oranges at the store. Use street signs to discuss colors and shapes. Using the names of things adds to your child’s vocabulary. But be sure to keep it a back and forth conversation.

Add to what your child says to make the language richer – “Yes, I see the bird too. See how it has a brown back and a red tummy. That’s a robin. They eat worms. Would you like to have dinner with them?”

Answer and ask questions to teach kids how to hold conversations and how to listen.

Work with your child to retell events in order.

Before the first day –

o Take a tour of the school if possible
o Help them memorize their teacher’s name
o Practice the walk to school or the bus stop, noticing signs, colors, letters, landmarks along the way.
o Share memories of your school years
o Sign up to volunteer

And start a family tradition. In my family, I always made chocolate chip cookies to welcome the kids’ home from school. Over warm-from-the-oven cookies, we shared first day of school stories and reminisces.

How will you get your child ready for kindergarten and welcome them home from school?

Looking for last minute summer fun?

August for many families means traveling, getting ready for school to start and trying to find great last minute ways to spend the summer. If your family’s plan is to stick around the area, there are numerous free evens and special deals going on that you should try out before the first school bell rings.

Today Liz McConville, Resource Editor for FAMILY Magazine was on WUSA9 News Now with Peggy Fox discussing family-friendly events for August.

If you have Girl or Boy Scouts, make sure to check out the activities that are going on right now at Mount Vernon. Scouts can earn patches and pins by exploring what the site has to offer. This program runs through August 8th. Love the movie “National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets”? There’s a tour at Mount Vernon going on right now that takes you through where the movie was filmed and how those locations were used during George Washington’s time. For more information about these events, visit www.mountvernon.org.

Running through Labor Day, the Newseum is offering kids free admittance into the museum. The Newseum’s “Family Fun Deal – Kids FREE” promotion is designed to encourage families, particularly in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, to experience the Newseum. Up to 10 kids will be admitted free with each paid adult admission. This museum offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of new history with up-to-the-second technology and hands on exhibits. For additional information, the public may call 888/NEWSEUM (888/639-7386) or visit newseum.org.

If you’re looking for a night out without the kids but don’t want to shell out a lot of money on a babysitter, Adventure Theatre offers a fun alternative that both parents and kids will love. For only $25 per child, and $10 for each additional sibling, Adventure Theatre offers games, a movie and a Pizza dinner. This program runs every third Saturday a month from 6 p.m.-11 p.m. For more information, call 301-634-2270 or visit www.adventuretheatre.org.

Happy Parenting,
Brenda

Swimming Pool Safety

Today Jolie Perara, Marketing Manager of Washington FAMILY Magazine was on WUSA9 News Now sharing some pool safety tips.

So what are some things you can do to keep your kids safer at the pool?

The most important tip we can give you is if your child is missing always check the pool first. – not the bathroom or the snack bar!


General Pool Area Safety
Fencing
Locks
Remove Hot Tub Covers

Most of us know about having locked fences around pools and completely removing pool and hot tub covers so kids don’t become trapped under them. But there are a number of other measures that make summer even safer.

Additional Pool Safety
Vigilance – NEVER OUT OF SITE
Touch Supervision
Informed Babysitter
Stay Away from Drains

Vigilance is the number one way to keep your kids safe. Most young children who drown in pools or hot tubs have been out of sight for less than five minutes. It can’t be said often enough, you have to watch your kids around water.

With infants and toddlers, use “touch supervision” meaning you are always within an arm’s length.

If a babysitter takes your child to the pool, make sure he or she knows about pool safety and the need for constant supervision.

Drains can be an issue. Because of the danger of kids being trapped underwater by the pool drain suction, federal legislation was enacted to help ensure all public pools and spas have safety-compliant drain covers and anti-entrapment systems. Make sure your pool is safe in this way.

To keep safe, kids should tie back long hair, remove jewelry, make sure their arms, legs and heads stay clear of the drains and not sit on drains. This goes for public as well as private pools and hot tubs.



Home Water Safety
Caution with Inflatable Pools
Keep the Phone Handy
Remove Toys from Pools
Keep Chairs/Table Clear of Pool
Locate the Circuit Breaker
Missing Child? Check the pool first!

Keep in mind that you don’t have to have an in ground pool to practice pool safety. Children can drown in as little as one inch of water. So think about inflatable and baby pools. Either fence or drain them when you are not using them.

With any size pool or hot tub, keep a phone nearby so you don’t leave your child unsupervised while running inside to answer it and so it’s right there for emergencies.

What if you are lucky enough to have a pool at home? Make sure toys are out of the pool after playtime to lessen the chance of a child falling in while reaching for a toy.

Keep chairs and tables away from the pool fence so that kids can’t climb the fence to get in to the pool.

If you do have a pool or hot tub, clearly label the circuit breaker in case it needs to be turned off in an emergency.

And if your child is missing, always check the pool first.


And remember, these tips apply to any pool from community pools to hot tubs in the backyard. Even if you don’t own a pool, your child may play with kids who do or their camp or daycare may take them to the pool. Be sure to teach them about the dangers of pool drains and pool safety.

Happy Parenting, Brenda



Good links

Water Parks and Spray Parks
http://www.washingtonfamily.com/page/Water-Parks-or-Water-Play

Build a WaterPark at Home
http://www.washingtonfamily.com/page/Homemade-free-water-fun-Make-a-slip-n-slide_

Cool Ice Rinks
http://www.washingtonfamily.com/page/Ice-Skating-Rinks