How To Make Your Own Baby Food
Learn how simple and healthier it is to make your own baby food with Nutrition Consultant Lianne Phillipson-Webb. All you need are some yummy fruits and veggies and a few supplies. Visit www.thepregnancyshow.com
Homemade Toys
How often have you seen this happen around the holidays? The parents have spent a small fortune on the latest, greatest toy. After a few grins and giggles, the parents take the toy out of its huge box and proceed to put it together. In the meantime, the child finds the box to be quite fascinating. By the time the toy is fully put together, the child is so engrossed in the box that he or she has no desire to play with the expensive toy.
This scenario is replayed in house after house across the country. The lesson is, children are easily entertained and homemade toys can be created from every day materials that can easily keep their attention. Here are some ideas for easy to create homemade toys.
One idea for a homemade toy is a cardboard box car. Take a large cardboard box and cut a hole in the top and cut out the bottom. Decorate it like a car, using paper plates for the wheels and steering wheel. Your child will enjoy “driving” this car around the house!
Create a hand made bubble blower out of a toilet paper roll. Wrap the roll with aluminum foil. Make the bubbles by mixing liquid dish soap with water. Dip one end of the roll in the mixture and blow gently through the other end. You should be able to easily create very large bubbles!
Create a scoop ball game out of a one-quart plastic milk jug. Cut the jug in half and save the handle side. Toss a ball back and forth and use the jug to catch the ball.
Model planes can be made out of the Styrofoam trays that meat is packaged on. Cut out a body, wings and tail shape. Use a knife to cut a slit in the body for the wings and tail. Because the Styrofoam is so light, these planes can soar for a decent distance.
A personalized homemade toy is the homemade puzzle. Have your child create a drawing or other piece of art. Glue the artwork to a piece of cardboard. After it is dry, turn the cardboard over and trace out puzzle piece shapes. Carefully cut out these shapes. Your child will have fun putting together his own artwork. Store the puzzle in a Ziploc bag.
A homemade beanbag toss game is another fun and active toy to create. Take a sturdy piece of cardboard and cut holes in it to make the targets. Be sure the holes are large enough that the beanbag will fit. Then make some beanbags. Take scraps of material and fill them with beans or pasta. Hand sew them shut. Have your child decorate the target and assign points to the holes. Then have fun tossing the beanbags at the target!
Whatever toy you decide to make, be sure to include your child in the process of making the toy. Not only will you create a fun toy, but you will also create life-long memories with your child. Using what would be trash to make a fun toy also helps to protect our environment.
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Toys Appropriate for One-Year-Old Children
From a fragile helpless little creature who could barely open his eyes, you’ve seen how your little kid bloomed to become the active, curious, and energetic one-year-old that he is right now.
Now is the time when he graduates from the rattles and baby squeaky toys that used to make him burst into a fit of giggles. Now is the time when he progresses to more advanced toys that will be suitable in developing his skills and stimulating his mental growth.
Toys for one-year-old children include:
Stacking toys that come in different shapes, sizes and colors. These include stackable cups, pails, and rings are helpful in introducing your kid to a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. By learning how to stack up these toys his fine motor skills, hand to eye coordination, and spatial awareness are also being improved.
Unbreakable mirrors of assorted sizes. You might have noticed that your kid loves looking at that baby he sees whenever he’s in your arms and you pass by a mirror. Toys like unbreakable mirrors are not only fun and enjoyable for your kid but will also allow for self-discovery which is important in his developmental progress.
Squeeze toys. These are good in improving your baby’s grasp and release skills while the squeaky sounds that come from it will make your kid burst into laughter. Give your kid a variety of squeeze toys which can also be used in games like “where’s the toy?” wherein you hide one and have your toddler look for it as his problem solving skills are being honed.
Cars, trucks and vehicle toys that do not have small or loose parts, sharp and pointy objects and are made of durable and flexible but safe plastic material.
Building toys such as large building blocks. Because your kid will be able to construct various creations from these, this is instrumental in honing his creativity and imagination.
Balls of various colors and sizes. Play baby soccer with your kid to improve his motor skills and eye to foot coordination by swinging him to kick these balls. Or use these balls to teach him about the round shape and the different sizes and colors and sharpen his visual discrimination.
Educational cardboard books with vibrant images and colourful prints. While your kid browses through these books, narrate to him and tell him about the things in the book, “this is a dog” or “this is a house.” This will be beneficial in helping your kid’s conceptual and language development.
Large dolls, plush toys or puppets. Babies are inherently enthusiastic about puppet shows. While these puppet shows are proven to keep baby amused and entertained, more importantly these will teach your kid about the art of conversation and encourage positive interaction. Have a Baby Einstein puppet talk to you and then respond. Talk about funny things or sings songs together.
Toys that mimic real-life gadgets and devices like toy telephones. Imitating older people is how a baby learns about the world around him Use these toys to encourage imitative play and cultivate his social and language development.
