kidstoysave

5 Tips to Make Your Kid Enjoy Cleaning

2008-10-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

Cleaning is always a nightmare in many of the houses , including mine. You get really exhausted if you are the only one cleaning your house, which is what happens most of the time. If our kids could pitch in, we could be more relaxed and can have some 'meme' time for sure. But, there are ways to ask them clean. I would like to share 5 major pointers which is of real help.

1. If the Dad cleans, the kid cleans - It is universally accepted, I don't know for what reason, that cleaning is Mommy's duty. Even the new born knows that. He pisses and looks at mommy to clean the mess. What does Daddy do? Cuddle the child when clean? Actually, in many homes, daddy actively participates in creating mess around. As Daddy so is the kid. When you ask your kid to clean, he/she will give an immediate answer 'Even Daddy is not cleaning. Why aren't you questioning him?' It is very obvious that kids look up to their parents and especially daddy. When the man of the house participates in cleaning voluntarily, the child will follow him without a doubt.What do you say?

2. Instead of ordering, join them in cleaning - Many a times we end up saying 'Do this' and 'Do that'. Sometimes it does irritate our kids. C'mon they are kids and they need to be treated as kids and not as adults. When you order, the kids will do the work but will never enjoy doing it. This makes the cleaning process a difficult 'chore' in the house. Instead, if you join hands with them in cleaning saying 'let us clean the car today', not only is the work done, but also you connect with your kid and give a comfort feeling to them. This increases their trust and confidence in you and they will know for sure that Mommy/Daddy will be there during tough times. Child Psychology!

3. Give them reward - Reward works in any field and with any age group. But unless it is not becoming more of a bribe. There is a huge difference here. When you start bribing your kid for doing their job, the kids will know and strongly feel that 'If I do this work, I will get that'. That's it. There is no fun, no commitment. Just business. It might work few times, but if you continue doing this, it will affect your relationship and the attitude of the kid. He/She will think everything as a business. No respect for love and affection can be expected in future. Instead, you make the reward more fun oriented or reward them with their favorites. One of my friends rewards her son with a penny for every job done satisfactorily. He puts it in a cookie jar and when the jar is full, he is taken to his favorite hangout place with 2 of his friends. He gets to choose them too. It is a small jar, so they end up going at least once a month and he chooses different friends every time. Wow! What a fun! This made him enjoy his chores. He loves doing it.

4. Explain the need of cleanliness - This is very important. It is always best to educate kids about what, why, how, when etc. A kid who is made to help during his childhood days undoubtedly will succeed in his life. Kids love to question. Be ready with answers. Tell them the importance of cleanliness. Make them understand. It is not going to work if you are going to give a 1 hour lecture to your 5 year old about cleanliness. Do how it works best for your kid. May be you can say to your 5 year old that 'If you clean, you will have more room for playing with your toys'. This is more attractive to him than the lecture.

5. Encourage them - Make them feel proud of themselves for being clean and helping you. Reinforce the fact that you are really proud of him/her. Share it with your friends in a get together and ask them to congratulate your kid for being such a wonderful helper. Who will not like to be praised. A Pat on the back does make them feel good and to your surprise, you may see you kid volunteering to help.

Do let me know if there are any other tricks/methods to make our kid enjoy helping and cleaning.

Iam Sangeeth Raghunathan. I am a software engineer who is now a full time homemaker. I love blogging,crocheting and cooking. My Food Blog helps and tries to inspire people to cook and I also share my views on other topics through Scribbling Scribe, my new blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sangeeth_R

4 Tips Memilih Mainan Untuk Anak

2008-10-18T10:13:00.000-07:00

by. 88

Bukan sekadar hiburan bagi si kecil, mainan anak dan mainan edukatif pun bisa membantunya belajar berimajinasi, memecahkan masalah, dan mempelajari berbagai keterampilan lain. Tentu saja itu jika Anda jeli memilihkan mainan untuknya. Beberapa saran berikut bisa menjadi panduan Anda dalam memilih jual mainan untuk mainan anak-anak usia balita.

USIA 0 – 1 TAHUN
Saran memilih mainan:

Pilihlah jual mainan anak di toko mainan yang bisa membantunya mengembangkan fungsi penginderaan serta motoriknya. Inilah yang bisa Anda jadikan alternatif:

* Mainan berwarna cerah dan mengeluarkan bunyi-bunyian, alat musik mainan atau kotak musik dengan cahaya yang berkelap-kelip. Mainan seperti ini bisa merangsang fungsi penglihatan dan pendengarannya serta mengembangkan daya konsentrasinya.

* Mainan yang digantung di atas tempat tidur untuk diraih oleh tangannya membantu anak mengembangkan koordinasi gerakan tangan dan mata.

* Mainan yang dapat diremas berupa boneka atau bola yang terbuat dari bahan halus serta mainan dengan berbagai tekstur yang bisa ia gigit-gigit. Mainan seperti ini melatih indera peraba serta otot-otot jari tangannya.

* Buku yang terbuat dari kain dengan gambar menarik dan warna yang cerah. Selain merangsang fungsi penglihatannya, buku tersebut juga merangsang perkembangan bahasa anak jika Anda menceritakan isi buku itu.

USIA 1 – 3 TAHUN
Pilihlah toko mainan anak pada toko mainan online yang bisa memenuhi keinginan si kecil untuk mempelajari keterampilan baru. Ini bisa mengembangkan rasa percaya dirinya. Berikan juga mainan yang bisa merangsang ketrampilan berkomunikasi, berimajinasi, dan memecahkan masalah.

Mainan-mainan berikut mungkin bisa Anda pilih:

* Telepon mainan, boneka hewan, boneka tangan, dan buku cerita bergambar. Ini semua bisa merangsang perkembangan bahasa anak. Bermain bersama si kecil lewat media tersebut bisa mengembangkan kemampuan anak untuk berkomunikasi, berfantasi, dan berinteraksi dengan orang lain.

* Drum, piano mainan, krayon, buku mewarnai bisa menjadi media si kecil untuk mengekspresikan diri dan mengembangkan imajinasinya.

* Puzzle sederhana (2-4 keping), huruf, dan angka mainan, balok-balok mainan yang bisa disusun-susun dapat mengembangkan kemampuan anak untuk memecahkan masalah. Toko mainan jakarta seperti ini juga bisa mengajarkan anak tentang proses kerja suatu benda, dan mengenalkan anak pada angka dan huruf serta melatih keterampilan motorik halusnya.

* Boneka lengkap dengan rumah dan pakaiannya, peralatan dapur mainan bisa membantu Anak untuk belajar tentang dunia orang dewasa.

* Sepeda kecil atau mobil-mobilan yang dapat dikendarai serta papan keseimbangan juga bisa membantu anak untuk lebih mengasah keterampilan motoriknya.

USIA 3 – 5 TAHUN
Pilih mainan yang merangsang daya pikirnya serta memperkenalkannya berbagai konsep yang perlu dipahami saat bersekolah nanti. Demikian pula mainan-mainan yang melatih kemampuan memecahkan masalah, bersosialisasi sekaligus mengembangkan imajinasinya. Mainan-mainan ini mungkin cocok untuknya:

* Mainan-mainan yang dipasang-pasangkan sesuai kategorinya. Misalnya, mainan anak online, kumpulan mainan berbentuk hewan, buah-buahan, dan sayur-sayuran. Anda juga bisa memberikan mainan huruf dan angka, balok mainan, serta puzzle yang lebih rumit.

* Kostum seperti baju dokter-dokteran lengkap dengan peralatannya bisa membantunya mengenal dunia orang dewasa. Ia bisa memainkannya bersama teman-teman sehingga tak hanya belajar peran, ia pun bisa bersosialisasi dengan teman-temannya itu.

* Peralatan melukis atau buku mewarnai bisa menjadi medianya mengekspresikan diri. Dari ceritanya tentang lukisan yang dibuat, Anda bisa memahami harapan-harapan anak dan kegelisahan yang mungkin sedang ia rasakan.

* Kartu permainan (kwartet), halma, atau ular tangga bisa Anda berikan untuknya begitu ia sudah memasuki usia lima tahun. Demikian pula dengan buku cerita yang berisi lebih banyak teks yang bisa ia baca dengan bantuan Anda tentunya.

Tips:

Yang Tidak Boleh Dilupakan…

* Hindari memberikan mainan dalam jumlah terlalu banyak untuk melatih konsentrasi anak.
* Hindari mainan yang mudah pecah.
* Pastikan mainan yang Anda pilih tidak mengandung zat-zat berbahaya bagi anak .
* Hindari mainan yang mengeluarkan suara terlalu nyaring agar tidak berdampak negatif bagi pendengaran anak.
* Hindari mainan yang bisa menembakkan benda kecil ke udara. Mainan seperti itu dapat mengakibatkan cedera serius pada mata.
* Bila mainan menggunakan tali sebagai salah satu komponen, pastikan panjangnya tidak lebih dari 20 sentimeter.
* Awasi anak saat ia bermain di rumah, dan biasakanlah anak untuk membereskan kembali mainan sesudah selesai bermain.

From Bottle to Body

2008-10-15T23:11:00.000-07:00

Plastic is a single word, but plastic isn’t just one thing. Think about how different a food wrapper is from a water bottle. What all plastics share in common are plasticizers — special chemicals that allow the material to be molded into nearly any shape or texture. Plasticizers are added to plastic during the manufacturing process.

Phthalates and BPA are two types of plasticizers that work in different ways. Phthalates add softness and squishiness to things like shampoo bottles, raincoats and rubber duckies. These molecules are also used in perfumes and makeup. BPA, on the other hand, gives a hard, clear, almost glasslike feel to products such as baby bottles, blender bowls and reusable, see-through Nalgene-brand water bottles (milky-colored, soft Nalgene bottles don’t contain BPA). BPA also appears in the lining of many food and soda cans, in DVDs and in other unexpected places.

Bisphenol A, a chemical linked to health problems, can seep out of hard, clear plastic water bottles, like the one shown above. Metal and glass bottles may be a safer way to store drinking water!

T. Siegfried

Widespread use of BPA and phthalates worries many scientists because both chemicals belong to a group called hormone disruptors. In the body they act like hormones. Hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, are two of the body’s important messenger molecules. They can tell cells when to turn on or off the cells’ genetic material. That’s how hormones direct the complicated development of a fetus from just a few cells into an actual baby with arms, legs, ears and organs. They also control growth in all of us. They even control the changes at puberty that get our bodies ready to become adults.

When some other chemical imitates a hormone, though, our actual hormones can’t do what they need to do. That can cause all sorts of problems. In hundreds of experiments, animals exposed to hormone disruptors in the womb went on to develop breast cancer, early puberty, diabetes, obesity, behavioral problems and other health issues.

“What we know is that BPA and phthalates disrupt hormones, and that hormones are necessary for normal human development, brain development and reproductive development,” says David Wallinga, director of the Institute for Agriculture and Food Policy’s Food and Health Program in Minneapolis.

Especially worrisome, Wallinga says, is that just tiny doses of a hormone disruptor can have a big impact. That’s because hormones work at extremely low levels in the body, so it doesn’t take much to get in their way.

Most of us already have tiny amounts of hormone disruptors in our bodies. A recent study by the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found traces of BPA in 93 percent of the more than 2,500 people tested in the United States.

How do these chemicals get into us? When plastic is heated in the microwave or dishwasher, chewed on or scratched, the chemicals can seep out of the plastic. Even though we can’t see these molecules, we eat them, drink them and breathe them in.

Scientists and parents are especially worried about young children, who tend to chew on everything, including plastic. BPA is a common ingredient in baby bottles, teething rings, sippy cups, baby-formula cans and other products specifically designed to go into the mouths of little kids. Kids are a cause of concern both because they are likely to be exposed to plastics more than adults and because their bodies are more sensitive to the risky chemicals. Hormones play a particularly important role in the developing bodies of both babies and fetuses

Mainan Edukatif untuk Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini (PAUD)

2008-10-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

by ZALFA GROUP
Anak-anak jika kecerdasannya dilatih sedini mungkin, akan membuat perkembangan inteligensinya lebih baik. Untuk balita kita bisa merangsang kecerdasannya dengan menggunakan Alat Permainan Edukatif (APE) seperti mainan edukatif. Mainan yang sekaligus memiliki nilai-nilai pendidikan tentunya. Namun satu yang juga tidak boleh dilupakan sehubungan dengan mainan edukatif ini adalah menyangkut tingkat keamanan, terutama dari segi kandungan toxic-nya (banyak terdapat pada mainan plastik). Karena balita masih suka memasukkan segala sesuatu ke dalam mulutnya, jadi kita harus selektif dalam memilih mainan edukatif. Sebab balita belum memiliki antibodi yang cukup kuat untuk melawan racun yang masuk ke tubuhnya.

Oleh karena itu, perlu kami tekankan di sini, bahwa produk yang kami tawarkan di sini sudah bebas dari toxic, karena kami menggunakan cat dan thinner non toxic yang sudah mendapat sertifikat dari Sucofindo.

Membangun Kreatifitas dengan Mainan Edukatif 'Building Block'

2008-10-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

by ZALFA GROUP
Mainan edukatif (Alat Permainan Edukatif / APE) seperti building block yang terdiri dari balok-balok dengan beberapa bentuk seperti segi tiga, segi empat, persegi panjang, setengah lingkaran, bisa memacu kreatifitas dan konsentrasi anak. Bagian-bagian tersebut bisa disusun sesuai dengan imaginasi mereka seperti membangun benteng, rumah, istana, dll. Jangan remehkan hasil kreasi mereka, karena tak sedikit anak yang mampu membuat bangunan yang sangat bagus.

Jika mereka sedari kecil sudah dilatih untuk berkreasi dan berimaginasi, kita bisa melihat tingkat kecerdasan dan bakat yang dimiliki oleh anak. Tetapi tetap ingat, mainan anak haruslah tidak mengandung timbal (racun) yang biasanya terdapat pada mainan plastik. Oleh karena itu peran dari mainan edukatif yang aman sangat penting bagi perkembangan anak-anak anda !

Infant Toys Guide What toys will benefit my 0 to 3 month old?

2008-09-20T07:32:00.001-07:00

1 Month Skills:

Movement - Can raise her head only a couple of inches when lying facedown. Kicks her arms & legs in the air. Tries to turn on side when laying on her back.

Hand-Eye Coordination - Stares at objects about 8-10 inches from her face. Will follow objects that are moved a few inches from side to side. Moves her hands without control but can mover her fist to her mouth. Grasp reflex is strong when something is placed in her palm.

Language - Uses a range of cries to which parents can begin to distinguish between cries of hunger, boredom, tiredness, discomfort. Conveys mood by agitated arm and leg movements as well as facial expressions. Makes sounds when she is happy. Responds positively to soothing words.

Learning - Loves to look at her surroundings. Will stare for longer at blue and green objects than red ones. Is fascinated by objects placed nearby. Will remember an object that reappears within a few seconds of moving. Begins to recognize your voice as distinct from others. Is alert for about one in every ten hours.

Social and Emotional - Enjoys cuddling and being smiled at. Responds positively when you talk and sing to her. Makes eye contact. Is able to relax at bath time, kicking and splashing in the water.