Back when Ernie of “Bert and Ernie” fame sang his famous love song to his rubber duckie, millions of children could relate; the classic yellow rubber tub toy was the most popular (and in many cases the only) floating fun item to be found in the family bath tub. These…
Grandparents Day began with the idea of honoring the elderly and championing the cause of the lonely in nursing and retirement homes. Marian McQuade, a housewife from West Virginia, brainstormed the idea, which was later to become a nationally recognized holiday, thanks to Jimmy Carter in 1978. Now the holiday…
The trappings of modern American culture-TiVo/high-speed Internet/texting–make it a special challenge for families to stay fit and active. Unless you and the kids walk or bike to work or school, chances are good that you have trouble squeezing in as much daily physical activity as your family needs. Even when…
When it comes to physical activity, every little bit counts! LET’S GET MOVING month is designed to get you and your child to become more physically active. Children are less physically fit than they were a generation ago. In fact, inactive children, when compared to active children, weigh more and…
Parents today want toys that are both fun and educational for their children. Toy manufacturers want toys that are big hits with both kids and parents. Enter in the Toy Awards. There are several awards given each year for Best of Breed toys, but they all judge toys on different…
Raising sports active kids is difficult, perhaps more today than ever before. Parents feel pressure to help their kids succeed. They want to keep up with other parents in an increasingly winner-take-all society. Too often, parents just like you feel that if they don’t do everything for their child, they…
With kids, anytime is the time for a party. You do not have to rent giant blow-ups for your front yard and feed every kid within a radius of 100 miles either. Letting your kids have a slumber party with a homemade cake, homemade pizza, a couple of bags of…
Picking out toys for young children is no simple task. There are so many choices that it can easily be overwhelming. It’s important to consider options that are appropriate for the child’s age. It’s also important to know the individual child’s likes and dislikes. Toy Textures: Children thrive on all…
Just because you’re trying to keep the family on a sensible budget doesn’t mean you have to do without everything fun. Likewise, an economical evening with the family isn’t limited to a night of shadow puppets, though in the right context, even that can be a blast! Instead of dwelling…
Helping your child to learn can be a challenge. While learning requires creative thinking, much of learning consists of rote memorization. Remember going over and over those times tables? Kids get bored easily. Your challenge is to find ways to make learning fun. #1 – Make Learning Practical Fractions can…