Babies & Toddler

Posts Tagged ‘Toddler’

Product Description
This toddler size backpack (12″x9 1/2″x4″) is the perfect size for going out, daycare or pre-school. Great for toys and accessories…. More >>

When children transition from a being fed by parents to feeding themselves, many toddlers find this is the right time to start exploring their newly found independence. Before, the toddlers had little choice about what they ate. They ate what was provided through the bottle or breast and then from the spoon mom or dad held. The only recourse they had if they didn’t like something was to spit it out. As children gain the ability to feed themselves, many toddlers start refusing to eat some foods, which can cause a lot of frustration for parents.

If your toddler is beginning to be fussy about foods, don’t worry too much. Yes, you need to be concerned about your child’s eating habits. No, your child should not eat doughnuts and ice cream every meal of the day, but if your child doesn’t like spinach, it really is not a problem.

What parents of toddlers need to realize is that their child will usually eat a balanced diet over the course of each week. Instead of focusing on each meal of each day, you need to look at what your toddler has eaten over the entire week. You will likely find that he eats a very balanced diet.

Parents of fussy eaters need to offer new foods, even if they are certain the child will reject the food. You can offer a new food a few times a week and eventually the child will taste it. Studies indicate that you may have to introduce the food as many as 15 times before the child will try it. You will waste food, but that is a normal part of life with a toddler.

Toddlers sometimes go on binges where they eat only one food constantly. This is often distressing for parents because they wonder if their child is getting enough nutrition. What can also be frustrating is that parents stock up on this particular food, only to find that after a couple of days the child will not eat it. While this behavior is frustrating, it is important to realize that it is completely normal. This is part of the way your toddler is showing that he is developing some independence.

One thing you can do if you are concerned about the nutrition your child is receiving is to give him a vitamin every day. Talk to your pediatrician before you start this. Many children do not need to have vitamins.

A good indication of whether or not your child is eating enough is his development. If he is developing properly and growing as he should, he is likely getting enough to eat. Unlike infancy, during the toddler months your child does not need a huge caloric intake because his growth has slowed down tremendously.

Finally, even though it is difficult, you need to limit the amount of snacking that you allow. He will be tempted to refuse to eat what you offer him for dinner only to fill up on cheerios and crackers later. You need to limit snacking to specific times, usually two snacks per day. This will encourage your toddler to eat when it is dinnertime. Remember, he will not starve if he skips a meal or two. Teaching him while he is young to eat the food you prepare for the family is crucial to having good eating habits later on.

Is your toddler eager to play the piano, but you are unsure of how to start?

Through my experience with working with toddlers, I have found that they are usually not able to cope with sitting at the piano for long periods of time. They tend to show tones of curiosity in the anticipation of playing and then it disappears quickly when it’s time for a turn. It is quite normal at this age to have less than two minutes playing the piano, before you move on to something else. If your toddler doesn’t play for long, it is not an indication that they are not enjoying the activity or music, it’s just being a toddler!

Here are two playing ideas and tips for the first sessions together with your child.

You may not need all the activities that I have written down in the exact order, so feel free to use the ones that suit you best in any order that suits your children and change and adapt the ideas as you need.

Idea 1. Little Bear, Big Bear and Mummy Bear.

This activity will encourage a toddler to get started with their playing. This idea lets a toddler do that, but in a controlled way so that they understand some boundaries about playing the instrument.

Step 1: Sit on the piano seat closely together as if you are about to read a book together, and just have a little tinkle, positively reinforcing all of the sounds that your child makes. Loads of children are naturally worried to hear themselves make a sound on the piano at first until they know its alright. If your child gets too heavy, just show them how to play a note gently and just say “gently” as you show him/her.

Step 2: Once you know that your child is playing gently, you may enjoy making up a little story. You could call all the high top notes “Little Bear” all the bottom notes “Big Bear” and all the middle notes “Mummy Bear”. (Calling all the top notes “High Notes”, all the bottom notes “Low notes” and all the middle ones”Middle Notes” also works well.)

Step 3: Children love their independence. Sometimes they will make a gesture to move off the seat or will tell you. Just move aside and either stand or sit away a little bit, but still be close so that you can positively reinforce gentle playing. If you want to keep your child playing for longer, just sing along a favorite song as they play. Something like “5 Little Ducks” or “Baa Baa” should work well and just sing along to whatever notes are coming out.

Toddler can enjoy this activity on the piano for many sessions. In fact encouraging this as part of a regular routine can really build their confidence and self esteem.

Idea 2. The Wheels on the Bus

This song lends itself to being a great first song on the piano and children usually already know the words and actions, which makes it easier for them to play.

Follow these easy steps to help your child succeed quickly at playing it.

Step 1. Do the actions to the music. You probably already know how the song starts. It’s like this:

Verse 1 The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round, The wheels on the bus go round and round all day long

Verse 2 The horn on the bus goes Beep Beep Beep, Beep Beep Beep, Beep Beep Beep, The horn on the bus goes Beep Beep Beep all day long

I’ve included only two verses because these are the most important ones use in order to play the piece. Verse 2 is the is best suited to use in order to help children to play it. The children play on the beeps.

You could practice playing at the right time by singing the verses and clapping your hands or use an instrument like a maraca or drum to play on the beeps. This helps children achieve the rhythm and timing without the distraction all those keys on the piano.

Step 2. Getting your fingers ready. The fingers you need to use for the song are your pointer finger and middle finger of your right hand and you play them at the same time. When you play my recorded version, you’ll hear the beeps played on the piano. This confirms to a toddler when to play and gets them used to hearing the sound.

Practice first together with your toddler on the floor playing with the correct fingers at the appropriate time and without any sound. Toddlers get overwhelmed if they go up to the piano too quickly and make a mistake.

Step 3.Finding the notes and playing along on the piano. You’ll see groups of 2 black notes together and then groups of 3 black notes together. For this song, you’ll need to play the two black notes closest to the center of the piano.Help your child find the notes and sing along and play together.

Is your baby approaching his or her first birthday and you’re considering weaning?

The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that “breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired.”

If you and your baby are still enjoying the nursing experience, why not take a look at some of the advantages of nursing beyond that first year?

1) Immunological Benefits

Contrary to popular belief, mother’s milk does not have an expiration date!

Your baby continues to receive all the benefits of human milk for as long as he is nursing. In fact, your milk changes to meet your baby’s changing needs. For instance, did you know that the milk of a Mom whose baby delivers prematurely is different from that of one whose baby is full term? The milk of a Mom whose baby is older has more protein, fat and more lysozyme (which destroys E. coli and salmonella bacteria) than it did when her baby was younger.

Now that your toddler is, well… toddling about, he’s exposing himself to more germs. He’s mouthing everything in sight and it’s getting harder to keep his toys clean. And what about those bits of carpet fluff and who-knows-what he always seems to find and quickly consume?

The immunological benefits of breastmilk may be even more important now. When your toddler does get sick and refuses food, he may even revert to almost totally nursing again. If this happens temporarily, you can rest assured that he’s getting his nutritional needs met. If he’s vomiting or has diarrhea, breastmilk is far superior to keep him hydrated than the popular rehydration drinks.

In addition, breastfed children tolerate vaccination better and are less likely to have adverse reactions.

In the Journal of Human Lactation, September 1995, several studies are cited which show that exclusive breastfeeding may continue well into the second half of the first year with no detrimental effects, and many positive effects. If you have a picky toddler or one with food allergies, your breastmilk serves as “nutritional insurance” for him and peace of mind for you!

2) Nursing makes discipline easier

A toddler’s life is full of frustrations. Having to hear the word “No”, wanting to do things that your uncoordinated body can’t do, learning to communicate with Mom and Dad and learning to accept limits is hard on a little person!

Nursing is a way of quickly calming a toddler, and it makes every boo-boo better. At our house we refer to nursing as “Baby Prozac”. It’s also a way to ease the suffering of a child cutting molars.

Nursing is an effortless way to calm a toddler to sleep, making naptime and bedtime easier for everyone.

3) Extended nursing and Mom’s health

Breastfeeding helps lower Mom’s risk of certain cancers for several reasons. Firstly, the fewer times in a woman’s life she ovulates, the less her risk. For some women, their fertility doesn’t return until the end of breastfeeding. I’ve known Moms who went 2 years without a period because their tot was still nursing.

Secondly, breastfeeding lowers a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer, and the longer she nurses, the higher the benefit.

Breastfeeding showers a woman’s body with hormones that help make her a calmer, less stressed out, and more relaxed Mommy. I’ve talked with women who had to wean suddenly and they report that they were shocked at the change in their attitudes compared to when they were nursing!

Looking for the best lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller?  You need to check out the Maclaren Quest Sport then.

The Maclaren Quest Sport lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller combines the features you would expect from a standard stroller with the convenient folding and low weight of an umbrella stroller.  It’s features and price tag definitely make this a luxury stroller.  If you’re not budget conscious then the Maclaren Quest Sport baby stroller is the way to go.

The Maclarne lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller has a high performance aluminum frame, which allows it to have the best weight to weight-capacity ratio of any stroller in this class.  Incredibly, it weighs in at only 11.5 lbs but can support up to 55lbs of child!

We found that the best feature of this lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller is the wheels.  The 5″ hard rubber, lockable dual swivel wheels offer great control and add to the maneuverability.  Combined with a foot operated rear brake the wheels and suspension give the Maclarane Quest Sport a smooth, safe and easy ride.

The Quest Sport lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller has a four position reclining seat, adding to baby’s comfort.  A five point harness helps to keep them secure as well.  A really nice feature on this lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller is the extendable leg rest.  This allows baby to lay flat, or makes babies with shorter legs more comfortable.

Maclaren says infants as young as three months can fit in the Quest Sport.  While most medical professionals suggest 6 months for umbrella strollers, the reclining seat and extendable leg rest allow for a younger passenger.  Double check with your doctor if you’re not comfortable with the manufacturer’s suggestion.

The Quest Sport lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller has a compact umbrella fold and both a shoulder strap and shopping basket for easy travel.  This lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller also has a 5 second one-hand fold mechanism for quick breakdown.  The other convenient features are:

   * Removable and washable seat
   * Water resistant hood
   * Rain cover
   * Ergonomically optimized, foam insulated handles
   * Handy mesh shopping basket

The strong construction and extra features don’t come cheap on the Maclaren Quest Sport.  Retailing for $245.99 it’s not the priciest lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller out there, but is more expensive than most standard strollers.

If you’re not too concerned about price, this is really the best lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller available.  Its list of awesome features will make your trips out easier and more comfortable for your little passenger.  Remember, you get what you pay for and a quality lightweight foldable full size toddler stroller will
cost you more; but it will last you longer and make life a whole lot easier.

Are you looking forward to a long, leisurely vacation this year? If you have a toddler to look after, you’ll really feel that you’ve earned it! But traveling with a toddler – whether by road or by air – can feel like hard work in itself. How can you cope for hours at a time with a small bundle of energy who has nowhere to run about? How can you keep your toddler from distracting the driver or annoying other passengers?

Successful traveling with a toddler takes patience and skill, but most important is preparation. Although you’ll probably be feeling excited about the upcoming break yourself, try not to let that excitement show. In the days leading up to your trip, keep everything as normal as possible. On the day itself, answer your child’s questions about the trip calmly and straightforwardly. Avoid giving sugary treats, which will just result in excess energy. It’s a good idea to feed a heavy meal before the journey begins, so that your toddler will be sleepy, but avoid tangy or spicy foods, which are more likely to cause travel sickness. If this does occur, ginger biscuits are a great way of relieving it without the worries associated with medication.

When traveling, have a blanket handy for your sleepy toddler to curl up in. A blanket can also be used for simple games involving hiding, and, if spread out when you play with toys, it can help to catch escaping items. You should always have toys at the ready when traveling with a toddler, but avoid items that can easily be thrown. Self-contained activity boards are ideal, giving children more control over what they want to do when, but bear in mind that they can be noisy. Toys that encourage learning activity, such as counting and memory games, are ideal as concentrating on them will tire your child out and encourage napping, the easiest way to travel.

Traveling with a toddler can also be complicated by the fact that young children can’t adjust their food and toilet needs to fit in with an adult schedule. Airline staff will understand this and will provide the facilities and assistance you need, but if you’re traveling by car you should be prepared to pull over by the roadside to deal with toilet emergencies. Food needs are easier to cope with – have some low sugar snacks in your bag. Don’t rely on airlines to provide appropriate food. Crunchy fruit and vegetables can be fun to play with as well as to eat, and exploring the tastes and textures of several different foods can be a good way to pass the time.

Traveling with a toddler will always require patience and effort, but it doesn’t have to be exhausting. Make the journey into an entertaining adventure in itself and you and your toddler will arrive at your destination fresh and all ready to have fun.

Product Description
Non toxic
Package contains 12′ of soft foam
Attach with double sided tape (included)
Soft foam edge kushions for use on furniture… More >>

Keeping your toddler safe is one of your most important jobs as a parent of a young child. It can also be one of the hardest jobs you have because toddlers naturally get themselves into a lot of dangerous situations due to their curiosity and lack of understanding of what is unsafe.

Follow these tips to make sure that your toddler is safe wherever he is:

1. Always be careful to check the area to make sure that it is “childproof.”This means constantly checking, not just once! Remember that things change. It can be the smallest thing that you may not notice that gets your toddler into a dangerous situation. Remember that toddlers are unpredictable and extremely curious. They may be interested in things that you wouldn’t even notice. That’s part of the wonder of childhood, but it’s also a big part of the danger of childhood!

2. Don’t let your attention be diverted away from your toddler when you are using cleaning products, electrical appliances, medicines, or anything else that may be hazardous to your toddler. You must realize that it only takes a few seconds for your toddler to get into big trouble with something like this. For example what if you are using a household cleaner and the doorbell rings. If you leave the cleaning materials unattended for even a moment while you go get the door, your child could be into them and cause a very serious problem in that short amount of time.

3. It’s important to be particularly alert of your toddler’s activities during very stressful times. It’s during these times that we let our minds get preoccupied with other things. It’s during these times that the worst accidents can occur. You have to stay alert!

4. You must never leave your toddler alone anywhere. Not in your house, not in the backyard, nowhere! You should also not leave your toddler alone in a room unless it’s absolutely 100% safe. And even if you do leave your child alone in such a room, do not leave them alone with another young child under age 5 or a pet.

5. You should be familiar with basic first aid procedures and with CPR.

6. Safety doesn’t mean your child can’t play. When your child is in a safe place let them “experiment” with their toys and with things that are safe. Children do need to learn from their mistakes. As long as those mistakes are not dangerous, they are OK to make.

7. Always set a good example for safety. Your child is more likely to do what you do than to do what you say. If you tell your child to be safe but then you regularly do things that are unsafe, they will certainly learn to ignore your words and to follow your actions.

8. Make sure your toddler knows that “hot” means very dangerous. You can make sure your child knows this by letting them touch something that is uncomfortably hot, but not so hot it can actually hurt them. Children learn best by doing, they need to know that hot is bad at a very young age to avoid an unthinkable tragedy.

9. You should always remind your child of the dangers of sharp objects whenever they see you using a knife, scissors, or anything else sharp. Let them know that only adults like you ever use knives and other sharp things. Let them know that they are extremely dangerous.

10. Have your child practice with steps. Steps can be very dangerous for a young child and it’s tempting to block them off from steps entirely. But they are better off learning how to use them in a safe way. Let them practice with just three steps at a time. Use a gate to keep them from going any farther.