Springtime is a great time to spend the weekends doing things together as a family. Not only does the warmer weather encourage everyone to get outside, it will also help everyone feel more like exercising after a long winter cooped up inside. Use some of these ideas of springtime children activities for the whole family to enjoy.
New life abounds outside. There are trees budding and flowers blooming everywhere you look. This is the perfect time to start planning a garden to supply your family with fresh vegetables during the summer and fall months.
Begin by starting seeds of any vegetables you want inside and then transplant them into your prepared garden when the threat of frost has passed. Mark off the garden to indicate where you want each type of plant to be planted. Or you can choose to plant your garden using the square foot plan, where you create a grid and plant in those squares. Whichever plan you choose for your garden, now is the time to think about and plan for it.
Take the time to enjoy the outside and have fun at the same time. Let your inner child out as you and your children blow bubbles with home-made bubble solution. Here’s how you make it: Put ¼ cup of corn syrup in a bowl. Add 4 cups of water followed by 1 cup of liquid dish soap. Stir well. You can use a wire coat hanger, pipe cleaners, or jewelry wire to make a bubble wand. Now take time to enjoy making bubbles with your children.
If each member of your family has a bicycle, why not take them out, clean them up, and then go for a bike ride? This family activity is great exercise and will help you get the kinks out of your body after being indoors. You may want to have one adult up front and one following behind the group for safety.
Go for a hike and look for signs of spring. You will probably find crocus, daffodils, and violets along with other native flowers. Don’t be surprised if you also find ladybugs, bees, and wasps. You might even find some small frogs or toads along the way if you’re near water.
Springtime is also a great time to go to the nearest zoo. Many animals have their young during the spring, so you may see some babies while you’re there. Take the time to see if the zoo has a website so you know what the layout of the zoo is, where your family’s favorite animals are housed, and where the restrooms and food pavilions are.
Finally, you can always go fly a kite. Springtime winds are usually perfect for kite flying. You can purchase kites for less than $10, often much less than that. Find an open field, a breezy day, and then let the kites fly. Don’t be surprised if younger children are mesmerized by the kites as they soar through the air.
Be honest, the warmer weather of springtime is beckoning you to go outside and have some fun! Use any of these springtime activities for the whole family, or come up with some ideas of your own. After being indoors all winter long, your whole family will enjoy spending some quality time together outdoors.
With cut-backs in child education budgets, one of the areas to suffer is allowing children to have recess during the school day. You know how being physically active can help you feel better, look better, concentrate more, and be healthier than leading a sedentary life. The same is true for your children. Use hula hoops and jump ropes as a fun way to get you and your children moving at home.
Unstructured recess may be a thing of the past at your school, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give your children unstructured play at home. Purchasing play equipment like hula hoops, jump ropes, and balls can make active play something your children look forward to each day. Science has proven that having this type of equipment available may help your children be more active and play for longer periods of time.
You know increased activity can help stave off obesity in your children, so why not do what you can to help improve their health? Is there a better way to encourage them to get moving than by providing them with fun activities they can do? And, while you’re at it, why don’t you join in the fun with them?
What can you do with a hula hoop? Actually, you might be surprised. Obviously, you can use the hula hoop as it was intended. You swing your hips in a circular movement and try to keep the hoop moving. Did you know that using one of these hoops, especially if it has been weighted, is a great abdominal exercise? They can also be used as a prop in rhythmic dancing or gymnastics. You can also use them at different points on the body, so you can concentrate on separate areas and give them a great workout.
Jump ropes are also wonderful pieces of exercise equipment. Of course, if more than one person chooses to use it at once, you will probably want to get one for everyone in the family. Again, you can use these as intended, jumping rope, but you can also incorporate them into gymnastics or rhythmic dancing. If you’re not sure what you can do with a jump rope, take a look at double Dutch jump roping. You’ll be amazed at the way some athletes use a simple pair of ropes.
Find hula hoops and jump ropes at local department stores. If you don’t think those will stand up to use, you may want to look at school supply stores. If there aren’t any school supply stores nearby, you can always look online to find them. You may find other pieces of exercise equipment that you’ll be interested in, too.
Remember that the goal is to encourage your child to get active rather than sitting in front of a computer or television. Give them a couple of pieces of exercise equipment and they’re more likely to use them. If you really want to encourage them, let them see you use the equipment, too. There’s nothing like exercise to get you and your whole family healthier and quite possibly happier.
It’s a common complaint of many families these days. Everyone is involved in so many children activities that it’s hard to come together and enjoy time as a family. Consider some of these ideas on how to enjoy a fun family night in instead of everyone going their separate ways.
Scientifically it has been proven that families who eat meals together are more emotionally connected and more stable. And since everyone has to eat, why not start your fun family night in by cooking a meal together?
Family meals don’t have to be elaborate or tedious to prepare. They can be as simple as cooking hamburgers, having chips, and drinks. Of course, you may want to prepare something that will get everyone involved in the cooking process. Someone can cut up vegetables, someone else be in charge of cooking the dessert, and another person in charge of the main meal. Have everyone pitch in and the work will be completed quicker. You can also use the time to reconnect and talk about what’s happened in each person’s life since your last family fun night.
Once the meal is complete, take time to set a nice table and eat there rather than in front of the television. You can make clean-up a breeze by using disposable plates and napkins if you like, but you can also make the dinner seem more special by using nice place settings which are normally reserved for holidays.
After you’ve eaten dinner and cleaned up the dishes, continue your family night by playing board games. Have everyone choose one of their favorite games and then decide together which one you’ll play first. Games are meant to be fun and relaxing, so try to avoid becoming too competitive if that’s your personality. Depending upon the game you’ve chosen, you may be able to play more than one game; and don’t forget to play games even the little children of the family can enjoy.
If games aren’t your favorite things, you can also plan a movie night. Find a movie everyone will like, or at least tolerate, and pop some popcorn. Comedies are usually a good choice even though people have different senses of humor. Unless the humor is extremely dry, everyone in the family should at least get a chuckle out of the movie.
Pull out the family albums and take a stroll down memory lane. Remember the way the children were when they were young. Everyone loves to look at pictures of or hear stories about themselves even if they can be slightly embarrassing. Talk about some of the things your children did as babies or toddlers that you found so endearing.
No matter how busy your family may get, it’s vital to take time to reconnect as a family. You can use some of these ideas on how to enjoy a fun family night in or you can come up with some of your own. The important thing is to do something everyone, no matter what their age, will be able to enjoy and look forward to.
For most parents, any mention of gifts for kids rings the bell that a gift shop must be visited. This, however, need not be the case especially when you want to make kids personalized gifts. These are gifts that are most of the times made at home by the parent. There are several reasons why you should embrace this do- it- yourself gifts for your children:
You know your child better: A gift for the child should be one that meets his or her expectation. The best person who understands the expectations of your child is you and therefore you are in a better position to design a gift that will be the kids personalized gifts.
The child appreciates the time spent: The time that will be spent in preparing the gift is what most kids will best appreciate. Therefore you need to be seen making the gift by yourself. The element of surprise has less significance in this case. By doing it yourself, then it results in kids personalized gifts. You can let your child know that you making for them a gift by yourself and see the eye blossom.
Control Safety: You alone are the best person to ensure that your children or child is safe from any potential harm. This will depend on the age appropriateness of the child. Other factors to consider in giving a gift to your child are the space that they have to play. These are factors that you are best placed to control and therefore do- it- yourself gift is best.
Control the message that is sent through the gift: Some gifts can be very embarrassing because of the message that they send to the children. Such information of bound to stick to the brain of the child and he or she will grow up with it. Instead of taking chances and insisting that the gifts be bought from the shop, you can use some of the materials at home and help pass the correct message to the child.
Use recycles materials: If you checked your home, more often than not you will be having a material that you no longer use. This can be cards or clothes that you no longer use. It may just require a little creativity to develop a gift item that would greatly surprise both you and the child. Remember that what is in a gift is not so much the value, but the thought process. The child will appreciate gift as being a kids personalized gifts because you spent time making it.
Saves costs- There are seasons that as a parent, you may feel under great pressure to deliver. There may be too many gifts that are expected to be delivered. This can be a difficult task to achieve because finances are often limited. It is therefore advisable to have methods that would save you the costs. The use of the do-it-yourself gifts would save you lots of costs and still provide a sense of originality.
Kids sports as children activities are many in number. Playschools around the world have these sports in their daily curriculum and children enjoy a variety of sports in their day-to-day school life. Parents also participate in various sports activities with the kids whether indoors or out in the fields.
Vacationing families carry a lot of sports equipment including baseball bats and volleyballs with nets and other paraphernalia to enjoy a good sports activity in the lush green fields even if it is for a single day.
Kids sports are increasing by the day and newer and newer sports are coming up thanks to the researchers who are knocking their brains over in finding out various ways and means in keeping the kids happy.
Moving from playschool to junior school and then on to the high school levels, sports always seem to have a separate portfolio carefully nurtured and watered to help kids become stronger and more responsible citizens of tomorrow.
Kids sports are many and are growing by the day. There are various clubs and organizations that involve kids in these sports activities and there are good lucrative prizes to be won too. Some of the clubs renowned to be promoters of kids sports also reward the losers so that they can come down once again with the zeal to win.
The more the sports the more the possibility of healthy young citizens for the nation and less of pollution and diseases. Sports improve the blood circulation of the body, keep the muscles of the body flexible and help the body to grow and meet challenges from diseases and illnesses.
Every kid should be encouraged to participate in whatever outdoor activity the kid finds interest in. Sports definitely are one activity but a kid may want to participate in cycling championships and swimming competitions too. Plain and simple, just a walk or a morning jog for a few minutes is enough to do more good to the body than harm and if this can be done regularly on a daily basis over the years, the body is well protected from diseases and other illnesses involving huge sums of money to drive the illness away.
In addition, it is strongly believed that once a body is beset with illnesses, even after a costly curing process, the body becomes permanently weak and there is every possibility of the illness returning once again.
It is in this context that kid sports need to be encouraged at all levels. City life and the shrinking greenery is also having a toll on the fields and wide open spaces, hence the Government should intervene in ensuring that the minimum amount of open space is reserved for kids in their sports activities.
The Federal Government has been too kind in reconsidering the health plans and budgets to ensure that all Americans are covered under various health schemes, but what needs to be done first is to allow kids sports grow on a massive scale to ensure that the citizens of tomorrow are healthy and safe from diseases and illnesses.
“It was so obvious, I can’t believe I never thought of it before,” said Don Hoffman.
“It was definitely a chocolate and peanut butter moment,” added Mike Connolly.
Hoffman and Connolly are two entrepreneurs each owning what seem to be unrelated businesses, however both share a common passion, bringing health and well being into the home in a fun and motivating way. Now, together they are trying to change the way families approach health, fitness and child development.
Hoffman is the owner of Creative Playthings, one of the nation’s oldest and largest children’s backyard play-set manufacturers and retailers. Connolly is the owner of Creative Fitness Solutions, one of the largest quality fitness equipment retailers.
In summer of 2009, Hoffman walked into one of Connolly’s stores looking for a treadmill for his home. When the two met, lengthy discussion regarding the importance of fitness at every age ensued.
Hoffman noted to Connolly that they were essentially in the same business, only Creative Playthings was for kids and The Fitness Store was for adults. In fact, they were sharing many of the same customers who were ultimately buying products for different members of the family for the same goal.
Their shared passion for the importance of health and wellness was evident and the synergy between their two businesses became clear.
In late 2009, Hoffman and Connolly entered a joint venture to bring their two businesses together to form the nation’s first and only family focused exercise and fitness store aimed at giving the whole family fun and motivational exercise options that suit each member of the family’s age and lifestyle.
For children and adults alike, family traditions bring joy and warmth to the holiday season. From picking out lights to putting the Lionel train around the tree, decorating for the holidays provides a wealth of opportunities and children activities to integrate new and contemporary touches to established traditions.
Traditions can be inherited, created as new or even made as a combination of both. Evette Rios, Lifestyle Expert, Designer and Stylist, offers the following tips for mixing the old and new to make your holidays even more memorable:
Infuse your family history into the Christmas Tree: View the tree as a blank canvas and go through old family photos and keepsakes to find decorations. A favorite family photo can be made into an ornament. Even your baby rattle or first pair of shoes can find a home on the Christmas tree.
Bring out vintage favorites to create new memories: For example, model trains are a classic element around a Christmas Tree. Holidays evoke nostalgic feelings so pull out your family’s Lionel Trains and bring multiple generations of families together to set it up around the tree. Help the younger members of your family pick out a new car to add to the set or even decorate their own. Lionel Trains have been shaping family memories for over 100 years and adding a car to the train each Christmas can strengthen a wonderful family tradition this holiday season.
Make the gift wrapping meaningful with new gift wrapping traditions: The act of opening presents can create as many memories as the present itself. While wrapping presents can be as difficult as finding the perfect present, a little creativity can make gift wrapping a fun and meaningful experience:
Adorn your gifts with little packs of seeds. Giving someone you love something new to grow in the New Year is a green and a symbolic gift.
Make gift tags out of the large Christmas lights - just use the bulb and write on it with a permanent marker and use wire to attach it to the gift. You can use the colorful, but burned out ones, instead of tossing them in the trash.
Get the kids involved in wrapping! Have your kids draw on scrap paper to make their own wrapping paper. Friends and family will love seeing your kids’ masterpieces.
Looking for good gifts for kids that will never be outgrown? Do you have family and friends asking you what they can give to your child for a birthday or holiday gift? Do you wish your child could better understand how regularly saving money is a good thing? Citizens Bank is introducing a new personal savings account that can answer all those questions. It’s called a Let it Grow Gift Account(SM).
A Let it Grow Gift Account(SM) allows you, your family and friends to easily and securely contribute to a savings account in your child’s name. As the child grows older, they can also begin contributing to the account to further boost their savings. It’s like a gift registry, only this is a savings account. Citizens Bank representatives say that this new account is a perfect alternative to a gift of cash. By contributing to a Let it Grow Gift Account(SM), family members are contributing to something and more meaningful than what a cash gift would be. Plus, it has a longer term impact. One of the best features of this account is that it helps children to learn that by saving, long term financial goals, whatever they may be, are more attainable with the discipline of savings.
A Let it Grow Gift Account(SM) comes complete with invitations, email templates and step-by-step instructions for suggesting this gift alternative to family and friends.
Full of hand-drawn color illustrations, “Catiana Makes a Family” (published by AuthorHouse), the new children’s book written and illustrated by Mary Lotorto-Soroka, details the poignant true story of child education and her own daughter’s adoption.
Told from Catiana’s point of view, “Catiana Makes a Family” is a perfect tool for helping children understand adoption by relating to Catiana and her story. Catiana’s tale begins when her adoptive parents fall in love and wish to share their love with a child. Soon, the couple makes friends with people who want to help their dream come true.
One day while at the beach in New Jersey, the couple receives a telephone call about a special new baby who has been born just for them. Once they hear the news, they begin dancing on the clouds. Immediately, they pack their bags and all of their baby belongings to travel to Colombia, South America, to meet their new baby.
Once in Colombia, the couple has to go into the mountains so that they may finally hold their baby girl. When baby Catiana is in the woman’s arms, tears of joy fill the couple’s eyes and when Catiana smiles up at them, they realize that in this exact moment the woman had become a mother and the man had become a father. All together, smiling, they were a family.
At home, they arrive back to a big welcome party for the new family, complete with balloons, food and presents galore. After the celebration, Catiana and her parents get settled and ready to live their happily ever after.
By contrasting the New Jersey beach to the exotic landscape of Colombia, full of eucalyptus trees, gorgeous flowers and mountains, “Catiana Makes a Family” reflects how both adoptive children and their new parents come from diverse places with their own unique characteristics. Entertaining for eyes and ears, “Catiana Makes a Family” will be fun and informative for the whole family.
Between summer vacations, spring breaks, fall getaways and the winter holidays, it seems that every season is filled with family travel. So to help parents plan vacations and children activities everyone can enjoy, Marriott International, Inc., one of the world’s leading lodging companies, is offering tips to make the experience one you won’t want to forget.
Family Travel Planning
* Make the process of selecting a destination a democratic one - that way everyone can voice their ideas and opinions.
* Look for special family travel packages and discount offers available in your top-five destinations. This will help determine where you can make the most of your time and your budget.
* Once you’ve selected a destination, get a city-specific travel guide designed for those traveling with children. It will help you find activities everyone can enjoy.
Choosing a Hotel
* Try to select a hotel designed for family travel. With amenities like on-site dining, room service, pools, babysitting services and/or kids’ clubs, high-speed internet access, video game consoles and DVD players, you can give them easy access to kid-friendly fun.
* Choose accommodations with room to roam. If you have teenagers or older children, you can also opt for connecting rooms.
* Select a hotel that’s near the attractions you want to see most. Rather than driving across town, you may be able to walk or take the hotel’s shuttle service to your destination.
Eat’n Park and local Lincoln Mercury dealers are partnering to sweeten guests’ day on Friday, November 6 with Free Smiley Cookie Day, to kick off Eat’n Park’s 31st annual Caring for Kids children activities, benefitting children’s hospitals.
All guests who purchase a Mercury Milan Raffle Ticket, which benefits the Caring for Kids campaign, on November 6, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., will receive a Free Smiley Cookie, courtesy of local Lincoln Mercury dealers. The offer includes one Smiley Cookie per guest.
This year marks the 17th year of partnership for Eat’n Park and Lincoln Mercury, who annually donates a vehicle to the Caring for Kids campaign. The car raffle has generated $1.5 million for local children’s hospitals. This year, one lucky Eat’n Park guest will walk away with a 2010 Mercury Milan vehicle, courtesy of Lincoln Mercury dealers.
Eat’n Park’s Caring for Kids campaign has raised more than $7 million since its inception in 1979, thanks to the energy and dedication of Eat’n Park’s partners, team members and guests who are passionate about the success of this campaign.
According to Jeff Broadhurst, CEO and president, Eat’n Park, “We’re proud to be a part of the communities we serve and want to do our part. A big way we do that is to raise money for our local children’s hospitals to help support the health of the kids in our community. This campaign is really about neighbors helping neighbors in their time of need.”
Parenting isn’t an easy job. If someone tells you it is, they obviously aren’t a parent! As a parent, you may be involved in many things – child care, home maintenance and work. You may not have the time to care for your own needs, but it’s important that you do; a happy parent equals a happy family.
Take time out to pursue your own hobby or interest. Nearly every parenting book will espouse the need of parents to pursue some of their own interests to avoid burn-out. Perhaps you played a sport before becoming a parent. Being active will keep you healthy, show your children how to be healthy through activity, and increase endorphins in your body which will improve your mood.
Include your children in your hobby. Maybe you loved to roller skate as a teen. It may be time to take up skating again. Get skates for the whole family and everyone can have fun together.
Maybe your interests lie in another direction. Are you fixing up a room in the house? Children can learn how to help with do-it-yourself projects as well. They generally like painting even if they can’t reach the ceiling. Why not let them help? You’ll be able to share your interest with your child and get more accomplished at the same time.
Give yourself a time out. This might be associated primarily with disobedient children, but time outs can be a great idea for helping you to de-stress, which can definitely improve how you feel. This can also help you be a better parent because you’ll be calmer and more able to handle your children.
How do you know when you need a time out? Here are some indicators:
* You might talk louder
* You may clench your teeth
* You may feel your heart race
* You may feel your muscles tighten
If your children are safe, try leaving the situation. You can also ask another adult to keep an eye on them until you’ve cooled off. Go to your room or the bathroom where you can be alone for a few minutes. Take some deep breaths and then call a friend to help you talk thing through before returning to the stress-causing situation. When you’ve calmed down, you’ll be able to handle the situation better.
It’s important to realize you can’t do things for others – whether partner, children, or boss – if you’re tired, worn out, and frazzled. The old saying goes, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” That may apply to parents in general, so do what you can to make yourself happy. Experts agree a happy parent equals a happy family.
Many people in the United States have never heard about miso because they don’t eat Asian cuisine. Doctors’ reports, however, have agreed about the healing properties in miso. If you’re curious about it, here are six good reasons to start preparing miso as a recipe for kids.
For those who aren’t aware, miso is a paste made from fermented and ground soybeans which has been fermented for two months up to two years. It is often mixed with rice, barley, or wheat to speed up fermentation. Normally, it can be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores.
1. Miso is versatile. It can be made into a dressing for salads, soup, or made into a tea. Miso comes in white, brown, deep red and creamy beige, each with its own distinct flavor. Flavors range from sweet and mild to savory and earthy.
2. Miso is also high in fiber and probiotics. It increases the enzymes your body produces in your digestive system by increasing beneficial micro-organisms. These micro-organisms will break down foods better which will enable more nutrients to be absorbed, giving you more energy.
3. Most people eat meat to get protein. However, miso provides high quality vegetable protein that is highly usable in the body. In fact, if you were to eat miso with whole grains, the proteins you consume would be increased. It also contains unsaturated oils and zero cholesterol, which doctors recommend as part of a heart-healthy diet.
4. Some reports have confirmed miso as being beneficial by helping prevent some cancers, heart disease, and other illnesses. It has also been touted to eliminate heavy metals, nicotine, and air pollutants from your system. Women who eat miso regularly have been shown to be less likely to develop breast cancer.
5. Miso is high in essential minerals such as zinc which aids the immune system. Iron, copper and manganese are also in ample supply in miso.
6. If you’re moving toward a more vegetarian diet, miso would be a great addition. It is high in vitamins K and B12, both essential for a healthy body.
How on earth do you use miso? There are a number of ways you can try to start using miso in your family’s meals: use it instead of a stock (chicken or vegetable) when making home-made soups, spread it on toast similar to butter, use it as a salt substitute when you’re cooking, or mix it with sesame oil and your favorite seasonings to make an Asian-inspired salad dressing.
Although doctors in the West can be slow to acknowledge the health benefits of foods used traditionally in the East, it seems they’re taking notice of miso. By reading these six reasons to start eating miso, you can see how this food from Japan can improve your health and help you avoid some diseases. Maybe it’s time to find it in your grocery store and make it a part of your family’s diet.
Like many families, you may feel the effects of a slowing economy. You may be searching for ways to save money and time. Think of making a menu plan - it’s a great way to save time and money in the kitchen for more child care time.
Creating nutritious meals day in and day out may be tiresome. If you start with a menu plan, you can make weekly meals your family will love. Here are some things to consider about creating menu plans:
* A menu plan allows you to create a focused grocery shopping list. Knowing what you need for each meal keeps you from racing through the grocery store trying to find something for dinner.
* A menu plan also allows you to save time in the kitchen. By knowing what you need, you know you have everything in place before beginning to make the meal.
* You can make a menu plan for one week, two weeks, or more. Keep each week’s menu plan and you can take notes on them about which ones the family liked, which ones they’d rather never eat again, and changes to side dishes that might be better.
* Putting together a meal plan can be a great way to feed your family a meal they’ll love as well as end your family’s hectic day on a peaceful note.
Now you know how making a menu plan can save you time and money in the kitchen. If you’ve never made a menu plan before, you may like to learn. Here are some easy steps you may want to follow when making your first one; you may want your family’s help.
1. Make a list of all the main dishes your family enjoys; don’t forget anything. It won’t matter how neat the list is, it’s just to get the ideas down on paper.
2. Try to write down the amount of time needed to prepare each dish. You may want to mark dishes that take considerably longer than 30 minutes to prepare, not counting cooking time, so you can save those for days you have more time.
3. Put each main dish into categories such as Mexican, Italian, Sandwiches, Soups and Salads, or Casseroles.
4. Decide which day you’ll do your shopping. Many people do all of their grocery shopping on Saturday. You may want to have leftovers on Friday night to make shopping day easier.
5. Check your calendar and look to see if there are any really busy days. Plan on having soup and salads on that night.
6. Fill in the rest of the calendar with a category. Determine which category of food you’ll have each night and then plan on having that category of dish every week on the same day.
7. After you have your categories planned, now it’s time to look through your cupboards to see which ingredients you already have and which ingredients you need to purchase. You can create your focused shopping list based on the ingredients you need for the meals on your meal plan.
8. Be flexible. Plans change, people stop over, or meetings are called. By having a meal plan, you can choose to switch meals from one day to another and still know you have everything you need.
Menu planning can make meal time much easier for your family. Look at these suggestions and use those you find helpful. Then get out some paper, a pen, and your calendar and make your own meal plan – a great way to save time and money in the kitchen.
Cherry smoothies may be all about sweets but don’t even think this recipe for kids can’t be healthy. Bring your kid’s favorite smoothie up a notch by serving them with the Vegan Cherry Smoothie.
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen cherries
1 cup water
½ tbsp coconut butter
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp almonds
A few dried dates (depending on your taste)
Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and whiz until deliciously frothy.
There is a risk for spaghetti to be overused as a recipe for kids because of its instant appeal to children. However, all it takes is a little creativity and you can repackage this recipe in a very cost-effective manner. Take a look at this recipe for Spaghetti with Pickled Peppers
Ingredients:
½ box spaghetti
4 – 6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 large handful arugula
1/3 cup pickled peppers, diced
Generous amount of olive oil
Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente.
In a separate large pot heat olive oil, add the garlic and cook over low heat until the garlic is soft. Add the cooked spaghetti to the pot and gently sauté with the olive oil and garlic. Add the pickled peppers, pepper flakes, tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Toss until the spaghetti are thoroughly coated.
Remove from heat, then stir through arugula.
Enjoy the spaghetti with a generous helping of grated parmesan cheese.
Children learn what they see modeled before them. When it comes to being a good sport, are you demonstrating how to be one for child development? You may not have thought about how to teach your child to be a good sport, but it may be something to consider - especially if you think they’ll want to play organized sports.
Sportsmanship can be defined as the way you conduct yourself suitably to all participants in sports. Included in this idea is playing fair, striving to do one’s best, and losing gracefully. If these are qualities parents want their children to display, why is it there have been newscasts from around the world of parents acting just the opposite?
Your children may wonder why good sportsmanship is important. You may be wondering how to instill good sportsmanship in your children from an early age so it will be evident as they get older and need it.
Most children instinctively want to win and considered to be the best at everything. Unfortunately, the desire to win may cause some children to display poor sportsmanship rather than good. You might want to use some of these tips to help your child learn how to be a good sport.
When children are preschoolers their parents may have a tendency to let their children win. Although this is usually done from a parent’s love for the child, it can give them the impression that they can win at any game because they won against their parents. The better choice might be to teach your child how to play a game and then “let the chips fall as they may.” They might actually learn more about the game, and being a good sport, by losing at an early age.
If they complain and whine about not winning, let them know how much practice it took for you to become good at the game. You could also offer to play with them whenever they like, as long as you’re not in the middle of something else, so they can get better at the game and possibly beat you in the future.
Model good sportsmanship while watching sports on TV or in person. Cheer for your team, of course, but make positive comments about the opposing team. Say something about the good defense or how well the team works together. This teaches your child to enjoy the game, be a fan of one team, but respect the players on the other team.
Encourage your child and praise them when they show good sportsmanship, no matter what the game. If they’re not quite the good sport, acknowledge and address the negative behavior. Good sports play fair and follow the rules. Children need to understand the difference between being a good sport or a bad sport; your praise for positive behavior will reinforce that knowledge and entice them to choose the higher ground.
As a parent, you want your children to play fair. When you teach your child to be a good sport, remember they learn a great deal by watching you. If you’re a good sport, your children will be more likely to follow suit.
Cooking a very delicious way is a very excellent way for families to bond together in front of the dining table. One of the best recipes for kids we can suggest for that family bonding is of course chicken noodles. Apart from its distinct taste, it is very affordable.
Ingredients:
4-5 pieces of chicken (chicken breast preferably)
4 carrots, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups water
4 chicken broth cubes
1 tsp garlic salt
1 lb egg noodles
salt & pepper
Instructions:
Add carrots to your crock pot, then add chicken, onion, water, cubes and spices (leaving out the noodles). Turn the crock pot on low and cook for about eight hours.
When almost ready, cook egg noodles according to package instructions. While the noodles cook, take chicken pieces out and cut into child-friendly, bite-size pieces. Place chicken pieces & cooked noodles in the crock pot.
If needed, mix cornstarch, water and a bit of broth together and add to your chicken and noodles to thicken.
Summer has all many memories of outdoor activity and before this season ends, remind your family with this delicious and affordable recipe for kids, the End of Summer Beefy Barbecue Stew.
Ingredients:
2 lbs stew meat
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, sliced
1/2 cup yellow pepper, chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
2 cup stock (preferably beef)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 can (8 oz.) chopped tomatoes
1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Instructions:
In frying pan sauté sliced onion, pepper, garlic and meat in olive oil. Add stock, salt and pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms and barbecue sauce and cook for a few minutes. Place in slow cooker and cook on low heat for about 8-10 hours. Just before serving, mix cold water and cornstarch in a little bowl and add to the stew to thicken.
Where else to get that authentic sweet and sour taste than to combine two of the most famous representatives of this taste group: lime and honey. In this very affordable and healthy recipe for kids, you can get your children excited with some Lim Honey Dip.
Ingredients:
1 cup plain yoghurt
Grated peel of lemon or lime
1 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp liquid honey
Instructions:
Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover and put in the fridge for at least 10 hours. The mixture will thicken. Yields 1 cup.
Enjoy this dip with seasonal cut up fruit, from melon, pineapple pieces, grapes, strawberries, mango, papaya, bananas to oranges. The dip is the perfect accompaniment to get your whole family to stock up on vitamins.
Slow cooking is a nutritious means to give your child a quality meal. Use fresh or frozen ingredients rather than ingredients which are full of chemicals or preservatives for your recipes for kids. You can use fruits that are in season rather than canned ones which have fewer nutrients. Cooking foods on low heat over a longer period of time also helps the foods retain more of the vitamins and minerals.’
Your child can really use that extra dose of nutrition.
One of the main benefits of slow cooking is the ease by which it is done. Unlike traditional cooking methods, you don’t have to stand over the stove to ensure the dish cooks properly. You can place everything into the slow cooker, set it, and then walk away. In fact, you don’t even have to be at home while your meal cooks as most recipes require four to eight hours cooking time!
Saving time is another benefit of slow cooking. The major portion of the meal is done by the slow cooker, which leaves a side dish or salad and your meal is done. If you have more than one size of slow cooker, you can make a different component of the meal in each one.
Finally, the benefits of slow cooking can also improve your pocket book. You can find ingredients which are on sale at your grocery store to use in your slow cooker. You can also use cheaper groceries such as dried beans, noodles, and rice.
With cut-backs in education budgets, one of the areas to suffer is allowing children to have recess during the school day. You know how being physically active can help you feel better, look better, concentrate more, and be healthier than leading a sedentary life. The same is true for your children. Use hula hoops and jump ropes as a fun way to inspire children activities.
Unstructured recess may be a thing of the past at your school, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give your children unstructured play at home. Purchasing play equipment like hula hoops, jump ropes, and balls can make active play something your children look forward to each day. Science has proven that having this type of equipment available may help your children be more active and play for longer periods of time.
You know increased activity can help stave off obesity in your children, so why not do what you can to help improve their health? Is there a better way to encourage them to get moving than by providing them with fun activities they can do? And, while you’re at it, why don’t you join in the fun with them?
What can you do with a hula hoop? Actually, you might be surprised. Obviously, you can use the hula hoop as it was intended. You swing your hips in a circular movement and try to keep the hoop moving. Did you know that using one of these hoops, especially if it has been weighted, is a great abdominal exercise? They can also be used as a prop in rhythmic dancing or gymnastics. You can also use them at different points on the body, so you can concentrate on separate areas and give them a great workout.
Jump ropes are also wonderful pieces of exercise equipment. Of course, if more than one person chooses to use it at once, you will probably want to get one for everyone in the family. Again, you can use these as intended, jumping rope, but you can also incorporate them into gymnastics or rhythmic dancing. If you’re not sure what you can do with a jump rope, take a look at double Dutch jump roping. You’ll be amazed at the way some athletes use a simple pair of ropes.
Find hula hoops and jump ropes at local department stores. If you don’t think those will stand up to use, you may want to look at school supply stores. If there aren’t any school supply stores nearby, you can always look online to find them. You may find other pieces of exercise equipment that you’ll be interested in, too.
Remember that the goal is to encourage your child to get active rather than sitting in front of a computer or television. Give them a couple of pieces of exercise equipment and they’re more likely to use them. If you really want to encourage them, let them see you use the equipment, too. There’s nothing like exercise to get you and your whole family healthier and quite possibly happier.
It won’t be long. People are counting down the time until they can put their wintertime shoes away for the summer months. Have you been taking care of your feet? Here’s how to get the feet of young children ready to show off in this year’s cute summer sandals.Start with your own feet and repeat the procedure with your children:
If you’ve neglected your feet during the winter months, don’t despair. There’s still time to get your feet looking sexy and it won’t take forever to get them there!
Start out by taking a long look at your feet. You want to be sure there aren’t any cuts, scrapes, or torn cuticles. Since the easiest way to get your feet ready to show off is to use vinegar, salt, and lemon juice, it would hurt like crazy to get any of those in a cut! You may also want to trim and file your toenails before going any further.
Next, head to the kitchen. “The kitchen?” you ask. Yep, the kitchen! In a bowl, mash several slices of fresh lemon with 1/4 cup Epsom salt. This will make a pre-scrub to soften any rough spots you may have. Rub this mixture into your feet and then put on a pair of white socks for at least 15 minutes. While you’re waiting, crush 10 mint leaves with 1/4 cup Epsom salt and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and set it aside.
Fill a basin with hot water (but not too hot) and 1 cup of red apple cider vinegar. Add marbles to the water to massage your feet as you soak them. Just taking the time to soak them would also work, even if a massage would make your feet feel better.
After you’ve soaked your feet long enough that the water has started to cool, you can grab the mint and Epsom salt mixture. Rub that into your feet to remove dead skin. Rinse your feet in cool water and then massage olive oil into them. Put your feet back into white socks and leave them on overnight. The longer you leave the socks on, the softer your feet will get.
Substitutions can be made for most of these steps; however, not all of them. Coarse salt, table salt, or even sugar can be used for Epsom salt. You can use mineral or canola oil in place of olive oil. The only element in all of this that you wouldn’t want to substitute is the red apple cider vinegar as it will both soften the skin and help neutralize odors. Dusting your feet with corn starch before bed and before putting on shoes will also neutralize odors.
Summertime feet which you and your children will be proud to show off are just a few short steps away. By following these steps, you can have the feet you’ve always dreamed of. It’s time to put your best foot forward.
You’ve heard the line breastmilk is still best for babies in television. That cliche has been up and running for a reason - it is a true nugget of wisdom. Breastfeeding allows children to get their optimum requirements for nutrients and antibodies and also give mothers more time to bond with their children during infant care.
How optimum is the nutrients in breast milk. Well, like magic, it has the right amount of fat, sugar, water and protein needed by the baby for his growth. It is also easier to digest than cow’s milk. After all, the baby is not a cow. Human breastmilk is much more easier to absorb and break down.
Apart from the nutrients, breast milk has anitbodies to provide important protection against bacteria and viruses. In today’s polluted environment, this is no laughing matter. Breastmilk can really help strengthen your child. It makes babies less susceptible to contract lower respiratory infections, ear infection, septicemia and urinary tract infections.
More importantly, for the mother, breastfeeding helps to lower the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. It also helps the uterus return to its normal size more quickly.
Children are used to seeing the American flag flying over government buildings and in their classrooms. They may not, however, understand the significance of the different parts of the flag. Do they know what the colors of our flag mean? This is an important aspect of child education so make sure to tell them.
When the flag was originally created, the colors on it held no significance. However, when the Continental Congress adopted the Great Seal, the colors did have particular meanings. Those colors and their meanings were transferred to the Stars and Stripes at a later date, although no one knows exactly when.
* Red – There is some disagreement about what this color represents on the American flag. Originally the color was used on the Great Seal and was to represent hardiness and valor. Some have indicated that the color is indicative of the blood of the patriots who fought and died helping to make our country free and are still doing so.
* White – This color has always signified purity and innocence.
* Blue – Vigilance, perseverance and justice are what this color symbolizes.
The thirteen stripes are purported to represent the thirteen original colonies of the United States. The fifty stars are said to represent each of the fifty states that make up this great country.
If your children don’t know the story behind the flag, you may want to take time this year to teach them. Be sure to include the proper handling of the flag in a respectful manner.
1. Flags are not to be displayed at night unless they are fully illuminated.
2. The flag should not be flown in inclement weather.
3. The flag is not to be allowed to touch the ground. If it does, the flag should be properly disposed of.
4. Flags flown at half-staff are first hoisted to the top of the flag pole and then lowered. Normally you will see flags at half-staff, or half-mast, on governmental buildings only. Flags at half-staff signify the death of a former President. From sunrise to sunset they are placed at half-staff on May 15 for Peace Officers Memorial Day, from sunrise until noon on Memorial Day, from sunrise to sunset on September 11 which has been declared as Patriot Day, during October 5 to 11 for Fire Prevention Week, and then again on December 7 for National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
While the President of the United States cannot require the citizens of the country to fly their personal flags at half-staff, he may request that they join the government in flying them in that manner. The President may, at his discretion, declare other days as being recognized by flying the flag at this position.
Perhaps you don’t know, or have forgotten the significance of the Stars and Stripes and its history. You may not be aware that the flag has be changed twenty-four times during is history. You can learn more about the flag’s history by visiting the official website about the American flag, www.USflag.org.
The Star Spangled Banner talks about the “rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air.” Thankfully, the only rockets and bombs that can be found on the Fourth of July are fireworks and patriotic decorations. If your child wants rockets this July 4th, let them make their own that they can enjoy after the holiday has passed through these very creative children activities.
The 4th of July is a wonderful time to allow your children to make patriotic crafts. One of the easiest they can try, even if they are very young, is making paper rockets. They’re a quick and easy craft they can make with minimal adult supervision.
These are the items you’ll need to have available for your children to make 4th of July rockets:
- Empty toilet paper or paper towel tubes, depending upon how large they want their rocket to be
- Pre-cut colored paper - construction paper, colored printer paper, and patriotic wrapping paper will all work
- Cellophane tape or a glue stick
- Markers and stickers
- Gift wrap ribbon
If you’re using solid colored paper, your child will definitely want to decorate the paper before constructing their rocket. Be sure they know which part of the design is covered up when the paper is glued or taped. When the decorations are complete, wrap the paper around the tube and tape it in place.
Draw a 3-inch circle on sheet of paper and cut it out. Carefully cut from one edge to the center. Pull one side of the circle behind the other creating a cone shape. Tape this to hold its shape and then attach it to the end of the tube using two or three pieces of tape.
Cut triangles out to use as fins. Tape three of these onto the end without the cone. If the cone and fins are level, the finished rocket will be able to stand. Fins that extend past the end of the rocket will look cool, but they probably won’t allow the rocket to stand. They can be used, however, if your child intends to hang it from the ceiling.
To give the illusion that the rocket is blazing through the sky, your child could tape pieces of red, orange, or white ribbon to the open end of the rocket. They can hang the rocket from the ceiling using loops of fishing line.
Using glow-in-the-dark stickers on their rocket would help them see their rocket in the dark. Your child may find making 4th of July rockets may be so much fun they’ll want to create more than one. Before you know it, they may have rockets hanging all over the ceiling. Of course, as long as there aren’t actual explosions, you should be fine.
Cater to the hard-to-please palate of your child with this sumptuous lunch/dinner recipe for kids: BBQ Sweet and Sour Chicken. Make sure to spread the love!
Ingredients:
2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Juice of ½ lime
Juice of ½ lemon
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Chopped Parsley to garnish
Method:
In a large shallow bowl, add garlic, lemon and lime juices, sugar, mustard, honey, salt, pepper and vinegar and whisk thoroughly. Add the olive oil and whisk again.
Set two portions of the marinade aside for later. Add the chicken halves to the bowl and coat each side with the marinade.
Heat up the BBQ and grill the chicken pieces for about 4 minutes each side or until no longer pink inside. Baste the chicken pieces with one portion of the reserved marinade occasionally.
Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve with the last portion of the marinade as dipping sauce. This is a family favorite.
With the advent of video games, it is increasingly difficult to get your children to get involved in healthy physical activities. So the pressure falls on the parents to think of exciting and creative children activities to get them involved. Here are some ways you can think of in order to get their fancy:
Although video games are a bit intellectual, it still involves spending hours in front of the television so have them participate in impact sports such as running, gymnastics, dancing and the likes. This improves their bone density and helps them to get fit.
This also helps develop healthy habits in them. If they are physically active as children, then that will most likely translate to the same when they become adults. This has a significant effect on their health especially in combating diseases such as cancer, obesity and heart disease.
The point is to lead a balance between home inactivity and exercises to keep your child healthy. Remember to always make it fun, fun, fun.
You should never spoonfeed your child by doing all of his/her homework but you should not leave your child alone either. Simply be there as a beacon of encouragement to guide child education as he/she endures the challenges of school.
Like any problem solving, the important first step to take is to identify the problem. Make sure your child knows what is being required of him. Does he/she understand the nature of the assignment? This is where you can come in handy. Let them think creatively and stimulate his/her brain.
When the projects are of the major scale, try to give a helping hand. A good place to start would be providing supplies so your child can get on with the work. What’s important is the child should be the one doing majority of the work.
Another place where you can contribute strongly is in organizing the workflow of your child’s homework habits. Scheduloing study time and providing space for these assignments are a few of the things you can do. Don’t forget to give him/her regular intervals to rest and unwind as well.
One of the most important documents in the United States is the Declaration of Independence. However, so much about this document is unknown to a vast majority of the population. Public schools don’t stress its importance like they used to, so many people know very little about it. Why not test your family’s knowledge with this children activity? Find out if they know who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Of course, before you can create a quiz or test to find out how much your family knows about the Declaration of Independence, you’ll want to learn all you can about it. The easiest way to learn is by going online and finding a copy of the document. You may also be able to find a copy in your local public library.
Take a close look at the document. Because it was handwritten, and signed by men of varying ages, some of the signatures may not be legible. Finding an online version of the document will give you a typed version to look at so you can understand the language of the document itself as well as getting help to read the signatures.
The following are some questions (with the answers) that you may want to ask. Since the answers are given, you will be able to determine how much your family knows about this important document and those that were instrumental in its existence.
Q: How many men signed the Declaration of Independence?
A: A total of 56 men signed the Declaration.
Q: Which colonies were represented by those who signed it?
A: All 13 of the original colonies had representatives to sign the Declaration, with Pennsylvania having the most delegates at 9.
Q: How many signers of the Declaration of Independence went on to hold national political offices in the fledgling country?
A: Two became President of the United States (Thomas Jefferson and John Adams) while three were Vice Presidents (Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Elbridge Gerry). Two signers (John Adams and Benjamin Harrison) had sons that later became President.
Q: How many signers served their country in another political capacity?
A: 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence became governors of their respective states. 18 served in their state legislatures. 16 became state and federal judges following the Revolutionary War. Seven men went on to become members of the United States House of Representatives while six became United States Senators. Two men (James Wilson and Samuel Chase) were among the first Justices of the United States Supreme Court.
Q: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
A: Thomas Jefferson, from Virginia, was selected to draft the Declaration and did so in 17 days.
Q: Which signer of the Declaration of Independence lived the longest?
A: Charles Carroll of Maryland died in 1832 at the age of 95.
Q: Was the Declaration of Independence actually signed on July 4, 1776?
A: No, the document was not signed until August 1, although the Congress did approve the wording of the document on July 4.
Q: Whose signature is the most easily recognizable?
A: John Hancock’s signature is nearly five inches long and was supposedly written large so King George could read it.
As citizens of the United States of America, we owe the men who signed the Declaration of Independence a debt of gratitude. After testing your family’s knowledge about the document, you may want to find a copy of it and try to memorize portions of it along with some of the names of the men who signed it.
