My experience mothering my first child, a girl, was very nearly the quintessential experience I’d envisioned- from the moment they tucked her little red tuft of newborn hair under a pink infant cap, swathed her in a baby blanket and placed her on my chest. Granted I’d just been through hours of agonizing back labor, […]
Time to Play: Lessons I’ve Learned From My 7 Year Old Read More »
by James Zahn, The Rock Father Around the Blogosphere, there has been a lot of discussion regarding “gender-neutral” toys in recent months. There’s been a lot of finger-pointing at toymakers and retailers for allegedly embracing stereotypes, though more often then not, I tend to see parents making an attempt to guide their children toward or
Time to Play: An Octane-Obsessed Little Girl Read More »
The boychild and I are all about Halloween Fun! Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always loved this time of year and so does the boy! Each year we both go in search of the perfect costume! This year he decided he wanted to be Spider-Man, which I thought was boring but hey
Time to Play: Halloween Fun for Kids and Adults Read More »
“Kids learn through play” are words we hear all the time now. Playtime used to be brushed off as kids simply entertaining themselves, but today it is widely accepted that through play the foundations of physical and cognitive development are laid. It is almost solely through play that kids learn to interact with the world
Time to Play: Toys Blurring the Line Between Science and Play Read More »
In this technologically advanced society it’s no surprise that children as young as three and four are getting in on the hype. Studies have shown that children who have computers at home performed much higher in reading and math than children who do not have access to computers. My 4 year old son is a
Time to Play: Educational Benefits for Preschoolers Using Tablets Read More »
Looking around my cluttered house, it seems that my kids have plenty of choices for things to play with. However, that doesn’t stop them from uttering that age-old childhood complaint… “Mom…we’re BORED!” Typically when I hear those words, I run through our latest toys. Nope, they are not interested in those today. After that doesn’t work, I
Time to Play: Homemade Fun Read More »
Back to school shopping is my favorite time of the year because I have two little ones ages 3 and 4 who love to do activities. Though we are not in preschool yet, we do many education activities as well as crafting throughout the year. Some of our must have supplies are purchased during this
Time to Play: Top 10 Back to School Supplies Read More »
I was not that kid who neglected or out grew her toys. I loved them all and played with them until they broke or got lost. I had all kinds of toys: dolls, kitchen sets, games, stuffed animals, little robots, video games, card games, bikes, scooters and more. I even had a race track set. No such
Time to Play: Never Too Old to Play Read More »
Road trips can become mundane quick, especially if the drive is more than a couple of hours. Add in fidgety kids in the back seat and the whole family is ready to crawl out of their skin before you are half way to your destination. Doesn’t sound like much fun, does it? Your vacation does not have
Time to Play: Road Trips Read More »
I was a girl of the 70’s & 80’s. An era where people were limited to the phones in their homes, and they weren’t at all smart. Those brightly colored, push button plastic contraptions were usually connected to the wall by long spirally leashes and had no voice mail, fun little apps, or texting. If you
Time to Play: Disconnect to Reconnect Read More »
Back at Toy Fair 2012, it seemed like just about every toy manufacturer was showing off a new tablet. Five months later, these tablets are finally starting to materialize. But just like with the tablets designed for mom and dad, the tablets for kids marketplace is already saturated with a plethora of many choices. So
Time to Play: Choosing the Right Tablet for Your Child Read More »
It is no wonder that trash picking is a hobby for some. On any given trash day, usable items such as furniture, house wares, bikes and toys line curbsides everywhere. To see them head to the dump is wasteful and disheartening. I want to rescue them all, but sadly I do not have the time
Time to Play: Upcycle Your Home Read More »
There are toys for kids of every age: newborns, toddlers, preschoolers, elementary school age and onward. Mechanisms that enhance coordination, motivate speech, educate and encourage creativity and imagination. Kids need to play. Playing helps kids grow, mature, learn and process. But what about new babies? Whether you are a first time parent or seasoned, it’s often
Time to Play: 9 Things to Do With Your Newborn Read More »
Our family has always loved being outside during the warm New Hampshire months and this year we were blessed to live on the property I grew up at which means we have a pond and a lot of wild life visits. We are able to find ways to enjoy the great outdoors with little to
Time to Play: Outdoor Adventures Read More »
By Julie Kieras, happystronghome.com When we go camping… It’s always more work than we expected! When we go camping… Our baby (now toddler) cocoons in his seat on the ride north, emerging in a flutter of arms and legs to run around the dirt campsite. When we go camping… Our son’s favorite trail is to
Time to Play: When We Go Camping Read More »
My husband and I were JUST talking about this last week. As kids, we both had to complete chores. I think chores are important for children and here is why. Children need to feel as though they’re part of something. They can’t feel that way if they don’t have chores and make contributions to the
Time to Play: Does Your Child Help With Chores? Read More »
School is out, and summer has arrived. This year, my oldest daughter is going away for weeklong camp, and to say that I’m nervous is an understatement. Preparation is key to getting your child and yourself ready for this exciting adventure. Here’s my top 10 tips on sending your child away to camp. Make sure
Tips on Sending Kids to Camp Read More »
Our latest source of marital friction stems from my wife’s desire for a swing set. Rather, it started out as a swing set, then morphed into a jungle gym. Now the plans include a sand pit, cargo net, monkey bars, catwalk, turrets, and slide. Basically, my wife wants to turn our back yard into a
It’s the night before Kindergarten Orientation. Yes, in May. It snuck up on me. It’s not that I didn’t have the date highlighted in hot pink or anything…I did. It’s just that when you’ve spent almost 5 years glued to a certain little girl, you don’t exactly believe the date will ever arrive. She’s never
Surviving Kindergarten Orientation Read More »
We’ve all been there. (Many still are!) You’re walking the aisles of your local toy store and your little munchkin looks up at you with those big, beautiful eyes holding a new Barbie doll, or a light saber. Maybe it’s a pack of Pokémon cards. You’re on a tight budget but, come on, parents aren’t
How to Save Money on Toys Read More »
It’s the weekend and if the first thing out of your mouth isn’t, “Who wants pancakes for breakfast?” but rather, “Who’s up for Spring Cleaning?,” chances are you’ll see the family scatter faster than ants at the end of a picnic. So here are three ways to get your kids involved in Spring Cleaning without
Three Ways to Make Spring Cleaning Fun for Kids Read More »
When you become a parent, you worry about a lot of things – their health, safety and happiness. But there is only one thing that stresses me out on a daily basis …. making dinner! For some reason the thought of making dinner for my very picky eaters raises my blood pressure every day. And
Take the Stress Out of Planning Dinner Read More »
Your kids are going to be playing with more electronics. There I said it, let’s just get that out in the open. Remember the original iPhone commercials where they mentioned pretty much any activity and then said “yeah, they make an app for that too.” Flash forward to 2012 and now you can pretty much
5 Ways to Feel Less Guilty About Your Child’s Screen Time Read More »
My children have this knack for knowing the exact moment my thoughts have come into focus. Since becoming a mom, I’m not going to lie, I walk around in a hazy fog about 90% of the time. In fact, I think it’s incredibly likely that my mommy brain is significantly worse now that my kids are a
The Best Job Ever Read More »
