children – Page 3 – Marisa Meidle's Baby Showers

Toddler Toy Considerations

A child between the ages of a baby and a kindergartner can often be a tricky one to second-guess. By this time they are walking, and talking a little bit too, but they are too young to be left for more than a minute or two without being under the supervision of a parent.

Looking after them can be quite tiring for an adult, because they seem to have the boundless energy of an older child yet the insane thirst for exploration of one much younger. They are in the midst of an unquenchable desire to learn about every little thing in the big world that surrounds them.

At this point in their lives, children can be hard to separate from their toddler toys – usually these are fairly anthropomorphic and cute toys which the child views as being like another human. For times, such toys are a child’s best friend, literally one of the most important things in the world to them. So, they are unlikely to want to leave the toys behind.

Therefore, it is important to ensure that the toys they have are suitably safe, as there is always a strong likelihood that they will fall over or on them. Something like a teddy bear or other stuffed animal will mean that should the toddler fall over their toddler toy does not do them any harm.

The soft toy market is one that will always be a major target for toy companies. Whether the toy be lifelike, an animal, or resemble something from another world, a child will love it and respond to it like a friend.

They are better able to understand the things that you say and that they see as their senses are coming on in leaps and bounds at this point in their lives. As such, any toys that develop their senses can be absolutely perfect for a child. Alphabet games or toys with noises will not only excite but will also mean they have already learnt some basics for when they start at kindergarten.

Of course the most important thing is that their toys are fun, so this should be prioritised, even in educational toys – after all, it makes them more likely to pay attention.

Soft Toys – A Child’s Most Valued Memory

Most of us can remember a time in our early childhood when the world seemed as if it had fallen in around us, for one reason or another. Quite often, as we look back on those times as an adult, the things that upset us seem kind of trivial, but at a young age even the slightest problem can result in floods of tears.

At this time it was commonplace for one of our parents to hand us our most beloved and trusted cuddly toy. Indeed, our favorite soft toy went through a lot of childhood experiences with us. They are as much of a part as growing as training wheels on a bike and your first day at school.

The undoubted familiarity and comforting capabilities of a soft toy mean that they will always stay in your mind and heart long after the day that you were told you were too old to have one anymore. They may be inanimate and wordless in reality, but for a child their presence is something overwhelmingly positive and reassuring.

While dolls or action figures may be somewhat more lifelike, the teddy bear, or any other soft toy, feels more personal and friendly to any child. It is no coincidence that the only toy that can really be hugged is also a child’s favorite toy. Hugging brings reassurance, and soft toys in that way have the same quality as a comfort blanket. In fact, it is the amount of hugging and loving that causes almost all soft toys to look so threadbare and worn out come the end of childhood.

Another reason for the popularity of the soft toy is that it is a 24 hour toy; what other toy gets taken to bed with a child? Having a familiar face next to us as we tried to sleep is something that made being alone in the dark easier to deal with.

That they have remained cherished through out the generations, gives little room for argument against soft toys being the number one toy. They have a classic appeal and it be would surely be a mean parent who felt that their child didn’t need one. Every child needs one, because every child has tough lessons to learn – lessons that are made that little bit easier by having a reassuring and loving presence beside them throughout.

Didis.com is the online toy store and online toy shop that provides quality toys and stuffed animals for all your gift needs.

Car Seats And Older Children

When your child’s weight exceeds 40 lbs you should check if the car seat that you are using is safe for the child. It is possible that your child’s weight exceeds the manufacturer’s maximum specification. It is also possible that your child’s height is higher than that of the seat. In either event you will have to consider changing the car seat.

Using a car seat for the safety of your children is mandatory in all states. A car seat is necessary for your child until the age that the child can use a booster seat. It is only after the age of 13 that your child is able to use regular seat belts without any support.

When selecting a car seat, make sure that the model is not recalled. In order to do so you can visit the manufacturer’s website and look up the list of recalled models. If at all you have to buy a second hand car seat make sure you do not buy one that is older than five years. Never buy a car seat that has been in an accident. It is pretty tough to ascertain if a second hand car seat has been in an accident. So, play safe and buy a new car seat.

Before attempting to install the seat, read the installation manual carefully. Reading the manual helps you to understand the installation procedure. There are a number of videos that can help you with the installation procedure.

Remember that once your child has outgrown the car seat and is between the ages of 8 to 12, you can consider the possibility of your child using the car’s lap and shoulder safety belts, with a booster seat. But try switching to a booster seat as late as possible. For that make sure that the seat to which you are upgrading has a sufficient upper limit in terms of height and weight of the child.

Take a look at the Britax range of car seats. With the model Britax Regent you cannot go wrong as it has a very high specification in terms of weight and height.

Even if you are spending a little extra for your child’s safety, it is a good feeling to know that your child will be secure and comfortable.

Carrying Babies Made Easy And Safe With Strollers

Babies in all traditional cultures were carried in a cloth tied to the back, front or hips. Other devices for carrying babies included baskets, cradleboards, portable cradles and travois. In the 1960s the use of slings once again became popular with the introduction of structured soft pack. Toddlers and older babies began to be carried on frame pack. In the 1980s the ring sling became popular. Pouch carriers were introduced in the 1990s. Prams or perambulator has been in use since the Victorian era in the United Kingdom but are not common today. At present there are different kinds of baby carriers in the market. This includes baby slings, hip carriers, frame backpack carriers, mei tais, slings, the hip and soft front carriers.

A stroller or a buggy is used as a means of transport to carry babies and young kids up to three years of age. This is convenient when traveling. It resembles a chair moving on four wheels. The baby is kept safe and secure in the stroller by means of a harness that holds the baby to the stroller by the waist, shoulders or the legs. There are strollers that offer three point harness and five point harness with the latter being more safe. The stroller is provided with either a foot break or a hand break. Besides the common single stroller for carrying one kid, strollers that can carry two kids side by side or one behind the other are available. Strollers that can carry three children too are now available.

There are many brands of strollers in different designs in the market such as Graco Strollers, Chicco Cortina Travel Stroller , Kolcraft Strollers, Inglesina Strollers, Rock Star Strollers, Maclaren Strollers, Stokke Strollers and Schwinn Strollers.

There are many kinds of strollers in the market. Umbrella strollers are meant for older kids and do not have a sun canopy or storage facility and have very little padding. For these reasons, they are also the lightest and cheaper. The standard strollers have sun canopy, well padded seats and large compartments for storage. For these reasons, they are heavier. The travel system stroller is also like the standard stroller, but has a car seat. This comes in handy to seat the child in a car seat while traveling by removing and attaching the seat as a car seat. This disturbs the child least while shifting the child from and to a car and stroller. The latest to arrive in the market is the jogging stroller which is also like a standard stroller but with three large wheels instead of four wheels. This keeps the stroller steady on rough terrain and while pushing the stroller at higher speed.

3 Top Places to Take Your Children on Holiday

Holidaying as a couple or with friends should be appreciated for the amount of flexibility it grants you and for how easy it all it to arrange. It’s a bit of a shock to the system when you find yourself with little ones however, as you suddenly find you are limited to where you can go and the type of resort you can stay at. Here are some great ideas to help you and your kids have an enjoyable break.

Orlando Holidays. This one might be a bit obvious, but you’ll have a hard time finding a child who won’t love a holiday to Orlando. Disney Land is probably the best known resort and you can easily spend a large chunk of your holiday time here, but it would be a shame not to visit some of the other great places Orlando has to offer. The Kennedy Space Centre is not only incredibly fun but also one of the most educational USA holidays around, whilst Sea World allows kids to see animals they have only dreamt about or seen in movies.

Europe. One of the most important factors when taking children on holiday is the temperature. Adults can put up with temperatures that are at either end of the scale, but children are very rarely happy unless they are comfortable with the climate. So you don’t want to be taking them on Alaska holidays or indeed a trek round the Sahara desert, but instead find somewhere with modest climate. Most places in Europe during spring and autumn are ideal and you have plenty of choice where to go.

Theme Park. People these days have forgotten that great holidays can be had without necessarily having to spend lots of money going to luxurious locations. You’ll find that a great many theme parks now have their own accommodation or places that you stay very close to the park, so you are not forced to make your visit just a day trip. Children are very difficult to keep entertained for any length of time and often needs lots of new things to experience to keep them happy. Theme parks are designed to offer stimulation at every turn, so whilst you might get a little tired, they will have a whale of time.