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Toddler Pizza Party

My preschooler loves pizza, but as a toddler she wasn’t that into chowing down on crunchy dough topped with whatever veggies I could sneak under melted cheese. Still, she loved the idea of eating with her hands (it was the taste of the pizza she despised) and happily created her own fake Italian pies in her play kitchen. Whether your toddler devours pizza by the slice or she refuses to touch it with a ten-foot pole, she’ll have a ball partaking in the following simple, age appropriate pizza-related activities: PIZZA ART An unused pizza pan can act as a great … Continue reading →

Encouraging Your Toddler to Talk

When my daughter was a baby I spent countless hours encouraging her to say new words. Now I can’t get her to stop talking. EVER. Still, I don’t regret a single second I spent reading to her, sounding out words or simply describing each item we encountered during our walks through the neighborhood. If you are looking for ways to encourage your toddler to express himself through words, then consider the following tips: Nix the baby talk: Use real words. Don’t confuse your toddler with made up baby talk or weird sounds. Instead, use adult language in a pleasing tone. … Continue reading →

Ways to Have Fun in the Sun with Your Toddler

Don’t let the calendar put a damper on your summer fun. Sure, there’s only a couple weeks left until Labor Day, but that doesn’t mean you have to head indoors right now. Instead, make the most of the gorgeous summer weather by partaking in educational games with your toddler outside. Here are a few to get you started: SAND DOUGH Take some Play-Doh outside and let your child have fun with it in the sand box. He’ll love feeling the texture of the dough once the sand has been incorporated into it. Use words to describe how it feels and … Continue reading →

Does Your Toddler Make You Cry?

If he doesn’t sleep through the night, is a hellion on the playground, goes on joy rides without you knowing it or breaks into other people’s homes when he’s supposed to be in time-out, then there’s a good chance you’ve shed a few tears in the last week or so. The good news: If you’re a mom and your toddler’s behavior makes you weep, you aren’t alone. Whether you have a rambunctious toddler or not, a new poll shows that the average woman cries for 12,012.92 hours over the course of 78.5 years. To put that into perspective, women basically … Continue reading →

Cleaning Up After a Toddler

It’s a thankless job, but someone’s got to do it, right? Typically (see: always) that person is me. From crayon marks on the wall to spilled cereal on the living room floor to mashed bananas on the bathroom mirror (mind you the banana was whole when it left the kitchen), toddlers don’t need to be schooled on how to make a mess. My daughter is at the head of the class when it comes to turning a room upside down and inside out. Consequently, I’ve had to take a crash course in cleaning. Here’s what I’ve learned so far: Mr. … Continue reading →

Decorating Tips for a Toddler’s Room

When my daughter was a toddler she was obsessed with Blue’s Clues. However, I refused to wallpaper her room with a blue dog I knew she would lose interest in by her third birthday. Still, I wanted to spruce up her bedroom with something associated with her beloved animated character. The solution: A large felt board ala Freddie the Felt Frame Boy. Not wanting to drop a bundle on a pre-made felt board I decided to make my own by visiting a craft store and purchasing an extra large foam board, which I covered with felt myself. I then bought … Continue reading →

More Ways to Bond with Your Toddler

You’ve hosted a tea party, played ball and danced like animals, now what? Grab your toddler and get ready for some serious bonding with these fun ideas: BUBBLES AND BALLOONS Take advantage of sunny summer days by heading outdoors with a few bottles of inexpensive bubbles. If money is tight you can make your own by combining dish soap and water. Toddlers love chasing after bubbles, but make sure you give him a turn blowing some too. The activity teaches hand-eye coordination and counting. Balloons are great for indoor play as they move slowly enough to be caught and thrown. … Continue reading →

Simple Ways to Bond with Your Toddler

Parenting is not rocket scientist. However, it often requires functioning on little to no sleep (unless you were blessed with one of those angel babies that zonks out at 7 p.m. and doesn’t rouse until 7 the next morning OR you were gifted with a large house and a high tolerance for demonic screaming, which made night weaning a breeze) and a LOT of patience. A well-rested mommy begets a patient mommy, and nothing makes a toddler happier than a happy mommy. Your undivided attention is all your adorable tot really wants, so find a way to make time for … Continue reading →

Toddler Time

Ready, set, play! Nothing says lovin’ like an afternoon of fun with your curious toddler. Forget about spending a ton of money on fancy electronic toys. Instead, employ the following ideas to engage your tot in a day of discovery: CATCH WITH A CATCH Toddlers love to be chased, but there’s even more to love with this simple game when you spice it up. For example, instead of merely tagging your tot, the next time you catch her, plant a big kiss on her cheek or scoop her up into a big bear hug. My toddler loved getting tickled whenever … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Guns Don’t Mix

Newsflash: Loaded guns and toddlers don’t mix. In other news… saying something will never happen to you, typically begets negative results. Just ask these parents: In Las Vegas some heat packing parents are hoping beyond hope that their 2-year-old daughter will survive after being shot by their 4-year-old. According to police, the girl is in critical condition while the father remains in custody for allegedly leaving a improperly secured loaded gun laying around in the family’s home. In South Carolina, a 3-year-old boy shot his 4-year-old brother with a gun he allegedly found under the bed at the home of … Continue reading →