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Polls & Tips
What babyproofing tips do you have for new parents?
I discovered that a heavyweight hairband looped around both door handles was just as effective (if not more!) at keeping my cabinet doors shut than those cabinet latches made specifically for baby proofing. Plus, they were way easier (and less annoying) for me to take on and off, making it more likely that I'd always keep it on. This only works on certain handles, though, like pull bars and knobs.
Sturdy stair guards at the top and bottom of the staircase are a must once baby starts moving around!
157 Funny Jokes for Kids...Got One to Add?
What did the shark say when it ate the clown fish? Tastes funny.
Why does a duck have feathers? To cover his butt quack
What are some good pool games for kids to play?
A ping pong ball hunt is a fun pool game for kids who like a little competition. Number as many ping pong balls as possible, starting with 1 and going up to as many as you have - 25 to 30 work well. Divide players into two teams, give each a container for collecting the balls, then toss the balls into the pool and have players collect as many of them as they can. Add up the numbers on the balls to see who wins! You can introduce a bunch of variations on this game for fun, like only allowing players to collect a single ball at a time, or assigning teams to collect only certain balls (like odds/evens).
Popsicle tag is the swimming pool game version of freeze tag. The player who is "it" tries to tag all the other players, who freeze in place with their hands in the air - like a popsicle! - whenever they are tagged. Players "unfreeze" other players by swimming under their legs.
Easy Riddles for Kids...With Answers!
If there are six apples and you take away four, how many apples do you have? Four.
The more you take away from me, the bigger I get. What am I? A hole.
Life skills for teens to learn before leaving home?
How to grocery shop and make simple meals with the stove and oven - eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, pizza, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese, cutting/peeling fruits and vegetables
How to change a tire and jump start a car.
What are the best Broadway shows for kids?
Annie! A classic for the whole family, always. Kids were 7 and 9 when we saw it, and we were coming out of an obsession with the movies, which made it extra fun!
I love the stage version of Beauty and the Beast! It's just similar enough to the familiar Disney movie for kids to understand everything, but just different enough to keep it fresh. The extra songs are some of my favorites.....and there's nothing like the magic of watching the beast turn into a prince right before your eyes!
Bedtime routine tips for toddlers and preschoolers?
Involve them however you can, so they have some choice in the process. For us, it is often picking the story we read, or the number of books we read (within reason), as well as which kid goes first to brush teeth or take their bath.
Give yourself plenty of time for the routine! I think starting an hour before we actually want the kids to be asleep has worked best for our family.
What baby items did you get and almost never use?
I bought peepee teepees and used one once. Receiving blankets. Used maybe once or twice. Baby nail file! As much as I have to admit it...just get clippers and suck up the fear of cutting their nails. The files don’t work very well.
Blankets, quilts. Used swaddling blankets only.
Ways to save money on family vacations?
Join the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) reciprocal network. Register with a flat yearly fee at your local children's museum (it pays itself off very fast!) and you'll receive 50% off at sooo many children's museums nationwide. (You'll earn free membership at your local museum, too.) Where are you headed? Find a children's museum in the ACM network here: https://findachildrensmuseum.org/
Though dining out is part of the travel experience and something to embrace, we never fail to make a quick grocery store run on day 1 of the trip, especially for breakfast items so we can wake up and casually eat at "home": cereal, milk, bagels, fruit, coffee, etc. This is less expensive (and less time consuming) than eating out every single morning.