October 2016 - KidloLand

How To Get Your Toddler To Eat Healthy Food

October 27, 2016 kidloLand Comments 0 Comment

Let’s be real – if you keep a bowl of veggies and a slice of pizza in front of your toddler, he will most likely go for the pizza. Your child is growing and you definitely do not want his diet to consist of fast food and junk food. A nutritious and balanced diet composed of healthy food plays an important role in a child’s overall development. Vitamins, minerals, calcium, carbohydrates, proteins – your kid needs them all.

If your child is a picky eater and heavily prefers sugary treats over fresh vegetables and fruits, this list will come in handy. Here are some recommendations for you to get your toddler to eat healthy food!

Make food fun

Healthy food doesn’t have to be boring! Cut soft carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers or strawberries, bananas etc. and make funny faces with those slices. Vegetables & fruits provide essential vitamins and minerals to your child and it’s necessary to make it a part of your toddler’s meal time. Remember, eye-catching presentation goes a long way!

kids healthy food — image credit: Bubblejuice/pixabay

Sneak in some healthy food

Prepare a purée of certain vegetables that your toddler wouldn’t eat otherwise, and use it as a sauce. Make a dip made of beetroot or avocado and serve it to your unsuspecting child. You can also disguise a few vegetables inside a bowl of chicken soup!

Make healthier options for toddlers

If your child has very limited choices in terms of food, don’t worry, you can make healthier versions of them! Include bread and cereal in his diet that is made from whole grain. Bake potato chips instead of frying them. Make pasta, but include veggies and puréed vegetable sauces in them.

toddler-healthy-fruit — image credit: Jill111/Pixabay

Be a good role model for kids

Practice what you preach! Don’t expect your children to follow a healthy balanced diet if they see you munching on fatty foods. Be a good example – eat healthy, nutritious food and your child will follow your lead.

toddler-healthy-eating — image credit: tookapic/pixabay

Set a schedule

Your child might feel like snacking on something only because he is bored. Avoid this by setting a schedule of eating. If your toddler really likes to snack in between, give him some fresh fruits to nibble on occasionally.

Set limits

If your toddler craves for some unhealthy food or chocolates occasionally, don’t refuse him completely. Make your rules clear to your children and stick to them. A small cookie, candies are completely fine as long as they are eaten in moderation.

healthy-food-toddler — image credit: EdMontez/Pixabay

Be innovative

Children get bored very easily. Make it interesting every time by adding new veggies, fruits or by presenting it in a different way. As a parent, you have to be on your toes if you don’t want your toddler to get bored with healthy food!

Consult a doctor and decide on a good, balanced diet for your child. Kidshealth.org has a nutrition guide for toddlers that you can check out.

How To Help Your Toddler Welcome A New Baby

October 26, 2016 kidloLand Comments 0 Comment

A new baby on the way is an exciting time for everyone. But how do you prepare your toddler for the change that’s coming? Try to tell your three-year-old that she’s getting a new brother or sister before you tell other family and friends. If her auntie asks her if she’s looking forward to the new baby, and you haven’t explained it to her yet, she may get a bit baffled. Here are 5 ways you can prepare your toddler for a new addition to the family!

1. Talk about the new baby daily until and after she arrives.

Explain that a new baby is being brought into the family because you have more love to share. Try this, “Daddy and I had you because we had lots of love to give. We are having/had your
sister because we found even more love to give. Do you think you’ll have love in your heart to give to your new baby sister?”

2. Include your toddler in your preparations.

Let him help you pack your bag for the hospital, clean the bottles, paint the nursery and put diapers away. Take a tour of the hospital or birthing center with your toddler in tow. Be sure to
sneak a peek at the new arrivals too.

3. Have your toddler pick out a gift just for the new baby.

Take a special trip to the store and have your toddler pick out a gift just for the new baby. Likewise, pick out a special gift from the baby for his big brother or sister. When your baby and toddler meet, have them give their gifts to each other.

4. Give your toddler a role.

Talk often about the fact that each member of the family is important in their own way and makes their own special contribution. The family needs each person for it to be whole.

5. Give a little extra love.

Emphasize the older child’s importance by going through his baby pictures and talking about what a wonderful baby he was, and what a wonderful boy he is now.

Image Credits: sathyatripodi, christianabella, sathyatripodi

Free Animal Activities Book For Toddlers

October 25, 2016 kidloLand Comments 0 Comment

KidloLand presents the all-new free printable game for toddlers and preschoolers. In each group of pictures, the toddlers have to circle the picture that doesn’t belong to that animal group. Print out these printables to help your kids learn the concepts of “same” and “different”.

What Does Your Baby’s Birth Month Mean?

October 25, 2016 kidloLand Comments 0 Comment

The minute your baby is born, you begin to wonder what they will be like when they grow up. What kind of personality will they have? Will you be able to influence how they turn out? Can you do something about it? Read on to know about the personality of your baby on the basis of the baby’s birth month!

Halloween : Top 5 Craft Ideas For Kids!

October 24, 2016 kidloLand

Get crafty on Halloween with your little ones! Halloween is the perfect time to get your creative juices flowing. Create, fold, wrap, paint and go crazy! Little kids absolutely love crafting new things. You can take it up a notch by setting a Halloween theme to your crafting activities. Pumpkin shaped lights, skeletons, spooky wall hangings – the ideas are endless! If you’re looking for some fun and innovative craft activities to do with your children, here are the top 5 Halloween craft ideas that you can easily do!

1. Paper pumpkins

Take an ice-cream stick and paint it orange.
Cut 6 vertical strips (carefully!) from an orange craft paper. Every vertical strip should have one more strip of the same exact length.
Make sure that the length of the strips is more than the length of the ice-cream stick.
Stick the ends of the strips to the ends of the ice cream stick.
Cut two small green strips for the stem and bend them upwards.
Hang the pumpkin with a thread!
That’s it! Hang a few pumpkins of different sizes to get crafty this Halloween!

2. Paper plate bats

Trace a bat wing template onto your black paper using a pen or pencil.
Then flip the wing template over and trace it again.
Cut out the bat wings.
Using tape, attach the bat wings onto the paper plate.
Using the glue stick, attach googly eyes to the front of your bat and draw on a small mouth with a white paint pen.

3. Puffy cotton ghost

Start by cutting out a ghost template.
Glue cotton balls on it until the ghost is completely covered.
Cut out some eyes and a mouth (make it a smile so the ghost looks friendly, not spooky!)
Glue those on as well.
If you want, you can add a string to the back and hang your ghosts up somewhere in your house.

4. Balloon spider web

Blow a balloon. Tie a knot and attach a yarn thread around the knot.
Mix glue and water in a bowl. Add threads of yarn into the mixture.
Wrap the threads around the surface of the balloon in a random fashion. (Don’t wrap it entirely!)
After 5 mins, deflate the balloon and securely remove it out.
Stick some plastic spiders over the web! And there you go! The balloon spider web is ready!

5. Cotton swab (Q-tips) skeleton

Freehand draw some skulls on your white paper or print some off of online clip art.
Cut out a skull and glue it on the top of your paper. You will build your skeleton under this.
Stick the ‘ribs’ first and then glue the spine over the top. Use a dot of glue on each end of the Q-Tip.
Cut Q-Tips as needed for your skeleton’s fingers and feet.

Image Credits: Alexas_Fotos

5 Easy Art Projects For Toddlers!

October 21, 2016 kidloLand Comments 0 Comment

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. ~ Pablo Picasso

Children can be very artistic and very messy at the same time. Creating art can enable them to explore various materials, colors etc. and think creatively at an early age. Toddler activities are slightly difficult to do because they are still learning and growing. In order to enhance their fine motor skills, you can introduce some simple art activities so that your little one is engrossed and entertained for at least a few hours!

As a parent, you must remember that your toddler has a short attention span and he might not even complete the art project. That is totally fine! Make it interesting for your child by avoiding repetition and by introducing new things every time.

To help you do that, we have 5 simple and easy art projects that any toddler can successfully do!

1. Painting over a stencil

First, spread a newspaper on the area which might get messy.
Find a large sheet of white paper and put it on the table or on the floor.
Place a stencil sheet which has simple cut-outs to paint over.
Give your toddler a big brush to dip in homemade edible paint just in case your toddler decides to eat it too. Here’s one way to make edible paint.
That’s it! Let your toddler paint to his heart’s content!

2. Sponge painting

Sponge painting can be super exciting for little kids.
Cut out different colors of sponges in various shapes (such as a smiley face, heart, leaf, star etc.)
Let your toddler dip one side of these sponges in edible paint and stamp it on a fresh white sheet of paper or plain cloth.

3. Fingerprint, Handprint & Footprint art

For this art project, you can draw a tree trunk with branches on a paper with a black marker.
Once that dries, ask your child to dip her fingertips in edible paint and stamp it on the branches to imitate leaves.
You can also get your toddler to make fingerprints, handprints and footprints on the paper. After it dries, you can draw funny shapes and smileys on those prints together!
This makes for a beautiful piece of artwork worthy of being framed!

4. Vegetable printing

Slice a few firm vegetables like carrots, potatoes, celery stalks, okra in different ways and allow your toddler to dip their ends in the paint.
This will create beautiful prints which look like flowers!
Finish off the artwork by painting the stems of the flowers yourself.
Ta-da! Now you have a joint effort by you and your little one!

5. Spray bottle art

Spray bottles can be an object of intrigue for toddlers and they won’t stop playing with it!
To make spray bottle art, fill a spray bottle with edible or non-toxic colors mixed with a little water.
Keep a towel on the floor that can absorb the paint that will drip down.
Place a large paper on a stand.
That’s pretty much it. The next step is to let your child spray the watery paint on the paper and create his very own abstract art!

Image Credits: Yuri_B, Icr3cr, ambush000, MowcowMoms

Top 10 Fun Winter Activities For Kids

October 20, 2016 kidloLand Comments 0 Comment

Soon, it will start snowing and in a couple of months, Christmas will be here! Kids everywhere absolutely love playing in the snow while parents do not look forward to shoveling their driveway. Some people get excited for winter while some detest it. Well, you don’t have to be glum just because there’s hardly any sunshine. You can still make the best of it by participating in fun winter activities with your family.

Here are 10 awesome winter activities that you can enjoy with your kids!

1. Go skiing on the snow

A snow skiing getaway can be a great experience for the whole family. Kids can easily learn to ski with a good instructor and some practice!

2. Snowball fights

After you make sure that the snow doesn’t have shards of ice or stones in it, you can make small snowballs and have a snowball fight! This is a great way to relax, relieve stress and have fun with your children.

3. Shovel snow

Shoveling snow can be a dreadful experience if you’re doing it alone. On the other hand, your kids will be excited to shovel snow with you! Get your kids their own kid’s snow shovels and shovel snow together. This can be very helpful to keep them physically active during winter.

4. Go fishing

Get dressed in appropriate (layered) winter fishing gear, find a good spot and relax. Winter lowers the metabolism of fish and hence, they’ll feed more if the bait is small. If you’ve never gone fishing with your child, this can be a brand new experience. Stay safe and have a great time.

5. Go sledding

Sledding is an exciting recreational winter activity enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Revel in the breathtaking views of snow-capped hills and enjoy sledding down the slope!

6. Go ice skating

What is winter without some ice skating? Going ice skating is a must-do activity in winter. Experience the cold breeze of a crisp morning and have fun gliding on the ice.

7. Make snow angels

If you ask your kids to make snow angels in the snow, they will happily oblige! Don’t forget to capture these beautiful moments on camera!

8. Make a snowman

The next logical step after making a snow angel is to make a snowman! Find a good place with lots of snow, make snowballs for the snowman’s body and get creative with the accessories!

9. Make sock puppets

Staying indoors in winter can also be interesting for kids. Making sock puppets is simple and easy, you can watch this tutorial video to know more. Attach googly eyes and some fabric to complete your very own unique sock puppet!

10. Make paper snowflakes

This winter art & craft activity only needs two things – paper and scissors (Side note for parents – make sure you do all the cutting). Every design you create and cut will be different, just like a special snowflake! Here’s a great guide to find out how to make beautiful paper snowflakes.

Image Credits: MihaiParaschiv, rogerconnertn, AdinaVoicu, PublicDomainPictures

7 Best Halloween Costume Ideas For Family

7 Best Halloween Costume Ideas For The Family

October 19, 2016 kidloLand Comments 0 Comment

Halloween is right around the corner! It’s that time of the year when your entire family dresses up in quirky outfits and wears crazy make-up – the spookier the better! Halloween is filled with great activities like costume parties, carving jack-o’-lanterns, putting up spooky decorations, trick or treating and so much more. Every parent loves to team up with their child and become the center of attention of every Halloween party. It’s a great experience for you to bond with your child and create memories that you can treasure for the rest of your life.

If you’re not sure of what you and your kid want to dress up as for Halloween this year, don’t worry!
Here are 7 easy and awesome Halloween costume ideas for you and your little one!

1. Tortoise and Hare

‘The Tortoise and the Hare’ is one of the most famous Aesop’s Fables. For the tortoise costume, you can dress your munchkin in a green colored outfit. Get him a backpack shaped like a tortoise shell and you have a cute little tortoise! You can dress yourself in a brown outfit and add bunny ears to go with it.

2. Elsa and Anna

If you have a daughter, she’s most probably obsessed with the Disney movie ‘Frozen’. Halloween is the perfect occasion to team up with your daughter as Disney princesses. You can let your daughter be either Anna, Elsa (or even Olaf!) depending on her choice, and you can be the other Disney princess. And don’t worry, Dads can dress up as princesses too!

3. The Addams Family

‘The Addams Family’ has been an integral part of our childhood. You can take a trip down memory lane by dressing yourself as either Morticia (the mom) or Gomez (the dad). Your daughter can be Wednesday Addams or your son can be Pugsley Addams. This is also a great family Halloween costume idea!

4. Cruella De Vil and a Dalmatian

Both famous characters are a part of ‘101 dalmatians’. Your toddler can dress up in an adorable dalmatian costume. As Cruella De Vil, you can wear a long black dress and temporarily dye half of your hair silver or wear a wig!

5. Batman and Robin

Spice up your Halloween by being the Robin to your child’s Batman! Find an awesome Robin costume for yourself online and a tiny Batman costume for your little superhero! What fun it will be to be your son’s sidekick!

6. Mickey and Minnie Mouse

Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears are extremely easy to find. Grab a pair of those ears, add short red pants with two buttons for the Mickey Mouse costume and a polka dotted red skirt for the Minnie Mouse costume. That’s it! Easy as pie!

7. Starbucks cold coffee and employee

Dress up as a Starbucks employee by wearing a black shirt and black pants with a green apron. Stick the Starbucks logo on it. For your child, you can make the cold coffee outfit yourself – just take a big cylindrical cardboard roll, print the Starbucks logo and stick it on the cardboard. Add ruffled white fabric to imitate foam, add a green straw made by cardboard, and voila! Your cold coffee is ready!

Image credits: lcr3cr, Mojpe, Jill111, PublicDomainPictures

Free Alphabet Coloring Book For Toddlers

October 19, 2016 kidloLand Comments 0 Comment

free-alphabet-coloring-book

Get ready for some coloring fun with free alphabet coloring printables from KidloLand. These coloring sheets will help little ones identify the different alphabets. Each printable highlights a word that starts with the corresponding letter, which helps in increasing the vocabulary and language skills of your child. Download these interesting and fun-filled printables now to show your kids a fun way to learn the ABCs with alphabet printables they can color!

10 Ways To Raise Shy Kids

October 18, 2016 kidloLand Comments 0 Comment

Every child is inherently different. Some children are extroverted and outgoing, while some others are shy and introverted. Every child has a distinct temperament. If your child is one of the shy ones, don’t be worried! It’s okay to have a shy child and there is nothing wrong with it. Researchers have found that inhibition is an important aspect of temperament that is partly hereditary. They also believe that some children are biologically born shy. So instead of trying to change the fact that your little one is shy, embrace it!

Here are 10 ways you can care for your introverted bundle of joy –

1. Let them know that you understand

Your child needs conversation and he will be most comfortable with his own parents. Make sure you keep talking to your child gently and let him know that you understand and care for him.

2. Ask questions

Ask your child if something or someone is bothering him, kindly. Do not interrogate your child in any way. Have patience and give him time to open up. He will respond positively to kindness.

3. Encourage outdoor play time

Your shy child doesn’t have to stay at home all the time. Let him be around other kids of the same age. Even if he doesn’t open up to the other kids easily, at least it will expose him to social settings which will eventually help him warm up to them.

4. Be Patient

Nothing is worse than pressurizing a shy child. Don’t rush him to do something. Give him time, even if he’s taking more time than the other kids. Take a deep breath and just be patient with your child. Use a calm and soothing voice to help your child.

5. Help them find their passion

Some kids can be very timid but can express themselves better through art. Maybe your child likes to draw or maybe your child loves to play the piano. Whatever it is, channel this interest of your shy child into a passion she will truly treasure forever. It will be a liberating experience for your child and bring great joy to her.

6. Motivate your child

Be their personal cheerleader. If your child is making an effort to do something out of his comfort zone, appreciate him and remind him that he’s doing great! “I know that this was difficult for you but you did it so well!” is a great way to uplift and inspire your child.

7. Don’t shame or humiliate them

Do not compare them to other children, especially with harsh words. Don’t put them on the spot. This can give your child anxiety and lower her confidence even further. Your child doesn’t choose to be introverted – this is just how she is.

8. Don’t force them

Don’t force them into any situation they clearly want to avoid. If they really don’t want to do something, don’t push them to do it. Interacting with other people can be stressful and emotionally draining for your child and sometimes it’s better to take a break.

9. Encourage them to express themselves

Your child might have a lot of ideas, questions, opinions, fears which she just doesn’t know how to express. Make it easier for her by encouraging her to ask you anything at all. Make it a routine so that she gradually gets comfortable with it. Answer these questions with attentiveness & positivity.

10. Be affectionate

Avoid calling your child ‘shy’ every time. You don’t need to put your child into a category. Be affectionate, sympathetic and loving to your kid. Snuggle and hug your little one every chance you get!

It is essential to know if your child is introverted by nature or has become reserved because of a specific event. If your child is going through something or if the shyness is severe, it is best to take her to a mental health professional who specializes in child care. Either way, keep loving your children just the way they are!

Image credits: LuidMilaKot , Ben_Kerckx , Unsplash