Archive for August, 2010
Without a doubt, one of the most famous puppeteers is the creator of “The Muppets,” Jim Henson. Known as a filmmaker and innovator, Henson was raised in Maryland. After creating a show using kids puppets in his college days with future wife Jane Nebel, Henson’s crowning achievement, “The Muppet Show,” debuted in 1976. The popular series garnered a series of full-length films such as “The Muppet Movie,” “The Great Muppet Caper,” “The Muppets Take Manhattan,” and more.
All Muppets (the word being a combination of marionette and puppet) were made of foam rubber, except characters such as Big Bird and Snuffleupagus, which were fully costumed individuals. For characters such as Kermit the Frog, Cookie Monster, and Miss Piggy, each character was a hand puppet. As such, the characters had to be manned by one, two, and sometimes three individuals.
There are a few simple steps to fallow if you child is stung by a bee. First and foremost, remain calm and help your child to calm down. Look for the stinger and remove it. Contrary to what we have been told, squeezing the remaining venom from the stinger into the sting site does not increase the chances of an allergic reaction.
Pull the stinger out with your fingers or tweezers and wash the sting site thoroughly for a few minutes. Apply ice to the area as needed for swelling. Bee stings normally cause minimal discomfort, you can use some simple remedies to relieve any itching your child might experience. Place to the irritated area, a tea bag, baking soda with water, unseasoned meat tenderizer and water or a simple over the counter insect anti-itch cream. When using home remedies, leave mixture on area for approx. 20 minutes then rinse clean.
Redness and itching are common for a bee sting, however; if your child starts coughing, has difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, dizziness or fainting you should seek medical attention immediately.
In short, inspect kids outdoor toys, teach children to stay away from bees, remain calm and calm your child, remove stinger, wash sting site, apply ice as needed for swelling and try an anti itch remidy if there is mild discomfort.
With the heat of summer comes an increased chance of bees. Children are outside more and should be more aware of these little flying pests. Let your children know about bees and to leave them alone. Remind them daily that bees need to be untouched and if they encounter a bee to walk away and let an adult know. Childcare providers and parents should be on the look out, inspecting the kids outdoor toys for bees a bit more frequently. Your child may encounter bees in outdoor public areas as well. Neighborhood parks and theme parks are just a couple of places where you may run into bees.
Summer time should be a time for your kids to enjoy the great outdoors, taking some simple precautions can help a bee sting from spoiling your child’s fun.
When potty training your child you may find that you will run up against a few problems. For many parents potty training can be a long drawn out process with many ups and downs. There will be days when your toddler does great with few accidents and other times when your scratching your head trying to figure out why things are not going so well.
Children can spend a week dry only to have many accidents the fallowing week. They also have a tendency to regress when it’s not so new and exciting. Just remember to stay calm and patient, start up the potty books, videos, and work with your Potty Scotty doll some more.
When a child has repeated accidents after he was doing so well may mean that something is wrong. Look at any changes that may have taken place in your child’s life. A new sibling, new big boy bed, new home, new day care or even parents separating. These types of changes in the home can make a child feel insecure and may be part of the reason for the regression. try to get the routine back in their life ASAP, spend a little extra time with your child going over potty books and practising with the potty training doll. Try introducing some potty training charts and reward stickers as part of your toilet training routine.
If you notice small amounts of stool (skid marks) in your child’s underware, your child may be constipated. Try upping your childs fiber and water intake and if that does not work you may want to see your doctor to check on any other reasons why your child may be constipated.
For many kids, books become beloved and treasured possessions. But which books have endured through the ages? Which books have transcended generations and proved popular with children from all backgrounds and time periods? Beatrix Potter wrote one of the most enduring books of all time, and it’s known as The Tale of Peter Rabbit. A charming little story written in 1902, the book delights kids for not only its sweet story but its wonderful illustrations as well.
Other childrens books that have sold well include 1942′s The Poky Little Puppy. This list of bestsellers also includes some tried and true favorites such as the rhyming chaos created by Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham. And perhaps least shocking of all is the magically inclined series Harry Potter. All installments of the series top list of best sellers, both in hardcover and paperback. And now all that’s left to be seen is if the boy wizard will endure with future generations of readers.
A new mother and her young child are virtually inseparable, and that’s the way it should be. For some working moms, a lengthy sabbatical affords crucial time spent with baby during some of the most important stages of early development. But working moms can only afford to stay home with the kids for so long. After a while it becomes necessary to return to the career that puts food in their mouths.
During the work week, daycare services lend parents a helping hand. But what about long business trips that keep mom away from home for days at a stretch? A portable crib stows easily in the trunk of most cars, and it can allow parents to keep in close contact with their babies rather than leaving them behind. Mothers can simply set up travel cribs in their motel room and sleep soundly knowing baby is nearby.
There are many toys that can entertain a toddler. You can hand them just about anything and they’ll be interested. Give your toddler a shoe box and watch them go at it. Often the best toddler toys are rather simple and inexpensive, but can also be educational. Puppets, soft blocks and puzzles just to name a few. Toddlers do not automatically know what buttons and zippers do, or how a mirror works.
Children need to explore these types of kids educational toys to teach them important concepts. A lot of kids end up missing out on some great educational toys because parents don’t feel that they are old enough for them. Just remember to focus on age appropriate toys which should be quite easy to find considering the variety of toddler toys out there.
Play kitchens are a big hit with kids these days. Boy or Girl, they just love to pretend that their cooking, putting the groceries away and serving people the delectable dishes they have created.
Kitchen accessories are a big part of all the fun, pot and pans, dishes and silverware, plastic and wooden play food and toys like a play toaster or blender can make playing with their play kitchen a great experience.
It’s birthday party time and you need to start looking for a gift for a two year old. You could easily become overwhelmed by all the different plastic toys and noise machines that line the shelves of your local toy store. More often than not people have no clue what the child likes or is even interested in which can make this purchase even more difficult.
It may be time for a change from all those plastic and battery operated toys and consider a wooden toy. Wooden toys can provide a great deal of enjoyment for any toddler or preschooler. The craftsmanship of a wooden toy is far superior than a plastic or battery operated toy and can be handed down to siblings and continue to be handed down for generations to come.
Many wooden toys are unique and therefore a great pick for a gift. Blocks, games, playhouses and so much more are available everywhere. It may not be a child’s first choice but a wooden toy will be with that child for much longer than many of the plastic toys out there.