Toycrazy Melissa's Tips

Be THAT Playful Parent

11-21-2008

By Marianne M. Szymanski, founder and president of Toy Tips, publisher of Toy Tips and Parenting Hints
Magazine and co-author of Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices (Wiley/Jossey Bass).

Balance the toybox with some time with your kids and make your own playthings at the kitchen table. Whether it is a rainy day, birthday party, babysitter night, after school activity or family get-together, finding the time to play is usually not a problem.
These ideas are simple, inexpensive to make and you can use your own ingredients. The recipes came to us from teachers, parents, grandparents and of course, Toy Tips tested them with kids to make sure they are fun!

Zip Loc Bag Books

Staple together 5-7 Zip Loc Bags on the closed seam. Cover staples with electrical tape to avoid sharp points. Then pages can be filled with family photos, pictures cut from magazines, small items collected. Books can be changed and can be graded for any aged child-adding words, sentences, etc. Can have themes, the ABC's, the family trip, Holidays, favorite foods, etc.

Homemade Musical Instruments

Glue and staple together Chinet (or other heavy paper plate) filled with dried peas or beans. Decorate outside of plates any way you want.
Take 20 Oz soda bottles, fill with beans, pasta, rice etc. Attach dowel handle to soda cap either by screwing it on or hot glue, makes a great maraca.
You can make drums from oatmeal or other round cereal containers. Cover outsides with paper, and decorate. You can use large spoon to beat drums, or hands work fine too.

Spongy Soft Balls:
Cut one colored big sponge, in strips (do not cut through), leave the middle uncut. Tie the center with a strong rubber band and toss in the air or in the water.

Sidewalk Paint:

You'll need 1 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 1/4 cup water, and 10 drops of food color. Mix ingredients together and place paint in a spray bottle
Sidewalk Chalk

Take 2/3 cup plaster-of-paris, 2 tbs powdered tempura paint, and 6 tbs of water. Mix together and form into balls or into shapes with molds or plastic cookie cutters. (must work quickly)

Yukky Mukky Gukky

Mixture #1: 2 cups Elmer glue 2 cups of h20 21 drops of Food coloring Mix in bowl #1.

Mixture #2: 8 tsp. Laundry detergent (powder) 2 2/3 cups water Mix in bowl #2

Slowly pour mixture in bowl #1 into mixture of bowl #2 (DO not mix or stir) Lift solution 1 out of Watch solid turn to liquid and liquid turn to solid right in your hands.. Offers sensory and tactile development and texture identification. Store in a zip loc bag or tupperware .

Putty:

You'll need 4 tbs. Elmer's glue 5 drops of food color. Slowly... add 2 tbs. of liquid starch. Let stand and mix in hands. Store in a zip loc bag.

Lip Gloss

Take 4 tbsp. shortening and 2 tbs. dry kool aid mix. Mix together and decorate in small containers (Danimals yogurt containers work great)

Fossils

You'll need 1 cup flour, 1 cup used coffee grounds, 1/2 cup salt, 1/4 cup sand, and 3/4 cup water. Mix and slowly add water. Knead until it has the consistency of bread dough. Break off a piece and roll into the size of a baseball. Make a hole and hide wrapped candy. Seal with extra dough. Let air dry for 3 days or until hard. You can also bake in an oven for 20 minutes to dry. Break open when fully dry.

Smelly Modeling Dough

Gather 1cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 pkg unsweetened Koolaid, 3 Tbl. vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup hot water. Combine dry ingredients. Add oil and hot water. Mix with hands. Add extra flour or water to reach consistency of bread dough. Have fun and enjoy the smell! Dough is non toxic, but very salty if eaten. Will keep in plastic bag for several weeks.

Melted Crayons

Recycle old crayons. Peel off the paper and have children mix colors in an non-stick muffin pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes until melted. Let fully cool before using.

Birthday Protocols, Dos & Don'ts

11-30--0001

By Marianne M. Szymanski, founder and president of Toy Tips, publisher of Toy Tips and Parenting Hints
Magazine and co-author of Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices (Wiley/Jossey Bass).

Birthday parties are a way to teach children how to behave in social situations. Keep in mind that guests and the birthday child should be practicing their manners but all parents know things go wrong and feelings can get in the way. Preparing your child, whether the birthday child or the guest, for proper etiquette on birthday party behavior should be taught in the toddler to preschool years and continues as a lifelong lesson.

Greetings:
The birthday child should help select and welcome each guest and thank each guest upon departure. This teaches manners and appreciation. The birthday guest should greet the birthday child upon arrival and say "happy birthday" as well as "thank you for inviting me" before leaving. Common greetings are expected and should always be enforced, even in the youngest years.

Invitations:
Store-bought or homemade invitations are much more personal than an email or a verbal mention. While email invitations are now popular and take less time, a child loves to hold and see an invitation prepared especially for him/her. Verbal invitations can be forgotten.

If receiving an invitation, make sure to immediately write the date on the calendar. If you don't show up after you sent your acceptance of attending, "I forgot" is not acceptable.

RSVP Etiquette:
Encourage your child as the birthday guest to make the phone call to RSVP and ALWAYS respond on or before the date. If you decline, you do not need to give a reason but it's always nice to show your appreciation with your voice for being included. Keep that in mind especially if you need to leave a message on a voice-answering system should the birthday child hear it. No one likes to receive the news that you can't come. Train your child if they should answer the phone for an RSVP to thank a guest for calling but to also let the guest know they will be missed. This is a sign of encouraging friendship and good communication skills.

Should my child pick out the birthday gift?
Involving your child in the selection process teaches how to show appreciation toward a friend. Of course, we all hear stories of in-store tantrums and children wanting to keep the gift but to encourage his only defrays from the lesson taught.

What kinds of gifts are best to avoid giving?
It is important to choose an age-appropriate gift that reflects a child's current skills and interests. If choosing a DVD, video game or any toy that may have movie-related or musical content, it's always best to check with the parent of the birthday child to see what is considered acceptable in their home. Games that reflect skill levels should be matched to the child's age or grade in school. Special needs children love all the toys non-special needs children love but keep safety and skill-appropriateness in mind. It's best to check with a parent first.

Do we have to open gifts at my child"s birthday party?
Opening gifts at a birthday party can either be a joy or a disaster. Keep in mind the age and personality of the birthday child. Enthusiasm and attention span start to get lost after about the 4th gift by everyone but the birthday child. Sometimes if there are too many gifts, the birthday child loses interest as well. Depending on the size of the party, it's best for all when a child opens gifts with excitement and the guests are spared a long session of oohs and aahs when they could spend time playing and celebrating instead.

It's important that when opening gifts, the birthday child always says "thank you" and in addition a thank you note written by a parent (preschool and under) or by the child should be sent within 2 weeks. Be sure to personalize the note with the name of the guest, include the name of the gift and 2-3 sentences is a perfect length for a personalized message. Computer generated or typed mass produced thank-you notes are not acceptable and show nothing more than a rushed form to get a thank you out. Skip this option.

If a gift needs to be returned, keep in mind the feelings of the gift-giver. It's rude to ask the giver at the party where it was bought or for the receipt. If it is broken and you would like to get it replaced, that is fine but explain that to the parent before you ask for a receipt. If you receive a gift that is on a Consumer Product Safety Commission recall list, you do not always need to follow up with the giver. Instead, follow the instructions on how to return/replace as listed on cpsc.gov.

Can I re-gift a toy my child received?
NO! NO! NO! What if the original gift giver is also a guest at the birthday party? Kids don't forget these kinds of things. In my opinion, it's better to teach a child to be thankful for whatever they receive. In essence, birthday parties are a celebration of an individual child not a source to get rids of unwanted things in your home.

Do I have to invite the whole class to the party?
Some schools have policies on this. Invitations should never be handed out in the classroom or on the playground. It's best to keep the party list private and parents of guests should not talk amongst each other. Someone's feelings will always get hurt and while it is common for preschool and kindergarten age children to include the whole class, it is not necessary. The silent rule is the number of guests should equal the child's age plus one. Most parents agree this is much easier to handle than the whole class!

Is a verbal thank you sufficient?
No. A hand-written thank you note is best. Once a child learns to properly write, the thank you note should be written by the child. Encourage using good penmanship skills. Sending photos of the birthday child at the party with the birthday guest is appropriate to send in a thank you note. The notes should be delivered by postal mail and not handed out in the classroom or on the playground to avoid any hurt feelings to those who were not invited or could not attend. Email thank yous are not acceptable.

Should I register my child for birthday gifts?
This is a new trend and really of personal preference. If your child only wants specific gifts and would not be satisfied receiving something else, go ahead. Read between the lines on what this teaches a child. Some families use this as a way to inform distant family members

what a child's interests are and that can be helpful for the giver who does not know what to give. But, some givers love to choose their own ideas and that should never be discouraged.

Do I have to have goodie bags?
No. Over the years, this has got way out of hand. I've seen everything from overstuffed buckets of summer toys to gifts that were more expensive than the birthday gifts be handed out to children as they are leaving a birthday party. A small token of appreciation is most appropriate.

Should I invite parents to stay?
This is sticky subject. No one wants the lingering parent standing in the corner. It's best for children to learn how to be independent from mom or dad but some children still need mom or dad around. The basic rule is once a child is out of diapers and able to function properly with a group of children, it's best not for a parent to be there so a child can practice independence and social skills. But, if you are not comfortable leaving your child alone, discuss this privately with the birthday host PRIOR to the party. Parents understand. For older children, if you are concerned about proper of a lack of supervision without having you around, respectfully decline the invitation.

Train your child on the rules and etiquette about having a birthday party and how to act. They need to understand that they will be the spotlight for the party and their behavior and manners will be noticed by you and all the children in attendance. A short 101 review on your no running, pushing, yelling policy would help.

POLLING PARENTS: Top 12 things that parents don't find pleasing about kids birthday parties:
Source: toytips.com

1. Guests who leave messages saying they can't come without appreciation that they were invited. Messages with harsh tones keep you wondering WHY and open up all sorts of things to question in your mind. Leave a message in a sweet and friendly voice and while it is not necessary to include the reason why, if there is one, at least the birthday party host will know it is not because they just do not want to come. That can hurt people's feelings.

2. The birthday child does not say thank you after opening a gift. Make sure to thank a child using their name. Many times, preschoolers like to have their guest sit next to them when they open a gift. This helps a child early on learn manners and appreciation but in these years, you see a lot of hugging as thank you"d too.

3. Arriving LATE or picking up a child LATE. For birthday parties held at restaurants, or other locations, another birthday party may be scheduled right after yours and it is not the responsibility of the location or the birthday host to wait for your child to get picked up.

Don't ever assume your child will be driven home unless agreed arrangements are made prior to the party. Arriving to the party more than 10 minutes early is a no-no.

4. Coming home with a lot of little stuff that kids don't play with. The low-priced miniature plastic versions of traditional toys are usually too small for a child to use or they just don't work. Rather than looking for things to give-out, focus on quality over quantity, One nice superball or bottle of bubbles has a lot of play value!

5. The birthday host is yelling at the birthday child! With proper training on appropriate etiquette, this most likely can be avoided.

6. Do not bring uninvited younger siblings. If they must come due to childcare issues, don't expect to get a piece of birthday cake or a goody bag. Have activities packed in your own bag for younger sibling to do. The birthday party may not be age-appropriate for them and depending on activities planned for the party, safety can be an issue.

7. Location. If a party location is on the other side town for a short time, it can be an inconvienence.

8. When an invited parent of a guest doesn't control their child who is trying to he the center of attention.

9. Parents who compete to have the better birthday party.

10. Do not photograph or videotape someone else's birthday party as a parent guest. Unless you are asked, it makes the birthday host feel awkward.

11. Guests who do not RSVP but still show up.

12. Birthday party hosts who don't have a timeline or agenda for the party that is appropriate to the age of the child and guests. Especially for younger kids, it is important to keep things moving along. Don't drag things out or don't force activities or games that kids are not interested in. Be flexible based on the needs of the birthday child and guests.

For ideas, see toytips.com and sign-up to receive the free daily toy-tip prior to the birthday party.

How to Get Involved With Toys for Tots

11-22-2008

Toys for Tots is a community-action program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and dedicated to distributing toys to needy children nationwide.

The annual Toys for Tots campaign was initiated by reservist Major William Hendricks as a pilot program in 1947 and official adopted by the Marine Corps the next year. It was firmly established as a nationwide public affairs project by 1953.

Take Action This Christmas

Step1

Donate new, unwrapped toys to your local U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Unit, or drop them off at a local business that has volunteered to collect them. Our Toy Crazy stores in Brentwood and Malibu are drop off locations.

Step2

Order new toys online with us and we'll deliver them to Toys for Tots.

Step3

Contribute your time and services to the cause by coordinating collection sites at your workplace or a nearby warehouse or providing transportation services or media exposure.

Step4

Donate money by sending a check to -
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, P.O. Box 1947, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA 22134.
Find your local campaign and toy drop of center at http://www.toysfortots.org/default.asp.

Year-Round

Step1

Sponsor or initiate fund-raising events such as walkathons, golf tournaments and car washes that are held throughout the year.

Step2

Look for discounts and rebates that benefit both you and Toys for Tots.

Parenting Tips: First Day of School Jitters

08-25-2009

Story brought to you by more4kids.info

First Day of School

With school starting many kids get a little apprehensive about being alone at school. They worry that no one will like them or want to be a working partner with them in class. There are a number of things that you can do to help squash the fears of your youngsters as school starts.

Tip One: It's the First Day of School for Everyone

Everyone has jitters on the first day and during the first week or so of school. Let your child know that everyone in the class is going to have the same fears as your child. Everyone is worried they won't have friends or that they will be the last one picked as a partner.

Tip Two: Encourage them to be Themselves

While everyone wants to fit in, it is important that your child knows the best way to make friends is to be themselves. Let them know that it is okay to pick up a new "like" such as if their new friend likes the Jonas Brothers, it is natural for them to have an interest in the Jonas Brothers, but they don't want to go out and buy everything that their new friend has.

Tip Three: Encourage them to Speak Up

It is never okay for one child to make another child feel like they are less important than someone else. That is true for adults as well; we are all equally incredible in our own ways. If your child is being bullied by someone at school tell your child how important it is that they let their teacher know. They also need to let you know. We had an incident with our son being bullied on the bus. He would complain to the bus driver and the bus driver would just tell him to sit down. We called the principal of the school and transportation to complain. The other child tried to say it was the other way around. THANKFULLY, the bus had video on it and we requested that the video be pulled so it could be viewed and it showed what was happening.

It is sad and scary how frequent bullying happens. If your child is acting like they don't want to go to school or get on the bus, or they come home with bruises or missing items, talk to them and find out what is going on.

Tip Four: Don't Embarrass Them

As much as it kills you (as it does me) don't kiss them goodbye in front everyone if they don't lean towards you first. Our son is such a momma's boy… unless there are others around. Actually it was last school year that he even stopped saying "I love you," if anyone was in ear shot. It broke my heart, but at the same time it was a growth moment. He still hugs and kisses me at home and tells me he loves me, so the world is still okay.

Tip Five: Teach them the Importance of a Smile

Chances are pretty good that on the first day of school there are other shy kids that are afraid to be the first to talk to anyone. So tell your child if there is another child that they want to talk to they should smile at them and say hello. It is amazing the impact of a simple smile and the small phrase, "Hi."

Tip Six: Talk to their Friends Parents

If your child has a best bud, take a moment and talk to the parents of that best bud. Find out what class their child is going into, what bus they are riding, if they plan on having their child buy lunch or pack. These things can help make it so that your child is able to spend some time with someone familiar the first few days of school.

Tip Seven: Ask About Their Day

Be excited about their school day. Ask how their day was and then listen to what they tell you. I should note that you need to actively listen. Show them that you are interested in what happened at school so they know that you are really excited about what excited them.

Play in Space!

11-30--0001

Thoughts from Marianne M. Szymanski; the founder and president of Toy Tips, publisher of Toy Tips and Parenting HintsMagazine and co-author of Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices (Wiley/Jossey Bass).

Playdates are nothing more than a click away for children who may be bored at home or bored with their friends.

The cyber-playground is becoming an alternative form of traditional play for children as young as age three. While stuffed animals, action figures and dolls all hold a place in a child's imagination, the new sweep and trend of the "virtual world" is stretching a child's play hours into virtual playmates.

Gone are the days of the "couch potato" only to introduce the age of the
"keyboard kids."

According to The New York Times, (December 31, 2007), it is estimated that 8.2 million children are members of virtual worlds, and that number is expected to reach 20 million by 2011.

This is a lot of kids playing online instead of with their friends.

Online play can increase hand-eye coordination. Increasing hand-eye coordination is great if you use your exceled skill for baseball practice but what does that do for personality skills and character development?

While manufacturers are busy creating the next big thing or the next big bust, parents are the ones that hold control of their child's time and how they spend it. Playing online is fun and can be educational and mind-stimulating with various activities, games and even math problems but....... where have the all the heroes gone? Are toys becoming so tech-heavy that children who used to emulate the guts and glory of Evil Knievel, Batman and Superman now shop, collect and visit a virtual world instead of creating their own role play worlds. Will heroes come from cyberspace without any personality or only what the software engineer puts into them? Will children no longer need to actually play with the tangible toy?

Toys that allow children to engage in social communities with avatars or other children may include experiences with age-appropriate content and language, so we think. Web controls are offered so parents can be sure of it. But, like all things, at a cost. From an economic standpoint, parents can spend in an upwards of $30 for a toy and a chance for a child to play with it online or spend a few bucks for a toy and a chance for a child to play with it with his brother.

While cyber-based toys see a rise in popularity in 2008, parents are concerned on how they are affecting their child's mental growth. A child playing online can learn typing skills and understand computer technology at an earlier age but this will not exactly translate into higher intellectual development for the child.

Educators and parents want to preserve childhood and the developmental milestones that nurture the integral steps to a growing mind. Balancing traditional toys that make you "think" is the best way to incorporate virtual play into a child's precious playtime hours. If this means buying a box of blocks and cans of clay along with virtual pets to keep a busy preschooler engaged, then so be it. Toys are catalysts for learning new skills and tech toys do have their place but are not meant to "re-place" traditional play.

As this new generation of technology and play unfolds, new applications are being built for children to use but the basic patterns of human developmental learning have remained static over time. Technology is only an application to use brain-based skills. It's not the means to increase them.

In this new age of technology, avatars, web controls and online toys, realize that play is changing and as each generation has it's classics, Gen Z may not be able to "pass down" that favorite stuffed toy..... without a website attached to it.

Secrets of a Well Made Toy

03-24-2008

By Marianne M. Szymanski, founder and president of Toy Tips, publisher of Toy Tips and Parenting Hints
Magazine and co-author of Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices (Wiley/Jossey Bass).

Did you ever buy a toy that falls apart easily? The well-engineered toy is a gem amongst the toybox. Finding durable toys that can last for generations takes a little bit of knowledge, a little bit of research and a little bit of luck. Before your holiday toy shopping begins, plan ahead.

You'll find some of the most basic toys are going from the plain design, ex: dolls, heavy solid trucks, slinky's (which contain no electronics) to interactive designs which contain electronic components such as infrared technology, micro-processors, sensors, optics, LED's etc. These devices are delicate and prone to shock. They must be encased in a firm, well-designed outer shell which will protect the toy.

It's better to splurge on quality, a toy is only useful when it is used

Here are a few "toy tips" to take to the toy store:

-For audible toys, speakers should be large enough to provide intelligible output.

-Tilt switches indicate if a toy is laying down or standing up (think a robot toy that walks). Many are made with mercury. Be aware that in the event of breakage, mercury could be exposed and possibly ingested by the child and this could be fatal.

-Video screens should be color not black and white for better resolution.

-Many battery compartments require a manual use of a small jewelers screwdriver (#0 or #1) to open the battery compartment for battery insertion and replacement. Be sure to have one of those on hand- you will need it often. If you don't replace batteries, they can corrode. If a battery-operated toy is not in constant use, it's best to keep the batteries out and put them in as needed. Batteries also contain mercury so if one leaks and is ingested by the child, this can be very dangerous.

Avoid toys made with magnets if there is any possibility a child may put them in their mouth, regardless of age. Two or more magnets ingested inside the digestive track is fatal.

And...remember to play with your kids with all your new finds!

Top 12 things parents don't enjoy about birthday parties for kids

11-23-2008

1. Guests who leave messages saying they can't come without appreciation that they were invited. Messages with harsh tones keep you wondering WHY and open up all sorts of things to question in your mind. Leave a message in a sweet and friendly voice and while it is not necessary to include the reason why, if there is one, at least the birthday party host will know it is not because they just do not want to come. That can hurt people's feelings.

2. The birthday child does not say thank you after opening a gift. Make sure to thank a child using their name. Many times, preschoolers like to have their guest sit next to them when they open a gift. This helps a child early on learn manners and appreciation but in these years, you see a lot of hugging as thank you"d too.

3. Arriving LATE or picking up a child LATE. For birthday parties held at restaurants, or other locations, another birthday party may be scheduled right after yours and it is not the responsibility of the location or the birthday host to wait for your child to get picked up.

Don't ever assume your child will be driven home unless agreed arrangements are made prior to the party. Arriving to the party more than 10 minutes early is a no-no.

4. Coming home with a lot of little stuff that kids don't play with. The low-priced miniature plastic versions of traditional toys are usually too small for a child to use or they just don't work. Rather than looking for things to give-out, focus on quality over quantity, One nice superball or bottle of bubbles has a lot of play value!

5. The birthday host is yelling at the birthday child! With proper training on appropriate etiquette, this most likely can be avoided.

6. Do not bring uninvited younger siblings. If they must come due to childcare issues, don't expect to get a piece of birthday cake or a goody bag. Have activities packed in your own bag for younger sibling to do. The birthday party may not be age-appropriate for them and depending on activities planned for the party, safety can be an issue.

7. Location. If a party location is on the other side town for a short time, it can be an inconvienence.

8. When an invited parent of a guest doesn't control their child who is trying to he the center of attention.

9. Parents who compete to have the better birthday party.

10. Do not photograph or videotape someone else's birthday party as a parent guest. Unless you are asked, it makes the birthday host feel awkward.

11. Guests who do not RSVP but still show up.

12. Birthday party hosts who don't have a timeline or agenda for the party that is appropriate to the age of the child and guests. Especially for younger kids, it is important to keep things moving along. Don't drag things out or don't force activities or games that kids are not interested in. Be flexible based on the needs of the birthday child and guests.

For ideas, see toytips.com and sign-up to receive the free daily toy-tip prior to the birthday party.