Softplay: St Oswalds, Ashbourne
Marie is trying to get St Oswalds softplay sessions running again on Thursday afternoons and is looking for a team of parents to help out on a rota basis. If you can help please contact her.
Source: www.studholme.net

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From:- babytime.blogware.com

While your tot gets ready to enter the heaving world, cultivate his sense of balance, curiosity, and hand-eye coordination. But be primed-baby will almost certainly fling, gnaw, and pour out the whole lot that he lays his / her hands upon.

* Push and pull playthings: Your baby can grab these toys effortlessly, and will relish experiencing to make stuff stir.

* Posters-n-Picture books: Lend a hand to your newborn discover the world about him with dazzling colorful posters and picture books you both can look at simultaneously by giving him / her petite, lightweight books that he can grip himself and observe.

* Orbs and chunks: Gently sloping, mounding, producing blare-all of these activities will bring grins and hours of excitement for you and your baby.

* Melodies-n-songs: While your kid becomes further active, produce harmonious compositions for the baby, boogie-n-clap with him / her.

For more information visit invitationbox.com

About the Author

None

Babylab to work out what goes on in babies' minds
Psychologists at the University of Manchester have set up a "BabyLab" within the University, to try and learn more about how babies acquire knowledge. Parents with a child between three and five months of age who are able to help should contact Emma Wilson on 0161 275 1967, or email babylab@manchester.ac.uk for more information. Each baby will be asked to visit the University once or twice, with parents/caregivers remaining with them at all times and being asked to complete some short questionnaires during the visit.
Source: _http

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Disneyland was designed for kids of all ages - and toddlers are no exception! There are many things that you can enjoy with your toddler - so many things in fact, that unless you will be staying for several days, you won't have time to do them all.

Start with Toon Town. Here is where you will find your toddler's favorite Disney Characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse. All of the Characters have homes in Toon Town, full of things that will amaze your toddler, and make them laugh.

Disneyland boasts a slew of rides and attractions that, while tame, elicit squeals of delight from toddlers. Some of the favorites are:

It's a Small World, a boat ride through a musical diorama; the Enchanted Tiki Room, a Hawaiian extravaganza complete with automated birds and flowers; and the Country Bear Playhouse, where furry life-sized robotic bears sing and dance in a jamboree.

Children three and older can visit every attraction in Mickey's Toontown, including Chip 'n Dale's Treehouse and Goofy's Bounce House. They can also tour Mickey's House, where they're guaranteed a chance to meet the Mouse himself in his dressing room. Then there's this little-known secret: Several times each afternoon, Disney princesses tell stories to young guests in the Tinker Bell Toy Shoppe.

Twice a day the 45 Years of Magic Parade marched down Main Street U.S.A. Parade schedules vary, depending on the season, but stake out a spot early to give your toddler a good view of all her favorite characters.

Every night the park stages "Fantasmic!" at Rivers of America. A laser-light water show with fireworks and a full-sized pirate ship, "Fantasmic!" will knock the cynic out of any adult. Bright lights and big noise every night at 9:30 with the 45th Anniversary Fireworks Spectacular, "Believe: There's Magic in the Stars."

Your toddler will definitely enjoy the Disneyland Railroad. This is a great way to get around the park, because there are stations in New Orleans Square, Toon Town, Tomorrowland, and on Main Street. This will amuse your toddler, and give you a chance to see some sights and rest a bit.

The Storybook Land Canal Boats is another good choice, as it will take you through the miniature villages that your child will be quite familiar with from their story books.

Rides that you and your toddler must not miss include all of the rides in Fantasyland, King Arthur's Carousel, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, the Circus Train, and the Mad Tea Party. Rides that are appropriate for youngsters, but that may cause a little fear are the rides that are dark. These include Peter Pan's Flight, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Alice in Wonderland, and Snow White's Scary Adventure. Buzz Lightyear is a popular ride for all toddlers.

There are other areas of the park that have attractions and rides that are appropriate for toddlers. Remember that Disneyland is a place for kids of all ages. Pay attention to the height and age requirements for each attraction, and avoid taking your toddler to rides that they will not be able to enjoy. This will only cause your child disappointment.

Stick to the areas where the toddler appropriate attractions are located as much as possible. As an adult, you realize that some rides are simply not safe for small people - but your small person will not comprehend this! Your Disneyland vacation should be enjoyable for everyone, and Disneyland has made sure that there is something for everyone at the park. It is up to you to keep your child happy, and to keep them interested in the rides and attractions that they are meant to enjoy.

If you want to go on some adults-only rides without splitting up, try the "Baby Swap." As soon as you get in line, tell an attendant that you want to use this option. When it's your family's turn, one parent rides while the other stands aside holding the child. When the run is over, the parent who just rode gets off and takes the child, and the other parent hops on.

About the Author

Dan Farrell is the owner of Disneyland Vacations where you can get more information on a great Disneyland Vacation.

Television Time increases Toy Requests
New research shows that for each additional hour per day that a child watches television, an average of one additional request is made for an advertised product. The effect of the commercials on children lasts up to 20 weeks.
Source: www.newscientist.com

The Best Children's Books Available
There are some fantastic books available for the under-fives. Here is a newly updated list of some of the best, with descriptions, reviews and often money-off offers.
Source: www.studholme.net

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Disneyland was designed for kids of all ages - and toddlers are no exception! There are many things that you can enjoy with your toddler - so many things in fact, that unless you will be staying for several days, you won't have time to do them all.

Start with Toon Town. Here is where you will find your toddler's favorite Disney Characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse. All of the Characters have homes in Toon Town, full of things that will amaze your toddler, and make them laugh.

Disneyland boasts a slew of rides and attractions that, while tame, elicit squeals of delight from toddlers. Some of the favorites are:

It's a Small World, a boat ride through a musical diorama; the Enchanted Tiki Room, a Hawaiian extravaganza complete with automated birds and flowers; and the Country Bear Playhouse, where furry life-sized robotic bears sing and dance in a jamboree.

Children three and older can visit every attraction in Mickey's Toontown, including Chip 'n Dale's Treehouse and Goofy's Bounce House. They can also tour Mickey's House, where they're guaranteed a chance to meet the Mouse himself in his dressing room. Then there's this little-known secret: Several times each afternoon, Disney princesses tell stories to young guests in the Tinker Bell Toy Shoppe.

Twice a day the 45 Years of Magic Parade marched down Main Street U.S.A. Parade schedules vary, depending on the season, but stake out a spot early to give your toddler a good view of all her favorite characters.

Every night the park stages "Fantasmic!" at Rivers of America. A laser-light water show with fireworks and a full-sized pirate ship, "Fantasmic!" will knock the cynic out of any adult. Bright lights and big noise every night at 9:30 with the 45th Anniversary Fireworks Spectacular, "Believe: There's Magic in the Stars."

Your toddler will definitely enjoy the Disneyland Railroad. This is a great way to get around the park, because there are stations in New Orleans Square, Toon Town, Tomorrowland, and on Main Street. This will amuse your toddler, and give you a chance to see some sights and rest a bit.

The Storybook Land Canal Boats is another good choice, as it will take you through the miniature villages that your child will be quite familiar with from their story books.

Rides that you and your toddler must not miss include all of the rides in Fantasyland, King Arthur's Carousel, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, the Circus Train, and the Mad Tea Party. Rides that are appropriate for youngsters, but that may cause a little fear are the rides that are dark. These include Peter Pan's Flight, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Alice in Wonderland, and Snow White's Scary Adventure. Buzz Lightyear is a popular ride for all toddlers.

There are other areas of the park that have attractions and rides that are appropriate for toddlers. Remember that Disneyland is a place for kids of all ages. Pay attention to the height and age requirements for each attraction, and avoid taking your toddler to rides that they will not be able to enjoy. This will only cause your child disappointment.

Stick to the areas where the toddler appropriate attractions are located as much as possible. As an adult, you realize that some rides are simply not safe for small people - but your small person will not comprehend this! Your Disneyland vacation should be enjoyable for everyone, and Disneyland has made sure that there is something for everyone at the park. It is up to you to keep your child happy, and to keep them interested in the rides and attractions that they are meant to enjoy.

If you want to go on some adults-only rides without splitting up, try the "Baby Swap." As soon as you get in line, tell an attendant that you want to use this option. When it's your family's turn, one parent rides while the other stands aside holding the child. When the run is over, the parent who just rode gets off and takes the child, and the other parent hops on.

About the Author

Dan Farrell is the owner of Disneyland Vacations where you can get more information on a great Disneyland Vacation.

Footsteps
Tuesdays, 6.15 pm. Age: reception - year 5. Nearly 40 children having fun - a good, friendly mix of boys and girls across the age range. Got your ears ready for a fun quiz? Or a story? Body ready for action songs and games? Hands ready for crafts? What about team games? Yeah - you should be there!
Source: _http

You may be surprised at how often babies will sleep to & from the destination. Be sure to have their favorite stuffed animal ready & blanket for the trip (also a pacifier & bottle if the child is young enough).
For babies & toddlers, bring along cassette tapes filled with stories & music that is age appropriate. You can sing along to help entertain them.

Other items that you will want to take with you are :

A foldable playpen

An age appropriate car seat

A diaper bag

Something to keep the sun out of the child抯 eyes

For children ages 1 ? years, bring items to play with. Such items can include: scotch tape, window clings, books, coloring books, crayons, a couple plush animals & finger food.

Be sure to bring out toy at a time. When you get out one toy, put the others away. This way the items stay new. Switch toys every 10 ?5 minutes (longer if the child is older). This keeps the toys & books new and exciting. You will want to have at least 12 toys. 12 toys is appropriate for a trip of 12 hours or less. To be on the safe side add a couple extra or buy a few at stops on the way there. This will allow you to rotate for two hours without having anything boring. You will not need a ton of toys for under a year old, as they will sleep most of the way there (at least hopefully ?if you child isn抰 prone to sleeping in the car ?you will have to improvise).

You will want someone next to the young child at all times to make sure they stay happy during the entire trip. It can be upsetting to the driver if the baby is constantly crying.

For those crying fits: First try the basic easy things by offering a bottle, pacifier, blanket, doll/stuffed animal, finger food or new toy. If these don抰 work and the child continues to cry for longer than five minutes, pull over at a rest stop. Check the child抯 diaper, look for rashes, or places the skin may be rubbing against the car seat, and check for food or items underneath their bottom. If none of these work, re-adjust the child in their chair & keep driving. If the child is old enough to talk, ask them what is bothering them. If nothing works and the child continues to cry, strap him/her back in the car seat and continue to drive. This time don抰 stop the car until 30 minutes or longer has passed. During this half hour try the things you tried initially. If all is hopeless, ignore the child. Before 30 minutes, it is very likely the child will calm down or fall asleep unless something is seriously wrong. If you stop every time the child cries, he/she will cry MORE! If you do end up stopping a second time (after 30 minutes), first re-check the diaper (it is not uncommon to have two incidents in a half hour) and second check to see if the child is ill. If the child is old enough (2-3 years) and there is nothing wrong (diaper etc) & the fit continues, it may call for disciplinary action (always give the child try to give the warning before disciplining ?this way the child chooses his/her own fate). A quick note: choose a driver that can handle crying for 5- 10 minutes without getting too irritable.

It is true that there may be the occasional crying, but for the most part the trip should go well for both you, the riders and your child.

Sarah Delaporte is the owner of Freebie Coupon Corner. She loves helping consumers save money on their groceries with her helpful e-book publications. For more information about Freebie Coupon Corner, you can visit the website at: http://www.couponcorner.net

A great first pal! Soft, washable body with movable wood arms and legs. Made in Germany from maplewood and water-based lacquerers. A quality infant toy that is made to last! Height: 10 cm. Ages 6 months and up. Click Here For More Info!

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Every year, a staggering number of children suffer horrific injuries from a dog attack. What is even more frightening, is that in many cases, the dog is known to the child.

Dogs are pack animals, where each dog understands its place in the hierarchy. Safe dogs are dogs that have been brought up to think that all humans, down to the smallest child, are above them in the hierarchy. Unfortunately, many dogs consider that children or adults that are not from their "family pack" are lower than them in the hierarchy and they consequently think they have permission to bite if the child or person does something that they don't like.

As we don't know how a dog is going to react to unfamiliar children or people, it is best to assume they may be nervous or defensive. As parents, we need to teach our children to behave appropriately around all dogs.

Children instinctively believe that a dog wagging its tail is friendly and can therefore be approached. However, no dog should be touched by a child without the owner's permission. A dog that has had little exposure to children could be nervous or afraid. If it is tied up or restrained in some way and is unable to "escape" from a fearful situation, the dog may bite out of fear. Likewise, encouraging children to "make friends" with it could also provoke the same reaction.

Never allow your child to approach or touch an unknown dog while it is eating, especially if it is eating a bone as this brings out the wolf in almost any dog. While children love to play with a dog, encourage them to be quiet and still around strange dogs. Noise and activity may provoke the dog to jump up at them.

Because of the dog's pack instinct, children should always try to stay "higher" physically than a dog to keep themselves in a dominant position. They shouldn't be encouraged to lie on the ground and let a dog jump all over them in rough and tumble play - even a little puppy. Supervise your children around strange dogs, even dogs you know quite well, as children are little balls of energy that can either over stimulate or frighten some dogs.

Dogs are fantastic animals and make great pets but they still have the ability to defend themselves or their family if they feel threatened. We need to be aware of this and treat them accordingly for the dog's well being and the safety of our children.

About the Author

Deborah Taylor has been an advisor on animal welfare matters for five years and has a blog on dog behavior training and related information.

Little explorers can tidy up easily after their adventures with this roomy Dora toy box that also doubles as a bench. Painted dark pink inside and out, the playful storage piece features images on four sides of Dora discovering the world with her animal friends. Colorful lettering across the top reads, "My Garden of Smiles/Mi Jardin de Sourisas," in keeping with Dora s bilingualism. A great place for blocks, dolls, action figures, stuffed animals, and dishes, the toy box is crafted from wood for a solid, sturdy feel. A rounded cut notch in the front makes opening it easy, while a safety hinge keeps the lid open and prevents it from dropping suddenly or closing on little fingers. With metal hardware for durability, the toy box measures 14-3/4 by 15-1/2 by 25 inches. Simple assembly is required. --Emily Bedard
Customer Review: Toy box for a friend
It is very pretty! i bought this for a friend's daughter's birthday. it was smaller then i had pictu...
Customer Review: Colorful but small
This box is too small for toddler toys so I use it next to her Dora bed as a night stand and keep he... Click Here For More Info!

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Should your toddler get on the amusement park rides that are so inviting? Many parents wonder about the best age to introduce young children to the rides at theme or amusement parks that often attract children. While it may be tempting to buckle your little one for an exhilarating ride, give some thought to criteria like those outlined below to see if your child is truly ready for a mobile ride of this type:

1. Is your child the right size for his or her age? Extra-small or short kids may need to wait until they grow a little more to get on rides designated for their age group. Many ride operators will check the height of children, using a predetermined measuring stick, but if not, don't let your little one get on a ride that is actually intended for bigger children. Injury could result, otherwise.

2. Does your child want to go on the ride? A toddler who appears frightened or uncertain should be permitted to wait until he or she is older. Forcing a child to go on a ride before he or she is ready is cruel and may delay a child's adjustment to amusement park rides for years to come. It may be a good idea to take a sibling or neighborhood friend at the same time so your son or daughter can take along someone known to ease the strain of something new.

3. Go with your little one. Parents should plan to ride with a small child for comfort and protection. Don't assume that forcing a child to go alone "will make him a man" or push him to "grow up" sooner. It may cause trauma that will last for weeks in the form of nightmares or anxiety.

4. Start with simple rides first. The merry-go-round or other age-appropriate rides can help to ease your child into the amusement park mentality. Seeing kids of the same age on certain rides will ease tension and encourage your child to join them for fun on a ride that should not be particularly fear inspiring.

5. Make sure the ride is as safe as possible. Look for the operator's license and the last inspection date for the ride. Watch it go through one or two cycles before buying a ticket for a particular attraction. If it appears to go too fast, or is especially jerky, it probably isn't a good idea for a young child to get on. Little ones can experience brain damage, or headaches at the least, when their small bodies are hurled from one side of a ride to the other, or dangled upside down. Make sure the ride will not hurt your child's physique or security.

Amusement park rides are fun for the whole family. But take special precautions to ease your little one onto his or her first ride to make it fun and memorable in a pleasant way.

About the Author

For additional information on amusement park attractions and rides, visit Fun Park Rides and More at Fun Park Rides

Click Here For More Info!

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Every year, a staggering number of children suffer horrific injuries from a dog attack. What is even more frightening, is that in many cases, the dog is known to the child.

Dogs are pack animals, where each dog understands its place in the hierarchy. Safe dogs are dogs that have been brought up to think that all humans, down to the smallest child, are above them in the hierarchy. Unfortunately, many dogs consider that children or adults that are not from their "family pack" are lower than them in the hierarchy and they consequently think they have permission to bite if the child or person does something that they don't like.

As we don't know how a dog is going to react to unfamiliar children or people, it is best to assume they may be nervous or defensive. As parents, we need to teach our children to behave appropriately around all dogs.

Children instinctively believe that a dog wagging its tail is friendly and can therefore be approached. However, no dog should be touched by a child without the owner's permission. A dog that has had little exposure to children could be nervous or afraid. If it is tied up or restrained in some way and is unable to "escape" from a fearful situation, the dog may bite out of fear. Likewise, encouraging children to "make friends" with it could also provoke the same reaction.

Never allow your child to approach or touch an unknown dog while it is eating, especially if it is eating a bone as this brings out the wolf in almost any dog. While children love to play with a dog, encourage them to be quiet and still around strange dogs. Noise and activity may provoke the dog to jump up at them.

Because of the dog's pack instinct, children should always try to stay "higher" physically than a dog to keep themselves in a dominant position. They shouldn't be encouraged to lie on the ground and let a dog jump all over them in rough and tumble play - even a little puppy. Supervise your children around strange dogs, even dogs you know quite well, as children are little balls of energy that can either over stimulate or frighten some dogs.

Dogs are fantastic animals and make great pets but they still have the ability to defend themselves or their family if they feel threatened. We need to be aware of this and treat them accordingly for the dog's well being and the safety of our children.

About the Author

Deborah Taylor has been an advisor on animal welfare matters for five years and has a blog on dog behavior training and related information.