What is the #1 toy christmas 2011?

best kids toys 2011 christmas image

Dizzy

Answer
I think it depends on the age group and if the kid is a boy/girl, etc. Hope the links below help? In my opinion, a VTech tablet is both a fun and educational toy; I'll be getting this for my son!

What's christmas like in your country?

Q. Here in Iceland on the 1st of december they start showing on TV a kids show that is aired everyday until December 24th. The show is literally called "The Christmas Calendar" (Jóladagatalið). Normally, every episode is about 5 minutes long but it's never the same story every year, they either make a new show every year or show older episodes that have been shown some years before. The episodes they're showing this year was actually made in Denmark and is called "The Christmas Calendar 2011: The Pact. (Jóladagatalið 2011: Sáttmálinn). It's about a kid that helps some elves find a pact that will kill some evil elf queen. Well enough of that.

December 12th kids put a shoe in their window to get a present from one of the Icelandic santa clauses, called The Yule Lads (Jólasveinarnir). We have 13 santa clauses. Every night, from 12th - 24th december they put presents in the children's shoes, like candy or small toys, but if the kids behaved badly they will give them a potato, which kids don't like. That's why most kids behave well this time of year. In case you're confused it's actually their parents that give them the presents ;), but the kids don't know that.

On December 23rd, many Icelanders have a skate (a type of fish) for dinner. It's an old Icelandic tradition.

Christmas is actually celebrated on the 24th, not the 25th. All day until 6 pm on the 24th, everybody waits for christmas to start. A few minutes before 6 pm, you can hear ringing church bells ringing on the radio and on the tv. Then when they stop at exactly 6 pm, a man says "Good Icelanders, merry christmas" (góðir Ãslendingar, gleðileg jól). Then kids open the present their mom and dad gave them, and then we eat. Some people eat lamb meat, some eat pork and some eat ptarmigan meat which is very popular on christmas. Then after we've washed the dishes after dinner we open the rest of the presents, from relatives and friends. We don't get any gifts from the American Santa Clause. Usually at my home my parents film us opening our presents, and I'm sure some people do too. We still have tapes older than 10 years old of me and my siblings opening presents. The presents are kept, while still in the christmas packages, under the christmas tree. Some people have a fake tree and some people have a real tree.

Christmas ends at the end of january 6th the next year. called "the 13th" (Ãrettándinn), the 13th day of christmas. At that day we light a bunch of wood and stuff and make a big fire. Usually one fire in every town (towns are really small in Iceland expect for Reykjavík, which is not a really big city when you think about it. My town only has about 1000 habitants.) People stand by the fire and some some men are hired to shoot fireworks near the fire. We also have fire and fireworks on december 31st, the last day of the year.

Now i have explained almost everything about christmas in Iceland, expect for a few things like decorations and that but yeah. What's christmas like in your country? (I know you won't be able to explain it in a very long way like i did.)

Answer
It was very interesting to learn about Christmas in Iceland! Thank you! Here is how we celebrate Christmas in the USA! :
Throughout the month of December people decorate there houses and there is TV shows and movies that have to do with Christmas on TV! On December 24th it is Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve lots of people like to eat seafood. Its kind of a tradition. And before kids got to sleep they leave milk and cookies out for Santa to eat.On December 25th it is Christmas day and kids run down to the Christmas tree and open tons of presents they got! We tell the kids that Santa Clause left them there! (But its actually the parents who did). We also have stockings which are in the shape of a sock much much bigger. There is small gifts inside of them. If the child was bad they get a piece of coal inside theirs. We also have a big dinner on Christmas with turkey. We also like to sing songs around Christmas time! Here is two verses to a very popular Christmas song in our country:

You better not shout
You better not cry
You better watch out im telling you why
Santa Clause is coming too town
He sees you when your sleeping
He knows when your awake
He knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake
Santa Clause is coming to town

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Babysitting a 3 and 5 year old sharing a room?

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Jenni

I put them to bed at 7:30 (a little over an hour ago) after a relaxing routine. The 3 year old will not go to sleep. At first he (the younger) kept getting up and talking, and then he used his stuffed animals as his toys so I took them away. I put him to bed every time no talking just pick him up and back. The older one is better. The younger kept playing with his feet and pretending he was a robot, but I would come back in, lay his feet down, and put his blanket on top of him. Now the younger is just whispering but the older isn't talking. Should I let him until he just falls asleep or address it and risk starting something again? Thanks!

Answer
The kid I sit for mumbles as she goes to sleep. I would let them do whatever as long as it's calm and they are in their beds. Leave them alone like that for 30 minutes and then check. Good luck!

When did you move your LO to a toddler or regular size bed?

Mrs. Z plu

With our first he went to a toddler bed when he was almost 3 years old. We moved in to a new house and decided -new house, new bed-

Our LO is 18 months old and tonight was VERY close to jumping ship out of his crib. I never had this problem with our first.

I am up for tips and suggestions. He has a 4 step convertible crib right now.

Answer
My kids are both top of the charts for height. At 15 months, my son was too tall for his crib. We took out his mattress and put it directly on the floor. We felt a little badly about it, but he just wasn't big enough for a toddler bed and may have hurt himself if he fell out.

Since then, we have found out that tons of parents do this before transitioning to a toddler bed.

Our son absolutely loved it as we had some safe toys and books, plus his cup of water. He would wait until we left the room, hop out of bed and read himself to a drowsy stage before climbing into his bed and falling asleep.

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what's a nice, inexpensive christmas present for a girl around two years old?

best toddler girl toys for christmas image

Ashley S

it's the very last present i need to have done all of my christmas shopping this year. finally! haha
i thought about going the whole toys r us route, but i really didn't think that she (having extremely well-to-do parents) needs another barbie doll or fake makeup kit.
so are there any ideas out there on what a toddler girl (and her parents) might appreciate?

Answer
a nice teddy bear, i got one when i was 2 and i never forgot it. make sure its simple, small kids tend to undress everything and pull off bows etc.

Good Christmas Gifts for my soon to be born baby girl and my toddler?

Jordan

i don't know who heard my illness about my cancer mono and strep this may be the last/only family christmas so i want to make it the best my 11 month old baby Girl is so smart she is potty trained she runs and she can talk a little bit i don't know if she should get a potty chart to help because she is 11 months she still makes accidents or snow toys or a big girl bed more clothes i don't know and my new baby i have no idea!

Answer
You HAVE TO get the infant a "woobie" (a soft little blanky with a head of a frog, cat, or other animal. Both my babies are very attached to there's and are soothed by it.Most baby departments of stores sell them.
Infants grow fast, so soon he/she will enjoy musical stuffed animals or toys that light up.

Toddlers like educational toys where they can press buttons and pull levers, ect. They like noisy toys!

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What 90s movie has these kids who find real dinosaurs but are the size of little toys?

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Katrina M

I don't know how to describe it but they are real dinosaurs, but are really little and these kids keep them. I know it was made in the early nineties cause I remember watching it as a child.

Anything will help!

Answer
Prehysteria! (1993)

What are some movies that high school kids today feel are "classics?"?

Kathleen

I'm trying to write a lesson plan where I'll have kids score short clips from movies/tv shows. I'm trying to choose things that they'll identify with- either things that are popular now, or things that they will consider "classics" the way that I consider the movie Clueless or Mean Girls or the TV show Hey! Arnold classics. Any suggestions that will speak to kids ages 13-18 today would be great!

Answer
Definetely Mean Girls, home alone, scream, bring it on, she's the man, 10 things i hate about you, karate kid, the notebook, john tucker must die, napolean dynamite, 21 jump street, coach carter, harry potter, men in black, or any Disney movies such as lion king, toy story, finding nemo, monsters inc, incredibles, beauty and the beast, up, ratatouille, etc.
For classic tv shows, those from the late 90s to mid 00s like catdog, fresh prince of bel-air, friends, loony tunes, the muppets, rugrats, lizzy maguire, spongebob squarepants, drake and josh, lilo & stich, johnny bravo, fairly odd parents, teenage mutant ninja turtles, power rangers, angry beavers, wild thornberrys

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What is the difference between old and new toys?

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supeerrsta

I need answers other than 'new toys are modern'. please be specific. it's for homework
Neo please,that is hardly an answer. like MATERIALS, technology. PLEASE be more specific

Answer
Depending on how far you go back and what kind of 'toys' you are talking about, there can be many different answers. Here are a couple of examples to explain what I mean...

In electronics, video games, radios and televisions for example, many old 'toys' consisted of wooden construction with little plastic and occasionally metal for design purposes. Old televisions used tubes and transistors, while new toys use LCD technology and HD properties. Old computers used tubes and transistors as well, were the size of a standard room, had the processing power of a modern wrist watch, and made calculations on a long sheet of paper. Today's computers have motherboards, graphics cards and accelerators and network cards that can transmit information through the air without wires, and many fit in your lap.

Older video game systems had wood paneling, and if you popped them open, would maybe see a heat sink and a small motherboard to read the media. Today's video game consoles have so many boards, wires and switches that if you tried to take it apart without proper training, it could look like a crash victim's intestines.

Another example is vehicles. Older toys had all metal bodies and no safety devices. As the technology and education grew, safety belts, airbags, shatterproof windshields, and crumple zones on the bumpers made for a more reliable and safer ride.

If you are referring to the actual term of the word 'toy', older toys had absolutely no computers in them, while just about every new toy has at least some sort of computer technology somewhere inside of it. A good example of this is Woody and Buzz from Toy Story. Woody is a pull-string doll with a mechanical voice box that, if you had one of these back in the day, would actually lower the pitch if you restrained the string from going back into the voice box at it's normal speed. Buzz on the other hand is the new toy, electronics in every inch of the toy, and everything is digital to the push of a button.

Toys from the old days were usually something like a stick with a Frisbee on top of it, or going even further back, nothing but a flat piece of plastic that you throw around. A hula-hoop is nothing more than a hollow plastic tube connected in a ring. The original Mr. potato head was pieces of plastic pertaining to eyes, mouths, arms and legs that you pressed into a real potato.

Put simply, old toys used a lot more imagination, and kid's had plenty of it back then. Today, new toys could pretty much play with themselves, and have so many chips and wires and stereo speakers that you could have built E.T's phone with about a quarter of the stuff you find in them.

So the short answer is; The difference between old toys and new toys is the evolution of technology. As higher quality materials became cheaper and more accessible, they became a bigger part of the new toy line. New strides in technology allowed more interactivity such as movement and sound. In the case of television, sharper picture and color. In the case of vehicles, safety and comfort. In the case of computers, smaller sizes and higher processing speeds. And in the the case of a child's toy, More interactivity and, sometimes, less imagination.

What toys are popular for 3 year old boys?

PBJT19

I have to buy a birthday present for my nephew who will be 3 and I have no idea what kids are into. They seem more advanced than what toys r u recommends for a 3 year old, so I was wondering if you could share your opinion if you have experience with kids this age. Serious answers please! Thank you.

Answer
My son's favorite toys for his 3rd birthday (at the end of February) were a toy garage and a big fire truck.

He is car mad and would be happy with any type of car you would buy him. His other favorite toys include a marble run. He has a marble construction run and you can use it to build different marble runs and run marbles down them. He needs a bit of help to put it together sometimes but would build one everyday if he could.

He's started to do big jigsaw floor puzzles (about 24 pieces) and he loves doing them with me. He also likes his Melissa Doug See and spell puzzles which are educational too.

Good outdoor toys include stomp rockets. We bought him a scooter for his birthday which he loves but hasn't quite mastered yet.

He likes his wooden train set too.

Check out the articles below for these and more ideas.

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How is your toddler sons room decorated?

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J&M

I think my sons room is too babyish its time to redo it but I need ideas.

Answer
I believe it's always best to stick with a theme that can grow with them. Things like Elmo, Cars, & Toy Story etc. are nice but are usually just a phase for the child. You don't want to have to redecorate the room each time a love for a new character comes along. With my first boy we stuck with a transportation theme, it was boyish & worked for a baby & will work all the way until he is old enough to decorate his own room. Generic themes like that are great because they're easy to stick with no matter what the age. My second son's room is done in sports. Later on when he likes a certain sport more than the others, it is easily customizable for his favorite sport rather than many sports. Same with transportation. Later on down the line if he likes fire trucks, race cars, jeeps, trains then it's easy to stick with just one theme of transportation. Plus, you can go with any colors you like & still stick with a certain theme.

What is the smallest size figure skate you can buy?

Fuscia

As soon an my daughter can walk I want to begin teaching her how to ice skate. For fun! I was wondering how small do those boots come?
I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but I can't wait to teach her how to skate. Of course it could turn out that she skates like her dad and ends up hating it! Oh no!

Answer
I put all of my kids on ice at 18 months and they all love the sport.
Don't push, don't rush, don't live through your children.

Under 3 years, don't even use skates. Walking and skating are two different activities. Skating requires much more stability and balance than a beginning walker can manage.

Just freeze a puddle in the backyard, slap a helmet, snowpants, jacket and a pair of snowboots without blades on her. Bring some little toys for her to play with and just let her slip and slide.

Watch for double runners on sale now, so you have them. Seems like you can never find them when you want them.

When she gets bored with boots on the puddle, let her wear the double runners and march across the ice puddle.

Check out Play It Again sports for tiny skates or an online auction site for "Babyskates" - they're small-sized skates that the kids outgrow very quickly. You can buy them from their site, but they're expensive, so try to find a used pair beforehand. If you find a pair, have them sharpened, then put vaseline or WD-40 over the edges and store them away until you need them.

As a TREAT, take her to an ice rink for some cocoa and to watch the skaters. A lot of rinks have skating shows and exhibitions at this time, so check out their websites to go see a show.

If she really likes skating and shows interest, take her to a rink with both pairs of skates. GO DURING THE DAY, when it's quiet. The weekend sessions can be overwhelming and even dangerous for a tot. Try the double runners first. STAY ON THE ICE WITH HER at all times.

Expect her to stay on the ice for 20 minutes, maximum, if she's under 7 years old. Don't get frustrated if she doesn't like it or wants to get off.

If you were a skater, or if you've always wanted to skate, adult figure skating is growing by leaps and bounds. Many rinks offer group and private lessons. There are also parent-and-child classes where you and your daughter can learn the basics of skating and having fun on the ice as a family.

Another alternative is to have a short (10 min) private lesson with a professional skating instructor once or twice a week. It effectively gives her some instruction as well as a "bodyguard" who will protect your daughter from danger and teach her the proper techniques of falling and getting up safely.

For kids under 5, many rinks offer a toddler class that's really just for having fun and getting comfortable with ice skating. It's a low-pressure introduction that builds a few skills without being regimented. They play games, use toys, and have fun. That's the most important thing.

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What is the name of the kids book, that features a little kid who makes a ton of money while touring the US?

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Jim S

He's from Canada, with a tour group headed by a couple of teenagers. He and a bunch of other kids, maybe 8-12 years old or so, are from Canada. They tour around the US, starting in New York, and at each stop he makes more and more money. His schemes include selling pet jelly, having people bet on model cars, do-it-yourself cow milking, and a nightclub called The Pretzel Factory. Any ideas?

Answer
No Coins Please by Gordon Korman

Artie is an intrepid eleven year old boy whose favorite hobby is making money. Concenened about her unconventional son, Artie's mother signs him up for a tour group for kids. But Artie just sees the road trip as another opportunity to make money, and along the way he manages to rope in the rest of the kids in his group in his money making schemes.

In New York Artie makes a killing selling "attack jelly," and in Colorado he makes a fortune by turning an abandoned pretzel factory into a disco. In Washington he sets up a gambling ring using a toy racetrack and while on a stopover in the country, Artie rents cows from the local farmer and then charges tourists to milk them. Meanwhile, the counselors are baffled as to how Artie keeps managing to escape their watch, though when the FBI goes after Artie they know they are in real trouble

What toys are in high demand for Christmas this year?

plastic

Between the age groups of 5-7 and 8-12. What what toys will be topping your kids list this year?
I'm searching for a Wii, too. You woulda thought they would make more, as much as people want one.

Answer
Webkinz are huge. they are expanding their line to include lip gloss, body spray, mouse pads, necklace/bracelet and charms. If you have girls those are a safe bet.

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how to make homade pet toys?

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Cuteepiee

ok I have a boy guinea pig and 2 girl hamsters. I want to start making homemade toys for them so I can save money.(Because I have a budget) cause im only 13 so I want to learn how to make like homemade hideaways and treats etc. I would like you to put them separate when you tell me step by step please and thanxz in advance :)

Answer
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How to Make Dog Toys | eHow
How to Make Homemade Toys for Shelter Dogs. Simple homemade toys can provide both comfort and healthy stimulation for dogs spending time in a shelter.
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Homemade Pet Toys | eHow
Millions of toys are marketed toward dog and cat owners. Some people find that their pets go through more toys than food, and more than one pet owner has thrown up ...
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Make Your Own Homemade Dog Toys - Squidoo : Welcome to Squidoo
Make a Tire Toy for Strong Dogs Dogs with extremely strong jaws need toys that will stand up to a lot of abuse. ... More Make Homemade Pet Items Lenses .
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Homemade Dog Toys - Make Dog Stuff, Build Dog Stuff
We have oodles of different ideas for making homemade dog toys ... many dogs enjoy tug-of-war games with either humans or other dogs. ...
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How to Make Homemade Pet Toys - Pet Toys â Play things for ...
Toys from pet stores can be very expensive and pets, like kids, can get bored with the same old stuff. There are so many ways to make your own toys and you donât ...
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10 DIY Dog Toys You Can Make for Pennies | Wise Bread
Probably the cheapest, easiest, and handiest DIY pet toy you can make. 2. The Snack Sock. ... At the very least one should supervise your dog with these homemade toys.
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Homemade Pet Gifts - Frugal Living
Spoil your pet with plenty of homemade pet gifts. These recipes and projects are better than anything you'll find in the store. Money; ... Make Your Own Pet Toys.
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Homemade Pet Toys
Toys for dogs and cats that play on their own and with others.
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How to Make Homemade Dog Toys for Your Dog | The Real Owner
All dogs need some type of toy to reduce boredom and burn off some excess physical and mental energy. But dog toys from the pet store can be so expensive.
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How to make homade pet toys? - Yahoo! Answers NZ
ok I have a boy guinea pig and 2 girl hamsters. I want to start making homemade toys for them so I can save money.(Because I have a budget) cause im only ...
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If you live in New Zealand, can you write me about your life?

Joe

I'm going to be staying there for a year and I want stories. I'm sorry if it sounds like an invasion of privacy, but I won't know who you are. Just leave names and shit out. I really want to hear stories. :)

Answer
Hi :) Here is a basic story of my life :P

I am a 17year old female born in Auckland, NZ. 3 weeks later my family moved to Whakatane, where we lived in 2 homes, one next door to Mongrel Mob members, and then later next to the community constable!! lol. When we lived next door to the Mongrel Mob family, one of their kids kept walking across our front lawn with a defiant attitude, so one day mum baked some cookies and made friends with him - he never did it again...... And when we lived door to the policeman, my older sister used to go over and play with his daughter. Well one day, she went over and played with the toys (the other little girl wasn't there) and the constable didn't realise and left home locking my sister in his house!! haha I don't think his workmates let him forget that one in a hurry!

I'm not sure where and what we did after that, but we ended back up in Auckland where we rented a house in Oratia, West Auckland. That was great as it was right next to an exotic plant orchard and there were heaps of feijoa, passionfruit and other yummy fruit trees. That was the place where my bunny disappeared to who knows where - I don't even know how he got out, there were no holes or anything, and where a huge native weta crawled up my mums arm while she was reading - poor thing, it was more scared of her than she of it! lol.

A few years of living there, we moved to the South Island, to Christchurch to look after dads parents house while they went to England for a few months. Probably the most memorable thing that happened down there was the times I tagged along with my brother (older by 2 years) riding our bikes - to school, the bike track, all sorts of places. It was great. I don't think he'd let his little sister tag along now though lol.

Then, we moved down to Wanaka!! Now that was cool. And if you ever get a chance to travel to the south Island, go to Wanaka/ or Queenstown. There is sooooo much to do there and the countryside is just beautiful. And the fruit! MMMMmmm yum! Unfortunately, it didn't snow very heavily, just one day it snowed a light sprinkling as we came out of school. That was pretty cool. The next day all the kids were having snow fights and piling snow onto this little hill outside the classrooms and sliding down. It was packed so solid from all the sliding down that it was almost as if it were ice - and very slippery! It was really cold that day, we were all huddled around the heater in the morning. Why are schools always cold??!!!! haha

We moved back to Auckland 7 years ago, and thats where we've been ever since (we moved back on my birthday so that was delayed and I was not impressed :P ). I have been to Australia, and am going there in a few months again. During my whole life, though, we have taken many trips around the country so to date I have only never been to Cape Reinga and Invercargill. I'll get there sooner or later :D. I have been to 9 schools in total (including kindergarten) and I am in year 13 (my last year).

Now that you've got me to thinking about it, I am very privileged to have had all these experiences, plus more, and I thank God for all the blessings he has given me. My family is not rich, but we make the most of things and somehow manage to get through by working hard and trusting God.

Well, that is my life in a nutshell....there is so much more, but it'd take a whole book or more to write it all. If you have any other questions about my life in NZ feel free to email me by going onto my Yahoo! profile, and click email me lol.

Hope I wasn't too boring. (but you did ask, and I was bored.... :D ) cya

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What are those rings that toddlers can sit/walk in with wheels on them and trays/toys surrounding them?

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xJanirax

Play rings? Toddler walking rings?? I can't find them anywhere! Please someone give me a link, thanks!

Answer
You can't get walkers any more. They're too dangerous. But you can get the kind they stand up and play in.

What are some of the best toys for a toddler?

needtoknow

My family and I opened up a family business - I have a son who is turning one in 3 weeks. I take him to work with me all of the time, but he is getting too big for his walker (he actually climbs out of it now) and he will only stay in his playpen for a little while before he gets bored. I am thinking about getting one of those octagon shaped gate-yards and investing in a big toy to keep him occupied. I was looking at one of those tables with a piano and music and noises, etc. Have those worked with your kids (keeping them occupied for longer periods of time) or do they get bored easily. Any other suggestions?

Answer
I would invest in a few small toys, instead of a big toy, which will probably keep him entertained longer. You can get a shape sorter, cups of different sizes, big blocks. My son at that age use to like to play with burp cloths ( don't ask me why ? :)
Get a big bucket and balls that are big enough so he can't swallow them and then he can throw the balls in the bucket- which is also something you can do while your working- he will probably like the interaction.
I have over the past two years that the toys my son liked most were the most simple, and could usually be found at home! (i.e. burp cloths, tupperware, spatulas, etc)
As a side note, use these toys only in the hexagon gate, so he will want to stay in the gate and play.
Good luck!!!!!!!!

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How do i make my kids behave?

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Corey

I have 4 kids ages 9,3,5,6. It seems I have to chase them screaming and yelling all day just so things don't get broke or kids getting hurt. They don't listen to anything they are literally climbing walls and hurting each other they wont even play with their toys much they just grab things they know they can't have and brake them

Answer
1ST OF ALL YOU ARE GREAt. i have 3 1/2 year old twins and its hard. god bless you. be firm, say no on things, dont give in on things they want to make them quiet. my kids are testing me so im trying now before they get bigger and its hard. reward them if they good. take things away, give them warnings that they wont get a snack or whatever treats they get if they dont listen. time out or send them to there room. if there certain hours that they act up, start giving them minor chores to pre occuppy their time. maybe if your kids start seeing one is getting reward for good behavior that other sibblings will follow. good luck, being a mother is the hardest job

I have to make a wooden toy with wheels for homework?

Alexia M

I have to make a wooden toy with wheels for homework aimed for kids age 3-5. I am aiming mostly at girls, and it cant be too complicated. It cant have any sharp edges are small bits that could easily snap off. So far, I have come up with a duck, a turtle or an owl? Any ideas? It doesnt have to be an animal

Answer
Kitty cat ;)))

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Attention Mommies: Your best tips for organization for a mommy of 4?

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Q. I have four kiddos ages 5 and under, and my house drives me crazy! Any of your best cleaning/organization tips would be great.... and also, I already know about Flylady, but I'm having trouble with her system. Any tips would be great!

Answer
I hope I can help you, I am a foster Mom and have 12 nieces and nephews and lots of family in and out through out the week, so messes seem to come with the amount of feet in and out the door. I know about Flylady, Home Organization, Cleaning Queen, and who ever else you can think of. I had piles of cleaning, organization and clutter buster books, and the art of feng shie. You name it, chances are I have it or read it or got it at the library. Here are my best tips for getting on top of things, these are the gleaned, condensed and just plain learned the hard way stuff. Get a timer and a box. Set the timer for 10 minutes and grab the box, simply walk through the house grabbing items you hate, do not like, broken, or stuff you already have 10 of. Into the box. When the bell goes off, tape the box shut and A. Throw it in the trash B. Put it in the car and next errand run, drop it at your charity box, C. List it up on Freecycle or Craigslist and give it away or ask for a small amount of money. D. If money is the issue, take pics and put it up on Ebay and sell it, pack it and send it to someone else to dust! Continue doing this, in addition to your "cleaning schedule". After a few days of doing this, you should have just stuff you LOVE LOVE LOVE or NEED NEED NEED. Now look around, do you have items Aunt Selma gave you, and you were gonna re-paint, but never did? GET RID OF IT, give it to a friend, Freecycle or Craigslist it or set aside a time this week to paint it, fix it or whatever to it, otherwise, out it goes! You have 4 kids? Well, even at the tender age of 2, kids can understand a few basic rules. One toy out, one toy in rule. If they get a toy out, they must return it to get another one out. They can pick up stuff from the floor and hand it to you. They can "help Mommy", THEY LOVE HELPING MOMMY do stuff. They can sweep, they can dust, they can pick up. You can have them HELP with laundry, they can learn to fold clothes with you, as you show them how YOU want it done, or if you do not care, they can FOLD THEIR OWN and put it away in THEIR own drawers. You can have them HELP you load the washing machine, maybe put the soap in YOU measured and so on. This is not CHORE, this is fun for them, if you MAKE IT FUN!. The rewards, if you need to use them, can be, "if you help me clean the porch, we can paint some birdhouses", they can help lay out newspaper to protect a surface from paint, get the paper plates, and so on, they can also help throw them out when you are done. Once I got down to things I love love love and need need need, I found I had less to dust, less to fixate and get upset cause it was taking up space and I still had not fixed it painted it or whatever and just got mad at myself for letting it suck up space and walk around it, I found I could get things done a little quicker, cause the space was opening up. I found some things that were important to me, I do NOT dig filth and was not willing to let my standards down for cleanliness for dishes, clothing, floors and MY bedroom. I could however, give two figs about WHAT the kids drawers looked like, as long as the clothes WERE clean in them, their clothes were NOT on the floor and that at least twice a week I could see a clean floor in their rooms and that the kennels.....uh....er....rooms, were swept, hosed (mopped) and in general CLEANED. Same for bedding sheets. I want them washed once a week, I don't care if they slept on TOP of the covers (as one tried to explain to me as her reason for NOT bringing her sheets down once a week) no DEAL! They come down, even if NO ONE slept on them! LOL! Clothes come down daily into the laundry room. We don't do "Can I have my white t-shirt with the little roses in an hour" routine, when you have 10 other little white t-shirts you can wear instead! If you want it done for tomorrow, then it should be here in time for the next load of whites 2 hours ago. Now the kids I have here, family included, now range from 6 to 20, but I have had them from the day they were born. As soon as they can walk, we make with the "helping". We want kids to "help", we encourage, we reward and we make it a rule! Sometimes, the kids get lazy, try to get over, or just plain don't want to do it. No problem! They don't get to do the fun stuff either, no baseball, no movies, no crafts, no library and so on. HEY! I shouldn't have to do all this myself, I had help making the mess. I have learned to SHOW the kids and HELP the kids when I want something done a CERTAIN WAY!. Like I have this thing about towels, so normally, I FOLD THEM MYSELF! Now the kids know, if they are GOING TO HELP, they need to fold the towels in half, then in half and then in thirds, otherwise, leave them to me, which, sometimes, they do, and sometimes, they do it and give me the "look what I did!" and for that, I GIVE PRAISE, I resist the urge to NIT PIC, as the towels are folded how I like, so what its not perfect, let it go and move on. The things I do not let go of are CLEAN! The dishes must not have food particles on them, no soap residue, and they must not be holding water. One kid couldn't get the idea of adding PRESSURE to pots and pans and dirty dishes, until after a few weeks of being on dish duty, I offered her the plate of MY CHOICE for her to eat off of. I picked one she claimed was cleaned, I ask if she'd eat off one I picked if she thought they were all clean, sure, she said, ok, HOW ABOUT THIS ONE? Uh....no? Well I said, "I don't want to eat off of it EITHER, so now, you wash it again, and then you will eat off THAT plate, clean or dirty!" Now it may sound a little mean, but she TOTALLY got the point! I didn't yell, I didn't punish, I just offered her to eat off ANY plate I picked, and if she was cleaning them, she should be SURE it was clean enough for her to eat off of it, if she thought I was gonna eat off of it. All the sudden, those dishes were clean! Some is also, getting in there and helping them. Some kids simply don't know and we forget, they haven't learned it yet! A good "How about I "help" you with your room today?" and DO IT, and tell them, this is how I want you to clean this, scrub like this, wash this that way and put this over here and take out your trash in this bag, WHILE THEY ARE DOING IT WITH YOU! It can be fun, I talk about school, friends, an maybe talk about clothes, I may even get a little fashion show of what do you think about this with that? Its quality time together AND a chore getting done completely. Now this isn't something you do EVERY DAY, but here and there, you do it. I have 2 days a week that we are dealing with trash. One is on Wednesday, as the trash goes out Wednesday evening and is picked up on Thursday. I empty the fridge of compost and guess what this Was? That way it isn't stinking up the trash cans all week. Then on Saturday, all the trash cans are emptied again (minus fridge waste) and put in the bins outside while we have our push for clean floors, laundry, kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Now during the week, daily, we have a dish chore, a floor chore for the kitchen, dining room, butlers pantry and living room. Those floors must be swept, mopped or vacuumed daily. I like the bathrooms cleaned at least twice weekly for the kids, my own, I am picky, so mine is one little chore daily, but on Saturday, anything I missed and a wash down top to bottom. Beds are weekly, clothes and laundry, as a load forms (whites, light colors, dark colors, towels). Hallways are weekly and throw rugs as needed (usually once a week to 2 weeks, depending on how much use and filth shows up, once they LOOK dirty, up they come and on to the laundry). The kitchen is wiped down daily, but a total wash down of counters, stoves and so on is on Saturday. I pick one to two things a week to tackle, such as a closet, organizing a corner of the basement for the gardening, bicycles, tools, Etc. I may wash down the cabinets in the kitchens or a bathroom, empty a linen closet, empty a drawer. Using the timer is a good way to get into this habit. Set the timer for no more than 20 minutes, do not answer the phone, invite no one over. Empty the junk drawer in the kitchen, sort it, throw stuff out, dispose of dead batteries, file it, whatever. Timer goes off, be done! This one worked really good for me, because I would accomplish SOMETHING that was needing to be done and it was something small, but in the end, had a big impact as they added up, one at a time! If you can fit in one afternoon a month, to say, clean out the garage, fine. If not, go corner by corner for 20 minutes at a crack. You can organize one section, one shelf, one drawer in 10-20 minutes. Add it up and at the end of a month, its all done! If you have a zone that gets on your nerves, just give it 10 minutes, grab a box, fill it with stuff that doesn't belong in there, put it where it belongs. Next time, grab the duster, run and dust everything you can in 10 minutes. Next time, empty a drawer and so on. Get a schedule and determine what days you will have free time to say tackle something more extensive, and plan something FUN afterwards. Like cleaning out the garage, a basement, the attic. Spend two hours on it with the family, everyone HELPS! Kids can carry, kids can put this on that shelf, they can be great little gofers and picker uppers. If you have rooms that aren't that important right now, let it go, for now, deal with it when YOU WANT to. I think half of the problem with getting organized and staying clean, is the feeling we must do it all in one day, and the simple fact is, it didn't get dirty overnight and its not going to get DONE overnight either. RELAX! Do it in baby steps, just work on the stuff that giv

I need some ideas on how to make a doctor's office more kid friendly?

i not smar

Everything from the toys to the kind of carpet and paint. I also really need some good online sources for this.

Answer
Well, the sites below are a start...One of the fav Dr Offices for my Son had 3-4-5 foot size plywood cutouts in bright colors lining the walls, giraffe, pink elephant, zebra etc. In one large corner was a carpet covered wooden physical play area with large holes and ramps for the kids to crawl in and out of. The top platform was about 4 ft high by about 6 ft wide for a sitting area, when they reached the top. Easy enough for the parent to get their kid. Had wide stairs along the wall side for toddlers to climb to the top with a small railing a parent could reach over. In another corner was a child sized table with books and crayons to keep the minds and hands occupied. Toys were various for different ages in large containers and baskets. Seems like if we had to wait for an hour or longer for the Doctor to catch up on his appointments the time went by very quickly. AND big EYE signs posted that the parents were responsible to keep an eye on their children, several of these would be appropiate.....Commercial bright colored carpet with extra padding in the play area for sure, Primary colors in 6-8" stripes horizonal above the solid grey walls where the animal cut outs are and add some fun stuff in the ceiling, that is always forgotton and left boring.....Good Luck (How fun to do this)

http://home.ivillage.com/decorating/kidroom/topics/0,,4tk5,00.html
http://www.officeplayground.com/?engine=adwords!8540&keyword=%28office+decorations%29&match_type={ifcontent:content}&gclid=CPadp9Sklo8CFSgZagodvm65fA

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Has your kids toys ever went off by themselves?

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Q. I'm a little parnoid because the house we lived in before was haunted for those who believe me. Now were living in a apartment & this 1 particular toy(riding toy) keeps going off during the night by itself. How could this happen? AND has your kids toys ever done the same thing?

Answer
Oh yes this has happened a lot. Very creepy.

But there are a few reasons for this.

My son got a remote control air plane when he was little. It was preschool type toy and he would hold the controls like a steering wheel and drive the plane around the house.

We noticed sometimes while watching tv the airplane would make noises when no one was near it. It would beep, wheels would turn & so on. Other times the tv would flicker too or get static on it.

Turned out that the remote for the airplane and our tv remote were on the same what is it called frequency. My husband discovered this himself. He's an electronic engineer.

Another time in our old house during the middle of the night we'd hear a preschool Mr. Potato head game going off by itself. We'd hear out of the blue "Opps, I lost all my parts can you help me?" lol Drove us crazy! The toy didn't have an off button & would time out making itself go to sleep. It would go on & off by itself often. At first thought it was our dog or even our daughter sneaking out at night bumping it. But we'd put it on top of the tv stand out of reach and it would still do it!

My daughter loaned the toy to our neighbor one weekend. Late one night around 11pm our neighbor knocked on the door in his robe. He looked tired and had the game saying it would shut up. lol

Turns out it was the batteries were low. We found replacing them more often when the screen dimmed it stopped doing it.

We've had other toys too that do this. Toys that light up and play music are creepy. We had a stuffed bear that would start to play Twinkle Twinkle little star on it's own.

I do believe in haunted houses. I grew up in Columbus, MS. I saw it profile on tv a few years ago as one of the most "Haunted towns in MS." Dateline or Primetime profiled it. I grew up being one of the kids in the victorian houses for tour groups. We'd make butter, decorate a christmas tree, sew and stuff like that while tour groups walked by.

All the homes in the area were haunted. My best friend & I often changed clothes in a room where a baby had died. You would see the form of the baby on the feather bed. The maid would fix the bed before tours and sometimes while standing there changing we'd see the form appear by itself. It was a high bed so we thought maybe something was pulling on it from under it but that never happened.

I grew up in an area where part of civil war took place. Ditches were dug all through out neighborhood. They were ditches the soldiers would hid behind while they fought against the north. Plus many indians died in the area too. We had a famous trial near us & as you walked through the woods trees marked in red paint were where indians had been buried. Very creep.

My 14yr old says we have ghosts in the house. We have an old piano from the mid 1800s. My daughter says she often sees a little girl around 10 sitting near it at night. The idea scares me to death. lol

I've often smelled and felt my grandfather's presence. I smell Old Spice & Peppermints.

Now I don't believe ghost can move things or touch things. Ghosts are mentioned in the bible after Jesus dies and he is seen in ghost form. http://www.jesusreligion.com/ghosts_bible.html Ghosts are more the spirit that moves our human body. We pass easily from Heaven to Earth.

My brother in law is a Baptist pastor and we've often spoke on this subject.

Demons are the ones who attack, move things and throw things. Demons, I believe are after the spirits who belong to God. Demons can trap the spirits. Demons also want to attack us and use us to attack others.

you can't believe in the good with out believing in the bad

Edit - "I do believe in ghosts but they don't play with little kid toys, that's just silly. " - very true. It is more the engery not ghosts can't touch things but their energy can.

I watched a tv show that showed a demonologist talking to a ghost child who was trapped by a demon. They tested the power of the little girl to make sure she wasn't a demon. she was asked to turn and move the flashlight which she didn't. Then she was asked dim it which she did.

How can I creatively decorate my kids rooms without painting?

af

I have a 7 yr old boy and a 3 yr old girl. I need ideas on decorating their rooms without painting them. Thanks.

Answer
1. Cover wall space with your child's own original artwork.
2. For young children, use crepe paper on a roll (available at teacher's supply or craft shops) for finger, sponge, or other tactile painting. You can lay the paper flat, let your child paint to her/his heart's content, and then hang the finished painting from your child's wall. Another method is to hang blank sheets from ceiling to floor like wallpaper and let your child 'body paint' right onto the wall. This can be a fun activity for the whole family, as long as you don't mind getting a little messy yourself. Make handprints, footprints, and splatters. It's like coloring the walls, but without the parental wrath and permanent damage.
3. Older children may already have a collection of artwork from school art classes. Turn your child's room into a mini-museum by framing your child's drawings and paintings with paper, pegboard, or wooden frames, and hanging them throughout the room.
4. Finally, pre-teens will enjoy the time-honored tradition of the magazine collage. Use a removable, non-damaging adhesive (such as Sticky Tack) to arrange clipped pictures of movie stars, favorite musicians, and coveted shoes all over the walls. The best part of this decorating technique is that your child can add to it every day.
5. Liven up white walls.
6. If your child's heart is set on changing the color of the walls entirely, try using wallpaper - without actually pasting it up. Take a trip to the home goods store and pick out paper samples or remnants. Don't worry if the remnants aren't large enough to cover the whole wall - creating a collage of different patterns and colors is part of the fun.
7. To add texture, choose some fabric remnants from a crafts store to hang as tapestries. If your child sleeps in a bunk bed, fabrics can be hung from the sideboards to create a "tent". This can make the room feel bigger, and creates a great place for pretend!
8. Add 3-dimensional interest.
9. Hanging mobiles aren't just for babies. Fill some space in the room by fashioning a "chandelier" out of old toys, stuffed animals, or any lightweight objects. Older children might enjoy making mobiles that reflect their hobbies. Baseball cards, old ballet slippers, and sports ribbons are all good materials.
10. Hanging fabric from the walls - attached only at the top with some neat finishing nails - adds a splash of color to a room, and you can always take it down. Also try hanging picture frames (with nails through the fabric) on top of the fabric sheet to have a nice picture collage.
11. Add decorative knobs to the furniture. Thousands are available now, you'll find one that will relate to something important in your child's life - their favorite sport, an animal they love... You can even get them really involved by letting them paint their own knobs!
12. Self-stick, peelable, wallpaper borders, murals, and designs. They do not damage the walls, yet add a lot of color and character. Has your son out-grown ABC's and cartoon cars? Peel them off, wash the walls, stick on the Batman borders and stickers. They are available at many places that sell wallpaper as well as on-line. They will last for a year at least. Actually, these self-stick borders are nice for adding an easy splash of color to any room. Some of these products are 'cheap-looking' (like shelf paper), but many are indistinguishable from quality wallpaper.
13. Remember to hang art and other decorations low enough for the child to appreciate... and yes, touch. Too many nicely-decorated children's rooms have the pictures, shelves, etc. all at adult height. Who cares if it looks like it came out of a magazine? Whose room is it anyway? Put that ABC poster down at toddler level so she can appreciate it.

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How to teach a 5 year old not to break toys?

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Ozzie

What is the best way to teach a 5 year old to take care of her toys? I have tried taking them away, doesn't work, making her earn them, seems like a toy lasts for two weeks at the most. I am tired of spending money on them.

Answer
Monkey SEE Monkey Do!

This is kinda what I do at my house. When I "show" respect for my things it demonstrates the expected behavior. At this point, she should be at an age where she has toys that she really can learn from and have fun with and ADORES - so removal of that toy will bring on a consequence.

My five year old is BIG into horses. We have so much stuff in the horse theme - when I find the toys strewn across the floor, left forgotten for the dogs to enjoy ( they seem to love chewing on the legs)...I scoop them up into a plastic bin and they are gone. I notice awhile later my 5 year old is pursuing me, red faced, looking for her toy horses. I mention that the horses where left out and not being used properly - well, this usually works. I take a moment to say, that toys are a gift to us, but they are also a responsibility and they need a proper HOME. I use this moment to communicate that if the horses are damaged they are gone and will not be replaced - no yelling, no power struggle, just plain reality.

I've been doing the 'Plastic Bin Confiscation' routine for a short time and it seems to be working. Most of the time, kids this age need less than more :)

Good Luck...I find age 5 to be an interesting age!! :)

How do I stop my dog from chewing things?

babygirl12

My 5 year old golden retriever is chewing up my kids' toys at an alarming rate. This has been constant since they were little. My dog has plenty of appropriate toys of her own. If they happen to leave their toys on the floor, she will snatch it up. She also will go into their rooms to find things to chew. Help!

Answer
my dogs do the same thing, just a little less. what we do to prevent it a little more..(btw i have 3 dogs) we close the doors of the rooms when we come out and go in, and when our dogs chew anything up, we spank them on the butt (not enough to hurt them, just enough to scare them)with what they chewed up (if you can)them yell at them and wag your finger! this scares my dogs, and they go settle down with one of us on the couch. and at all times leave out some balls for the dogs to play with, they love them! and empty water bottles with the cap and wrapper taken off, they absolutly love that!

and spanking your dog will not make them stop loving you, only if you abuse them! and they know that you are doing it cause they did something bad!

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