Hottest toys this holiday season!

Thanksgiving is coming up at the end of November, which means that kids are soon to start filling their Christmas lists with all the latest toys. The holiday season is an important time for retail companies as consumers flock to stores and stock up on gifts for friends and family.   It's a major benchmark for stores like TripleClicks, Best Buy, Amazon and Target, but it's just as important for the companies making the products.   
With that in mind, here's a look at the toys, games and gadgets that are expected to drive big business in the next couple of months.  Ever After High dolls: After the success of its Monster High dolls, Mattel decided to expand into the realm of fairy tales with Ever After High. Featuring characters like Apple White, Hunter Huntsman and Madeline Hatter, the line features the children of popular fairy tale characters and casts them in a high school setting. The dolls are divided into Royals, who are destined to lived happily ever after, and Rebels, who want to change their destinies. Ever After High dolls can be pre-ordered for about $20.  Minion Dave talking action figure: DreamWorks' Despicable Me 2 was one of the biggest box-office hits of the year, pulling in more than $350 million this summer. So it's no surprise that the movie has spawned a line of popular toys. There are a variety of Despicable Me toys out there — everything from small figures to Despicable Me Monopoly — but the big-ticket item for this Christmas are the collector's edition toys. The minions, in particular are expected to sell fast, like the Minion Dave Talking Action Figure. It's pricey for an action figure, retailing for as much as $70, but it has plenty of features to justify that expense. The figure comes with talking-sound effects, changeable expressions, fart sounds and — the real selling point — "super fart sounds."   Disney's Infinity game: Video games do big business in the fourth quarter, and Disney is looking to double up on the spike in video game and toy sales with its Disney Infinity game. Infinity, released earlier this year, is a video game that uses toys with near-field communication technology. The toys show up in the game, which means if you want to play as, say, Buzz Lightyear, you have to buy the Buzz Lightyear toy first. It's a great method for extortion profit-making, first pioneered by Activision's Skylanders series of video games. Speaking of which, the latest Skylanders game...  Skylanders: SWAP Force: Was set to release on Oct. 13, and should be another Christmas hit. Disney Infinity retails for around $60, and SWAP Force will release at $75; both include starter toys, and are available across multiple platforms.   PlayStation 4 and XBox: One Most eyes in the video game industry will be on Microsoft and Sony after they release their next-gen consoles, the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. The new consoles are upgrades of systems that have been around for more than six years, which means gamers are eager for new specs, better graphics and (hopefully) improved game play. Both consoles are boasting wide catalogs of launch titles, including entries from Activision, Electronic Arts and others,  The PlayStation 4 released Friday for about $400, while the Xbox One launch today Nov. 22 for around $500.   Imaginext Batcave Superheros: Never go out of style, and Mattel is looking to capitalize on that with the next Imaginext Batcave through its Fisher-Price brand. The Batcave spans multiple levels (with an elevator for convenient travel) and includes Batman and Robin figures. Kids (or Batman-obsessed adults) can monitor the Joker on the Batcomputer, fly around in the Batwing glider and even drive Batman around on the Batcycle. The Batcave retails for about $40 and does not come with superpowers.  
Good luck! and remember "All kids are Precious!" Happy holiday savings!  Fill out the form to the right to be considered for "Mother of the Week!" Thanks!

When a toy or game is out of stock

You have to figure out what they want for the holidays, and then buy the items at the best price you can possibly get, without over-spending of course. Especially when you are shopping for clothes. You have to make sure you get the right size(s) and make sure that the clothes and accessories meets their approval as well. I actually enjoy the feeling of shopping for children during the holidays. Just the look on their faces when they open the gifts it's all worth it.

But what about when a toy or game is out of stock?

I personally go researching all over the net and compare prices and hope that someone actually has it in stock. Leave a comment below sharing what you do when the game or toy your child wants is out of stock.


Until next time... All kids are precious!
To be considered for "mother of the week" fill out the form to the right!



 

Ensure this holiday season you don't break the bank

The holiday season is filled with wonderful times, good friends and the excitement of your children running to see what those beautifully wrapped presents might contain. However, for some parents the holidays is a stressful time, especially if money is tight and your kids' wish list is a mile long.  Instead of dipping into your savings or maxing out credit cards, plan ahead and look for some great deals to ensure this holiday season you don't break the bank.   Step 1) Create a realistic budget, and stick to it.  Sit down and consider how much money you have to spend on the kids. Avoid opening a new credit card or securing a small loan to provide your kids with an extravagant selection of gifts. Instead, outline a sensible budget that allows you to provide your kids with a memorable holiday season without putting you into enormous debt.  Step 2) Create a list of your children's must-have items, if they haven't already for you.  Look up each item on the list and write down the average price they retail for through the major department stores, including Walmart, Target and on Amazon. Set this as a top price you're willing to spend on the item.  Step 3) Look through the circulars and check on line throughout the weeks before the holidays.  If an item on any of your children's “must-have” list is on sale, consider purchasing it now instead of waiting for the best price possible. The item might be cheaper at another store next week, but it might not be available.  Step 4) Watch for “Black Friday” sale ads.  Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving when many major retailers offer steep discounts on several holiday items, including toys that might be on your child's holiday wish list. If you are planning to shop on Black Friday, check the store's return policy, when their sales begin and be prepared to shop early to score the hottest items. But you may be able to Shop Amazon - Black Friday Deals Week - Big Savings, No Waiting    Step 5) Shop online for the best prices.  Many top online retailers offer discounts on popular items as the holiday season draws to a close. Many retailers offer to ship the items directly to a nearby store at no fee, while others offer free shipping as an incentive. Pay attention to calculate the cost of shipping into the final price to ensure it's not cheaper to purchase the item from a nearby retailer.   Step 6) Purchase quality items that your child will enjoy for several years.  For instance, try to avoid the latest fad toy that won't interest your child in two to three months. Instead, invest your money in a quality item, such as electronics or a book series, that will hold your child's interest, or can be passed down once the recipient outgrows it.  I hope this helps with your shopping for your children this holiday season! All kids are precious! "Mother of the week!" fill out the form to the right to be considered!

Independent Toddler

The toddler’s main activity is to learn by playing with games and toys. The toddler is not able to read. It is up to the teacher to allow the toddler to explore his environment with the use of learning games and playing with toys.  Because, there is no reading comprehension involved with teaching toddler, the ability to work with others is exemplified. It is important that the teacher of toddler allow the child to learn at an early age the importance of getting along with other classmates.  The games that teacher introduces should be about working in teams to obtain a result. The games can be as simple as one team being of one color and the other team being another color. The object of the game could be for all of the red team to walk upon a white line. The team with the most players able to perform this task would win the game. That means that the toddler needs to know to do the best job possible for the benefit of the team.  Being a team player can be taught to toddlers when reading and understanding words had not yet been introduced. Teaching toddlers is a chore and is not for those who lack energy. The toddler needs to be taught how to remain in one place as not to disrupt the class. There are a myriad of rules involved in teaching toddlers how to behave themselves versus reading and understanding words in a book. Reading would not have been introduced to the toddler, therefore learning how to behave is very important during the child development years.  Not only does teaching toddlers involve learning teamwork and proper behavior, there also should be lessons in being independent. The toddler who is able to get the restroom before an accident or is able to participate in team work should also have a sense of independence. A sense of independence teaches the child to be self-reliant which promote self-confidence. An independent child is able to build self-confidence which helps when team work is required.   To be considered for "Mother of the week" please fill out the form to the right, thanks!

Building blocks to learning

When looking at developmentally appropriate activities for children it is important to remember there are building blocks to learning.  A child can not jump to writing and reading without first understanding these concepts even exist.  I recommend going to www.naeyc.org (National Association for the Education of Young Children) and reading some articles and books on appropriate activities for toddlers. Toddlers need to learn how to palm and then pincer grip in order to hold and eventually control a crayon or pencil for writing. Encouraging free drawing (even if its scribbles) helps with this gross motor to fine motor transition.  Toddlers are in a sensory developing stage. Introduce audio, visual, tactile, smell and taste activities. scented playdoh, sand, water, goop, sandpaper, water and finger painting, sound games etc are wonderful for developing these sensory processing parts of the brain. Reading Reading Reading - very important.  Label everything in your house with a picture and one word. Door, Bed, Kitchen, Backyard, Dog, Cat, Stairs, etc. Gives toddlers the understanding that what we say is also written. Gives them the word to the visual picture.  Teach everything has a place - encourage and help them to put things away to learn structure and appropriate behavior. Organize objects by color, shape, type, size. Give your toddler a large bucket of objects and help them sort. Then leave the bucket out so they can manipulate it when they feel like it. Girls do this more then boys but be open. You never know what will spark in a child when given an intentional environment.   All kids are Precious! To be considered for "Mother Of The Week" please fill out the form to the right. Thanks!

Toddlers are super curious and interested in everything around them.

They do also think they are the center of it all. They learn by experiencing their world and through play.  They should be allowed to interact in a safe way with their surroundings.  For example, when they are outside they should be free to explore but not among dangerous plants or terrain. At a playground, they should be limited to the structures for their age range. Inside, their play areas should be safe, and any objects left for them to play with should not be breakable or toxic.  Toddlers love to touch and can learn by feeling all different textures. This works well with items around the house such as fabrics, woods, metals, foods, etc.  Toddlers also learn through imitation. It is very important to speak to them often using the correct words for all of the things that they see and do. Reading aloud to toddlers also is very important in the development of their speech and will help them become good readers and writers in the future. They love to see different facial expressions and to play peek-a-boo.  Toddlers should also spend time with other toddlers. These ‘play dates’ should be highly supervised. Although the toddlers may just be doing side-by-side play, they are learning to use their imagination and develop appropriate social skills.  Most importantly, toddlers learn love by spending quality time with their families. Practicing manners and family traditions and routines lays an important foundation for developing a well adjusted child.  All kids are Precious!  To be considered for mother of the week fill out the form to the right. Thanks!

I cannot stress this enough...

Teaching toddlers takes A Lot of patience.  I think that their brains are moving way too fast to slow down and take in what you are trying to teach them! It is not impossible to teach them new things, but again, it takes patience. I remember just watching my kids play at ages 2 or 3, and the imagination that they had at such a young ages really surprised me. Sometimes a child will just decide that they are ready for something, and you are not even aware that they are going to do that something new until they do it on their own.  One day they could be afraid to be in their room alone, and the next day their they are, in that room digging everything out of a toy box, and sitting in the box pretending to be driving a car!  You just never know what a small child will or won't do, and that is the fun of it...the unexpected! I guess the easiest way to teach a toddler whatever it is that you want them to know is just to get their attention, and do whatever it is that you want to learn.  Children often "mimic" what other people do. It may or may not work the first time they are shown, but keep repeating it and one day they will do whatever it is on their own, and you will be able to move on to something new!  Don't forget a two or three year old brain is just like your kitchen sponge. It is soaking up all that information you are showing, books, and the T.V. and all the other people that are everywhere you take them.  Good Luck and remember All kids are Precious!
To be considered for mother of the week please fill out the form to the right! thanks!

Teaching toddler is an enjoyable and rewarding thing to do.

It is fun to watch them finally pick up on things that your trying to teach them, whether that be to swing a baseball bat or write a letter the right way. They are so crazy energetic that it does take some time to get used to. Toddlers are just so adventurous which is the one negative of teaching them because you always have to be watching them. The second you take your eye off of one of the kids they can slip off without you even knowing.  Whether it is your own blood or not helping toddlers learn is awesome. All kids are Precious!  To be considered for Mother Of The Week please fill out the form to your right! Thank You   

Teaching of the parents and teachers of a toddler may differ.

Teaching toddlers is sometimes hard, time consuming and can seem like a job in itself. This is however very rewarding for parents, grand parents and other close relatives that try their hand at teaching these children or have their children taught by someone else.  Daycare facilities and early preschool teachers take the tedious task of teaching toddlers for a price while some volunteer and thoroughly enjoy doing it. Sometimes hiring someone to tutor/teach your child is the best way to go about it. I'll present an example to express how the teaching of the parents and teachers of a toddler differ. Let's say little Jimmy is age 3 and trying to learn his colors. The stay at home mom (Sally) tries to teach him the colors with crayons. She comes up with her own strategy of making a mark on paper with the crayon pointing at it and saying the color repeatedly to her son hoping that he will understand. After days of the repeated method Jimmy still doesn't comprehend well. Sally becomes frustrated with the process and enrolls him in preschool. The teacher (Mrs.Mary) takes a different approach with her given materials such as work sheets, crayons and brightly colored objects.  She first instructs Jimmy to look at the objects such as a bright red ball as well as blue and let's him compare the color of the ball with the red crayon. After a few hours he comprehends what color is, learns the colors and moves on to the next lesson. Jimmy knows how to write his numbers up to ten already. The work sheet is a coloring page with big numbers in black and white.  She instructs him to color certain numbers red and others blue. Not only is she teaching him colors but sharpening his skills on his already known numbers. All within the day he has learned his colors and enhanced his skills of identifying numbers; finishing two tasks at once.  Sally picks Jimmy up from preschool and on the drive home he's telling his mother all about colors and numbers and she's so excited, proud and relieved.  Sometimes a professional teacher is the best option. Some toddlers take to learning easier and it's best to spend that time trying to teach your child at least once to see what approach he/she will take best. Every toddlers a unique person and should be treated as such. Teaching these small children may be tedious but it is all around worth the work.   Need help teaching your child maybe you could benefit from the Preschool Genius Learning pack click  Here! for more information! All kids are Precious! To be considered for mother of the week please fill out the form to your right!Thanks. :)

Teaching toddlers is a challenging but rewarding experience.

By mastering a few simple strategies you can avoid frustration and make your efforts more effective.  First, it is important to keep in mind that young people have a very short attention span at this age. Pay careful attention to notice when they are engaged and when they need to take a break. Schedule intervals of about 10 minutes or less for going over new material. Then, give the child time to play and move around.  Another thing to consider is that small children often understand much more than they can articulate yet. It is easy for them to feel stressed because they have a hard time putting things into words. Be patient and give a child time to express themselves. Ask relevant questions. Make suggestions. Try throwing out some ideas of your own that they can respond to. Toddlers will respond eagerly to the assistance that you give them. Most of all, strive to instill a love for learning. At this stage, the process is more important than the immediate results. If a child has fun and wants to read more, you have done a great job.  The point is to pique their curiosity and show them how to explore new worlds. Once they have the right attitude and skills, they will have a much easier time mastering whatever facts they may need in the future and getting good grades. Toddlers can learn a lot when teachers take the right approach.   Until next time...All kids are Precious!

Patience, patience, patience

Teaching kids requires an enormous amount of patience. I have also learned that you have to show young children tenderness because they are very sensitive. You too have to be sensitive and energetic to keep the child's attention. Another factor to teaching kids is making the learning experience fun.  I think another key factor in teaching children is you have to have rewards for good work done. I love positive reinforcement!!!  Make sure whatever subject your introducing them to has very abstract colorful learning tools so its exciting for the kid or should I say toddler. The reason I think teachers of toddlers should have a lot of patience is because toddlers have very short attention span. So it may take some time to get the small children to focus.  When dealing with this type of behavior it can sometime be very frustrating but we must remember we are dealing with small children that might not yet grasp the full concept of what you are presenting to them.  That's when the tenderness comes in you have to let them know its alright if they seem to struggle at first just have a little patience and they will slowly start to pick it up. Just remember to keep encouraging them.  Some ways to make the learning experience fun are to turn the lesson into a game and incorporate prizes. Good Luck and remember All kids are Precious!  To be considered for Mother Of The Week please fill out the form to your right! Thank You

Teaching Toddler a full-time job?

Teaching toddlers is like having a full-time job. It takes a lot of patience and determination to be an effective teacher at any level.  In my experiences with toddlers a lot of repetitive examples and hands on demonstration seems to be extremely beneficial. Also rewarding for correct information recall of taught information will help reinforce the curriculum.  A lot of the production relies on you the teacher though too. Having the patience to teach things that are routine to you as the teacher is essential to the toddler being able to comprehend the information being taught. Interacting with children of similar ages will also be a good forum of learning among peers.  Comprehensive television programming is a good idea as well during down time so that learning is still being cultivated. Good examples of this would be Super Why, Signing Time, other shows geared towards youth learning.  
Remember All kids are Precious. To be considered for Mother Of The Week please send an email to allkidsareprecious@yahoo.com  with subject line "Mother of the Week"   and a mother will be randomly picked. Good Luck! 
 

Teaching Toddlers

Teaching toddlers can be fun and the best teachers find that toddlers will teach them as much or more than they are able to teach the toddler. We teach our toddlers basic academic information, such as shapes colors and counting, but one of my favorite learning activities is when I focus on enhancing what they are naturally discovering anyway.  The most important things they need to learn are that they are wonderful and loved. They need to know that their thoughts and questions are important and meaningful. That means putting down the electronics, and giving our little ones face time. They must learn that grownups are kind and available. It also means spending time. Not just a few minutes a day.   In order to be available when they need to learn, we need to available and aware as much as possible. A great way to teach our toddlers well, is to let them “help” us. Treat your children, no matter their age as assets. That means giving responsibility. Even a walking child can get things and help with small tasks.   Finally, teach toddlers to enjoy the world around them. This can be organized or spontaneous. But teach them about the beauty of nature, the amazing way things work, and the ways that they can move and use their bodies. Creating these foundations will help toddlers learn what they need easily and successfully throughout their live.  Remember all kids are Precious!  To be considered for Mother Of The Week please send an email to allkidsareprecious@yahoo.com  with subject line "Mother of the Week"   and a mother will be randomly picked. Good Luck!