Parenting & New Baby Advice Blog

Archive for the ‘Toys’ Category

Every parent wants their child to love reading. One way to instill a love of reading into your child is to start reading to her when she is very young. Newborns (and even babies before birth) can recognize the sound of their parents’ voices and distinguish them from all others, so it’s never too early to start reading to your baby. Start early and read often.

It really doesn’t matter what you read. A baby will not be able to tell the difference between Little Red Riding Hood and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. As a result, it’s a good idea to pick a children’s book that you loved as a child or just one that looks fun to you. If you're stumped, here is a list of the best 100 childrens books from 1999. It may be old, but they were (and still are) great books for kids.

Newborns cannot see well at first and slowly will start to recognize red, white and black. That’s why most baby books feature large shapes in those colors, but your baby will love anything you read to her. It’s more about spending time with her than about the story at this point.

There are many places to find great books that your baby will love well past their infant years. I've noticed that books that feature a song throughout the book become baby favorites. Some examples of these include The Wheels on The Bus, I'll Love You Forever, Baby Beluga, and more. You can always purchase baby book gift baskets for your baby or for a friend that are sure to make for good reading. They make great gifts and the books will always get used for years to come.

Create a cozy reading area that has a comfy chair, good lighting and an undisturbed atmosphere. If older children are running through the house with their friends, select a spot off in a corner and out of the rush of things. This is your time with baby. Choose a time to read when you are both happy and relaxed. If you are stressed out, reading to baby will help calm you down. Start by cuddling baby up in your lap. Make sure she’s had her diaper changed and is well-fed. That will make her more attentive, and then more likely to fall into happy sleep afterwards. Cuddle baby under a soft blanket and rest her head in the crook of your arm or on a pillow.

Once you are both comfortable, start reading. Baby will recognize your voice and listen to you attentively, often making adorable faces as she tries to decipher just what you are saying. She’ll coo and make noises to tell you in her own way that she likes this time with you. It’s some of the most precious time you will ever have with your baby.

As baby gets a little older, she will want to chew on anything that she can get her hands on. So, offer her sturdy board books that are designed to withstand that kind of abuse. Let her play with the book. You’re instilling a love of holding books and telling her that reading is a pleasurable activity. So, even if she pulls the book out of your hand or flips pages while you’re mid-sentence, just let her. She’s exploring her world. Choose books that are short and simple enough that you won’t mind rereading them. When she gets slightly older, she’ll want to hear the same story over and over again. There’s something comforting to small children about hearing familiar words and looking at familiar pictures.

Start a library full of kids books for your child as early as you can. Showing your child that books have an important place in your house will help make her a life-long reader. Baby Einstein books are also great for developing babies. Take short trips to the local library or bookstore and read to her there. She’ll start associating reading with happy times with mom or dad. It’s never too early and never too late to start reading to your child. And if you know a child who is short on books, donating your gently loved books is a good way to help another child fall in love with reading.

Benefits of Reading to Your Baby

Neither eighteen month olds nor two year olds are very good at sharing toys. This, too, is part of the normal development and should be accepted as such. From your baby’s perspective her baby teddy bear (and other toys) are an extension of herself. For someone to take a toy from her is a direct affront to her integrity. It’s as if part of her has been taken away. Parents are probably unrealistic to request a child of this age to share with other children. You can start to work toward that goal, but it may be too soon to reasonably expect to achieve it.

One helpful hint is to have a special set of toys designated for the play group. This way the toys don’t seem to belong to any one person. Aggression and fighting over toys can also be reduced with planned activities. The activities should be ones that are creative, messy, and fun, such as painting, or playing with blocks, sand, and molding material.

Difficulties with Changes in the Routine

Eighteen month olds are very ritualistic. Often routines must be carried out in exactly the same way or the toddler is upset. Recognizing this, you can help your toddler by trying to maintain as consistent a routine as possible. By doing this, your toddler doesn’t have to try to figure out what’s going to happen next. Transitions are also eased by letting children know what to expect.

Toddler’s typical ritualistic behavior may be due to their limited understanding of language. Sometimes we are fooled into thinking that eighteen month olds know more than they do. On occasion, parents should stand back and evaluate why the child acted the way he did. Perhaps he did not understand what was said or asked. While toddlers understand a great deal, not all ideas hold the same meaning for eighteen month olds as they do for adults.

Because of this, your child’s reactions to disruptions in his routine are likely to be more intense than they were earlier in his life. The toddler’s distress and obstinacy are said to be, in part, related to the beginning development of his sense of self. To the toddler, parent and child are becoming two separate people, which may be a stressful adjustment.

The emotions of fear and worry may seem more apparent with toddlers than with young babies. Some two year olds seem quite wary when confronted with new situations. In particular, such things as firecrackers, loud noises and vacuum cleaners can be pretty frightening. Toddlers don’t understand the relationship between cause and effect yet and may attribute magical or lifelike properties to noises and machines. The toddler may even think that these strange occurrences happened because of something he did.

Some children hold onto their parents until they are comfortable and secure in a new setting. Yet at home, if all is going well, your child should be able to leave your side to play by himself in another room. Your child’s caution and his checking in on you represent a beginning sense of reality. It is part of the normal developmental process, without which your child would not develop into a healthy, independent person.

Although at times your toddler will be difficult to manage, this is the age when it is even more important to be firm in setting limits, consistent in your demands, nurturing during the bad as well as the good moments. Your role is to balance the toddler’s desired independence with his continued need for reassurance, love and affection.

Related Articles:

• Top 10 Baby Toys For Newborns (0 to 12 months)
• Top 10 Best Baby Toys

Going to a baby shower or giving a congratulatory gift to the new parents? Toys are a great gift option, but make sure that the toy you select will actually be used by baby and not tucked in a corner never to be seen again. Choosing that perfect toy can be difficult without some guidance so here is a list of some sure fire winners. All of these fantastic finds can be purchased at Amazon.com. And one of the best things about Amazon.com is that you can see customer reviews from Mom & Dad’s who have received the product.

1)      Gymini Super Deluxe Light and Music by Tiny Love ~$55

This colorful 32” square activity mat features a soft cushioned where baby can lay on their back to play with the items hanging from the two overhead curved arches. The animal and bird hanging items that make unique sounds such as a parrot whose wings crinkle and a monkey that rattles. Music and lights complete this fun package for baby. And best of all, this durable activity mat is super-portable, folding nearly flat for travel.

2)      Ocean Wonders Aquarium by Fisher Price ~$60

Designed to help baby fall asleep, the Ocean Wonders Aquarium attaches directly to baby’s crib. Calming music, the sound of bubbles and swimming fish will have baby snoozing in no time. And when naptime or nighttime is over, baby will have a great time playing with this toy as they spin the starfish or open up the clams. You can choose the music setting for either playtime or naptime.

3)      Baby Einstein Caterpillar Discover & Play Entertainer ~$80

Designed to entertain and stimulate baby, this stand-up activity center features nine different interactive toys all within reach of baby’s hands as the seat swivels a full 360 degrees. The intriguing colors, shapes, textures and sounds will keep baby engaged for long periods of time and help them learn to distinguish between them. The push button animals make realistic sounds. Other learning items are a shape tower, hand puppet, spinning toys and books. They’ll be entertained for hours at a time.

4)      Multi-Sensory Clutch Cube by Learning Curve ~$15

An affordable toy gift option, this brightly colored soft cube is ideal for young babies (from 1 month and up). The bright colors, various textures, peek-a-boo flaps, clinking rings and jingling chimes will hold their attention for hours and improve the child’s hand-eye coordination. The cube is scented like apple for some reason.

5)      Tiny Love Trio ~$23

Another affordable gift option for younger babies, this unique set of 3 colorful toys stimulates baby’s motor skills as they learn to rattle, pull, grasp and more. The super-portable size makes this toy trio great for Moms on-the-go.

Does your newborn baby have a favorite toy? Share your toy information with other parents on the Toy Discussion Forum at Baby Gifts & Gift Baskets.