by: Barbara De Oliveira

When children start to walk more steadily, run, push, pull, climb and grab things – they are growing from infants to toddlers. Between their first and second birthdays, they are self centered and get busy doing various things like – to flip light switches, pour things in and out of containers, unwrap packages and empty drawers. The toddler stage is very important in a child’s life. It is the time between infancy and childhood when a child learns and grows in many ways. Everything that happens to the toddler is meaningful.

How do I know this?
I am a mother of two boys who I love dearly. I decided to stay home and raise my children with the best education and values I could provide. We made sacrifices and reorganized our lives for them. I learned the importance of educational toys as we saw our sons playing together with toys all around the house. This is when I realized the value of educational toys and started lulu-baby.com, to help other parents provide greater richness and diversity to their children. I truly believe that educational toys are the one option that can make every parent’s dreams true.

A toy which is worthy, gives colorful success in the end. Same goes to educational toys too. Each toy can have some educational benefits. Sometimes you may have to ask your self, “How can this toy be educational to my child?” The answer may be obvious, or you may have to dig a little to find a lesson or value with the toy. But, the rewards are worth it as you watch your children play with the toys in a meaningful way, and actually learn something in the process.

Here are some ideas to encourage your children to get more out of their fun time.

Baby Einstein
Infants and toddlers are apparently big fans of the Baby Einstein series, with titles like Baby Mozart, Baby Shakespeare, and Baby Van Gogh making regular rounds in their family’s DVD. I learned the importance of educational toys. The shine in my sons’ eyes while watching several of the Baby Einstein Videos taught me that I can provide happiness to the little one. “These videos have a lot of colors and shapes that hold his attention,” says another Mom. The complete line of Baby Einstein educational videos and DVDs stimulate the growing mind.

And what child doesn’t love the magic of puppets? Whether it’s a ferocious dragon, a wiggly octopus or a friendly dog. These lovely puppets offer terrific “hands-on” fun that is sure to ignite any child’s imagination. Playing with Baby Einstein Puppets with a parent or adult helps babies interact with others and aids in language development.

Little Tikes
These are for babies 6 to 36 months and are aimed at giving children experience. My older son enjoys climbing up and down the Castle Climber has been one of our best investments towards our children’s growing up.

Little Tikes offers a variety of play sets that help fuel their imagination. Little Tikes toys do not entertain children the way so many toys and products do. They allow a child’s imagination to run free and expand. There are not a lot of bells and whistles, but children do not need that all the time. They get sensory overload. Little Tikes produces toys that not only allow children to educate themselves, the toys encourage imagination and education.

Little Tikes makes shape sorters, infant sensory stimulation toys, outdoor toys that promote large motor skill development, and even furniture for a nursery, toddler or preschooler’s bedroom or playroom.

Already the leader in plastic furniture for children, Little Tikes is building on its established reputation for safety and durability by launching its first line of wooden furniture – natural interiors. So the furniture looks great “as is” or decorated with paint to match a child’s personality. The light wood furniture -including a table, chair, desk, easel, toy box and storage center- is perfectly scaled for kids and designed so that its looks at home in any interior or room of the house.

I can go on for another page as a typical Mom. But I would encourage you to visit my web site lulu-baby.com for more information. You may be wondering where the name lulu-baby came from. You will know once you visit my web site.

We, as Moms are very busy, we are always running around to take care of our babies. Online shopping is a great help for us busy Moms. Buying good products from the convenience of my home has become part of my life.

Our web site aims to be more than a web store, but a good resource for Moms, a place to find good products for you and your child.

With our deepest love for children, let’s bring a lot of laughter into our homes.

About The Author
Barbara De Oliveira. Mother of two children. Lulu-baby.com website owner and RN (Registered Nurse)

With all the baby toys out there, how do you choose what to buy your baby? You want a toy that will entertain and also stimulate your baby’s brain, but there is so much junk on the shelves you do not want to make a wrong choice. How do you know what is right for your baby at what age?

The first thing you want to look for when choosing a toy for your baby is the age on the box that it says the toy is for. Most toys made by companies like Fisher Price, Sesame and others will have ages listed on their boxes. These will either be a general age like “0-6 Months” or a minimum age like “6+”. These ages let you know if the toy might be too difficult for your baby to figure out, or in some cases a toy might have pieces that are too small for your baby to play with and could be hurtful to him. In most cases you should never buy a toy for your baby that is not appropriate for his age.

The next thing to consider is if your baby really needs a toy. Yes, a pumpkin rattle may be adorable, but if Jr. already has 5 rattles, does he really need this new one? How many teething toys, stuffed animals or what-not does your baby need? Some things your baby will need while some he won’t, and if you don’t feel he needs it, your money could be spent better elsewhere on something he DOES need.

It is important to think of safety when choosing toys. Does the toy have any sharp edges on it that could hurt your baby, or any small pieces that he could break off, or fall off that he could try to put in his mouth? Is the toy big enough that he can’t fit it into his mouth? Stay away from toys that have things sewn on them, or button eyes which are glued on and can easily pop off. It will be a while before your baby won’t try to put everything in his mouth and you don’t want to give him anything that he could eventually choke on.

You should also think about whether or not a toy will stimulate your baby’s mind at all and help him learn. Many toys out there are made with the purpose of helping your child recognize words, animals, and encourage them to use coordination and tap into their cause and effect as well as critical thinking skills. Pick toys that will help your baby learn and encourage their brain to grow.

Where will your child be using the toys? There are many areas in your child’s life that will call for a wide arrange of toys or a specialized toy. At home in the living room you can use most toys, big or small, of all shapes and sizes. However you can’t take these toys in the bath normally. Once your baby is old enough to play with toys in the bath, you should have some water toys for your baby to help keep him entertained. If your baby can have fun in the bath he will learn to love his baths making your job easier down the road. There are also smaller toys designed for car seats and being on the go that you can invest in to help keep your outings more enjoyable, not only for your baby, but also for the whole family.

You don’t always have to spend money to find a great toy for your baby. A baby can be entertained by items you have laying around the house. Old plastic cups and plates can keep your baby entertained for hours. Pots and pans, along with a wooden spoon can allow your baby to make his own noise, err music, keeping everyone in the house singing and dancing. You can tie an old shirt or a dish cloth in a knot and play tug of war with it with your baby. Use your imagination, keeping safety in mind, and toys around the house will begin to pop up everywhere.

by News Canada

(NC)—The first few years of a child’s life are full of new and exciting experiences that are absorbed like a sponge through the five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight and sound. From birth, newborns are bombarded with a busy world that they must learn to master. It is the senses that pave the way for a child’s development throughout his or her life.

“From birth, parents must choose toys and learning tools for their child that are fun and enjoyable to play with and that also foster sensorial growth to ensure a more complete development process,” says Dr. Kathleen Alfano, leading child Researcher and Director of the Fisher-Price Child Research Department.

A baby can start to develop hand-eye coordination, watch moving objects and be able to distinguish color and form within the first few months. Toys that will help develop these skills include the Peek-A-Blocks line from Fisher-Price – a creative and fun alternative to classic building blocks. Different series of these clear, stackable blocks are filled with everything from cute animals to fun shapes and foster the development of different senses. Touch Sensations blocks are made of different textures for baby to explore and Sound Sensations include blocks that ring and squeak.

Finding toys that will stimulate a few senses at a time are also helpful in sensory development, as a child will have to learn that in most situations, combining senses are crucial to perception. The Winnie The Pooh 1, 2, 3 Exploring Tree from Fisher-Price will keep a baby engaged and captivated from the time he/she can sit up to the time he/she can stand. Along the base, basic infant activities nurture hand-eye coordination, while Winnie The Pooh sits atop the tree among a flurry of soft, bright butterflies.

Introducing a baby to sounds, bright colors and action-based toys will make playtime more fun and enjoyable and is a good way to enhance a child’s creative abilities and imagination from an early age, teaching him/her to unlock the wonder and excitement of the world around them by simply making “sense” of it.

- News Canada

About The Author
News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web. News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial “fill” items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.

Learning begins at birth, and brain development during the first years of life is critical to the lifelong success of every child. During these early months, when baby’s brain is developing rapidly, adult participation in even simple activities with young children makes a lasting impression.

Stimulate Your Baby’s Senses
Babies use their senses to take in information. Create a stimulating atmosphere for your child by:

• Hold baby near your face and say loving things (”I love you,” “You’re so cute,” “What a sweet baby”) and encourage baby to explore your face with her hands.
• Take your baby to a mirror to see herself and you.
• Sing favorite songs to baby and use lots of facial expressions.
• Lay baby on her side. Place a toy to either side and see if baby will be motivated to roll and touch the toy.
• Remember to hug and cuddle – a lot!
• Buy or borrow a nursery rhyme book from the library and sing or say the rhymes repeatedly. Babies love repetition.
• Use wooden spoons and other simple tools to count out rhythmic 1-2, 1-2-3, and 1-2-3-4 patterns. Encourage baby to mimic the beat.
• Use conversation and single words to help baby label things in daily life (dog, ball, bottle)
• Put colorful pictures or photos in places where baby spends time (the change table, the bedroom…). Look at photographs of family members, and talk softly about what she is seeing.
• Babies love to let objects drop and fall. Help baby learn about different sounds and the concept of “down” by providing different objects to drop.
• Sing silly songs and wiggle baby’s toes and fingers to help baby learn about body parts.

Help Your Baby’s Muscles Grow

Babies’ muscles grow strong only when they use them. You can help by:

• Hold baby while sitting or laying on her back and hold toys or rattles within reach. Encourage baby to hit or touch the toy.
• Provide baby with some time on his tummy when awake. Place toys, a mirror, or yourself in front of baby to encourage him to keep his head up. This will strengthen back and neck muscles.

Keep Encouraging

You can create a stimulating atmosphere and encourage learning by playing with your baby, like with these games below:

• Use mirrors to show baby his/her face. Call the baby by name. Exaggerate your facial expressions.
• Play peek-a-boo, hide yourself and objects, then hide and find the baby behind a held-up towel or blanket.
• Fill a container with cereal or other object that will rattle when you close the lid and shake it. Ask baby what’s “inside” and let baby peek and touch as you name the object. Change the objects as you help baby discover different sounds and objects. Be sure there are no sharp edges on the container.
• Wiggle baby’s fingers and toes as you tell stories, count or sing songs about each one.
• Let baby touch toys and other objects as you raise them “up” and let them fall “down.” Then let baby try.
• Turn off the television.
• Read picture books aloud, walk outdoors, and let your child experience various sights, sounds and textures.
• Cuddle, talk in loving tones, and nurture with gentleness.

Learning begins at birth, and brain development during the first years of life is critical to the lifelong success of every child. During these early months, when baby’s brain is developing rapidly, adult participation in even simple activities with young children makes a lasting impression.

Stimulate Your Baby’s Senses
During the first three months of life, babies experience a world of sensations. They use their senses of sight, hearing, smell and touch. Here are some things you can do to help!

• Place baby on different soft and pleasant textures – silky satin, wool, soft flannel, fluffy toy.
• Softly blow on baby’s hands, feet and tummy during play. Talk to baby about what you are doing.
• Slowly rock baby in your arms several times each day. Always touch, hold and move gently. You can’t hold your baby too much.
• Hold baby close while you sing, dance, rock, read or talk.
• Respond to baby’s needs as quickly as possible. This way you help baby trust, feel safe and be confident.
• Help baby observe different faces. Smile at baby and use her name. Play peek-a-boo as you hide behind a paper plate or blanket.

Help Your Baby’s Muscles Grow
Your baby’s muscles only grow strong when he or she uses them. Here are some ways by which you can help your baby gain strength.

• When on his tummy, encourage baby to look toward a variety of soft sounds – your voice, music, a rattle, a bell, singing.
• When changing a diaper gently move baby’s legs like pedaling a bicycle. Talk softly or sing at the same time while making eye contact.
• After bathing baby, gently bring baby’s hands together. Help patty cake, or kiss the hands while talking or singing.
• Give baby things he can safely put in his mouth and hands to learn about the shape and feel of things. Make sure the objects are large enough that they aren’t a choking hazard.

Milestones
By the end of three months, your baby should be able to:

• Raise head slightly when lying on stomach
• Say a vowel-consonant combinations (ah, uh, eh)
• Recognize a bottle or breast
• Watch objects move slightly from one side to another.