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17 Tips That'll Safeguard You and Your Family From Dog Bites or Attack
Did you know that more than one million north americans will be bitten by dogs this year, and about one million dog bites will go unreported. Its sad but most of the victims will be children. These dog bites will come from animals known to them....
Harry Potter's Geography and Mapping Lesson Plans: Add a Little Magic to your Lesson Plans
Lesson plans for mapping and geography can be inspired from the Harry Potter series of books. Harry Potter was very lucky when Ron's twin brothers gave him a magical map. This map showed him all the inside passageways at Hogwarts school including...
Harry Potter's Intriguing Science Lesson Plans
Science Lesson Plans are magical when learned in Harry Potter's Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts. Elementary education level students will use their imaginations to become wizard graduates as they perform the philosopher's easy science experiments....
Make Gift Baskets For Fun & Profit
Putting together lovely gift baskets is the way to give a memorable gift to anyone at any time of the year. Now you can assemble gift baskets, and at a very low price! Baskets come in a variety of shapes from traditional round to oval, square,...
The Best Birthday Gift in the World
When I was a little girl, my Nana and Grandpa would often give me a "grab bag" full of goodies for my birthday present. This was nothing more than a brown paper shopping bag filled with trinkets and treasures my grandparents had collected or...
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Introduce Your Kids to Your Favorite Classic Toys
Remember toys without batteries? Without buttons and video screens, that involved physical activity? Toys that engaged the child's imagination? This holiday season, think about introducing your children or grandchildren to the toys, games, and books that excited you when you were a kid.
For young children, toys that they can manipulate will entertain them while they develop essential dexterity skills. Slinky toys, pull toys, spinning tops, and toy vehicles like trains, tractors and cars stimulate those neurons as they learn how things work. Dolls, puppets, and stuffed animals, like the ever-popular Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, the Lamb Chop puppet that was a favorite in the fifties and sixties, and all kinds of bears, give kids something to cuddle while they practice their communication skills on their little friends.
For older children, board games are a great way to connect with friends and family. "Chutes and Ladders" is an engaging, unpredictable game that inspires lots of laughter as players progress through the ladders, and then suddenly end up at the bottom of the board as they unexpectedly encounter a chute. Another vintage game still played today, "Clue" challenges children's (and adults') logical prowess as they try to figure out "whodunit."
Don't forget to introduce your children or grandchildren to the books you enjoyed as a child. "Heidi," "Treasure Island," the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder - the
reason you remember them is that they're classics, well written and as exciting for today's generation of young people as they were when you were growing up. Children love to be read to, so consider these wonderful classics as a chance to snuggle up with the kids or grandkids as you read to them. Don't forget to reminisce about your childhood while you're interacting with them, reading, playing games, or watching them play; this times are a great opportunity to begin to pass along the family stories that are so much a part of daily life.
Unplugging your children or grandchildren from the TV, the DVD player, and the Game Boy will be doing them a big favor. Getting them involved with toys, games and books that will stimulate their minds and their hearts will pay off for them for years to come.
About The Author
Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips and Topics. She has published numerous articles in local and regional publications on a wide range of topics, including business, education, the arts, and local events. Her feature articles include an interview with independent documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and a feature on prisoners at the New Hampshire State Prison in Concord. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com.
articles@tipsandtopics.com
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