Photographing Christmas lights

Photographing Christmas lights is something that can be tricky to do. Try taking photos earlier in the evening just before dusk.

Christmas colored playdoh

A reinforcing activity for Christmas colors can come by playing with red and green playdoh. Make it with Kool-Aid or add a few drops of peppermint extract and stimulate your toddler’s sense of smell.

Let kids pick gifts

Try and involve your child in the decision making process when it comes to choosing gifts. Remember not to give them too many options as this will confuse them.

When to play

The best time to play with your baby is when he’s alert and relaxed. Watch your baby closely for signs of being tired or fussy so that you can take a break.

Learing life skills

Generally by 19 months, toddlers begin to wash and dry their hands and brush their teeth with supervision. Within the next few months, they will be able to dress themselves with help.

How to give shots

Make sure all shots and vaccinations are ready to be administered at the same time. Do not hold conversation with the doctor or distract them with questions. The faster the shots are given, the better.

Make a snow man

One of the easiest ways to exercise the outdoors is building a snowman. It is physical exercise, helps with perception.

Fast-food play dates

A play date at a fast food restaurant may not be the healthiest choice, but it’s still a lot fun. Meet at one that has that has an indoor play area.

When tots start eating meat

Meat is started somewhere between 9 and 12 months of age. By age 1, she should be consuming about 2 servings from the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans and eggs group per day.

Positive works better than negative

Studies show that toddler discipline using positive reinforcement works far better than punishment.

Chanukkah Menu

A typical Chanukah menu sounds as though it were planned by the under-twelve crowd: potato pancakes, sweet cream cheese rugelach, strawberry-jam-filled doughnuts covered in powdered sugar, fried apple fritters, cheese-filled doughnuts fried in oil and dipped in honey, and cheese blintzes.

Hanukkah activities

Hanukkah comes with a long list of its own activities, and you can also develop your own. You can lead your toddlers through renditions of the dreidel song and have toddlers practice spinning the dreidel.

Make a Gelt Bank

Help reinforce giving- Put a slit in a can and decorate. Each day put gelt into the can at the end of Hannukkah donate money to charity.

Tea Light Menorah

Use LED tea lights to create a tot-safe menorah just in time for the Festival of Lights.

The make-up of sugar

Sugars supply a large amount of calories, with little nutritional value. They include white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, honey and molasses and foods like candy, soft drinks, jams, and jellies.

19-24 milestones

At 19-24 months, toddlers can use a spoon, dress themselves with help and use partially understandable speech. They may begin to understand abstract concepts such as “sooner” and “later”.

Air Quality and asthma

If your toddler has asthma, then you may already be familiar with air quality alerts. Poor quality air is fertile ground for asthma attacks, a serious summer health risk for toddlers with asthma.

The history of height/weight tables

Height / weight tables for newborns to 2 year olds used by doctors were developed from a single community of Ohio Caucasian, bottle fed babies between 1929 and 1975 who came from families of similar socioeconomic backgrounds.

Vaccines and side effects

Any vaccine can cause side effects. Usually, these side effects are minor — low-grade fever, and soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site.

Toddlers and meal time

Most toddlers will not eat three meals a day but will generally prefer to eat 5 to 6 smaller meals.