The Tie Chair

I came across this great new product that I wanted to share with you. It is called the Tie Chair and as you can see, it is for children who need to be strapped in when a highchair is not available. I thought it was so unique that I just had to tell you about it.

If you act quickly, you can enter to win a Tie Chair at the Baby Half Off Blog. Just click here and find out how to win.

Teacher's Corner: What is the Importance of Sensory Play?

Now that the summer is winding down and the amount of time we can spend outside will decrease, let's all spend the week outside with our children. Sensory crafts and games are a great outdoor activity because cleanup will be kept to a minimum. Some of my favorites include shaving cream art, play dough, water tables, finger paint, sand boxes, and rice tables. However, you are not limited to the sense of touch. Close your eyes and name everything you hear for one minute. Guess what is for snack only by it's taste or smell. Play I Spy during a walk around your neighborhood. These activities may seem trivial but are very useful in your child's development because you are helping them explore the world around them. So get out there and use those senses.

Update

I am not going to be able to post to this blog as often as I used to (5 days a week). I will continue to post but more like 2 days a week because my other blog, Piece of Cake Decorating, is doing so well and taking up more of my time. I plan to be back on track with my posts by next week.

Back to School Lunches- Coupon Find

I can't believe school will be starting up again soon. For those of you who will be packing lunches, here is a great coupon find to save you some money this school year.

Fun Summer Activities for your Children

As a former teacher I am always looking for crafts to do with my son. Not only are they fun but they are so important to brain development and confidence building. Some days it is easy to come up with a craft. Maybe we will play with shaving cream or make our own play dough. Other days are not so easy. I just came across this free site with tons of crafts, especially for the summer months. All you need to do is give them your e-mail and you have free access to all of their crafts.

BookSwim-Netflix for Books

I wanted to share this find with you. This company runs just like NetFlix. However, instead of renting movies, you rent books. The best part is, you can take as long as you need to read the books because there is no time limit on the rental and it is free shipping for life! If you fall in love with the book and don't want to give it back, no problem, you always have the option to purchase the books. You can also cancel at anytime with no penalty. Click below for more information.

Teacher's Corner: TV and Videos

Today's focus is going to be on television. Yes, a teacher is actually telling you that it is OK to watch TV with your child. If you choose the correct show or video, watching TV can actually be very educational. Even more, when you watch the show with your child, you are able to talk about what you see. Shows like Mickey Mouse Club House on Disney, Special Agent Oso on Disney (my top pick for young kids) and Word World on PBS Kids encourage participation. By watching shows like this with your child, you are able to model how to participate and talk about what you see which in turn gets their minds thinking.

Television is bad when you use it as a babysitter or when your child watches it mindlessly. Educational videos and cartoons keep your child's mind active; some even get kids moving. So next time your child wants to watch a little TV, sit down with them and make the most of it.

Here are a few recommended videos. Just click the arrow to move the carousel and click to see details or purchase.