Christmas Crafts for Kids

With the holiday season soon upon us, it’s time to think about some fun crafts you can do with your children in preparation of Christmas. My kids love doing holiday crafts, and I’m sure yours will too! It has always been challenging to find age-appropriate crafts that all of the children will enjoy making. My children each have a few years between them, so we have amassed quite a collection of crafts and craft ideas. Here are a few suggestions you can use. Consider it an early Christmas gift from me to you!

Bead garlands are one of my all-time favorite crafts. They are fun to make, extremely colorful, and great for children of all ages. You will need some string or plastic cord, a whole lot of beads, some scissors, and some glue. Cut the string or cord to the desired length, and thread it through the first bead. Tie a knot around that bead, and add some glue to keep it secure. Now add the rest of your beads. When you reach the end, tie the string off on the last bead and add some more glue. Now that was fun, wasn’t it?

Pine cone ornaments have also become classics in our Christmas craft repertoire. They are appropriate for children of any age, and keep very well in storage. You will need to spend some time collecting the pine cones. We collect them when we are out walking the dog. We simply paint them with silver or gold paint, and cover them with glitter. Let them dry somewhere safe, and tie them to your tree with a piece of ribbon. Are you getting in the holiday spirit, yet?

Bell ornaments are also a lot of fun to make, and they will last for years to come. We feel that small terra cotta pots are the best to use. Have the children paint the pot green, and allow it to dry. Once the pot is completely dry, attach fake jewels or beads to it with glitter glue. Then thread a small bell with some ribbon, and pull the ribbon up through the hole in the pot. Tie a knot in the ribbon so the bell stays secure, and add any other final touches you might like. I am sure your kids will love these crafts as much as mine do! Have a wonderful holiday, all!

About The Author
Catherine Spelling absolutely loves spending Christmas with family and friends. When she is not counting down the days until Christmas, she writes for christmaslightsanddecorations.com- an online resources for all things relating to Christmas and decorations, with information about Decorating for Christmas, Christmas Lights, and Everything Christmas.

Piano Lesson for Young Children - Chromatic Scale

I frequently hear concerns from parents of young piano students about their child’s hearing. The most common question asked is, “Does my child have a “good” ear?”

I usually respond with something like, “They look alright to me. Does she have two?” There are some common myths which often mislead parents and encourage them to look for their student’s musical limitations. While there may be some value in this, there are a lot more warnings in literature and folklore that suggest “If you look for problems, problems will find you.”

In my opinion, it is better to first consider the possibilities. Before testing your young child’s musical ear make sure they understand basic concepts such as high and low and up and down in musical terms. If you ask a four year old to play a high note on the piano, they are most likely to raise their hand in the air and say, “how high?”

You can give your young child in piano lessons a chance to develop their musical ear and talent with time and patience. You can also play these fun games at home with your child.

The first game is called “Copy Cat.” Give your child this introduction:

“Copy Cat” is a lot like Simon Says. Do you remember that game? Let’s both put our right hand in C position on the piano. Play a couple of notes, Sally, any notes you want to play in C position. Then I’ll try to copy what you played.

Do this for a while and then reverse the game. You play a few notes and have your child be the Copy Cat. This is a great way to develop your child’s musical ear and have a lot of fun with them at the piano as well.

The Second game is called “Jacob’s Ladder.” Play Middle C and then step up Jacob’s Ladder playing all of the white and black keys one at time, in order until you get to the next C. This is twelve half-steps, or a Chromatic Scale. Then step down “Jacob’s Ladder” back to Middle C. After you have done this a few times, let your child try stepping up and down “Jacob’s Ladder” on the piano.

Next have your child in piano lessons close their eyes while you play “Jacob’s Ladder.” Tell your child to raise their hand if you skip a rung on the ladder. Make sure you also give your child a turn at being the teacher! Kids love to reverse roles. This is another effective technique to develop your child’s musical ear in a fun and easy way.

By playing these games together you’ll be seeking your child’s musical potential - and you will find it!

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You’ll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f’ree internet newsletter so you can download f’ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com

Beginner Piano Lessons Creating Music From the Heart

Beginning piano students can become focused on reading the notes and finding the right keys on the piano and miss the point of playing - to make the music sound, well, musical. This takes a creative human touch and sensitivity that children are capable of, when they know where to look for it. Here’s a plan for connecting to the music in a creative, artistic, and human way. I call it the HEART approach to making music at the piano.

The HEART Approach to Making Music

H - Hear

Hear each note in your mind before you play it. Frederick Chopin (1810 - 1849) spent plenty of practice time playing each note of a piece of music slowly, so slowly in fact that it would be painful for anyone listening. But that’s what Chopin was doing - listening very carefully to every note. He was connecting to the music with deep listening to allow every note to resonate within him. Similarly, hearing each note in your mind before it is played and thinking about how to touch each key is important to playing thoughtfully and creatively.

E - Energize

Gather energy from the music by feeling the vibrations of each note as it is played.

A - Ask

What is the composer trying to communicate with this music?

R - Respond

Don’t hold back. Allow yourself to respond fully to the energy and spirit of the music as you play each note the way you imagine it should sound.

T - Tell the Story

Imagine you are telling an interesting story to your best friend. Infuse the telling of the story with your own personality. This is the magic that will bring the music to life.

After learning to read the notes and locate them on the piano keyboard, beginning piano students can add artistry to their playing with the HEART approach to making music.

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You’ll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f’ree internet newsletter so you can download f’ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com

Family Trips Fun or Disaster

Family trips have long been a theme of bad movies,
TV shows, and family horror stories. Such trips can
be remembered with fondness; under the right
circumstances. Planning your first family trip? Here are
some ideas for making the trip one to remember with a smile.

Planning

Any family trip requires planning. Where do you want
to go? What do you want to do? Who is going? How much
do you plan to spend? How long will you be there?
You don’t have to plan every minute but some guidelines
are wise. Working parents often need to start ahead of
time to match time off.

Preparation

Preparation refers to the physical steps you take for
the trip; such as packing. Do you have a family member
with special medical needs? Pack the needed medicine.
Are you traveling to an area where the weather changes
frequently? Be sure pack appropriate clothes. Other
preparation steps to consider are car maintenance and
road construction projects. Do you have an emergency
car kit? Check for any highway construction. Need a visa?
Passport? Map?

Possibilities

Every trip should allow for surprises. You do not
want a trip where every minute is planned. Don’t
plan a trip in such a way you cannot take
advantage of events, places, or activities you did not
know about ahead of time.

Plenty of rest

One of the biggest problems when traveling with kids
is not allowing for rest. Not only rest for the kids,
but for parents also. Don’t try to do too much in one day.

Popular activities

When planning for your trip be sure to allow each
member a chance to enjoy the vacation. Consider your
destination options. Allow each member of the family to
select an activity. This will allow each family member to
enjoy the vacation.

Planning help

If you’re traveling somewhere you’ve never visited
before, organizations and companies exist to help you. The
local Chamber of Commerce is a good place to start. Many
chambers have their own web sites. Many states also sponsor
visitor centers in major tourist areas to assist travelers.
These centers exist to help potential tourists find
lodging and local activities to see.

Practice

If this is the first time your family travels, consider a
short “practice” trip. This can expose possible problems
you can prevent. The practice trip can also allow the children to
get excited about the trip and understand what is expected
of them. If you have traveled before, you understand how your
family reacts to trips. Consider the lessons learned in planning
the new trip.

Remember, vacations together are meant to be an enjoyable
time, not a scheduling contest. A little planning goes a
long way.

Author info: L. C. Peterson is a freelance writer and web
marketing consultant. The writer’s website can
be found at http://www.lcpeterson.com. Learn how to publish
your work at http://www.publishingebooks.com.

Vacation In Comfort With Kids

It takes a special person to travel with kids - a parent. Children have their own needs. Their idea of a vacation is more “adventurous” than a parent’s. They need constant stimulation and they can get as tired as they are tiring.

There are many top ten type lists of tips for traveling with children: how to ensure they eat well and drink enough, how to dress them for weather variances, how to provide the stimulation they need, how to make sure they don’t drive off with the family car and leave you stranded in the Mojave Desert, etc.

This list is how to travel in comfort - without tying the children to the roof rack — which hopefully will reduce your stress.

Make sure you have plenty of room while traveling.

This is easier said than done. On a plane, everybody is cramped. On a train, everybody is cramped, although a little less so. On a bicycle… don’t even try it.

If you are driving, get a mini-van. Sure, you might be more of a “car” type, and you might have resisted buying a mini-van so far. But pick up a rental van for the vacation just to give the kids a little more room for fighting. (Make sure it has a roof rack, just in case.)

Reality check: Cram enough people into a tiny space and watch everybody get stressed and enraged. See my humorous but true article on hippo rage: http://www.thehappyguy.com/hippo-rage.html .

Accommodations along the way can be tricky. Usually it involves a cramped motel for just long enough to sleep, then back in the cramped car (or somewhat cramped mini-van). This is not anybody’s idea of a home away from home.

An accommodation alternative is to camp. When not sleeping, you have all the space in the world (unless you have to huddle under the tarp while the storm passes through). I love camping, but not everyone enjoys a good early morning wake-up wrestle with a grizzly as much as I do, so a motel might be required.

Make sure you have plenty of room when you “get there”.

My childhood vacations, often involved wandering around lost. Assuming you are actually heading for a destination, make sure to have lots of room when you get there. This part is easy. But it requires thinking outside the box. Forget hotels, motels, and inns. Look for private rental homes.

Probably the biggest destination for families is Walt Disney World in Florida. Good news - Orlando, Kissimmee and the surrounding area is just teeming with private vacation homes for rent. In Florida they call them vacation villas, and they offer all the space of home (without having to fix a leaky sink or oil the door hinges or mow the lawn.) Here are some examples of vacation home rentals in the Disney area: http://www.lastminutevillas.net/Disney-vacation.html.

Sharon Baillie is a private villa owner in the Kissimmee area outside Orlando, just a few miles from Disney World. “Our guests enjoy the spaciousness of our 6-bedroom home ( http://www.lastminutevillas.net/new5beda1pg1.html ). They love the private pool and the private yard in which they can relax,” she says. “Parents love the space for children to run around outside, and we leave a box of toys in the garage. So while the parents rest, the children play - and let their parents rest!”

Be prepared for “children being children” events.

Sometimes, stress hits you from behind when the unexpected happens. Like a cut or a scrape … or a child getting sick. Sharon Baillie told me that is why she tells all her villa rental guests where the first aid kit can be found, and exactly where to go for medical attention. This is particularly helpful for her many guests from abroad who are unfamiliar with the US healthcare system.

She also makes sure her guests are informed about local pollen and viruses in Florida, so that parents can be prepared. Stress is so much more enjoyable when you are prepared for it, don’t you think?

Booking tickets to theme parks and making reservations for just about everything in advance, makes the trip less stressful. There is little more difficult than managing young children while trying to get into a theme park or show that requires prior booking.

And to prevent wandering around lost, pick up a AAA Triptik in advance - not that it ever helped us.

Try having your children baby-sat. This might mean bringing along a nanny, such as a grand parent (It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.). The car might be more crowded, but if you’ve rented a spacious home for the week, it could just be doable. The other option is to hire a local baby-sitter once or twice. Vacation Home owners can set this up for you, and some hotels might be willing to, too.

When you are single, you can go on adventure vacations. When you are a parent, you get vacation adventures. Here are three of mine: http://www.thehappyguy.com/family-vacation-adventure.html

So there you have it. Three ways to reduce the stress of traveling with kids, so you can actually relax on vacation. After all, isn’t that what vacations are supposed to be about?

About The Author

David Leonhardt is a freelance writer, and an online and offline publicity specialist. Contact him at: mailto:info@thehappyguy.com

or visit his website at: http://www.thehappyguy.com

For Florida vacation villa rentals: http://www.lastminutevillas.net

For Orlando vacation home rentals: http://www.orlandovillaowners.com

Unique Things to Do at the Beach

The beach isn’t just for kids and teenagers. All the family can enjoy the shore provided, of course, there aren’t “elbow-to-elbow” tourists. You can also do more than just get a tan (or a sunburn). Get up and get active with some of these suggestions. The old favorites are always fun which is why they’re still popular. You can toss a foam rubber ball Frisbee, play with a beach ball (nice because they deflate for easy carrying and storage), go inner tube surfing (cheap and increasingly harder to get but you can also deflate them). Don’t forget your sand sculpture or sand castle building tools. Here are some other suggestions to consider for enlivening your beach resort vacation.

1. Collect driftwood

Especially if you’re of a creative bent, this can be not only a unique, but profitable pastime as well. What figures or forms do the driftwood shapes conjure up in your mind? What might they look like when painted or polished? How might you mount or display them?

2. Collect shells

Long a popular beach pastime with children and adults alike, it can still serve as an interesting activity for the kids (or you). Even more so if you’re on a new, foreign or strange beach which may well offer up some unique surprises. Make a collage, a display or shadow bow of your best finds when you get back home.

3. Catch crabs and crustaceans

We used to walk along in the surf of the Chesapeake Bay with a framed meter-square piece of window screen to trap all kinds of small crabs, crustaceans, sand worms and even small fish. It made for an interesting series of “catches” and provided endless hours of simple fun for me and my siblings. With eleven younger brothers and sisters, it also kept us out of “trouble” or at least reasonably so. Sometimes a fisherman would buy our “catch” for use as live bait, much to the profit of the local ice cream vendors.

4. Surf fishing

There are all manner of collapsible of multiple piece rod and reel kits you can easily pack in a suitcase or store in a car trunk. Whip it out, local regulations and conditions permitting, and try your hand at whatever the regional waters offer. Some surprisingly large catches can be made in less than two feet of water. Just put on a snorkel and dive mask, wade out to waist-deep water, stand still for a few minutes with your face in the water. You’ll often be thrilled at the number and size of the fish and other sea creatures you’ll see all around you below the surface. In many tropical waters, it’s like standing in an aquarium.

5. Catch live bait

As was mentioned earlier, like bait can often be sold to local fishermen (or use it yourself). Use a cast net, walk along in knee-deep surf with an old window screen and bucket. Minnows, crustaceans, sandworms, small eels and crabs are all susceptible to this method. Be sure to check local regulations first. Keep them alive and fresh in a bucket partially filled with water.

6. Relax or get a “surf massage”

Soak and soothe those aching bones with a relaxing massage. In numerous resort areas there are locals who offer this service right at the beach. Be sure to negotiate prices before services are rendered to avoid any price gouging. Another alternative is to let the sea and surf “massage” you as you lay there. It’s free and the surf never gets tired or overcharges you. Sit facing the surf with your legs outstretched. Move forward until the surf covers you up to the belly button. Change positions forward, backwards or other variations as the surf changes.

7. Go walking

Already identified as a “best” exercise activity, walking is almost always pleasant. Walking on dry sand gives you more of a “workout” than walking on sand that is still damp from the receded surf. For maximum huff and puff, try walking in the surf itself. A normal rate of walking is a mile and a half in fifteen minutes, so a thirty minute walk is a good workout for the day. Fifteen minutes out, fifteen minutes back to your starting point should do you nicely.

8. Nature watch or people watch

Okay so if you’re just in a “do nothing for awhile” mood then nature or people watch depending on where you are. Pick a good vantage point and note what happens all around you. Is that couple married or dating? What do you think they do for a living? What can you tell about them from watching? What animals, birds or sea life are common where you are? Are there sharks? Dolphins? Crabs? Squid or other unusual forms of marine life? What fauna frequents the area? What about snakes? I was more than a little surprised to learn from a local resident that feral cats are a big problem in Acapulco. As I paid more attention during my comings and goings in and around the city I noticed they were almost everywhere. They could become especially troublesome at night.

These and other imaginative activities can help turn a “lay in the sun and burn” day at the beach into a much more relaxing, creative or stimulating time for you and the family. Try some of these as an alternative to the usual “do nothing” day.

Prof Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He lives in Cali, Colombia, fishes the South American Pacific coast, Amazon and Orinoco River basins for exotic salt water and fresh water game and food fish. For no-obligation information on how to get original, exclusive Exotic fishing stories, fishing technique articles, fishing-action photography and one-of-a-kind content for your fishing-related newsletter, blog or website contact him today at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for more free, action photo-packed, South American fishing adventure articles.

Ten Easy Steps to Great Kids Party Pictures

Kids parties and pictures go together like cake and ice cream. If you’re the designated shutterbug for a kids party, be sure you’re up to the task. A quick study of these valuable picture-taking tips shows you how to become a first rate kid party photographer.

1. PREPARE

If you’re going digital, make sure your memory stick has enough space to accommodate the pictures you intend to take. Delete or download as necessary. Check and charge the battery too.

If you’re using film, be sure you have more than enough so you don’t have to run out to the store in the middle of the action. Check and replace batteries if necessary. If your camera requires it, set it to match the ISO on the film.

2. TELL THE STORY OF THE EVENT

Approach your next kids party as if it were an adventure which you are going to record for posterity from beginning to end. This will mean capturing the significant high points of the party such as the guests arriving, playing party games, opening presents, and of course the cake and ice cream “Happy Birthday to You” part.

When you download your pictures to share with relatives and friends, organize them in chronological order to tell the complete party story. This is just as easy to do if you scrapbook your party showing just how the day evolved from start to finish.

3. CANDIDS OVER “CHEESE”

Candids are simply more fun than posed pictures. Scope out party guests doing cute, interesting or outrageous things. Look for different expressions on their faces, capture them with a bow on their head or trying to pop a balloon with their bottom (a popular kids party game!) Those spontaneous moments are a photographer’s dream!

Candids give you many more opportunities for those silly snapshots that put a smile on people’s faces.

4. KEEP IT AT EYE LEVEL

For a more intimate and involved-in-the-moment picture, get down to the level of your subjects. Make sure your lens is at the same height as the children’s eyes.

5. ZOOM IN

This is the number one mistake most amateur photographers make when snapping pictures. Too much headroom, too much background, and not enough of your subject make for boring images. Pictures are so much more engaging when you can actually see who’s in them! Make a conscious effort to get up close and personal before you click the shutter.

6. BACKGROUND AND COMPOSITION

How you position and frame your subject adds to the appeal of the picture. To do this successfully you must be aware of the “bigger picture” in the viewfinder. First, make sure there are no trees or poles growing out of kids heads.

No decapitations either, please. By taking a breath and holding it, you are better able to hold the camera steady while pressing on the shutter. This prevents the camera from moving downward and cutting off your subjects’ heads.

Make your picture more dynamic and balanced by utilizing the “rule of thirds”. Mentally divide your picture into a 9 box tic-tac-toe grid. Now align your vertical subject 1/3 of the way over from the left or right. Then align your horizonal matter 1/3 of the way from the top or bottom. Practice a bit on this before the party to see how different subject placements effect the resulting photo.

7. BE QUICK

Kids are usually on the move, especially when the sugar from the cake and ice cream kick in. Be prepared to capture the moment quickly. Waiting too long to get the shot will ruin a good candid and can even make antsy kids run when they see you coming!

8. ONE POSE FOR POSTERITY

Take one group shot of the party child and guests for your
scrapbook. This is also a wonderful little remembrance to send along with thank-you notes. To make it more interesting, pose kids with costumes or props which relate to the party theme.

For example, guests at a pirate theme party can pose with their bandannas and eyepatches, looking like fierce buccaneers. Guests at a princess party could pose in their pretty dress-up clothes. Guests at a construction party can pose with their trucks in the sandbox.

9. DON’T LEAVE IT IN THE CAMERA

Due to busy lifestyles, the tendency to leave cherished photos in the digital camera for weeks or months is great. Don’t wait until your important pictures are accidentally deleted or lost. Download them to your computer as soon as possible after the event. Similarly, make an effort to finish the film in your still camera and develop the pictures
right away.

10. FILE OR SCRAPBOOK

This is an often neglected step in the picture-taking process, but it’s important to have a safe method of filing and storing your pictures. There are many software programs available to help you sort and store digital pictures on your hard drive. They usually have a free trial period to see if you like working with the program. Non-digital pictures can be scanned onto your computer, placed in a scrapbook, or stored in special photo storage boxes.

When all is said and done, you’ll have captured the special moments of joy and excitement at your child’s birthday party or other special occasion. A truly memorable collection that will entertain and make you smile for years to come.

Copyright 2005 Kids Party Paradise All Rights Reserved

Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of Kids-Party-Paradise.com - a complete resource for kids party ideas including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.

For all the latest party news, read her
Kids Party Blog.

Is Travel with your Kids a Monumental Family Disaster

Whatever your mode of travel, there will be special challenges if you take the kids along. The key to sanity is some careful planning - and a calm, unruffled approach.

* Where Should we Stay? *

If you are planning at stay at a bed and breakfast, do some research. Many bed and breakfasts are not suitable for children. However, you may be able to find a ‘farmstay’ - a bed and breakfast on a farm that allows your kids to interact with the animals. This can be an unequalled family experience - especially for city dwellers.

Staying in a hotel? Do they provide extra cots and/or cribs for children? Do they have a restaurant with a kids’ menu? Is there a playroom or playground on the premises? Are there children’s activities nearby?

* What Should I Pack? *

Use common sense. Every family is different. Check the following list and pack what is appropriate for your household:

- Small first aid kit

- Liquid anti-nausea medication

- Liquid Tylenol

- Individual-sized tissues

- Moistened hand-wipes in individual packs

- Paper towels

- Photos of the kids and important details regarding medications

- Telephone numbers of doctors (at home and at your destination)

- Copies of passports, birth certificates, custody documentation

- Decks of cards, favorite toys, children’s books

- Coloring books, crayons, mechanical pencils, paper

- Crossword puzzle books, erasable pens, highlighters

- Windbreakers, slickers, umbrellas

- Sunglasses, hats, sunscreen

- Plastic bags from grocery store checkout (for storage and cleanup)

* Diaper Disposal *

There are scented disposal bags available - or you might want to pack some small zip-lock bags. Plastic grocery bags or newspaper bags can also be used. The solid matter should be disposed of down the toilet. Next, roll the diaper up with the soiled area facing inwards so that you have a compact bundle with the plastic on the outside. Place the diaper in the zip-lock bag, seal most of the way, then press out as much air as possible while you complete the seal. Discard in a bathroom garbage container or outside garbage bin.

If you are outdoors and there are no outhouse or bathroom facilities nearby, you should carry the entire diaper contents with you, disposing of appropriately when you find a garbage bin or bathroom. DO NOT leave diapers or diaper contents behind. Besides polluting the environment, some animals are attracted to human waste. Protect the environment even more by making sure that you purchase biodegradable diapers (or switch to cloth).

If you must carry soiled diapers along with you for any length of time, you might want to consider packing a few deodorant disks or a baking-soda based scented deodorizer.

* Snacks *

If your children are finicky eaters, chances are you will encounter problems with airline and restaurant meals. Pack a few nutritious snacks. Snacks may include fresh fruit, granola bars, individual-size cereal boxes, cheese and crackers, raisins, unsalted peanuts - or snack-size containers of applesauce, puddings, and fruit cocktail.

* Boredom *

Boredom is always going to be a problem. Even a half-hour trip seems like a long time to a young child. The easiest and most accessible boredom solution is YOU. Use the time to interact with your kids. Ask them questions. Get them to tell you stories if they are old enough. You can keep young children entertained by telling them stories - complete with sound effects of animal noises, whistles, and whatever else you can invent.

Play guessing games like ‘I Spy’ with older kids, or get them involved in some children’s cards games. Although games like ‘Go Fish’ can be played with a regular deck of cards, there are many games with special, brightly-colored decks made just for children. Do an internet search for ‘card games for kids’ and you’ll find plenty of resources.

* Inactivity *

Sitting still for long periods of time is not a natural activity for children. If you’re on a plane, train, or bus, get up and take a walk down the aisle once every hour. When travelling by car, find an appropriate pullout and play frisbee or go for a short walk.

* Relax - Lighten Up - Unwind *

Treat every family trip as an opportunity to connect with your children. Relax, enjoy their unique personalities, and enjoy yourself!

* There are many more travel tips available at 1000tips4trips.com.

* You’ll find more travel articles and lodging links at triple1.com.

* Search for more ideas at this page of search engines.

High Sugar Meals Lead to Future Disease, Not Just Obesity

A new study shows that eating meals with high sugar content causes the release of damaging substances into the blood. Parents should take special note since many kids are eating high sugar meals and snacks several times a day. This behavior is setting the stage for a lifetime of chronic disease problems.

It’s all about the burn

All foods have a ‘glycemic index’, which is a measure of how fast the body burns the food to turn it into fuel. Foods with a lot of simple sugars burn very quickly while foods high in fiber and complex carbohydrates burn very slowly.

High glycemic foods that burn very quickly cause blood sugar to rise fast. The body reacts to this rise in blood sugar by releasing a large dose of insulin to drive the blood sugar back down. This is the reason for the ‘energy crash’ that you feel after eating a high glycemic meal.

Low glycemic foods that burn very slowly cause blood sugar to rise gently at a controllable rate. This way the body does not need to take drastic measures to keep blood sugar under control. You feel a smoother level of energy after a low glycemic meal and don’t feel the crash a couple hours after eating like you do with the high glycemic meal.

The danger of your personal reactor

The energy spike and crash that you feel after a high glycemic meal is because the body uses blood sugar as the primary source of fuel to make an ‘energy molecule’ called ATP. However, the production of ATP is somewhat dangerous because it also leaks other molecules called ‘free radicals’, which in turn cause ‘oxidative-stress’.

Oxidative stress can be very damaging to your cells and if left unchecked this damage leads to chronic diseases like heart disease, some cancers and even depression. The damage caused accumulates in your body in places like your arteries, heart, lungs and brain and slowly leads to chronic degenerative illness.

Luckily, our bodies have mechanisms to keep free radical damage and oxidative stress under control. We have proteins that actually capture the free radicals and ‘neutralize’ them so that they are no longer dangerous. However, to function properly, this system requires the anti-oxidants you get from fruits and vegetables and multi-vitamin supplements.

It’s similar to the dangers involved in using nuclear energy. This is an incredibly efficient energy source as long as nothing goes wrong. If the nuclear reactor over-heats then trouble can happen. The same happens with ATP production. When blood sugar levels are high, ATP production goes into high gear and free radical release gets out of control. High glycemic meals kick up ATP production.

It has been known for some time that eating high glycemic meals leads to oxidative stress and a new study in the July 2006 issue of The Journal of Clinical Nutrition validates that by actually measuring signs of oxidative stress in the blood after eating both low and high glycemic meals. The study found a strong relationship between the glycemic index of the meal and the level of oxidative stress markers in the blood after the meal. High glycemic meals caused high levels of oxidative stress.

Why is this important? It means that high glycemic meals that our kids eat all the time are causing damage that will likely lead to chronic degenerative disease when they are adults. Especially when you couple this with the fact that most kids do not get the anti-oxidant protection that they need from eating several portions of fruits and vegetables. It’s a double whammy; increased damage and decreased protection.

Damage control

What types of foods are causing this damage? There are many common kid’s foods that are very high on the glycemic index scale. For starters, high-sugar breakfast cereals, waffles and pancakes with lots of syrup and white toast with jam are very high glycemic foods. It’s not just sugary meals that are the problem. Foods made primarily from refined grains and white flour are just as bad. Things like white bread, macaroni and cheese, crackers and hotdog buns.

You can go a long way in protecting your kids current and future health by switching to whole grain cereals and breads and getting more fruits and vegetables into their diet. This is common sense stuff that people have known for a long time.

My hope in writing this article is that understanding a little more about the reason why ‘healthy foods’ are so necessary will help motivate people to act. Just picture in your head little pick axes circulating through your kids blood every time they eat these high glycemic meals and perhaps that will help you help them make better choices.

To be realistic, food choices are all about balance. It’s not going to kill you to eat poorly every now and then. You just need to understand that it’s all about risk. The more you or your kids make poor eating choices the more damage you are allowing to accumulate and the higher your risk will be for problems later in life. Act now to instill thoughtful food choice in your kid’s behavior.

A proud moment I want to end with a brief story. Last week my 9-year old son came to work with me and we had lunch in our small cafeteria. The menu choices that day were a turkey sandwich, pepperoni pizza, soups and a salad bar. I told him he could have whatever he wanted and I was very happy when he chose the salad bar. It’s not that he doesn’t like pizza or turkey sandwiches but he made a healthy choice on his own because he really likes salad.

A year ago, he hated everything ‘green’. My wife and I just kept putting a small amount of vegetables on his dinner plate and offering salad when we had it. We did not force him to eat this stuff but just kept offering it. Eventually he started to eat more and more and realized that he likes salad. Now both my kids love a wide variety of steamed vegetables and eat all kinds of fruits on a regular basis.

Kids don’t like a lot of foods when they are very young but experts have told us to just keep offering them. Eventually they will come around. Otherwise, they will grow up eating fast food for the rest of their life and be robbed of good health in there older years. Please do not rob your kids of this. Give them the greatest gift you can, their health.

Copyright 2006 Simon Evans

Dr. Simon Evans is a neuroscientist studying the interaction between nutrition, exercise and stress. He also also a passionate youth sports coach and is concerned about current trends in children’s health. Visit Dr. Evans blog at http://www.feedingdreams.com to read previous articles contribute your feedback.

Quick, Convenient Healthy Snacks for Kids

“Don’t forget to put a snack in your backpack, you have practice after school.” Or “Remind me it’s our turn to bring snacks for the team on Saturday.” Sound familiar? With kids on the go so much, it’s important to have quick, healthy snacks. Children need a healthy energy boost and it needs to be done without much time or hassle.

A box of doughnuts sure would be easier, wouldn’t it? Perhaps, but it wouldn’t be healthier. There are many healthy snacks that don’t take too long to prepare nor too long to consume. Below are several snack ideas for you.

When thinking of snacks for your child, remember to consider the time of year. Frozen juice pops are a fun refreshing snack, but not likely very appreciated if it’s windy and cold out! However, for warmer months, keep snacks cold in an ice filled cooler.

Lots of liquids are important, especially if your child is involved with sports. Freeze juice boxes and water bottles for an ice cold, fluid replacement - contrary to belief that freezing water bottles causes a toxic reaction. If you’ve heard that warning before, it was simply an urban legend - not true.

Fruit is a simple snack that meets the quick and easy requirement. Grab a half peck of applies, a couple bunches of bananas and some clusters of grapes and you’re good to go.

Someone thought of the excellent idea of making snack sized zip lock baggies. These are the perfect size to fill with trail mix. One variation of this recipe is to mix pretzels, walnuts, almonds and raisins. Some prefer to mix m&m chocolate candies, peanuts, almonds and dried banana chips. Any combination of nuts and fruit works great.

Mini muffins are always a big hit. Bake some blueberry or banana nut muffins, and then toss a couple muffins into a zip lock baggie for a tasty, quick snack to go.

With a small time investment, you can whip up some nutritious granola bars. Add oatmeal, sunflower seeds, almonds, wheat germ, honey, vanilla, and dried fruit such as apricots, cherries or blueberries. Make a pan or two, slice them, bag them and serve them up!

Also if you have the time, make some turkey wraps. Each wrap consists of a couple slices of turkey and an optional slice of cheese wrapped inside of a piece of lettuce. Kids are a little skeptical of them at first, but after one bite they’ll be hooked. These too need to stay in a cooler.

If you’re schedule isn’t going to permit you to do much baking and preparation then the grocery store offers many snack options. String cheese, cucumber slices or portable individual servings of yogurt kept in the cooler are healthy snacks.

Head over to the bulk food section to find trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, and individual packets of crackers and cheese or pretzels and peanut butter. It’s very convenient to pack healthy snacks. Sweet potato chips or rice chips are much healthier than their popular friend, the potato chip. They taste great too; you just need to give kids the opportunity to try them. Besides, if they’re hungry enough they’ll eat just about anything!

Sometimes you may not come up with something as healthy as you would like while keeping in mind the quick and convenient requirement. Although if you can merely avoid harmful junk food snacks, you’re doing a great service to your child.

Written my Stacie Mahoe
Softball Coach and Mom to 4 kids
Check out more of Stacie’s Sports Parenting Tips