Autism is considered to be a serious neurological disorder, causing dramatic changes in behavior and affecting social interactions, communication skills and adaptability. The first signs of autism can either be spotted at birth or later in childhood. Child autism is characterized by refusal of social interactions, inability of anticipating movement, poor eye contact, lack of interest towards mothers or caretakers, inability of engaging in imitational acts, preference for repetitive, stereotype activities.
Child autism is different from one child to another. Although autistic children have common behavioral features, every child with autism develops in a different, unique way. Child autism affects the perception of persons and objects and some autistic children may engage in behaviors that lead to self-injury (some autistic children unwillingly bang their heads against their crib). Child autism is also characterized by low adaptation skills and strong resistance to changes in their activities or behaviors. Autism occurs to persons regardless of their IQ. Autistic children sometimes have good skills with numbers, excelling in areas like mathematics. However, it is a fact that all children diagnosed with autism have reduced emotional intelligence.
Child autism can determine either hyper-active or hypo-active behaviors. While some children are very impulsive and difficult to calm down, other children are very still and passive. The most relevant signs of child autism are: avoidance of social interactions and low responsiveness to smile, voice or gestures (many autistic children avoid making any kind of eye contact and sometimes ignore the presence of their parents or caretakers), poor "baby talk", difficulties in oral speech, (autistic children rarely "initiate" dialogue), predisposition towards repetitive gestures and activities (clapping their hands, waving their heads back and forth, excessive swinging). Autistic children also focus their attention on some particular toys, ignoring everything else around them (unlike normal children that are easily distracted, autistic children ignore external stimuli when concentrating upon a certain activity).
Child autism is also revealed by the inability to play imaginative, "pretend" games. While normal children often pretend to be someone else when playing, or imagine new ways of playing with their toys, autistic children are usually unable to do the same thing. Also, child autism is characterized by the inability to distinguish danger; children with autism seem to be unafraid of dangerous, threatening situations. Emphatic skills are also poor in case of autistic children; they don't seem to care about other people in distress, feeling no compassion for them.
The causes of child autism and many other Autism Spectrum Disorders are still unknown. Scientists believe that there are certain genetic factors responsible for the development of autism, but the genes that cause autism haven't yet been identified. Autism has a pronounced hereditary character. Parents with an autistic child in the family are most likely to have another child with the same disorder. An interesting aspect of child autism is the larger numbers of boys affected by the disorder, compared to the numbers of girls with autism.
The signs of child autism must be spotted in time, in order to minimize the risks of further behavioral, cognitive and physical damage. It is vital to correctly diagnose autism at an early age, thus facilitating the process of recovery and preventing severe behavioral deterioration. Also, children with autism need a lot of care and attention, as they tend to engage in self-injurious activities.
Visit the Bone Problems website to learn about collar bone pain and chipped bone.
Monday, 29 March 2010
How to Build Self-Esteem in your Children by Gauri Batra
Self-esteem is, in lay terms, the feeling of self-worth stemming from an individual's positive or negative beliefs about being valuable and capable. Having a high level of self-esteem is one of the first steps to success in life. It is therefore imperative that parents help their children in building their self-esteem, so that they grow up into confident, successful individuals.
The problem of self-esteem, in most people, starts from early childhood itself. It is usually the consequence of an event or incident that leaves a child lacking in self-worth. Physical appearance, lack of parental engagement, or criticism is often considered to be the primary reason behind these things. Most parents find it difficult to address this problem; but thankfully, building self-esteem in children is a lot easier than in adults. All you need is the right guidance to help your child come out of such a phase.
First and foremost, you have to give your children autonomy - the right to make their own choices, take their own decisions. Once a child makes his own choices, he is more likely to be happy treading that path, be it his education or career decisions. Imposing your likes and dislikes on children will leave them feeling pressurized and dissatisfied. Independence and self-governance will teach them the benefits of taking the right decisions as well as the pitfalls of taking the wrong ones.
Parents should make a great deal of effort to build positive, growth-conducive social relations for their children. Kids with a strong support network (family, friends, relatives, etc.) usually grow up into confident, compassionate individuals.
You should encourage your children to act in accordance with their inherent natures and personality traits. Let them pursue activities that utilize their abilities and help them achieve their potential. Encouraging your kids to work on both their strengths and weaknesses will lead to an increase in their competence levels and also their self-esteem.
More than anything else, what can help children with a low self-esteem is their parents' attention and time. The feeling of neglect is one of the worst things that can happen to a child. Give them your attention, involve them in a variety of activities - academic or otherwise - and make them feel loved; it will do them a world of good.
Educational counselors all over the world are guiding parents on how to deal with the most common problems faced by their children. Jiva Education, a propagator of innovative and personalized learning in schools, is one of the premier organizations helping parents in building self-esteem in their children.
Gauri Batra is an educationist associated with Jiva Education, an institution that propagates innovative and constructive learning methodologies in schools. Jiva helps parents in building self-esteem in their children through counseling.
The problem of self-esteem, in most people, starts from early childhood itself. It is usually the consequence of an event or incident that leaves a child lacking in self-worth. Physical appearance, lack of parental engagement, or criticism is often considered to be the primary reason behind these things. Most parents find it difficult to address this problem; but thankfully, building self-esteem in children is a lot easier than in adults. All you need is the right guidance to help your child come out of such a phase.
First and foremost, you have to give your children autonomy - the right to make their own choices, take their own decisions. Once a child makes his own choices, he is more likely to be happy treading that path, be it his education or career decisions. Imposing your likes and dislikes on children will leave them feeling pressurized and dissatisfied. Independence and self-governance will teach them the benefits of taking the right decisions as well as the pitfalls of taking the wrong ones.
Parents should make a great deal of effort to build positive, growth-conducive social relations for their children. Kids with a strong support network (family, friends, relatives, etc.) usually grow up into confident, compassionate individuals.
You should encourage your children to act in accordance with their inherent natures and personality traits. Let them pursue activities that utilize their abilities and help them achieve their potential. Encouraging your kids to work on both their strengths and weaknesses will lead to an increase in their competence levels and also their self-esteem.
More than anything else, what can help children with a low self-esteem is their parents' attention and time. The feeling of neglect is one of the worst things that can happen to a child. Give them your attention, involve them in a variety of activities - academic or otherwise - and make them feel loved; it will do them a world of good.
Educational counselors all over the world are guiding parents on how to deal with the most common problems faced by their children. Jiva Education, a propagator of innovative and personalized learning in schools, is one of the premier organizations helping parents in building self-esteem in their children.
Gauri Batra is an educationist associated with Jiva Education, an institution that propagates innovative and constructive learning methodologies in schools. Jiva helps parents in building self-esteem in their children through counseling.
Fishing for the Whole Family by Graham Hogan
Many people love to go fishing, instead of playing tennis or golf. Others make it their primary sport activity together with their families and friends to relieve boredom and stress. Surveys say that more than 50 million Americans love to go fishing and make it their lifestyle option instead of other sports.
In Alabama, fishing represents a substantial impact on the state economy. Hundreds of millions of dollars are represented and about 20,000 people list fishing as their source of livelihood. However, most people consider it as a form of relaxation and a family activity. In general, it is a lifestyle option.
In the book titled "The Incomplete Psychology of Everyday Fishing;" psychologist Paul G. Quinnett dedicated an entire chapter about fishing as a source to relieve stress. In the chapter, "Ethics of Fishing" he points out that a person must appreciate and enjoy the benefits of nature. He also highlighted that fishing correct is a way for an individual to become more disciplined in his lifestyle.
"Family Life First," an organization dedicated to introducing how to spend useful family time to parents for their children, have factual data that in the past 20 years, 25 percent of a child's playing time has decreased. Outdoor activities, where most children spend their playing time, have also declined by 50 percent. Since 1969 to 1996, 22 percent of family time activities have lessened proven by the study of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
Any fruitful time to interact with your children is time worth investing. Fishing is a way to connect. The quality time you get is really worth the effort. The experience you get by catching fish is what makes it wonderful to enjoy and that is the important part of fishing. There are 23 public fishing lakes having plenty of fish waiting to be caught. All children can experience the excitement and adventure of fishing. You will always remember the very first time you caught a fish, and the parent who showed you how to catch it. You gain enjoyable and learning experiences from fishing that makes it a great family activity.
Alabama, for example, promotes its lakes and open banks as places best for fishing. You do not even need a boat to catch fish. There are also stores where you can find what you need for fishing. You may bring your family with you and the time of being together and enjoying the fun of fishing is the best family activity you could have.
To learn about bowhunting pigs and bowhunting turkey, visit the Bowhunting Tips website.
In Alabama, fishing represents a substantial impact on the state economy. Hundreds of millions of dollars are represented and about 20,000 people list fishing as their source of livelihood. However, most people consider it as a form of relaxation and a family activity. In general, it is a lifestyle option.
In the book titled "The Incomplete Psychology of Everyday Fishing;" psychologist Paul G. Quinnett dedicated an entire chapter about fishing as a source to relieve stress. In the chapter, "Ethics of Fishing" he points out that a person must appreciate and enjoy the benefits of nature. He also highlighted that fishing correct is a way for an individual to become more disciplined in his lifestyle.
"Family Life First," an organization dedicated to introducing how to spend useful family time to parents for their children, have factual data that in the past 20 years, 25 percent of a child's playing time has decreased. Outdoor activities, where most children spend their playing time, have also declined by 50 percent. Since 1969 to 1996, 22 percent of family time activities have lessened proven by the study of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
Any fruitful time to interact with your children is time worth investing. Fishing is a way to connect. The quality time you get is really worth the effort. The experience you get by catching fish is what makes it wonderful to enjoy and that is the important part of fishing. There are 23 public fishing lakes having plenty of fish waiting to be caught. All children can experience the excitement and adventure of fishing. You will always remember the very first time you caught a fish, and the parent who showed you how to catch it. You gain enjoyable and learning experiences from fishing that makes it a great family activity.
Alabama, for example, promotes its lakes and open banks as places best for fishing. You do not even need a boat to catch fish. There are also stores where you can find what you need for fishing. You may bring your family with you and the time of being together and enjoying the fun of fishing is the best family activity you could have.
To learn about bowhunting pigs and bowhunting turkey, visit the Bowhunting Tips website.
Preschool Game: New and Fun Ideas For The Children by Eddie Lamb
Preschool teachers are probably the teachers that have the most fun of all; dealing with children that are this young can be an incredibly enjoyable and rewarding experience, especially when you consider the impact overall that you will have on their life.
It is a known fact that the first several years of a child's life are the most impacting, and so what they learn and the experiences that they have during this time literally mean more than anything in regards to their lives overall. This is why it is so important that you have activities and games readily available at all times for the children, ones that are not only fun and enjoyable but educational as well.
Coming up With a Preschool Game
If you are trying to come up with a preschool game, then you can at least rest assured in knowing that there is truly a multitude of different options that you have to choose from. It is easy because when children are this young they really do not necessarily have any preferences in regards to the type of preschool game or activity that they are involved in, as all they really care about is having fun and having a good time.
Therefore, when you are trying to come up with a preschool game, you need to be aware of only a few factors in particular, and these are: fun, enjoyment, and safety. For instance, there are many games that you could come up with but these may be more suited to older children and would thus not be safe for children of this age to play. The same can be reversed as well, and so you need to thus understand and recognize this fact.
When coming up a preschool game, try to remember that it will need to be something that would be interesting for all of the children, and as well something that will be able to keep them entertained for a period of time. Also, although education is incredibly important at all stages of a child's life, you do not want to overdo it, and this means that you do not want to give them overly hard tasks or games that are so difficult for them that they will not have fun.
You can always try things out and see how they work and then fix things if they need to be fixed; remember that the children will not be picky but you still need to have lots of fun games and activities ready for them, because children that age tend to get bored of things rather quickly.
Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines
whereby the original author's information and copyright must be included.
Preschool Game: New and Fun Ideas For The Children by Eddie Lamb
in Society (submitted 2010-03-29)
Preschool teachers are probably the teachers that have the most fun of all; dealing with children that are this young can be an incredibly enjoyable and rewarding experience, especially when you consider the impact overall that you will have on their life.
It is a known fact that the first several years of a child's life are the most impacting, and so what they learn and the experiences that they have during this time literally mean more than anything in regards to their lives overall. This is why it is so important that you have activities and games readily available at all times for the children, ones that are not only fun and enjoyable but educational as well.
Coming up With a Preschool Game
If you are trying to come up with a preschool game, then you can at least rest assured in knowing that there is truly a multitude of different options that you have to choose from. It is easy because when children are this young they really do not necessarily have any preferences in regards to the type of preschool game or activity that they are involved in, as all they really care about is having fun and having a good time.
Therefore, when you are trying to come up with a preschool game, you need to be aware of only a few factors in particular, and these are: fun, enjoyment, and safety. For instance, there are many games that you could come up with but these may be more suited to older children and would thus not be safe for children of this age to play. The same can be reversed as well, and so you need to thus understand and recognize this fact.
When coming up a preschool game, try to remember that it will need to be something that would be interesting for all of the children, and as well something that will be able to keep them entertained for a period of time. Also, although education is incredibly important at all stages of a child's life, you do not want to overdo it, and this means that you do not want to give them overly hard tasks or games that are so difficult for them that they will not have fun.
You can always try things out and see how they work and then fix things if they need to be fixed; remember that the children will not be picky but you still need to have lots of fun games and activities ready for them, because children that age tend to get bored of things rather quickly.
About the Author
Eddie Lamb publishes an abundance of information on a range of topical subjects. Just click on these links to find out more about preschool learning game, preschool curriculum and preschool furniture.
It is a known fact that the first several years of a child's life are the most impacting, and so what they learn and the experiences that they have during this time literally mean more than anything in regards to their lives overall. This is why it is so important that you have activities and games readily available at all times for the children, ones that are not only fun and enjoyable but educational as well.
Coming up With a Preschool Game
If you are trying to come up with a preschool game, then you can at least rest assured in knowing that there is truly a multitude of different options that you have to choose from. It is easy because when children are this young they really do not necessarily have any preferences in regards to the type of preschool game or activity that they are involved in, as all they really care about is having fun and having a good time.
Therefore, when you are trying to come up with a preschool game, you need to be aware of only a few factors in particular, and these are: fun, enjoyment, and safety. For instance, there are many games that you could come up with but these may be more suited to older children and would thus not be safe for children of this age to play. The same can be reversed as well, and so you need to thus understand and recognize this fact.
When coming up a preschool game, try to remember that it will need to be something that would be interesting for all of the children, and as well something that will be able to keep them entertained for a period of time. Also, although education is incredibly important at all stages of a child's life, you do not want to overdo it, and this means that you do not want to give them overly hard tasks or games that are so difficult for them that they will not have fun.
You can always try things out and see how they work and then fix things if they need to be fixed; remember that the children will not be picky but you still need to have lots of fun games and activities ready for them, because children that age tend to get bored of things rather quickly.
Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines
whereby the original author's information and copyright must be included.
Preschool Game: New and Fun Ideas For The Children by Eddie Lamb
in Society (submitted 2010-03-29)
Preschool teachers are probably the teachers that have the most fun of all; dealing with children that are this young can be an incredibly enjoyable and rewarding experience, especially when you consider the impact overall that you will have on their life.
It is a known fact that the first several years of a child's life are the most impacting, and so what they learn and the experiences that they have during this time literally mean more than anything in regards to their lives overall. This is why it is so important that you have activities and games readily available at all times for the children, ones that are not only fun and enjoyable but educational as well.
Coming up With a Preschool Game
If you are trying to come up with a preschool game, then you can at least rest assured in knowing that there is truly a multitude of different options that you have to choose from. It is easy because when children are this young they really do not necessarily have any preferences in regards to the type of preschool game or activity that they are involved in, as all they really care about is having fun and having a good time.
Therefore, when you are trying to come up with a preschool game, you need to be aware of only a few factors in particular, and these are: fun, enjoyment, and safety. For instance, there are many games that you could come up with but these may be more suited to older children and would thus not be safe for children of this age to play. The same can be reversed as well, and so you need to thus understand and recognize this fact.
When coming up a preschool game, try to remember that it will need to be something that would be interesting for all of the children, and as well something that will be able to keep them entertained for a period of time. Also, although education is incredibly important at all stages of a child's life, you do not want to overdo it, and this means that you do not want to give them overly hard tasks or games that are so difficult for them that they will not have fun.
You can always try things out and see how they work and then fix things if they need to be fixed; remember that the children will not be picky but you still need to have lots of fun games and activities ready for them, because children that age tend to get bored of things rather quickly.
About the Author
Eddie Lamb publishes an abundance of information on a range of topical subjects. Just click on these links to find out more about preschool learning game, preschool curriculum and preschool furniture.
Saturday, 20 March 2010
Kids Party Food They Can Make Themselves
Kids parties can work out to be very expensive, especially when you factor in the cost of the kids party food, table decorations, balloons and party bags, hiring the party venue, plus the cost of booking a childrens entertainer if you choose to have one.
A lot of parents budgets are already stretched to breaking point, so how do you host a fun party for your little one on a tight budget without it feeling like you are cutting corners?
Parents often try to cram as much activity and entertainment into the usual allotted two hours than they possibly can, and will normally prepare the kids party food in advance of the party. But why not make preparing the party food as much of the party as pass the parcel and musical statues. You could even save money by having this as the main activity rather than hire an entertainer.
If you are having your kids party at home, this is fine as you will be able to use your own kitchen. If you are hiring a village hall then check to see if use of the kitchen is included, most of the time it will be, and most will have a kettle, microwave and kitchen utensils you can use.
Make use of any large tables you can use within the hall, or if they do not have any to use, borrow some paste tables from your friends or the parents of the other children coming to the party. Put the tables together to make one large work surface and cover with disposable paper table cloths, or use a couple of large re-usable plastic coated table covers. These can be purchased quite cheaply from DIY shops. Covering the tables like this will mean an easy clean up at the end of the party. You can also pick up packs of plastic spoons and knives from party sections of most supermarkets, along with paper plates and napkins.
Kids sandwiches tend to be quite simple, so buy enough loaves of bread to make at least one sandwich per child, a large jar of chocolate spread will go down very well, and so will a tub of spreadable cream cheese. A fun thing to offer is to make open faced sandwiches that kids can actually turn into funny faces!
For example, with a chocolate spread sandwich you can make eyes from slices of banana, a nose from half a strawberry, and a smiling mouth can be formed from some blueberries. Soft fruit such as bananas and strawberries can easily be sliced by children using plastic knives. A cream cheese sandwich can have sliced hard boiled egg eyes, a cherry tomato nose, and a piece of sliced sweet red pepper for a mouth.
Kids treats can be made easily, and here is where you would need use of the kitchen most.
Everyone is familiar with rice crispie cakes, so bring along a box of crispies, a few bars of chocolate, paper cake cases and plenty of plastic spoons. You can melt the chocolate in a microwave proof bowl in the microwave, or if the kitchen does not have one, on the kitchen hob in a bowl over a pan of hot water.
If you have enough small cereal bowls to give one per child, then use these, or alternatively paper dishes can be picked up cheaply from the party ware section of supermarkets.
Divide the crispies between the childrens bowls and pour a little melted chocolate into each bowl. I have to say that most of the mixture does not make the paper cake cases when I have done this before, instead it ends up being eaten sneakily straight from the bowl while I am not looking! However, you do end up with some neat little chocolate crispy cakes that the kids can eat themselves or take home with them.
Iced biscuits are simple and cheap to make, and to save time and money just buy some supermarket own brand plain biscuits. You will need some icing sugar and some small sweets or sugar sprinkles to decorate the tops of the biscuits. Let the children open the biscuit packets and divide them up, meanwhile make up a large bowl of icing in the kitchen, then pour some into smaller bowls or paper bowls for the children to use. They just spread over the icing and decorate to their liking.
Believe me when I say that time really does fly when you get the kids to make their own party food. It is really good fun, and very absorbing.
There are lots more party ideas, recipes, fun crafts, and money saving ideas on our website, and you can sign up to our FREE weekly newsletter for lots of great tips each week here: www.cotswoldfamilylife.co.uk
See you soon!
Michelle Newbold, Joint Editor
Cotswold Family Life
Become a Squidoo Lensmaster like me! Click here: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/ebookmum
A lot of parents budgets are already stretched to breaking point, so how do you host a fun party for your little one on a tight budget without it feeling like you are cutting corners?
Parents often try to cram as much activity and entertainment into the usual allotted two hours than they possibly can, and will normally prepare the kids party food in advance of the party. But why not make preparing the party food as much of the party as pass the parcel and musical statues. You could even save money by having this as the main activity rather than hire an entertainer.
If you are having your kids party at home, this is fine as you will be able to use your own kitchen. If you are hiring a village hall then check to see if use of the kitchen is included, most of the time it will be, and most will have a kettle, microwave and kitchen utensils you can use.
Make use of any large tables you can use within the hall, or if they do not have any to use, borrow some paste tables from your friends or the parents of the other children coming to the party. Put the tables together to make one large work surface and cover with disposable paper table cloths, or use a couple of large re-usable plastic coated table covers. These can be purchased quite cheaply from DIY shops. Covering the tables like this will mean an easy clean up at the end of the party. You can also pick up packs of plastic spoons and knives from party sections of most supermarkets, along with paper plates and napkins.
Kids sandwiches tend to be quite simple, so buy enough loaves of bread to make at least one sandwich per child, a large jar of chocolate spread will go down very well, and so will a tub of spreadable cream cheese. A fun thing to offer is to make open faced sandwiches that kids can actually turn into funny faces!
For example, with a chocolate spread sandwich you can make eyes from slices of banana, a nose from half a strawberry, and a smiling mouth can be formed from some blueberries. Soft fruit such as bananas and strawberries can easily be sliced by children using plastic knives. A cream cheese sandwich can have sliced hard boiled egg eyes, a cherry tomato nose, and a piece of sliced sweet red pepper for a mouth.
Kids treats can be made easily, and here is where you would need use of the kitchen most.
Everyone is familiar with rice crispie cakes, so bring along a box of crispies, a few bars of chocolate, paper cake cases and plenty of plastic spoons. You can melt the chocolate in a microwave proof bowl in the microwave, or if the kitchen does not have one, on the kitchen hob in a bowl over a pan of hot water.
If you have enough small cereal bowls to give one per child, then use these, or alternatively paper dishes can be picked up cheaply from the party ware section of supermarkets.
Divide the crispies between the childrens bowls and pour a little melted chocolate into each bowl. I have to say that most of the mixture does not make the paper cake cases when I have done this before, instead it ends up being eaten sneakily straight from the bowl while I am not looking! However, you do end up with some neat little chocolate crispy cakes that the kids can eat themselves or take home with them.
Iced biscuits are simple and cheap to make, and to save time and money just buy some supermarket own brand plain biscuits. You will need some icing sugar and some small sweets or sugar sprinkles to decorate the tops of the biscuits. Let the children open the biscuit packets and divide them up, meanwhile make up a large bowl of icing in the kitchen, then pour some into smaller bowls or paper bowls for the children to use. They just spread over the icing and decorate to their liking.
Believe me when I say that time really does fly when you get the kids to make their own party food. It is really good fun, and very absorbing.
There are lots more party ideas, recipes, fun crafts, and money saving ideas on our website, and you can sign up to our FREE weekly newsletter for lots of great tips each week here: www.cotswoldfamilylife.co.uk
See you soon!
Michelle Newbold, Joint Editor
Cotswold Family Life
Become a Squidoo Lensmaster like me! Click here: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/ebookmum
Kids Recipes Are Not Always For Eating
When you think of kids recipes, you think of jam tarts, cookies, chopped bananas and instant dessert mixes. But have you thought about getting your kids in the kitchen to rustle up a batch of play dough?
Children are curious by nature, so if you tell them that you are going to make something in the kitchen using food ingredients, but you will not be eating it, they will wonder what it could possibly be.
Making your own play dough is simple and very inexpensive to do, so why not spend some quality time with your kids weighing and mixing up the ingredients, choosing the food colourings, then creating endless creatures and characters from the resulting dough.
Here is my recipe for home made play dough:
1 cup of plain flour
1 cup of boiling water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
half a cup of table salt
food colouring of your choice
Put all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon. Add the vegetable oil, and a few drops of food colouring if you are using it, then pour in the boiling water and mix until all the ingredients are combined to make a thick dough.
Let the dough cool down before playing with it. You can add a bit of sparkle to your dough by adding a few shakes of glitter to the cooled mixture and knead it in.
Home made play dough can be kept in an airtight container, or use an empty ice cream tub if you have one spare.
All play dough goes off eventually whether it is home made or shop purchased, so it is far more cost-effective to make your own at home, plus it is fun for the kids to get involved too. Think of it as an extra science project!
If you liked my home made play dough you will love finding out how to make goop, paper mache, colourful rice, junk models and more!
Sign up for our weekly newsletter by visiting www.cotswoldfamilylife.co.uk
Michelle Newbold, Joint Editor
Cotswold Family Life
Become a Squidoo Lensmaster like me! Click here: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/ebookmum
Children are curious by nature, so if you tell them that you are going to make something in the kitchen using food ingredients, but you will not be eating it, they will wonder what it could possibly be.
Making your own play dough is simple and very inexpensive to do, so why not spend some quality time with your kids weighing and mixing up the ingredients, choosing the food colourings, then creating endless creatures and characters from the resulting dough.
Here is my recipe for home made play dough:
1 cup of plain flour
1 cup of boiling water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
half a cup of table salt
food colouring of your choice
Put all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon. Add the vegetable oil, and a few drops of food colouring if you are using it, then pour in the boiling water and mix until all the ingredients are combined to make a thick dough.
Let the dough cool down before playing with it. You can add a bit of sparkle to your dough by adding a few shakes of glitter to the cooled mixture and knead it in.
Home made play dough can be kept in an airtight container, or use an empty ice cream tub if you have one spare.
All play dough goes off eventually whether it is home made or shop purchased, so it is far more cost-effective to make your own at home, plus it is fun for the kids to get involved too. Think of it as an extra science project!
If you liked my home made play dough you will love finding out how to make goop, paper mache, colourful rice, junk models and more!
Sign up for our weekly newsletter by visiting www.cotswoldfamilylife.co.uk
Michelle Newbold, Joint Editor
Cotswold Family Life
Become a Squidoo Lensmaster like me! Click here: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/ebookmum
Kids in the Kitchen: Getting your Kids Interested in Cooking
Cooking with kids can be great fun, if only your kids actually believed this to be true!
With so many distractions available to kids these days, it is sometimes hard to convince them that getting in the kitchen for some cooking fun can be just as enjoyable as playing a computer game.
My eight year old son would rather play on the PC creating pizza after pizza in a virtual cafe rather than make a real one. So I had a think about how I could temp him into the kitchen to show him that cooking can be enjoyable, and that spending time with me was just as fun as playing a computer game.
Knowing how much he enjoys playing on two certain websites created for children, the names of which I am not allowed to mention here as it would be seen as advertising, I suggested we create our own pastry versions of the games complete with all his favourite characters. The added attraction being that we could recreate these creatures in 3D, then eventually eat them!
Here is my simple short crust pastry recipe so you can have a go too.
200g plain flour,
pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter, cubed
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and work in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine crumbs.
Mix in two tablespoons of cold water and stir with a wooden spoon until it clumps together – add more water if it's dry a drop at a time.
Lightly flour a work surface and tip out the pastry. Knead gently until you have a smooth dough.
Now you can break off small pieces and let your child form them into their favourite characters.
My son particularly likes making penguins, so we divide up the pastry into about 8 pieces and add a drop or two of food colouring to each piece so we can make different coloured penguins.
Here is a tasty trick if you have quite a thick or large character made from pastry, and you are worried the centre will not cook through properly in the oven.
Hollow out the belly of your pastry character and fill with a bit of chocolate spread, jam, or stuff in a couple of mini marshmallows, then seal over the hole but squeezing the pastry back together.
Once cooked, you have cute characters with a gooey surprise in the middle.
Yum!
Michelle Cotswold Family Life
Become a Squidoo Lensmaster like me! Click here: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/ebookmum
With so many distractions available to kids these days, it is sometimes hard to convince them that getting in the kitchen for some cooking fun can be just as enjoyable as playing a computer game.
My eight year old son would rather play on the PC creating pizza after pizza in a virtual cafe rather than make a real one. So I had a think about how I could temp him into the kitchen to show him that cooking can be enjoyable, and that spending time with me was just as fun as playing a computer game.
Knowing how much he enjoys playing on two certain websites created for children, the names of which I am not allowed to mention here as it would be seen as advertising, I suggested we create our own pastry versions of the games complete with all his favourite characters. The added attraction being that we could recreate these creatures in 3D, then eventually eat them!
Here is my simple short crust pastry recipe so you can have a go too.
200g plain flour,
pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter, cubed
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and work in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine crumbs.
Mix in two tablespoons of cold water and stir with a wooden spoon until it clumps together – add more water if it's dry a drop at a time.
Lightly flour a work surface and tip out the pastry. Knead gently until you have a smooth dough.
Now you can break off small pieces and let your child form them into their favourite characters.
My son particularly likes making penguins, so we divide up the pastry into about 8 pieces and add a drop or two of food colouring to each piece so we can make different coloured penguins.
Here is a tasty trick if you have quite a thick or large character made from pastry, and you are worried the centre will not cook through properly in the oven.
Hollow out the belly of your pastry character and fill with a bit of chocolate spread, jam, or stuff in a couple of mini marshmallows, then seal over the hole but squeezing the pastry back together.
Once cooked, you have cute characters with a gooey surprise in the middle.
Yum!
Michelle Cotswold Family Life
Become a Squidoo Lensmaster like me! Click here: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/ebookmum
Get Rid of Nits and Head Lice Today
I remember having head lice when I was a little girl, and my mother used to sit me in the kitchen sink and physically pick through my hair and crush the lice between her fingernails. I wonder now if that is where the phrase 'nit-picking' comes from?
Head lice and nits are a very common problem amongst pre-school and school-age children, but it doesn't stop at the children as head lice can quickly spread through the whole family, and the first time you are aware of it is when you head starts to itch like crazy!
My son regularly comes back from school with a lot of these little visitors that I do not care to invite into my home, so I thought I would share with you what I do to keep the little critters at bay.
First of all, lets clear up the confusion about the difference between head lice and nits. A head louse is a little six-legged insect that feeds on human blood. You can find plenty of head lice pictures by doing a search on the internet, and let me tell you, they are not the most attractive of creatures to look at! Just one look and you will want to be rid of them asap!
Nits are actually the eggs laid by head lice, and they do this by gluing each egg to a hair shaft. Believe me when I say that the glue they use is really strong, as you will find out if you try to remove a single nit with your fingernails - they just don't seem to budge easily.
Head lice are not harmful in themselves, but the action of regular scratching can lead to infection through the bacteria carried on the hands and fingernails.
There are a lot of treatments on the market that you can buy that promise to rid nits and head lice in a single treatment, but often these are made from harsh chemicals that I for one do not want to be rubbing into my son's scalp, plus these treatments do not prevent re-infestation, so you will end up repeating the treatment on a regular basis. This can also prove to be quite costly as these solutions are not cheap! There is also a risk of the lice becoming resistant to the chemicals used, so treating your child with these solutions becomes pointless.
I find that some of the chemical treatments just kill head lice but not the nits, so you have to keep using the treatment to kill the new hatchlings as they emerge. This is all well and good, but what if your child comes home with new head lice freshly caught from a school friend the day after you have used up the last of your solution?
I have found that using a nit comb to be the most effective way of keeping on top of the problem. OK this method does not kill head lice directly, but I get a great sense of pleasure when watching the little critters being washed down the plug hole in the bath.
Combing uses no harsh chemicals, it is easy to do as you can run the comb through your child's hair every time they have a bath or have their hair washed.
I use a metal comb purpose made for removing nits. There are a few on the market, but make sure you invest in a well made metal comb that removes nits as well as head lice, and do not settle for a cheap plastic nit comb. Plastic versions do not last very long and the teeth tend to bend and become misshapen after a short amount of time. This will make the comb ineffective.
Once you have your metal comb, all you need to do is your regular shampoo followed by plenty of hair conditioner. Just buy a big bottle of the supermarket own brand conditioner as this will save you tons of money. Use a wide-toothed plastic comb to work the conditioner thorough the hair and get out any hair knots.
Use the comb as instructed on the packaging to quickly comb out live lice and nits and wash the comb out after every stroke through the hair. Washing your comb will prevent you combing the lice back into the hair.
Another tip I have for you is one I got from a parent at my son's school. She uses a brand of well-known hair cream on her son, and swears it works to keep out head lice. She says hair gel works just as well, but her son prefers the cream. She has used it for over a year now and her son has not had any lice in that time.
There are other ways to combat headlice, find out how on our website www.cotswoldfamilylife.co.uk where we regularly post advice about head lice and nits.
Our family magazine and website is packed full of useful free information - come on over and see what’s new today!
Keep sending your recipes for our new book – it’s going well.
Michelle Newbold, Joint Editor, Cotswold Family Life
Become a Squidoo Lensmaster like me! Click here: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/ebookmum
Head lice and nits are a very common problem amongst pre-school and school-age children, but it doesn't stop at the children as head lice can quickly spread through the whole family, and the first time you are aware of it is when you head starts to itch like crazy!
My son regularly comes back from school with a lot of these little visitors that I do not care to invite into my home, so I thought I would share with you what I do to keep the little critters at bay.
First of all, lets clear up the confusion about the difference between head lice and nits. A head louse is a little six-legged insect that feeds on human blood. You can find plenty of head lice pictures by doing a search on the internet, and let me tell you, they are not the most attractive of creatures to look at! Just one look and you will want to be rid of them asap!
Nits are actually the eggs laid by head lice, and they do this by gluing each egg to a hair shaft. Believe me when I say that the glue they use is really strong, as you will find out if you try to remove a single nit with your fingernails - they just don't seem to budge easily.
Head lice are not harmful in themselves, but the action of regular scratching can lead to infection through the bacteria carried on the hands and fingernails.
There are a lot of treatments on the market that you can buy that promise to rid nits and head lice in a single treatment, but often these are made from harsh chemicals that I for one do not want to be rubbing into my son's scalp, plus these treatments do not prevent re-infestation, so you will end up repeating the treatment on a regular basis. This can also prove to be quite costly as these solutions are not cheap! There is also a risk of the lice becoming resistant to the chemicals used, so treating your child with these solutions becomes pointless.
I find that some of the chemical treatments just kill head lice but not the nits, so you have to keep using the treatment to kill the new hatchlings as they emerge. This is all well and good, but what if your child comes home with new head lice freshly caught from a school friend the day after you have used up the last of your solution?
I have found that using a nit comb to be the most effective way of keeping on top of the problem. OK this method does not kill head lice directly, but I get a great sense of pleasure when watching the little critters being washed down the plug hole in the bath.
Combing uses no harsh chemicals, it is easy to do as you can run the comb through your child's hair every time they have a bath or have their hair washed.
I use a metal comb purpose made for removing nits. There are a few on the market, but make sure you invest in a well made metal comb that removes nits as well as head lice, and do not settle for a cheap plastic nit comb. Plastic versions do not last very long and the teeth tend to bend and become misshapen after a short amount of time. This will make the comb ineffective.
Once you have your metal comb, all you need to do is your regular shampoo followed by plenty of hair conditioner. Just buy a big bottle of the supermarket own brand conditioner as this will save you tons of money. Use a wide-toothed plastic comb to work the conditioner thorough the hair and get out any hair knots.
Use the comb as instructed on the packaging to quickly comb out live lice and nits and wash the comb out after every stroke through the hair. Washing your comb will prevent you combing the lice back into the hair.
Another tip I have for you is one I got from a parent at my son's school. She uses a brand of well-known hair cream on her son, and swears it works to keep out head lice. She says hair gel works just as well, but her son prefers the cream. She has used it for over a year now and her son has not had any lice in that time.
There are other ways to combat headlice, find out how on our website www.cotswoldfamilylife.co.uk where we regularly post advice about head lice and nits.
Our family magazine and website is packed full of useful free information - come on over and see what’s new today!
Keep sending your recipes for our new book – it’s going well.
Michelle Newbold, Joint Editor, Cotswold Family Life
Become a Squidoo Lensmaster like me! Click here: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/ebookmum
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