When it comes to clothes shopping for the kids, it can sometimes be a crazy ride. Children are constantly growing, which can make it hard to shop on a budget, that is why it is best to have a set plan of action when it comes to selecting clothes for the kids.

Set Aside a Limit

It can be easy to purchase clothing with the idea that the kids can wear it in a few months, but that has cost a lot of wasted money simply because they grow so quickly! When parents go out shopping, it is best that they set a limit on how many clothing items they should buy. Keep in mind that two shirts may only last the kids a couple of weeks before they need a bigger size. This strategy also works when it comes to shoes, hook-and-loop toddler belts, underwear and sportswear. Parents always need to remember that they will probably be clothes shopping again in a few weeks so, shop efficiently rather than buying in bulk.

The Bulk Plan

If parents want to buy in bulk there are ways to make it work. Parents can purchase a few items that fit their children now while also buying items that are the next two sizes up. This way, they have clothes that will fit as the children grow. It can be risky sometimes buying clothes for anticipated growth, but it can also cut down on how many shopping trips need to be taken per month.

Keep Individual Kids in Mind

Every child grows at a different pace, so parents need to be aware of that when choosing clothing for their children. Some boys can grow a foot in one week while others grow more slowly. There can also be a huge difference between girls and boys when it comes to how rapidly a child might be growing. Keep each individual child in mind when choosing clothing items because one child might need bigger sizes while another needs the same size clothes, but also bigger shoes.

New is Not Always Better

Brand new clothing can get expensive, especially when items have to be bought every few weeks. Parents who may not be able to afford new clothing can find a lot of great deals at second-hand shops, swap shops or yard sales. Used children's clothing tends to be in good shape since kids do grow so quickly and used clothing items can often be as good as brand new items.

Give 'Em a Treat!

Every child deserves something special that they can wear. So, after buying all the regular clothing items, let the kids pick out something special and fun. They can buy a new hat, some jewelry, fancy shoes, a shiny hook-and-loop toddler belt or some hair accessories. Every child should be allowed to put their own spin on their style.

Shopping for clothes does not have to be frustrating, set up a plan to make it run smoothly and get the kids into pants that are not too short.

Valentine's Day has gone down in history as the day for last minute flower bouquets, the time of year when the stores are overrun with heart-shaped balloons and a good day for chocolate companies, at least that is what the pessimists say. The real believers will say that Valentine's Day has gone down in history as the day to celebrate love, and not just romantic love, but love of all kinds. This Valentine's Day description is the one to share with the kids, the one to help them celebrate, although a little chocolate never hurt anyone so go ahead and boost the companies while sharing the love!

Explain All Kinds of Love

When celebrating Valentine's Day with the kids, parents can help them understand by explaining the various ways their kids can love. They can talk about the kind of love between Mommy and Daddy, which involves lots of hugs, kisses and roses, but even more important for a child is the ways in which they can love! Parents can talk about the love a child has for their family, their parents, siblings, grandparents or even pets. They can also explain the love a child can have for friends or teachers. Ask the kids to name all the people (or animals!) they love and let them write the names on a large poster that they can hang on the wall for the holiday festivities.

Giving Gifts through Love

A great way to help the kids show love is to give gifts from the heart. This does not have to be expensive, some of the best gifts are homemade. Help the kids make Valentine's Day crafts for the class party or homemade hand-print cards for their grandparents. If a child can make something from the heart they can truly understand what it means to give a gift through love.

Enjoy the Day!

Sometimes it can be hard for young children to fully comprehend what it means to love someone, but that is OK. Let the kids have fun with the day and feel love in their own way. Throw a party where the kids dress up in their best red or pink Valentine's Day getup, complete with a festive hook-and-loop toddler belt. Kids can enjoy their valentine cards, candy, games and friends while celebrating a love that they may not understand, but can certainly feel.

To get things started, here are a few craft ideas!

Love Bugs:

This one involves some heart-shaped stickers, large pom poms and some googly eyes. Let the kids choose a sticker and place one large pom pom on top of the sticker. Once that is done, turn the pom pom over so the sticker is on the bottom and then glue two googly eyes on the top and poof! Each child has their own fuzzy love bug.

Another fun option is to cut out a ton of paper hearts, gather up tons of stickers and glitter and let the kids create their own cards. Happy Valentine's Day, grab the kids and share the love!

As little ones start to grow their curiosity grows with them. All of the sudden letters, numbers and words become more than just shapes on a page. It is important as children grow for parents to help them put those numbers or letters together in order to let curiosity thrive.

Visual Assistance

A great way for parents to start their children putting numbers or letters together is to give them a visual stimulus. One option is to purchase some refrigerator magnets of various letters or numbers that the kids can arrange. Parents can create games with their children to help arrange the magnets in the correct order. Other options include basic writing or coloring, cutting out letters or numbers for the kids to arrange or to physically write the ABC's and numbers on a blackboard or white board hanging on the wall. It is important that kids have some form of visual aid when it comes to learning their letters and numbers.

 

Hearing the Answers

Another way for parents to help their kids put words and letters together it by simply talking to them. What a child hears has a huge influence on how they learn over time. Singing the ABC's or a creating counting song can help toddlers tremendously when it comes to learning. Another way parents can assist their children through listening is by reading to them. If a child can mentally pair the sound of a word with its appearance it often leads to developmental strides with both letters and words.

Becoming Involved

The best way for a child to learn is to become physically involved in what they are doing. Parents can create some counting games for their kids, have an alphabet parade or create a word matching game. Once a child has gotten involved and it having fun, they will be more inclined to remember the steps of the game for next time, thus learning skills in an exciting way. If a child is engaged in something because it is fun, they are more likely to remember it in the future.

Electronic Learning

Educational television programs smartphone apps or tablet apps can be useful if used correctly. If a child is just simply sat down in front of the TV, odds are they will not learn much even of the program does claim to be educational. In order for a child to get something out of electronic learning, a parent has to be involved. For example, if Dora the Explorer asks the kids watching to count something with her, a parent has to help point to, vocalize or demonstrate what their child needs to do. This way, a child is joining their parent in a mental or physical activity rather than just staring at a screen.

Development is extremely important during the early years of childhood and it is essential to start instilling letter and number skills even at a young age. Instilling those skills does not have to be complicated, in fact, it can be as easy as 1, 2, 3.

For younger children, starting school can be an adventure, but it can be hard for a them to feel like they have much control. Once all the back to school shopping is done, kids do not have much of a say in what happens with school. Their classes, schedules, homework and activities are more or less chosen for them. Parents can strive to look for ways to give their children some feeling of control in their day to day life during school. One great way to do that is to let the kids make their own lunch.

Offer Control while Controlling Options

No child should be allowed to pack their entire lunch on their own because, more than likely, it will consist entirely of candy and pizza. But parents can give their child a list of three options in each food group that they can choose from. That way, they feel like they are choosing their own lunch options on their own but still have a balanced meal. Once they have made their choices, have them pack up everything on their own inside their lunch box, bag or tote.

Create Food Together

Another way to help the kids create their own lunch is to have them make the food on their own as much as possible. Let them spread the peanut butter and jelly or help them cut their hot dog. This can teach the kids responsibility as well as offer opportunities for creativity.

Make It Fun

When making food with the kids, make it fun by adding a few twists. Let them cut their sandwiches with cookie cutters to make fun shapes, put food coloring in their ranch dressing so they have green snacks or make a smiley face out of veggies.

Speaking of fun food, here are a few easy recipes to make with the kids!

Pinwheels:

All it takes is a tortilla and the kid's favorite sandwich toppings. Lay a tortilla flat and add meat, sauces, vegetables or cheese. Try to keep it to one or two sauces with three other items so the sandwich is not overstuffed. Once everything is spread across the tortilla, roll it up starting at one end. Once it's rolled up, use a knife to slice inch-long slices out of the tortilla roll. Now the kids have tiny spindle sandwiches that taste great!

Bagel Pizzas:

For kids, a mini pizza is a lot cooler than leftover slices. A great way to make them at home is using bagels. Parents can use regular bagels or mini bagels depending on their preference. Have the kids spread some sauce on each bagel and sprinkle on some cheese. Then they can add whatever toppings they like best. Bake them in the oven at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted. Wrap them up in tin foil so they will still be warm at lunchtime and let the kids enjoy!

Lunch is one of every child's favorite classes in school, so make it one of the best and let lunch their lunch be one of a kind!

There is nothing better for a kid than gathering up all the rubber duckies, tug boats and mermaids to play in the bubbles. But bath time can also be risky if not done right and that is where the parents come in.

Safe Fun

Bath time should be fun but also safe. For example, parents should be the ones in charge of running the water and pouring the soap. That way, the parent can decide on the right water temperature and the correct amount of soap for a bath. It can be dangerous to have waters too hot or too cold. The water should be kept lukewarm to guard against burns as well as sickness from the cold. When using soap or bubbles, parents need to make sure it is child-friendly. Bubbles should be used in moderation and things such as shampoo should only be used under adult supervision. Parents can look for tearless soaps and shampoos to guard against stinging the eyes.

Cover Up and Hide Away Dangers

Bathroom safety is essential for all families with young children. This often means locking cleaning supplies up or putting it away where a child cannot reach it. There are many chemicals that, if put into the bath, can be damaging to a child's skin, or worse, their health. Another thing to keep in mind is covering outlets, locking cabinet doors and putting child-proof locks on the bathtub knobs so the kids cannot run the water without a parent there to help. This can keep them from overflowing the tub, messing up the bathroom or endangering themselves.

Make It Fun!

Once all the safety precautions have been taken care of, parents can make bath time fun for their kids! Before getting into the bath, make a game out of throwing dirty clothes into the hamper or putting away hook-and-loop toddler belts as the kids get undressed. Once they are in the water, give them bath toys, add some bubbles, play music in the bathroom or draw the shower curtain and let them splash around!

Supervision for the Little Ones

Parents should decide on their own when their kids are ready to be in the tub without supervision. It can vary by age and, since not all children are the same, some might need more help than others. For younger children, however, a parent should be present in the bathroom at all times, not only for the child's safety, but also for the protected cleanliness of the bathroom.

Scrub Time!

When helping kids wash, parents should be there to help but also need to try and teach them how to do it on their own. Parents can do this by squirting some shampoo into their child's hand and letting them rub it in their hair. They can also let the kids scrub with a washcloth and rinse their body on their own. When rinsing hair, parents can have the kids finger through their hair as their parent pours water over their head as it is bent backwards.

Bath time is the time for rubbing, scrubbing and fun in the tube! So keep it safe, keep it clean and keep it fun!

The tree has been taken down, the last Christmas cookie is resting in a child's belly and the new year has arrived, start it off right with a little thankfulness. Once the kids have enjoyed all their new gifts from Christmas, they should hand out plenty of great big "thank yous!" to everyone who handed them a present over the holidays.

Explain Holiday Thankfulness

Kids should understand and practice thankfulness for what they receive even at a young age. Once all the holiday festivities are over, parents can take the kids aside to ask them if they have enjoyed their gifts and why each gift was special. Parents should also help the kids to understand that those gifts came from the heart and that it is something to be appreciated. The last thing that should be explained is that hearing that someone is thankful for a gift that was given can make friends or family feel very special.

Send Out Thankfulness

Parents can help their kids send out thankfulness in a lot of different ways. One option is Thank You cards that the kids can make by hand for grandparents, friends or other family members. Another option is to go to the store and let them pick out a card to sign. If they cannot write on their own yet, parents can have them say what they want to say while watching a parent write it down. Another great way to send out thankfulness is by saying it over a phone call. It can especially mean a lot to grandparents to hear a thank you over the phone rather than through the mail.

Practice Appreciation

Children should be taught to acknowledge what they are given as soon as it is received. Parents can teach their children this by having them say "thank you" as soon as they receive any kind of gift, compliment or help. If that habit is instilled in them at a young age, it will become automatic as they get older. For example, if a child receives a brand new hook-and-loop toddler belt, before they are allowed to put it on, have them give s great big "thank you!" to whoever gave it to them.

Thankful for Disappointment

Sometimes kids get gifts they do not like, it happens to everyone. Parents should strive to help children understand that, even if they do not like something, it is important to show thanks for the thought. It can be hard to help younger children understand why they should say thank you for something they do not like but parents can explain to their kids that individuals never try to buy something that their friend or family member will not like and, because of that, they should always show thankfulness. Kids should also understand that simply saying they do not like a gift could hurt someone's feelings. A better approach could be saying thank you for the thought but it just might not be the right thing for them, or to simply just say thank you and leave it at that.

The words "thank you" will be one of the most important lessons a child will ever have so start teaching them right now!

It is almost a brand new year! For the kids, that means staying up late, eating lots of junk food, throwing confetti, shooting off fireworks and shouting in the middle of the night, but it can also be so much more. As the new year approaches, parents can teach their kids the importance of what that new year can mean to them as individuals as well as the entire family.

Celebrate!

While having the kids help pick out snacks, fireworks and confetti balls, parents can explain why they are celebrating in the first place. A good way to show the kids what a new year means is to get out the calendar. Parents can show them the different months and how, at the end of the year, they start all over again. Parents can use this to help the kids understand that a new year is about growing, getting older and understanding new things. They can also explain how a new year can mean becoming a better person and making good decisions in the future.

What to Change?

A good family activity is to have everyone say one thing that they liked about themselves during the past year and one thing they would like to change. This can help kids to recognize things they would like to better in themselves. Once everyone says their two things, they can come up with resolutions on how they would like to change the things they did not like and how to further the things that they did like. Once everyone has made their resolution, the rest of the family can say how they would like to help the other members of their family uphold their resolutions. This can create bonding within the family as well as openness. As the kids get older, resolutions will change and the family will grow.

New Beginnings

The most important thing for a child to understand about the new year is that it is a time for new beginnings. So, if a child has had a hard time during the past year for any reason, a parent can encourage their kids to look at the new year as a time to overcome whatever hardship they have gone through. This outlook will help the children greatly as they grow older and hardships become more difficult. Another important thing is that parents recognize the importance of family as they enter a new beginning with their kids.

Turn It Up!

Once all the serious thoughts and resolutions have taken place it is time to turn up the party! Have the kids help make snacks, create a new year's punch to toast at midnight, get out lots of party games, party poppers, fireworks and noise makers. Everyone in the family can dress up in festive clothing and accessories, such as brightly colored hook-and-loop toddler belts, to welcome a brand new year.

The last midnight of 2015 is rapidly approaching, so write down those resolutions, whip up some snack dip, get the kids and CELEBRATE!

Christmas is the season of giving and teaching a child what that means can be one of the most important things a parent does this season. Every child gets excited to open their presents from Santa, but what they might love even more is giving Santa a helping hand.

Get Excited!

It is important to teach the kids how important giving can be but also to teach them that it can be fun! Get the kids excited by telling them that Santa needs some extra helpers this year. One way parents can up the excitement is by creating "letters from Santa" personally asking the kids to help him this year by giving some extra gifts. Once the kids are on board, parents can help them think of some creative ways to exercise giving during the Christmas season.

Finding the Right Way to Give

It can be easy for a child to immediately think of their friends at school for giving opportunities. While that can be a good idea, parents should try to help their kids lean more towards individuals or families who are struggling more this year with purchasing presents, affording Christmas dinner or finding a way to be home for the holidays. A few options can be putting together shoe box kits for local churches to send to children abroad, choosing a name off of an angel tree, adopting a family for Christmas or sending a care package to a soldier. This can be a great way for the kids to learn the importance of, not only giving to friends and family, but giving to strangers who need a helping hand.

Homemade Goodies

Another option is to make homemade treats for friends or families who may be tight on money this year. Parents can have the kids choose their favorite cookies to bake and take to a friend's house or make homemade cards for the elderly couple that lives down the street. Other options are creating Christmas ornaments, making snack kits or cooking a full meal.

Talk About It

While getting something together or making something with the kids, parents should talk to the kids about why it is important and how it makes them feel. They should explain to their kids that, while getting presents feels great, giving them can feel great too. Parents can also talk to their kids about what it could mean to a family in need to receive something when they may not have been able to in the past. Once the kids have given their gifts, parents should ask them how it made them feel and why they think it is important. This can involve the kids even further and be the first step towards giving opportunities in the future. It is important that kids not only do something for others, but know why they are doing it as well.

This year, have Christmas be the season of giving, not the season of getting. So parents, roll out the paper and start wrapping the joy of giving around all the kids!