Every expectant mother looks forward to the day when they get to pick out baby clothes. Buying a variety of baby and toddler clothes can be fun, but what several parents do not know is that toxic chemicals can be found in a variety of clothing items. Adults do not have much of a problem withstanding such chemicals, but for young children who have not had time to establish a strong immune system, it can be a problem. It is important for parents to be on the lookout while shopping and to be aware of how to reduce the risk of chemicals that could possibly harm their children.

 

What is the Harm?

 

Sadly, just because children's clothing is being sold in a store does not always mean that it has been treated for harmful chemicals. Things such as fire retardants, water repellents, colored dyes, formaldehyde finishes, plastic and cotton pesticides can all be harmful to children. Many of these chemicals also come with the risk of causing cancer. Several of these chemicals, such as fire retardants and water repellents, are presented as being a safety finish for clothing, when in realty, it is actually causing damage.

 

What to Buy

 

The safest clothing parents can buy for their children is untreated cotton or items with natural fibers. Several outlets are available where parents can purchase clothing made from organic materials that have not been messed with. Most of these are made with natural dyes as well so parents do not have to worry about purchasing colored clothing. It is also important to purchase accessories, such as toddler belts, from a trusted company, such as Baby Beltz, that does not finish their product with harmful chemicals.

 

Be Aware

 

With clothing, it is not just the chemicals within the clothes that can be harmful to children. Scented laundry detergent, fabric softener and bleach also contain chemicals that can cause damage. The chemicals contained in these substances never comes all the way out. Moth balls also contain dangerous chemicals that never come out of clothing. It is best for parents to use unscented detergent alone when doing laundry for their children and to also be aware of what ingredients are in any stain removers or detergents.

 

Be Safe

Not everyone can afford to buy clothing that only comes from organic material, but there is another option. Several parents go through a phasing process with their child's clothing. Basically, they use natural treatments that work to remove the chemicals over time. The treatments used most often include vinegar and baking soda. Soaking clothing in one of these substances overnight works to remove the chemicals found within finishes and dyes. From the fabrics purchased from the store, the safest choices tend to be polyester or nylon, as they off-gas the least amount of harmful chemicals.

 

Although it can be a frightening thing, it is important that parents spread the knowledge about possible chemicals within their children's clothing. The sad truth is that companies care more about the profit than the risk and will continue to sell harmful possibilities. In order to guard against it, parents need to take the right steps towards keeping their children safe.

In between taking down the Christmas tree, enjoying brand new gifts and eating leftover turkey sandwiches every day for lunch, parents are beginning to think about the New Year. New Year’s resolutions are a big part the holidays and one of the most highly used resolutions for parents is cleaning. Going through the kid’s old closets and cleaning out the past year’s unmatched socks, broken toys and outgrown clothing not only gets the house clean, but also helps parents feel fulfilled and ready for the New Year.

 

Get Rid of the Unwanted and Unneeded

 

Now that the kids have an array of brand new Christmas toys, it is time to let go of or cleaning out the ones that are not used anymore. Parents should go through toy chests and shelves in order to get rid of toys that are no longer played with. It can sometimes be difficult to get rid of some of the baby toys, but rather than hanging onto every toy, keep a few that hold precious memories and donate the rest.

 

Cleaning Out the Closets

 

Once the old toys are gone, parents can make room for new clothes as well. Every parent knows that children grow like weeds, so it is easy to lose track of clothing items and accessories such as toddler belts that now longer fit. Do a clean sweep over the closets and dressers in order to find all the clothing items that no longer fit or are never used. Again, parents can keep a few items that hold memories, but do not keep every bib and pair of footie pajamas that the kids ever wore.

 

Donate with the Kids

Once the old clothes and toys have been cleaned out, parents should strive to teach their children about people in need and how they can help them. A great way to do this is by having the kids gather up all their old belongings and donating them to local charities. This will teach the kids the art of giving as well as how to not become pack rats.

 

Get Things Organized

 

Now that there is a lot more room, parents can work with the kids to get closets, drawers and shelves clean and organized. Find new homes for the toys and clothing received at Christmas as well as older items. Make it fun by creating an organization game with the kids. A great way to teach young children how to put their things away is by making a matching game by attaching pictures of certain toys or clothing items to shelves and drawers. Also, create helpful clean-up tools such as a dedicated sock drawer or hangers to hold hook-and-loop toddler belts.

 

Create a Keepsake Box

 

Parents do not have to get rid of everything. Some items hold memories that cannot be replaced, but rather than having them sit in the back of a closet, create a keepsake memory box where items can be stored safely and enjoyed over the years.

 

This New Years, parents can feel refreshed and ready with their kids by cleaning, giving and organizing their atmosphere.

The holidays are the time of year for family. Parents of young children take this time to teach about the joy of giving and the spirit of the season. Part of this spirit is tradition, and one of the biggest traditions during the holidays is decorating. In order to make decorating a family activity, helping the kids create their own decorations is the perfect way to start a brand new family tradition.

Proper Attire

There are several arts and crafts ideas that parents can use with the kids, but before starting any activities, make sure the kids are wearing the proper attire for arts and crafts. If paint or markers are being used, have the kids wear clothing that can be stained. Keep in mind that glue and glitter can get everywhere, so put down newspaper to catch the clippings. Also, do not give young children the option of stuffing ribbons or balls of glitter down their pants and invest in a good toddler belt to keep pants secure during holiday crafts.

Paper Chains

With scissors, paper and a little bit of glue, help the kids make paper chains to hang on the holiday tree and around the house. Parents can also create a holiday countdown chain with their kids. Have the kids make a 25 link chain at the beginning of December and every day, let them tear one off. As the chain gets shorter, the holidays gets closer.

Popcorn Garland

If a child is good at listening and accepting direction, then a popcorn garland can be a lot of fun. Some children may have to wait until they are older since it does involve a needle. As parents stand close by, they can help the kids work the needle and string through pieces of popcorn to create a garland for the holiday tree.  

Glitter

 

Glitter can go a long way during the holidays. One of the favorites for children is going outside to pick out some pine cones and creating sparkling table decorations with glue and glitter. Parents can help the kids make designs on their pine cones and then add silver, gold, red and green glitter. Another option is to use paper and glitter to make ornaments or wall decorations.

 

Paper Snowflakes

 

Kids will love hanging paper snowflakes all over the house. Parents can teach them how to fold the paper and where to cut tiny triangles, squares or circles in order to create a special design. Again, keep in mind that this craft takes a lot of assistance from parents and may not be the best for every child.

 

Salt and Flour Clay Dough

 

Make a batch or salt and flour clay dough for the kids to make holiday ornaments. There are a lot of different directions to go with the dough, kids can use cookie cutters, make handprints or carve designs. After they are baked, help the kids decorate using paints, glitter and ribbon. These can also be great gifts for family members.

 

Making holiday crafts with the kids can be a fun holiday tradition for the whole family. Kids are not going to be interested in crafts forever, so take advantage of the younger years and start making some holiday memories.

As children get older, getting dressed alone becomes an important task to learn. Once they reach a certain age they will be begging to do everything on their own!! Make learning to get dressed fun between both the child and the parent while also encouraging independence.

 

There are several ways to teach children how to get dressed on their own without creating a daily stress routine.

 

Make It Fun

 

Do not make getting dressed all business and no pleasure. Make up games and songs to help the child learn how to put on a shirt or pull their legs through a pair of pants. If done every day, it will be a morning and nighttime routine that the kids look forward to and enjoy participating in.

 

Praise for a Job Well Done

 

Every time the child successfully puts on an article of clothing, praise their accomplishment. Children yearn for their parent’s approval and will respond positively with anything in which they receive it. If they go a whole week dressing themselves with no fits or whining, reward that with a special treat.

 

Start Small

 

Do not start with tricky snaps and buckles. Use simple clothing items and accessories. Stretchy pants, t-shirts and skirts are great options to start with. Choose accessories that are easy to maneuver, such as a hook and loop belt. Easy clothing and accessories will start the process of independent thinking, the harder clothing items can be conquered later.

 

One Step at a Time

 

Do not just throw an entire outfit at a child and expect them to get it all down right away. Go one piece of clothing at a time and help them understand how each piece works. To an adult, clothing is simple, but to a child it can be a labyrinth of complication.

 

Be Patient

If a child takes twice as long to get dressed in the morning do not get aggravated, every child needs to learn at their own pace. Rushing their learning process can result in the child feeling pressure and they will not want to continue. If a child has their head through an arm hole, patiently maneuver the shirt and help them try again. Tiny steps create the best results.

 

Give Them Choices

 

A child will get ten times more excited to put on an outfit they chose themselves. Every morning, spread out different outfits and let them choose which one they like best. Another option is to make it a game. Hide three outfits in closed boxes with a clue to each one and let them choose which mystery outfit they want to wear.

 

Brag

 

Getting dressed may not seem like a big deal, but to a young child it tends to be. After a child gets dressed, blow it way out of proportion. Brag to their dad about how good they look, show them off at the supermarket and praise their outfit choice in front of the neighbors. Mom and Dad making a fool of themselves is a small price to pay for building a child’s confidence and creating a beaming smile.

A child getting dressed on their own opens gateway to confident independent thinking. Make it fun and enjoy their process while watching them grow.

Summer is the ideal time to make a mess and toddlers will love creating arts and crafts where they get to be as messy as they want. Arts and crafts do not have to be complicated. Here are some simple summer crafts for kids that parents do not have to stress over.

 

Print Painting

 

Let the kids step onto paper plates with different colors of paint to create footprints across a long piece of paper. After the footprints have been placed, let them add hand prints. Another option is to cut small sponges or potatoes in a variety of shapes to make stamps.

 

Handprint Clay

 

Help the kids make a special handprint mold. Let the kids press their hand inside salt and flour dough then add colorful stones or beads. Once the mold is baked, help the kids paint their mold however they want.

 

Confetti Macaroni

 

Lay down large pieces of paper and let the kids spread out washable glue. Have them take various macaroni pieces and place them wherever they want and let them throw glitter, ribbons or confetti pieces up in the sky over their paper so their macaroni art gets lots of bling.

 

Green Goop

 

Show the kids how to make green goop by combining baking soda, cornstarch, water and green food coloring. Once they have mixed it all together, take it outside for some slimy play time.

 

Bubble Art

 

To create bubble art, hang up big sheets of paper, add food coloring into the bubbles and show the kids how to blow towards the paper. Once the bubbles pop onto the paper, round designs will appear. Purchase different size bubble wands to give variety.

 

Sidewalk Chalk

 

Let the kids go crazy drawing in the driveway. Moms and Dads can draw out some games such as hopscotch, ring toss or five square. Another fun activity is to have the kids lie down and trace the outline of their body on the sidewalk in their favorite color.

 

Feed the Birds

 

Create bird feeders by letting the kids roll large pinecones in peanut butter and then covering them with birdseed. Help them tie a string on top, hang their bird feeder in a nearby tree and watch the birds.

 

Homemade Play-Dough

 

Help the kids make homemade play-dough in the kitchen. Once it is done, take it out to play with at a picnic table. Let the kids bring out plastic knives, Tupperware or rolling pins to use with their new play-dough.

 

Water Fun

 

Have the kids make paper boats to race across a large bowl of water or bring out small bowls of water and let the kids use food coloring to create different colors and mix up magic potions.

 

Proper Equipment

 

Remember to dress the kids in the right attire. Use old clothes that will not be missed if they get covered with paint, use a good toddler belt to keep paints in place and remember to keep soap and water close by to rinse off hands, feet and everything else after a messy activity.

Arts and crafts are a great way to start teaching toddlers how to use creativity as well as giving them a fun experience. Enjoy the summer with the kids and create memories as well as new art for the walls.

Independence Day is one of the most loved holidays for themed outfits for the kids. Not only do the parents love seeing them looking so cute, but the kids love dressing up and feeling like they are sharing in something extra special for the holiday.

 

Coming up with cute independence day outfits for kids is a snap with a few basic ideas to keep in mind.

 

Red, White and Blue

 

For Independence Day the color combination choices are pretty simple, just stick with red, white and blue. Try to come up with something a little more original than blue pants with a red shirt. American Flag patterned outfits are always a great choice as well as shirts sporting sparkly fireworks, color themed ribbons or light up pins. Create a color combination that is fun and shows holiday spirit.

 

Little Girl Frills

 

Coming up with creative outfits is sometimes a little more fun with the girls. When coming up with an Independence Day outfit for a little girl, do not forget the frill. Create a fun, poofy ballet skirt with glitter or beads. Use red, white and blue tulle to create a fun outfit that will also be cool in the hot sun.

 

Little Boy Tough

 

When coming up with outfit combinations for the boys do not go too crazy with the ribbons and glitter. A simple American flag t-shirt or overalls will be just as cute. Add a matching baseball cap and he is good to go.

 

Accessories

 

Independence Day accessories are one of the best parts for creative parents and kids. Light up pins are a great choice for both girls and boys. Girls will love long ribbons and sparkles in their hair and cheeks. Another great accessory is a red, white or blue belt to add a little extra pop of color while also keeping the pants secure. A hook and loop toddler belt is a great option for a busy Fourth of July bash. Lastly, do not forget some color themed sunglasses on a hot Independence Day.

 

Add a Little Fun

 

When taking the kids to an Independence Day festival, carnival or fair, do not forget to invest in a little something extra and fun for the kid’s outfits. Stands sell countless accessories, princess crowns, twirly fans and glow sticks. Let the kids each pick out something special to go with their outfit, or even just a special toy, to remember the day. Also, kids love face painting which is another great way to make their day and add a little extra to their Independence Day spirit.

 

Share the Decisions

 

When deciding what kind of outfit combination to buy, or make, involve the kids as much as possible. Let them choose from a few options of patterns, designs and combinations. They will feel all the more special if they picked out their outfit themselves and get to show it off at the Independence Day carnival all on their own.

 

Independence Day is a great way to show off some summer fun and style. Make the most of the day for the kids by first making them feel like a star.