Thursday, February 23, 2017

The Importance of Play

The Importance of Play

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Throughout most of history, kids have spent hour after hour playing with parents, siblings, babysitters, and friends. Play is so important in child development that it's been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.
But the amount of time that children spend playing each day has gone down considerably over the last two decades. A 1989 survey taken by the National Association of Elementary School Principals found that 96 percent of schools had at least one recess period for kids. A decade later, a similar survey found that only 70 percent of kindergarten classes offered even one recess period each day.
The key to helping your child reach his potential -- without the added anxiety -- is to find the right balance between work and play. Here are some recommendations from the AAP:
-Give kids ample, unscheduled time to be creative, to reflect, and to decompress
-Encourage your children to engage in active play (running around or playing tag) in lieu of passive entertainment (video games or television)
-Buy your children "true" toys, such as blocks or dolls, that encourage imagination and creativity
-Spend unscheduled, unstructured time together with your kids
-Ask your child regularly whether he feels overly tired, burned out, or overscheduled
-Allow your children to have a say in which extracurricular activities they are involved in
-Get involved in your child's school and take an active role in ensuring that all kids are getting ample free time
Remember, play is a cherished part of childhood. By finding the right balance between work and play, your children will grow up happier, better adjusted, and more prepared to conquer the world.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

4 Tips to Throwing a Kid’s Party

4 Tips to Throwing a Kid’s Party will help you create a fabulous event, all while maintaining your sanity and your sleep.
1 – First, begin by choosing a theme and/or color scheme. This may sound overly simple, but with the Pinterest world in which we live, sometimes we end up over stimulated with ideas. Narrow it down to one theme and/or color scheme. Choosing a color scheme helps you make choices when picking plates, decorations, etc. To help while out shopping, create a guide by printing inspiration photos and a color scheme card.
2 – Keep It Simple. We have a tendency to want to go overboard, but some of the favorite parties have been the simplest ones. Start with a basic white tablecloth and add some pops of color.
3 – Order a plain, inexpensive cake but top with a unique topper. There are so many options for cake toppers right now. You can DIY one, order a personalized topper, or even use a figurine or decoration you already have. No more late nights trying to figure out how to make the cake resemble a basket weave pattern when you cut into it. That has Pinterest fail written all over it.
4 – Favors that double as activities. When you are thinking up favors for the party, think of favors that could also be used as activities. A game or craft are great ways to do this. For a recent Magic Tree House party I did, the kids had to solve clues to find all the party favors.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Some Party Tips From Ultimate Kidzone

Want to throw your child an awesome without breaking the bank? We've got you covered! Here are our best tips for sticking to a budget at your next bash.

1. Timing is everything. Plan your party from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., says Danielle Walker, author of Against All Grain: Celebrations. After lunch and before dinner is the best time to party, when guests don't expect a full meal.

2. Stretch your planning. Start supply-hunting early; it’ll give you time to comparison shop. Plus, you’ll save yourself from running out at the last minute to buy overpriced things you’ve forgotten. Be on the lookout all year for party items that go on sale, usually in the dollar bin at Target, Dollar Tree, or the 99-cent store.

3. Go digital. In a parents' survey of nearly 1,500 parents, 73 percent of you said you sent paper invitations for your kid’s last birthday party. Next time, send your guests a free electronic invitation; you’ll save what you’d normally spend on paper invites.

4. Double up. If your kid’s birthday falls close to a buddy’s, consider a dual party. You and the other child’s parents will split the cost—and responsibilities. Just make sure each kid gets her own cake.

5. Avoid party-store traps. Don’t pay a markup for party-store items that you could find elsewhere for less. For example, chocolates may be sold five for $1 (20 cents each) at party shops, but a bag of minis from a big-box store can be half as much.

ultimatekidzone.com | 386-259-4452 | www.facebook.com/UltimateKidzoneInc


Friday, February 3, 2017

Birthday Party Questions & Answers

Kids birthday gifts are a tricky subject. It’s not easy to know what is acceptable and what is frowned upon in terms of gift giving and the protocol for gift receiving. To take the guesswork out of the subject, we looked around the internet for the most commonly asked kids birthday party gift questions and have put together this handy dandy gift etiquette guide for you.

Do I have to give a gift if I don’t attend the kid’s birthday party?
No. Just because you were invited to a child’s birthday party doesn’t mean you have to give a gift if you can’t attend. That’d be like a restaurant expecting you to still give a tip if you canceled your dinner reservation.
It may be different if it’s an extremely close family friend’s child. You don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or damage a relationship for no good reason. Use your best judgment in that situation and act accordingly.

What if I can’t afford a gift for the birthday party?
We’ve all been there. Times get tough for numerous reasons and it’s a difficult position to be put in. Simply let the party host know and see if it is alright for you to make something like the child’s favorite baked good or a homemade treat.
Kids birthday parties shouldn’t simply be all about the materialistic aspects. Doing something nice, even if it’s homemade, could leave a lasting impression on the birthday boy or girl. It also teaches the child giving the birthday gift a great lesson as well!

How do I know what kind of gift to give?
If you don’t have a good enough feel for what kind of birthday gift to get a child there are two methods. Ask your own child what they think their friend or classmate would want for their birthday and buy based on that recommendation.
You can always ask the parent as well. Obviously, they can provide some great insight. They may even have a birthday registry set up for their child. Although, as a quick Google search reveals, that’s about as controversial as hiring Pantera to perform at your preschoolers birthday party.

If the invitation says “no gifts” should I really not bring a gift to the birthday party?
We’re of the belief of taking the parent at face value. If they say no birthday presents then no birthday presents they will get.

Should my child open gifts at the birthday party?
Opening gifts during the birthday party can cause jealousy if the guests are younger and can also put you in the awkward position of your child reacting negatively to a gift someone in attendance gave them. The simple way to deal with it is to let the party be all about the fun and cake and let the afterparty be all about opening the birthday presents.

ultimatekidzone.com | 386-259-4452 | www.facebook.com/UltimateKidzoneInc