Babies and toddlers love figuring out how things work. Right now, zippers are king of the toys in my house.

Daycare baby likes undoing zippers. It’s part peekaboo game, and part investigating how things work, and part finding interesting things behind the zipper. I learned quickly to wear something under any shirt that had a zipper in it when out in public with her. I have a zip-up bag that used to contain toy blocks but I can put anything in it and zip it up, and she’s always excited to unzip it and find a spoon or toy car or some goldfish crackers in it.

My toddler has a pair of pants with a zipper pocket and I reserve them for days when we ride in the car, because he can unzip the pocket, put a little toy in, zip it up, unzip it, get it out, repeat repeat repeat. He’s just getting the fine motor skills to attach the two ends of a zipper together and do his jackets up. I’m almost sad that it’s summer and there’s no need for zip-up winter boots and coats.

There are lots of toys and dolls on the market to teach little ones how to dress themselves with zippers and snaps and buttons – I like this cute monkey from Alex toys, although real world clothes work just as well for learning. Daycare baby is a ready-made dress-up doll for my toddler, when they are both in the right kind of co-operative mood. Otherwise I’m happy to volunteer to have my hoodie zipped and unzipped.

So both of my little ones are getting plenty of entertainment, developing motor skills, and learning real world skills from zippers.

In a fortuitous coincidence, just as I was thinking how nice zippers are, I discovered that one of our lesser observed holidays, National Zipper Day is April 29. For real! It’s the 96th anniversary of Gideon Sindback patenting his invention. I don’t know if he had kids, but if he did, his babies probably loved playing in his house.

I have a toddler son, a daycare baby girl, and my boyfriend’s five-year-old daughter here, most and some of the time respectively, so we have plenty of “girl” and “boy” toys. There is plastic food and toy kitchen equipment, dollies and princess crowns. And there are trucks, trains, rocks, and plastic frogs.

I’ve never had any intention of only buying “boy” toys for my son. I bought him a dolly when he found one in Target and I’m happy that he likes putting on my pink sandals and flip flopping around the house. And if Daycare Baby wants to play with trucks, I’m very encouraging.

But it’s strange how babies tend to gravitate towards toys designed for their gender, even when toys for the other gender are available. Daycare Baby loves stuffed animals and dollies. Toddler loves trains and building railroads and is currently obsessed with plastic flies.

And it’s curious how girls play with boy toys in their way. And boys do the same with girl toys.

Daycare baby took a dolly and a plastic horse for a ride in a dump truck this morning, and she’ll cuddle trains.

Toddler had a putting-things-to-bed phase, but it was putting rocks and fire trucks to bed. And he’ll spend an afternoon building a railroad because he found just the thing to wear to construct it: a ballet tutu.

And just now, Toddler is playing with the kitchen set. What is he pretending to cook? Frog in frog spew. And yes, that’s spew, not stew.

Experts recommend about 30 minutes of tummy time for infants in order to help nurture and encourage fine and gross motor skills, especially those skills that eventually lead to crawling.

Switching a baby’s position frequently also prevents a flat spot on the head, which has become a common problem since the AAP began recommending placing infants on their backs to sleep.

I got a late start on tummy time with my three month old daughter. I didn’t realize we were supposed to start it immediately, so I only started placing her on her tummy about a month ago.

However, she did spend a lot of time belly-down on my tummy while nursing in her first month of life, and her neck muscles were very well-developed right out of the womb. She was holding her head up right from the start! I imagine our inadvertent tummy time during nursing sessions also helped with her core muscle development.

Now that we’ve started a tummy time routine, my daughter hates it! I can see that she gets frustrated because she wants to do things (like crawl) that her body just isn’t ready to do. The most she will tolerate is a few minutes at a time.

Browsing various parenting forums, I discovered that this is a common problem. If your infant can only tolerate tummy time for a few minutes at a time, break it up into short sessions. Try placing her on her tummy for a few minutes at the beginning of every play session. I recommend doing it at the beginning, when she’s fresh and relaxed, rather than tired or frustrated.

There are other things you can do to make tummy time enjoyable:

• Get down on the floor with your baby. This will help her feel like she hasn’t just been left alone on the floor to struggle.

• Hold a toy in front of her, giving her incentive to lift her head and try to move forward.

• Use a Boppy pillow to prop up your baby, that way she doesn’t feel like she’s smashed flat against the floor. Also, don’t be afraid to position her arms so that she is most comfortable, until she learns how to do this herself.

• Make tummy time more fun by singing a song or saying rhymes, so your baby will look forward to this one-on-one time.

• For smaller babies, conduct tummy time on your chest, the way I did in the first month. Lie flat on your back and place baby on her tummy on top of you.

• The requisite reminder: Do not leave baby alone during tummy time, and do not leave the baby on her tummy if she falls asleep. Always place a baby to sleep on her back.

Six 5-minute sessions of tummy time a day will bring you up to the recommended 30 minutes.

But don’t worry if all your baby will do is two minutes at a time.

For instance, with just a handful of 2-minute sessions every day, my daughter is barely up to a full 10 minutes of tummy time a day. But yesterday, she reached an important mobility milestone. I placed her on her tummy for a few minutes while we were playing and I lied down on my tummy next to her. She happened to be in a very good mood.

I brought her favorite toy “Ducky” down with us, as well. Ducky cheered her on with quacks as she made swimming motions with her hands and legs. She tried to grasp the blanket she was lying on in order to pull herself forward.

After a few minutes, she leaned up on her left elbow and decided to change her situation. With a significant amount of grunting, pushing and flailing, she rolled herself over onto her back! Then she gazed up at me with a look of surprise on her face, as if to say, “How did I get into this position?”

Since then, we’ve had four more tummy time sessions, and she’s getting more frustrated than ever. She’s trying to roll over again and it’s not quite working. It’s as if she’s thinking, “I did it once, why can’t I do it now?”

I’m honestly surprised she rolled over so quickly, given how little time she’s spent on her tummy. It just goes to show, babies develop at their own pace and every baby, regardless of how much tummy time she has, will eventually learn all the skills she needs to become a fully mobile toddler.

I absolutely love the holiday season and all of the decorations that come out in December, but come January 1st, I am always very eager to put these seasonal items away for another year and to get my house in a less cluttered state.

Last January, I became pregnant and went on a huge purge of items in our overly filled, unfinished basement.  I cleaned out enough junk that we were able to make a small play area for my daughter in the middle of the basement.

This January, I am struggling with the fact that we have a baby in the house again and with that comes a myriad of baby gear, furniture and toys that seem to overtake the whole house.  Once I get my holiday decorations organized and put away in their labeled bins, I look forward to organize all of our baby “stuff”.

The question that remains is, as my son outgrows these baby items, whether it be clothing, gear or toys, what do I do with it?  Do I keep it in case we decide to have another baby or do I purge  again and begin to get rid of our infant items.  I have box after box full of girl things that I kept, in hopes that we would have a second child.  Now that we have that child and he is a boy, what do I do?

Until I decide whether or not we are keeping or giving away items, I will continue to have a basket on my dresser where I dump the clothing that is too small and the infant toys that we no longer need and I will continue to put those items in the basement as they accumulate.

My goal is to keep that small play space in the basement for my daughter and eventually my son, as it is important.  In the mean time, I will have to purge more items so that I can create the space needed to store all of the baby items that are no longer needed right now.

As for the current baby clutter that has over run our house, is there really a solution other than to remember that they are temporary?  We got rid of the playpen with the bassinet in the kitchen and replaced it with our reclining high chair, but eventually we will need that playpen back again once my son becomes mobile.  I have also moved many of my daughter’s toys up to her room in order to create some space for my son’s toys.  Although he doesn’t need them right now, the day is rapidly approaching when he will appreciate having access to baby toys on the main floor.

I never realized that organizing would be so difficult with two children!  Wish me luck.

Maybe it’s due to sleep-deprivation, or maybe I’m just not very good at remembering landmarks. I know that my daughter’s first intentional smile took place at approximately four weeks, but I don’t remember the circumstances or the exact date. I also know that I should have written it down in her baby book while it was still fresh in my mind.

I recall telling my husband, “I think Ashley smiled today, while I was changing her clothes, but I’m not sure.” Thinking back, I’m sure it was a smile because she loves putting on new clothes and usually smiles the whole time.

That first smile is a bit foggy, but a few other smiles remain indelibly imbedded in my memory.

-    I remember the first time she smiled after nursing, lying her head on my breast and smiling with her whole face. It’s hard to know, when you’re nursing, if the baby is getting enough food. Weight gain, of course, is an indication that she’s eating enough. But this smile showed me in a way the numbers on the scale never could that she was satisfied after nursing.

I remember rubbing her back and leaning over to kiss her tiny forehead, and she smiled again.

-    My husband and I had been at a wedding until well after midnight. Our daughter was asleep in her bouncy chair when we returned home. She was fast asleep, but she smiled when she heard my voice, and again when I approached to give her a kiss.

-    I remember the first time she smiled at a toy. I hung a little Baby Einstein puppy from the toy rail on her bouncy chair, replacing the original toy that had been there since she was born.
I squeezed the dog and it barked. Her eyes got wide with surprise, and then she grinned. I continued making the dog bark and she continued smiling. I think she even giggled, but, like that first smile, I can’t be sure if it was an actual laugh or just a random sound.

As a full-time freelancer, my days used to be filled with lengthy to-do lists that involved interviews, transcriptions, and writing. I still keep a to-do list, but it is significantly shorter… and if I complete only one or two of the items on the list, I consider my day a success. But the true benchmark of a good day, now, is a day when I can keep my daughter smiling.

I’d love to hear other mom’s stories of their baby’s first smiles – or any other significant smiles in their infant’s lives.

During the busy holiday season, I’ve found that when you need to order specific gifts for kids, like board games, video games, and sports jerseys, it’s best to save yourself the hassle of running around. Instead, place an order online. With these gifts, it’s not the thought that counts—the kids have already done the thinking.

Save your precious time for more interesting things—that is, of course if you’re a shopper, like me. I rummaged through toys at a discount store and found a couple of quality gifts for our baby and my baby nephews. Babies don’t have Christmas lists, so we get to have fun picking out things that will make them laugh, smile or squeal on Christmas morning (and, hopefully interest them for a long time afterwards).

Despite a tight budget this year, Santa is still coming to our house. We’ve decided to skip some gift exchanges between adults. I just have to give something to my sisters, though. I’m spending less on them than usual but putting a little extra thought into their gifts. I bought them soft, snuggly slipper socks, small Yankee candles in a jar and plan on buying them each a box of yummy tea, maybe a holiday flavor or something to help them relax and unwind (they’re busy moms, too). I’ll put it all in a little basket with a tag reading: “Have a warm and cozy winter!” Smaller, thoughtful gifts can have a big impact.

Also, instead of filling the kids’ stockings with a bunch of junky toys, I’m trying to fill them with useful things, for the most part, like Chapstick for my older son who’s always complaining about his chapped lips and sticky notes.

Does anyone else have any tips for smart shopping on a budget this holiday season?

My baby girl is like many other 8-month old babies. She scoots around on her belly, squeals at the cat, giggles when we play peek-a-boo, and loves to empty the Tupperware cabinet. Unfortunately, she also has some other favorite playthings.

Literally, the day she first started “crawling” (if that’s what it could be properly called), my daughter reached out to touch what she’d been looking at for months. What is at perfect eye level with every baby in a bouncer, or sitting on her own? The electrical outlets, of course. Before she was mobile, I never had them covered. Of course, I went out right away and bought some safety caps. I bought some that were almost clear so they wouldn’t look so garish in the living room. But since they are clear, the girl doesn’t necessarily realize they are there. So she scoots over, lifts herself up and tries to suck on them.

Next are the power cords. A friend of mine said her kids always liked them, too. Actually, my daughter’s very favorite power cord is the one on my laptop. I think that’s because it has a transformer box with a little green light on it. I wouldn’t think it would have a particular flavor, but that doesn’t stop the baby from tasting it every chance she gets. Her second favorite is the controller cord on my electric blanket. I really do try to keep things out of reach, but some things just need to stay plugged in.

Something I DO remember to keep put away are plastic bags. But sometimes when I’m cooking dinner, I have the waste basket out. Inevitably, the baby gravitates towards yet another deadly toy. She must just like the way it sounds. Or the way the garbage smells when the whole trash can tips over. Once I forgot to put up the waste basket in my office when she was with me. Aside from the bag lining it, there’s only paper in the can. But my baby likes the taste of paper, apparently. And it sticks really well to the roof of her mouth. So well, in fact, that I didn’t find it until the next morning.

Finally, I saved the best for last. If you really want to keep my daughter happy and quiet for a good half hour, give her a shoe. When we realized how much she adored footwear, my husband kind of rolled his eyes and said something about her being such a girl. But time proved that she doesn’t really want to wear shoes, she just wants to chew them. Now he rolls his eyes and says something about her being a puppy. OK, so maybe shoes aren’t deadly toys, but they are really gross. Come to think of it, the shoelaces could strangle her. And there could be some kind of nasty infectious substance on the soles. So, I guess she’s 4 for 4 on the suicidal playthings. We’re thinking (seriously) about buying her a pair of clean shoes as a toy for Christmas. I could pull out the laces and if they never go outside, they’ll stay as clean as any “real” toy.

Here are some tips for successfully baby-proofing your home.

So, am I the only one with a baby that has a death wish? What do your kids play with that really shouldn’t be a toy?

Do you ever wonder about the toys you purchase for your children?  Exactly what is in that plastic toy?

The Ecology Center, a non-profit group based in Michigan in the United States, tested numerous toys on the shelves in the United States and found that 1/3 of the toys tested contained lead, arsenic, and other chemicals.  They also found that there was no correlation between where the toys were made and the prices of the toys and the amounts of chemicals found in those toys.  For example, toys made in the United States had just as much chemicals as toys made in China. Expensive toys had just as many chemicals as inexpensive toys.

I admit, since the recall of many toys made in China last year due to high lead levels, I thought that I’d be safe if I just avoided Chinese toys.  It was a bit disheartening to find out that despite my efforts (it’s not that easy to find toys made outside of China), my children may still be playing with toxic toys.

According to the group, infant bath toys and books were especially full of chemicals.  I had planned on buying my son some tub toys for Christmas, but I may hold off.  New laws go into effect in February in the United States which ban certain plasticizers in toys.  These chemicals make the plastic more flexible and are used in making vinyl books and tub toys.  As my son puts almost everything in his mouth at this stage, it concerns me that he might actually be ingesting some toxic chemicals from his toys.

What is a concerned parent to do?  This year, I’m doing a bit more research online before I decide on what toys to purchase for my son.  I’m also researching natural toys—toys made without chemicals or toxins.

Are you worried about toxins that are in toys?  What steps are you taking to protect your children?

When you’ve got kids, you’ve got toys. With the holidays, come more toys. While this is a busy time of year, it’s worth setting aside a few hours to sort through some of that stuff that has accumulated to make room for… more stuff!

I have given away many toys over the years, as my older boys have outgrown or lost interest in them. It feels good to recycle and give less fortunate families a brighter Christmas. For several years, I thought our family of four was complete. Fortunately for our recent addition, baby #3, I did save some of our nice, classic toys (to pass on someday to our grandchildren, or so I thought!).

We still have our train table and huge container full of Thomas and Brio trains, tracks, buildings and more. Wooden trains are classic, something to pass down to the next generation. I recommend hanging on to them even when you’re kids have outgrown them, to give to your grandkids someday. Giving or loaning them to family members is another option but if lending is what you intend to do, be clear about your intentions.

Other classic toys worth storing away include wooden blocks, shape sorters, building sets such as Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys, certain dolls, books and wood puzzles. These toys stimulate creativity and things like hand/eye coordination.

Toys with sentimental value are also worth saving. Some classics change over the years but it can be fun to store away your or your children’s editions for grandkids or future guests to enjoy. I have the Fisher Price schoolhouse that I played with as a little girl, which was fun for my older kids to inherit and play with (and will be enjoyed by our 7 month old, I hope!). I wish my mom had held onto more Fisher Price classics, like the school-bus, dollhouse and farm. Fortunately, I saved the ones we bought for our older boys, so our little guy can play with them someday, too.

Classic games like checkers, Candyland, and Chutes and Ladders are nice to keep around (their look may change but the games cross the generations).

So what do I recommend tossing or giving away? Usually the toys that quickly lose their appeal for kids, particularly the trendy things that are “in” one year and “out” the next are safe to give away. Trendy things like character-themed toys and dolls usually won’t be missed.

Of course, the really junky, “no-name” plastic stuff that was made in China can be tossed (you may have tossed them already, due to health or safety concerns).

There are definitely some toys I wish I’d held onto but didn’t, like our older boys’ elaborate Playmobil sets. We were never organized enough to keep all the pieces together. Our youngest child would definitely have enjoyed these. If we do buy him well-made, expensive toys such as these, I will try to keep them in tact for future grandkids.

As my kids have grown older, it’s become clearer just which toys stand the test of time and which are best donated to someplace, or someone, else. I’ll be steering clear of the low-quality stuff with our new baby, if he’ll let me.

Every year since 1973, WATCH (World Against Toys Causing Harm) has created a list of the top 10 worst toys for that year.? Although I don’t agree with all of their selections, I thought I’d pass along some of the toys on the list for 2008.

• Walk’N Sounds Digger the Dog – The toy is intended for young children, but the long walking string is a choking hazard.? The group points out that according to federal law, all strings on pull toys are supposed to be no longer than 12 inches.? This string is 26.? I truly had no clue that the government even regulated this.
• Meadow Mystery Sounds Book with Cuddly Pooh – According to the packaging, the toy was tested for children from 18 months up.? The group says that the mask included in the book could pose a choking hazard.
• Inflatable Giga Ball – This toy is a blow up ball that is so huge that a child can crawl into the ball.? The toy is not recommended for children under 4.? The group feels that the ball poses a huge safety threat even though parental supervision is suggested.? This toy looks like fun, but I don’t know if I’d let my kid play inside a big plastic ball in our unfenced yard.
• Spiderman Adjustable Skates – This one made me laugh because it’s a set up Spiderman skates with “safety gear”.? However, there is only 1 knee pad and 1 elbow pad.? The packaging does say that you should make sure to wear knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet when skating.? If you decide to purchase this toy for your child, you will need to purchase safety gear separately.

What do you think?? Were you planning on purchasing some of these toys for your children?? Does the fact that these toys made the “worst toys” list cause you to reconsider? Stay up-to-date with current baby related recalls and unsafe toys right here at the Babies Online blog

We’re guilty of it – not cleaning our daughter’s toys as often as we should. I’m sure we aren’t the only ones who just don’t seem to have cleaning the toys high on the priorities list, although we certainly should. Kids? toys, especially when shared with other children, can be a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses that can get your kids (and anyone else who touches the toys, including parents cleaning up the playroom) sick. Or, if your child has been sick recently, it’s important to clean his or her toys to remove any germs and keep him or her from getting sick again.

The next time you’re gathering up all those hard plastic blocks, cups, rattles or whatever it is that blankets your play room or living room floor, don’t just dump them back into the toy bin – clean them.

How often should you clean baby and toddler toys? Clorox says weekly, or every other week, especially if your kids have been sick. Always clean toys according to the instructions (especially wood, cloth or plush toys). For hard plastic toys, remember that most of them can simply be run in the top rack of the dish washer or scrubbed by hand with some soapy water in the kitchen sink.

To disinfect hard plastic toys, use a combination of bleach and water. First, wash, rinse or scrub the toys with water. Then, in the sink, a clean bucket or even the bath tub, mix together a solution of bleach and a gallon of water. Let them soak for five minutes, then rinse thoroughly and let them air dry, spread out on a clean, dry towel.

I can’t believe that our baby is about to hit the six-month mark. Half a year has really whizzed by! Here are some fun ways to play and learn with your 6-9 month old. Between the ages of 6-9 months, babies become more alert and mobile. They will enjoy playing with toys that they can push, pull, shake, rattle and roll.

This is a particularly important time to talk to baby; you can teach her some basic animal sounds,. Say, “What does a dog say? Woof!”, and your baby will likely respond by making or attempting to make, the same sound. Remember to repeat the sounds after baby makes them-babies love repetition!

Build baby’s motor skills by showing him how to stack and unstack blocks or plastic nesting cups.

Hold soft objects such as stuffed animals or balled-up socks in the air. You can say, “Up so high!”, then drop each object, one by one into a plastic container or basket, and say “Down so low!”. Watch to see if your baby picks up the objects and drops them into the container again.

At around seven months old, baby will start to recognize her own name when it is spoken. You can have a conversation with her using two toy phones. Speak into one phone, mimicking someone familiar to baby; this can be grandma, daddy, or even a fun character like Elmo. Repeat baby’s name often while she “listens” to you through the other phone. Pause often to let her respond to you. She’ll get a kick out of your voice if you exaggerate sounds and facial expressions.

Finally, you can teach baby about the concept of object permanence, which refers to the fact that things still exist even when out of sight. Use two large plastic cups. Place an object under each one; for example, a blue ball under one and a red block under the other. Encourage baby to lift or knock over one of the cups. Show surprise when he does, by exclaiming, “Look what you just found!”. Pick up his discovered object and talk about its name, color, shape, etc. After baby has picked up both cups, see if he tries to cover the objects with them again.

Using these toys, props and your imagination, you can come up with more fun ways to play with your 6-9 month old.

It’s rare to find a toy with the profound, positive message of hope and love that a tiny Tonka car, currently on auction at eBay, represents.

We buy our children many toys. Some are played with a few times, then tossed in a drawer or forgotten in the back of the closet. Others become favorites, dragged on outings, to the grocery store, to grandma?s house. Some take on even greater significance.

Simon Gabriel, a micro-preemie, was born in Denver on July 28, at 24 weeks gestation, weighing a mere 1 lb. 7 ounces and measuring 12 inches long. This toy car belongs to Simon.

Simon?s family, including his big brother Jaden, age 4, live in Wyoming. For the past month, Simon?s parents have been making the two-hour trek to the Denver NICU. But it?s wearing on them, along with all their other stresses, and they plan to temporarily re-locate the entire family as soon as possible. To help them reach their goal, fund raising efforts have been launched across the Internet by friends and associates. Simon?s mom, Mysti, is doing everything she can, as well, to raise the money needed: an estimated $6,000 in total.

She recently saw an auction on eBay for ?inappropriate items.? Essentially, the seller was auctioning the story of her husband?s affair. Mysti decided, ?Why not sell something positive in the world, instead?? The toy car she put up for auction carries a message of hope and family bonds.

The eloquent Mysti, who is a work-at-home-mom, freelance writer, Web designer, graphic artist, and more, explains: ?We have two of these cars. One has stayed in the NICU with Simon, used as a reference for Jaden to understand his brother’s size. It was important to have an object for Jaden to understand that his brother is quite small. He has seen full-term babies and understands they are much larger than his brother. The second car has remained at home for Jaden.?

Now that the hospital has changed their visitation policy, Jaden will have the chance to meet his brother in person, and will no longer need the car as a reference. Mysti will let Jaden choose two new toys that he and his brother can share.

You can bid on the toy car and an exclusive photo of Simon, never posted on the Internet, until September 1. More than just a toy, the car is a symbol of hope, love and perseverance against incredible odds. Is there a better gift you could give to your own child?

Now that you have done the great purge (please see Part One), you are ready to move onto the next step: Sorting, Placing and Labeling.

• Sorting – When thinking about how to sort your child’s toys, you must try to think about sorting them in a manner that makes sense to your child. You also have to think about what kind of a space you are working with. This job is much easier when you are dealing with an entire playroom, as the sky is the limit about how many “categories” you may have. However, when working in a smaller space, for example, your child’s room or part of a common room, this can be slightly more challenging.We use a bin system in every room that has toys for my three year old daughter.

  We have sorted her toys into the following categories: kitchen toys (dishes), play food, friends (dolls and animals), Little People (and their accompanying structures), imagination box (dress up, jewellery, etc.), small toys bin (more of a miscellaneous bin for smaller items), musical instruments, train set, play dough, arts and crafts, doll clothing, tools, puzzles and books.Obviously, each child is different according to their age and interests. You may have less space to deal with, in which case you may choose to sort into two simple categories: small toys and large toys.

• Placing – When thinking about placement, your child’s age and height (along with other children in your family) should come into consideration. In an ideal world, you want their toys to be at their height or below so that they have access to them.You also must decide what kind of organization system you will be using. Will you have shelving units, a unit with slide out bins, baskets, large plastic tubs or a bookshelf or perhaps a different, more unique system all together?

  Some toys are suited better for simply placing on a shelf, whereas others require a confined space like a bin or a box. Clean, large coffee cans with lids (making sure there are no sharp metal edges, of course) make great storage containers for smaller items. You can use decorative contact paper to jazz them up if you wish.If you are placing larger toy items on a shelf and you wish to have that shelf look somewhat organized, you can trace an outline of each toy using a black permanent marker to help your child remember where to place each item.

• Labeling – You are on the last stage before your child’s toys are completely organized! This hasn’t been that bad, has it?It is very helpful to label the bins, boxes and shelves where your child’s toys are placed. This will not only help you and other caregivers remember where everything goes, but it also helps to create a print rich environment for your child which will help them with their literacy skills. If your child is older, they can help you make the labels. If you are on your own, consider using your computer and possibly clip art to accompany your labels. You can also use a label maker. Photos will help young children remember where everything belongs.Fasten your labels onto the containers or shelves using clear tape or clear contact paper.

And, voila! The toys are organized.

Now, don’t expect your child to remember how this new system works. It will take a bit of consistency and assistance on your part for a week or so, but the outcome is well worth the initial effort!

I’ve wanted a sandbox for my son to play with since he was able to sit independently. I learned with my older children that sensory integration and sensory activities are a very important part of a child’s development.

The only thing that has held up the sandbox dream: sandboxes, at least the sturdy kinds with the nice lids that fit over them, are expensive. It’s important to get a box with a lid or cover the sandbox tightly when not in use because cats or other animals can use the sandbox as a litter box. The waste material can put your child at risk for developing different ailments, some of which can be serious.

When my older children were little, we had a bunch of friends with children who were slightly older than mine. We got a lot of second hand play toys and so I’ve been spoiled. Think about it though–what DO you do with all of those outdoor toys when your kids have outgrown them? For the price of sweat equity (I had to move and cart the toys off), I landed a lot of free deals, including a swing set, merry go round, and sandbox.

While driving past a church yard sale yesterday, we sighted a Tugboat sandbox. I made DH turn the van around and we went to look at it. They were asking $5 for it! I handed my $5 over and DH and I had the task of figuring out how to get it home. You know, it’s amazing what you can fit in a vehicle when you are motivated! After making another trip to buy play sand, we went home to set it up.

The steering wheel was missing and so I checked online to see if I could purchase the part. Many times, if you inherit or buy second hand toys, you can do this and make them almost as good as new. In this case, the sandbox is now retired, so I couldn’t purchase the part, but that’s ok too.

All 5 of my children and the dog spent yesterday playing in the sand and had a wonderful time. That was $5 well spent!

What a better time than right before school starts to reorganize your child’s play space. Whether you are the organized type or if you are slightly challenged when it comes to organization, a play space can always use a good over haul!

First things first:

PURGE!
This is a perfect time to sort through all of your child’s toys and decide which ones they are no longer interested in. This can be a step where you include your child in the process as you know that the second you donate that toy that they haven’t touched in six months, they will inquire about it.

It is very difficult for children to say goodbye to toys, however, getting rid of personal items is a part of life and now is a good time for them to start. Of course, we aren’t talking about their lovies or their favorite toys. I’m talking about all of the smaller things that accumulate over time; the ones that you don’t even know where they came from.

Let’s get started, shall we?

1. Find three good sized plastic bins. If you don’t have bins, you could use garbage bags (but it is nice to be able to see the items). I have also used little throw rugs to designate these spaces in order to outline the space for each pile. Label each bin with either: Keep, Give Away or Unsure. Another label system that is more wordy, but may help the younger children with this activity would be
   a) I play with this often
   b) I hardly play with this at all
   c) I am not sure if I’m ready to get rid of this, but I don’t use it much.
2. Item by item, help your child sort their toys into the three piles/bins. Note: You may want to start this process over for each type of toy depending on how many toys your child has.
3. At the end, put all of the items in the giveaway bin into a garbage bag, so they are no longer visible and your child will be less likely to change their mind about giving them away. Then, revisit the “Unsure” or “I am not sure if I am ready to get rid of this” pile and see if you can agree to get rid of more. If not, that is alright, however, take note of what items are in this pile and keep an eye as to whether or not they get used. Perhaps you could revisit these items in a few weeks (one by one).

Again, it is very difficult for children to part with their toys. Try explaining to them that in order to make room for new toys, it is important that you give away the ones that you are no longer interested in otherwise your house will become a place that no one enjoys living in as it will be taken over by toys.

Stay tuned for the next step: Organizing Your Child’s Toys: Part Two – Sorting, Placing and Labeling

President Bush just signed a new bill which bans lead from children?s toys. The bill also bans the chemical phthalates, which makes plastic softer, from products and also bolsters the budget and responsibilities of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Last year due to lead issues, over 45 million toys were recalled by the Commission, prompting parents to go through their children?s toys to get rid of unsafe and dangerous products. This bill will give the Commission the authority to oversee testing of toy products and also the authority to penalize those who violate the toy standards. By the year 2014, the Commission will have a budget of $136 million to accomplish these goals.

While this bill sounds like a wonderful thing, it raises more questions for me rather than giving me a sense of security. What does this really mean for the consumer? Will this affect the supply of toys? How will the Commission be able to adequately test and monitor the ever increasing supply of imported toy products? Will this bill actually make a difference?

If you are interested in seeing if you have any toys which have been recalled, or learning more about recalls or voicing your opinion on different products, you can check out the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website.

Babies truly take over your life. They also take over your house. Even before they are scattering their toys all over the place, these 20-inch long individuals require so much stuff that us parents have to clear out closets and prepare the basement for the boxes of grown-out-off toys and clothes.

Then they get bigger, and start moving, and moving stuff around. This morning I opened the bathroom cupboard to a plastic frog convention, there’s a dump truck that’s taking Brio and a quantity of playdoh under my bed, and if I had a dollar for all the times I’ve accidentally stood on some toy I could buy a real dump truck.

My stuff gets scattered too, or re-purposed as toddler toys. There’s a spaghetti spoon, yogurt pot lids, several dollars in change and some old makeup brushes in the toy box. The brushes weren’t that old, but they are now… and when do moms get to put makeup on anyway!

It doesn’t help that our apartment is tiny. My sanity is preserved in my house by setting aside my space, with my things in it, that Toddler can’t get at. The top three shelves of a tall bookcase are MINE and no-one touches them.

Take the spoons into the bedroom, put the bike’s rear light under the TV and plastic firemen in the larder, and I don’t care. I have three square feet of order and serenity and even though it seems negligible against the tide of runaway megabloks, it keeps me sane in the chaos.

What do you do to separate baby space from adult space? How much personal space do you have in your house?

This weekend, the three of us were browsing through the toy store at the local mall, when I came upon a display of stuffed Transformers characters (they actually transformed, and were all fabric and velcro; pretty much what one would consider “baby safe”) and opined that one of them would be perfect for our yet-to-be-born son. My wife, on the other hand, expressed concern with introducing toys with guns at such a young age. I countered that these particular ones did not have guns.

This started a huge discussion about what toys were appropriate for a young boy. As a kid growing up, my parents made an unspoken distinction between replica guns for me, and action figures or other toys that had guns. The former was not OK, while the latter was not encouraged, but acceptable. My wife, on the other hand, leaned more towards the “anything with weapons is not OK” camp. I pointed out that certain comic heroes such as Spider-man and Superman did not use guns, but were still considered violent, and asked whether or not they were OK. She could not provide a definitive answer.

I tried to rationalize that no matter what rules we define for our son, that once he spends more time away from us (read: in school) that he would be subject to the lowest common denominator rule. In other words, whichever household has the most liberal views about violent toys or movies or content is the one who defines the level of acceptability in a social dynamic. For example, child A, B, and C are in a class together. Child A is only allowed to play with cars and dinosaurs. Child B is allowed cars, dinosaurs, and weaponless super heroes. Child C is allowed everything under the sun. Eventually (arguably almost instantly) Child A and Child B will be exposed to everything Child C has been, regardless of the efforts of their parents.

However, even to me, SciFi Dad, lover of all things comic and Star Wars, that argument sounded hollow. Sure, I wanted to share my love of Star Wars with my son, but at the same time I wondered whether I was doing something wrong if I gave him a Boba Fett action figure that had a blaster rifle. Ultimately, I really don’t know how I feel about it. I know I’m not as far entrenched in the anti-weapon camp as my wife, but I don’t know how far away from it I am.

For those of you with boys, or expecting boys, what are your thoughts on this subject? Has it come up with your partner yet? Do you differ in opinion? If so, how do you anticipate rectifying the difference? And what do you think of my lowest common denominator theory? Is it that of a realist, or a defeatist?

Toy Sundae Sets Sold at Target Recalled by Battat Inc. Due to Choking Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Play Wonder Toy Sundae Sets

Units: About 22,000

Distributor: Battat Inc., of Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Hazard: The wooden cherries on top of the toy sundae pose a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled wooden sundae set toy includes six wooden scoops of ice cream, three cherries that attach to the top of the ice cream scoops, banana slices, a spoon and bowl. The ice cream scoops are green, pink, brown, yellow and purple. The sundae set pieces attach to each other with Velcro. Model number DPCI-204-12-0526 is included in this recall and is located on the packaging.

Sold exclusively at: Target Stores nationwide from December 2006 through December 2007 for about $10.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy sundae sets away from children and return the toys to any Target store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Battat Inc. at (800) 247-6144 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET or visit the firm?s Web site at www.battatco.com