Why 3-Dimensional Object Play is Critical

Today’s blog posting is written by Bethe’ Smith who has been with Discovery Toys for 2 years. She has her Child Development Associate in Preschool Education. She has over 15 years experience in childcare as a Preschool Teacher and a Home Daycare Owner. She is currently a homeschooling mom. She has a 9 year old girl and a 6 year old boy. She and her husband of ten years are happy to be expecting their third child in September.


• Schools are underperforming on standardized tests.

• High school graduation rates remain below 50% in some states.

• Concerns continue to mount about global competitiveness.

• We are raising children that can no longer think for themselves.

The solution to these issues is so simple. Children need 3-dimensional “hands-on” play! The child’s brain needs to be in charge of learning!

This is what Discovery Toys is all about! We offer every child the 5-point advantage.

1) Kid Powered
• Hands-on, kinesthetic, object play.
• Child controls the play experience with guidance from parents.
• Child learns to visualize the concepts, to learn at their own pace, to create their own problems to solve and to think about things from a different perspective.

2) Layers of Learning
• DT products support multiple skills and learning pathways. They are loaded with learning!
• DT products grow with your child.
• DT products support a variety of learning styles.

3) Parents Involved
• Parents are their child’s first teacher.
• Parents play along with their child. Just 10 minutes a day can work to deliver play!
• Parents learn and grow along with their child.

4) Top Quality and Proven Safe
• DT products are made of top quality materials.
• DT products are packaged in top quality packaging.
• DT corporate standards are higher than government standards. (many times Discovery Toys goes beyond the recommended age range, for example, when deeming a product “safe” and age grade the standard from a younger age up through the next age.)
• DT products are inspected 3 different times.
• DT products have a Lifetime Guarantee and replacement parts

5) FUN!
• Toy products need to ultimately be FUN! Our toys are designed with “fun” and learning in mind…we believe you can never have one without the other.
• Fun is Play…and Play is what we build each and every day…with our Products, Parents and our Promise!

Since you are reading this blog you are someone that recognizes that a child’s education is important and you are taking steps to improve it, THANK YOU! As a Discovery Toys leader I am pleased to see more parents taking a more proactive role in their child’s education at an earlier age. We need more people to choose toys and games that help our children’s future and more consultants to help spread our mission across the US and Canada. If you are interested in joining my Discovery Toys nationwide team, I would love to help you get started.

Please visit my website and contact me for your special offer.

http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/akbethesmith

Developing Creativity in Children

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” –Albert Einstein

Creativity plays an integral role in developing a child’s physical, emotional and cognitive development. Creativity includes a number of components such as imagination, originality, productivity, and problem solving. Creativity is different than the traditional definition of intelligence (i.e., children who score high on intelligence tests are not necessarily highly creative). All children are born with creative potential, and fortunately it can be developed at any time during one’s lifespan.

However, nurturing children’s creativity from a young age will benefit them for years to come, helping build confidence and a better understanding of their surroundings. Developing a childhood interest has been strongly correlated to adult creative achievement. This is essential for developing practical skills that are crucial later in life such as in the workplace. Employers are interested in people who are adaptable, innovative, can solve problems and communicate well with others.

There are many ways to promote creativity in children, but here are a few that I find particularly helpful:
• Foster a Creative Environment: this can range from art projects, playing in the yard, using a wide variety of toys, asking open-ended questions, games, playing with colors, music, exploring nature, reading books and playing puzzles. (Note: Please read my blog posting on July 9, 2010 for a greater understanding of the role of play in childhood development).
• Be a Positive Role Model: don’t tell children what to do, show them what to do.
• Allow Time: it is hard to be creative when you are in a rush. Slow down.
• Build Self-Efficacy in Your Children: let your children do things on their own and give them choices rather than making decisions for them. Let them make mistakes, and respect their ideas. Resist the urge to accomplish tasks for your children. Children who believe in themselves and their abilities tend not to give in to peer pressure and are more confident in making their own decisions. Encouragement and support are critical.
• Let Your Children Ask “Why” Questions: we all can get easily irritated when asked this question numerous times, and frustration and time constraints may lead us to say “I don’t know” or “Don’t ask stupid questions.” This mode of responding may inhibit children from asking questions in the future, resulting in them being less creative and inquisitive.

Please feel free to share any tips that you have on developing creativity in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!

Please visit the following website for further information on developing creativity in children:

http://www.creativityinstitute.com/developingcreativityinchildren.aspx

A Solution for Allergy-Free Cooking

As a follow-up to the Coping With Food Allergies postings written by registered dietician Kelly Harrington, MS, RD, today’s blog posting is highlighting the Allergy-Free For Me Cookbook iPhone application released by my child development company, iMomConnect, LLC. The app was featured on Apple’s New and Noteworthy List for Lifestyle apps and can be purchased on iTunes for $1.99 (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/allergy-free-for-me-cookbook/id415274206?mt=8). With this cookbook app, families can create a profile for each person’s specific allergies and obtain customized recipes for their family members. The recipes take into account the top 8 food allergens: Milk, Egg, Peanut, Tree Nut, Fish, Shellfish, Wheat and Soy. The app is endorsed by Kelly Harrington, MS, RD who provides the nutritional information for all of the recipes.

Overall Highlights of the Cookbook Application:
- No substitutions needed! Every recipe is customized for your family member’s specific allergies
- Obtain customized recipes which meet the needs of all the people in your household with allergies in the Favorites section under “Combo”
- Endorsement and nutrition facts provided for all recipes by a Registered Dietician
- Unlimited number of children may be profiled in the app
- Search by Keyword, Ingredient, Food Type or Ready In
- Detailed pictures of each recipe and offline access to the app
- The app will be updated periodically with new recipes
- Allergy-free product recommendations for top brands are listed in your Shop List under “Products”
- Contains healthy, low-sugar, eclectic recipes for the whole family to enjoy

The inspiration for this cookbook came from our own family members who have food allergies. During the course of making our recipes and after speaking to mothers of children with allergies, we have compiled a thoughtful list of allergy-free product recommendations. These products are also useful for mothers looking for readymade foods for on-the-go families! Please visit the following company websites for Allergy-Free products that are great for families with food allergies:

Allerrific
Applegate Farms
Attune Foods
Bakery on Main
Bumble Bar
Foods Alive
Green Valley Organics
HomeFree
The Peanut Butter Substitute
Peanut Free Planet
Sweet Alexis
YummyEarth
ZenSoy

An excerpt from the iMomConnect Press Release:

Just because a member of your family has a food allergy, it does not mean you have to make a separate meal! “Our cookbook app offers creative and delicious solutions for parents who have children who are picky eaters and have food allergies,” said Rupa Tak, Founder, iMomConnect, LLC. “The recipes are healthy, low-sugar, tasty dishes for the entire family to enjoy because they are eclectic, flavorful and taste-tested by adults and children. The cookbook also has a variety of vegetarian and vegan recipes available,” said Kelly Harrington, Registered Dietician.