Yearly Archives: 2017

Halloween Health and Safety Tips

October 26, 2017 – 8:31 am

From cdc.gov

Photo: Steven Depolo

5133671503_fa9f2fc754

For many people, autumn events like Halloween and Harvest Day are fun times to dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, attend parties, and eat yummy treats. These events are also opportunities to provide nutritious snacks, get physical activity, and focus on safety.

Below are tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters and party guests.

Going trick-or-treating?

Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.

Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

_________________________________________________________________

Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house.

Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.

Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.

Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.

Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult.

Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

Spider Web Snacks

October 22, 2017 – 8:29 am

Here is a fun Halloween treat of the season. Who knew eating spider webs could be so yummy?! These are easy, inexpensive, and cute!

Ingredients:

– pretzel sticks

– white chocolate/bark candy coating

– chocolate (baker’s, candy coating, or chips would probably all work)

– raisins

– baggie or pastry bag

– wax paper

Directions:

Lay out your pretzels on the wax paper in “starburst” arrangements of 6 or 8 pretzels (it’s a good idea to put it on a cookie sheet for transport stability).

After melting your white chocolate/bark coating, place in a baggie and cut the corner off (or use a pastry bag). Start piping your chocolate in the middle of the pretzel arrangement, making sure to coat all the pretzels.

Continue piping outward around the pretzels, until you have a web. Then, place two raisins in the middle for the body of the spider.

Melt your regular chocolate and pipe over the raisins. I found that the spiders turned out better when I piped the legs of the spider first and then did the body. Place in the fridge for a few minutes until the chocolate is hard. Then, gently peel back the wax paper.…and eat!

By Sara @MomEndeavors

National Stamp Collecting Month

October 21, 2017 – 8:31 am

4179475327_a7ddf57ced Collecting stamps is a fun and easy introduction to geography, history, art and nature. Help your children start a stamp collection by sharing stamps from your letters from home. Ask your au pair friends for stamps from their countries.

Photo: Simon Davies

International Drum Month

October 20, 2017 – 8:14 am

8503154320_15c4903630 Use an empty coffee can or oatmeal container as a drum and bang on it along with some lively music.

~Make a drum!

Here are instructions (from http://www.pbskids.org) for a drum experiment for school age children. Younger children like to use a coffee cans or pots as drums.
1. First get a container that you think will make a good drum, like a metal bowl or an oatmeal container.
2. Put the double-sided tape all the way around the container 2 inches from the top.
3. Cut 2 pieces of shrink-wrap big enough to cover the tape on the container. Then, push it onto the tape.
4. Tape the edges of the shrink-wrap with masking tape so it’s really secure.
5. Now blow-dry the shrink-wrap with a blow dryer set on hot. This shrinks the plastic and makes a very tight drum. Be sure you don’t put the end of the blow dryer to close to the plastic, or it will melt.
6. Once it’s really tight, bang your drum.

Photo: Thomas Kohler

Arts and Crafts for Fall, Halloween & Thanksgiving

October 19, 2017 – 8:28 am

Please click here to view arts and crafts ideas for fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving with kids

Some fun craft ideas for the season!

APIA Fall, Halloween & Thanksgiving pinboard with lots of great activity ideas. Visit. http://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/fall-halloween-thanksgiving/

Month of the Young Adolescent

October 17, 2017 – 8:04 am

3011537668_c98db15c46 Dedicated to ages 10-15 this serves as a reminder of the insecurity of young adolescents. Help the young adolescents you care for to recognize their abilities. Help to make home a safe and comfortable place where it is okay to learn from mistakes. Help them to learn about the adult values of hard work, family and discipline.

Photo: :mrMark:

October is National Pizza Month

October 13, 2017 – 8:20 am

Click here to find fun pizza recipes like these “pizza pops” on kidspot.com

Pizza is easy and fun to make and can be a nutritious meal for the children and is easy to make at home.

You will need a ready-made pizza dough or a ready-made crust, shredded mozzarella cheese and a jar of pizza sauce. First the dough or crust goes on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. Then spread the sauce, add the other toppings, and last of all, sprinkle the cheese. Bake as directed for the crust. Be careful, and keep the children away from the oven as the oven must be very hot to make a nice crusty pizza.

If you want to get a little fancier and try these pizza pops. Click on photo for recipes.

Click here for a coloring page where kids can draw in toppings and make their own pizza.

More kid friendly recipes here

Childproofing

October 9, 2017 – 8:34 am

With shorter days and colder weather, you and the children are probably spending more time inside the house. Please be sure that the house is “childproof” with these simple tips:

Children are curious; many small children put everything into their mouths. Be sure no small objects are within the child’s reach.
Plastic bags, long cords and very soft pillows can be dangerous to children.
If a toy gets broken and has sharp edges, keep it away from children!
Be sure that laundry soap and other cleaners are out of reach of the children.
Don’t leave any medicines in reach of children, not even vitamins.
Keep scissors and knives out of reach.
Store the toys that belong to older children out of reach of babies and toddlers.
Many cosmetic items and toiletries, such as mouthwash, perfume, nail polish, and hair spray, are poisonous. Keep them out of children’s reach.

Photo: audi_insperation

Fall Begins

September 22, 2017 – 8:15 am

As the weather cools and the leaves start to change color it is apple-picking season in most parts of the United States. Try these simple apple recipes, no matter where you get your apples:

Applesauce is very simple to make. Remove the core and quarter the apples. If you leave the peel on during cooking it will give the applesauce a pink color. When the apples are very soft, remove any peel that is left, mash the pulp or put it through a sieve. Add sugar if needed.
Try making Dried Apple Rings. They can be used as a nutritious snack. Peel, core and slice apples into 1/8 inch rings (Macintosh or Golden Delicious apples work best). Dip each ring into a mixture of lemon juice and water to help the apples keep their color. Pull a piece of string through the center of each ring and hang in a dry, warm place. They take 1-2 weeks to dry and become chewy.

Photo: (left) Brian Richardson- (Right) Alessio Maffeis