Teach Your Children to Wash Their Hands With Fun Soaps

Whether it’s flu season or your kiddos just need to wash dirty hands from being outdoors, using a fun soap product makes the task enjoyable. And, do your children know the proper way to wash their hands? Here is a recipe for clean hands.

• First, wet hands completely under running water.
• Put one squirt of liquid soap in your hands.
• Rub hands together briskly. Spread the soap over the fronts and backs of the hands, between the fingers, and over the lengths of the fingers, and across and under the fingernails.
• Rub briskly, making “soap suds gloves” all over the hands and wrists. Keep rubbing encouraging your children to sing their favorite song. Some children love to sing “Happy Birthday” a couple times. This keeps your child scrubbing a little longer. The experts recommend a minimum of 15 seconds.
• Hold hands under the running water with the fingers pointing toward the drain. Rinse away all the soap.
• Dry hands with a clean personal towel at home, and with a lot of kids around, paper towels are the best. Then, especially in public restrooms, use the towel to turn off the spigot. Help your youngsters understand that their hands were full of germs when they turned on the water. Some of those germs are still on the fixture and will come back onto their clean hands if they touch the spigot again. The towel serves as a barrier.
• Hang your personal towel up on a rack or throw away the paper towel in the trash can.
• Now for the fun part – the soap:

There are new additions to the Softsoap brand of liquid soap. How would your kids feel if they had liquid soap in either a Star Wars or Frozen character container? With the new movie, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Softsoap has three of the most iconic characters on their bottles: Yoda, Darth Vader, and R2D2. And what young child wouldn’t love to take a squirt of soap from a bottle with the Frozen characters on it? Look for bottles featuring Elsa, Olaf, and one with both Elsa and Anna on it. These special Softsoap liquid soap bottles retail for $2.99 (8.5 fl oz) and sold at many drug, grocery, and mass retail stores. Why not try one soon and see if this kids collection helps making the task of hand washing easy and stress-free!

NOTE: The Softsoap Collection has been sent to me by Colgate-Palmolive for review purposes. I was not paid to write this post for this company.

July 4th Family Fun

What's the Fourth of July without a parade? Conduct your own family parade full of music, noisemakers and riding toy floats. Invite the neighborhood children to join you. Parading down the street with decorated riding toys is a good way to put spirit into a holiday celebration. Young children can gather their riding toys; a tricycle, wagon, little cars and such and prepare them by taping crepe paper streamers and ribbons to the body of the vehicle, as well as to the handlebars. Older kids may even weave these streamers into the spokes of their bicycles.

Independence Day is a noisy holiday. To make noisemakers, collect empty aluminum soda cans. After they are washed and dry, have the children put dried beans, small pebbles, or pennies inside. Tape the opening shut with duct tape. Proceed to cover the can with construction paper or aluminum foil. Let the kids decorate these noisemakers as they wish with crayons, markers, ribbons and stickers. "Shake, shake, shake" as they parade.

How about a "Revolutionary Hat" to wear? Cut a piece of construction paper into three 9" x 4" strips. Staple the short ends of the strips together to complete this three-cornered hat. Wear these hats in your parade like revolutionary soldiers. It would be quite patriotic to use one strip of each color (red, white and blue). Maybe add a feather if you're singing "Yankee Doodle".

This holiday is happening soon -- get your gear ready!

Happy Independence Day,
Tania

Are You Protecting Your Child's Eyes This Summer?

Do you wear sunglasses? The sunshine is so bright no matter the season. Are you aware of the damage it can do to your eyes? And, what about your child’s eyes? Yes, they need to wear protection eyewear too.

According to the Vision Council’s UV Protection Reports these facts about sun safety is imperative:

• UV damage is cumulative and irreversible
• Kids receive 3X more annual UV exposure than adults yet less than 30% of parents are currently protecting their children’s eyes with sunglasses.
• Children’s eyes are more susceptible to sun damage because they have larger pupils and clearer lenses, allowing more UV to penetrate and reach the back of the eyes

When choosing sunglasses for your kids, always look for:

• 100% UVA/UVB protection
• High-quality, durable frames
• A comfortable fit and a great style your kids will love

Parents, make sure you provide your kids with sunglasses that correspond with the information above. There are many options for sunglasses but Babiators, the leading children’s sunglasses brand, is on a mission to protect kids’ eyes from the sun. Babiators are safe, durable, awesome and guaranteed sunglasses for babies and kids.

Products include original and polarized Babiators Aviator Sunglasses for ages 0-7 years and Aces Aviator and Navigator Shades for kids ages 7-14 years. Each pair features 100% UVA and UVB protection, flexible frames and shatter-resistant lenses, stylish colors and patterns, and are backed by the Lost & Found Guarantee™ - if you lose or break your shades within one year of purchase, Babiators will replace them for free. Not a bad deal for parents! Check out their website here.

Note: I'm not affiliated with this sunglasses company, nor do they pay me for writing this blog. The data is factual and the choice of sunglasses comes from my personal opinion.

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Dear Readers,

After a crazy year of moving to a new city and getting settled in a new home, I'm back on Creative Preschool Time and geared to bring you oodles of information for your early childhood experience with your children.

From new products, to lesson plans, to crafts and so much more. Please check out my site in the next few days and visit often.

See you on the web!

Tania

New Products Featuring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Hi Friends,

Have your kiddos been nagging about seeing the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film? It will be hitting the theaters around August 8th, and there are action figures, vehicles and role play gear, that reflect the personalities and distinctive look of the Turtles in the movie.

Below is a press release from Playmates Toys that will give you all the information, keeping you abreast of everything you need to know to converse with your children about these 'green' heroes.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES EMERGE FROM THE SHADOWS ONTO THE BIG SCREEN AND INTO FANS’ HANDS

Playmates Toys to Introduce New Toy Line Based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Film

El Segundo, CA – June 18, 2014 – Playmates Toys, the creative force behind the successful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toy line over the last three decades, is set to introduce a new product line inspired by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ summer blockbuster film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, directed by Jonathan Liebesman,written by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec and Evan Daugherty and produced by Michael Bay, hitting theaters August 8. The movie line of toys will include an assortment of products for Turtles fans, including action figures, vehicles and role play gear.

“We are proud to introduce an all-new line of toys that reflect the personalities and distinctive look of the Turtles in the movie,” said Karl Aaronian, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Playmates Toys. “The range of toys will provide kids and fans of all ages with a one-of-a-kind ninja play experience that brings their favorite characters from the film to life.”

“Playmates has outdone themselves yet again, with an incredible product offering for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie,” said Manuel Torres, SVP Global Toys and Publishing, Nickelodeon Consumer Products. “These products – from action figures to role play toys – will provide hours of play, collectability and deepen our fans’ connection to the beloved brand.”

 The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie toy line from Playmates Toys will feature the following action figures, group vehicle and role-play gear:

Action Figures
The action figure collection will include basic action figures, 11-inch figures and deluxe feature figures. The action figures are highly detailed, fully articulated and uniquely sculpted to reflect the Turtles’ appearance in the movie. In addition, each figure comes equipped with unique accessories. The basic action figures vary in heights from 4.0 inches to 5.5 inches. The collection includes Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael, as well as Splinter, The Shredder, Foot Soldier, April O'Neil and Raphael in Disguise. The 11-inch figure collection includes the four Ninja Turtles.

The Combat Warrior Deluxe Figures are highly detailed, fully articulated and uniquely sculpted, with heights ranging from 5.25 inches to 6 inches. The Turtles’ legs can be squeezed to trigger battle actions. The collection includes Leonardo with quick cut katana action, Donatello with smack-down spinning staff action, Michelangelo with triple terror twist nunchuck action and Raphael with serious slashing sai action.

Vehicles
The Turtle Assault Van is packed with ninja action features, allowing kids to drive the Turtles into their next battle and recreate their favorite scenes from the movie. Features include a spring-powered Turtle torpedo, launching luge assault vehicle, pop top hatch and side attack ramp. The control cabin holds the basic Ninja Turtles action figures.

Role Play Gear
With the Ninja Combat Gear, kids can transform themselves into one of their favorite heroes in a half shell from the film. Each set includes the Turtles’ signature weapon and bandana, allowing kids to see if they have what it takes to become a Ninja Turtle. The collection includes Leonardo with katana sword, bandana and two hand guards, Michelangelo with Nunchuck, bandana and two hand guards, Raphael with two Sais and bandana and Donatello with Bo Staff and bandana.

About the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie
In this modern-day iteration of the popular franchise that has captivated audiences of all ages for decades, the Turtles must work with fearless reporter April O’Neil (Megan Fox) and her wise-cracking cameraman Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett) to save New York City and unravel Shredder’s diabolical plan.  Based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, written by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec and Evan Daugherty, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is produced by Michael Bay (director and executive producer of the blockbuster Transformers franchise),Andrew Form, Brad Fuller, Galen Walker, Scott Mednick and Ian Bryce, and directed by Jonathan Liebesman (Wrath of the Titans).

About Playmates Toys
With a history of over 40 years, Playmates Toys is today among the most well-respected and innovative marketing and distribution companies in the global toy industry with a proven history in the creation of imaginative products as well as the development and management of profitable, long-term brand franchises. Key brands include TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, HEARTS FOR HEARTS GIRLS and WATERBABIES. From its offices in Hong Kong and California, Playmates designs, develops, markets and distributes its products in over 60 countries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.playmatestoys.com or http://facebook.com/playmatestoys

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 19 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com.  Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).

About Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

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© 2014 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

Information and photo courtesy of Playmates Toys

Teaching Children About the World Cup Soccer With Toys

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The World Cup Soccer just began and already people all over the world are glued to the games. It's also a great time to teach the kiddos about soccer and the countries that partake in this event. Playmobil has a series of toys that emphasize soccer. Take a peek at this review about their soccer products in celebration of the World Cup. ~~~

Rio (Brazil), host of this year’s World Cup, is gearing up for one of the world’s most widely-viewed sporting events. As interest in the sport once again takes center stage, the focus will be on the teams, players and event sponsors. But did you know that toymaker PLAYMOBIL is actually the world’s largest soccer ball producer? Since 2006, they have manufactured more than 11.6 million soccer balls! The German-based company, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, first introduced soccer player figures that can kick in honor of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Berlin.

Below are some of the toy sets Playmobil has to offer:

Take Along Soccer Match (#4725): With the Playmobil Take Along Soccer Match you can dribble your way across the field to victory! With six athlete figures primed and ready to play, this set comes fully equipped with everything kids need to have a complete game experience. Goalie figures connect to an included goal joystick that allows kids to control the goalies' movements from behind the goal net. This compactable and travel-ready set also includes a 22 x 33 inch field, soccer ball and other accessories. Recommended for ages five to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $67.99. Warning: Choking Hazard. Contains a small ball and small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Soccer Shoot Out (#4726): Score the tie-breaking goal with the Playmobil Soccer Shoot Out. Two figures compete to see who can score the most goals and win the match. The working digital scoreboard with timer keeps track of points and ensures a fair match. Set also includes goal area, two orange cones and soccer ball. Recommended for ages five to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $24.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Contains a small ball and small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Referees (#4728): The referee and 2 linesmen are ready for action. Warn the players with the cards to prevent misbehaving. Set includes whistle, flags and yellow and red cards. Recommended for ages five to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $8.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Contains a small ball and small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Germany (#4729): Share your team pride with the soccer player from Germany. Set includes one figure with leg that kicks and soccer ball. Recommended ages five to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $3.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Contains a small ball and small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Spain (#4730): Support your national team with the soccer player from Spain. Set includes one figure with leg that kicks and soccer ball. Recommended ages five to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $3.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Contains a small ball and small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

England (#4732): Display your team spirit with the soccer player from England. Set includes one figure with leg that kicks and soccer ball. Recommended ages five to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $3.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Contains a small ball and small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

France (#4733): Cheer on the French team with the soccer player from France. Set includes one figure with leg that kicks and soccer ball. Recommended ages five to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $3.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Contains a small ball and small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Netherlands (#4735): Root for your favorite athlete with the soccer player from the Netherlands. Set includes one figure with leg that kicks and soccer ball. Recommended ages five to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $3.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Contains a small ball and small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Brazil (#4799): Score a goal with the soccer player from Brazil. Set includes one figure with leg that kicks and soccer ball. Recommended ages five to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $3.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Contains a small ball and small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Look for these sets at your local toy store or on Playmobil's website.

Information and photos courtesy of PLAYMOBIL

It's Summer: Time for a Fish Theme

It's summer and many families spend these days fishing, boating, at the beach and maybe visiting an aquarium. Children love fish so get their focused attention and keep them hooked with projects and games that have a theme from under the sea.

Fish Stories

Cut out fish shapes from construction paper. From old magazines, cut out interesting pictures and glue these onto the fish. Place all fish into a box. Invite the children to pick a "fish" from the box. Look at the picture and try to incorporate it into a fish story they make up. This is a fun game for a group of children or with the family.

Pick Up Fish (A Fine Motor Game)

Remember the game of pick-up-sticks? Here is a fish version. You will need two containers, one empty and the other filled with fish shaped crackers. Invite the children to use tweezers to move the crackers from one container to the other.

Fish Dramatic Play

Have the children pretend to be fish swimming in the water. Ask, "What type of fish do you want to be?" Tell them to lie on their stomach with their arms close to their side. Now, have them wiggle their body and try to move. Ask, "How would you rest when you are tired? How would you eat? Where would you hide if there were danger?" Have the children describe what they imagine in their underwater world. Act out the following verse.

There is so much activity beneath the sea.

The crab crawls, the eel wiggles,

The octopus swims, the jellyfish jiggles.

Dramatize the creature you want to be!

Under the sea is so much fun for preschoolers. Let these ideas be a start to your fish theme. I'll add more ideas in the next weeks.

Until then - have fun - be creative - enjoy life!

Tania

Photo courtesy of Tania Cowling, all rights reserved

Memorial Day Fun With the Kids

Memorial Day is a time to honor our nation's fallen heroes and many activities are planned for this patriotic holiday. It's also a long weekend for us to find things to do on Memorial Day with the kids; quality family time with our children without the usual interruptions of phones and household chores. Let's welcome the first inkling of summer with outdoor activities where parents and children can enjoy each other, the sunshine, fresh air, food, games and just "fun, fun, fun!"


Picnic Basics (Preschool +)

Children love picnics! And picnics are even more fun-and full of learning when your child helps with the planning and preparations. Talk with your child about the picnic so the excitement begins and enlist her help in the planning. As you pack, remember the extras like tissues, wipes, bandages, and something to sit on.

You can carry food in a basket, bucket or backpack. If you are not traveling far, your child could pack her own finger foods in the compartments of an egg carton. It often works well to have one blanket for food and another one or two to sit on. Small children love to crowd to the middle of a blanket of food, and it is discouraging to have someone sitting on the bananas. Just remember today is a day of fresh air, fun and happiness. This song should set the mood. (Tune: "You Are My Sunshine")

I AM SO HAPPY, SO VERY HAPPY
I WANT TO SING ALL DAY LONG.
I AM SO HAPPY, WE'RE ON A PICNIC,
WON'T YOU COME AND SING ALONG?

Let your children fill in other reasons of their happiness, maybe they are happy to eat "hot dogs" or "playing baseball". Make this song open-ended and sing as many verses as you can dream up.

After the picnic, bring out the crayons, markers, and some extra picnic supplies to make simple puppets. Your child can add pipe cleaner arms and a face with markers to a plastic or wooden spoon. With small paper plates, she can draw a face with crayons and then attach the plate to a plastic fork by weaving it through the tines. The fork becomes the handle for the puppet-or the whole plate can become a mask if you cut out holes for the eyes. Encourage your child to put on a puppet show for the entire family.


Enjoy your holiday weekend,
Tania

This article was originally posted on Yahoo Voices.

Craft photo courtesy of Tania Cowling, all rights reserved
 

Endangered Species Day and Playmobil Toys

Hello friends,

I'm always on the lookout for new events and special toys for our children. Here is something you may be interested in.

This Friday, May 16^th is Endangered Species Day and PLAYMOBIL has new wildly-fun playsets bound to spark awareness in young animal lovers. From the African elephant to the giant panda, PLAYMOBIL’s Endangered Animals of the World playsets are ideal for educating kids about respecting wildlife and the protection of all creatures worldwide.

Kids can take a ride through the African Savannah where elephants and rhinos roam, journey off-road in the jungle and observe bamboo-munching pandas in their natural habitat. With four different playsets, they’ll love learning about different animals and regions of the world while exploring the natural wonders of the environment.

Check out these sets in your local toy store or online:

Pandas in Bamboo Forest: (#5414): Get up close and personal with the Pandas as they graze in the Bamboo Forest. After they’ve had their fill of bamboo shoots, the two adult pandas and their cubs can take shelter for the night in the cozy cave concealed within the rocky terrain. Thanks to his off-road bike, the researcher can view the animals from a safe distance, while all of his gear remains safely stowed away in the bike’s storage box. Set includes one figure with helmet, off-road bike, two pandas, two cubs, camera, binoculars, trees, flowers, and other accessories. Recommended for ages four to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $25.99.  Warning. Choking Hazard. Small parts. Not for children under 3 years

Gorillas and Okapis with Film Maker: (#5415): Document the animals in their natural habitat with the Film Maker. Using her professional video camera, the film maker can record how these wild animals live. The baby gorilla loves swinging from the trees while the mother keeps an eye from below. The exotic okapi with baby snack on the surrounding vegetation as the film maker catches everything on camera. Set includes one figure, gorilla with baby, okapi with baby, camera, clipboard, storage container, tree, landscape, and other accessories. Recommended for ages four to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $29.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Jungle Animals with Researcher and Off-Road Vehicle: (#5416): Learn everything there is to know about the Jungle Animals as the Researcher observes them in the wild. The off-road vehicle’s removable roof and hood make it easy to view the animals in their natural environment, while the sizeable trunk provides plenty of storage for the microscope, laptop, and other equipment. There’s plenty to see in the jungle as everything from tigers to orangutans roam the forest. The orangutans swing from branch to branch while other animals find shelter beneath a movable rock in the terrain. Set includes one figure, off-road vehicle, tiger with cub, orangutan with two babies, scorpions, snake, food, lantern, flowers, vines, and other accessories. Recommended for ages four to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $42.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

African Savannah with Animals (#5417): Take a ride on the wild side through the African Savannah with Animals. With the help of his camera and tripod, the researcher can capture priceless photos of elephant and rhinoceros families as they roam the savannah. But beware! A dangerous cheetah is lurking nearby in the trees. Set includes one figure, adult and baby elephant, adult and baby rhinoceros, cheetah, binoculars, cooler with water bottles, and other accessories. Recommended for ages four to ten. Suggested Retail Price: $46.99. Warning. Choking Hazard. Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

I hope you have enjoyed this toy segment. These sets are perfect for creative play and are quite educational.

See you next week,
Tania

Information and photos are courtesy of PLAYMOBIL

Celebrating Mother's Day With Homemade Gifts

Mom, put the blindfolds on and overlook this article! Calling all Dads, Grandparents and babysitters---please gather up the kids and help them make a special gift for mom. There is a special holiday coming this month-- Mother's Day. What mother wouldn't appreciate a homemade gift from her child? These things don't cost much; actually the best gifts for Mom are free.

A Little History:
Mother's Day dates back to ancient Greece when the people paid tribute to Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. Later in history, England paid tribute to mothers on "Mothering Sunday", the fourth Sunday of Lent. There were several women who suggested the idea of Mother's Day, however, it wasn't until Miss Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) of Philadelphia campaigned to make Mother's Day a national holiday. In 1910, the first Mother's Day was proclaimed and was celebrated by West Virginia and Oklahoma. By 1911 every state observed Mother's Day. Resolutions were passed, but it wasn't until May 8, 1914 that President Woodrow Wilson issued the proclamation making Mother's Day an official national holiday. Miss Anna Jarvis's mother's favorite flower was the white carnation. This flower was chosen to represent the sweetness, purity and endurance of mother love. As the years went by, the red carnation has since become the symbol of a living mother while the white flower signifies that one's mother has passed.

Click on this link to find an assortment of homemade gift ideas and activities for Mother's Day.
It's just around the corner on Sunday, May 11, 2014.

Have a great week,
Tania

This article was originally posted on Yahoo Voices 2010.
Photo courtesy of Tania Cowling, all rights reserved