Clip-on toys. What a novel idea!

They clip onto virtually anything, change out easily, are portable, movable, inexpensive and entertaining. When you are going to the park, take it on the stroller, strap it to your purse, snap it onto the car seat, your belt loop!

If you are a parent you probably know about the huge variety of these small wonders, but if you are new to the concept you can check out a number of quality products at www.infantino.com, www.fisherprice.com, www.brightstars.com, www.playskool.com, www.toysrus.com, and www.babiesrus.com.

My personal favorite is the jittery pal line from Infantino. This was my daughters’ first toy (the fox) and she is now five months old and we don’t leave the house without him or one of his friends, the moose, the zebra, or the elephant. They are bright and colorful, easy to grab and easy to take anywhere you and baby go.

These small toys encourage your baby to practice their motor skills and help them learn hand eye coordination as well as object recognition. They can also serve as a security buddy on the go or when visiting new places as they are familiar and non-threatening to the child. The best part about these clip on toys is that they can be used in multiple ways in multiple different play areas, cribs, bouncers, tummy time mats, dangle gyms and car seats to make sure that your child is constantly stimulated with a change rotation of toys and does not become bored and complacent with the same old song.

They are also relatively inexpensive, most of them ranging from 2.99-13.99 depending on size and complexity, so it is cost effective and fun to change the toys for you and the baby.

Let’s face it, poop smells!

If you plan on throwing diapers in the garbage, you will soon learn the reason a Diaper Genie was invented!

It traps the smell into an air tight package so it doesn’t smell up the whole house. When I moved I forgot to bring the Diaper Genie and I spent a week without it. Let me tell you, it was the smelliest week I have ever had. I would be emptying the garbage every night and then my garage started to smell until trash day came.

If you are registering for baby gifts or shopping yourself, make sure that is first on the list, even before baby clothes and a crib. Okay, it’s not that important, but it will make your life a bit easier during your first couple years and anything that makes life easier you will learn to appreciate!

Are you spring cleaning?

In case you have been too busy to notice it’s spring: birds are singing, the grass is getting green, bulbs are popping up and your house is a cluttered winter wasteland. Before you can get down to heavy duty cleaning you need to get rid of some clutter.

Here are a few websites that will turn that chore into a feel-good earth friendly mission.

• Winter coats can be donated to www.ONEWARMCOAT.org

• Sneakers can go to a Nike-sponsored reuse-a-shoe program to create soft play surfaces for children around the world. Visit www.LETMEPLAY.com

• At www.collectivegood.com you can choose the charity that your used cell phone will support.

• My favorite is the www.INTERNATIONALBOOKPROJECT.com. They will ship your old books abroad for use in schools, libraries and orphanages.

• From piccolos to guitars, www.OPERATIONHAPPYNOTE.com sends instruments to soldiers deployed overseas.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t forget the good old standbys Goodwill, Salvation Army and the American Red Cross.

Knowing Your Child’s Learning Style Can Aid Mental Development
April 6, 2008

Every child, and every person, learns differently. It’s not “what” a child knows but “how” he knows it. Educators commonly define seven different learning styles:

1) Linguistic

2) Mathematical

3) Spatial

4) Intrapersonal

5)Interpersonal

6) Kinesthetic

7) Musical

Knowing your child’s individual learning style can help you meet his educational needs better. By providing activities that use your child’s learning style, you can help your child in the best way for him or her. There are few things to keep in mind:

* Your child may have more than one learning style.

* Even if your child has a particular learning style it is still important to provide a large variety and different types of stimulation to maximize their learning potential and retention.

* One learning style can be used to teach a child a concept and a different one to reinforce it.

For more information, activities and articles visit www.harcourt.com