Archives for Children
The portable sandbox
As a young child, I had a sandbox in my backyard. I didn’t like our specific sandbox very much because the neighborhood cats often used it as a community litter box, and my parents didn’t like it because they had to kill off a plot of grass to build it. I loved the idea of a sandbox, though, and dreamed of building castles in it.
Recently, I spotted on Apartment Therapy’s Ohdeedoh website a perfect, uncluttered solution: A sandbox on wheels
You can roll the sandbox into your garage when not in use (keeping out unwanted cats and pests), wheel it onto a patio or grassy area when in use, and you can roll it over to a neighbor’s house for their children to use when your kids outgrow it. Just be sure to get locking wheels when you’re buying supplies so your child doesn’t roll on out of your yard while playing.
(Image from Ohdeedoh)
Popularity: 6% [?]
Your children can have toys and you can have an uncluttered home
A few times after speaking and writing about having an uncluttered home, people have said to me:
You obviously don’t have kids.
I know that these are lighthearted statements meant to let off a little steam about one’s personal experience, but they always rub me the wrong way.
Simply stated: Having children and being uncluttered are not mutually exclusive endeavors. You can have both. Problems occur when people (of any age) have more stuff than they can store and routines do not exist to take care of the things they own.
If a child has so many toys that they are strewn in every room of the house, it’s time to get rid of a large selection of the toys. If the child doesn’t have a toy chest, cabinet, or closet to properly store his toys, then he needs one. Lay out all of your child’s toys on the living room floor for him to review. Next, have him pick which toys will be kept and which ones will be donated to charity (or recycled or thrown away, if necessary). Have your child go with you to make the charitable donation so that he can see the children who are benefitting from his generosity. Then, after returning home, organize the remaining toys in a designated storage area.
A reader on the site recently left a comment that I agree with wholeheartedly:
If a child is old enough to get out a toy to play, she is old enough to put it away.
Yes, it takes diligence to monitor a child’s behavior to know when to encourage her to put away her things after play time, but it’s not impossible. If you’re unable to keep on top of toys being put away at the end of every play time, then have a routine in place where the child walks through the entire house and puts away all errant toys 15 minutes before starting her bedtime routine. Teaching children these life skills at an early age will help them to always live an uncluttered life. Yes, there will be times when your encouragement will be met with resistance, but such are the ways of parenthood.
Be sure to check out our previous posts in the Baby and Children categories to get even more ideas and suggestions about keeping toy clutter under control.
Popularity: 14% [?]
INCHworm shoes grow with your child’s foot
Children’s shoes don’t last very long. The main culprit is their growing bodies. I’d venture to guess an average pair of shoes lasts around six months — max. Depending on the amount of wear and tear, the shoes may not be suitable for donation after use, which is unfortunate.
The INCHworm shoe is a decent solution to the ever-growing child’s foot. The shoe is adjustable and extends itself by one whole size, in half-size increments. So a size six can become a six and a half and then eventually a seven. This would surely extend the life of the shoe by several months. From the product description:
Inchworm shoes are design specially for kids, both boys and girls. These shoes grow with your kids as your kids feet grow, one full size in two half size increments. With the 1 fit System you have the possibility to adapt the shoes to your children feet. Inchworm shoes are made in two parts with rubber outsole & PU midsole for the best comfort and support with anatomic insole and latex heel pad. The uppers are made from quality leathers and synthetic mesh. Inchworm shoes will last approximately 3-6 months longer than an ordinary pair of shoes. Simply push the button on the side of the heel and watch in amazement as the shoe grows.
This is a pretty cool idea. What do you guys think? Let your opinions fly in the comments section.
(via CNet’s Crave)
Popularity: 31% [?]
A supplement to a child’s book collection
Books are an important developmental tool for children. My daughter has quite a collection so far and I’m sure the collection will continue to expand. It is always advisable to keep the collection under control. There is no reason to hold onto some of the lower level books when your child loses interest in them as she grows. Try to give the books to friends or donate them whenever possible.
My wife and I recently discovered the website One More Story. It is a great way to supplement your child’s book collection while increasing her reading comprehension and basic computing skills. The site has the equivalent of books on tape with highlighted words. The site also includes illustrations, sound effects, and music with certain stories. A demonstration is available for preview.
One More Story currently has over 50 children’s books available. A year-long subscription costs $44, which is less than $4 per month. My wife and I didn’t hesitate to subscribe and we have enjoyed using this site with our daughter. Instead of packing up a handful of books when we travel, we simply log on to One More Story and have access to their library from any computer with internet access.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Storing board games and puzzles
Storing board games and puzzles can be an unnecessarily cumbersome task. The cardboard boxes are easily damaged and there isn’t a standard size to make stacking simple.
If board game and puzzle organization has you stumped, here are some suggestions for getting your games in order:
- When acquiring new board games, consider purchasing games in “library” or “book” style boxes. They easily fit on a bookshelf and their standardized sizes make cupboard storage convenient, too. Hasbro has numerous classic games in its library series (Risk, Monopoly, Scrabble, Sorry, Yahtzee, Clue, Stratego, Life, Jenga, Memory, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and Hi, Ho! Cherry-O). And, many of the Rio Grande games also come in bookshelf-friendly boxes, like Carcassonne and Puerto Rico.
- To avoid losing pieces, bundle everything but the game board and box into zip-top bags when the game is not in use. It’s a lot easier to find a bag of men, dice, and cards than it is to find a single piece.
- Use gallon size zip-top bags for puzzle pieces if the puzzle box is damaged. Take a picture of the puzzle box top and put it in with the pieces in the bag. Or, if you’re up for a challenge, just write the name of the puzzle on the bag with a permanent marker and don’t have a picture to follow.
- If your child is a fan of wood puzzles, the Wire Puzzle Rack can hold more than 10 wooden puzzles of varying sizes.
- A puzzle mat is good for storing puzzles when you need to put it away but aren’t yet finished working on it.
- If the box for a game becomes so damaged that it is no longer containing a game, there are plastic board game boxes to hold the pieces and most boards.
How do you store board games and puzzles in your home? Let us know your suggestions in the comments!
Popularity: 19% [?]
Classic and timeless toys are the way to go
I’ve written about keeping children’s toy clutter under control in the past and I also recommended some toy alternatives here and there. Simple Mom has a great post on a similar theme, but specifically classic toys. It’s an article that should be read by anyone planning to give a gift to a child.
My daughter has received some rather gimmicky toys over her first couple years and we have been pretty good at predicting which toys will be the duds. The classics are always reliable and have proven their entertainment value by their staying power. That’s why we purchased our daughter some basic wooden blocks this past Christmas. They are simple, versatile, and provide imaginative play for our daughter. Blocks are among the classic toys mentioned by Simple Mom along with art supplies, dress-up clothes, books, and dolls (among others):
Our general guidelines for toys are that they’re made of quality materials, they appeal to a whole range of kids, and they’re open-ended to make room for all sorts of creative play.
I also encourage you to browse around Simple Mom’s site. It is a great read for those of us who are dealing with being a uncluttered parent.
Popularity: 7% [?]
In with new, out with old
During the holiday season, you may get a few new gifts. Now is the time to take stock of what you received and what those new gifts can replace — one new gift in, one old item out. And, depending on how much use you got out of the old items, they should be donated or thrown away.
If you receive new slippers (very exciting I know) you should get rid of your old ones. In all likelihood, your received the new slippers for a reason.
One important area where we make a concerted effort to keep in check is our daughter’s toy collection. When she receives an above-average size gift, like an chalkboard/easel, we will remove a similarly sized older toy. For example, we would remove something like a kitchen play set. Toys are a constant struggle to keep in check. It is also a good idea to have your child take part in choosing what is to be donated and help them understand a toy they no longer play with is going to a less fortunate child.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Built NY lunch bag for kids
I highlighted Built NY’s uncluttered lunch bag a while back, so I figured I’d point our readers to their new lunch bag for kids called the Munchler. The Munchler is a lunch bag that can also be carried like a backpack. It also unzips into a placemat for easy use and stores flat. Made from polypropylene, it will insulate your child’s food.
Munchlers come in four varieties including a dog, panda, tiger, and bunny. These are fun, practical, and, most importantly, reusable lunch bags. Built NY has some great designs while offering very affordable products.
(via ohdeedoh)
Popularity: 14% [?]
Teaching your tikes to help with chores
My daughter is two and a half years old. And, thankfully, one of her favorite things to do is to wipe up a spill. Unfortunately, this sometimes results in her spilling things on purpose just to run into the kitchen and fetch a dish towel. My wife and I try to get her to help around the house as much as a two and a half year old can and she seems to enjoy just about everything we throw at her. This is a good start and hopefully she’ll take on more responsibilities as she grows.
She takes part in the nightly ritual of picking up all her toys that are left on the floor in the den before she goes to bed. The task only takes a couple of minutes and it leaves the room less cluttered than it was. She has become quite adept at this task and sometimes she even initiates it.
In an article in the Washington Post, the issue of teaching a young child the importance of pitching in around the home is examined. From the article:
Now that my daughter, at 20 months, is old enough to do things such as put her shirt in a hamper and wipe a spill — or at least some portion of it — I realize that this is my opportunity to strike. The second her masticated Cheerios hit the floor is a teachable moment, a chance to explain that half-chewed food lives in the trash and not under our feet. By showing her how to clean up after herself, child development experts tell me, I am instilling a sense of accomplishment and helping her master the subtle variation in skill required to scoop up squished cereal as opposed to squished peas.
The article covers different aspects of household chores and looks at the amount of time that we spend on chores in general. According to research, the amount of time that we spend on chores has decreased significantly over the last 20 years. The decrease in household chores is due to both parents working, children taking part in more activities, and outsourcing to cleaning services.
If household chores have decreased on average, then there are still many things that your child should learn to help out with around the home. A cleaning service isn’t in your home 24/7, so picking up after themselves is at the top of the list. The younger they are, the easier it is to instill this basic task into their routine.
Popularity: 14% [?]
Ikea hack for toy storage
The older your child gets, the more important it is to find great ideas for toy storage. It is always important to get rid of toys that your child doesn’t want or play with any longer to keep the toy inventory manageable. It also is important to find a storage solution that is easy for you and your child to use. Enter this idea from Ikea Hacker:
The hack uses the Ikea Pax wardrobe and Trofast storage boxes, which fit perfectly in the slots. This hack stores an incredible about of toys and is simple to create. I’m not sure if my daughter has enough toys to fill a full Pax wardrobe, but I’m sure we will be able to find use for all of the drawers.
(via ohdeedoh)
Popularity: 28% [?]
11 cheap (and free) toys from Simple Mom
In the spirit of the baby toy alternative articles we’ve written in the past, Simple Mom has a great list of cheap and free toys for your toddler. It’s easy to forget about the simple and classic toys for our children. Toys with a lot of bells and whistles seem to replace the simpler toys because they are perceived to be better somehow. This list is a nice reminder that a child’s imagination can create entertaining fun with just about any object. From the list:
1. Egg cartons. They make great caterpillars, they’re good storage containers for little treasures found on walks, and they can even become airline seats for little animal toys.
5. Dried beans or rice. It’s fun to pour into bowls and cups of different sizes, and it’s a good sensory exercise. Sand works well, too.
7. Washed out empty food containers. My daughter loves to play kitchen, and she’s stocked with some of our empty syrup, ketchup, and dressing bottles. No need to buy a child-size version of the same plastic thing.
We do have the miniature versions of food products. The variety pack of just about every Kraft food imaginable was a gift and those tiny replicas turn up just about everywhere around the house. The regular size hand-me-downs would be easier to clean up and keep in order.
We also use egg cartons as a way to keep the finger paints in a confined space while our daughter creates her next masterpiece. The paint inevitably ends up all over the place, but the egg carton is a great way to bring a bit of organization to the painting chaos.
Popularity: 21% [?]
Plan out the week’s clothing on Sunday
Back to school time is almost here. In the coming weeks, parents and children will be fighting each morning about what younger children will wear. My daughter isn’t quite there yet, she’s only two, but we are planning on laying out the weeks clothes on Sunday. With the help of your child, you can make the Sunday night clothing ritual a regular routine. It will surely save you time each morning while getting your child ready for school.
The process of picking out the clothes can be tough, but there is an easy and child-centric way to store the week’s clothes in your child’s closet. The Kids’ Soft-Sided 6 Day Closet Organizer can help you and your little student get her clothes in order. You don’t need this organizer to get your child’s clothes in order for the week (it would be simple to make your own), but a designated system can help get the process to be a regular routine.
Popularity: 22% [?]
Baby toy alternatives (part 2)
Cutting back the influx of toys is an ongoing issue for my wife and me. Last summer, I wrote about everyday items that could serve as toys for your little one. While my daughter grows, she’s now two years old, and her taste in toys changes daily I figured I would update the list that I posted last summer.
Paint brush and water: Man, does she love to “paint” the sidewalk or fence with a paintbrush and small bucket of water. She can easily spend a half an hour painting and when she is done there is absolutely no mess to clean up. My mom clued me in on this one.
Laundry time: She loves to help with sorting laundry. So much so that we sometimes give her clothes on non-laundry days to sort through. Match up all the socks!
Magazines: When she no longer wants to look through any of her books, which is rare, we hand her a magazine. She flips through the magazine while looking at all of the interesting pictures and photos.
Household chores: She is really showing interest in everyday household chores. Isn’t this the reason to have a kid in the first place? (I’m kidding of course.) As I mentioned above, she loves to help with laundry, but she also helps with taking out garbage, emptying the dishwasher, watering plants, and wiping up her spills. These are not really “toys,” but my wife and I find it important to have her help out around the home. She’s even starting to clean up her toys without even being asked.
Computer time: She watches us use the computer quite a bit so naturally she shows an interest. Her favorite site is Elmo’s Keyboard-O-Rama.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Toy lending library
If there is one thing I remember from when I was a young pup, it was my all too fast boredom with toys that I accumulated. I would eagerly anticipate a trip to the toy store so I could pick out a new toy, only to have it lose its appeal in about two weeks. One Christmas I was so psyched to get Laser Tag, but upon receiving it I realized that those slick commercials made the thing look so much cooler than it actually was. Laser Tag found a quick exit from my toy rotation and it stayed in the basement for quite some time.
Fast forward 20-plus years later, and I find my daughter in the same boat. Yes, she’s younger than I was when I lusted for my very own Laser Tag set, but she definitely gets bored of the many toys that she has at her disposal. We luckily have a great service within walking distance of our home, the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library, to help curb the toy accumulation problem. It lets little ones play with all of the library’s toys, and they can check toys out and take them home if they like. The service is very inexpensive and it is operated by an all-volunteer staff.
Hopefully, your city or town has something very similar (if not, check out our second post today, which discusses a national toy lending program). For those of you who want to curb the accumulation of more toys, this is a great alternative to purchasing toys that lose their appeal in a few weeks.
Popularity: 17% [?]
Baby toy alternatives
As I wrote the post on managing your child’s toy collection, I realized how many things we used as an alternative to toys. Here are some everyday items in your house that can double as a toy for your adventurous little one. My daughter is fifteen months old right now, a peak time for such alternatives. Admittedly, these solutions may not be right for your older child.
Laundry basket: Our daughter either gets into and out of the laundry basket over and over again or she wants to be pushed around in it as she sits inside. She also torments our cat as it relaxes in the laundry basket. She likes to push the basket around the room and crash into things too. It can also double as a place for all of her regular toys.
Boxes: My daughter loves to throw things into boxes, so before we throw any old shoe boxes away we give them to her to play with until she destroys them.
Measuring cups: This is a nice alternative to the plastic keys she has. From five to ten months old she loved playing with her measuring cups. She doesn’t really like them these days.
Bottled water: Shaking a bottle of water keeps her occupied for quite some time on long car trips. Just make sure the cap is on tightly.
Cups: Nesting plastic cups can keep her entranced for fifteen to twenty minutes, and that is like an eternity for our daughter who is moving non-stop.
Keys: Give your kid a set of keys, but just make sure to remove the door lock contraption from the ring. Kids love pressing buttons and the panic button is usually red which is even more appealing.
Cellphone: Playing with an old cellphone lets her mimic her parents. We removed the battery from an old one and she pretends to talk to someone (most likely Elmo).
Blankets and pillows: They can be used to make tents or tunnels with some help from the furniture.
Obviously, these aren’t going to replace every toy, but they can offset the accumulation of more toys.
Popularity: 14% [?]
