Lilac City Momma

Lynn

5 Reasons Why Puzzles are Great for Toddler Development

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It’s been proven scientifically that kids are capable of learning anything if they are committed to it. This reason behind this is that; their brain has the potential to assimilate a whole lot of things; coupled with the fact that they are not easily bothered with issues that adults have to deal with on daily basis.

Usually, parents are advised to take advantage of this learning age in developing kids’ thinking and cognitive skills amidst other intellectual capability. However, it is increasingly becoming difficult to introduce kids to tools that can help improve their thinking ability, because mainstream media has taken over.

Most kids would rather watch their favorite TV show or surf the internet, these activities are usually useless at engaging the brain. As such they end up doing more damage than good. This is where traditional tools such as puzzles come into play. Here are some of the ways playing with puzzles can boost your toddler’s brain power:

  1. Increased Problem-Solving Skills

For any type of puzzle, the main goal is to make a pattern, or combine the puzzle element to solve a particular problem. This type of exercise engages the toddler’s brain’s ability to see beyond the normal possibilities and come up with amazing solution to a particular issue at hand. This type of skill is used on a daily basis as an adult. Developing it right from childhood will go a long way in putting your child a step ahead of his peers.

1. Improved Social Skills

Usually, kids would form a team of two or more to figure out how to solve the puzzle they’re playing with. At this early stage of life, they’re being introduced to a social system where communication and collective effort is encouraged.

Social skills are more important than ever in this current age, teaching your child the basics right from childhood would go a long way in improving their ability to relate and interact with people as they get older. Check out these great puzzles for toddlers on WhooopsaDaisy – perfect for your little one to share with their friends.

2. Developing Emotional Skills

Puzzles will teach your child to be extremely patient. Because solving a particular piece of puzzle requires active thinking, and sometimes, taking a break to see the problem from a different perspective; all of these would go a long way in teaching your child about the importance of patience as they take their time to devise the solution for their current problem.

3. Improved Memory

Aside from thinking critically to come up with possible solutions, remembering what did not work in previous attempt is another important part of puzzle solving. Little ones have to actively remember the previous shape or pattern that they’ve tried and did not work, so they get to avoid doing the same thing over and over again. It goes without saying that this will help boost their memory and concentration skills greatly.

4. Practice and Develop Fine Motor Skills

Moving puzzle elements, and fixing them at the appropriate position requires fine motor skill. As kids play with puzzles over time, their motor skill is greatly enhanced. Aside from the motor skill improvement, the hand-eye coordination skill is equally enhanced through the constant use of hands and the eyes to solve a puzzle.

Fun Activities to Do with Your Kids During the Holidays

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Keeping kids busy can be a huge job on its own. They tend to have short attention spans and if they aren’t attended to can get up to mayhem. During holiday periods especially, you may want to keep them busy as they have so much free time. Aside from opening presents on Christmas day, think about new and exciting things that the whole family can do together. No matter how busy life gets, you should always find time to spend with your little ones as those tend to be the memories that count. Here are a few ideas for fun activities that you can do with your kids during the upcoming holidays.

Make Christmas Cards

Since Christmas is around the corner, why not add making personalized cards to the list of things to do? This is a great way to spark your inner creativity and do something that’s thoughtful together.

When making cards, use unconventional paper sources like wrapping paper combined with other items like thicker card materials. Also, don’t forget to keep scraps as they can be used to cut out shapes and make other additions to the cards. Let everyone add their own personal touch to their cards and ensure they distribute them to the recipients in time for Christmas.

Watch a Show

Another activity to think about doing with the kids is going to watch a live show at the theater. If you’ve never done so before, this is your chance to go for the first time as a family. Seeing as it’s the holiday season, see a show such as Disney on Ice as it’s something most people can connect with. In case you’re worried about how expensive it would be to go with the whole family, look for a ticket sale so you can get a better rate than normal.

Create Your Own Tree Ornaments

If you’re going to be putting a Christmas tree up this year, why not make your own decorations as a family? This is something that could be turned into a family tradition and remembered in years to come. To create your own ornaments, you’re probably going to have to go to the DIY shop to get a few materials.

In terms of what ornaments you could make, you could take plain baubles and add your own design to them. You could also put your sewing skills to the test and try an embroidery hoop wreath ornament. Wooden could also give your tree and added touch as well.

Make a Video

This seems to be the age of live recordings and one of the great things about it is the number of memories you’re able to relive. On that note, why not make a mini film of your holiday which documents how your family celebrates the holidays and some of your family traditions? Coupled with funny, sentimental, and priceless moments, it’s something you can watch together in the coming years.

Beyond the four tips mentioned above, there are so many other ways you can keep your kids entertained during the holidays. Just resolve to make sure you’re fully present and live in the moment.

How To Avoid Injury During Your Workouts

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When you’re working hard to get yourself in shape there’s nothing more frustrating than having to take days or weeks off because of an injury. The consequences of a serious injury could be even worse – so what can you do to reduce the risks? It’s not actually as complicated as you might think. What really matters is understanding the equipment you’re using and understanding your body. With the right approach, you can make injury much less common and recover from it more quickly.

Strains and sprains

The most common injuries when working out are strained and sprained muscles. Most often, these occur because of an inadequate warm-up (cold, stiff muscles are much more vulnerable) or because a single exercise has been carried on for too long. To prevent them, massage your limbs before you start and begin with stretching exercises. Vary your exercise routine between sessions and within individual sessions.

Rotator cuff injuries

Rotator cuff injuries are the most common form of shoulder problem found in people who work out regularly, and they become more common with age. They’re caused by repetitive overhead movements and activities where the shoulders move extensively, like swimming or playing basketball. To reduce the risk, avoid slouching at all times so that the joint doesn’t get compressed. Stick to lighter weights if you want to do repetitive overhead lifts.

Knee injuries

Knee injuries often develop slowly. They’re particularly common in runners and weightlifters and can cause a scraping sensation when the kneecap moves or a generalized aching around it. To reduce the risk, make sure you have good posture as you run or lift. Avoid taking on too much in one session with weights – several shorter or less strenuous sessions will be just as effective. Wear suitable shoes and consider running on a soft surface. Work on building up your hips and quads.

Pectoral strain

Damaging your pectoral muscles can be particularly painful and difficult to fix because of the frequency with which the muscles are used in day to day life. It’s a common injury in weightlifters who are taking on more than they should. Remember that day to day weightlifting is not a competition and the gym is not a place where serious athletes show off. If your hands are shaking, switch to lighter weights.

Wrist injuries

The wrist is a complex, vulnerable joint and there are many ways in which it can be injured. One of the best things you can do to reduce the risk is actually to work on your shoulder flexibility, as this will improve your capacity to take weight through larger muscles rather than through your wrists – whether that’s a barbell or your own bodyweight when doing push-ups. Work on wrist rotation exercises and try using a Theraband to improve your wrist extension.

Shin splints

Shin splints are usually caused by running or jumping for prolonged periods. Suitable shoes, proper warm-ups and switching to running on a soft surface reduce the risk. If you’re not actually racing, take breaks when your shins start to ache and massage them until they feel warm and flexible before you start running again. If pain persists when jumping, switch to a different activity.

Reducing your overall risk

There are several things you can do to reduce your overall injury risk when working out:

  • Warm up properly for at least ten minutes before you begin, with massage and gentle stretching.
  • Wear the right clothes – make sure you see options appropriate to your sport and, for general use, choose good sneakers and a compression shirt.
  • Stay hydrated – this will improve your circulation and make your muscles less vulnerable to strain, as well as improving your general health.
  • Maintain good form – make sure your body is properly positioned for each exercise and that you also maintain proper posture in daily life.
  • Don’t push too hard – over time you will learn the difference between good and bad pain. When you feel the latter, stop!

Recovering from injury

No matter how careful you are, you will inevitably be injured sometimes. When it happens, take recommended rest periods seriously, unless you want to be incapacitated for much longer overall. When it’s time to return to working out, wear compression clothing to support the injured area and build up extra slowly.

Taking precautions like this may seem irritating but once you get used to them, you’ll hardly notice them anymore. You’ll spend less time having to rest up and have a lot more time free to enjoy your sport or the invigorating experience of working out.

Four Ways To Keep Your Home Beautiful

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Once you’ve been settled into your home for a number of years, you might naturally allow standards to slip a little bit. After all, you’ve been there for so long, tidied the same corners so many times, that you might not realize that you’re slowly allowing your home to descend into a state that’s less than perfectly beautiful. Even if you are cleaning regularly, you may feel that something’s not quite there, that something’s missing in your picture of your beautiful property. This guide looks at four ways in which you can make your house stunning again.

1. Continual Pride

The basic element to keeping your home consistently beautiful is always to feel pride in the look and feel of your home. You should always see your home as an extension of yourself and your character, and as such, you should treat it with the same respect that you treat yourself. Whether than means cleaning your home more often, or buying it ‘new clothes’ every once in a while to change the appearance of sofas, decor items and even entire rooms, you should make sure that you’re taking pride in the beauty of your home.

2. Individual Practices

If you’re looking to restore the highest level of beauty to your home, there are plenty of things that you can do on your own other than tidying it. For instance, over the course of many months, you’re likely to have some fudged paintwork and the scuffs from shoes on the floor, maybe some spillages on carpets or even some cracks on your plates, mugs or cups. Take the time to comb through these, painting, replacing, repairing and removing stains and broken items so that your home is a vision of perfection and beauty once more.

3. Professional Assistance

For some home beauty solutions, you’re going to need to turn to the professionals. For instance, your carpets can be cleaned professionally to restore their original charm by companies such as My Technicare. Windows are cleaned by the experts too, while garden and landscaping experts can help you rearrange the area outside your home to make it far more attractive and alluring to yourself and your guests. Finally, there’s the option for renovation, restoration or extension that’ll always be there if you’ve got the funds and the energy to embark upon an exciting home redesign project to imprint additional beauty onto your home.

4. Meticulous Tidying

Most homes look under their normal level of tidiness if they’re simply left to become a little messy. Scattered magazines and newspapers look a whole lot worse than when they’re stacked. Childrens’ rooms are far more attractive when there’s not a litter of toys spilled across the floor. Kitchens look best when most utensils and utilities are tucked into cupboards or in-built into the architecture of your kitchen space. Make sure that you’re often tidying your home so that you restore its desired aesthetic: one of comfort without clutter, and beauty without untidiness.

These four tips will help you keep your home in the most perfect state of beauty that is possible, which will, in turn, make your feel happier and more comfortable in the place in which you live.

2 Hands-On Eco Projects For You and The Family

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Inspiring your children to be environmentally friendly is a great gift to give them. To encourage a love for the great outdoors and nature is vitally important in this age that we live in. It helps them to understand the wider world and can really boost their esteem and emotional confidence as they experience and appreciate nature. To motivate your children, here are two exciting hands-on eco projects for you and the whole family to enjoy.

1. Grow your own vegetables

When children can grow their own food, it gives them a deep understanding of where the food comes from, how to nurture it and be responsible. Give each child their own area to grow vegetables, herbs or flowers in. Quick crops such as lettuce and courgette are low maintenance but can yield a great harvest. It will encourage your child to connect with nature and how to care for the environment. Growing their own vegetables also promotes a healthy relationship with food.

Luckily, you don’t need to live on a homestead or have a big garden to grow your own vegetables. Even if the only growing space that you have in your home is the kitchen windowsill, you can still have a go at growing your own edible produce. All you need is a container to fit the space!

2. Attract wildlife

Most children respond positively to seeing wildlife in their garden. Birds, butterflies, frogs and insects are all fascinating additions for the garden and will provide your family with hours of entertainment and your garden with an enhanced eco-system.

Birds are natural predators of the slugs and snails that will attack your plants and vegetables, so introduce nesting boxes to encourage them to your garden. Build a bug hotel to help the insects that are so vital for pollinating your flowers, and install a water feature such as those offered by Water Garden to provide them with the essential water that they need to thrive.

Worms are often the cause of hilarity for children when they are playing in the garden, but they are critical for your garden’s growing success. Worms play an essential role by increasing the air and water that is in the soil and break down organic matter into nutrient-rich fertiliser. You can make a worm farm using recycled materials. The children can collect worms from the garden, and once your worm farm is populated, you now have a place to put all your kitchen scraps. The worm castings and urine that when diluted makes superior plant fertiliser that you can use to help your plants grow.

Conclusion

Spending quality time with your children is an essential part of their childhood, and the values you instil in them at this tender age will stay with them through adulthood. Teaching your children to be environmentally aware needs to be practical and something that they can respond to positively. These two hands-on eco projects are ideal for children to learn about nature from the comfort of their own home.