Search Results for: blog simple toys simple joys playing with balls

Basketball Connections

Alright — So the big gift our son received this year was a child-sized plastic basketball hoop (with inflatable mini-ball). He likes balls a lot and recently he’d been becoming quite adept at throwing them across the room and handling them with confidence. One of the sports I grew up playing (and truly loved) was basketball. This simple game has a deceptively simple premise (if we ignore many of the complex rules that have grown around it): put the ball in through the hoop. I realized that our son was already playing this game while picking up his toys: put … Continue reading →

Toys That Startle

If a toy moves, it’s an instant hit with my son. If it makes noise, however, he has to warm up to it. If it does both, well, there’s no telling how he’ll react. This year he got a tricycle and he loved it immediately. Right away, he wanted to get on it and ride it around the living room. We were smart to give it to him last or he wouldn’t have been interested in the rest of his gifts. He also got a Cozy Coupe and it was the same story; he played with it right away and … Continue reading →

The Big Room

My wife likes having a clean house. In the aftermath of sickness going through our family, my constant (and never-ending) study for qualifying exams, and my general inability to notice dirt in places that are obvious to her left the house in a fine state of disarray. My wife was getting off of work early and I had an appointment to meet with an instructor for further preparations towards my exams. Our son had just fallen asleep. I took off to deal with my exam issues and my wife (I later found out) started cleaning. When I returned to the … Continue reading →

Storing Baby’s Toys

Even if you don’t start of with very many toys for your baby, after your baby’s first Christmas and her first birthday, you’ll have baby toys coming out of your ears. People love to buy baby clothes when you’re expecting, but they love to buy toys even more once your baby is born and begins to play. If you were smart, you planned plenty of storage when you created your baby’s nursery design. Or, you were like me and had only minimal toy storage available. After Christmas and before his birthday, we made an upgrade to his toy storage. I … Continue reading →

The Boy and His Toys

My son doesn’t have a lot of toys. I remember at least one closet filled to the brim with toys for me and my three younger siblings when I was younger. The image of toys littering the floor and extending out to the front yard was mostly true for my family. While I’m sure we embarrassed our parents (sorry Mom & Dad) we certainly did have fun with our siblings. My son’s toys are not so cumbersome or numerous. They fit on a small area of the floor. He has a couple of stuffed animals and some colored plastic cups … Continue reading →

TV Viewing and the Infant Brain

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants watch no television at all. Still, many parents allow or even encourage their infants to view educational videos and television shows. But does that viewing cause and harm? Do infants who watch television actually do better in life? A recent study at Harvard Medical School had some surprising finds. More than 870 babies were enrolled in the study, dubbed Project Viva. Mothers of the babies reported to researches on how much television their babies were watching at the ages of six months, one year and two years. As mentioned earlier, the … Continue reading →

Bicycling with Babies

With summer well on its way and the nice spring days adding up, the thought of getting out and bicycling around seems like a great idea. But do you know the best ways and precautions to take with cycling with an infant or young child? Here is a quick guide. First you need to make sure that your baby is old enough to take along when you are out on a bicycle. Infants under six months of age should definitely not be taken along for the ride. Their heads may be too wobbly, they can’t sit up well, and they … Continue reading →

Activities for a Happy Baby: Your Face

As parents, we live for those moment when our babies are experiencing pure happiness. We look forward to those moments when there is no hungry cry or wet cry or fussy cry, but just that happy lopsided smile that tells you that everything is okay. One of the main things that makes your baby happy doesn’t cost a thing or require much effort. You carry it wherever you go, and you can’t easily lose it. It is your face. As humans, we are hardwired to recognize an appreciate faces. In fact, research shows that a good portion of a baby’s … Continue reading →

Start a Baby Book Club

If you are looking for a fun play date activity for the little kids, then this might be your idea. Start up a baby book club. Not only will the kids (and the adults) have a great time, but there will also be a lot of learning going on. A baby book club is a great way to introduce children to the love of reading, logical thinking, and some socialization, too. 1. First determine who will be in the club. Ideally, children should be near the same developmental level. You can start a club for children that are as young … Continue reading →

Simple Toys, Simple Joys: Playing with Balls

We have plenty of toys that make noise at our house, have numerous buttons, light up at a toddler’s touch, quiz you on the alphabet and sing songs. But, I am often reminded by my own kids that the simple toys are the ones that really make memories. Although the weather outside is still cold here in pennsylvania, the sun is bright today. It filled our living room turned playroom into a bright cheerful space. These are the best days to get down on the floor and explore the toy box (or should I say boxes, since in our house … Continue reading →