Child Development Psychology: Sensory Play Aids in the Learning Process

Early Childhood Development: Learn with Sensory Play

The psychology behind a child's ability to focus academically or follow rules can be positively influenced by the environment. Parents and caregivers can help children with sensory processing disorders or developmental issues ease into everyday activities with simple games and activities.

Easy Beer Cheese Dip for Pretzels Recipe

Beer Cheese and Pretzels Recipe

This homemade Easy Beer Cheese Dip for Pretzels Recipe is delicious! You'll feel like you're eating restaurant or bar food at home. Who can resist the warm baked goodness of homemade soft pretzels? Beer Cheese and pretzels are the perfect fall snack. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links.

How to Make Beer Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:
2T butter
2T flour
1/4 t salt
1 c beer
1/2 c milk
1/2 t ground mustard
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t pepper
2 - 2 1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour. Whisk, while heating, until mixture is golden brown, 1-2 min. While continuing to whisk, gradually add the beer. Cook, with stirring, until mixture partially thickens. Add milk; continue to whisk until mixture reaches desired consistency. Remove from heat. Stir in mustard, garlic powder, pepper and cheese. Stir until cheese has melted. Adjust seasonings as desired.

Homemade Soft Pretzels.

Homemade Soft Pretzels for Beer Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. lukewarm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 t salt
1 T brown sugar
1/4 c butter, melted
4 c flour
8 c boiling water
1/2 c baking soda
1 egg, beaten and diluted with 1 t water
coarse salt

Directions:
Dissolve yeast, salt, and sugar in warm water. Allow the mixture to sit until the yeast begins to foam or bubble. Add the melted butter, followed by the flour, 1 c at a time. The dough should be workable and not sticky. Knead the dough on a floured surface for several minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl,  cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size.

How to roll pretzel dough.

The perfect homemade pretzel.

While the dough is rising, boil water and add the baking soda. Stir until dissolved. The baking soda bath with be used to give the pretzel a puffy dough with a golden and shiny crust.  You should also assemble a few handy tools:  a tape measure, a large flat spatula, your baking sheet, and parchment paper. The parchment paper is not essential, but it will make the pretzel much easier to remove from the baking sheet.

How to Make Pretzel Shape Pretzels at Home
Divide the risen dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20 inch rope. To form the pretzel shape, bend the rope into a "smile" shape. Cross the ends slightly. Grab the cross and fold it towards you, bringing it down to meet the front loop of the pretzel.

How to Make Pretzel Shape Pretzels at Home.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using your large spatula, place each pretzel individually in the baking soda bath. Allow it to sit in the bath 30 seconds to 1 minute, making sure the top gets wet as well. Carefully remove the pretzel with your spatula and place on the baking sheet. Once the sheet is full, bake for 10-12 minutes. Repeat as needed until all pretzels are baked.

Hand twisted, homemade baked pretzels.

Recommended Reading:

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup

Don't have time to make them? Just buy Bavarian Soft Pretzels and Beer Cheese Dip on Amazon.

Oldies but Goodies to do with the kids
Make Heart Shaped Pretzels with Kids
Pound out a Pretzel Cornucopia

Plan a Family Focused Wedding Day

Making Your Wedding A Family-First Day

While the wedding day is primarily about the bride and groom, the day is also about your extended family and ensuring that they are included in your special day. Children especially can be overlooked at weddings - Parents.com has charted a huge rise in adults-only events - which can result in kids feeling left out or bored. A wedding is a very emotional event and it’s important that any children attending are well looked after and enjoy what’s happening - starting with the main event. So, plan a family focused wedding day.

Photo courtesy of: Jeremy Wong Weddings

The ceremony 

Wedding ceremonies are often both emotional and formal, which can be quite intimidating to children - even more so if it’s a second wedding, it can be emotionally conflicting for the children involved. Make sure the children understand what is happening, also consider getting them involved in the activities of the big day to help ease their concerns. Letting the children take on roles and help throughout the ceremony is a great way to include them and ease their emotions, for instance give them a part as best man, flower girl, or ring bearer and talk up their duties as you plan for the big day. As Verywell Family highlights, kids love being given responsibility, giving them a special part to play will create memories for all to cherish.

Enjoying the reception 

Unlike the ceremony itself, the reception has a more relaxed atmosphere and is a time for everyone to wind down and start celebrating. Speeches are a big part of the reception, and it’s a nice idea for the children to be mentioned in the speech. This will make them feel appreciated and welcomed. Alternatively, you could have the children write and give their own speech and make them a central part of the day. What great fun this will make years later, as you re-watch the wedding day videos!

Late into the evening 

As the party goes on into the night, children can become tired and irritable. Wedding days are long so don’t expect them to be able to keep up with you and your other wedding guests. It’s essential that the children are catered for and have somewhere to retreat to when they’re tired and ready for bed. Don't let them feel forgotten! Furthermore, give them the confidence to be able to tell you when they’re ready to call it a night. This will ensure they don’t feel like they have to stay up with the adults. 

Weddings are an amazing occasion and a day to be shared with adult family and friends, but it’s important to ensure that children are happy too. Making a wedding family-friendly, by having children be a central part of the big day, will ensure their memories are happy, rather than unpleasant. When the wedding is family focused, it sets the framework for a pleasant future, blended family or not.

Recommended:

Family Activities from Kids Creative Chaos

6 Travel Tips for traveling with Kids

Looking for Tips for Traveling with the Kids?

Road Trip! Tracey shares 6 travel tips for traveling with 6 kids in a van for 16 hours (and making it out with your sanity). Aside from these tips, make sure you have lots of family, car games ready to roll out!

Kids Travel Tips: Entertainment is essential!

First of all, you may already be insane for attempting such a feat, but with careful planning, and a LOT of patience (and potty stops), you can make it happen!

#1 – If one person pees, we all pee!

 Don’t miss out on the chance to empty all the bladders at once! With any luck, you can get everyone on the same schedule and won’t have to make 6 stops everyone hour for all the kids to pee. There’s also the added incentive that “we will get there quicker if we make less stops!”. This helped a lot on the way home when we were getting down to the final hours of the return trip.

#2 – Distractions are the key!

Long car rides are the worst when you’re short on patience. Let each kid pack a small ‘carry on’ (grocery sack) with their own activities – crayons/coloring book, video game, books, cars, dolls, you get the picture. You can always fall back on the classic car rides games – ABC signs, license plate states, etc.

#3 – Pain in the neck!

Naps are inevitable when you are on a road trip, and I don’t know about you, but I cringe every time I peer back and see my kids asleep and contorted into painful looking positions. We bought inexpensive neck pillows for each of the kids (so there was no fighting!) and there were no complaints! If they were tired, they just threw on their Neck Pillow, settled in, and were out like a light. Some of the kids even wore their neck pillows for the majority of the trip, just for the fun of it. We also brought a small blanket for each of the kids to keep cozy with.

Everything is a pillow...zzzzz.

#4 – Pass the trash!

Typically, when we reach our destination, the kids pile out of the vehicle and leave a field of destruction inside the car. From snacks and drinks to lunch stops and miscellaneous rubble that appears from who-knows-where, the floor is littered with a layer of trash. To counter this, we made it a little more fun to keep things clean by having the kids pass their trash up, each time they had any, and each person in the passing line yells “trash!” as they hand it on down the line. They got quite a kick out of this and would look around for things they could send up to the front. For the most part, all that made it to the floor were toys from the ‘carry on’ bags, which is another battle all on its own.

#5 – Limit fluids!

There are always snack stops when you are on the road and it’s tempting to grab something when you make a pit stop, but the more the kids are drinking and eating, the more they are going to have to use the restroom, and the more stops you are going to have to make. Give the kids each a beverage, but have designated times they can have a drink instead of letting them drink freely. This greatly reduced our stops on the journey home!

Awww look, they're not fighting!

#6 – Be patient!

Remember, you are traveling with kids. They are going to act like kids. Kids fight, bicker, get tired, whine, get hungry, and have to pee…a lot! So try to remain calm and level headed and if needed, make an unscheduled pit stop so the kids can stretch their legs and reset their attitudes (if you are lucky!). While you are handling all there is to handle, you might want to consider that a nearby destination would be just as great for the next family road trip!  

Recommended Reading:

The Everything Kids' Travel Activity Book: Games to Play, Songs to Sing, Fun Stuff to Do - Guaranteed to Keep You Busy the Whole Ride!*

Girl Scout Travel Tips

Our 50 States*

4 Suggestions for Smooth Living with Blended Families

Advice for Blending Families

Blending two families together as one can prove to be challenging, especially when different personalities and needs come into play. With children entering the equation on both sides and different parenting styles suddenly merging, it's important to make sure everyone's feelings, needs and wants are taken into consideration before moving in together. 

Read about one of our contributor’s experiences with Blending Families.

Preparing to live together as a family means discussing finances, making sure everyone has their own space, and/or preparing children for the big change in one way or another. Here are some suggestions for making the transition of becoming a blended family as smooth as possible.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links.

1. Hash Out Child-Rearing Approaches

Different attitudes on child rearing can make or break a home. Not everyone has the same parenting style. While some parents are considered "pushovers," allowing their children to get and do whatever they want (with no ability to say "no,") other parents are a bit more disciplined. When two people with different child-rearing approaches come together as one blended family, it can be difficult when an incident occurs with their children.

To keep everyone on the same page, it's important to discuss child-rearing techniques and approaches before you move in together. Indeed, it makes for a much more peaceful home. Remember, children need consistency, so try to address this important issue as soon as possible. You don’t want to have to learn your new partner's child rearing stance the hard way. 

Follow our Parenting Tips board on Pinterest.

2. Ensure Everyone Has Their Own Space

Blending décor is one of the many challenges facing soon-to-be blended families, but it's completely doable. If it's within your budget, consider letting each child have their own room, which can go a long way in helping smooth out living situations and making sure everyone gets along with each other. It can also help to let your children decorate their own space and put their own stamp on it. This can help them feel a sense of belonging. 

When it comes to designing and outfitting a child's bedroom, consider any number of bedroom sets that show off your children's style and personality. Whether you decide to shop online or head to one of their stores, you'll be able to find all that you need to truly make your new house feel like home for everyone. Be sure to include the child in the process. It’s a fun family experience and can help a new parent bond with their step children.

3. Discuss Your Finances

Before you become a blended family, discuss how you'll manage your finances. Will you keep separate bank accounts and split the bills down the middle? Or, will you have a joint bank account to which you'll each contribute? Think about how you'll handle spending, especially if one partner makes more than the other. It’s always a good idea to keep some finances separate, particularly if you both have full-time careers and are used to spending your money your way. It’s always good to create a joint account for mutual household expenses.

Will one partner need to consult the other before making a large purchase? If so, what amount constitutes a large purchase? Will you have to discuss purchases when it comes to your children or will you have the freedom to decide how you spend your money on them? To avoid arguments in the future, these are some things you should think about before you blend your families together. 

4. Prepare Your Children for the Move

If you want things to go smoothly once the big day arrives, making sure your children are prepared for the move is essential. Let them know ahead of time when and what will happen, so they'll be better equipped to handle the changes ahead. Sit down with your children and discuss the move so they can express their feelings about it.

While you're not exactly asking their permission, it's important to let them know that their feelings and concerns are valid and that you'll help them sort through them if they feel overwhelmed or anxious about their new living situation. Talk about the new routine and let them know you won't love them any less with new children coming into the picture. Be sure to remind them they'll still have a space to call their own- and make sure they do, even if it is a little nook in your dining room!

You might also want to prepare your pets for a life change.

Preparing to Blend Families

Blending families is rarely easy, if ever, but taking the above steps into consideration can help make the transition a bit easier for everyone involved. It also helps keep the peace and ensure everyone is on the same page so that you can work together to create a smooth living situation for the entire family.

Recommend:

Kids Room Ideas

Family Relationships

Kids Room Decor Ideas for Girls

10 Toy Safety Tips for Babies and Toddlers

10 Game and Toy Safety Tips for Caregivers

Toys! Mommy, can I have that toy? Can I, can I, can I? Think before you give in and buy it. All toys are not created equal. Toy safety isn't just for infants and toddlers. Children with special needs are prone to accidents with toys too. Even young, elementary-age children can choke on small toy parts or game pieces. Until about age six, kids have a tendency to put everything in their mouths. So, make yourself familiar with Game and Toy Safety Tips. Enjoy!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Toy Safety Tips and Toy Recall Information:

1. Toy shopping shouldn't be done on sight alone. When shopping for best infant toys, consider the child's age and ability. Don't waste money on flashy toys the child may not be capable of playing with.
2. Toy labels give safety warnings and recommended ages for safe toy play.
3. Children, especially those under the age of three, love to put toys and small objects in their mouth. Small game pieces, broken toys, or loose parts are choking hazards. If something can fit inside the center of a cardboard toilet roll or paper towel tube, consider it a choking hazard.
4. When putting a toy or game together, always read the instructions. Items put together incorrectly can fall apart and become a choking hazard.
5. Plastic bags and packaging are dangerous. They can be stuck in the mouth or placed over the nose. It isn't just bags that cause suffocation. A small toddler or infant can suffocate on a piece of plastic stuck over their mouth and nose.
6. Children, especially infants and babies, must be supervised at all times during toy and game play. Never leave the room and leave a small child unattended.
7. Don't mix baby toys with those of older children. Small blocks are especially attractive to younger children. Keep older children's toys put away in containers. Teach older siblings to put their toys away.
8. When toys break, discard them! Don't keep old toys around. Check toys often for broken or loose parts and sharp edges.
9. Toy storage is essential. Toys on the stairs can cause family members to trip and fall. Toys left out on the floor can be swallowed by a toddler. Keep toys for babies stored separately from toys for older children.
10. Toys with wheels and motors can pinch fingers or entangle hair. Watch children closely with these types of toys. Even cars designed for toddlers can present a problem.

For more game and toy safety tips visit safekids.org.

For game and toy recalls visit www.cpsc.gov.

Recommended Reading:

Where Is Baby's Belly Button? A Lift-the-Flap Book

Classroom Safety Tips for Early Childhood Educators

Safety Smart Science with Bill Nye the Science Guy: Fire Classroom Edition

Best Infant Toys

Continue Reading

By: admin

5 Best Minecraft Gifts for Kids: Boys and Girls Love Minecraft Toys_ they make Great Birthday Presents

5 Birthday Present Ideas for Kids who Love Minecraft

My kids love Minecraft. Basically, any kid who is allowed to play it falls in love. Minecraft doesn't discriminate. Girls love it as much as boys, maybe more! So, what do you get the kid who has everything Minecraft? Here are some super cool birthday gift ideas for kids who love Minecraft! Best birthday gift ever, that's what they'll say when they unwrap your cool toy. Hugs will follow or a happy dance. Unique Minecraft Gift

All of these toys are available on Amazon, if you click and make a purchase, we get a small percentage as commission. (See disclaimer below). How do you think, we buy all this Minecraft stuff anyway? Enjoy!

Minecraft Legos are available on Amazon.

1.  Lego Minecraft*, yes please! We love it. As a person who studied architecture, but now writes a blog, these are my favorite. Oh what fun I'd have designing buildings for Steve.

Legos are great for kids ages 7 and up (they are a choking hazard). Word on the street is teens love them too! Who doesn't love to play with Legos?

Minecraft Wall Torch flash light for creative play. C'mon, let's pretend something.

2.  Minecraft Think Geek Wall Torch by Think Geek*, okay, it is really just a fancy flashlight, but we like it anyway! It keeps the Creepers away at night. It also makes for stellar pretend play. Even older kids will get in on the act. This is perfect for kids of all ages.

Cute Minecraft Animal Figures make a great birthday gift for girls or younger kids.

3. This Minecraft Animal Toy Pack* is perfect for pretend play. Younger Minecraft fans enjoy pretending with these cute critters. Older girls will love to display them in their bedrooms as a novelty.

Unique Minecraft gift: Periodic Table of Minecraft T-shirt.

4.  Minecraft Periodic Table Youth T-Shirt*. We have this and the kids fight over who gets to wear it. Yeah, we're nerds like that. It is a unique Minecraft gift for Minecraft freaks and geeks!

Minecraft Creeper Hoodie perfect gift for teens.

5.  Need a gift for a teen boy Minecraft lover? This Minecraft Creeper Hoodie* is perfect! It makes a cool Halloween costume too.


Recommended Reading:

Free Printable Minecraft Crossword Puzzle

How to Make Cool Minecraft Skins

Minecraft Birthday Party Ideas

Minecraft Woodcarving Idea

Minecraft: Essential Handbook: An Official Mojang Book*

Gift Ideas for Kids who Like Legos

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Free Printables Calendar Monthly: Wifi Printer HP

Get Ready for Back to School with an HP Wifi Printer and Free Calendar Printables

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CreateWithHP #CollectiveBias

Whether you are a college student, a homeschooler, or busy at a brick mortar high school, you can't escape back to school prep. We've got a free back to school prep to do list and fill-in-the-blank calendar printables to help you get organized. What is the best way to print our free monthly calendar printables? 

With an HP All-in-One Printer with wifi , of course. Wifi printers are the bomb! You can even print from your smart phone. Enjoy!

How To Prepare Your Child For A Standardized Test

So, It's Time for a Standardized Test...

Standardized tests are a common strategy applied to gauge a student’s learning capability and the school’s or teacher’s performance. There is a common misconception about standardized tests among parents that these tests are designed to evaluate school performance and don’t necessarily judge students' abilities. 

However, standardized tests are an important part of a student's academic life. In some cases, standardized tests are essential for grade promotion, graduation, or even securing a driving license. As a parent, it is your duty to prepare your children for this test, so they can deliver their best.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

How To Prepare Your Child For A Standardized Testing: Relaxing the day before is always a good idea!

What Is a Standardized Test?

A standardized test is a testing system that is based on a standard approach. In standardized tests, the question is the same for everyone, the duration of the test is the same for everyone, and even the evaluation process of answers remains the same for every student. 

Independent school entrance examination (ISSE), California achievement test (CAT), Secondary School Admission Test  (SSAT), Preliminary scholastic aptitude test (PSAT), and General Educational Development test (GED) are some commonly-known standardized tests.

Why Standardized Tests Are Used?

A standardized test is a tool applied to evaluate the effectiveness of institutional practice.  It provides a uniform platform to measure the performance of schools and students. A standardized test can gather information about the state education system, a school program, or the performance of a single student. It helps to determine a student's strengths or weaknesses and to certify their ability.

Different Methods of Standardized Test

Standardized tests are designed to evaluate the aptitude of a student. Unlike the regular tests that measure the subject-specific knowledge, the standardized test evaluates creativity, verbal ability, abstract reasoning, and mechanical ability. There are different methods of standardized methods. The most common methods adopted by schools are true or false questions, multiple-choice questions, and essay questions.

What Should Your Child Bring to a Standardized Test?

There are different rules for different tests. If students are allowed a calculator, you should check whether the model is approved by the authority. If your calculator is not approved then you should check out a smart site with good reviews for buying another model of calculator. Pen, Pencils, watch, water, and other essentials should be with your child while attending a standardized test.

How Do You Prepare Your Child For Standardized Tests?

Parents can play an important role in preparing a child for a standardized test. There are a number of ways that you can take an active role in your child’s preparation for a test. Let’s read on to know more about them.

Know About the Test

Usually, teachers notify parents before a standardized test. You should know the purpose of the test and whether the result will affect your child or the school. Also, make sure you know the exact schedule of the test and whether you need to prepare your child for the test.

Communicate With Your Child

Communicate with your child about the test. Try to find out if he/she is prepared for it. If there is any area or subject that they are less than confident about, try to solve the issues with them. If necessary, go through the previous mistakes and review them. Practicing more will boost their confidence.

Build a Positive Mindset

A positive mindset can make a huge difference in test performance. As a parent, you should try to build up your child’s confidence. Try to convey the message that you are 100% confident about them. No matter how the result is, you would be glad if they try their best.

Go Through the Test Instructions

Review the test instructions with your child. Make clear how much time will be provided and how many questions are to be answered. Try to convey the importance of that particular test to your kid; it will instill a ‘can do’ attitude within them. Tell them they should try to answer all the questions, even if they are unsure about the answer, as it will build their confidence and critical thinking skills.

Follow a Healthy Routine

A good night's sleep can have a huge impact on test performance. Try to get your child to bed early so that she can be relaxed on the test day. Most of the time, students' bad performance on a test can be tied back to the reason they lacked a good sleep the night before. Also, follow healthy eating habits that will ensure your child’s physical well being.

Build a Relaxing Atmosphere on Test Day

On the test day, stay cheerful and relaxed. Make some nutritious breakfast that will provide stamina throughout the test. Avoid foods that can cause any digestive issues to your child. Overall, follow a regular routine that your child follows for any regular test. Give some words of encouragement to them, so they feel confident.

Debrief After the Test

After the test, go through the parts that were tough for your child. Talk to your child about how they feel about the test. Try to get an insight into how they dealt with the problems they faced. It will help them process her own strategies and do better the next time.

How to Deal With Pre Test Anxiety

Some students develop anxiety over facing a test. Needless to say, extreme anxiety should be treated so that it can't have any negative effect on the test. If your children feel anxious about the test, then you have to put things in perspective for them. Tell them no matter how they perform, you will be proud of them just for braving the test.

Melt Anxiety Card Deck for Kids

On a final note, while standardized tests are not high stake tests, they can have an impact on your child’s studies. So prepare for the tests on a regular basis by checking your child's homework and their study progress. Be an active part of their academic life, so she feels encouraged. Your involvement in their studies can make a big difference to both their academic performance and personal growth.

Recommended:

Clep Exams for College Entry

What Does Sensory Play Have to do with Child Development?

Pin it!

What is a Standardized Test? How do you Prepare your Child?