Things to do with Kids in Indianapolis: Indy Fun

Looking for Indy Fun Activities to do with Kids?

This sponsored post and giveaway is a partnership with Nakturnal. #ad

Are you looking for things to do with kids in Indianapolis? We're always on the hunt for fun, kid-friendly activities in Indy. (#IndyFun) If your kids like to tinker and build things and are into LEGO® or other building block toys, you'll want to try out a Snapology.com for your next birthday party! Snapology is a play place for kids of all ages. Keep scrolling for information on a kids' business opportunity and a fun giveaway- just in time for the holidays!

To get everyone in the party spirit, we're giving away a LEGO® brick set of the Snapology Mascot Sebastian Gator - recommended for ages 6 & up. Deadline for entry in Wednesday, Nov. 15. To enter the giveaway, just comment on this post! Just comment why you think this is a great idea for a business! #giveaway

Snapology encourages learning through play. It's a great place for after schoolers, preschoolers, homeschoolers, and anyone who is looking for something fun to do with kids in the Indy area. Check out this franchise video to learn more.





Some Fun and Affordable Birthday Party Themes include:

• LEGO®
• Minecraft
• Star Wars
• Angry Birds

When you have a birthday party at Snapology, a certified Snapology party facilitator will set-up, conduct activities and clean up. You can sit back and enjoy your child’s big day. Snapology parties are designed to be fun and affordable for families. 

Snapology is also a great place for scouting events, after school fun, preschool, and special needs programs. Snapology provides interactive, STEM / STEAM programs for children featuring technology and popular building toys such as LEGO® bricks and K’Nex®. 

In Indy West, Snapology is currently serving recreation centers and schools. If you are interested in a Snapology franchise, check it out.

Recommended:

Lego Gifts for Kids

Things to do in Indiana with Kids

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Fun PE Games for Kids: PE Activities Gym Exercise

 PE Games for Elementary Homeschoolers

Getting PE time in as a homeschooler is difficult. Sometimes, you have to get creative. Kids love to play tag! These physical education games for elementary focus on old favorites, but each one has a new twist. Learn the country of origin of many pe activities for kids. Kids will love to play these fun PE games indoors or outdoors. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

Fun PE Games for Kids: PE Activities Gym Exercise.

Fall Back-to-School Party Ideas

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Healthy4School #CollectiveBias

Fall Party Printable: Fun Ideas to Fight Colds 

Traditionally, back to school time is August or September, but now that many schools have moved to a year around calendar, back to school time can happen in the fall, winter, and spring. After a busy back to school season, we enjoyed a nice fall break. Fall break in October often means heading back to a school full of colds and flu. That's never fun! We wanted to prep for the back to school cold season and say goodbye to summer, so we had a fall theme back-to-school party. Scroll down to find some fun ideas to decorate and host a fall party. Enjoy!

Cat Toys DIY Ideas for Homemade Fun

DIY Homemade Cat Toy Ideas

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

Cats! No matter their age, cats like to play. Even lazy, fat cats and old cats like to play. You just need to find their comfort level. We've been making our own homemade cat toys for awhile. We particularly like to use objects found in nature or the home environment. These cat toys are DIY and so easy to make at home. When your Kitties play with them, they'll know how much you love them. Enjoy!

Make diy, fun cat toys from natural objects.

We currently have three furry cat friends living in the house. Our cats range in age from about three-years-old to about sixteen-years-old. Each one has their own set of limitations. So, we adapt the way we interact with each one. For the cats, everyday is star treatment day. After all, they are cats. Cats are divas. If you treat them like anything less, they'll demand more from you.

Be sure to avoid cat stank face at all costs. Tidy Cats®  now features guaranteed TidyLock™ Protection that locks away the odors that can lead to Stank Face. What is stank face? Take a look at Tigger! How can he enjoy playing with his new homemade cat toys when the litter box smells?

Tigger's Stank Face.

Tidy Cats® litter solutions offers the antidote to poor Tigger's Stank Face. Tidy Cats’ wide range of products means never having to see another cat's Stank Face again. When the odor is gone everyone is happier!

Our youngest cat, Buddi, has Epilepsy and now has some hind leg paralysis. This doesn't stop her from loving to play! She likes any kind of cat toys, but cat toys that look like tiny creatures are her favorite to pounce. For a week, we gave her the star treatment by carrying her to the food dish and even to the litter box which is filled with Tidy Cats® Lightweight Cat Litter.

This is the best cat litter for a tiny princess kitty because it protects her from Stank Face. That's right, stank face isn't just a human affliction. Poor little Buddi shares the litter box with two male cats. You should see her stank face! And, Tidy Cats® Lightweight offers the same strength Tidy Cats® strength customers love, without all the hassle of hauling around a heavy container of litter up a flight of stairs.

Buddi is happy because the litter doesn't smell anymore.

RePete, our oldest cat, recently lost his twin brother (Pete). He's been lying around feeling depressed lately, but this doesn't stop him from playing when prompted! He especially likes the homemade cat toys made from natural items found outdoors. As an outdoor cat, he didn't use to get much indoor time, but since his brother passed, we've let him share the spotlight indoors. He can't smell so stank face isn't a problem for him. Good thing, because he is the stankiest of all!

RePete playing with homemade, diy cat toys.

Tigger, our middle cat, is like Garfield. He plays differently. So, we adapted the cat toy diy to his lazy ways. He loves to play as long as we are willing to do most of the work. Head diva always demands the most star treatment. Talk about stank face. Oh my. If the food is a day old, if the water is an hour old, if RePete has forgotten to bury his poo, Tigger makes certain we see his best stank face! #StopStankFace

Tigger "playing" with our homemade cat toys... okay, looking at our homemade cat toys.

Twig and Feathers Homemade Cat Toy DIY

Nothing could be easier than these twig and feather homemade cat toys, well, assuming you have access to twigs and feathers! We do. As much as we love cats, we love birds more. That's right, birds and cats! Everyone lives peacefully together. We have lots of spare feathers!

DIY Twig and Feather Cat Toy Tutorial.

You will need:
1 long, skinny, twig approximately 12" in length.
Bird Feathers
Paperclips or Safety Pins
Bottle Cork

Step One: Attach one end of the paperclip to the bottle cork and the other end to the stick.

Step Two: Attach the feathers to the bottle cork with hot glue.

Step Three: Enjoy!

Homemade Pinecone Mice Cat Toy

We've got a variety of Pinecones from a large yard full of trees. For this homemade cat toy, you will need: tiny Pinecones, a leaf, and tiny bird feathers (the softer, the better).

Step One: Cover the Pinecone with glue, (hot glue works best).

Step Two: Cover the glue with feathers.

Step Three: Attach a long feather to the widest end of the Pinecone to form a tail.

Step Four: Cut out two tiny ears from the leaf and glue to the Pinecone's skinniest end.

Step Five: Let dry and then toss the homemade mouse cat toy across the floor!

Catnip Leaf Pouches DIY Cat Toy

Cats love Catnip. We have our very own patch of fresh Catnip growing amid our herb garden. If you don't grow your own Catnip (you should) you can purchase dried Catnip or even Catnip plants in most grocery stores. We picked up some dried Catnip when we were shopping for Tidy Cats® Lightweight at our local Kroger store.

You will need:
Catnip (fresh or dry)
A Large Leaf or Two
Kite String or Yarn
Hot Glue

Step One: Pour or place Catnip in the center of the leaf.

Step Two: If using one leaf, fold it up like an envelope and glue the ends down. If using two leaves, place one over the top and glue at edges.

Step Three: Tie the string to the stem of the leaf pouch.

Step Four: Sit the leaf in the middle of a wide open space and wait patiently.

Look at that stank face! We had to make a run for Tidy Cats® litter.

TidyLock™ is the latest innovation in litter featured in all Tidy Cats® litter varieties. TidyLock ™ is the new and improved formula that now better locks away odors that can lead to Stank Face. Don't let it happen to you. Stop the Stank.

For more fun, follow TidyCats on Facebook, Twitter: @TidyCats, and YouTube.


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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! :)

Cat Food Reviews: Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend

The Cat Food You Pick is Important

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

We claim that we have four cats. We have one original, one adopted stray, two inherited brothers, several neighbor cats, and a feral cat on the property. That's a lot of mouths to feed. So, when it comes to recognizing a hangry cat, we know the signs! A hangry cat will eat most anything, but a hungry cat has time for a more refined palette. If you are looking for cat food reviews, you've come to the right place. Today, we share how much our cats love Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend and how much we love our cats. Enjoy!

Our cats, all four of them, stick to us like glue. Wherever we go, they follow. When we walk laps around the pond, two of the cats walk with us no matter how many laps we  do. Our youngest kitty runs around the pond stopping for us to catch up with her.

Our Pete, the Cat.

When we play in the yard, they interrupt. When we try to do work, they try to stop us. When we sit in a chair, they sit on our laps. These cats are more like dogs. When we pull into the driveway, the run to greet us at the car. They show their love for us in so many ways. Our job is to protect them.

Pete and RePete at play.

How do you make sure your kitties don't fight over the food? First, you make sure no kitty is hangry. You know, he's so hungry that he is angry. A hangry cat will spit, slap, and attack anyone anyTHING that tries to take his food. Our two, inherited older brother cats, Pete, and his brother, RePete, (insert LOL) often find themselves locked up inside a barn, garage, or even our RV.

They are sneaky and determined. One winter, Pete was missing for 3 weeks! We later found him in our barn. Hopefully, he had lots of mice to eat. RePete was missing for a fews weeks the next winter. We found him in the RV. Boy oh boy, was he hangry (and happy to be found). When they are hangry they fight the feral cat, the raccoon family, and the opossums.

Lots of growling ensues.

If they come into the house, they fight the innocent indoor cats who are just guarding their food bowl from would be thieves.

This is RePete, he was at the food bowl enjoying Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend, when Tigger decided to come over and have a bite to eat. RePete says, "You may be bigger, but I'm older and that makes me the boss!" Tigger obliged, RePete was clearly hangry.

When your cats are hungry, they love you more than ever. They rub against your legs, purr, and request that you feed them. It is a special moment to cherish, but when cat's fight over the food it can be stressful.

Timid Tigger, testing out the Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend.

RePete hogging both sides of the Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend.

So, what can you do? Well, first, make sure you never have a hangry cat. Feed them well and often. Hungry cats will growl to protect their food. Hangry cats slap and hiss! If everyone is hungry at the same time, what can you do?

Every morning, we have hungry cats crying in the kitchen and hungrier cats crying at the front door. We've been testing cat foods to find a food that everyone likes. That's right, you know cats can be snooty and too good for the cheap stuff.

One of our cats is too good for people food. Which is good, because we don't advocate feeding your cat people food. It's just funny. If something drops on the floor he races the other cats to get to it. Then, he proceeds to bat it around as if it were a cat toy. It isn't fun to find rotten food under the stove or the couch. That's Tigger.

Another one of our cat has seizures. If we feed her cheap food with lots of gluten, her seizures get worse. It took a long time to realize that cat food played a role. We have to be extra careful with food and flea products. That's Buddi.

This is Pete. Listen to our happy, hungry kitty eating Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend.

How to Keep Cats from Fighting Over Food

Step One: Give everyone their own bowl.
This is the best solution. You can pour food in the bowl and let the cats fight it out, first come first serve. That's what most of us do, right? Your cats will have a better chance of getting their fair share if you give everyone their own bowl or at least their own side of the dish. Just don't invite RePete to the party!

Those darn cats won't sit still for a picture with the bag of cat food.

Step Two: Feed an awesome food.

Head to PetSmart and purchase some Purina® Pro Plan® Savor® Shredded Blend. If you hurry, for every $15 you spend, you'll get $15 off your next purchase. SPEND $15 on any Purina® Pro Plan® product between 5/31/16–7/5/16 and SAVE $15 on your next purchase of 10.5-lbs. or larger Purina® Pro Plan® Dry Cat or Dog Food or Litter by 7/31/16. They'll enjoy their dish of food so much that they'll forget everyone else has a dish of delicious food too.

Our indoor cats are good about sticking to their own side of the dish, as long as everyone has the same thing.

Step Three: Distract.

Who is the least hungry or the most intimidated by the others? Remove that kitty from the food. Entertain them with a toy or some scratching behind the ears. Kitty bonding time! For us, this is Tigger. He is the biggest, but not the baddest!

Step Four: Evict.

If someone doesn't want to play nicely, evict them. Grumpy Gus can eat last. So, this step is usually handled by the other cats. In fact, we tried to get a picture of all the cats happily eating out of their own dish, but someone always got evicted for being greedy. They even got evicted for just being near the food.

Step Five: Feed them separately.
They are cats not dogs. Cats do what they want. How do you make sure your cats don't fight over the food? You realize you don't have control. Move their food bowl to another place. In the end, we had to feed everyone separately. A little growl here, a hiss, a dirty look, and the younger cats walked away. I could almost hear them say, "I'm not that hangry!"

This is Buddi. She likes to play outside, she doesn't like to cooperate for pictures.

Aww... poor kitty, come get some love while you wait, let's savor this moment in time.   

Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend has its own aisle at PetSmart.

Pete helping with homework.

Pete helping play with toys. You can see, Pete is our resident dog. He loves to go for walks.

 Like Purina Pro Plan on Facebook.

This is a great choice for cats of all ages and body types. Purina® Pro Plan® Savor® has the advanced nutrition cats need to help live a healthy, active life, along with a sensory experience that will have them loving every minute of it. Shredded blend adult dry formulas has a combination of crunchy kibble and tender shredded pieces for a taste and texture that cats love.

No ingredients are unnecessary. For sensitive cats, be assured that real poultry or fish is the #1 ingredient in all of the dry formulas. There are over 20 different flavorful wet entrees that are protein-rich, with accents like pasta, rice, cheese or vegetables. All formulas provide omega fatty acids for a healthy skin and coat. Prebiotic fiber helps promote digestive health. 

Now is a great time to try it, spend $15 or more and get a coupon for $15 off of your next purchase. In the meantime, let us know how you keep your cats from fighting over their food. What do your cats do when they are hangry?



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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! :)

Massachusetts Avenue Indianapolis Things to do with Kids

Mass Avenue Indy Families

Whether your looking for things to do on vacation or you are a resident of Indiana, you won't want to miss Mass Avenue in downtown Indianapolis. There are lots of things to do with kids on Massachusetts Avenue. We've shared our favorites. Enjoy!

Massachusetts Avenue Indianapolis Things to do with Kids.

Of course, there are many things to do in Indy with kids. We are highlighting Mass Avenue, but sharing some other things you will enjoy. Click the links for more detailed information about downtown Indianapolis activities for families.

Take a stroll along Mass Ave during the day, and take a peek inside all of the unique shops. Don't miss the Mass Ave toy store. The staff is friendly and testing out demo toys is encouraged! The staff is also happy to demonstrate some of the more challenging toys, so that the kids can play with them on their own.

Mass Ave Toy Store.

While you're walking, pay attention to the street art! Be sure to get a picture making you the "I" in Indy. Apparently, the sculpture moves all over downtown. If you miss it, there is plenty of other street art, as well, as art exhibits.

After all that playing and walking, you'll be hungry. There are two kid approved pizza eateries on Mass Avenue: Bazbeauxs and Pizzology.

Catch a kid-friendly show at the nearby Murat Theater, now the Old National Centre. If you arrive early, there is plenty of parking.

Lobby of the Old National Centre.

Csz (Comedy Sportz) and the Theatre on the Square are both located in the Mass Avenue district.

The Fire Station Museum is the perfect refuge for those who dream of becoming firefighters. Open Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Fire Station Museum, downtown Indy. Photo courtesy of Warbirds and Airshows.

Find detailed information and more pics at Warbirds and Airshows.

Now, to the best part of Mass Avenue- Desserts! Get big, beautiful cupcakes from The Flying Cupcake. Top off your cupcake with Mass Ave ice cream from Sub Zero. They literally make the ice cream right before your eyes using liquid nitrogen.

Sub Zero Ice Cream made from scracth right before your eyes!

So, we wanted to show you a picture of our ice cream, but we ate it too fast. Besides, you know what ice cream looks like! At Sub Zero, it starts as sweet cream. They also have gluten-free and dairy-free options. If you are really hungry, they serve sandwiches too! The best part, they stay open until 10 p.m. Catch a show and then catch some ice cream!

Sub Zero, downtown Indy.

Recommended:

Central Library - More than just a library, worth a visit.

Greater Indianapolis Field Trip Ideas

Apple Picking and Picnic Time in Mooresville.

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! :)

Make a Chicken Puppet and Chicken Craft Ideas

How to Make a Hen Puppet with a Paper Bag

Looking for chicken craft ideas for a Minecraft birthday party? These chicken crafts do double duty. These paperbag puppets are also silly and fun for a The Little Red Hen puppet show. To make a chicken or rooster puppet, you'll need paper bags, balloons, crepe paper, and construction paper. It is easy when you follow these instructions: how to make a chicken puppet. 

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.

Tips for Working with a Child with Autism

Tips for Playing and Working with an Autistic Child

Tips for Working with a child with Autism.

We are sharing some tips for working with a child with autism. I know, I know, you  don't want to use the words Autistic child, but these words help those who aren't as in the know find this information when searching the web. After several years working with children of all ages, races, and denominations, I have tips for playing and interacting with an autistic child, and all types of childhood disorders, diseases, or states of mind. Let's face it, there is no such thing as normal!

Social Interaction is a key concern for parents with a child who has Autism. Remember, play is the work of children. Does your child engage with you or with other children while playing? If your child has been diagnosed with Autism, the answer is more than likely no. 

As parents or caregivers you can adjust your style of play to make playing with a child with a sensory processing disorder more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Making small adaptations to the environment will help parents to observe and begin to understand how their child’s mind works. Forget how you remember playing as a child; be open to a new way of playing and a different kind of interaction.

All children like to make their own decisions and choices. If you set up several stations with various types of play opportunities, your child may be drawn to one or more of them. Don’t jump in or show too much excitement. Sit back and become a silent observer doing research while your child explores his new environment. At first, it may be interesting but intimidating for the child. Let them explore or simply observe the invitations you have provided for play.

Perhaps, you have ordinary cardboard boxes in varying sizes. Leave some empty to let your child explore his imagination.  Fill others with different types of toys. Depending on the age of the child, make appropriate “toy” choices. A box filled with pots, pans, and wooden spoons is a scientific experiment. Contain your desire to show your child how to bang on the pots or wear one as a hat. 

Let your child teach you how they want to play. A simple thump on the pot could frighten the child and ruin the experience for everyone. The idea of wearing the pan as a hat could also discourage the child. 

In the coming days or weeks, as your child becomes more comfortable observing or playing with the toys, you can slowly introduce your style of play. Sit across from the child; don’t worry if they are not watching you. Just play.Gently, put the pan on your head. Pretend to stir soup in a pot. What happens if you scrape the bowl? Observe how your child reacts, but don’t force or ask them to play yet. 

Be patient; if your child isn’t interested today, move on to a new toy. By playing by yourself, you are demonstrating how to play, how you play, and letting your child know it is okay to play alone. 

Remember, it is okay to play alone! All children learn through play, so never discourage them.

In time, your child may begin to feel less threatened.They may do what you do, or they may choose a toy and hand it to you to see what you will do with it. If they don’t, keep trying with quiet encouragement. Keep experimenting with new ideas, but always watch your child’s facial expression and body language. If they don’t like what you are doing, change it.  

Hopefully, one day your child will accept your invitation to play. 

Need some more ideas? Here are ten sensory play activities for kids.



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Autism Breakthrough: The Groundbreaking Method That Has Helped Families All Over the World*

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! :)

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

Activities: 10 Fun Things to Make at Home with Kids of all Ages

Stuck Inside on a Snowy or Rainy Day? Make staying at Home with the Kids a fun adventure with these Activities

In this list of 10 fun things to make at home, we've included something for boys, girls, preschooler, and teens. Kids of all ages will enjoy these fun activities to do inside on a rainy or snowy day! Best of all, you don't need a lot of fancy supplies or expert crafting skills.

1. Make a homemade lava lamp minus the light - but grab your flashlight to illuminate it. Click the link above to see a YouTube Tutorial. If you aren't so diy-iee or crafty try this kit from ALEX® Toys - Make your own Lava Lamp at Home.

Make a Lava Lamp at home with a few supplies or use this kit from Alex Toys.

2. Make Homemade Rainbow Slushies at home. Slushes, Slush, Slushy, Icee, whatever you call it - you can make a fun party one at home with popsicles!

Make a slush drink at home for a birthday party.

3. This Gift bag purse can be fun for little girls or teens. Do an extra good job, and it makes a great coin purse. So, for a fun teen birthday party activity recycle the gift bags and make purses for kids.

Girls' Birthday Party activity to make at home.

4. Cardboard Play Kitchen - Save Money and Make your own pretend stove at home.

Make a stove at home with a cardboard box and wrapping paper.

5. Make a Homemade sleeping Mask like this one from Henry Happened.

Want to know how to make a homemade sleeping mask? Click the link above. This is a great activity for a pre-teen or teen girl's birthday party.

6. Make an Art Exhibit at Home How about having a an Art Exhibit at home. Have the kids each draw their favorite cartoon characters and place them on display. This is a fun Art Lesson for Kids.

This is from Bunsella.com Use clay or markers to create your own art exhibit at home. Give the kids ribbons to vote for their favorite entry.

7.Make your own Homemade Bath Crayons at home from Teach Beside Me

See the link above to learn how to make these soap bath crayons from Teach Beside Me blog. The kids will love this fun bath time activity.

8. That reminds me of our Fun Shaped Crayons in Soap/Candy Molds. Crayons are a fun thing to make at home.

Make your own fun shaped crayons at home.

9. Make Mini Cheeseburgers at home to eat after you craft up all of these other ideas!

10. You can make metal butterflies at home using Pop cans. butterflies for Mobile. 

Make metal butterflies like these from Gingerbread and Snowflakes.

More fun things you can make at home

Homemade Doughnuts - you can make your own donuts at home. It is easy, fun, and affordable. We have 3 Doughnut Recipe posts.

Recycled Plastic Bottle Crafts

A secret growing, living garden Playhouse

Weaving wall art for Kids

Recommended Reading:

Things to Make at Home for the home and garden