Bubbles … homemade with love.
This is a favourite from 6 months to 6 years (maybe more!) Get your camera ready to snap some hearty chuckles from the lil one!
You'll need:
Dishwashing Liquid
Water
Cup
Paper clips (2)
What-to-do:
1. Bend one paper clip to form a circle, the other to form the handle
2. Mix three tablespoons of dishwashing liquid into half cup of water
3. Dip the loop into the mixture and blow steadily through the loop.
Watch what happens...
** Be careful of slippery floors when having bubble fun
Adapted from 'Rainy Day Play" by Nancy Fusco Castaldo
Friday, March 21, 2008
SCRATCH 'n' SNIFF Painting
Ever wonder how to recapture those fun (and pricey) "scratch and sniff" pages in children books? Try this out.
You'll need:
Paper
Craft glue
Paint brush
Gelatin
Food essence
What-to-do:
1. Spread the craft glue over a drawn spot/shape/picture on the paper
2. Brush a drop of food essence of your choice (banana, strawberry, vanilla, mint, … yummy!)
3. Sprinkle powdered gelatin over the wet craft glue with food essence.
4. Let it dry. The craft glue will dry clear and you'll be left with a sweet-smelling "scratch and sniff" spot.
Options:
1. Draw a picture of the fruit (eg. Strawberry).
2. Paint it with watercolors. Leave to dry.
3. Repeat step 1-4 of above, over the painted picture (eg. Strawberry). Use the appropriate food essence (strawberry), and you'll have a yummy yummy picture!
** For babies and toddlers, this activity is great for stimulating their sense of "smell", in a safe and fun way !
** For older kids, have them involved to draw, paint, spread, sprinkle and SMELL their fruits of success!
Adapted from 'Rainy Day Play" by Nancy Fusco Castaldo
You'll need:
Paper
Craft glue
Paint brush
Gelatin
Food essence
What-to-do:
1. Spread the craft glue over a drawn spot/shape/picture on the paper
2. Brush a drop of food essence of your choice (banana, strawberry, vanilla, mint, … yummy!)
3. Sprinkle powdered gelatin over the wet craft glue with food essence.
4. Let it dry. The craft glue will dry clear and you'll be left with a sweet-smelling "scratch and sniff" spot.
Options:
1. Draw a picture of the fruit (eg. Strawberry).
2. Paint it with watercolors. Leave to dry.
3. Repeat step 1-4 of above, over the painted picture (eg. Strawberry). Use the appropriate food essence (strawberry), and you'll have a yummy yummy picture!
** For babies and toddlers, this activity is great for stimulating their sense of "smell", in a safe and fun way !
** For older kids, have them involved to draw, paint, spread, sprinkle and SMELL their fruits of success!
Adapted from 'Rainy Day Play" by Nancy Fusco Castaldo
Cheese Potato
Daddy's signature dish. It has been a hit with Athan and now his sister, Dionne, too.
Ingredients: (for one kid's portion)
One mid-size potato, very thinly sliced
One slice of cheddar cheese (or any other cheese your child likes)
Cooking:
1. Pan-fry the sliced potato.
2. Place fried potato on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
3. Place fried potato on plate
4. Scatter pieces/shreds of cheese on potato
5. Microwave on High for ONE minute
Options:
Cut the Cheese Potato into bite size for younger kids.
For a more exciting "gourmet" dish, try adding toppings to your cheese potato. The cheese potato will be just like the pizza base, you can have fun with kids' favourite toppings - mushrooms, tuna, chicken, tomatoes, shredded carrot, and more cheese !
Ingredients: (for one kid's portion)
One mid-size potato, very thinly sliced
One slice of cheddar cheese (or any other cheese your child likes)
Cooking:
1. Pan-fry the sliced potato.
2. Place fried potato on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
3. Place fried potato on plate
4. Scatter pieces/shreds of cheese on potato
5. Microwave on High for ONE minute
Options:
Cut the Cheese Potato into bite size for younger kids.
For a more exciting "gourmet" dish, try adding toppings to your cheese potato. The cheese potato will be just like the pizza base, you can have fun with kids' favourite toppings - mushrooms, tuna, chicken, tomatoes, shredded carrot, and more cheese !
Tips for cooking Asian food for baby
Preparing ingredients for baby-food:
RICE: Wash the rice, dry it in sun/low-heat oven, grind it fine, store in container for use. Porridge cooked with ground rice takes a shorter time to cook (great for busy mums). There's no need to blend baby's food before each meal.
IKAN BILIS: Do the same for Ikan Bilis. Wash-Dry-Grind-Store. A small amount is added to baby's food when cooking. Remember, Ikan Bilis has high salt-content. Use in moderation.
NATURAL FLAVOR ENHANCER, without the salt or sugar: SHALLOTS, KEI-CHEE, RED DATES.
Use to add flavor to porridge, naturally. No need for seasonings. Red Dates are also naturally rich in iron, put in 2-3 when cooking porridge to make it healthy, and yummy.
RICE: Wash the rice, dry it in sun/low-heat oven, grind it fine, store in container for use. Porridge cooked with ground rice takes a shorter time to cook (great for busy mums). There's no need to blend baby's food before each meal.
IKAN BILIS: Do the same for Ikan Bilis. Wash-Dry-Grind-Store. A small amount is added to baby's food when cooking. Remember, Ikan Bilis has high salt-content. Use in moderation.
NATURAL FLAVOR ENHANCER, without the salt or sugar: SHALLOTS, KEI-CHEE, RED DATES.
Use to add flavor to porridge, naturally. No need for seasonings. Red Dates are also naturally rich in iron, put in 2-3 when cooking porridge to make it healthy, and yummy.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Reasons to Cloth Diaper
by Robin Elise Weiss, LCCE
Cloth diapering used to be the norm because - well, let's face it - that's what was available. As disposable diapers were invented and became popular, cloth diapering became something that not everyone did. Eventually it became thought of as more work for less benefit.
You've probably thought of many reasons why cloth diapering may not be for you. Perhaps the cost worries you. Maybe you're worried about messy diaper leaks from cloth diapers. Or maybe you simply don't know enough about cloth diapers to even formulate an opinion.
Cloth diapers have come a long way from rubber pants and diaper pins. Nowadays there are literally scores of choices. From simple all-in-ones (AIOs) to prefolds with wraps (no more diaper pins on most), there are tons of choices to keep your baby covered.
There are many benefits of cloth diapering. Here are some of the most often heard:
- Cost Savings
Cloth diapers can cost a bit of money to get started, but in the long run cloth diaper users are often ahead of the game in expenditures. If you figure that the average newborn goes through 8-12 diapers a day, 6-8 diapers a day for an older baby, that can really add up at the cost of about $0.29 per disposable diaper, and rising.
- Better for Baby
Cloth diaper users tend to have less issue with diaper rash, irritated bottoms and other common complaints from disposable diaper parents. Fewer chemicals touch the baby's bottom and the less likely they are to be sensitive. If you do have a sensitive baby, you can choose very natural, even organic, materials to use for the diapers that go on your baby.
- Better for the Environment
This one will be hotly debated for some time, but in general it is established that cloth diapers don't take up room in landfills and take hundreds of years to break down. The reduce, reuse and recycle concept means less trash for the environment.
- Less Time in Diapers
Many parents will tell you that they spent less time trying to potty train or educate their child about elimination communication (EC) when they used cloth diapers.
- Adorable!
Okay, it's also important to look at cloth diapering as a fashion statement. Cloth diapers are cute! They come in fashion colors and prints. Have fun with it!
About the author:
Robin Elise Weiss, BA, ICCE-CPE, CLC, CD(DONA), LCCE, FACCE is a childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, doula trainer, lactation counselor, and proud mother of seven beautiful children.
Copyright: about.com
Cloth diapering used to be the norm because - well, let's face it - that's what was available. As disposable diapers were invented and became popular, cloth diapering became something that not everyone did. Eventually it became thought of as more work for less benefit.
You've probably thought of many reasons why cloth diapering may not be for you. Perhaps the cost worries you. Maybe you're worried about messy diaper leaks from cloth diapers. Or maybe you simply don't know enough about cloth diapers to even formulate an opinion.
Cloth diapers have come a long way from rubber pants and diaper pins. Nowadays there are literally scores of choices. From simple all-in-ones (AIOs) to prefolds with wraps (no more diaper pins on most), there are tons of choices to keep your baby covered.
There are many benefits of cloth diapering. Here are some of the most often heard:
- Cost Savings
Cloth diapers can cost a bit of money to get started, but in the long run cloth diaper users are often ahead of the game in expenditures. If you figure that the average newborn goes through 8-12 diapers a day, 6-8 diapers a day for an older baby, that can really add up at the cost of about $0.29 per disposable diaper, and rising.
- Better for Baby
Cloth diaper users tend to have less issue with diaper rash, irritated bottoms and other common complaints from disposable diaper parents. Fewer chemicals touch the baby's bottom and the less likely they are to be sensitive. If you do have a sensitive baby, you can choose very natural, even organic, materials to use for the diapers that go on your baby.
- Better for the Environment
This one will be hotly debated for some time, but in general it is established that cloth diapers don't take up room in landfills and take hundreds of years to break down. The reduce, reuse and recycle concept means less trash for the environment.
- Less Time in Diapers
Many parents will tell you that they spent less time trying to potty train or educate their child about elimination communication (EC) when they used cloth diapers.
- Adorable!
Okay, it's also important to look at cloth diapering as a fashion statement. Cloth diapers are cute! They come in fashion colors and prints. Have fun with it!
About the author:
Robin Elise Weiss, BA, ICCE-CPE, CLC, CD(DONA), LCCE, FACCE is a childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, doula trainer, lactation counselor, and proud mother of seven beautiful children.
Copyright: about.com
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Foods known to cause allergies in babies
This list of baby foods to avoid contains foods known to provoke allergic reactions or digestive problems in babies. This doesn't mean that all these foods will make your child unwell. But if you're worried that your baby is very sensitive - maybe because you have a food allergy yourself - then it is definitely worth avoiding them for the first year, at least.
Baby Foods To Avoid - Foods Likely To Cause An Allergic Reaction Or Digestive Problem
Eggs (especially the whites)
Cow's milk
Peanuts or peanut butter
Shellfish - lobster, prawns, crab and shrimp
Wheat
Chocolate
Soy
Pork
Gluten - contained in wheat, oats and barley
Fish - particularly plaice, tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines
Berries - especially strawberries
Cinnamon
Citrus fruits - orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime and tangerine
Sesame seeds/sesame oil
Coconut
Corn
Tomatoes
Yeast
Baby Foods To Avoid - Foods That Present A Choking Hazard
Nuts
Large chunks of fruit or vegetables, raw or cooked
Large chunks of meat
Whole grapes or cherry tomatoes - always cut into quarters
Popcorn
Seeds
Raisins - wait until your baby has teeth and is chewing well
Baby Foods To Avoid - Honey
NEVER give honey to a baby under one year of age.
Honey can contain botulism spores. In babies, the spores can grow and produce life-threatening toxins.
Do not use honey to sweeten yogurt, or in any other form, before your baby's first birthday.
Credit: Homemade Baby Food Recipes
Baby Foods To Avoid - Foods Likely To Cause An Allergic Reaction Or Digestive Problem
Eggs (especially the whites)
Cow's milk
Peanuts or peanut butter
Shellfish - lobster, prawns, crab and shrimp
Wheat
Chocolate
Soy
Pork
Gluten - contained in wheat, oats and barley
Fish - particularly plaice, tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines
Berries - especially strawberries
Cinnamon
Citrus fruits - orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime and tangerine
Sesame seeds/sesame oil
Coconut
Corn
Tomatoes
Yeast
Baby Foods To Avoid - Foods That Present A Choking Hazard
Nuts
Large chunks of fruit or vegetables, raw or cooked
Large chunks of meat
Whole grapes or cherry tomatoes - always cut into quarters
Popcorn
Seeds
Raisins - wait until your baby has teeth and is chewing well
Baby Foods To Avoid - Honey
NEVER give honey to a baby under one year of age.
Honey can contain botulism spores. In babies, the spores can grow and produce life-threatening toxins.
Do not use honey to sweeten yogurt, or in any other form, before your baby's first birthday.
Credit: Homemade Baby Food Recipes
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Have you visited The Baby Loft's new boutique yet?
The Baby Loft has added many exclusive items at our parenting resource boutique in Desa Parkcity, have you stopped by to take a look?
- baby cots and mattresses
- strollers from MacLaran and other dependable name brands
- chic maternity wear by Runway Maternity (c)
- extended collection of nursing wear and kiddie clothing
We will also be starting classes soon at the studio, including prenatal yoga, birth confidence, baby signing, baby massage, hypnobirthing...keep yourself posted for announcements at the main TBL website. Email us and tell us your ideas for workshops that you would like to attend!
The next 3D Baby Hands & Feet Sculpturing session is on Mar 23, 2008, sign up now.
FF21, The Waterfront @ Parkcity, 5 Persiaran Residen, Desa Parkcity 52200 Kuala Lumpur (I need a map!!)
Come to check us out, and try on the products that you see online!
- baby cots and mattresses
- strollers from MacLaran and other dependable name brands
- chic maternity wear by Runway Maternity (c)
- extended collection of nursing wear and kiddie clothing
We will also be starting classes soon at the studio, including prenatal yoga, birth confidence, baby signing, baby massage, hypnobirthing...keep yourself posted for announcements at the main TBL website. Email us and tell us your ideas for workshops that you would like to attend!
The next 3D Baby Hands & Feet Sculpturing session is on Mar 23, 2008, sign up now.
FF21, The Waterfront @ Parkcity, 5 Persiaran Residen, Desa Parkcity 52200 Kuala Lumpur (I need a map!!)
Come to check us out, and try on the products that you see online!
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