Category: KD Novelties Blog

Playground Safety: What to Look Out For

Posted on | by KD Novelties

When the weather is temperate, the outdoors begin to tempt children and adults alike. When it comes to playtime, parents may want to enjoy the nice weather and bring their kids to a park or playground. Making this kind of decision seems like an easy one – you can enjoy the outdoors while your children play on swings, monkey bars and other fun attractions. Going to a playground is a great idea, but it is important that you remember to keep some things in mind before you go and while you’re there. According to kidshealth.org, more than 200,000 kids are treated in hospital ERs for playground-related injuries. It is important that you keep your kids safe and do all that you can to ensure that their time playing outside is as enjoyable as possible.

Adult Supervision
It is absolutely imperative that parents make sure that they are present and that they are aware of what their kids are up to. Keeping a watchful eye on your children is essential, and no matter where they are in a park or what they are doing on a playground, it is important that you know what they are doing and that they are safe. Keeping a good watch can help ensure that your child does not wander off, of course, but it can also help you keep track of what your child is doing, what they are touching, and if they are generally okay.

If your child needs help with something, you can help them where needed and you can even make sure that they do not do anything dangerous that they are not supposed to, like jump from the top of slides or other things that will only lead to them hurting themselves. If your child is small, keeping an eye on them can help you ensure that they are using slides that are appropriate for them and that they are not trying to get up on high monkey bars or anything they may not be old enough for yet.

Assess the Safety Features
Playgrounds are likely not the same as they were when you were a kid. Many parks now feature rubber flooring and other protective measures to help better guarantee a safe experience for children. When you head to a park, take a look at these features. First, check whether the park you are visiting has them and then see whether they seem to be in good shape. Sometimes small nicks and imperfections can occur with overuse. If you notice anything amiss, you can try and call your local Parks and Recreation department. Since most parks are publicly maintained on a regular basis, you can rely on these issues being dealt with quickly and efficiently, as long as the Parks and Recreation department is aware of the problem.

Look for the Right Park
Some parks are made for general playing whereas others are specifically designed for certain age groups. If your child is smaller, then you will want to look for a park that accommodates their needs. The same goes for older children. Some parks offer a bit of variety, but generally you will want to make sure that smaller children play on smaller playgrounds so that everything is at their level, and that older children play on larger playgrounds – both because it is designed for them and their size, and older children can also potentially harm younger children by accident if playing in smaller parks (unless they are helping you look after younger ones, of course).

There are many things to consider when visiting parks and playgrounds, but a lot of it comes from being aware and knowing your kids. Since parks are generally public places, it is important that you are aware of your surroundings and your child’s surroundings. It is also important that you remain aware of your child’s behavior as well, since they will be playing with and around other children, and sometimes even interacting with other parents as well. Make sure that you keep track of what your child does, how they conduct themselves and anyone else that may be in the area. In the event of a dispute or an incident, it is important to keep both eyes open at all times and to pay attention to everything that you can. With all of that in mind, it may seem like going to the park is more stress than it’s worth, but once you get used to the flow of things, which parks are best for your child and which ones are the safest, as well as the sorts of people who frequent those parks, you and your whole family can eventually feel comfortable and enjoy the outing.

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Playtime is Crucial for Growth Development

Posted on | by KD Novelties
We don’t see a messy room we see growth development!

As a child, playtime is sacred. In early grades, it is one of the more cherished parts of the school day and sometimes kids would rather play than go to sleep or do their homework. Playtime may seem like downtime, but it can actually play an important role in a child’s early development. From the time that they are infants and toddlers and up and onward, allowing kids with ample time to play can help bolster their imagination, their creativity and even their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Babies learn by interacting with the physical world around them. They touch, feel and explore objects. At this age, children play with items and the space around them in order to understand it, so you can see why playtime is so vital at this stage. This is why many toys are geared towards introducing kids to colors, shapes and numbers. Since children cannot yet communicate through language, they learn by seeing, feeling, interacting and even tasting – hence the desire to drool and gnaw on everything they get their little hands on!

Older children can benefit greatly from playtime as well, but it helps to make distinctions between types of play. Media can be informative and imaginative, but parents should still try to limit screen time so children can exercise their own personal modes of creativity and ingenuity. Whether children are reading a physical book, playing pretend, or reenacting a story with dolls and action figures, they are fueling their activities with ideas that are their own. This sort of playtime can allow children to explore their interests and even learn more about themselves. It is also not uncommon for favorite playtime activities to become lifelong hobbies and passions for music, art, creative writing, or acting.

Legos provide hours of spatial reasoning

Encouraging kids to play allows them to learn things naturally and organically. Playing with blocks allows kids to develop spatial reasoning and an understanding of engineering and physics. Writing or reading stories helps critical thinking skills and abstract concept understanding. Acting can help with communication and expression, and sports or other activities can help kids excel in other physical arenas. There are so many possibilities for education and personal development when it comes to playtime. Encourage your children to play, to invent, to play pretend, and to help them learn more about themselves and inspire a curiosity in the world around them, that will live on in their imagination well after they’ve “grown up”.

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7 Ways to Teach Kids Not to Take Things for Granted

Posted on | by KD Novelties
Being Thankful

In today’s world, we have so many resources available to us. Not only are we lucky to have so much information and so many everyday advances at our fingertips to make our daily lives easier, but we also have a plethora of entertainment options ready for the choosing whenever we so please. As parents, it is only natural to want to do everything for your children and to provide them with all of the conveniences and commodities that you may not have had access to during your own childhood. Many generations are like this, and we always want to do better and give more – but there can be a downside.

In today’s world, television, mobile devices, music, the internet, you name it, is always readily available. It may be difficult for some parents to limit the time their children spend doing any of these given things, leading to a sense of entitlement and selfishness. Sometimes, these side effects occur by accident. You want your child to be happy so you provide them with the means to be happily content every moment of their lives, but this may lead to issues with gratitude and can really affect how they view others and the world around them. Without actually taking your children off the grid, there are some ways you can make sure that they learn to appreciate what they have in life and how to be humble, well-rounded people as they get older.

Be Their Role Model
Kids learn by mimicking. This means that they will learn to conduct themselves much in the same way that they see others around them do, and as a parent you are arguably your child’s biggest influence. In order to teach your children gratitude, you will need to actively practice showing gratitude yourself as well.

Be Sure to Thank Your Children
As a role model, you will need to actively show gratitude and be thankful for what you have as well as for what others do for you. When your child completes a task, does something nice without being prompted, or accomplishes something, make sure to thank them. Being on the receiving end of gratitude can help children to understand just how much this sort of sentiment really means to them and how much it must mean to other people as well.

Importance of Thank You

Do Some Teaching
As Americans, we are awarded many freedoms but it is more complex than it simply being the law. Teach your children about American history and those who fought for the freedoms we have today. There are many things that even adults take for granted that are not part of the realities other people around the world experience. It is important for kids to understand where their privileges come from and to be thankful for them instead of thinking that they are a given.

The Importance of “Thank You”
Many kids simply say ‘thank you’ because they are told to do so without really understanding why. Explaining what the sentiment means and how much weight it can really carry can help kids realize how integral showing thanks can be, whether it be in the form of a verbal “thank you”, a thank you note or even a gift.

Prompt You Kids to Give Back
Kids are more likely to follow through with something to the end if they have a part in coming up with the idea, just like how kids are more likely to try new foods if they have a hand in the meal prep. Ask your kids to do something nice for someone that might have a need that they can help with, or someone that cares for them, or has helped them in the past, and encourage them to do something nice for them.

Challenge Entitled Behavior the Moment it Happens
If your child expects something and is unhappy with being denied the thing they want, whether it be a treat, a toy or extra TV time, nip it in the bud as soon as you can. Ask your child what is really important. Ask them what it is they think they deserve and why. Making it a point of conversation can help children understand the true value of the things that they have as well as what the true value of their actions and beliefs are.

Learn to Love the Small Things

Gratitude is the greatest of virtues

Children can take certain things for granted because it is simply all they know. Point out little things that both you and your children should be thankful for and explain why. Your children may not realize just how valuable having clean water is and just how lucky they are to have it in order to survive. Having warm clothes and even amenities like kitchen appliances, toilets, heating, you name it! Remind your children that there are other kids out there who may not have any of these necessary things, let alone a toy to play with.

Teaching your child to be thankful and to show gratitude is not going to happen overnight, and it is not something you can teach with a single lesson. As a parent, you will have to make sure that you set a good example, too, so remember to be grateful as well.

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