Category: KD Novelties

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.

Subscribe to the KD Novelties Blog for more parenting tips and resources. KDNovelties.com

How To Get Your Kids to Listen to You

Posted on | by KD Novelties

As a parent or guardian, it is important that children listen to you. This is not a means of bossing them around but a parent or guardian’s job is to help guide kids down the right path, to teach them valuable life lessons, to help dispense a sense of purpose and responsibility and to make sure that they take care of themselves and remain mindful. At times, it can be difficult to get children to listen and many parents grow frustrated with the difficulties. You may not know what to do or how to handle a situation, but there are some ways you can help better ensure that kids listen to you and that your relationship remains healthy.

Get on Their Level
When parents and guardians get frustrated, some often tend to resort to yelling. However, this does not help any situation and can possibly make matters worse. In order to get another person to listen to you, it helps to better understand why they may not be responsive. Get on your child’s level in order to gain some perspective. Some kids may not be actively trying to ignore their parents but they may simply be acting their age. Try to understand why your child may not be listening and go from there before doing anything else.

Make Your Presence Known
This tip goes hand-in-hand with the previous at times. If children are distracted, it may be more a testament to their age and the current level of their brain development rather than a conscious desire to ignore you. You don’t have to do anything drastic, but sometimes a tap on the shoulder, a gentle touch at the elbow or another sign that you are present can help bring their attention and focus to you and what you have to say to them.

Define Your Limits
Many parents might find themselves yelling their throats hoarse by yelling and calling their child’s name through the house that dinner is ready or it is time to leave for school. Some kids may simply tune out this noise or not understand the urgency, so it is essential to lay down some ground rules. Sit your child down and explain to them what it means when you call their names and what it is that you would like for them to do in response. Tell them that you would like for them to come to you or at least respond, it’s about being respectful. For example: “I would be happy to ask you to put your jacket on but after that we are walking to the car without you.” Let them know that listening is not so much as taking orders from you but more so an integral part of working as a team with the whole family. When it comes to other things such as bedtime, try a three-minute warning, such as “You have three minutes to finish playing your game but when those three minutes are up it is time for bed.” Giving them some space but still laying down rules can help them understand that what you are telling them is important while still giving them some space, as opposed to turning things off without warning or yelling, and calling their name repeatedly.

Communicate Effectively
Children are people in the making, and by explaining to your child why you are telling them what you want can help them understand why they need to do the things that you say. Instead of saying “Because I said so,” so many times, taking the time to explain your reasons and why some things are important will help children listen in the future so that you may not even have to take these extra measures if they take it to heart. Children are people, too, and by understanding them and having them understanding you they can begin to better understand why you tell them to do certain things without feeling like you are bossing them around or being unfair.

For more parenting resources be sure to check out the KD Novelties Blog and for unique reading books for kids visit our website at http://www.KDNovelties.com.

Dads Read With Your Kids!

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Parenting is a joint effort, but depending on the personalities of mom and dad, each parent may take on different roles when it comes to raising their children. Kids learn a lot by example, and they observe behaviors as a mode for learning how to behave themselves. This is why so many kids end up mimicking their parents or even becoming like them, as they get older. Observed behavior is picked up, both consciously and subconsciously, and the actions you take as a parent when you are with your child will play a huge role in their overall development.

Fathers who read and read with their kids are important, especially when it comes to helping boys read. Studies over the years have shown that a majority of readers tend to be women, and elementary grade boys do not read nearly as much as their female counterparts. Due to still-potent gender roles, boys are taught to be physically active and may shy away from reading because it does not necessarily fall under that category. Boys look to their fathers as role models, which is why it is up to dad to help instill the importance of reading early on.

You can do this by reading on your own, reading with your children, or encouraging them to read up on their favorite topics and activities as well. Reading along with your child can be extremely beneficial in a variety of ways. Not only does it allow for you to read together, but you can spend some quality time with one another as well. These moments will create memories that will last a lifetime. Kids also learn by example, so reading on your own can help push them in the right direction, too. If you’re not a big reader yourself, there are other things you can do as well, such as share stories about your life, explore photographic or informational books on topics you like, and share with your child.  Involve your child in everyday writing tasks such as composing letters and emails or even paying the bills.

Dad reading with daughter

However, dads can help boost the love of reading in daughters, too, so it is important not to forget that reading with any child is incredibly beneficial for their education while also helping build the foundations of your relationship with one another. As stricter and more traditional gender roles dissolve, it is important for both mom and dad to act as a team and to share activities and responsibilities with one another. Dad’s should feel excited about reading with their children along with other activities like crafts or cooking, just as moms should feel excited about playing games, sports and building or fixing things around the house with their kids as well.