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Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Kids

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Leading a busy life can leave little time for breakfast, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For kids, what they eat before going out to play or heading off to school can also have a dramatic impact on their behavior, their development, and their ability to adapt or to absorb information. Finding a healthy alternative to quick fixes like toaster pastries or sugary cereals can be tough, especially if you need something quick and easy, but by considering some of these suggestions, breakfast might be easier than you think.

Fruit
Fruits are an essential part of any diet, and they are a great way to start the day. Things like apples and bananas provide essential dietary fibers, potassium, vitamin C, and B vitamins. Unlike other sugary options, the natural sugars found in apples are not as damaging and the phytonutrients found in apples can actually help regulate blood sugar levels. Speaking of sugar, despite the sugars found in apples, studies show that eating an apple is a much healthier alternative to drinking coffee. Potassium-rich foods like bananas have been shown to be effective in lowering blood pressure, and can help you stay fuller longer as well.

You can prep a quick snack chock full of apple slices or banana coins when in a rush, but these super fruits can also be easily added to other heartier, and healthier options, like oatmeal, yogurt or toast, and can be enjoyed with an extra helping of peanut butter or other fruits like raisins or blueberries.

Granola
If your kids love sugary cereals, then granola may be a great alternative. Like when shopping for cereal, checking the sugar content and the number of processed ingredients is still important if you want to stay healthy. But granola can still be chock full of flavor and incredibly versatile. Add it to yogurt, sprinkle fruit on top, add honey, or eat it on the go as a snack.

The oats in granola contain an impressive amount of iron and fiber. Granola that also contains nuts and seeds can help to add heart-healthy unsaturated fats and some protein to your morning meal as well. You can buy granola from the supermarket, making sure to research beforehand, but you can also make granola yourself ahead of time. Home-made breakfast bars can include granola, fruit, and other ingredients that you can then have ready to-go if you’re in a rush, or just throw some loose granola in a plastic bag for kids to munch on at snack time.

Smoothies
Smoothies can make breakfast feel a little more fun, especially for kids. Combining some of the fruit and yogurt ideas above, you can mix these ingredients along with other things like juice, or even sneak in some greens, to make a delicious and healthy concoction that is both quick and easy. Smoothies also make for a great on-the-go option, too, and with the right container they can accompany your kids on the ride to school if you’re running especially late or if they simply want to savor their first meal of the day.

Ready Made
If you’re really in a hurry, or if your kids tend to be picky, microwavable options or quick-mix go-to may be something more up your alley. Buying items like these can be tricky, especially since many of them contain preservatives, or lots of sugars and high fructose corn syrup. Everything in moderation is key, so finding some troubling ingredients like corn syrup may not be the end of the world, but always make sure that the rest of the ingredients are healthy or pack some nutrients.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with splurging once in a while or treating yourself and the kids to something a little less than health-conscious, but make sure that it is not an everyday thing. Not only is it better for your health and wellbeing in the long-run, but it can also make indulging on sweet treats like waffles, pancakes, egg sandwiches and lots of bacon all the more special when you do have the time or simply feel like having something a little extra special.

You can research and find some pretty inspired lists of healthy breakfast treats and recipes online for kids. Depending on your schedule or your ability to plan ahead, you can consider adding some of these recipes to your breakfast menu to brighten your kid’s day or just to mix things up a little.

For more parenting tips and reading resources be sure to follow us on our blog, and check out our unique books for kids that build self-esteem while promoting literacy.

Spring-Break Ideas for Kids and Families

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Now that the major holidays are over, there are only a few more breaks before school is out for the summer. Depending on where you live, a Spring break may be headed your way. It’s important that parents and guardians provide ideas and encouragement when it comes to certain activities that children can do during their time off from school. Here are some suggestions for the upcoming spring break.

Hitting the Road

If you have the opportunity, traveling somewhere new can help broaden your child’s perception and understanding of the world around them. Visit a part of the country you’ve never seen or look for something new to do if you’re visiting a family favorite location. Traveling in general can be incredibly beneficial for children, especially when they are young. Exposing them to different places, people, cultures, climates, and other activities can help encourage their creativity as well as their ability to connect with different people, too.

Children’s museums are a great option that can help entertain the whole family while teaching you all a little something new, too. Museums geared towards children, or museums that offer special children’s tours, can help make learning fun and more interactive, while also providing a unique experience.

Even if you can’t afford an extravagant vacation, day trips are also a great option. Consider taking the kids to a nearby metropolitan area, museums as mentioned, looking for historic landmarks or even visiting any nearby National Parks or forests if the weather permits outdoor activities. Pick up a new skill, take a class, or even volunteer.

Staying Indoors

If you’re staying indoors then you may be thinking of other activities that are both wholesome and exciting to keep your child occupied.

Reading is a great way for kids to experience new things without necessarily having to go anywhere. The act of reading can help bolster cognitive function, abstract understanding, and communication skills while also helping your child develop other key skills that will help them academically. Reading can also help introduce your child to new ideas, expanding their imagination and their ability to empathize with others. Choose a book series you can explore during the break or consider some personalized books, from our website, that provides kids with a uniquely personal experience that they may not be able to experience otherwise if a trip or vacation is out of the question. Plus, plenty of libraries offer kid-centric activities year-round but especially during school breaks to help keep kids active or to help parents who may still have to work during the spring-break recess.

Get Creative and Make Memories with the Kids

Aside from exploring and discovering new stories and adventures through books, you can create some, too by getting creative with arts and crafts! Create a family adventure and write it down, complete with illustrations and scenes that you can act out together.

However, no matter what, family time should take priority during breaks like these, even if parents or guardians still have to work during the day. Make time to prep dinner together, creating lifelong memories. Making a point of eating dinner together is important for families no matter what time of the year or day of the week it is, but you can make the occasion extra special over the break by preparing a well-loved family meal, trying something new, or making a project out of it.

It’s also important not to underestimate the power of family movie night. There are hundreds of family friendly movies on subscription channels like Netflix or Hulu that you can tune into from the comfort of your own home, and plenty of family friendly and kid movies are released in the early spring as well. Make a small outing, get some snacks and hit the theater! Local libraries and community centers sometimes host movie nights or other events for kids and families to partake in, so those are worthy of considering as well.

A break from school may seem like a small vacation to some, but if you plan accordingly and explore your options, you and your kids can make the most of it before school is back in session!

Raising a Globally Minded Child

Posted on | by KD Novelties

As our world exponentially grows more interconnected and multicultural than ever, it is important that children are raised with an open mind. Depending on where you live and how far you are from a city center, the need to diversify your mindset may not always be at the forefront of your mind, but it can be eye opening just the same. For parents, having a globally minded child can spell success. Not only can it open them up to new concepts and ideas, but it can also help them empathize and connect with others on a more personal level as well.

Becoming more globally aware is beneficial for people of all ages, however some people may not realize just how important world events, world views, and even social interaction and cultural practices can have on their lives.

According to Stacie Nevadomski Berdan, an international careers expert, globally minded children are curious, open-minded and aware of the world around them. This can help open doors to better learning, more effective critical thinking, wider socialization, and a deeper understanding for different kinds of people no matter where they’re from. “Children need to be appreciative and understand each other and not be afraid of each other,” Berdan adds.

Additionally, according to the American Council of Teaching Foreign Languages, a survey found that 98% of parents believe that children should learn a second language, as early as possible, 69% agreed that being proficient in a second language is important to a successful career today, 83% percent agreed it would be important in 5 years and 84% percent agreed that having a global mindset is important to careers today.

Evidently, one of the most common ways of raising a globally minded child is to learn a foreign language. If a parent, guardian, or family member speaks another language, or if you are originally from another country with a national language other than English, it is highly recommended that children grow up bilingual. According to the Center for Applied Linguistics, kids who are bilingual experience more positive effects on their intellectual growth, are more flexible thinkers, are sensitive to language and different modes of understanding, while also opening the door to other cultures and even more job opportunities.

Traveling is also a great way to expose your child to different things. Whether you can travel to another country or are only able to make it to a more diverse metropolitan area, introducing your kids to different cultural activities, history, cuisine and other things can help to open their minds and inspire their curiosity. Exposing children to diverse cultures from an early age can be incredibly beneficial and it can open their minds up as they grow older, leaving little room for prejudice or preemptive judgment since they will be more familiar with lifestyles and customs that are different from their own.

Reading is another great way to promote exposure, especially if you are unable to travel. Reading allows you to explore and discover other places, cultures, and languages from the comfort of your own home. For children, however, this can be extra beneficial since it can help inspire a more general love of reading and learning as well. But books are special for other reasons, too. Books, especially fiction, can place kids in someone else’s shoes, allowing them not only the opportunity for exposure, but providing them with a more intimate glimpse into the life and culture of someone else.

Getting involved with your own community is important, too. Thinking big also demands that you think on a smaller scale as well. Exposing your child to compassion, community, and caring on all different levels can help groom them to become more open-minded and considerate individuals, as they get older. For children to be globally minded, it starts with the parents in the home. Look at all the ways in which you can learn and improve, yourself, and find ways to experience new things as a family. Not only will you be learning together, but you will all be growing together as well.