I’ve always been something of a minimalist traveler. I find that setting off — whether to another city or to a country across the world — with one bag and one pair of shoes can work wonders for both travel spontaneity (why not book a last-minute detour when you don’t have shit to carry?) and for back pain (I don’t have shit to carry!). And when I had my son, I was determined this part of my travel personality would not change — at least not too much.
But, of course, kids come with shit. Both metaphorical and literal. You can’t just forgo a carseat when driving around LA with a baby; nor can you guarantee there’s going to be anything in Africa that your picky kid will eat. That’s why adding toddler-toting to my globetrotting has made it more important than ever for me to pack smartly and efficiently. And no, that doesn’t mean bringing every possible snack food and a week’s worth of extra kid outfits.
Planning a birthday party for your kids can be overwhelming and stressful, especially if you don’t have a plan. You might be thinking to yourself: where do I start, the decorations or the food? If you’re stressed about planning the party, it’s likely you might forget some key parts of the party.
Luckily, following steps can make it a whole lot easier – and fun. Here are the seven steps to planning the perfect birthday party for your kid!
1. Choose a Theme
The first step to planning a kid’s birthday party is choosing a theme. While not all parties have to have a theme, it’s encouraged to think of one to make the party more unique and align with your child’s interests. Think about your child’s favorite activity or movie as a starting place. These can make great party themes. Other areas to think about when choosing a theme are favorite places to visit, toys, or characters they look up to. Some themes will be easier to find party accessories for, more than others, but it makes for a good opportunity to get creative and get the whole family involved in the brainstorming process!
When it comes to baby showers, the shower games are easy to plan.
The party — either an in-person affair or a virtual shower — is a snap. But the gift? Well, that’s something else entirely. The Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) can help. The parenting experts and engineers in the GHI Little Lab test baby gear throughout the year, so they know what items are worth the investment.
It’s a safe bet that the big-ticket products — the best car seats and strollers and cribs — will be spelled out on some sort of baby registry or list, since parents need to figure out what brands work best for them and what features they require based on their personal needs. But when it comes to the nice-to-haves as opposed to the need-to-haves, the sky’s the limit.
Here is some of the GHI’s best-rated gear, along with fun best-sellers and little items you can add to a wishing well. Pick one up for your shower gift, and the parents will definitely thank you later. (And forgive them if they do so in a 5 am text, since they’ll be up for those early-morning feeds.) And, after the baby finally arrives, be sure to check back to see some of the Institute’s favorite baby gifts, too.
If you know the baby’s name already, you can buy a snuggly friend that is uniquely his or hers. The blanket-style lovey doll comes in many different animals, and you can also specify the font and thread color.
It’s never too early to start building a baby’s library. This collection features board books with four favorite fairy tales — Rapunzel, Snow White, Cinderella and The Princess and the Pea — each drawn in a style from a different country, including Japan, Mexico, India and Russia.
Show the parents that you’ve got great taste (pun intended) with these adorable food-themed rattles. Each one is hand-knit in Peru from organic cotton. This shop has other themed rattle sets, too, including sports equipment, fair food and New York City.
Built-in pools can be expensive and while many of us wish we had one to keep our kids preoccupied during a time like this, there are plenty of other options to have fun when the weather warms up.
Consider a kiddie pool for the little ones to cool off on those hot days after a round of backyard games.
If you don’t want to deal with blowing up an inflatable pool every time your kids want to take a swim, the Intex Square Frame Kiddle Pool is great. It’s easy to set up, holds up to 89 gallons of water, and the durable vinyl is made to resist any rips and tears.
For a simple cost-effective option, the Intex Crystal Blue Inflatable Pool is perfect for kids ages 2 and up. It’s 6.5 inches deep, and while many reviewers enjoy this kiddie pool for its durability, it comes with repair patches in case there are any accidents. Amazon’s No. 1 bestselling inflatable pool has over 1,000 positive verified reviews.
If you’re looking for a colorful pool with built-in shade, consider the Intex rainbow arch pool. It has critters displayed on the base and built-in sprinklers to keep your little ones cool.
Protecting your children from the sun can be a challenge, but it’s an important one. To make your life a bit easier, consider this sun shade pool from Intex. It features a detachable overhead sunshade that’s helpful for protecting your little one from the harsh rays.
If you’re like me, you’re one of the “lucky” ones who has a birthday coming up during a global pandemic. That’s okay, I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday anyway.
We have put together 13 activities below to enjoy with your family this International Women’s Day. Celebrate the women in your lives, teach your kids about equality and empowerment, or just have some educational fun.
It’s typically between the ages of nine and twelve that our cute, cuddly little children, once so willing to climb into our laps and share their secrets, suddenly want little or nothing to do with us. A child in preadolescence is not the same person he was just a year or two ago.
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4.Don’t be overly judgmental. “At this age your children are watching you very astutely to hear how judgmental you are,” advises Dr. Steiner-Adair. “They are taking their cues on how you talk about other people’s children, especially children that get into trouble — how that girl dresses, or that boy has good manners or bad manners. And they are watching and deciding whether you are harsh or critical or judgmental.”
Purchasing a stroller can be intimidating; there are so many options, so many features, and such a large price range.
Once you know how and when you’ll be using your new stroller, make sure you decide what features best fit your lifestyle. Use the seven questions below to help you decide what features are must-haves.
