Saturday, January 12, 2008

Child Day Care Training - Why You Need It

By Jonathan Andrew

At present, there is a growing number single parents and of couples who both work - resulting in an increased need for child care providers. Although in the past, any high schooler can be called on to "babysit," parents are more meticulous these days and often look for well-trained child care providers.

What child day care training involves

There are a lot of training centers ready to help you in honing your child care providing skills. All you need to do is type in "child day care training" in any search engine and look for training centers in and around where you live.

Whether you're working for a child care facility or planning to put up your own, child day care training centers can help you become more confident in your job. Below are just a few of the things you can learn at a training center:

- How to organize educational activities
- How to set up and maintain a clean and safe environment for children
- Storytelling
- Nutrition
- Choosing the right books and audiovisual materials
- Songs and dances for kids
- Games for children
- Arts and Crafts
- Exercises for kids
- First Aid and CPR

...and much, much more. Although these things may seem easy to learn on your own, formal child day care training exposes you to new advances in the child care industry plus keeps you informed of the important federal or state regulations and codes that these centers have to observe.

Child day care training is for people of all ages

It doesn't matter whether your a newbie or one who has had years and years of experience. Child care is something that shouldn't be taken for granted, and practitioners of child care must have certain standards to follow in order to be certified to run a business.

If you conduct an online search, you'll find that there are child day care training centers which also offer online lessons. This is great for students or housewives who can't do the daily commute in order to be certified. Online lessons help you learn at your own pace, in the comforts of your own home or the office, to earn your certificate in chil din training effortlessly.

Their fees include all the books, lessons, and learning aids you need to complete the child day care training program. You are also provided toll-free instructional support via instant messaging, snail mail, or e-mail.

You can also find more info on child care and childcare center. Bestchildcareguide.com/ is a comprehensive resource to know more about child care.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Andrew

Baby Toys - Entertain And Educate Your Babies

By Apurva Shree

Baby toys are not only best pals of babies, but also their best teachers. The game keeps the little ones busy and amused owing to their funny shapes and attractive colors. These playthings help babies develop their knowledge of the world and their hand-eye coordination, motor skills etc. Plaything makes cute gifts that you can present to a pregnant women during her pregnancy or after the infant is born. You can choose various dolls, teddy bears, games from either for your own baby or as gifts. Here are a few popular types.

Types Of Baby Toys

The toys are recommended for babies based on their age group. However, they can be broadly categorized into following categories:

The first category comprises of traditional fun playthings. These funny things include wooden, musical objects, teddy bears, dolls, play mats and so on. Such things are intended simply to keep the babies entertained. Though they lack the educational content, their importance for babies should never be undermined. Plaything can be dangled in a car or cot to keep the infant engrossed also come in this category.

Then there are musical objects like cot mobiles that can be categorized as stimulating toys. It is an established fact that music both stimulates and calms the child's mind. These objects with stimulating music can be placed in the baby's cot or even in the car near the infant. Some musical CDs meant specifically for babies are also available.

Skill development models are also becoming increasingly popular. These toys are aimed at amusement as well as developing motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Multicolored and textured models are also widely available that help improve infant's sense of textures and colors. However, skill development models are manufactured keeping in view the age group of the little one. It would be no use buying those toys for 3 months old tot that are prescribed for a 9 months old baby.

How To Choose?

You can take help of salespersons at various stores to select the kind of toy you wish to buy. They also provide catalogues and leaflets containing the relevant details. However, the best way of locating the dolls, teddy bears is using the Internet. There are numerous sites dedicated to baby toys. These sites provide complete details viz. brands and types of funny characters, teddy bears, musical objects are available for different age groups. Before visiting a store physically to get them, you can make up your mind regarding the kind of games, dolls or teddy bears to buy.

There are many popular brands for you to choose from- Fisher-Price, Lamaze, Disney, Mamas and Papas, Early Learning Center and many more. You should not just go to a mart or store and pick up any toy(s). A little bit of homework or study in the matter can help you choose baby toys that both entertain and educate the child.

Buying the right baby toys can be a wee-bit difficult at times with so many various baby toys lined up at stores. The most popular baby toys are toys with stimulating music and textured baby toys that you can gift the mother during pregnancy or a few months after it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Apurva_Shree

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Finest Baby Cribs

As an expectant parents choosing the right crib is as important as choosing the right baby clothes. And so if you are looking for finest baby cribs that fits your taste and style look no more. “Fine Baby Cribs” provides you with the best deals on the highest quality baby cribs because being a parent you need trusted and dependable items to bring your baby home to as well as products that can be used safely with your child. The cribs featured here are constantly updated to ensure that you can choose from the highest quality and most fashionable products with the prices on the market today. To find out more about baby cribs and other baby furnitures follow this; Fine Baby Cribs.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

5 Tips to Photograph Babies

By Brandon Hopkins

Babies are a unique subject when taking pictures. They don't always want to cooperate like an adult will. Often times they will cry when the flash flashes and get tired of being photographed after on a few minutes. Here are a few tips to get the best pictures of your baby.

1. Use a black or white background.

Using a solid color background really makes your baby stand out in the picture. The background doesn't have to be professional or expensive. A white sheet laid across a bed or a black blanket on the floor provides the perfect backdrop to take photographs of your baby.

2. Feelings are good.

Taking a picture of your baby crying is not just good for blackmail when they're 15, but also good to help you remember what your child was really like on certain occasions.

3. Get down to their level.

If your child is learning to crawl, a picture from directly above them will be boring and won't show the story. Dropping down to the floor will really give you a view that is memorable. Even setting the camera on the ground will make for a great picture.

4. Take a lot of pictures.

My daughter is 7 months old and what I've learned is that for every 10 pictures I take, one of them is worth keeping. In the other 9 she'll be making a funny face, drooling or doing something else that didn't show the picture that I wanted to capture. That's OK because digital cameras allow you to take as many pictures of your baby as you would like and delete the ones you don't want to keep.

5. Use natural lighting.

Whenever possible, go outside or open some windows to let in the natural light. Natural lighting looks better and is more forgiving than the flash on your camera or your fluorescent and incandescent lighting in your home.

Using those 5 tips I've really made my photos much better, so good that many people have asked, "Where did you have those taken?" They were shocked when I told them I had them printed by a great place online and I took them myself!

While learning about digital photography I've printed from 5 different online printers. This photo printer is the best.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Hopkins

Baby's First Christmas Gift

By Talyse Broogbay

Recently, my best friend from college had a baby. She emailed me pictures and I was so excited and happy for her! Even though I live two states away, she calls me his "Aunt." Now it's the giving season and I really want to find the perfect Christmas baby gifts for him. I found an excellent website with tons of baby toys for Christmas (the link's listed below) but even with all of the cool choices there, I still didn't quite know what to get him. I started thinking: Is he six weeks or three months old by now? I can barely keep up!

Off to the internet I went, to find information about the baby Christmas gifts that would be appropriate for each age level. There's a lot of information out there, but I did the research for you already, so fear not.

As soon as they are born, babies:

• cannot control their body movements.

• only see objects clearly if they are about 10 inches from their face.

• move by reflexes only.

• do not have a fully developed nervous system.

Christmas gift ideas for the newborn

Therefore, choose baby gifts that are soft, flexible, or covered with some type of fabric. Most new mothers would love for you to give their baby Christmas gifts that are practical, such as diapers or onesies. But if you want to be a little more creative, babies at this age love soothing sounds and soft, warm blankets. Don't worry; there will be plenty of time for Baby Einstein later!

After the first few months, babies:

• have more fully developed vision.

• have some control of their muscles and nervous system.

• can sit with support.

• hold their head up for a small amount of time.

• enjoy rocking back and forth.

• can roll over.

Christmas gift ideas for babies under six months

Since babies are a little more independent, it is natural to want to get Christmas gifts for babies that they can manipulate, or control in some way. Exercising those newly found muscles are important! A gift with rubber, textured areas to touch and bite would be a great idea. Other ideas are toys with visual stimulation like high contrast, black-and-white areas, or other interesting patterns. Babies love to play at this time as well! The new mother will enjoy a Christmas gift for baby and her to play with on the floor or at bed or bath time.

Find the perfect gift for the special baby in your life, at Christmas or any time of the year! Visit Baby Toys Galore for an enormous selection of new and pre-loved baby toys sure to make baby's toothless smile appear and melt your heart away, and prices so low your credit card will hardly notice.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Talyse_Broogbay

How to Choose a Baby Crib Mattress

By Spencer Ray

Now that you have a new baby (or soon to be), you should be concerned about your babies sleep. After all, a baby that sleeps well is usually a happy baby! Here is what to look for when choosing which baby crib mattress to buy so that your baby will have a good (and safe) nights sleep.

Firmness:

You want to choose a mattress that is firm. Not only will your baby sleep more soundly on a firm mattress (although possibly counterintuitive), but your baby will also be safer. A softer mattress can be the cause of suffocation and can certainly be a safety hazard. If its too soft, the babies mouth and nose could become engulfed in the fabric.

Fit:

Although this is usually not an issue, you want to make sure that your new mattress actually fits your crib. Most cribs come in standard sizes these day; however, it is important to double check. If the mattress is too small, this could pose a safety issue for your baby. The mattress should fit snugly against the crib.

Covers:

Mattress covers can also pose a risk of suffocation to your baby. Make sure that your cover is made from quality material that cannot be easily torn or punctured. This will prevent your baby from trying to crawl underneath.

Overall, keep safety in the forefront of your mind when shopping around for a new baby crib mattress. In particular make sure it is firm, that it fits, and that your have a durable mattress cover.

Spencer Ray has a website dedicated to Baby Crib Furniture The selection there provides crib and baby furniture comparisons, prices, and choices.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Spencer_Ray

Clever Ideas for Toy Storage

By Talyse Broogbay

From grocery stores to the doctor's office, babies take toys everywhere! It's common to see a baby grasping a stuffed animal or a favorite rattle almost anywhere they go. Toys comfort baby and can help them to feel secure when they are in a rapidly changing environment. As a baby grows, so to does the collection of toys that begin to invade their bedroom...and the living room...and Mom's purse, etc. So what is a clutter-loathing parent to do?

Storage options for baby toys range from no-frills to whimsical designs. The classic toy box can now be found shaped like a car or ship, or decorated with the latest cartoon movie superstar. Of course the classic wooden toy chest never goes out of style. Toy boxes are definitely an economical hit, but they lack the organizational compartments that make finding baby's favorite toy a breeze.

When little ones look through a toy box, they will inevitably empty it to find the one car or doll that they wanted, which was, of course, at the bottom of the box. Some cleverly designed toy boxes resemble benches or chairs, or made to look like other toys, like a dollhouse or firehouse. Using bins is another option, and these can easily be found with their own organizational shelving system. Bins can be color-coded by type of toy, and can be lifted out of the rack and replaced with ease. There are even spinning carousel-style bin systems, which rotate to quickly access any toy.

When using bins for toy storage, you can create a label to identify the contents of each bin. You can also use plastic bins to store toys that are no longer used every day so that they can be put away in a closet or under a bed. Like to travel with baby? Consider a fabric toy box for its light weight, or a box with handles for easy transport. Other features to look for include soft sides to cushion baby's toys against bumps and scrapes, interior panels that fold up to allow quick storage when not in use, removable storage compartments and exterior pockets.

Use an appropriate storage system for different types of toys. Books belong on a bookcase, not stuffed in a toy box. There are thousands of bookcase designs from which to choose. Put stuffed animals that aren't played with daily in a net hung up in the corner of baby's room. Keeping toys put away correctly will help them to last longer and stay cleaner.

If you're short on space, use a toy box that fits under the crib or bed. You can also put smaller items, like cars or blocks, in individual plastic containers before putting them away. When you organize baby toys, they are less likely to be lost and can be enjoyed longer. Teach your child from a very young age to take care of his toys and put them away correctly. Not only will the toys last longer, your little one will develop good habits that will last a lifetime.

If it's beginning to look like a toy store exploded in your living room, it's time to visit Baby Toys Galore for a huge selection of new and pre-loved favorite baby toys plus a variety of clever ways to store them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Talyse_Broogbay