This was when I turned to the Baby Einstein videos. After hearing all the stories about how wonderful they are for babies, and how they stimulate baby’s brain, I thought I had hit the jackpot. I went out and immediately bought three videos. The first was Baby Bach, so that my child could be enriched by classical music. The second was Language Nursery so that she could learn many different languages in her first year. And the third was Baby Wordsworth, in the hopes that she could also learn another language – sign language.

I was thrilled when my daughter loved the videos. She seemed to especially like Baby Bach. I was convinced that I had a composer on my hands. In truth, she probably just liked the different shapes and the bright colours that float across the screen while accompanied by music. I especially liked Baby Wordsworth because it gave me some basic sign language to teach my child who wasn’t even close to her first word yet.

Now that she is a little bit older and I now have another child, I realize that I’m probably not developing little geniuses just by throwing on a video. But that also doesn’t mean that they’re not worth the money. Firstly, they don’t really cost all that much. They also come in age appropriate categories that are made clear on the cover. So you will know if it’s going to be over your baby’s head or not. And lastly, babies really seem to like them. I’m making no guarantee that after watching a video, you’re child will delight you with masterpieces of art or with beautiful songs. But they will enjoy watching them and baby’s enjoyment is really all we should be looking for. They will still have lots of time for education.

Written By: Kate Beswick

[tags]education, baby_einstein_videos, baby_bach, classical_music, baby_wordsworth, different_shapes, sign_language, geniuses, money, babies[/tags]

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As the gifting season starts, I’m always on the look out for educational toys to give to nieces, nephews and friends’ kids. I love giving this as these are absolute learning tools. But the good ones, the ones that are not only durable but also designed properly, are hard to find. There are, however, loads to choose from online, like in Ebay. If you’re lucky, you can score rare education toys there too.

Choosing educational toys can also be tricky, as some items aren’t really built to be “educational” and stimulating in the long run.

What you should look for are toys that a child can grow into as their abilities develop. I prefer toys that enhance their motor and thinking abilities, such as in this photo, which is from Timberworks Toys. It’s something that can challenge critical thinking among young children. They can also spend countless hours challenging themselves when playing with this.

Well, a gift like this is actually a bit pricier but, then again, if you are looking for “educational” stuff, you might as well find a pricey toy and get your money’s worth, than pick one that’s colorful or musical only to have the child bored by it by the second day.

Is your young kid already exposed to computers this early? For some parents, exposure to computers, online games, to be specific, may be cutting it a little too early for someone who is only about five years old. But for other parents, it has been most beneficial.

I, for one, had my son exposed to computers at age four years old. Though I have not seen any drawbacks, except that he’s probably going to get eyeglasses much earlier in life, his behavioral patterns have not changed. I have seen some significant improvements with his reading skills, however. He has also learned to spell words and I have observe his comprehension is a lot sharper than normal.

Although there are research that suggests early exposure in computers may be bad for children, it cannot be stopped and many parents are finding themselves sharing computer time with their toddlers and little kids.

The children usually visit PBSKids.Org where games from Sesame Street are extremely popular with parents and little children. NickJr.Com also has wonderful virtual games that a child will find fun, educational and entertaining.

Technology as a learning tool is something we all have to incorporate in our kids’ life. The key, however, is to provide a balance between everything else, such as allowing your kids to play outdoors once in a while. Or letting them read books or spend time and socialize with people.

Set a time limit for computer use and if possible, monitor their activity and have computer times together with your kids.

Computer skills are quickly becoming a greater necessity than they were before, and finding ways for kids to get to practicing can be both fun and extremely educational.

More than just that, with technology progressing as quickly as it is and computer skills being more necessary now than ever before helping kids get a hang of using the computer now can help them advance quicker.

There are a few fun (and free) ways to help kids get the hang of these technological skills now, which will help to set them up for a technologically sound start.

There are a large amount of online game websites out there, and finding one that is age appropriate can seem difficult. If you don’t want to shell out cash for a disk, your best option is checking out the online (and kid friendly) choices. Many of the already loved characters have available free games out there Nick Jr, Disney, and even Cartoon Network all have some fun (and even some educational) offerings for the younger set.

The websites above are a safe and easy to understand option for many kids, a personal favorite is the Nick Jr website which has a ton of different options for my own daughter (who is in the process of learning now).

Image via Wikipedia

There are a lot of pressures on parents, on top of the more understandable issues when someone has a child (nutrition, health, and safety), many parents who work are finding themselves wondering if they have failed their children because they cannot always be there. While it used to be one parent could stay home while the other worked, those days are long gone and aren’t coming back. While yes, many still count themselves lucky to even be employed right now and have the ability to put food on the table, and get their kids what they need- there is still a lot of guilt when a parent (or both) have to work and put their kids in daycare, or under someone else’s supervision.

It is a tough decision, and worrying about it is normal. With so many choices out there, it’s natural to worry about if you have made the right one or not. Worrying in general can easily make things seem worse, and as a parent you obviously want what is best for your children and your family.

Putting food on the table is important, and for those who are worried that their care choices may harm their child- don’t. Many studies are showing that kids in daycare come out fine,and the experience itself can help children to reach important social milestones sooner than peers who may not have has as much contact with those in the same age range as themselves. It can be hard, but it won’t ‘damage’ your child. Kids can be a lot more resilient than many realize, and daycare won’t harm your child.