7 Cheap and Fun Ideas For The Family

Kids need entertainment. Unfortunately, some family entertainment can be expensive. In this time when the economy is suffering and parents are struggling to keep financially afloat, expensive entertainment is out of the question. Thank goodness there are still some cheap but fun ideas for your kids to enjoy. It doesn't matter if your kids are young or already in their teens, here are some ideas to keep your kids busy:

6 Cheap and Fun Ideas For The Family

1. FAMILY GAMES

Games are some of the best sources of fun for the whole family. Board games are an excellent example. If you’ve got any board games lying around, get them out and give them a whirl. Games like these encourage interaction between family members and help with bonding, which we often find ourselves doing too little of these days.

Apart from board games, other alternatives include card games (cards are readily available and cheap to get hold of. If you don’t know any good card games, it’s also easy to find the rules for some on the internet) and activities like charades. Family games are great for children of all ages – even teenagers will often take part (with a bit of resistance to begin with!)


The Settlers of Catan


Ideal Mexican Train Game

2. BUILD CAMPS

For younger kids, something fun to do is building indoor camps. Get some clothes pegs, some strings, and some bed sheets and you can help your kids build their own bedroom camp. Once built, kids will often play in these for hours. Many kids also love to sleep over in their own home-built camp.

3. ARTS AND CRAFTS

This is a classic, but it’s a great option because arts and crafts can be really cheap. Why not go on a walk with your kids and get them to collect interesting sticks, stones, shells, feathers etc. Once home, you can get them to string them together to form hanging ornaments, or use them to decorate home-made picture frames and so on.

4. PLAYING BALL

Another classic, ball games are great when the weather is good. Balls are cheap, and generally provide a lot of entertainment, as well as giving kids (including teenagers) a chance to blow off steam, use up energy and get some exercise all at once.

5. INVITE FRIENDS ROUND

Let your kids invite a few friends over for the day. It’s true that sometimes a group of kids can end up causing a riot, but generally things don’t get out of hand and your kids will always have a lot of fun with a few friends around. The more friends there are, the more easily they come up with their own (usually free) entertainment. It’s a winning solution. And, if you really want to make the most of the opportunity, why not let your kids plan a feast and have their friends each bring something along to eat?

6. GET COOKING

Some kids will be more resilient to this idea than others, but many kids enjoy cooking once they get started. So why not try and teach your kids a bit about cooking? Make it fun for them in the process and they’ll love it. Pizzas are a great option as kids can decorate them any way they wish with the ingredients you’re using.


The Disney Princess Cookbook


Better Homes and Gardens New Junior Cook Book

7. EXERCISE TOGETHER AS A FAMILY

Get that heart pumping and blood moving. It's no fun to exercise alone. Have your kids go for a jog or power walk around the neighborhood or at the nearest park. Don't want to go outdoors? You can simply search for a workout routine on Youtube and everyone just follow along.

5 Reasons Why Your Children Should Play With Building Block Toys

 When it comes to toddlers and preschoolers, play is very important. We may think it is all just fun and games for them, but that is the best way they learn.

If you want to invest in good toys, add building block toys to your list. Children love them because it is not just fun but also challenging. However, other than just being an entertainment tool, building block toys offer several benefits for your kids.

5 BENEFITS OF BUILDING BLOCK TOYS

1. Better Motor Skills 

Using building blocks requires your child to put them in a position so that they do not topple over. As a result, hand-eye coordination improves the more the child plays. The act of grasping the blocks itself serves as good practice for gripping objects, and strengthens the fingers and hands of the child.

2. Mental Stimulation

Your child learns to think logically when playing with building blocks. After a few tries at building something and watching the blocks topple over, your child will learn that the blocks have to be arranged and placed properly to prevent that from happening. An older child will also realize that a stronger base can be made if you arrange most of the blocks at the bottom. Logical thinking skills are crucial in a child’s intellectual development.

3. Math And Vocabulary Skills 

Studies have shown that the inclusion of building blocks in playtime helps develop language and mathematical skills among children. Language skills develop when the child learns the names of the colors, shapes and sizes of building blocks. Mathematical skills are sharpened when a child learns to add up or subtract the number of building blocks required to build a structure. As such, it’s easy to see why building blocks are a great preschool learning tool.

4. Improves Creativity

Children learn how to create different structures using building blocks, and this stimulates their creative mind. Thus building blocks offer a good base to encourage a child’s creative abilities and not just the logical.

5. Encourages Positive Social Interaction

Building blocks are the type of toys that a child can share with others. By encouraging them to play together they learn how to interact and cooperate. This is among the first forms of teamwork your child can engage in.

Do not underestimate the learning benefits that come with playing simple toys such as building blocks. 

BEST BUILDING BLOCKS FOR TODDLERS

1. Mega Bloks First Builders Big Building Bag



2. Melissa & Doug 100-Piece Wood Blocks Set

BEST BUILDING BLOCKS FOR PRESCHOOLERS (AND OLDER)

1. Magna-Tiles® Clear Colors 100 Piece Set


2. Magformers Rainbow 30 Piece Set

Violent Video Games Your Kids Should Not Be Playing

Video games are part of our children's culture. They are growing up in a world where technology is striving. So unless you are living out in the jungle somewhere, your children will definitely seek out entertainment digitally. As parents, we have to sieve through the video games they play. A game that is popular does not necessarily mean it is good. Some are just too violent. Also, there may be profanity, sexual imagery, drug and alcohol references. It is just better that our kids stay away from these ultra-violent video games.

You can check out the 10 Most Violent Video Games as ranked by Common Sense Media.

As an alternative, here are some video games that are highly recommendable. They're highly enjoyed by kids, but most importantly, not ultra-violent.

12 ALTERNATIVES TO ULTRA-VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES

• Skylanders Giants, Platform: Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
• Just Dance 4, Platform: Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U
• LittleBigPlanet , Platform: PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Sony PSP PSN Code
• New Super Mario Bros. Wii
• Minecraft - Xbox 360
• Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Platform: Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, PC, Mac Download
• Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning, Platform: Nintendo 3DS
• Animal Crossing: New Leaf,  Platform: Nintendo 3DS
• Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, Platform: Nintendo 3DS
• Drip Drip,  Platform: PC Download
• New Super Mario Bros. 2, Platform: Nintendo 3DS
• Mario Kart 7,  Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Family Outing: Fishing

It's the school holidays and we don't have the money for lavish trips overseas. But that doesn't mean we can't have fun family activities.

My brother is an avid fisher and he invited us to one of his fishing trips. I asked the kids if they were game and they said yes. So, off we went to spend a day with my brother. We stayed overnight at his place. There was a pool so they had a blast splashing around. We left for the fishing lake the next morning after breakfast.

First thing was learning to put on the bait. Got to be careful with those hooks, they're really sharp. It involved getting the hands dirty and so the kids chose to leave this job to their mom... ME. They were more interested in casting the line and reeling in the fish.

It wasn't long before D1 saw his rod jiggling around. Excitedly he reeled in the first catch of the day. It was a small fish.

It is a catch-n-release pond, so we unhooked the fish and let it back into the pond again. A few minutes after, another fish took the bait. This time a bigger one.

Since we didn't have to wait long to catch the first 2 fishes, the kids were under the impression that catching fish was relatively quick. Of course that is not the case. There was a lull time where we didn't catch a fish for about an hour or more. The kids became antsy and kept wanting to reel in the line to see if the bait was still there. My brother explained that if they fiddled with the line, the bait will drop. Unfortunately waiting is difficult for kids. So they didn't listen and kept pulling up the line and we had to put on the bait again.

All in all, it was quite an interesting experience for the kids. My daughter K1 had fun reeling in the fish. My son D1 had too many encounters with the bamboo plant. 3 times he casted his line into the bamboo. That was stressful for me, trying to untangle the line. Kudos to my brother for being so patient with us amateurs. Hahaha.

It was good that my brother already had all the equipment ready and knew what to do. We would have been lost without him.

 This was the last big fish we caught. 

 Patiently waiting for the bell on the rod to ring. Ringing bell means there's a fish on the other end.

 K1 happily reeled this one in. 

MAMAS PARENTING TIP

• Fishing is a good way to teach your children patience. If they have no patience, an iPad is quite helpful in passing the time while waiting for the fish to bite. A book is even better.
• If you want to take your children fishing, make sure you go with someone who knows what to do and have spare fishing rods for you to use.
• This fishing pond is in Semenyih. It's a catch and release pond, so there are plenty of fish. However, I think there are certain times that the fish don't bite, like in the afternoon. We had better luck in the morning and towards the evening. 
• After this activity, you can teach your children about the different kinds of fish that we eat. Expand their knowledge about how different baits and hooks are used to catch different kinds of fish.
• Bring a bandaid.

MOM upside down is...

Walked into my kid's room this morning and saw this written on their whiteboard.

Getting Ready For The Holidays In October

It can get quite crazy preparing for the holidays, especially if you are the one doing all the planning and running around. With so many things to do, it is easy to forget something. It doesn't have to be so overwhelming you know. Here are a few pointers to make the holiday season go smoother and a bit more relaxing for you.


Set Your Budget
First and foremost, if you haven’t already, you need to figure out what your budget for holiday expenses is. If you don’t think your budget is big enough, don’t fret, there are still a few months for you to save a few more bucks.

Make An Action Plan
Give some thought to the things you need to do (some of which are included below). Once you’ve figured out the essentials, make a rough timetable that gives deadlines for each task. You can mark this onto a household calendar to serve as a reminder and help you to keep on top of preparation tasks.

Start Getting Presents Now
For most, holidays are a time of giving, and this usually comes in the form of presents. Don’t waste any time – if you’re going to get presents for family and friends, start buying them right now! If you’re short on ideas, then ask your kids, friends, and family to give you some suggestions. The key is not to leave present-buying right up until the last minute. This saves all the stressful and unnecessary rush, and also helps to ensure you can get the gifts you really want for your children.

Write Your Holiday Cards
If you like sending cards out to your friends and family during the holiday season, then don’t wait until the last few weeks before getting them ready. As soon as you see cards in the shops, buy some that you like and start writing them out. You can have them all signed and ready to go well before send-out time, leaving you with less on your mind as the season approaches.

Stock Up On Ingredients
If you like making special treats for holidays such as cakes and other baked goodies, then buy up the ingredients you need now. As holidays approach, the things you want are going to be more in demand and may not be as easy to find. Once you’ve got the ingredients you need, start baking early. Some cakes need a couple of months to mature before they’re ready to eat, so make sure you get these ready well ahead of time.

I'm sure some of you have your own way of making your holidays less stressful. Drop a comment and let me know how you do it.

Five common mistakes most parents make when using car seats

(ARA) - Four million babies are born in the United States each year and that means more than 4 million new car seats are being installed. While great strides have been made to ensure that every infant rides in a car seat, unfortunately, parents are making five critical, but fixable, mistakes when using car seats, according to new data announced by Safe Kids Worldwide and the General Motors Foundation.

“Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent,” says Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Engineers are working hard to ensure cars and car seats are designed to keep kids as safe as possible. But it's up to every parent to take full advantage of these innovations by making sure car seats are used and installed correctly.”

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death to children ages 1 to 13. In a nationwide effort to educate parents about the importance of car seat safety, Safe Kids and the General Motors Foundation are asking every parent to take 15 minutes for an at-home car seat checkup using the Safe Kids downloadable checklist.

The checkup provides the following important tips that will help parents begin to ensure their car seat is used and installed properly:

* Right seat. Check the label on your car seat to make sure it's appropriate for your child's age, weight and height. Like milk, your car seat has an expiration date. Just double check the label on your car seat to make sure it is still safe.

* Right place. Kids are VIPs, just ask them. We know all VIPs ride in the back seat, so keep all children in the back seat until they are 13.

* Right direction. You want to keep your child in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, usually until around age 2. When he or she outgrows the seat, move your child to a forward-facing car seat. Make sure to attach the top tether after you tighten and lock the seat belt or lower anchors.

* Inch test. Once your car seat is installed, give it a good shake at the base. Can you move it more than an inch side to side or front to back? A properly installed seat will not move more than an inch.

* Pinch test. Make sure the harness is tightly buckled and coming from the correct slots (check car seat manual). Now, with the chest clip placed at armpit level, pinch the strap at your child's shoulder. If you are unable to pinch any excess webbing, you're good to go.

The at-home checklist is meant to be a first step. Parents are encouraged to read the vehicle and car seat instruction manuals to help with the checklist. Parents are also encouraged to bring their car, car seat and child to certified child passenger safety technicians, who are waiting to help. Safe Kids hosts car seat inspection events across the country throughout the year.

To download a Safe Kids Car Seat Checklist or to find a car seat checkup event in your area, visit www.safekids.org.

Why Is It So Difficult To Say Potato?

Caught this cute video of my daughter trying to say the word "potato". It can be such a difficult word :) Oh, she did master it after one day. So I'm glad I didn't wait too long to video her trying to say it.

Mamas Parenting Tip

• Don't be too lazy to grab that camera. Precious moments don't last very long. Catch it while you can.

My Little Girl Turns 3

Happy Birthday to my little girl. She turned 3 a few days ago. We kept the celebration low key. No big fanfare. Just got some junk food to make her a party pack. She ate junk food the whole day. We brought her to a toy shop. She chose a doll set with different dresses and a toy gun. Ya, great combination. We later took her swimming in the evening. Then out for dinner. Had her choose her own birthday cake at the shop. So cake was dessert, along with ice cream.

So, if you're a little bit Barbie and a whole lot Power Rangers, how do you blow out the candles on your cake? Watch this video. It is so funny and very unexpected.

So, using a term coined by a friend of mine... Happy Birthday Barbie Ranger!

Five ways to help kids boost their brain power

(ARA) - Everyone is born with about 100 billion brain cells. We form new connections between these cells throughout life, but the rate is particularly high when we're young. Since those connections facilitate thinking and learning, parents who want to help give their children an intellectual edge should consider the brain-healthy choices they make each day.

"Making the effort to nurture your child's brain with both proper nutrients and varied experiences, especially when they are young and developing at such a fast rate, is crucial," says speech pathologist Lauren Zimet, founder of Early Insights, LLC, and an expert on childhood brain development. "The connections in brain circuitry can be enhanced through the environments and activities a child is exposed to, and participates in, as well as the nutrients a child consumes."

Zimet offers five tips to help parents enhance healthy brain development in their children, positioning them for success in school today, and well into their future:

1. Select a rainbow
It's no secret that the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables are numerous, but thanks to the results of ongoing research, you can confidently add brain health to that list. Encourage your children to eat a colorful array of produce (organic when possible) each day so they get the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals needed to nourish and protect their growing brains. If your child is resistant to eating produce, encourage them to come shopping with you and select something new to try. Kids are more likely to eat what they have selected themselves.

2. Relax the right way
While it's true that exercise boosts brain power, it's also important to teach children how to relax. Balancing activity with relaxation is important so that kids don't get too stressed, which can impact the brain's development and lead to learning and behavior problems. Teaching children early on the benefit of setting goals, working towards those goals, and giving their brain and body time to relax are important life skills. When it's time to relax, skip the TV and teach your child that taking a walk in nature, reading a book or drawing are great ways to unwind. Deep breathing is also an excellent practice to teach children of all ages.

3. Eat omega-3 brain food
Omega-3 essential fatty acids are critical to a child's brain development. They are called "essential" because we need them for optimal health. The problem is that our bodies cannot manufacture them and we can only get them from the food we eat or supplements we take. While fish, nuts and seaweed are good omega-3 sources, kids typically don't gobble down these foods. That leaves many parents worried that their kids aren't getting enough, and with omega-3 deficits linked to ADHD, dyslexia and other behavioral and psychological disorders, many are turning to supplements for their children. Experts agree that the safest, most reliable source of the most important essential fatty acids (EPA and DHA) is a high quality fish oil supplement. Fortunately, there are purified, molecularly distilled fish oil supplements that are manufactured with kids in mind. Parents should be sure to choose one of these chewable, tasty options like those by Nordic Naturals to ensure success in getting their children to take the supplements.

4. Happy brains are hydrated brains
Staying hydrated is important for growing brains and bodies. Water can improve energy, increase mental and physical performance, remove toxins and waste from the body, and keep skin healthy and glowing. Based on the trillions of cells in the body that need water to function, most nutritionists agree that children need more, not less H20. To estimate how many ounces of water your child should drink daily, divide his or her weight in half and aim for that number of ounces per day.

5. Be a positive support system early on
Learning is a complex process, but children will be more open to trying new things when they know their parents believe in them. Acknowledging effort, instead of the outcome, strengthens a child's belief in himself or herself. Teaching goal setting, prioritizing activities and working off of check lists exercises the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the brain. Experimentation through trial and error is the way the brain learns best.

"Giving your child's brain what it needs to grow strong can help him or her at school and in all social situations," adds Zimet. "Utilizing these tips is a great way to help position your child for success in the coming school year, and beyond."

Broga Hill: Great Place For A Family Hike

DH attended a church youth camp at Broga during the Raya holidays. One of the activities was to climb Broga Hill. He found the hike NOT too difficult and it takes about 45 minutes to get to the top.

So he decided to take our 5 year old on his first hiking trip. The 2 older siblings wanted to go too. Me? I stayed home with my youngest girl.

I woke them up at 4am. Why so early? Because the idea is to get to the top of the hill to watch the sunrise. That's what a lot of people do. Yup, this is quite a popular place and plenty of people hiking (especially weekends and holidays). They got to the place around 5:30am and according to DH, already so many cars there.

Anyway, my 5 year old managed to get to the top and enjoyed the view there.

I think my family will be making another trip up Broga Hill, this time I have to go along. According to my daughter, the climb down is more difficult than the climb up. She tripped and took quite a bad fall. Her right hand had some cuts and bruises. She complained that whole day and the next day Sunday. However, come Monday her hand was miraculously healed just in time to join our family badminton activity :)

So, if you're wondering what activity your family can do together, try a moderately easy hike. Cheaper and more healthy than hanging out at the mall.

TIPS AND INFO

• Broga town is right at the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. No kidding. Driving down one of the roads in town and you'll see the signboard that says you're now in Selangor.
• To get to Broga from Kuala Lumpur/PJ, drive towards Semenyih. From Seremban, go towards Lenggeng. 
• If you want to watch the sunrise, you'll have to hike up early in the morning while it is still dark. So bring along a torchlight. 
• There's a Rabbit Farm nearby the entrance to the hill. They've got other animals too like goats. I think it is RM5 per entry.
• If you get hungry after your hike, just eat at Broga town. Lots of "makan" shops/restaurants.

Do You Spend Or Save on Kids Clothes?

 
How much money do you spend on kids clothing?

When it comes to baby and toddler clothes, I've been lucky that I never had to spend much. Many friends and relatives were kind enough to give me clothes their children had outgrown. Of course I felt a little bad if my children only wore hand-me-downs, so once in a while I would buy them some new clothes. I would usually shop for clothes to celebrate the Chinese New Year. That is one Chinese tradition I try to hold on to.

I'm glad my kids don't demand for branded clothing. They also don't mind wearing the hand-me-downs. Just a few weeks ago I looked at my littleK's dresses and realized they were getting kinda small. I thought I would have to go shopping but then I remembered, I had kept some of her big sister's clothes in a luggage bag. Digging through the bag I pulled out a whole bunch of dresses, pants and shirts she could now fit into. Can you imagine, I kept those clothes for 9 years! There were some with yellow stains but that came off after using bleach. Now they look as good as new.

I've pretty much decided that littleK is going to be the last child. So, the clothes she outgrows, I won't be keeping them anymore. Thank goodness there is a church friend who willingly accepts the used kids clothing I hand over to him. His baby is a year plus behind littleK.

I get a little emotional when I give away those tiny little clothes. Do you feel that way too? I don't know why; maybe it is reality hitting me that my kids are growing up fast.

So, do you mind when people give you their kids used clothes? Do you dress your kids in branded clothes? What do you do with clothes your children can't wear anymore? I would love to hear your comments.