Travelling Internationally with a Toddler

Today, there are more cross cultural families than ever before.  That speaks volumes for communication and connectivity, but it does also present challenges for young families.  After all, you need to live somewhere, and it is unlikely that your family will rally to move with you.  And, when you have children, you will probably want to travel with them so that friends and family in other parts of the world can meet your baby. International travel may be a given for your family, but that does not mean it is easy. Whether you are heading off to see relatives, or you just need to get away from home for a bit, here are a few things you need to remember about travelling internationally with a toddler. 

Planning Your Holiday

You may want to grab your passport and go, just like you used to in the past.  But, those days are over – at least for a while.  Now, you really will want to add a bit of focus and planning to your travels. 

Timing Is Everything – There are some times of the year when you simply do not want to travel with small children.  And, there are some places which truly must be avoided during peak season of you can help it at all.  For example, flying through the Midwest United States in the middle of February means that you may just be stranded at the airport for a few days, and the airline is not financially responsible for this – even if you have a new-born with you.  More than just the time of year though, you will also want to pay attention to the time of day if you have a choice.  You may find that a later train, or an earlier flight, helps to settle your child, especially if you are just popping over to the continent for a weekend.

Packing – When you are travelling with a toddler, you need to bring a lot with you.  There are prams, car seats and safety gates.  You may also need to pack a portable play area and baby monitors - and that is on top of the basics.  But, although you may be excited about the extra carry-on luggage you are now entitled to, you will soon realise that you are likely to have less room for your items than before.  The key to packing for a toddler on an international trip is to plan far in advance, and ensure your list is detailed according to everything you use regularly.

While Travelling

You may have booked yourself a long train ride across Europe, though most new parents tend to opt for a plane ride simply because it creates a shorter period of stress for your toddler.  Either way, you still need to get there with your child (and hopefully a good attitude too).

Bring Plenty to Do – Whether you are flying off to Asia, or simply heading over the Channel, your toddler will need plenty to do en route.  You may be content with the onboard entertainment, or a nap, but those are unlikely to entertain your child long enough.  But, before you download apps, books and movies to your tablet, remember that your child needs tactile stimulation as well as entertainment.  Try break your entire flight into 20 or 30 minute segments, and then pack enough objects to fill that time.

Food and Drink – As an adult, you know that aeroplane food can be one of life’s cruel jokes.  But, your child does not know that yet.  And while you may just make due, your toddler is unlikely to understand that he does not get a lot of choice.  Pack plenty of snacks, including fresh fruit and small pretzels for your child.  If she has highly specific beverage preferences, you will need to consider that, but you can generally take as many drinks as you need on international flights.

Ask for Assistance – You do not need to play the martyr, or be super mum while travelling.  Make use of all the assistance offered to you, and do not hesitate to ask if you need something.  Whether it is a shorter queue, preferential boarding, or a kids lounge that you can access when your flight is delayed, you certainly should take it if you can.  Remember that your toddler will be affected by all the hustle and bustle and the more you can minimize it, the better. 

During Your Holiday

You may be staying with family while you are away, in which case you should probably wait to make any plans until you see what is in store for you.  But, if you are heading out to a new city, or space, try to keep some of these tips in mind.

Plan to Stay Near the Hotel – With a toddler, you can never be too far from somewhere quiet and peaceful – just in case he needs that space.  So, although you may want to tackle several activities on the other side of town, you should not overdo it.  Try to spread further activities over a few mornings so you can move yourself closer to your hotel in the afternoon.  And, a few extra pounds to get the right location is infinitely better than attempting to cross cities with an upset toddler.

Schedules and Routines – If you are crossing several time zones, you will need to prepare for a shakeup in your toddler’s schedule.  But, unless you are away for several months, you should not attempt to bring your baby onto your holiday time zone.  If she does it naturally, brilliant.  If not, do not force it, or you may find it takes her even longer to adjust when you return.  Simply work around it and allow for extra naps and extra attention whenever your toddler needs it.  And, when it comes to maintaining routines, it is up to your little one.  If she is fussy about her routine, stick to it as best as you can.  But, if you have a little extra flexibility, then take it and start a new, fun holiday routine that makes it easier for everyone.

If you’d like to read more on parenting ideas from Lindam then please visit the Lindam website – www.lindam.com

How to Make Sure your Toddler is Ready for Preschool

Preschool is an excellent way to help children be fully prepared for grade school and helps them develop important skills that lay the foundation for the rest of their education. But, just because your toddler is old enough to attend preschool, doesn’t mean they are ready in other ways.

To succeed in preschool, your toddler needs to be both emotionally and intellectually ready. There are lots of things you can do at home to help prepare them for preschool and to adjust to the change.

Remember, you should help your child develop new skills and let them challenge themselves, but work at your child’s pace. Don’t push them when they’re not ready and remember that all children develop at different rates.

Play “Pretend Preschool” to Help them Prepare Emotionally

The idea of preschool is completely foreign to your child. They have no idea what it is, why they should attend and what is expected of them. Chances are, they’re used to babysitters and maybe even day care, but making the switch to preschool can be challenging for some kids.

To help them understand the concept and get used to the idea, play games where you pretend that they are going to preschool. The idea is to role-play activities like hanging up their coat and bag, saying “goodbye” and sitting on the rug. Pretend to get ready for school and drop them off, and let them take turns playing herself and the role of the parent or teacher.

Visit The Classroom

When you have chosen a preschool and enrolled your child in it, arrange to visit the classroom and even meet their new teacher before school starts. Some schools host a back-to-school event so that parents and kids can get a look at the school and familiarise themselves with it.

During the visit, talk to your child about what will happen. For example, use phrases like “This is where we’ll wave goodbye” and “You’ll get to play with these toys with your new friends.” This visit lets your child get a better understanding of what preschool is and will make them feel more comfortable there.

Involve them in School Shopping

Make preparation for preschool exciting by involving them in school shopping. Let them help choose some clothes, shoes, a backpack and other items they’ll need. When you let your child be involved in the preparation process, they’ll take ownership and start to look forward to preschool.

When you make this shopping fun and exciting, it turns into a game of sorts and helps your child understand that the transition to going to preschool is a good thing and something that is exciting and that they’ll enjoy.

Create a Daily Routine

Children thrive on routines. They make kids feel comfortable, at ease and help them know what to expect. Change can be hard, but by creating a daily routine, your little one will feel more at ease with it.

The preschool you choose will most likely use this strategy. For example, the kids will probably start the day with a book or song, take a nap time at the same time every day, prepare for snacks the same way each day and so on. Carry this over to your home to make your child feel even more at ease.

Some easy ways to do this include having a set bedtime, waking your child up at the same time every morning, sitting down for breakfast, laying out their outfit the night before preschool and then having a goodbye routine when you drop them off. For example, drop them off at the same door every day, give them a hug and tell them you love them every morning.

These routines make things so much smoother for preschoolers and you can start implementing them early in your child’s life and start practicing for preschool by setting times for going to bed and waking up.

Encourage Small Motor Skill Development

One of the biggest things preschoolers learn to develop is small motor skill. They do activities that help them learn to work with their fingers and hands. You can help your child prepare for this by starting at home.

Do activities like colouring, cutting (under supervision and with child-safe scissors), gluing, sorting and using things like beads and puzzles. Other great ways to help your child develop these skills include helping them learn to get dressed, put on their backpack and use utensils.

When your child starts to develop these skills at home, they’ll be much more prepared for preschool and find it easier to participate in the activities there. They’ll feel comfortable with these kinds of things, which decreases frustration and will help them feel at ease at preschool.

Introduce Colours, Shapes, Numbers and Letters

Your child will also learn colours, shapes, numbers and letters at preschool. Give them a head start by introducing them to those things before they even start at school. Use everyday objects and include these things in daily conversations at home and as you run errands.

You can also consider using things like flashcards and educational toys to teach them about these things. Help them learn to identify and match colours and shapes and learn the names of letters and numbers. Some advanced preschoolers can even start to learn the sounds letters make, in preparation for learning to read in kindergarten.

The transition to going to preschool can be hard for some children, but when you do some things to help them prepare, the change will be easier and they’ll be more prepared to do well.

Start by introducing them to the idea of preschool through play, let them help prepare for school and stick to a routine. Then use conversations and educational toys to help them begin to learn things like colours, shapes, numbers and letters. Before you know it, your little one will be immersed in preschool and loving every minute of it!

If you’d like to read more on parenting ideas from Lindam then please visit the Lindam website – www.lindam.com

12 Children’s Party Theme Ideas to make the Big Day Special

Take your child’s next birthday party to a whole new level with a themed birthday party. Kids love the attention and details, and a theme that reflects something they love will make them even more excited to invite their pals over.

When you choose a theme for a children’s party, you can go all out and make the entire party and every detail fit that theme or you can just use it for inspiration, using it for just a few elements of the party. Either way, a theme can make the party more memorable, special and fun for young kids.

The Classic Number Theme

 

Of course, one of the easiest and most traditional children’s party themes is their age. If your child is turning six, use that number on the invitations, birthday cake, balloons and party decor. This is an extremely simple theme to use and is one that older kids get excited about as they get to show off just how grown up they are.

You can get creative and use this theme in unexpected places too, like on the paper plates, on a sign on your front door or as part of the party favours.

Art and Rainbow Theme

If your little one is a budding artist, play to that interest by hosting an art or rainbow themed party. Some decorations that fit this theme include coloured balloons, paper rainbows, striped napkins and paper plates and mock paint cans for utensil cups.

Cover the table in white butcher paper and let the kids go wild with Crayons or markers or do a simple art project together. For party favours, consider putting together bags full of Crayons, a small notepad, coloured pencils and stencils. Use lot of sprinkles on the cake, cupcakes or ice cream for another burst of colour.

Dress-Up Theme

A dress-up theme is perfect for a party full of little girls. Ask the guests to come dressed up in a glamorous dress, decked out in jewellery or help them get all fancied up at the party. Do manicures, apply make up or braid the girls’ hair. Think lipstick, mirrors, high heels, jewellery and plenty of rhinestones and glitter when it comes to decor.

Pirate Theme

Create a pirate-themed party with all the classics: ships, pirate hats, eye patches, parrots and of course, lots of gold coins. You can easily transform your house into a venue fit for pirates by scattering these things on tabletops and throughout the party space.

One fun activity for this party would be to fill a kids’ wading pool with sand and bury all kinds of treasures, like gold coins, small toys, wrapped candy, and anything else you can think of, in the sand and let the kids dig for treasure.

Pool Party

You don’t have to have a pool to host a kids’ pool party! You can use a wading pool or slip and slide, or just turn the sprinklers on and tell the guests to bring swimming suits and towels. Complete this theme with summer and pool décor like life vests, blow-up pool toys, goggles, sandals and beach toys. This is the perfect party if you’re looking for something to do outside during the summer. Have a water fight, try to throw wet sponges into buckets or have some old-fashioned relay races in the yard.

Superhero Party

Superhero parties are always popular and are also easy to pull off. With some themed decorations, paper plates and invitations, you’re all set for the coolest party on the block! Get creative with the cake and decorate it with your child’s favourite superhero’s colours or even logo.

Loveable Monster Theme

A cute and creative kids’ party theme is a loveable monster theme. This is another theme that is so simple to put together but that adds a little “something” to a party. To get this look, just use markers to add faces to bright-coloured paper cups and plates and use poster board to create some large, friendly monsters. Kids can make their own monster puppets with paper bags, craft eyes, scrap paper, feathers and markers.

Milk and Cookies Theme

What kid doesn’t love milk and cookies? Take this concept to the max by hosting a party where kids get to decorate and then snack on cookies with a glass of cold milk. Set out frosting, sprinkles and small candies and let the kids practice their culinary skills. You can use decorations that convey a baking or cookie theme to top it off.

Snow and Ice Theme

For a winter birthday, embrace the cold weather, snow and ice and use them to complete a theme. Think snowflakes, icicles, mittens, snowmen, ice skates and sleds as you plan decorations and activities. For refreshments, serve hot chocolate complete with marshmallows or candy canes. Take the classic pin the tail on the donkey game to a new direction by having kids pin a carrot nose onto a large paper snowman.

Circus or Animal Theme

Most kids are really into animals so this theme is one that will have your child and all their guests excited. Use animal pictures and bright crepe paper and balloons to give your home a circus look and then serve animal crackers for the snack. Have kids make clown masks with paper plates, markers, fabric, cotton balls, yarn and other craft supplies and then take lots of silly pictures!

Movie Party

A movie party is another easy one to pull off. You can do this indoors or you can play a movie on a big screen outside. Lay down blankets where the kids can get comfortable and then serve popcorn, fruit punch and licorice for refreshments. As you put together invitations, think movie reels, three-dimensional glasses or characters from the movie you are showing.

Camping Party

With some tents, flash-lights, smores and lanterns, you have all you need for a camping party. This is another theme you can do inside or outside and is unique enough to be fun but something you can put together with things in your garage.

With just a little creativity you can come up with a party theme that matches your child’s personality and that will give all their friends a good time!

Thank you for reading!