• Our Mom of "Green" Tina Keller is Here!

  
  

  Toddlers Are Fun now has a "green" expert, (who is also a Work From Home Mom)...:0) here to answer all of your questions. She will also give us "Green" tips every month in our e-zine and I am honored to have her with us!




• Winter is Here! I have Great Indoor Activities to keep your Toddlers busy!

  Are you dealing with "cabin fever"? I live in Ohio and the snow and cold temps are keeping us "indoors". I have some great activities to keep your toddlers busy.




• I will feature a great Toddler recipe..

  "Home made Granola Bars"...YUM!:) It's time for some healthy food. The Christmas cookies and candy should be all gone by now...LOL




• New Years "Green" Contest is announced....

So Let's get excited about this New Year!

Our Mom of Green....Tina Keller!

When someone asked me a year ago if I had a safe home, the first thing out of my mouth was, “Of course I DO! I have Children!” I had safety gates up, my cupboards were locked, the outlets were covered and the dangerous breakable items were secured so my kids couldn’t get to them. Wow, if only that was all I had to worry about, I’d be set!

Unbelievably, there are many other things in our homes that we need to be concerned about! I’m here to help you make your home the safest and healthiest home possible for your entire family!

I have always been eco-conscience, but never was much of an environmentalist. In the past, I never worried about the cleaning & personal care products I used in my home and around my children, nor did I have any idea what was in them. I’m not a professional environmentalist or scientist, nor will I ever claim to be! I am a very curious mommy who decided to check things out & do some research. The information I discovered amazed me and I feel the need to share it with other moms!

My name is Tina Keller. I’ve been married for three and a half years to my husband Eric and I’m a mommy of two active children. My daughter is two and a half and my son is one. My mission in life is to keep my family safe, help them grow into outstanding citizens and help other parents do the same.

My goal is to help you realize what’s in the products you use in your home every day, how they negatively affect your life and then help you find safer, healthier, and even more economical alternatives. I am here to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge and help you make your home safer & healthier!

Winter is Here! Indoor Activities for your Toddlers!

1. Singing and Dancing
   My son is a dance-a-holic. (If there is such a word.) He will dance to commercials, or even television shows. Toddlers love music. You name it he will dance to it. I suggest to purchase some interactive DVD's. Such as Laurie Berkner, Wiggles, etc. Put them in the DVD player and let them dance. Moms and Dads join in and dance along with your child and have fun. Your toddler will really enjoy you participating with them.
2. Make a Tent or "Indoor Camping"
   Drape a blanket over a table or chairs. They can pretend they are camping out in the woods. My son loves when we play this.
3. Boxes, Boxes, Boxes!!
   This one can be used in multiple ways. First if you order something in the mail give them the box with the little squiggly filling. My son called it "popcorn". Let them just throw it and play in it. You can sweep it right up after they are done. Now if you have larger boxes such as appliances, televisions, etc. Make them a house out of it. Cut a door and let them even decorate it with crayons and stickers. This one uses creativity and imagination. Aren't these activities for toddlers fun?
4. Bubbles
   Every child loves Bubbles. Especially toddlers. I let my son play with them in the kitchen. He is amused and intrigued by bubbles. He could play for hours with bubbles. It's great!
5. Ring around the Rosie
   Daddy is the "BEST" ring around the Rosie player. I let that be the game that he plays with our son. That way, it is an activity that him and daddy share together. Just by themselves without mommy.
6. Peanut Butter Play Dough
   Yes this stuff is really fun. You can make this, play with it and then your toddler can eat it after they're done playing with it. WOW!! How great is that? It is a yummy fun activity. Check out my recipe for this delicious play dough. Activities for toddlers can be so much fun especially when they can eat them after their done:)
7. Chocolate Pudding Finger Paint
   Since we are on the playing and eating subjects, this is always fun too. Mix instant chocolate pudding according to the directions and paint on wax paper. They can eat and play at the same time. This is great. Do this activity around snack time:)
8. Roll the Ball
   Roll a ball to each other. Sit on the floor with your toddler and roll the ball back and forth. This helps with their motor development skills, and they get a kick out of it.
9. Play Basketball
   My son has a little hoop that we have in the living room. If you do not have one than you can make one with a laundry basket. If you do not have a ball then use a rolled up pair of socks. These activities for toddlers are so much fun!!
10. Mail Time!!!
    Let your toddler get the mail with you. My son loves getting it out of the mailbox and then I will let him open junk mail. I tell him that he got mail too!! He looks forward to this time everyday.
11. Hide and seek
    Need I say more? What child doesn't like to play hide and seek. Playing with a toddler is really fun because they get excited when you come and find them. MY son will get to laughing so hard that I even get to laughing from it.
12. Make an instrument and form a Band
    Use a pot or pan and a spoon, an empty coffee tin with lid, or two pot tops for cymbals,and form a band. You can be a marching band and march all around the house. This may get a little noisy so judge the time that you play this game wisely. With these activities for toddlers you can have so much fun together as a family.
13. Do some Crafts
    Keep a bag or box full of art supplies. From crayons to construction paper, pipe cleaners, macaroni noodles and just about anything that you can make art with. When doing craft activities for toddlers you can just allow them to create and have fun.
14. Tearing Paper
    This is great for those toddlers who like to tear books. Just give them scrap paper and let them tear and have tons of fun while doing it.
15. Coloring books and Crayons
    My son begs to color every single day. This is great for stimulating their minds. I just make sure that I supervise him so he doesn't color the walls instead of the paper. Toddlers are good for coloring on everything, even clothes.
16. Reading Books
    Allow your toddler to pick out their own book to read. It can be before bedtime or else throughout the day. Whenever my son asks me to read to him, I will stop whatever I am doing and read to him. I always want to encourage his interest in books. So many activities for toddlers just keep them busy, it's okay to just wind down and read a book together once in a while.

Click Here for additional indoor activities for Toddlers.

Our Toddler Recipe is..
" Homemade Granola Bars"

Yeah!! These are Fantastic!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, OR until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

The great things about these is you can add different ingredients and really make these bars a hit!

For additional information on healthy snacks for toddlers click here my healthy snacks page.

Our New Years "Green" Contest.....

" Click Here to ask" your green advice. We want to hear how you and your toddler will change in 2010 and be greener!I will honor any sharing with a free e-book.

Next month is our special Valentine's Day Issue! We will feature the gift of Love! I am Honored to have all of you reading The Toddler Times with me! Thank You and I will see you next month! Join us next month for more exciting Toddler Times News!

• For the month dedicated to "Love" we will explore the gift of Toddler Adoption
• Toddlers Are Fun's"Mom of Green" Tina Keller will be here to share our monthly "Green Tip."
• Two Fun Toddler Valentine's Day Crafts the entire family will enjoy!
• We will have a Fun Toddler recipe...."Conversation Heart Cookies":)
• Our Valentine's day contest will be announced...

Take Care and I ask for Blessings to be poured over you and your family! Enjoy your New Year and love each other, see you next month.... In close I want all of us to pray for the country of Haiti. May you search your souls and do anything that you can, even prayer!

Blessings, Ingrid ;)