The Power Of Play

There is mountains of evidence to support the idea that children learn through play. Freestyle and imaginative play is the birth place of creativity, and is an important factor in a child's physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Read on to educate yourself on the power of play and how you can make play a priority in your child's life!

THE PLAY MOVEMENT: The New York Times reports on the "Effort to Restore Children's Play Gains Momentum", shedding light on the growing acknowledgment that play needs to be more of a priority.

MODERN VS. OLD-FASHIONED PLAY: NPR addresses the transition from old-fashioned "activity play" to the modern idea of "toy play" in "Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills".

STAGES OF PLAY: ParentsConnect.com offers a brief run-down of the different stages and "Types of Play" a child will grow into, from solitary play to associative play!

HOW TO ENCOURAGE CREATIVE PLAY: For a list of activities that inspire creative thinking in your preschooler, read "Encouraging Creative Play" from TodaysParent.com.

Electric Car by They Might Be Giants

A Counting Problem by John and Mark’s

Child Safety

To keep your little ones safe and be prepared for an emergency, read below for some quick reference lists, information about a CPR event and an easy way to stay abreast of safety recalls.

• Hidden Household Dangers: There are some no-brainers when it comes to child safety, like locking up cleaners and installing baby gates at stairs. Some things, however, are not so obvious. Take a look at this list of poisonous plants (including the holiday poinsettia) and this list of dangerous household products (like baby powder) that you should keep out of the house or locked away.

• Emergency Skills: Are you confident in your CPR skills? For those looking to learn, or re-learn, the new CPR techniques approved for infants, children and adults, attend our workshop on Sunday, March 20th. Teaching the workshop is Safety Squad, a team of emergency response personnel with real-world experience. Also covered in the workshop will be car seat safety, S.I.D.S. prevention and how to use a defibrillator. Find more information here.

• Recalled Products: Never miss a child-safety recall! You can sign up for email alerts from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission on recalls pertaining to child-related items only. Visit their website here and select the option about half-way down the list for "recalls involving infant/child products" and add your preferred email address.

The Bird You Can’t See by Apples In Stereo

All is Love by Karen O and the Kids

Steam Train by Choo Choo Soul