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Toddlers Relating Real Life Objects With Pictures

The process of recognizing real life objects from pictures and forming a connection between them begins at the tender age of 9 months. Parents can hone this skill by learning how to teach toddlers to relate objects to real life, and introduce their kids to the outside world. As the parent of a two-year-old kid, it should be one of the most fascinating discoveries for you that a lot of real life objects your child can recognise in real life have been learnt from pictures she has seen. Toddlers start taking pictorial clues to connect with real life objects quite early on, and they get well-acquainted with this skill since the age of 9 months. This is a subtle signal that you can intelligently capitalise on to and help your child develop it better. Toddlers Connecting Objects to Real Life: A Potential to Tap A study revealed that infants have an incredible memory system. Scientists and child psychologists showed toy pictures to different kids and were astonished to see that even a brief glance at these images altered the actions of the 9-month-old infants tested. As a parent, you can help your 2-year-old child continue to hone her ability to relate real life objects with pictures by taking the help of picture books. It’ll increase her familiarity with real-world objects and will help her recognise alphabets and even promote an interest in sports and games. A Break-down of Infants’ Recognition Aptitude By their third month, babies can proficiently identify the faces of their moms or caregivers. No wonder they smile when their see their parents! However, they can’t recognise themselves even if you find them fascinated with watching things or themselves in the mirror! Babies can also recognise objects like their toys or picture books, which they are familiar with, in pictures or in their neighbourhood. By the fifth month, toddlers’ aptitude to relate objects seen in picture books has improved, but you will have to wait to see your toddler naming objects in the book, which will only happen once she begins to utter a few words. During this phase, your toddler is well aware of the fact that the picture-related objects she can’t see are still there, but somewhere else. This ability to spot her favourite picture-portrayed-objects quickly matures in the following 4 months. Honing the Skills of a 2-year-old Connecting Things to Real Life Utilise your toddler’s propensity to imitate actions as in picture books to enhance her understanding of the same actions. This idea can also work as a habit-trainer or behaviour-shaper. Choose picture books that portray actions that are most befitting to those of your toddler. This is also the right age to identify and start nurturing artistic talent in your toddler. Show her illustrative images or videos and mentor her on the processes, such as how to hold a pencil. While kids relate what they see in books to real life, parents must tell the story. It helps drive home the skill. It also familiarises them with actions related to specific objects. Do you have other exciting ways to help toddlers’ development through their picture recognition capacity? Or have you explored a novel way to foster your kid’s growth through them? We’d love to hear from you! Read more

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Tomato Chutney Recipe

Your south Indian breakfast is incomplete without tomato chutney. This traditional recipe is a savoury gluten-free condiment originating in India. It provides a balance to an array of dishes, highlights a specific flavour like idlis, dosas or even dishes like kebabs, sandwich and burgers. The irresistible taste of this chutney comes from its spicy and tangy flavour which makes it an all-time favourite dip for your babies and toddlers alike. Made with tomato, spices and curry leaves, it is sure to become an integral part of your child’s food habits. If you’re keen to know how to make tomato chutney in the simplest way, check the recipe given below. Cooking Time Type Time (hh:mm:ss) Preparation Time 00:05:00 Cook Time 00:10:00 Total Time 00:15:00 Cooking Method Gas Stove Type of Meal Vegetarian Suitable For Toddlers older than 12 months of age Meal Schedule Breakfast, Lunch or dinner Recipe Type Side Dish Ingredients Type Quantity Oil 1 Tbsp Tomatoes 3 Large Garlic Cloves 1-2 Salt As Per Taste Chana Dal 1 Tbsp Jeera ½ Tbsp Turmeric Powder ¼ Tsp Urad Dal ½ Tbsp Curry Leaves 5 Mustard ¼ Tbsp Asafoetida 1 Pinch Onion 1 Small Instructions The step by step directions given here will assist you in making the yummiest tomato chutney your child has ever tasted. Heat oil in a pan. Roast 1 tablespoon of chana dal on medium flame and half teaspoon of urad dal until it turns aromatic and golden in colour. Remove from the pan and set it aside. Add garlic, onion and stir fry till it turns translucent in colour. Add in the tomatoes, turmeric powder and sprinkle salt from top. Cook for 5-6 minutes until they turn soft and mushy. Let it cool down and transfer to the blender along with the roasted chana dal. Grind into a smooth paste adding little water. Transfer it into a bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small pan. Once the oil is hot, add a pinch of asafoetida, mustard seeds and let it crackle on medium flame. Throw in in some curry leaves. Pour in the tempering into the tomato chutney in the bowl and mix it well. Your thick and pulpy chutney is ready to be served. Recipe Tips This simple tomato chutney recipe can be made spicier by adding chilli powder for older children. You can add roasted peanuts to the chutney for a nutty flavour. Instead of garlic, you can opt for grated ginger. You can make this chutney and refrigerate it for 2 days before tempering it just before serving. Use sesame oil for a more authentic flavour. This homemade tomato chutney baby food recipe can be made tangier by adding tamarind paste to it. Most importantly the ingredients used in making this chutney are mostly available in your kitchen shelf. You can use 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds as a substitute for chana dal. Nutrition Information (Per 1 Serving) Type Value Calories 120 kCal Carbohydrates 19 gram Protein 4 gram Sodium 13 mg Fibre 4 gram Fat 3 gram Potassium 410 gram Calcium 33 gram Vitamin C 113.2 gram Calcium 33 gram Iron 2.1 mg Sugar 2 gram Vitamin A 600 IU Health Benefits Juicy and pulpy, this tomato chutney not only has a superb taste, texture and colour but exceptional health benefits for babies that would amaze you: Rich in Vitamin C, tomatoes provide maximum immunity from cold and cough. It also helps in the absorption of iron in your child’s body. Being totally cholesterol and fat-free, tomatoes are good for a weight check and keeps the heart-healthy. As this chutney is a calcium-rich food, it helps to make your child’s bones strong. The fibre content of tomatoes keeps your baby’s bowel movements regular. Curry leaves help to treat dysentery, constipation and diarrhoea. It heals wounds, burns as well as skin eruptions. The antioxidants in curry leaves boost the immunity levels of children. Chana dal provides energy and is an excellent source of vegetarian protein. Urad or split black gram has the richest source of Vitamin B and protein. It is good for digestion and boosts energy level for an active lifestyle. Buying Guide This trusted shopping guide will help all parents looking to buy the best quality ingredients from their trusted store. Buy tomatoes from organic grocery stores that are not artificially ripened. Look for plump bright tomatoes that have smooth skins. They should be free from blemishes and spots. It is better to buy whole spices that have a fuller flavour and stay fresh longer. Quality spices are generally free from contaminants. While choosing the lentils, look for insects, stones and dry dal. Check for the seal and date of packaging. Fresh homemade tomato chutney for babies are always better than pre-packed chutneys available in supermarkets or bought from restaurants as the ingredients used in them exceed calorie recommendations and use preservatives. Hence make sure you follow all the required hygiene needed before preparing this chutney for your little one. Read more

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10 Fun Monster Crafts for Kids

With the increasing use of technology for education and gaming, it is difficult to keep your child away from gadgets that harm their mind and body. Also, this competitive era demands your child to be creative and smart. This requires that your child gets into creative things at an early age. Creativity from childhood will make them self-aware and provide expression of thought. Well, unleashing creativity has never been more exciting than with monster crafts for kids! Monster crafts are fun and crazy, and there is no defined way to make them. The monster your child makes can have ten arms or five eyes. These crafts are a perfect way to build your child’s imagination. Also, if you are not the creative type of a parent, worry not because the monsters are already ugly. So, put on your creative caps and start exploring these easy monster craft ideas at your home. Colourful Monster Crafts for Children Monster crafts have become quite famous these days since they are easy to make. We have curated 10 monster craft for preschooler ideas that you will surely love. Let’s get started! 1. Monster Rocks Creativity on the rocks started in the early ages. Most of our historic things were carved on rocks and were known as rock. These days it has again become a trend. This is because you can easily find flat rocks around you. Also, your kid will love to see how a plain simple flat-rock turns into a beautiful, cute monster. You can also use these rock pieces as decoration items for your living room! Let us just check out all things you require for this monster craft. Materials Required The requirements are pretty simple, and most of the things must already be present in your craft closet. So here’s the list: Flat rocks Acrylic paint Paintbrush Black marker Googly eyes Hot glue gun Instructions Let us now know how to make a monster craft on flat rocks: Make your child paint all the rocks with different colours. Let it dry out. Once the paint dries, draw mouth and teeth. Glue the eyes on it. Your monster is ready! 2. Recycled Tin Can Monster Image Credit: AI-Generated Image Tin cans get thrown away each day. Why not make something fun and interesting out of these. The child will understand and get into the habit of putting up best out of waste. This way, their imagination power will get a boost. Also, this project puts into use multiple materials like tissue paper, fabric, yarn, etc. So, let us check out how to go about it. Materials Required Felt or fabric sheets that are easily available on any e-commerce site. Tin cans Hot glue Googly eyes Scissors Instructions This is how you can make your cute tin can monsters: Put glue over the tin cans with the gun. Now cover the cans with felt and paste the googly eyes as many you want. Cut out teeth, mouth, horns, hair, etc., from the felt sheets. Paste the feature cutouts over the covered can. And you are done! 3. Monster Shapes This project will not only let your child have creative time but teach him/her the basic shapes, colours, and counting. If you think your child is big enough to know about all this, then he/she can create this on their own and surprise you with their creativity. Materials Required Craft paper Glue Scissors Instructions Let us now see how this educative yet fun monster craft can be made in steps. Steps to be followed in order are: We are making six shapes for this project. All are basic shapes that can be drawn and cut out easily. These are oval, square, circle, heart, pentagon, and square. You can add a rectangle and a hexagon if you want. Cut different colour craft sheets in desired shapes. Now cut the monster features like eyes, teeth, mouth, arms, etc., in a specific shape. In our project, we have used semi-circles for the mouth, small triangles for teeth, and big triangles for the nose. A big circle is cut out for the outer circle of the eye, and a small circle is cut out for the pupil inside the eye. Rectangular strip cutouts are required for making arms and legs. Now glue each feature to all the shape monsters as you like. Glue the arms of each monster to each other to form a chain. This will help you display your child’s artwork nicely and feel proud! 4. Handprint Monster Craft Each parent will agree that your child turns to be a monster sometimes. But you love your monsters way too much. That is why you will love this DIY monster craft idea as well. Your kids will love them too because it uses their handprints. Also, you can use these handprint cards for gifting on various occasions. I can feel the excitement already, so let us know more about them without much adieu! Materials Required The things required for this project are: Colourful cardstocks: These are easily available online, and we will be making 4 handprints here. Googly eyes: A lot and of different sizes. Black marker Glue Pom poms Instructions Do the following steps in order and enjoy: Fold the cardstock sheet in half. Trace your child’s palm over the folded cardstock. Cut out the handprint from the cardstock. Once the handprints are ready, now start sticking different google eyes and pom-poms over the handprint. Blue Monster: We added a large google eye in the centre. Pink Monster: We added a large and a medium-sized eye in the centre. Yellow Monster: We have added three small eyes in a line at the centre. Green Monster: A medium-size and two small eyes on both sides in a line. Now add mouth, teeth, and pom-poms as you like to decorate your monster. Write the card inside and gift it to your loved ones! 5. Monster Paper Plate Ring Here we will be creating cute monster faces with paper plates. This project helps the child push their imagination and developmental skill a little further. It lets the child cut, paint, and stick. Also, you do not require a lot of material for the same. Most things you will easily find at your home. So let us go ahead and look at the details of making a wide-open mouth monster! Materials Required Paper plates Coloured card stocks: easily available online Paint Paintbrush Glue Scissors Googly eyes Instructions Now let us note down the steps about how to create these monsters: Take a paper plate and cut its centre part. Cut out the horns and teeth for your monster. Now paint the leftover plate with your favourite colour. Stick the horns on the upper boundary of the painted paper plate. Stick the teeth on the inside boundary of the paper plate. Next, stick as many eyes of different sizes below the horn in a suitable manner. Your wide-mouthed scary yet cute monster is ready! 6. Smashed Paint Monster Puppets Image Credit: AI-Generated Image This project will be fun and will keep your child curious and entertained for long hours. The child will learn the process of colour mixing and how beautiful colour effects are created. With the post creation of puppets, the kid can play with the puppets as well. Isn’t that interesting? So let us know more about it! Materials Required Craft sheets White cardstock Paint Adhesive craft sticks or you can use ice-cream sticks Scissors Googly eyes Glue Instructions The following instructions will lead to the creation of the monster puppet sticks: Fold the cardstock half to create a crease in the middle. Add paint in the middle of the paper. Add as many colours as you want. While adding the colour, make designs like lines or swirls or dots. Once the paint is added, fold the cardstock and rub with fingers from crease to boundaries. After the rubbing is done, open the fold and let the monster’s face dry. Once the paint dries, cut out the monster’s face. Cut thin rectangular strips from craft sheets to create hair, hands, and legs for the puppet. Bend and fold the strips for hair to give curls. Now glue the adhesive stick, limbs, hair, and googly eyes to the puppet. Add as many eyes of different sizes to your puppet. Finally, draw the mouth using a marker, and your puppet is ready! 7. Cardboard Monster Are toilet paper cardboard rolls stacked up in the house? Want to use them creatively? Do you have kids in the house? If your answer is a Yes to all three, then we have an amazing idea to use them. Make homemade monster craft out of the rolls. Let’s see how! Materials Required Craft sheets Cardboard roll Pom poms Googly eyes Glue Scissors Pipe cleaner Instructions Take a craft sheet and glue it on the cardboard roll. From the remaining sheet, cut two circles for the eyes. Now stick googly eyes on this. Cut a small semicircle from a black colour craft sheet for the mouth. Cut teeth from a white sheet and stick on a black semi-circle. Stick the eyes and mouth to the roll. Attach pom-poms to the pipe cleaner ends. Now stick the eyes, mouth to the cardboard face. Stick the pipe cleaners to the cardboard top to make antennae. And it’s done! 8. Popsicle Stick Monsters Kids will enjoy painting and decorating their own silly or spooky monster pals using popsicle sticks. Once done, they can be used as bookmarks, puppets, or even classroom decorations. Let’s bring these cute little monsters to life! Materials Required Popsicle sticks Paint Googly eyes Glue Coloured paper Pipe cleaners (optional) Scissors Craft glue Pom-poms, buttons, stickers (optional for extra fun) Instructions Start by painting the popsicle sticks with bright colours. Let them dry completely. Once dry, glue on googly eyes; add one, three, or even more! Cut out small shapes from coloured paper for the monster’s mouth, teeth, horns, or arms. Stick the shapes onto the popsicle stick to give your monster a funny or fierce face. Add pipe cleaner arms, pom-poms for hair, or stickers for extra decoration. Let everything dry and your monster is ready to play! 9. Monster Pen Holder Image Credit: AI-Generated Image Turn an old plastic bottle into a fun and funky monster pen holder! With just a few decorations, this monster will be guarding pencils, markers, and even secret treasures in no time! Materials Required Empty plastic bottle (any size) Scissors Coloured paper Googly eyes Glue Tape Markers or paint Instructions Cut the plastic bottle to the desired height using scissors. You can use the bottom half as the holder. (under adult supervision) If the edges are sharp, cover them with tape or foam to make them safe. Wrap coloured paper or foam around the outside of the bottle and glue it securely. Decorate your monster by gluing on googly eyes, cut-out teeth, and fun shapes for ears or horns Draw or paint any patterns or monster details you like. Let it dry, and now your monster pen holder is ready to gobble up all your pens and pencils! 10. Paper Cup Monsters Image Credit: AI-Generated Image This easy and colourful craft is perfect for little hands! Kids can turn plain paper cups into goofy, scary, or totally silly monsters. Materials Required Paper cups Paint or markers Googly eyes Glue Scissors Coloured paper or foam Instructions If using plain cups, start by painting them your favourite monster colour. Let them dry. Glue on googly eyes; big, tiny, or a mix! Cut out teeth, tongues, horns, and arms from coloured paper or foam and glue them onto the cup. Poke holes in the cup and thread them through or glue them on. Add pom-poms or stickers for extra fun details. Draw on extra features like spots, scars, or silly smiles with markers. Once dry, your monster cup is ready to roar! FAQs 1. How long do these crafts usually take? Most simple monster crafts can be finished in 15–30 minutes, making them great for short attention spans. For older kids who enjoy adding extra details, they can spend more time customising their monsters however they like. 2. Are monster crafts safe for preschoolers? Monster crafts for preschoolers are safe as long as age-appropriate materials and supervision are provided. Use child-safe scissors and non-toxic glue, and avoid small parts that could be choking hazards. Monster crafts are a great way to imbibe creativity and developmental skills in your child. Their motor skills improve while crafting. It also boosts hand-eye coordination. So it will be great if you spend some time with your kids and do create these crafts. Above all, this fun time with your kids will create an amazing bond parent-kid bond too. Happy parenting! Also Read: Mask Making Ideas for Kids Amazing Fall Craft for Children Harry Potter-Themed Crafts for Children Weather Crafts for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Kids Read more

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When Toddlers Learn Rotation Skills

Have you ever wondered at what age toddlers start turning door knobs? When are they able to recognize three-dimensional shapes? Are they visualizing images when you talk to them? If you have, here are your answers. It’s time to know more about spatial development in toddlers! Spatial skills refer to the ability of a child to mentally visualise and understand shapes and link them to their daily environment. 26-37 months is when your child will start turning door knobs and maybe even gesturing when describing something. These skills are of prime importance in developing three-dimensional visualisation. Tips on How to Improve Spatial Skills in Children 1. Speak the Language The first step in the process is to speak spatial terms like words that describe the shape and size of objects. You could consciously use words from these two categories: words describing shapes like ’round’, ‘square’, ‘straight’, ‘oval’, ‘octagon’ words describing concepts like ’empty’, ‘full’, ‘thick’, ‘thin’, ‘tall’, ‘short’ Make these a part of your daily language so that rotating skills in toddlers come about naturally and more easily. Emphasise them a little when speaking so that your child picks up on them better. 2. Engage in Play that Encourages Spatial Skills There are many activities to further spatial development in children. Associating lessons with fun motivates kids to learn faster, which is why these should make their way into your child’s life: Construction games like Lego, Mega Bloks and Equilibrio Tangrams and jigsaw puzzles Tetris Action video games Reading, creating and explaining about maps Photography is a fun activity and an example of spatial intelligence as it encourages one to experiment with different camera angles and gives a sense of scale. 3. Encourage and Praise Your Child for His Effort As you guide your child through the process of developing rotation skills using spatial games for kids and other stimulating activities, make sure you always praise him for his efforts and not the final outcome. The objective is to generate his interest towards the concept of shapes, and not create the perfect ones. Encourage your child to use his imagination and to gesture using hands while imagining a shape or a concept. Do the same when describing something to him. 4. Be Sensitive As is the case with all developmental training, progress will be slow but steady. Don’t expect miracles to happen and your child to suddenly possess great spatial skills in a few days! This isn’t a start-to-finish task. Remember that you’re sowing the seeds for a bright and imaginative mind and it will take time. If he makes mistakes when visualising something, gently correct him. Prompt him to use the right word and the right gesture. He’ll get it right soon. Left to itself, spatial development in toddlers occurs on its own too and during the course of their academic life, toddlers learn to visualise shapes. However, the sooner you start helping your child develop his, the better. And, with the help of visual spatial intelligence activities for children, it’s so easy! You can even design your own too and ask your toddler for inputs. Read more

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Teaching Your Toddler To Ask Simple Questions

Teaching young children to ask questions requires patience and perseverance. You have to be repetitive so your child can learn how to pose queries. Here are some suggestions for things you can do to make your child ask questions and stimulate his curiosity. Questioning involves a very high level of thinking. Often, questioning minds are very intelligent minds. Posing queries broadens a child’s horizons and helps him gain more knowledge about his environment. According to a survey, young children, on average, ask about 228 questions a day from their mothers! Toddlers begin by asking one-word questions with a rising intonation at the end, such as ‘Mommy?’ for ‘Where is mommy?’ With encouragement and guidance, they can progress to asking more complex queries. So, read on about teaching a toddler to ask questions. When Do Toddlers Start Asking Questions? Generally, toddlers first ask ‘What’s that?’ at the age of 15-18 months, followed by ‘where’ questions and then ‘why’ questions, which are never-ending! Children begin to ask ‘what’ questions around the age of 2.5 to 3 years. The endless ‘who’ and ‘why’ questions begin around the age of 3. Other questions like ‘May I’ or ‘Can I’ begin when you start teaching your child etiquette and manners. How to Teach a Toddler to Ask Questions? Teaching toddlers to ask questions is crucial for their cognitive development and language skills. Here’s how you can teach your little one to ask questions. 1. Asking ‘What’ The key to teaching your child language and how to speak is repetition. Keep repeating questions such as ‘What’s that?’ to him, and soon, your toddler will be imitating you. 2. Asking ‘Where’ To teach your child ‘Where’ questions, play games like hide and seek. You can hide toys and ask your toddler to look for them by posing questions like ‘Where is Teddy?’ You could also involve the entire family in a fun game of hide and seek. Your child can be the ‘den’ and look for everyone while asking where each person is. 3. Asking ‘Who’ To encourage your toddler to ask questions like ‘Who’s there?’ or ‘Who is that?’, use his toys and have them ‘knock’ on the door of a doll house or on his room door. You can also say, ‘Who’s there?’ a few times when you hear a knock and encourage your child to do the same. 4. Asking ‘How’ Foster problem-solving skills by encouraging your toddler to ask “How” questions. For example, when playing with building blocks, encourage him to ask, “How can I make this tower taller?” This promotes critical thinking and creativity in finding solutions. 5. Keeping Silent and Prompting At times, silence is the best teacher. Keep a new object in front of your child and stay quiet. Say nothing about the new object and wait. The silence may prompt your child to ask questions like ‘What is this?’ Younger children tend to ask questions without using proper words. In such a situation, ask the question you think your child may have been asking. This will help him develop questioning skills. How to Respond to Toddler Questions? Responding to toddler questions is crucial for their learning and development. It helps foster their curiosity and language skills, encouraging them to explore the world around them. Here are some effective ways to respond: 1. Acknowledge and Validate When your toddler asks a question, acknowledge their curiosity and validate their inquiry. Respond positively even if the question seems repetitive or simple. For example, if they ask, “Why is the sky blue?” you can say, “That’s a great question! The sky looks blue because…” 2. Encourage Thinking Instead of providing direct answers all the time, encourage your toddler to think through their questions. Ask them follow-up questions like “What do you think?” or “How do you think that works?” This promotes critical thinking and helps them develop problem-solving skills. 3. Use Simple Language Tailor your responses to your toddler’s level of understanding. Use simple language and concrete examples to explain concepts. Avoid using overly technical or abstract terms that might confuse them. For instance, when explaining why leaves change colour in autumn, you could say, “Leaves change colour because the weather gets cooler, and they stop making green chlorophyll.” FAQs 1. What should parents do if they don’t know the answer to their child’s question? It’s okay for parents to admit they don’t know the answer. They can use it as an opportunity to explore together, look up information, or encourage their child to research or ask someone else who might know. 2. What types of questions should parents expect from toddlers and preschoolers? Parents can expect a range of questions that explore cause-and-effect relationships (“Why is the sky blue?”), seek explanations of daily routines (“When do we eat lunch?”), inquire about their surroundings (“What’s that sound?”), or explore emotions and social interactions (“Why is she crying?”). 3. How can parents balance answering questions while promoting independent problem-solving skills in children? Parents can strike a balance by encouraging their children to think through their questions before providing an answer. They can ask follow-up questions that encourage critical thinking, suggest ways to find answers independently (like looking in books or experimenting), and offer opportunities for hands-on exploration and discovery. This approach fosters both curiosity and problem-solving abilities in children. Teaching questioning skills to toddlers requires a lot of patience. Don’t get frustrated or angry when your child asks questions. It will only deter him from coming up to you looking for answers and will also quash his curiosity. Create an environment that piques his curiosity. Teaching him how to question and then answer the same imparts a sense of confidence. It’s okay not to have all the answers, but let your child ask questions as much as he wants to. References/Resources: 1. Chouinard. M; Children’s questions: a mechanism for cognitive development (Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development); National Library of Medicine; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17394580/ 2. Ruggeri. A, Walker. C, Lombrozo. T, Gopnik. A; How to Help Young Children Ask Better Questions? (Developmental Psychology); Frontiers; https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.586819/full; January 2021 3. Newton. D, Newton. L, Abrams. P; A Study of Children’s Classroom Questions in Relation to Elementary Science Teaching; International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity; https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1296690.pdf 4. Murray. J; Any questions? Young children questioning in their early childhood education settings (European Early Childhood Education Research Journal); Taylor & Francis Online; https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1350293X.2022.2026436; January 2022 5. Ronfard. S, Zambrana. I, Hermansen. T, Kelemen. D; Question-asking in childhood: A review of the literature and a framework for understanding its development (Developmental Review); Science Direct; https://www.platformsamenonderzoeken.nl/wetenwatwerkt/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/01/Question-asking-in-childhood.pdf 6. Jirout. J, Klahr. D; Questions – And Some Answers – About Young Children’s Questions (Journal of Cognition and Development); Carnegie-Mellon University; https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/psychology/pdf/klahr/PDFs/questions-and-some-answers-about-young-children-s-questions.pdf; October 2020 Also Read: Teaching Planning Skills To Toddlers How to Communicate with Toddlers? Teaching Toddlers to Count Numbers: 1 to 10 Teaching Toddlers to Identify People By Name Teaching Your Toddler The Concept of First and Last Names Read more

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20+ 1st Birthday Party Games and Activities

The first birthday is a momentous occasion for any family, and planning a celebration that will keep the little ones entertained can be quite a task. But with the right 1st birthday party games and activities, you can make the day a memorable and fun-filled one for your little one and all of your guests. From simple games like Bubble Chase and Sensory Play to more elaborate activities like a Photo Booth and a Cake Smash, there are plenty of options to choose from that will keep the kids entertained and engaged. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best 1st birthday party games and activities that will help you create an unforgettable celebration for your child’s first birthday. So, get ready to have some fun and make some memories! Depending on the venue and the number of guests, you could set up birthday party games for 1st birthday for different age groups at different places or sequence them so nobody would miss out. Here are some great choices for first birthday games. First Birthday Party Games for Babies and Toddlers Babies are too spontaneous to participate in games; however, they would love these 1st birthday party activities. 1. Bubble Chase Kids, no matter what their age, are captivated by bubbles. A fun game would be to try to catch them! How to Play You will need a bubble machine for the game, or have a few of the older kids blow the bubbles. Show your toddler how to catch a bubble with a plastic drinking cup. Give them a cup and let them go after the bubbles. 2. Game of Tunnels One of the most fun-filled indoor games you can have at a birthday party is building tunnels. How to Play For this game, you can buy a pop-up tunnel for kids up to four years of age. Alternatively, you can make your tunnels by taping cardboard boxes together. You can find plenty of carton boxes at your local supermarket. Arrange the tunnel in the playroom for a game of peek-a-boo. 3. Wagon Ride If you have a big backyard, this is one of the most fun outdoor activities for all the kids. How to Play Buy a big children’s wagon and decorate it with stickers, balloons, streamers and coloured papers. Mark a path using balloons in your yard and take one baby at a time for a ride along the path. Each baby gets five minutes of ride time and is greeted with cheers and claps with every ride. 4. Quiet Play While the big kids are away playing other games, you can gather up the toddlers to have their quiet party for a while to calm them down. How to Play Get a big enough playpen for more than three toddlers and have them spend some time in a quiet corner. Use pads and soft mattresses to create a baby zone with plenty of soft toys. 5. Toddler Obstacle Course This one is an interesting game for which your baby needs a lot of motivation. How to Play You will need ropes, soft toys, bouncy balls, and blocks. Make an obstacle course using ropes and place the toys, balls and blocks in the path. With the baby on one end and you on the other, cheer for your toddler to make his way to you 6. Sensory Station Create a sensory station with various items for the babies and toddlers to explore. How to Play Set up a table with different textures, such as sand, water, and playdough. Add some toys and objects with different colours and shapes. Allow the children to explore and discover the different textures and objects. 7. Balloon Bonanza Babies and toddlers love balloons! This game is perfect for indoor parties. How to Play Blow up a few balloons and let them loose in the room. Encourage the children to catch and play with the balloons. To make it more challenging, you can have them try to keep the balloons in the air as long as possible. 8. Balloon Stomp You can also turn it into a fun “chase and pop” game instead of a competitive one. It helps build coordination, balance, and excitement in a playful way. How to Play Tie a balloon to every child’s ankle. Start the game with the goal to stomp on others’ balloons while protecting their own. The last one with an intact balloon wins. To make it safer for younger kids, use soft, loosely tied balloons and supervise closely. First Birthday Party Games for Big Kids For bigger kids, you could make the games a little more challenging and fun. Here are some fun and hilarious games to play at 1st birthday party. 1. Make a small Ball Pit Children love playing in ball pits, and so do some grown-ups! How to Play You would need an inflatable swimming pool; your baby’s kiddie pool will do too. Order BPA-free balls online in bulk packets, preferably a few hundred balls, depending on pool size. Fill up the pool with balls and set it up on the lawn or someplace indoors where it is safer. Use different coloured balls and let them jump in. 2. Fashion Show For this game, you will have to inform your guests in advance so they can come prepared. How to Play To make it realistic, you can set up a walkway with some lights and balloons. Have a good music system and someone to play and pause on cue. Dress the children in themed costumes and let the walk begin. At the end of the game, offer a gift or memento to all the participants. 3. Balloon Scrabble This is an excellent game for kids of all ages. How to Play You will need a balloon of different colours and permanent markers. Inflate 26 balloons for all the letters and write down each on one balloon in capitals. Pick a word or name and scatter the balloons. Divide the kids into teams, and their task is to find the correct balloons and stand in the right order of the spelling. Fastest team wins. 4. Smash a Balloon for a Gift It doesn’t matter how old you are; it’s always exciting to get a surprise gift. How to Play Gather several gift items such as stickers, small gift articles or collectables. Place a gift item inside each balloon before inflating it. Scatter the balloons in a room and ask all the kids to enter and stomp on the balloons. They get to keep anything they find in the balloon they popped. 5. Cops and Thieves This fun game is best played outdoors, such as a park. How to Play One kid at random is chosen to become the sheriff, and the rest of them are thieves. The thieves run free while the sheriff tries to tag one of them. Whoever gets tagged will be jailed in one end of the park, where they can be set free by the other thieves. If the sheriff tags one of the other thieves while they are helping the tagged one, they become a sheriff too. The game ends when all the thieves have become sheriffs. 6. Pin the Tail on the Donkey This game is played with a blindfold and is immensely entertaining. You will need some Velcro strips and streamers for this game. How to Play Draw a picture of a donkey on a large sheet of cardboard without a tail. Cut strips of the velvet and stick it to different parts of the donkey’s body, along with one strip in the right place where the tail should be. A streamer or a tiny rope with the fastener attached to it is used as the tail. The kids are blindfolded and have to walk up to the donkey and stick the tail in the right place. Whoever gets it right wins a prize. 7. Musical Chairs This game is perfect for toddlers who are starting to understand the concept of competition. How to Play Set up chairs in a circle, one less than the number of children playing. Play music and have the children walk around the chairs. When the music stops, the children must find a chair to sit on. The child who is left standing is out. Remove a chair each round until there is only one child left sitting. 8. Simon Says This classic game is perfect for older toddlers who are starting to understand more complex instructions. How to Play Choose one child to be “Simon”. “Simon” gives commands starting with “Simon says”, such as “Simon says touch your toes” or “Simon says hop on one foot”. The other children must only follow commands that start with “Simon says”. If “Simon” gives a command without saying “Simon says” and a child follows it, they are out. The last child standing becomes “Simon” for the next round. 9. Pass the Smile It’s a simple yet engaging game that teaches self-control and social interaction. Perfect for calming things down after high-energy activities. How to Play Ask kids to sit in a circle. One child starts by “passing” a smile to the next. The goal is to keep a straight face. If someone laughs, they’re out. To make it more fun, allow exaggerated expressions or funny faces while passing the smile. First Birthday Activities and Games for Adults and Older Kids Your toddler’s first birthday is more of a fun time for the guests than it is for him. Have a couple of fun first-birthday party activities and games for parents and children. 1. Time Capsule Older kids and adults can only grasp the fun part of a time capsule. This should be included in your baby’s 1st birthday party games so they can open it at the age of 20. How to Play Pass along a notepad to all the guests so they can write something in it. Collect pieces of confetti, balloons, gift cards or anything that can be sealed off for a long time. Get a plastic container or a decorated storage box with a sealable top and add everything in it. 2. Photo Scavenger Hunt This game is a fun way to get everyone involved in capturing memories of the special day. How to Play Create a list of items for guests to find and take photos of, such as “a group selfie”, “the birthday cake”, or “a guest wearing a party hat”. Give each guest a copy of the list and a camera or smartphone. Set a time limit for the scavenger hunt and award a prize to the guest who finds the most items on the list. 3. Building Blocks Construction and demolition! How to Play You will need plenty of building blocks for this game, a Nerf gun and plastic balls. Divide the participants into teams of builders and demolishers. The building team has to build a structure out of the blocks in under 5 minutes. The demolition team tries to take down the structure by shooting at it or tossing plastic balls from a distance. The teams then switch roles. 4. Parent-Child Craft Game Parents and their children team up to build something creative. How to Play You will need plenty of cardboard and art supplies such as scissors, tape, glue and colours. The task is to build a house, a car or anything that can be done under an hour. The kids come up with the ideas while their parents help them with cutting, glueing and decorating. Have a team of judges evaluate the craft, and the winning team gets a small prize. 5. Guess the Baby Food This game is a fun way to involve everyone in celebrating the first year of the baby’s life. How to Play Purchase several jars of baby food in different flavours. Remove the labels and number the jars. Have guests taste the different jars and try to guess the flavour. The guest who correctly identifies the most flavours wins. 6. Name That Tune This game is a fun way to test everyone’s knowledge of popular music. How to Play Play a short clip of a popular song and have guests try to guess the name of the song and the artist. The guest who correctly identifies the most songs wins. To make it more challenging, play clips of lesser-known songs or obscure covers. 7. Diaper Changing Challenge This game is hilarious to watch and participate in, especially for non-parents. It creates memorable moments and lots of laughter during the celebration. How to Play Ask your guests to sit in a row. Give each guest a diaper. Participants have to correctly put a diaper on a doll or teddy bear while being timed. This is to be done either by putting on blindfolds or using one hand. FAQs 1. Why is the first birthday so important? The first birthday is an important milestone for both the child and the parents. It marks the end of a year filled with growth, development, and love. It is also a celebration of surviving the first year of parenthood! First birthday parties are a chance to bring family and friends together to honour the baby’s first year of life. It is a time to create lasting memories and capture those precious moments on camera. Choosing the right entertainment for the party is crucial, and 1st birthday party entertainment ideas, such as birthday party games for 1-year-olds, can help make the event more engaging and enjoyable for everyone involved. From traditional games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey to modern twists like a photo scavenger hunt, there are many ways to make a first birthday party fun and memorable. 2. What else can we do instead of doing a 1st birthday party? While 1st birthday party entertainment ideas are certainly fun, they may not be for everyone. Some parents might prefer to skip a big party and celebrate their child’s first birthday in a more low-key way. There are plenty of alternative ways to mark the occasion, such as having a family picnic, taking a day trip, or having a special outing. You could also opt for a small gathering with close family members or close friends. Regardless of how you choose to celebrate, it’s important to remember that the first birthday is a special milestone and a time to reflect on the joys and challenges of the first year of parenthood. Whether you choose to have a big party or a small gathering, the most important thing is to create lasting memories that you and your child can cherish for years to come. 3. How do I organise my 1-year-old’s birthday party? Organising a 1-year-old’s birthday party can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. To start, make a guest list and choose a date and time that works best for you and your child. Once the logistics are taken care of, start thinking about 1st birthday party entertainment ideas and birthday party games for 1-year-old babies. Keep in mind that the party should be age-appropriate and focus on sensory experiences, such as colourful balloons and sensory play. You could also have a theme for the party, such as a favourite cartoon character or colour scheme. Remember to keep it simple and focus on creating a fun and memorable experience for your child and guests. Don’t forget the cake and party favours as well! With these tips in mind, you can plan an unforgettable first birthday party that everyone will enjoy. The first one will always be the most memorable, and these games should add plenty of fun to your baby’s first birthday. Throw in some twists of your own to make the games more exciting and take plenty of pictures for memories! Also Read: 1st Birthday Return Gift Ideas First Birthday Photoshoot Ideas Cake Ideas for Your Baby’s First Birthday Birthday Gift Ideas for a 1-Year-Old Baby Boy and Girl Read more

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11 Best ABC Songs for Children to Learn the Alphabet

The educational journey begins by grasping the phonetic sounds and identifying and remembering all the 26 alphabets of the English language. Just as ABC nursery rhymes for their children can help develop an ear for the language, ABC music can help channel their energy, enhance sensory skills, and experience letters entertainingly and lyrically. ABC super simple songs also help maintain a gradual pace in the learning process of different concepts. Moreover, combining the beats of music while memorizing the alphabets of ABC songs for preschool can be a great activity to catch the instant attention of young kids. Along with the traditional alphabet songs for preschoolers, the New alphabet song brings the alphabet to life for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary/primary-aged children. ABC goodnight songs can be special lullabies to help families transition to a quiet bedtime. Parents looking to have fun teaching ABC songs for kids can include movement, craftwork, games, and puppetry while teaching them to children. Here is a list of great alphabet songs that can enrich your child’s learning experience. Most Popular Alphabet Songs for Kids ABC songs for kindergarteners are a fun and engaging way to help kids learn their ABCs while developing early literacy skills. Whether sung in classrooms or at home, these alphabet songs remain a beloved tool for teaching children the building blocks of language. 1. Learning Letter Sounds Learning letter sounds A to Z Learning letter sounds, you and me Chorus Clap three times, 1 – 2 – 3 Letter sounds can help me read and write a says / a/ /a/ alligator b says /b/ /b/ baby c says /c/ /c/ caterpillar d says /d/ /d/ dinosaur e says / e/ /e/ egg f says /f/ /f/ family g says / g/ /g/ gorilla h says /h/ /h/ hippopotamus Learning letter sounds A to Z Learning letter sounds you and me Chorus Clap three times, 1 – 2 – 3 Letter sounds can help me read and write I says / i/ /i/ insect j says /j/ /j/ jet k says / k/ /k/ kite l says / l/ /l/ lion m says / m/ /m/ monkey n says /n/ /n/ nickel o says / o/ /o/ octopus p says / p / /p/ pumpkin Learning letter sounds A to Z Learning letter sounds you and me Chorus Clap three times, 1 – 2 – 3 Letter sounds can help me read and write q says /q/ /q/ quarter r says /r/ /r/ rainbow s says /s/ /s/ snake t says /t/ /t/ turtle u says /u/ /u/ umbrella v says /v/ /v/ violin w says /w/ /w/ woodpecker x says /x/ /x/ like in fox y says /y/ /y/ yo-yo z says / z/ /z/ zebra 2. A-B-C-D-E-F-G H-I-J-K-LMNOP LMNOP-Q-R-S-T U-V-W-X-Y-Zed X-Y-Zed Sugar on your bread Eat it all up before you are dead. 3. The Alphabet Song Aa is for apple /a/ /a/ apple Bb is for ball /b/ /b/ ball Cc is for cat /c/ /c/ cat Dd is for dog /d/ /d/ dog Ee is for egg /e/ /e/ egg Ff is for fish /f/ /f/ fish Gg is for goat /g/ /g/ goat Hh is for hat /h/ /h/ ha The alphabet A to Z The alphabet will help me learn to read Ii is for igloo /i/ /i/ igloo Jj is for jelly /j/ /j/ jelly Kk is for kite /k/ /k/ kite Ll is for lamb /l/ /l/ lamb Mm is for mouse /m/ /m/ mouse Nn is for nest /n/ /n/ nest Oo is for octopus /o/ /o/ octopus Pp is for pumpkin /p/ /p/ pumpkin The alphabet A to The alphabet will help me learn to read Qq is for queen /q/ /q/ queen Rr is for rainbow /r/ /r/ rainbow Ss is for sun /s/ /s/ sun Tt is for tiger /t/ /t/ tiger Uu is for umbrella /u/ /u/ umbrella Vv is for van /v/ /v/ van Ww is for wagon /w/ /w/ wagon Xx like in fox /x/ /x/ fox Yy is for yo-yo /y/ /y/ yo-yo Zz is for zebra /z/ /z/ zebra 4. A Was An Apple Pie B bit it; C cut it; D dealt it; E eat it; F fought for it; G got it; H had it; J joined it; K kept it; L longed for it; M mourned for it; N nodded at it; O opened it; P peeped in it; Q quartered it; R ran for it; S stole it; T took it; V viewed it; W wanted it; X, Y, Z, and ampersand, All wished for a piece in hand. 5. A – APPLE B – BABY C – CANDY D – DIAMOND E – ELEPHANT F – FAIRY G – GLASSES H – HAND I – IGLOO J – JELLY K – KEYBOARD L – LADYBUG M – MONKEY N – NEEDLE O – ORANGE P – PONY Q – QUEEN R – RAINBOW S – SPIDER T – TIGER U – UMBRELLA V – VIOLIN W – WHALE X – XYLOPHONE Y – YO-YO Z – ZEBRA 6. Apple Starts With A, A-A Apple Bear starts with B, b-b bear. Cat starts with C, c-c cat. Dog starts with D, d-d dog. And Egg starts with E, e-e egg. Fish starts with F, f-f fish. Goat starts with G, g-g goat. Hat starts with H, h-h hat. Igloo starts with I, i-i igloo And jacket starts with J, j-j jacket. Kite starts with K, k-k kite. Lion starts with L, l-l lion. Monkey starts with M, m-m monkey. Nose starts with N, n-n nose. And ostrich starts with O, o-o ostrich. Pig starts with P, p-p pig. Queen starts with Q, q-q queen. Rabbit starts with R, r-r rabbit. Sun starts with S, s-s sun. And turtle starts with T, t-t turtle. Umbrella starts with U, u umbrella. Van starts with V, v-v van. Wagon starts with W, w-w wagon. X-ray starts with X, x-x X-ray. Yo-yo starts with Y, y-y yo-yo. And Zebra starts with Z, z-z zebra. 7. A /a/ Alligator B /b/ bear C /c/ cougar D /d/ deer E /e/ elephant F /f/ falcon G /g/ gorilla H /h/ hippopotamus I /i/ iguana J /j/ jaguar K /k/ koala L /l/ lion M /m/ monkey N /n/ newt O /o/ otter P /p/ penguin Q /q/ quail R /r/ rhinoceros S /s/ seal T /t/ tiger U /u/ umbrella V /v/ viper W /w/ walrus X /x/ like in fox Y /y/ yak Z /z/ zebra Animal Alphabet, learn the letters. Animal alphabet and their sounds 8. A – Apple – A, A, Apple B ball – b, b, ball C cat – c, c, cat D dog – d, d, dog A, a, apple B, b, ball C, c, cat D, d, dog E elephant – e, e, elephant F frog – f, f, frog G guitar – g, g, guitar H hat – h, h, hat E, e, elephant F, f, frog G, g, guitar H, h, hat I igloo – i, i, igloo J jump – j, j, jump K kangaroo – k, k, kangaroo L lion – l, l, lion I, i, igloo J, j, jump K, k, kangaroo L, l, lion M monkey – m, m, monkey N nurse – n, n, nurse O octopus – o, o, octopus P pumpkin – p, p, pumpkin M, m, monkey N, n, nurse O, o, octopus P, p, pumpkin Q queen – q, q, queen R rocket – r, r, rocket S snake – s, s, snake T train – t, t, train Q, q, queen R, r, rocket S, s, snake T, t, train U umbrella – u, u, umbrella V violin – v, v, violin W watch – w, w, watch X box – x, x, box Y yellow – y, y yellow Z zebra – z, z, zebra Y, y yellow Z, z, zebra 9. I’ve Been Working On My Letters All the livelong day I’ve been working on my letters Just to pass the time away The Alphabet Train is coming 26 cars long Every car has its own letter So come and sing along ABC DEF GHI JKL MNO PQR STU VW XY and Z I’ve been working on my letters All the livelong day I’ve been working on my letters Just to pass the time away The Alphabet Train is coming 26 cars long Every car has its own letter So come and sing along. ABC DEF GHI JKLM NOP QRS TUV WXYZ 10. A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z I can sing my ABC’s Next time won’t you sing with me A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z I can sing my ABC’s Next time won’t you sing with me A,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u,v,w,x,y,z I can sing my ABC’s Next time won’t you sing with me A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z I can sing my ABC’s Next time won’t you sing with me Aa, Bb,Cc, Dd, Ee ,Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Jj, Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Qq, Rr, Ss, Tt, Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, Zz I can sing my ABC’s Next time won’t you sing with me 11. A Says a, a, Apple and Alligator B says b, b, bubbles, and ball C says c, c, cupcake and cobra D says d, d, dinosaur and doll E says e, e, egg and elephant F says f, f, fairy, fish, fan G says g, g, goose girl and go H says h, h, happy and hello I says i, i, itch and igloo J says j, j, jet and jeep K says k, k, kite and kangaroo L says l, l, lion and leap M says m, m, mouse and motorcycle N says n, n, nine nest and nap O says o, o, octopus and on P says p, p, penguin and pawn Q says qu, qu, quiet and queen R says r, r, rhino and rain S says s, s, soccer and sunny T says t, t, tiger and tummy U says u, u, umbrella and up V says v, v, volcano and violin W says w, w, whale and watch X says x, x, fox and box Y says y, y, yellow, and you Z says z, z, zebra and zoo Benefits of ABC Songs for Kids ABC songs are a fun and effective way to introduce young children to the alphabet while laying the foundation for early literacy. Below are some key benefits of using ABC songs in early childhood education. 1. Enhances Letter Recognition ABC songs help children become familiar with the shapes and names of letters through repetition and visual reinforcement. By singing along, kids associate each letter with its place in the sequence, making it easier to recognize them in books and everyday print. Over time, this strengthens their ability to identify both uppercase and lowercase letters. 2. Improves Phonemic Awareness Many modern ABC songs, such as phonics-based versions, emphasize the sounds each letter makes rather than just their names. This helps children understand the connection between letters and their corresponding sounds, a crucial skill for early reading. By hearing and repeating these sounds in a musical context, kids develop stronger pre-reading abilities. 3. Boosts Memory & Recall The rhythmic and repetitive structure of alphabet songs makes them easy to remember, helping children retain the order of letters effortlessly. Music activates multiple areas of the brain, enhancing memory retention and making recall faster. This foundational knowledge becomes a building block for more advanced literacy skills later on. 4. Encourages Language Development Singing ABC songs exposes children to new vocabulary and proper pronunciation in an engaging way. The playful nature of these songs encourages kids to practice articulation and speech patterns. Over time, this strengthens their verbal communication skills and prepares them for reading and writing. 5. Makes Learning Fun & Interactive Unlike rote memorization, ABC songs turn learning into an enjoyable activity. Many versions include animations, gestures, or call-and-response elements that keep children engaged. This positive association with learning fosters a love for language and education from an early age. 6. Supports Multisensory Learning ABC songs often incorporate visuals, movements, or hand gestures, allowing children to learn through multiple senses. Kinesthetic learners benefit from actions like clapping or pointing, while auditory learners thrive on the musical component. This inclusive approach ensures that different learning styles are accommodated. 7. Builds Confidence Mastering the ABC song gives children a sense of achievement, boosting their self-esteem and motivation to learn more. As they successfully sing along or recognize letters, they gain confidence in their abilities. This early success encourages them to explore reading, writing, and other educational challenges with enthusiasm. FAQs 1. Can ABC songs help children with speech delays? Research suggests that the rhythmic patterns and repetitive nature of ABC songs can support speech development in children with delays. The musical structure helps with articulation and pacing, while the predictable lyrics allow children to anticipate and practice sounds. However, it’s best to combine these songs with targeted speech therapy for optimal results. 2. Can too much repetition of ABC songs hinder learning? Excessive repetition without variation may cause some children to disengage or memorize the song as one “chunk” without understanding individual letters. To prevent this, educators recommend alternating between different versions (phonics songs, backwards alphabet) and pairing songs with hands-on letter activities. Music is a great stress-relieving tool that helps calm the mind and enhance concentration, while knowledge of letters plays a key role in mastering children’s reading, writing, and speaking skills. Therefore, every alphabet song helps a child to manage their feelings better and express them through language. Also Read: Easy Piano Songs for Children Counting Songs for Kids Good Morning Songs for Children ‘Hello’ Songs for Preschoolers and Kids Read more

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Your Baby this Week

If you notice your child throwing tantrums or screaming, don’t worry too much. It’s all a part of development! Try and correct your child gently but firmly. Discipline can be tricky at this age, so try to fit in a little “me” time into your schedule each and every week as a way to refuel your patience tank. Read more

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Home Remedies for Runny Nose in Babies and Kids

A runny nose is a common problem in babies. Their immature immune system takes a toll on their health. And a baby’s constant urge to touch new things or put them in his mouth makes him more susceptible to catching infections. Where adults can simply pop in a pill and get over a bout of cold or flu, it may not be the same for babies. Over-the-counter medicines are not good for your munchkin because of their probable side effects. If you are searching for some effective home remedies for a runny nose for your baby, this is just the right post for you! Video: Best Home Remedies for a Runny Nose in Babies and Kids What Causes Runny Nose in a Child? It is pretty usual for babies to have as many as 6 to 8 bouts of cold or flu in a year. As discussed above, this happens because of your baby’s weak immune system; however, this will get stronger as your baby grows up and starts following a good diet. Here are some common causes of a runny nose in babies. If your baby is suffering from cold, your baby may have symptoms like chest congestion, fever, cough, sneezing and a runny nose. Sometimes your baby may have nasal congestion, but a runny nose may not follow it. If your baby suffers from the flu, he may have a poor appetite, cough, and severe cold symptoms such as a runny nose. If your baby suffers from an allergic reaction, he may develop itchy skin, rashes on the body, watery eyes, and runny nose. These are some common reasons for a runny nose in babies; however, if you think none of the above reasons applies to your baby, rush to your doctor for further assistance. How to Stop a Runny Nose in Babies? Babies get very irritated and restless whenever they are unwell. A runny nose is something that may make your baby feel very uncomfortable. Here are some practical baby running nose home remedies. 1. Increase Your Baby’s Fluid Intake A baby suffering from a runny nose may start breathing from his mouth. Breathing through the mouth causes breathing dehydration in babies. Therefore, it is important to increase your baby’s intake of breast milk or formula milk. If your baby is over six months old, you may also give water and other fluids. Ask your paediatrician what fluids you may give to your baby. 2. Suction Bulb and Secretions A runny nose may cause a lot of mucous in your baby’s nose, which may hamper your baby’s breathing. A suction bulb can extract the mucous from the baby’s nose to help him breathe better. This bulb is easily available at any medical store and can be bought without a doctor’s prescription too. Make sure you clean the bulb before and after every use. 3. Head Elevation Elevating the baby’s head is an effective way to make your baby feel better. It helps improve mucous secretion and prevents it from seeping into the throat, which may usually result in coughing bouts. Take a towel or two and elevate your baby’s head up to 18 inches. Make sure your baby’s head is not raised to more than this height, as it may get very uncomfortable for him. 4. Petroleum Jelly The constant wetness under the nose may make your baby’s nose sore and irritate sensitive skin. Apply a layer of petroleum jelly under the nose to protect the area. Refrain from putting vapour rub as it may cause irritation or respiratory distress in babies. 5. Steam Treatment Steam can help loosen the mucus and relieve congestion in babies. Take your baby into a bathroom with a hot shower running, or use a humidifier in the room where they sleep. The moist air can help soothe the nasal passages and make breathing easier for the baby. Ensure your baby’s temperature and humidity levels are safe and comfortable. 6. Saline Nasal Drops Saline nasal drops can help clear a baby’s stuffy or runny nose. They work by moisturizing the nasal passages and thinning the mucus, making breathing easier for the baby. You can use a dropper to put a few drops of saline solution into each nostril, then gently suctioning out the mucus with a bulb syringe or a nasal aspirator. 7. Breast Milk Drops Some parents have reported that using a few drops of breast milk in the baby’s nose can help alleviate a runny nose. Breast milk contains antibodies and natural enzymes that may have antibacterial and antiviral properties, which could potentially help clear nasal congestion and reduce inflammation. Use a clean dropper to administer a couple of drops of breast milk into each nostril. However, it’s important to note that more research is needed to fully understand this method’s effectiveness. These are some easy home remedies for running nose in kids. Natural Remedies for Runny Nose in Toddlers and Older Children Here are some natural home remedies for running nose in toddlers and older children. Ginger and honey mix is excellent for dealing with running nose systems. Grate a piece of ginger root and squeeze its juice. Add honey to it and give this mixture to your kid two to three times a day. Mustard oil is great for battling a runny nose in kids. Warm-up mustard oil with some asafoetida, garlic cloves, and carom seeds. Massage your child’s back and chest with this oil. You may see your child’s symptoms improving after a couple of massages. One of the most effective Indian home remedies for a runny nose in infants is coconut oil and camphor. Mix some camphor in coconut oil and warm it up. Apply this only gently on your baby’s chest, back, and neck. This may not only help in clearing the congestion and runny nose but may also help him sleep peacefully. Jaiphal mixed with milk is a great home remedy for curing running nose. Take a few spoons milk and add a pinch of jaiphal to it. Give it a boil and bring it to room temperature before administering it your child. This is an excellent way of providing instant relief to your child. Eucalyptus oil has decongestant and antimicrobial properties. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a bowl of hot water and have your child inhale the steam by leaning over the bowl (at a safe distance) with a towel covering their head. The inhalation of eucalyptus steam can help clear nasal passages and provide relief from a runny nose. Nasal irrigation can help flush out excess mucus and relieve nasal congestion. You can prepare a saline solution by dissolving half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water. Using a bulb syringe or a nasal irrigation kit designed for children, gently flush the nostrils with the saline solution. This can help alleviate a runny nose and reduce nasal congestion. A warm compress to the child’s sinus area can relieve nasal congestion. Soak a clean washcloth in warm water, wring out the excess water, and place it over the child’s nose and sinus area. The warmth can help soothe the nasal passages and alleviate a runny nose. While honey alone is not recommended for children under the age of one, for older children, you can mix a teaspoon of honey with a few drops of lemon juice. The mixture can help soothe a sore throat and relieve a runny nose. It’s important to note that honey should only be given to children over one-year-old due to the risk of infant botulism. Another excellent herbal remedy for your child’s runny nose is holy basil. It has several antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties that can help fight the root cause of a runny nose. Depending on the child’s age, you can give him/her 2-3 basil leaves with/without jaggery to chew. You can also prepare a warm drink using milk, honey, and cinnamon. Warm a cup of milk (dairy or plant-based) and stir in a teaspoon of honey and a pinch of cinnamon. Honey can help soothe the throat, while cinnamon has antimicrobial properties. This concoction can provide comfort and help reduce a runny nose. Steam inhalation can help loosen mucus and alleviate nasal congestion. Add a few drops of child-safe essential oils such as lavender or chamomile to a bowl of hot water. Allow the child to inhale the steam by leaning over the bowl (at a safe distance) with a towel covering their head. These essential oils’ soothing properties can relieve a runny nose. FAQs 1. Is a Runny Nose Normal in Babies? A runny nose is common in babies, especially during their first year. It can be caused by a variety of factors, such as irritants, allergies, colds, or viral infections. Babies have delicate nasal passages, and their immune systems are still developing, making them more susceptible to respiratory infections and nasal congestion. 2. How Long Does a Runny Nose Last in Babies? The duration of a runny nose in babies can vary depending on the cause. If it’s due to a common cold or viral infection, it usually lasts 7 to 10 days but can sometimes persist for up to two weeks. Allergies or irritants may cause a more chronic runny nose. If your baby’s runny nose persists or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and guidance. 3. Is a Runny Nose a Symptom of Teething in Babies? There is no direct causal relationship between teething and a runny nose. However, some parents have observed increased nasal congestion or runny nose during the teething process in their babies. The reason for this association is not fully understood, but it is believed that excessive drooling during teething can lead to increased mucus production, causing a runny nose. It’s important to note that other factors, such as exposure to cold viruses or seasonal allergies, can also contribute to a runny nose during teething. If you have concerns about your baby’s symptoms, it’s best to consult a paediatrician for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Apart from the remedies mentioned above, ensure your baby is fully clothed and wearing ample warm clothes in winter. Steam is another great way of easing your baby’s runny nose problems. Medical intervention may be required if your baby or toddler does not feel better using any of the home remedial measures mentioned above. We suggest that you seek your doctor’s help. References/Resources: 1. Colds in children; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2722603/; October 2005 2. Physician. A. F; Saline Nasal Irrigation for Upper Respiratory Conditions; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2778074/; November 2009 3. Allan. G. M, Arroll. B; Prevention and treatment of the common cold: making sense of the evidence; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3928210/; February 2014 4. Bhateja. S; Therapeutic benefits of holy basil; ResearchGate; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263463997_Therapeutic_benefits_of_holy_basil; June 2014 5. Srivastava. J. K, Shankar. E, Gupta. S; Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/; February 2011 6. Guppy. M. P. B, Mar. C. B. D; “Drink plenty of fluids”: a systematic review of the evidence for this recommendation in acute respiratory infections; BMJ; https://www.bmj.com/content/328/7438/499; February 2004 Also Read: Home Remedies for Loose Motion in Infant Cold and Flu Home Remedies for Kids and Babies Natural Remedies for Mouth Ulcers in Babies and Kids Read more

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Raising Left-Handed Child in Right-Handed World

As your baby starts growing up into a little toddler, various aspects of its personality will begin to emerge. He might be a quiet child who is comfortable with you or plays alone by himself, or he might be gregarious and tend to happily go to anyone who beckons him with a smiling face. Another aspect that makes itself known as the child grows is the dominant hand. And if your child is a lefty, a barrage of questions might appear in your head, especially if you are right-handed. If you are one of the parents wondering how to teach a left-handed child to write letters or handle objects, you will find this article quite helpful. When Will You Know Your Child Is Left-Handed? It has been statistically observed that nearly 9 out of 10 children that are born have the right hand to be their dominant hand. This leaves at least 1 child in 10 to be a left-handed one. When parents ask is my child left-handed, it usually is a sign that their child is beginning to use both hands properly. Most toddlers begin to use their hands properly only when they are about 7-9 months old. They also properly understand the presence of their limbs, the existence of two hands, and usually tend to use both of them as and when needed. But it will still be difficult to determine whether your child is left-handed or not as he is yet to realise which hand he likes to use more often. However, by the time the child turns two years old, he would reveal whether he is a lefty or not. At times, certain kids can show their left-handedness much sooner if you can engage them in the right activities. Rolling a ball towards your child or asking him to pass you a toy can help you observe which hand he naturally tends to use and give you some hint if he is going to be a lefty. It is important to never tell him to use the right hand forcibly. What May Cause Left-Handedness in Children? The development of left-hand turning out to be the dominant one is the result of the biology of the parents, the growth of the baby during pregnancy, as well as certain pre-existing characteristics. 1. Presence of Specific Genes One of the strongest factors that doctors have pinpointed for a child to turn out a lefty is the presence of a specific gene. Genetic factors play a vital role in creating a unique personality for every child that is born on earth. In such cases, scientists believe that the presence of a gene called LRRTM1, which is usually inherited from the father, has a tendency to make the child a left-handed person. 2. Gender-Based Distribution This is not a generalised statement that applies in every case but more of a statistical observation based on data. On a gender-based comparison, the number of males who are left-handed is slightly higher than the number of females who are left-handed. Some doctors depend on this study to make an assumption that the presence of testosterone could play a role in left-handedness, too. 3. Foetal Development A substantial portion of the baby’s core growth takes inside the womb. Hence, its condition cannot be ignored in this regard. Exposure to various factors or the presence of one hormone in excess than the other could all play some role in developing the dominant hand for the baby. 4. Learning By Observing Many believe that children are originally ambidextrous, and they begin to use a specific hand by observing what hands their parents use. Although there is truth to the fact that children do learn a lot by mimicking adult behaviour, this theory falls short in explaining right-handed parents giving birth to a left-handed child. 5. Brain Development Issues This reason is slightly orthodox in its source, but for a long time, and even now, it is considered that human beings are normally right-handed. It is the presence of issues in brain development or the foetus suffering damage to the brain that causes a child to be left-handed. Rarely has any evidence come up in support of this theory. 6. Necessary Adaptations Some children might be born with a non-functional right hand. Or an early accident could render their right hand incapable of doing usual tasks. In such conditions, the child does learn to use his left-hand and end up being a lefty. Benefits of Being a Lefty When the world has been created primarily to suit the majority type of people, many might believe that lefties have to face a ton of problems. As true as that might be, there are a few benefits that only left-handed people are privy to. 1. A Pre-Ordained Creative Mindset Biologically, the dominant hand reveals what side of the brain a person generally uses, and it is the opposite of the dominant hand. This makes lefties a prominently right-brained category of people, which are well-known for being creative and imaginative. This can be used to their advantage really well. 2. Ability to Multitask Left-handed people have to learn a number of things in a different way quite early in life. This puts their brain in top-gear to be able to process numerous things quickly. The consequence of it is the ability of the brain to handle multiple things at once, making them a master of multitasking. 3. Enhanced Underwater Eyesight As surprising as it might sound, left-handed people have an uncanny benefit of being able to see things clearly underwater. So for people who are usually closer to the shore or choose to pursue swimming as a sport, this can work pretty well to their advantage. 4. An Increased IQ Level This, too, isn’t a generalised rule but based on statistics. On comparing the members of MENSA where everybody has a high IQ, nearly 20% of the members are left-handed. And since the percentage of left-handed children, in general, is low, your child has a higher chance of developing great IQ. 5. An Edge in Various Sports Sports like cricket, basketball, tennis and many others have players that are predominantly right-handed. The presence of a left-handed opponent can throw their game off balance, and give your child an added advantage in it. Challenges for Lefty Kids A left-handed child’s development process is not free from challenges. There are more of those than for other kids since these children have to adjust to a world not fully suitable to them. What seems absolutely normal to us can be an aberration for left-handed children as they struggle with everyday activities in the world. A simple day of doing the most basic stuff with our left hand can give you an understanding of how it feels. Doors are all hinged to suit right-handed people and so are their handles. This can result in your kid hitting his own feet with the door and hurting himself repeatedly. Scissors might look like there are just two sections to hold it, but those, too, are made for right-handed people. Your left-handed child might require a scissor made specifically for him to see what he is cutting and cut comfortably. Most tables in the school have drawers and compartments on the right, making it a problem for left-handed students. Notebooks, too, have a binding on the left side, which poses a unique issue for such kids. Left-handed children end up being knocked in their chest by the elbows of right-handed people when they sit next to them. However, they soon learn to sit on the left edge of a table and avoid problems. Default settings of a computer mouse are meant for right-handed people. This can be easily corrected by switching the keys in the control panel. A simple activity like tying the shoelaces or buttoning a shirt can be quite difficult when a right-handed person teaches them. How to Raise a Left-Handed Child? As parents, teaching a left-handed child and raising him the right way can pose challenges, we are not quite prepared to handle. Here’s how you can do them better. 1. Never Force to Switch Hands There is nothing wrong with using a left hand for everyday activities. It is a natural trait, and that is where your child’s strength lies. Help him be better at it rather than forcibly changing it. 2. Make Use of a Mirror When your child learns a new activity by mimicking your movements, it can get further difficult for him to follow which hand is to be used exactly. Let your child observe you in a mirror and then repeat it as he sees it. This can make it easier for him. 3. Teach Writing Techniques Writing techniques for left-handed kids are different. They require holding the pen differently and writing it in a manner that doesn’t stress the wrists and spoil the pages as they write. Many school teachers are unaware of these techniques, and it is up to you to ensure your child learns it the right way. 4. Use a Creative Approach Since left-handed kids have a dominant right brain, make use of creative techniques to develop their skills. Writing their name in reverse order, or making a mirror reflection of it, can help their visual and spatial development and boost their brainpower, too. 5. Make Changes to Suit Your Child Change things to suit your child and not the other way around. Purchase a left-handed scissor, change the control panel settings for your mouse, and change the study desk at home, so that your child feels accepted and comfortable in the environment he lives in. Tips for Teaching Left-Handed Kids to Write There are certain writing tips for a left-handed child that can help him develop the skillset and a level of comfort in handling a pen and writing easily. 1. Let Him Use Both Hands For a While It may take your child a while before he starts preferring one hand over the other. Therefore, let him use both his hands until he makes a choice. 2. Hold the Pencil Properly Teach your child to use the tripod grasp by pinching the pencil with the thumb and index finger, and using the third finger for support below. 3. Position the Hand Correctly Let him start holding the fingers above the tip so that he doesn’t have to flick his wrist to see what he has written. 4. Don’t Get Specialised Equipment Except for scissors, don’t disable your child by getting him special pencils meant for left-handed kids, unless deemed necessary by a paediatrician. 5. Proper Positioning of the Paper Left-handed kids ought to keep the paper on their left side so that they can easily see what they are writing and be quick at it. You don’t need to be a left-handed person in order to understand your left-handed child’s challenges in the world. Give him the right guidance and accept him for who he is, for that will be the best support he can rely on to overcome any challenge in his life. Also Read: Helpful Tips Improve Your Child’s Handwriting Tips to Build Confidence in Kids Good Manners to Teach Your Child Read more

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15 Months Old Baby Food Chart

When you are used to a typical meal schedule, running out of ideas for meals or snacks for a 15-month-old child is natural. The nutritional requirements for adults and kids are quite different; figuring out what food items can suffice them can be tricky. A proper meal plan and a simple schedule can be handy here. The American Academy of Paediatrics states that roughly 50% of calories should come from fat within the first two years following birth. Also, a 15-month-old should consume nearly 13g of protein daily, according to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Getting your child a meal plan can be taxing for sure. However, consider involving your little one in this planning and preparation process to make it a fun experience for both of you. This article has brought together important insights regarding your 15-month baby diet chart. Video: Food Ideas for 15 Month Old Baby Nutrient Requirements for a 15 Months Old Child The nutritional requirements for a 15-month-old child are all-encompassing. There is a necessity for all the major nutrients to be present in the appropriate quantities, even with reduced food intake. 1. Supporting nutrients With reduced food intake, the chances of minor nutrients such as probiotics, omega-3 acids and others falling short in their required proportion are quite high. Therefore, a special focus is needed to ensure these are included in the diet. 2. Water Including water, especially in the diet, is highly recommended since most kids won’t remember to have as much water as they should. Roughly a litre of water is the least your child should drink daily. 3. Iron The requirement for iron from other food items increases strongly as your child grows up since his dependency on breastmilk, the primary source of iron will begin to reduce. Ensure he gets 7mg of iron daily from his food intake. 4. Sodium The major food item that provides us with sodium is salt. While that might usually take care of the general requirement of a child amongst other food items, households that sparingly use salt should take extra care of this. 5. Fibre Bowel movement and proper digestion are how your children can truly get the benefits that all the nutrients provide. Including fibre in the diet ensures this and keeps the rest of the body functioning optimally. 6. Carbohydrates The powerhouse of all energy, these form the core of any meal that your kid would have. There should be no compromise in the number of carbohydrates since there is a vast dependency of various bodily processes on it. 7. Proteins Vegetarian families might worry about providing their kids with the necessary amount of protein they need. While meat does provide a substantial amount of protein, there are vegetarian alternatives providing good nutrition, too. 8. Calories The growth rate of your kid might not be as rapid as it was during his early baby days. This results in a calorie requirement of around a kilocalorie or so daily, which increases gradually over the years. How Much Food Does Toddler Need at 15th Month? Depending on your child’s physical activities and metabolism, a toddler’s food requirements stay within the range of 1000 to 1400 calories within the first few years. Hence, breakfast ideas and meal options must strike a balance together to ensure proper nutrition for the child. Best Foods for Fifteen-Month-Old Baby Some specific food items make great choices in giving your little one a wholesome meal that provides the necessary nutrition. 1. Meat It is important to know that little kids cannot have large pieces of meat such as steaks or hams like adults. The protein requirement for their age can be substantially satisfied by opting for lean meat alternatives, such as minced pork, soft fish, crumbled chicken or ham, and so on. Precautions need to be taken when including seafood in their diet. 2. Legumes and Nuts While eggs also make for a great meal choice to provide your kids with proteins and fats, vegetarians can rejoice with a better alternative in legumes and nuts. Giving nuts directly to your kid is not advised since it can be a choking hazard. However, using food items that contain nuts as an element shouldn’t be a problem. 3. Vegetables Most kids will start eating their veggies around this age. Certain items might still be a bit difficult to chew, and those can be either boiled or steamed to soften them up. Avoid fried vegetables and opt for a variety that gives your kid a wider taste spectrum to enjoy. 4. Grains Parents are suggested to go for whole grain varieties when choosing food items, as an easy way to keep up with the nutrient requirement of your child. These can exist in variants of roti, rice and pasta as well. On the other hand, any fortified cereals free from artificial additions make for a great choice, too. 5. Fruits Not only do fruits provide your kid with a different range of tastes as compared to other food items, but the presence of natural fibre in them also helps in stimulation of the digestive system as well as help in procuring different vitamins. 6. Snacks While your little one might munch of tiny pieces of cookie or toast, it is best to avoid giving any sugar-heavy products early in life. Make use of cheese based items or steamed veggies to satiate the random cravings. 7. Oil Even a 15-month-old baby requires fat, much more than anybody else. Those are the energy reserves that keep them going. Opt for oils that have no trans fats or go for alternatives like butter. 8. Dairy A combination of protein and calcium is highly necessary for kids at this age since their bones and muscles need to be strong. Make sure you include whole milk and some yoghurt in your kid’s diet. 9. Juices Although it is best your kids have fruits instead of juices, these still can be a great addition to his diet, but only when pressed fresh and absent of any additions. Don’t replace water intake with juices. 10. Multivitamins The body’s constitution or family lifestyle might make a nutrient deficiency possible in a child. Such a scenario must be combated with a multivitamin that can supplement dietary shortfalls. 11. Berries Berries are great 15-month-old baby foods because they are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and fibre. Berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are all great choices for babies. For added nutrition and flavour, they can be served whole, mashed, and mixed with other foods, such as oatmeal or yoghurt. Berries are also easy for little hands to grasp and can be a fun and healthy snack for your baby to enjoy. 12. Lean Proteins Lean proteins, such as chicken, turkey, fish, and tofu, are important for babies as they provide essential nutrients, such as protein and iron, needed for growth and development. These foods can be served in small, bite-sized pieces that are easy for your baby to handle or mashed or pureed for younger babies. Video: Diet Plan for 15 Month Old Baby 15 Month Old Baby Food Chart/Meal Plan Putting together a baby diet chart for 15-month-old kids isn’t an easy task. Referring to the one below, you can create your own that best suits your child. Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 1, Day 1 Breakfast Rajgira(amaranth) puff milkshake with chopped anjeer(fig) Mid-morning Chopped pear / apple Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato Evening Seviyan(semolina) porridge Dinner Paratha + paneer(cottage cheese) bhurji Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 1, Day 2 Breakfast Boiled egg yolk or homemade paneer(cottage cheese) Mid-morning Chopped melon Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Chikoo(sapota) milkshake Dinner Vegetable soup + fried rice + a few slices of carrot Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 1, Day 3 Breakfast Besan(gram flour)-jowar(sorghum)-coriander chilla made with curd Mid-morning Orange juice Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + grated carrot Evening Palak(spinach) dhokla Dinner Mixed vegetable khichdi with kadhi Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 1, Day 4 Breakfast Besan(gram flour) chilla with grated carrots Mid-morning Chikoo(sapota) milkshake Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Sweet potato + poha(flatenned rice) powder Dinner Whole wheat pasta in homemade tomato puree Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 1, Day 5 Breakfast Vegetable upma made with buttermilk Mid-morning Date and skimmed milk powder ladoo Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of boiled beetroot Evening Carrot-beetroot soup with mashed murmura(puffed rice) Dinner Dal khichdi with vegetable soup Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 1, Day 6 Breakfast Omelette with bread or paneer(cottage cheese) sandwich Mid-morning Palak(spinach) + grapes-apple smoothie Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening 2-3 paneer(cottage cheese)-anjeer(fig) ladoo Dinner Stuffed parathas with curd or lassi Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 1, Day 7 Breakfast Rajgira(amaranth)- wheat sheera with mashed raisins Mid-morning Date ladoo mixed with chana(chickpeas) powder + milk Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato Evening Papaya and pear cubes Dinner Roti + sabzi + dal fry Ensure the child has at least half a cup of milk every day. Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 2, Day 1 Breakfast 1 egg or paneer(cottage cheese) paratha with green chutney Mid-morning 1 glass of apple milkshake Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato Evening Seviyan(semolina) porridge Dinner Paneer(cottage cheese) cutlets with broccoli soup and toast Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 2, Day 2 Breakfast Scrambled eggs + multigrain toast + 1 glass of fresh orange juice Mid-morning 1 glass of chocolate milkshake Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Whole wheat crackers with dahi(curd)-palak(spinach) dip Dinner Paneer(cottage cheese) or egg pulao with vegetable raita Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 2, Day 3 Breakfast Rajgira(amaranth) puff porridge with almond and walnut powder Mid-morning Papaya Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + grated carrot Evening Boiled sweet potato with chaat masala(spice powder mix) Dinner Chole(chickpeas) paratha and pumpkin soup Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 2, Day 4 Breakfast 1 cup of poha + 1 small glass of fresh orange juice Mid-morning 1 glass of milk Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Paneer(cottage cheese) cubes with honey or chaat masala(spice powder mix) Dinner Ragi(finger millet)-wheat roti with any sabzi and dal Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 2, Day 5 Breakfast French toast + 1 glass of fresh apple juice Mid-morning 1 glass of chikoo(sapota) milkshake Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of boiled beetroot Evening Rajgira(amaranth) ladoo dipped in milk Dinner Spinach-quinoa khichdi with curd Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 2, Day 6 Breakfast Dhokla + green chutney Mid-morning Strawberry yoghurt or banana raita Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Ragi(finger millet) satva Dinner Baingan(brinjal) bharta with bajra(pearl millet) roti and kadhi Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 2, Day 7 Breakfast 1 egg or besan(gram flour) omelette Mid-morning Custard apple milkshake Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato Evening Potato-cheese lollipop Dinner Drumstick soup with moringa leaves+ paneer(cottage cheese) paratha Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 3, Day 1 Breakfast Vegetable upma made with buttermilk Mid-morning Date and skimmed milk powder ladoo Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato Evening Potato and dahi(curd) chaat Dinner Vegetable khichdi with dahi or kadhi Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 3, Day 2 Breakfast Whole wheat pancakes with honey or sugar and milk Mid-morning Palak(spinach) + grapes- apple smoothie Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Wheat and soy flour cookies with milk Dinner 1-2 small star-shaped jowar(sorghum)-paneer(cottage cheese)-palak(spinach) paratha Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 3, Day 3 Breakfast Jowar(sorghum) puff porridge Mid-morning Date ladoo mixed with chana(chickpeas) powder + milk Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + grated carrot Evening Paneer(cottage cheese) cubes with honey or chaat masala(spice powder mix) Dinner Peas and potato sabzi with paratha Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 3, Day 4 Breakfast Murmura(puffed rice) porridge with almond powder Mid-morning Mango/strawberry yoghurt with oats Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Apple kheer + carrot paratha Dinner Dal khichdi with grated carrot Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 3, Day 5 Breakfast 1 cup of poha + 1 small glass of fresh orange juice Mid-morning Oats-apple smoothie Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of boiled beetroot Evening Dalia(broken wheat) Dinner Shahi paneer with paratha and tomato- mushroom soup Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 3, Day 6 Breakfast French toast + 1 glass of fresh apple juice Mid-morning Peanut ladoo Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Methi(fenugreek leaves) thepla + lauki(bottle gourd) kofta Dinner Idli with non-spicy sambar Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 3, Day 7 Breakfast Multigrain chilla + milk Mid-morning Mashed potato with cheese Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato Evening Fruit milkshake Dinner Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 4, Day 1 Breakfast Fruit custard Mid-morning Sattu(barley) ladoo Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato Evening Grilled carrot coins with cheese Dinner Methi(fenugreek leaves) paratha with lauki(bottle gourd) kofta Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 4, Day 2 Breakfast Grated cucumber and oats pancake Mid-morning Methi(fenugreek leaves) puri Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Seviyan(semolina) porridge Dinner Paneer(cottage cheese) cutlets with palak(spinach) soup and toast Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 4, Day 3 Breakfast Vegetable upma made with buttermilk Mid-morning Mashed and deseeded custard apple Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + grated carrot Evening Whole wheat crackers with dahi(curd)-palak(spinach) dip Dinner Kadhi chawal and tomato slices Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 4, Day 4 Breakfast Omelette with bread or paneer(cottage cheese) sandwich Mid-morning Melon juice Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Homemade French fries or aloo(potato) chips Dinner 1 small cup chole(chickpeas) + 2 small puri + 1 small glass lassi Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 4, Day 5 Breakfast Rajgira(amaranth) wheat sheera with mashed raisins Mid-morning Scrambled eggs or paneer(cottage cheese) ladoo Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of boiled beetroot Evening Makhana(fox nut) + chocolate milkshake Dinner Fish curry or paneer(cottage cheese) curry with rice Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 4, Day 6 Breakfast Mini Kanchipuram idlis with chutney Mid-morning Murmura sev Lunch Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber Evening Sliced apple or banana Dinner Paneer(cottage cheese) paratha with capsicum sabzi Diet for a 15-month-old – Week 4, Day 7 Breakfast Scrambled egg + multigrain toast + 1 glass of chocolate milkshake Mid-morning Boiled chana(chickpeas) chaat Lunch Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato Evening Mango milkshake Dinner Peas and potato sabzi with paratha Video: 15 Month Old Baby Food Recipes Food Recipes for a 15 Months Old Baby For parents struggling with unique meals or lunch ideas for their 15-month-old kid, these recipes can provide a quick escape as well as stoke their imagination to make some more. 1. Curd Rice The quintessential food preparation that works wonders no matter when and where you have it. Ingredients Black gram Ginger Curry leaves Green chilli Red Chilli Oil Mustard seeds Salt Cream Curd Milk Cooked rice How To Prepare Take the cooked rice and mash it well. Add milk to it and stir it all together. Follow it up with the curd and cream and stir it again. Take a pan and put some oil in it. Put all the seasoning elements together and heat them well. Add some oil and pour in the rice into this. 2. Khichdi What might be comfort food for adults in their illness, is a perfect lunch item for young kids, providing great nutrition. Ingredients Pepper powder Turmeric Ghee Salt Vegetables Red gram Rice How To Prepare Take the rice and dal together and wash them well. Keep them soaked underwater for about 30 minutes. Until then, take the vegetables and chop them properly. Add these to the rice and dal bowl. Place this inside a cooker and let it sit on medium heat until two whistles. Release the pressure and check if the rice is cooked. Take it out in a bowl and mash it with ghee. Add salt, pepper and turmeric for added taste and mix properly. 3. Pasta Kheer Caught you by surprise? Let your child also revel in delight when he comes across this weirdly beautiful recipe. Ingredients Milk Rice flour Green cardamoms Jaggery syrup Pasta Water How To Prepare Take a pan and add water to it. Bring it to a boil, add the pasta, cook it, and drain it well. Add ghee and butter with some cashews in another pan and roast them well. Follow up with milk and let it boil. Add the pasta to it and cook it all together. In a cup, add milk, water and the rice flour. Mix it all properly till it is smooth. Pour it into the pan and stir continuously. Once the kheer is thick, add cardamom seeds with jaggery syrup, and serve. 4. Roasted Green Beans Do away with the usual boring snacks and add a great flavour to this healthy option to make your child love greens. Ingredients Extra virgin olive oil Sea salt Green beans How To Prepare Start by heating the oven to a temperature of 425 degrees. Keep a pan inside it for 8-10 minutes. Add the beans in a bowl and pour a little oil while sprinkling some salt. Toss them all together to mix it well. Spread these beans on a sheet laid on the tray, without letting them cover each other. Place them in the oven for around 10 minutes to make them crispy and soft. 5. Purple Veggie Puree For kids that are bored with the same old purees, this vividly coloured version will have their eyes light up instantly. Ingredients Water Lemon juice Frozen spinach Blueberries How To Prepare Take a pan and add water and spinach to it together. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 8 minutes. Drain the water and mash together lemon juice, water, blueberries and spinach to form a nice thick puree. Feeding Tips With some simple tips, while feeding your kid, you can make the experience easier for you and better for the little ones. Let your kid eat from the food prepared for your family, as long as it isn’t spicy. Start teaching your kid to eat certain items with his own hands. Please don’t force your kid to finish up his food quickly. It is fine for your kid to eat intermittently than sit quietly for a full meal. Don’t fuss if your kid suddenly changes his eating habits. Make the entire experience of enjoying food items a fun-filled one. Encourage self-feeding so your child is curious about different food textures, colours and shapes. Give them finger food. This makes the self-feeding process easier as a child easily handles finger food. Small veggie fingers, nuggets, or cutlets your baby can pick up with his small hands, are the best foods to encourage self-feeding. Try involving your child in the meal-prepping or planning stage. This could be a fun learning activity for your child and make the process easier for you. Offer a variety of foods consisting of different shapes, sizes, colours and textures. If your child is a picky eater, try different food forms of the same ingredient. With numerous dinner ideas for your little kid at your disposal, your meals will take a new life in the coming weeks. Observe your child and try to see what he likes and doesn’t, to balance out his meal schedule accordingly. FAQs 1. Why Is My 15-Month Baby Chewing Food But Not Swallowing? There are a few reasons why your 15-month-old baby may be chewing their food but not swallowing it. One reason may be that they are still learning to swallow. When introducing a self-feeding baby, one must not yet be ready for certain food textures. 2. What Foods Help My 15-Month Baby to Gain Weight? By consuming high-calorie foods, a 15-month-old baby can put on weight. You can give them whole milk yoghurt, fresh ground beef, mashed potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, bananas, cooked and mashed beans, and bananas. Offering your baby these meals after thinning them with formula, breast milk, or broth is recommended. 3. How Much Food Can 15-Month-Old Eat Per Meal? According to UNICEF, a 15-month-old infant should receive three-quarters to one cup of food per meal, three to four times daily. With numerous dinner ideas for your little kid at your disposal, your meals will take a new life in the coming weeks. Observe your child and try to see what he likes and doesn’t, to balance his meal schedule accordingly. Disclaimer: Each child is different, so use these meal plans as a trusted guide at your discretion. You can modify the meals according to your child’s preferences/requirements. Never force-feed a child. While preparing the formula, please follow the instructions on the box and use the measuring spoon provided with it. While introducing solid food to a baby, initially, one needs to prepare watery gruels/soups. As a child gets older, the caretaker/ mother has to slowly increase the liquids’ thickness according to the child’s capacity to swallow. Foods that are too thick can cause stomach upset/ unnecessary load, while excessively watery food might cause the child to remain hungry. Some kids may eat less on some days, and that is absolutely alright. However, if a child eats less for more than 3-4 consecutive days, please visit a doctor to guide further. A child may eat less during the teething phase or if he/she may not be feeling well. You could increase breast milk /formula feeds on those days. Re-introduce the foods once the child is back to normal. Don’t stop feeding if the child is suffering from diarrhoea. You can alter the taste of the food by adding some natural flavours like cinnamon, jeera powder, lemon juice, curry leaves etc. if the child doesn’t accept the food initially. If your child suffers from an allergy to nuts, gluten or eggs, please consult your doctor before feeding him/her any foods that may contain them. References/Resources: 1. Nutrition Guide for Toddlers; Nemours Kidshealth; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/toddler-food.html 2. Infant and Toddler Nutrition; CDC; https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/index.html 3. Feeding & Nutrition Tips: Your 1-Year-Old; Healthy Children; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/Feeding-and-Nutrition-Your-One-Year-Old.aspx 4. Mealtime Routines and Tips; CDC; https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/mealtime/mealtime-routines-and-tips.html 5. High Calorie Diet for Infants and Toddlers; UW Health; https://patient.uwhealth.org/healthfacts/343; July 2022 6. Feeding your baby: 1–2 years; UNICEF; https://www.unicef.org/parenting/food-nutrition/feeding-your-baby-1-2-years 7. Protein; CDC; http://comenius.susqu.edu/biol/010/tobin-janzen/nutrition%20for%20everyone_%20basics_%20protein%20_%20dnpao%20_%20cdc.pdf Previous Month: 14 Months Old Baby Food Next Month: 16 Months Old Baby Food Read more

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Black Dal Recipe

All Indian foods are power-packed full meals. Lentils are a staple in every Indian household. Lentils are known as super-rich foods since they are extremely nutritious with many health benefits. Black urad dal is one of the delicacies which is liked by all age groups. Black dal for babies is delicious as it is a rich source of protein and easy to cook. This delicious dal is given to small babies and toddlers as it is easy to swallow with less effort of chewing and most importantly, it is stomach filling. Black dal is every mother’s favorite dish to cook for her baby for its nutritional benefits and is popularly known as Maa ki dal. So let us start cooking! Cooking Time Type Time (hh:mm:ss) Preparation Time 00:15:00 Cook Time 00:30:00 Total Time 00:45:00 Cooking Method Gas Stove Type of Meal Vegetarian Suitable For Babies above 13 months Meal Schedule Lunch Recipe Type Main Dish Ingredients Ingredients Quantity / Volume Black urad dal ¾ cup Chana dal 1 tbsp Chopped onion 1 Chopped tomato 1 Ginger garlic paste ½ tsp Fresh cream 1/3 cup Turmeric powder ½ tsp Red chili powder ½ tsp for color Cumin seeds 1 tsp Ghee 2 tbsp Salt as per taste Coriander leaves for garnishing ½ cup Instructions Easy and quick way on how to make black dal, here is the step by step instructions to prepare black dal. Soak the black urad dal in lukewarm water for 5 hours. Pressure cook the soaked urad dal and chana dal with 2 cups of water. Mash the pressure cooked dals well and allow it to further cook for 20 minutes. Add water to the dal to adjust the consistency and allow it to simmer on low flame. Now add cream to the cooked dal. In a non-stick pan, heat the ghee. Add ½ cup chopped onions and sauté till golden brown. Add ½ tsp ginger garlic paste and 1 tsp cumin seeds and allow frying for 2 minutes. Now add ½ cup chopped tomato, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chilli powder and allow frying for 2 minutes. Add this tadka to the cooked dal and stir well. Now according to taste add salt and allow the dal to cook for a few minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve the dal with steamed rice or just have fed a bowl of dal as it is. Recipe Tips Make sure you remember the below-mentioned points before you start preparing the healthy and simple black dal recipe for your baby. Remember to soak urad dal for 5 hours. Chop the onions and tomato. Make fresh ginger garlic paste. Use red chili powder only for color and not for taste. Do not use tap water for cooking the dal. The outer cover of apples usually has wax. Therefore, peel the apple and use only the white part of the apple. Always wash your hands well before cooking the dal. The utensils used should also be properly cleaned. Half pressure cooked dal can cause uneasiness in the stomach. Therefore cook the dal well. Nutrition Information (Per 100 Grams) Nutrient Value Energy 341 kCal Protein 25 g Carbohydrates 59 g Fibre 7 g Fat 1.6 g Calcium 0.13 mg Iron 42% Magnesium 66% Sodium 38 mg Potassium 983 mg Health Benefits Few health benefits of this home-made black dal baby food recipe. Dal is said to have the highest protein content. Therefore it is a very good source of protein for babies, mostly for babies from vegetarian households. Black gram helps in digestion as it is packed with fiber. Black dal increases bone mineral density, making your babies’ bones healthy and strong. It is good for skin. It gets digested easily making the baby’s stomach feel light. Black dal is good energy booster keeping the baby active. Black dal keeps the stomach of babies full for a longer time. Buying Guide Buy organic (if possible) and good quality dal products from a good store. Buy organic (if possible) or fresh vegetables for vendors. Check the expiry date of the spices and cream before buying it. As mothers, we always look for new innovative and healthy recipes to feed our babies. The best is what we intend to feed, so give this nutrition-rich packed black dal (maa ki dal) once in a week and see a happy smiling face and happily filled tummy playing around your house. Read more

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Your Baby this Week

You are still in your toddler’s favorite playmate at this point but you’ll notice that as he’s getting better at expressing himself through words and gestures, he will enjoy being around the other kids more. At playdates or at the park, you might notice that he’s playing near other children but not with them. This is known as parallel play, which is perfectly normal and ecouraged. Read more

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How Do Toddlers Communicate?

Toddlers don’t always communicate through words. They can also communicate through crying and their body language. Understand how your toddler communicates at every stage of growth, and learn to communicate with her. Read our simple guidelines to make this journey of words pleasant and enjoyable for both of you. A child starts communicating as soon as she is born. Crying is the first step of communication. It may seem like a simple crying spell to you, but she is actually conveying her needs (to be fed, cleaned or comforted) to you. And as she grows older, her communication skills will only get better. With her squeals of joy, cooing and babbling, she reaches another milestone in her communication journey. She soon starts recognizing things and looks at them when you ask for them. E.g. Where is your bottle? She may look at the bottle to convey her understanding of the word/question. Between 12 and 15 months, your toddler learns a few words like ‘ma-ma’, ‘pa-pa’, and other routine words like ‘water’ or ‘pani’ that help her in communicating her needs to you. With a combination of words and gestures, she can clearly indicate her needs. For example, she will start rubbing her eyes or blink them to convey that she wants to sleep, or act cranky because she is hungry. Your child hides behind you when approached by a stranger to convey her fear of new people. Between ages 15 and 18 months, she can gesture ‘bye bye’ or understand the concept of ‘sit and stand’, ‘in and out’, etc. She can point at different body parts. Her vocabulary improves as well. She can now use up to 20 words when asked. If she has a toy phone, or in case she comes across a real phone, she will talk (incoherently) on the phone as if she is holding a real conversation. By the time your toddler turns 2 years of age, she begins to use action words. She can express what she sees or wants. ‘No’ becomes an important part of her vocabulary, and it might upset you to listen to a negative word so early. But try to understand that with a ‘No’, your toddler is actually trying to assert her independence. At this stage, she knows and uses more than 100 words. She can sing nursery rhymes, though not very clearly. At 30 months, your toddler is turning into quite a communicator. She can speak short phrases such as, ‘Mummy, go out’, ‘Go park’, etc. At this stage, do not expect her to be a grammar wizard. At this stage, toddlers leave out adjectives, and other grammatical conventions. You will notice that your toddler mostly uses her name instead of ‘I’ because that’s how you have been addressing her. In a few months, she will also start using pronouns. You can also help your child in her journey of communication. Here are a few pointers: 1. Talk and Sing to your Child Your child might not be able to talk to you initially, but that should not stop you from inviting responses from her. Sing nursery rhymes to her. Talk to her as if you are holding a conversation with her. This stream of sounds will encourage your child to start talking. 2. Understanding Gestures Once your child starts gesturing or pointing at things, it might be difficult for you to understand her. This may frustrate the child for she may be unable to convey what she wants. The best way to overcome this problem is to also start pointing your finger at different objects as her. Ask her ‘What’s over there?’ or ‘Are you showing me a big green ball?’ This shows her that you want to understand, and helps her build her vocabulary at the same time. Even if she can’t answer you, she is learning words from you that she will soon put to use. 3. Complete Her Sentences If your toddler says ‘Eat’, ‘Go home’ or ‘Baby sleep’, complete her sentences by saying, ‘You want to eat? I will give you something to eat’, or ‘Baby is sleeping now, let’s play with her later.” This will help develop her language skills. 4. Use Real Words Instead of using baby talk like ‘mum mum’, ‘nom nom’, etc., to signal food, milk or bottle, use real words with your toddler. 5. Give her Simple Directions to Follow Instead of using complex words, give her simple directions like ‘Go and find your pink hat’ or ‘Keep your shoes in the cupboard’. 6. Correct her Grammar Carefully Your child is just beginning to work out the basics of grammar. However, she will often get it wrong. Don’t work yourself up because of it. If your child says ‘I eat lunch yesterday,’ don’t rush to correct her . Instead, let her learn the correct language from you. For example, tell her ‘So you ate lunch yesterday?’ This will get the correct language across to her without being corrected. 7. Use Lots of Different Words Improve her vocabulary by telling her the names of the objects she is playing with, and also by using different words. Whenever you step out, always show her things around you, so that she can understand, learn their names and build her vocabulary. Although every child develops at a different pace, if by 15 to 18 months, your toddler does not point at things, you should consult her paediatrician. You want to be sure that your child is developing as per the expected milestones, and that it is not a case of language or speech developmental delay. Read more

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Diet Plan for 24 Month 3 Week Old Toddler

Introduction In your child’s second year, there will be more developmental changes that require more fuel in the form of nutrients. Good fats are one of the best sources of fuel – enrich your child’s diet with almonds, cashew nuts, walnuts, dates, and seed like flaxseed as they can give your child energy to go on. Nut butters are also a great idea in that regard. Here’s what you should feed your child this week: Food Menu & Schedule for 24 Month 3 Week Old Toddler Diet for a 24-month-old – Week 3, Day 1 Breakfast Grated cucumber-oats pancake Mid-morning Cut fruits Lunch Mini roti + dal + any sabzi of choice + a few slices of carrot/cucumber/tomatoes + 1 spoon of coriander /mint chutney Evening Grilled sweet potato slices Dinner Chole puri + lassi Diet for a 24-month-old – Week 3, Day 2 Breakfast Vegetable upma made with buttermilk Mid-morning Paneer(cottage cheese)-apple mash Lunch Mini roti + dal + any sabzi of choice + a few slices of carrot/cucumber/tomatoes + 1 spoon of coriander /mint chutney Evening Oats-apple smoothie Dinner Makki(corn) ki roti + sarson ka saag Diet for a 24-month-old – Week 3, Day 3 Breakfast Omelette with bread or paneer(cottage cheese) sandwich Mid-morning Bread slices with butter/home made fruit jam Lunch Mini roti + dal + any sabzi of choice + a few slices of carrot/cucumber/tomatoes + 1 spoon of coriander /mint chutney Evening Paneer(cottage cheese)-dates ladoo Dinner Mix vegetable-paneer(cottage cheese) paratha with tomato soup Diet for a 24-month-old – Week 3, Day 4 Breakfast Rajgira(amaranth)-wheat sheera with mashed raisins Mid-morning Banana/apple/any locally available fruit Lunch Mini roti + dal + any sabzi of choice + a few slices of carrot/cucumber/tomatoes + 1 spoon of coriander /mint chutney Evening Baked potato wedges topped with cheese Dinner Paneer(cottage cheese) cutlets or grilled fish with coriander tomato soup Diet for a 24-month-old – Week 3, Day 5 Breakfast Puri sabzi with milk Mid-morning Multigrain ladoo Lunch Mini roti + dal + any sabzi of choice + a few slices of carrot/cucumber/tomatoes + 1 spoon of coriander /mint chutney Evening Plain dahi with banana/apple/ locally available fruit Dinner Baked beans with toast Diet for a 24-month-old – Week 3, Day 6 Breakfast Seviyan kheer Mid-morning Banana/apple/any locally available fruit Lunch Mini roti + dal + any sabzi of choice + a few slices of carrot/cucumber/tomatoes + 1 spoon of coriander /mint chutney Evening Banana/apple milkshake Dinner Bisi bele bath with curd Diet for a 24-month-old – Week 3, Day 7 Breakfast Vegetable upma made with buttermilk Mid-morning Fruit custard Lunch Mini roti + dal + any sabzi of choice + a few slices of carrot/cucumber/tomatoes + 1 spoon of coriander /mint chutney Evening Roasted peanuts + yoghurt Dinner Roti + sabzi + dal Conclusion When giving snacks to your child, always offer the healthier option first. Try not to give into his demands for junk food as it can only cause harm. Teach your child not to eat too quickly, and practice eating slowly. To go to the meal plan for week 4 for your 24-month-old, click here: Read more

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12 Reasons Why Your Mom Is A Hero

While growing up, people hold on to their inspirations and heroes, which inspire them to be better every day. A mother is your first mentor and your most dedicated support system, providing unwavering guidance through every challenge. For a child, his mother is the original and most influential superhero. They think – in my eyes, my mommy is a hero whose strength knows no bounds. A mother’s love is truly unconditional and beautifully rare, forming an unbreakable bond. And why not! A mother intuitively knows what is best for her child and will go to any length to encourage and protect her child. Reasons Why My Mom Is a Real Superhero Here are every reason that will definitely make you say ‘my mum, my hero’. 1. You Can Discuss Anything With Her Isn’t your mom the first person that comes to your mind whenever you have an issue to discuss? No matter what the problem is, your mom is ready to hear you without judgment. You can be honest with her, and she will listen to you with nothing but compassion. 2. She Will Always Encourage You to Do Your Best A mother is always willing to encourage her children and help them in any way she can. She will lead you by example and counsel you to perform better every day. 3. She Is Your Number One Cheerleader She teaches you to be your own person and follow your heart. She will be with you in every decision you make, cheering aloud. 4. You Never Stop Learning From Her No matter how much you grow up, you can never stop learning from your mother. A mom teaches her child everything from how to walk to how to make big decisions in life. 5. She Is the Kindest and Selfless Person in Your Life Your mom is the most selfless person you will come across in your life. Her sacrifices for you will teach you kindness and selflessness. 6. She Always Teaches You to Do the Right Thing A mom will never let her children do wrong, no matter how easy the wrong path is. She will encourage you to choose the right path. You can always count on her to point you in the right direction. 7. She Always Gives the Best Advice You will run to your mom for all problems, and her advice never fails to solve the problems. She knows what is best for you and gives you some life-saving advice. 8. She Cares a Lot for You Your mom will always treat you like a baby, and no matter how old you grow, she will always be there for you. She will pray for you, she will encourage you, and she will celebrate your victory more than anyone else. 9. She Knows You Better Than Yourself A mom knows what her child is feeling even before he says it. Your mom can read your emotions and knows what will cheer you up when you are feeling blue. 10. She Loves You, Unconditionally Your mom will continue to love you above all the mistakes you make, whatever you say or however you behave. Her love will never subside. 11. She Will Always Protect You Your mother’s maternal instinct is one of the reasons why she is your hero. She protects her child and acts as the first line of defence whenever her child is in trouble. 12. Your Mom Sacrifices a Lot for You Moms are the best at multitasking. You may take her for granted, but she juggles her work problems and family, and still manages to balance everything out. She will wake up early and go to bed, at last, to take care of everyone’s needs. She always manages to pull off everything with a broad smile. FAQs 1. Does having a mom as a hero mean she never makes mistakes? No, absolutely not. Recognising your mom as a hero means you see and admire her strength, sacrifices, and love despite her being human and making mistakes. Her flaws don’t take away from her heroic qualities; they make her efforts even more real and relatable. 2. My mom isn’t a superhero from the movies. How can she be a hero? Real heroes aren’t defined by superpowers or capes. A hero is someone of exceptional strength, courage, and kindness who puts others before themselves. Your mom is a hero in the most real way possible—through her resilience, her guidance, and her endless capacity to love and protect you. Everyone says this with absolute certainty: my mom is my hero. Your mom deserves all the appreciation in the world. Go, tell her mom you are my superhero because she deserves it. Also Read: Why Being a Mother Is so Special Lovely Nicknames for Mother Beautiful Quotes for a New Mother Thank You Messages and Quotes for Mother Strong Mom Quotes To Inspire Your Inner Strength Read more

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Mother's Day Gifts – 50+ Unique & Creative Ideas

Moms always know what to get for their kids, and it’s only fair that they get their share of special treatment on Mother’s Day. You can get little things that you know your mom would love and use or make things on your own to add a personal touch to the whole gifting experience. There is no doubt that your mom will love anything that you give her or make for her. But if you’re undecided about what to get your mom this Mother’s Day, then here are a few ideas of good Mother’s Day gifts that may be worth considering. Customized Or Personalized Mother’s Day Gifts Personalized Mother’s Day gifts add a heartfelt touch that makes every present truly special. They show love, thoughtfulness, and create lasting memories your mom will cherish forever. 1. World’s Best Mom Goodies Reminding your mom that she is the best can be done in a way that she is bound to remember. Mugs, pillows or kitchen magnets on which ‘World’s Best Mom’ is printed can be perfect for Mother’s Day. You can add more items to the list to suit your mom’s needs. These are the things that your mom will use every day and be reminded of your gift. 2. Customised Wooden Photo Plaque Get a picture of your mom, or of you and your mom engraved on a wooden photo plaque and gift it to your mom. You can even get a picture of the whole family on it, with a special message for mom. It’s a simple gift that speaks volumes and one that she will remember for years to come. 3. Necklace A lovely little necklace that your mom can wear every day can also make for great mother’s day gifts from daughters and sons alike. You can even pick up some bracelets, bangles or earrings, whatever your mom loves wearing the most and make a set out of it that she will definitely love. 4. Custom Coasters Is she a stickler for table etiquettes? A set of customised coasters to keep her guests from leaving a mark on her favourite table-top can be a wonderful gift for her. You can have the coaster engraved with messages or get ones with pictures that she would enjoy. 5. Framed Family Tree A family tree with customised branches and names, all framed into a pretty picture, is sure to be a tearjerker mother’s day gift from kids. You could even have a few quotes or messages added to it. 6. Customised Apron Is baking or cooking something that your mother enjoys doing? An apron with the ‘World’s Best Mom’ written on it can be something that she would love. You can also pick some lovely designs of aprons if your mom would like those better. 7. Customised Smartphone Case Add a personal touch to your mom’s phone case by gifting her a customised cover for her phone. The customised cover photo can be anything like her favourite family photo, your mom and dad’s photo, etc. She’ll love to carry around her favourite people and moments with her all day. Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for New Moms Mother’s Day is extra special for new moms, as they celebrate their first journey into motherhood. Thoughtful gifts can help them relax, feel appreciated, and enjoy this beautiful new chapter. 1. A Planner or a Diary If you are aware that your mom has been trying really hard to plan her day or follow a diet, you could gift her a planner. It can be a gift that she uses every single day and one that finally allows her to plan her day and pen it down or simply use it as a journal to record the memories that she makes with you. It can turn into a beautiful habit that she can look back at years from now. 2. Handy Clutch If she’s always losing coins and little items like her lipstick in the corner of her bag, you can think of gifting her a little clutch. She can use this to keep all those things organised and pull them out of her bag whenever she needs it in a jiffy. 3. Gift her a Book Has she been talking about a book she wants to buy or does she simply love reading? What better gift to give a reader mom than a book she would enjoy? Give her the chance to sit back and enjoy mother’s day with a book in hand. Pick up a book that she’s always wanted to read or get her one that will interest her. 4. Bed Wedge Reading Pillow Nothing can beat the comfort of being able to lie down on the bed and read a good book. This pillow is designed for readers and nests between the headboard and the mattress to give your mom a comfortable reading position. 5. Cookbook Proud of how your mom always whips up new recipes for you? Give her the chance to add more recipes to her list with a cookbook gift. She may love it enough to try something out right then. 6. Jewellery Jewellery is said to be a woman’s most prized possession. And buying a unique jewellery piece that’s both rare and thoughtful can be one of the best gifts for your mother. Take it a step ahead by adding on a monogram pendant and gift wrapping it in a beautiful handcrafted box or a cover paper. 7. Bath Bombs What’s better for a mom than a day where she has to do the bare minimum and just relax? Make this happen with a set of natural handmade bath bombs. Let her have her day of pure relaxation. 8. Spa Gift Coupon A rejuvenating and calming spa experience will be a gift that your mother will be thankful for. She can catch up on some well-deserved and much-needed pampering at a spa and will always remember this thoughtful present for a long time! 9. Portable Speaker A portable speaker is indeed a unique gift that you can gift your mother on this special day. She can take this speaker anywhere she goes in the house or yard and even on trips. If you wish to make this gift more unique, you can customise it by getting her name or photo printed on the speaker. Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Running short on time? These last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas are quick, thoughtful, and perfect for making your mom feel loved without the stress of planning. 1. Treat Her to Ice Cream Mommies love ice cream too. Buy her a whole bucket of the sundae that she can sit and enjoy with you or the family. Make Mother’s Day a family affair that everyone can enjoy. You can also take her out for an ice cream party! 2. Vases and Aromatic Candles Do you see your mom always trying to decorate the interiors of your home? Or is collecting aromatic candles or vases her hobby? Then these are just right. You can choose from a variety of these and choose the one that your mom would love. Budget-Friendly Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Here are some wonderful choices of mother’s day gifts that will surely bring a smile to your mom’s face. You can also add your own touch or use a combination of these to make a unique gift that would mean something special to your mom. 1. An Ice Mould If your mom loves her beverages and wine cold, then what better than an ice mould! You could make it special by filling it up with some water and adding slices of citrus fruits or herbs to it to add to the look. It’s the perfect gift for your mom that she can flaunt when her friends come over for a get-together. 2. Add to Her Garden If your mom has been nurturing a beautiful garden, nothing would please her more than gifting her little saplings that she’s always wanted to add to her collection. You can also think of getting her some handy tools for her garden. Hand pruners, garden tool bag, etc., can be perfect for her. 3. Hanging Garden Grow Kit Another wonderful gift for a garden-loving mom is a grow kit that will allow her to enjoy a mini, indoor-hanging garden. The kit can have a hanging terrarium, decorative rocks and more for a fancy little hanging garden indoors. 4. French Press If a morning cup of coffee is something that your mom cannot miss, a beautiful French press machine can lift her mood. It’s petite, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and makes a mean cup of coffee. 5. Bonsai Plant A bonsai plant is perfect for moms who would love to keep an indoor or balcony garden. They are low maintenance and look lovely in their little pots. Gift one to your mother this Mother’s Day to put a smile on her face. 6. Wall Garden All moms will love a small piece of natural beauty on their patio walls. Gift your mom a beautiful wall garden, and she can sit outside with a cup of coffee to admire it. 17 Homemade (DIY) Mother’s Day Gifts Here are some Mother’s Day gifts that you could make for your mother: 1. Painted Bead Bracelets Make a beautiful and personalised bracelet for your mom that she can be proud to wear. It’s simple and can be done in collaboration with your siblings if they’re up for it. If you’re an only child, you can do all of it yourself. What you will need Wooden beads Ribbon Paint How to make Pick up some wooden beads and paint them or decorate them as you would like to. You can add your personal touch to it. If you have siblings, each bead could represent a sibling, and it can be personalised as per their preferences. Once you’re done painting, let the beads dry. Now pass a ribbon through the holes of the beads to make a bracelet. Tie the ribbon in a knot on both ends of the beads to keep them from slipping out. Write a small note along with it and gift your creation to your mom. 2. Heart on Canvas What’s better for a mom than an artistic representation of her children’s love? This fingerprint art will give her memories for years to come. What you will need Canvas Paint How to make Get a small canvas. Now dab some paint on your fingers and press the fingers onto the canvas. Now using some paintbrushes, carefully turn these prints into beautiful hearts. You can also have all your siblings put their fingerprints on it to make it a combined gift. Once you’re done, you can write a message on the board before gifting it to your mom. You can also date it so that she can still remember the moment years later. 3. Spring Rolls Source: Pinterest Show your mom that you can turn waste into art with this toilet roll flower art. It’s simple, and it’s something that your mom can keep on her bedside table. What you will need Empty toilet paper rolls Paint Stapler Glue How to make Take an empty toilet paper roll and fold it right in the middle. Repeat this with another three rolls. You will then need to staple the open ends of each roll with the other to make it look like a flower. You may ask for help from an adult to do this. You can stick a paper ball at the centre of the flower to give it a finished look. Now fold another roll in half and insert a skewer through its centre to make it look like the stalk and leaves. Stick the other end of the skewer to one of the rolls on the flower to finish it. 4. Mini Succulent Garden Creating a mini version of your mom’s favourite garden succulents for her tabletop can go very well as a mother’s day gift. What you will need Small pots. You can use recycled pots or teacups or just about anything that will hold a few pebbles and soil. Small pebbles Soil Cuttings of various succulents Popsicle stick Craft glue A small piece of a chart paper How to make You can pick out small clippings of succulents like agave, cactus, aloe, etc., from your mother’s garden or elsewhere. You will need to cut these clippings carefully and allow them to sit out of direct sunlight for two or three days until they develop a callous. You may need to get some help from an adult for this. Pick up some pebbles from the garden and add them to the base of the pot that you are using. You can even decorate and paint the pot for added charm. After this, cover the pebbles with some soil. Now, dig tiny wells in the soil and neatly place the succulents. Cut a popsicle stick in half. Make a small heart out of the chart paper and write a message like ‘Love you, mom’. Stick this to the end of the popsicle stick before sticking the stick into the soil. 5. Clay Pots Get your hands dirty for this present. Using some air-dry clay, you can make wonderful pots for your mom that you can decorate as per your wish. What you will need Air-dry clay Paint, beads, buttons, etc How to make Take the air dry clay and squeeze it with your hands to loosen it a little. Then make a crab claw with your hands and stick only the thumbs in the middle of the clay. Using your fingers, start pinching the edges of the clay in order to give it the shape of a pot. You can get creative and create different shapes as you would like. Once you’re happy with the shape, you can allow it to dry. You may need to let it dry for a day before you begin to paint. You can now stick beads or paint over it to make it look all the more beautiful. 6. Personalised Candles Source: Pinterest Add a custom design to a beautiful candle, and gifting it to your mom can also be a great option for Mother’s Day. This is simple and doesn’t take that long either. What you will need Thick pillar candles Toothpick Paper towels Paint How to make Etch a design or a message on the candle with a toothpick. You can do this yourself or get help from an adult. Brush off any excess wax on the candle. Paint the design with a paintbrush. Using a paper towel, wipe the paint on the surface off. You can use a damp cloth to remove residues from the design as well. 7. Handprinted Tote Source: Pinterest Make a personalized tote bag for your mom to carry things around as your perfect mother’s day gift. It’s as simple as getting one from the store and decorating it. What you will need Simple tote bag Paint How to make Get a simple tote bag. It’s better if it’s in plain colours, like white or beige. Insert cardboard or plastic inside the tote to prevent the colours from seeping to the other side. Apply paint on your hands and make handprint designs on the tote. You can make five handprints in a circle to look like the petals of a flower and use paint to complete the stalk and the leaves. Once you’re done with the design, let it dry and gift it to your mom. 8. A Box of Love What do you give a mom that has everything or desires nothing? Love! You give her love wrapped in a beautiful little box that will always remind her of you. What you will need A simple old box. Any square box or jewellery box will do Ribbons Paint Decorative beads, gems, etc. How to make Paint the box to make it look brighter and prettier. You can add any decorative embellishments you want on the box and let it dry. Wrap a ribbon around the box and tie it into a nice knot. Gift this to your mom with a poem and remind her that whenever she needs some love, all she has to do is clutch this box close to her heart. 9. A Jar Full of Memories Do you remember a time you spent together as a family that you wish you could revisit? Does your mom often talk about it too? This jar of memories idea is a perfect way to help her keep those memories within reach. What you will need Photos, items or anything that links to the moment or vacation in question A Jar Ribbons and cards with messages How to make Collect everything you can remember from that moment that would rekindle the memory. It could be pictures, a keepsake you picked up, etc. Now arrange them in a jar. You can also add some ribbons around the jar or use tiny placards that carry messages for your mom in the jar. This is a perfect gift for the tabletop for your mom and the one you would’ve put a lot of thought into. 10. Minibook – ‘Ten things I love about You’ Source: Pinterest Reminding your mom that she is special is a perfect way to lift her spirits up on mother’s day. This mini-book is a simple gift that requires a lot of thought and can get the whole family to be a part of it. What you will need Cards A ring or a ribbon to tie the cards together Pens or colour pencils Magazine clippings or any print that reminds you of mom How to make Look for images and writings that remind you of your mom to make the mini-book colourful. On each card, write why you love your mom. It can be because she gives the best hugs or makes the best cookies. You can even draw little images next to them. Once you’ve got all the ten cards in place, you will need to make a hole on the left end of each card to allow a ribbon or a ring to pass through. Once the holes are made, you can tie all the cards together and make a mini-book out of it. Gift this to your mom with a rose or a bouquet, and she will be the happiest. 11. Herb Garden Planter Source: Pinterest Now, who would not love growing herbs in the comfort of their home – all year long! Some of the popular herbs to have are mint, basil, thyme, and rosemary. Now wouldn’t your mom love this? What you will need Wooden planter box Flower pots Herb saplings Potting soil and pebbles Chalkboard paint Chalk How to make Paint two coats of chalkboard paint on the wooden planter box. Let the first coat dry before applying the second one. Place the pebbles in each flower pot to allow for proper drainage. Plant your herbs in the post with the potting soil. Place each pot in a wooden planter box. Write the names of each herb on their respective planter boxes with the chalk. 12. Gift Wrapping Paper Bouquet Source: Pinterest Rather than settle for the usual store-bought bouquet, let’s look at how to wrap a bouquet of flowers with gift wrapping paper for a gift that is sure to be appreciated. Take a colorful or printed wrapping paper and swiftly wrap a bouquet of flowers knotted with a ribbon for a beautiful gift idea that is perfect for Mother’s Day! What you will need Wrapping paper Damp kitchen tissue roll Plastic wrap Ribbon Tape Flower bouquet How to make Trim the flower stems. Cut a square piece of the gift wrapping paper proportionate to the bouquet size. Place it face down with the pointed end on top. Place the plastic wrap on top, followed by a damp kitchen tissue. The plastic wrap prevents the towel from leaking onto the paper. Place the flowers on top of this and wrap the stem bottom in the wet tissue and plastic wrap to maintain the freshness. Ensure that the flowers are placed in the corner of the wrapping paper. Fold the bottom up to flatten it so that it meets the centre of the stems. Fold over one side and tuck it slightly inside. Then fold over the remaining side and tape it to the back of the bouquet so that it’s secured. Tie the ribbon bow around the wrapped flower bouquet. You can also add a tape piece to the back to prevent it from slipping. 13. Lemon Body Scrub Homemade scrubs are very easy to make and don’t cost much. Plus they also make for great DIY gifts! Let’s learn how to make a lemon sugar scrub. What you will need ½ cup organic coconut oil 2-3 tbsp of lemon zest 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups of sugar 10 drops of lemon essential oil How to make Take a glass bowl and melt the coconut oil in it for 30 seconds or until it becomes liquid in nature. Mix the lemon zest and lemon essential oil with the previously melted coconut oil. Add in the sugar and mix until the whole thing is well combined. Start with 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar and gradually add 1/2 cup until you reach the desired consistency. 14. Pearl Hairpins Pearls make everything just more beautiful. These are tiny little hair accessories that are so easy to make. With Mother’s Day coming up, these pretty pearl hairpins would make great presents. What you will need Bobby pins – 2 5mm pearls (or depending on size) – 12-14 12-14 inches of thin wire Pliers How to make Cut the wire into 7-inch pieces. This makes it easier to work with shorter pieces of wire. Now, loop the wire through the hair pin’s end and bend it such that it creates a little hook on end. The shorter end should be approximately 5mm. Next, twist both ends together to combine, thus securing them. (You can use pliers for this if you have them.) About three twists are more than enough to securely hold together the two wire pieces. Next, string a pearl onto the wire and pull it through till it reaches the bobby pin’s end. As you’re holding the pearl at the top of the bobby pin, wrap the wire between the two prongs on the hairpin. You can continue adding pearls, tightly enclosing the wire between the bobby pin’s prongs after each pearl. To complete the hairpin, wrap the wire around the hairpin’s end three-four times and cut off any extra wire. 15. DIY Coaster Source: Pinterest Your mother is going to love this simple yet chic gift, without a doubt! What you will need Wooden beads Leather string Paint How to make Paint each bead in the colour of your choice and let it dry. Cut the leather string to about 10 inches in length. You will require about 19 beads to make the coaster. Tie a knot at one end of the leather string and add each bead in a random pattern. Once you have just 2 inches of the string left, tie it into a loop that’s big enough to wrap itself securely around a bead. To use it as a coaster, wrap the bead string in on itself and tie the loop of rope over a bead to secure it. 16. Mother’s Day Coupons Trust us, this is one of the most inexpensive gifts, your mom will ever receive! What you will need Card paper Scissors Sketch pen Stapler How to make Cut each card paper into mini strips of 4”x2”. Write any simple task you would want to do for your mother on each strip with the sketch pen. Staple these strips together to form a booklet. 17. Recipe Holder This is one of the most thoughtful DIY gifts for a mom who loves cooking and has recipes from over generations. What you will need Jumbo craft sticks Acrylic paint jars Glue Permanent marker How to make Arrange 8 craft sticks horizontally. Now, glue 2 jumbo craft sticks vertically across this horizontal arrangement. Stick 4 more jumbo craft sticks over each of the vertical craft sticks. After the glue has dried, paint the craft sticks in pink colour. Glue 5 of the jumbo craft sticks horizontally to the vertical craft sticks that are at the side. Stick a jumbo craft stick at the bottom to create a base. To create a pistachio colour, mix white and green colours. Now paint the craft sticks mentioned in steps 4 & 5. Take 2 jumbo craft sticks and paint them white. Stick the craft sticks diagonally across the front side of the recipe holder. Write “Mother’s Recipes” over the white craft sticks. Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for Mother-in-law It can be difficult to find a gift that both fits your mother-in-law’s personality and shows that you care. But these gift ideas for her will do just that! After all, this is the woman who brought up your lifelong partner and made them the person they are today. Whether she’s an amazing cook, or someone who needs some time off to pamper herself, this list of gifts will surely put a smile on her face! 1. Spa Gift Basket Which woman isn’t stressed these days? Give your mother-in-law a gift that will help her relax this Mother’s Day – she’ll be so thankful! You could gift her a spa gift basket full of luxurious products and bath goodies for a relaxing day. If she’s the type who loves massages or a mani-pedi, you can also give her a gift certificate to a nearby spa.. Don’t forget to add in a very soft bathrobe or slippers! 2. Custom Cutting Board For many, a kitchen is a place for creating beautiful memories and comfort for the whole family. Keeping this in mind, a custom cutting board would be a truly gratifying gift for your mother-in-law. She’ll be thrilled with this very personalized and practical gift. 3. Bed Linens All of us deserve some beauty sleep, and that’s what makes some comfy bed linens the perfect gifting option. Keep in mind your MIL’s preferences in terms of colour, design and material. And When selected with care, a beautiful gift of bed linens can be tough to beat! 4. Bracelet If you’re looking for an understated gift for your mother-in-law, you can’t go wrong with a bracelet! Find a design that is as special as she is. You can also create a customised bracelet for her, by adding a personal touch, such as a photo, an engraving, or her birthstone. 5. Personalised Mug If your mother-in-law is a tea or a coffee drinker, she’ll reach out for a mug every day, so isn’t upgrading her mug of choice, a great idea for Mother’s Day? You can personalise it with her name, or an inspiring quote by her that has stuck to you! 6. Lamps Lamps are one of the most amazing home decor gifting options. Practical, functional, and when chosen with care, they can change or improve the look of any room. When you gift a lamp to your mother-in-law, it will immediately bring a smile to her face as this is a symbol of elegance and positivity. 7. Embroidered Purse One of our favorite gift ideas is a pretty embroidered purse. It’s one of those gifts that will never go out of style. Your mother-in-law will love to carry it for parties, brunches, and family gatherings where she won’t need anything but her makeup, phone, and some cash. It’s a must-have for the contemporary mom-in-law look! 8. Jewellery Box You can never go wrong with gifting your mother-in-law with a stylish jewellery box to store all of her favourite jewellery and trinkets. Choose one that is functional as well as looks pretty and will adorn her bedside table. 9. Essential Oils Diffuser While a trip to the spa is pleasant, this gift idea will let your MIL take a luxurious spa break whenever she desires, from the comfort of her home! Select her favourite essential oil and watch as this gift brings a smile to her face and freshness to her home! 10. Designer Scarf Mother’s Day is the ideal opportunity to show our mother-in-law just how much we love and appreciate them by gifting them something that they may not usually buy for themselves. Scarves are a great accessory that can brighten up any outfit by adding pattern, colour, and texture – and they’re the perfect gift to thank your MIL for all that she’s done for you! 11. Dinner Set It’s a known fact that every mom takes pride in the dinner set that she owns, and which is usually laid out only for special occasions, family gatherings or parties. So why not gift your mother-in-law a trendy yet elegant dinner set which she will proudly show off to her guests as a gift from her darling daughter-in-law! 12. Perfume If you’re still scratching your head wondering what to gift your MIL this Mother’s Day, a new perfume would be the ideal gifting idea. Maybe your mother-in-law is loyal to her current perfume, or if she’s looking for a change, there are many fragrance options to choose from! 13. Yoga Mat Your mother-in-law probably already has a yoga mat, but does she really have a great mat or just something affordable she picked up from the nearby store? Get your MIL the best yoga mat that provides a high-density cushion effect for a comfortable experience, and help her take her Yoga to the next level! 14. Cookie Cutters If your mother-in-law is into baking, then this is an apt gift for her. Choose from a wide range of shapes and sizes. You’ll be left spoiled for choice! 15. A Journal Have you come across your MIL penning down some random thoughts or doodles on any sheet within her reach? Then a journal would be the perfect gift to show her how much you care. She will always remember you for this practical but very thoughtful gift! 16. Flowers Flowers are always a safe bet and ideal option for any event. And the best part is that they are easily available! You can simply buy a bunch of tulips, white lilies, or roses, or you can even get a customised bouquet with different flowers for your mother-in-law! These Mother’s Day gift ideas for kids are just suggestions that you could use to create your own version and make a special and customised gift that she would love without a doubt. Making her these little gifts and giving the little things that she can use will add to this experience and give her wonderful memories to cherish for life. Also Read: Lovely Mother’s Day Quotes & Wishes Heart Melting Mothers Day Poems and Songs Mothers Day Card and Craft Ideas for Kids Read more

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Tips to Prepare Toddlers to Sleep in New Environments

Going away on a holiday or visiting friends or relatives for an overnight stay? Worried about how your munchkin will adjust to a new sleep surroundings? Read on and put your toddler at ease when sleeping away from home. Parents with toddlers often have to cope with problems related to their child’s inability to sleep away from home. Bedwetting and behavioral problems are a manifestation of separation anxiety which many toddlers experience in unfamiliar settings. Here are some things you can do to help your child adapt to a new sleep environment. How to Prepare your Child for New Sleep Environments Preparing your child to sleep away from home is perhaps the first step towards helping him adapt to a new place. Talk to your child. Give him information about where he is going, where he will be sleeping and who will take care of him. This information is something he can absorb with ease. This way sleeping in a new place will not come as a rude shock to him. Make sleeping away from home sound like an adventure. Tell your child a story, or play a little game with him to introduce him to the idea. If you are sending your child to a day care centre, show him the pictures of the centre. Once he sees the pictures, he will have something he can relate to in his head. Maintaining a Sleep-time Routine Preparing the caregiver at the new place is as important and necessary as preparing your child to sleep in a new place. Maintaining your child’s routine will help your child to adjust better. This is why you must let the caregiver know what time is bath time, bottle feed time and bedtime for the child. You can also let the caregiver know what sort of schedule you follow leading up to bedtime. If you bathe your child or read to him, sing to him or tell him stories, let the caregiver know in advance. If your child has a favorite toy or blanket that he cannot sleep without, pack them along to help him feel safe and happy. Sticking to things or schedules that a child is used to in the new sleep environment will keep things familiar. Bedwetting and Separation Anxiety Bedwetting and separation anxiety are common manifestations of insecurity arising out of sleeping away from home. They are more common than you think. Coping with them can be trying for children, especially in a new place. Here are some things parents can do to help: Never blame or deride your child for bed wetting Talk to your pediatrician for suggestions on how to deal with the problem Let caregivers know about the problem Encourage your child to overcome the problem Provide constant support and understanding Let your child know that the problem is not insurmountable Separation anxiety kicks in when a child has to stay away from his mother or primary caregiver. Children start experiencing this between seven to twelve months of age. In some cases, such anxiety attacks may continue till they are three. Talking to your child, lending support and constant reassurance will help your child. Sleeping away from home in case of toddlers calls for adjustment to early change in life. Toddlers like adults too initially resist change. However, patience, preparation, planning and communication can help in getting toddlers to sleep away from home. Read more

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Palak Paneer Recipe

Palak paneer is a traditional dish that has been quite popular in Indian households. This Punjabi style recipe can be made by cooking cottage cheese in a smooth lentil-based gravy. This mild-spiced delicious dish not only has an irresistibly taste but meets the daily nutrition needs of your child. The combination of spinach, herbs, and spices in this rich gravy makes a humble accompaniment for your steamed rice, paratha, or hot chapatti. Bookmark this recipe of how to make palak paneer easily and see how it becomes a staple in your weekly meal plan for the entire family. Cooking Time Type Time (hh:mm:ss) Preparation Time 00:15:00 Cook Time 00:30:00 Total Time 00:45:00 Cooking Method Stove Type of Meal Vegetarian Suitable For For toddlers older than 15 months of age Meal Schedule Lunch or dinner Recipe Type Side Dish Ingredients Type Quantity Paneer 150gram Palak 2 Cup Ghee/Butter 2 tbsp. Salt As Per Taste Onion ¾ Cup finely chopped Ginger-Garlic Paste 1 tsp Garam Masala ½ Tsp Turmeric Powder 1/8th tsp Tomato ½ Cup Cashewnuts 8-10 Cumin 1/8 Tsp Cardamom 2 Cinnamon 1 Inch Cloves 2 Kasuri Methi 2 Tsp Fresh Cream 2 Tbsp Instructions This specific step by step directions of making palak paneer will help mothers to follow the guidelines and complete the task at hand successfully. Select the tender palak leaves and discard the stems as they may have a bitter taste. Rinse the lentils well and put it in a pan of boiling water. Add a little salt and blanch the leaves for 3 minutes until wilted. Immerse in cold water and strain out the water completely. Add the spinach in a blender with ginger, garlic cloves and blend into a smooth paste. Puree to a smooth paste. Take butter in a pan and melt it in a low flame. Add the whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ½ tsp cumin, and bay leaf to the pan. Add finely chopped onion and ginger-garlic paste to the pan and sauté till the raw smell goes away. Fry tomatoes and sprinkle salt. Stir till it turns mushy. Add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, kasuri methi, and sauté the gravy well. Pour half cup water and cook in low flame for 10 minutes with the pan covered. Stir at regular intervals to avoid sticking at the bottom. Throw in the paneer cubes and add garam masala on top. Add fresh cream and serve hot. Recipe Tips This simple palak paneer recipe can be used to spicier with the addition of green chillies or chilli powder for older children. Add lemon juice or curd to make the gravy to make it tangier. Wash the palak thoroughly to remove the soil in them completely. Put some salt to the palak leaves and boil it in advance to remove its raw smell. This homemade palak paneer food recipe can be made tastier by adding ½ tsp of sugar. You can use tofu if your child has lactose intolerance towards dairy products. Store-bought paneer can be soaked in a bowl of lukewarm water for 15-20 minutes to keep it soft. Choosing good quality paneer is the key to a tasty gravy. Nutrition Information (Per 1 Serving) Type Value Carbohydrates 10gram Calories 412 Kcal Protein 15gram Sodium 486mg Fibre 2gram Fat 34gram Potassium 235mg Calcium 484mg Vitamin C 12mg Vitamin A 1960IU Iron 1.1mg Cholesterol 61mg Sugar 2gm Health Benefits Palak paneer is one of the yummiest choices for mothers for providing nutrition to your baby. Here are some of the health benefits of eating palak paneer: Spinach protects the liver from infections and reduces gastric problems in children. Rich in protein and calcium, paneer strengthens bones and teeth of babies. The folic acid in paneer assists in brain development. Vitamin B in paneer helps in better concentration and memory. Palak provides instant energy to children and keeps them active all day. The dietary fibre in paneer improves the baby’s metabolism and boosts the immune system. Buying Guide This buying guide can be followed before heading out to purchase the ingredients for making palak paneer. Buy fresh tender and leafy palak from an organic store to ensure that’s it is naturally grown. Consider its strong smell and vibrant colour of whole spices to determine the quality of whole spices. Use homemade clarified butter for cooking. Refined oil can also be used. Check the expiry date of the pre-packed frozen paneer bought from the store. Three are less-fat versions that can be tried. Homemade palak paneer for babies is a convenient and healthy dish to make that can make your child excited at the sight of it. This flavourful combination of palak and paneer is sure to tempt your child’s taste buds when they are ready for solids. Try any new food in small quantities and consult your paediatrician in case of any allergic reactions in babies. Read more

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Spinach Quinoa Khichadi Recipe

Quinoa is considered a super grain because it contains all the nine amino essential acids. It can be boiled or cooked mixed with lentils and veggies according to one’s choice to make healthy and tasty dishes. Do you the best thing about this grain? It is gluten-free, i.e., it can be enjoyed by anyone who has a gluten intolerance. If you want to make a simple and healthy dish with quinoa, how about you make spinach quinoa khichadi? It’s a quick and healthy alternative to the regular rice khichadi. This nutritious recipe will be a great addition to your baby’s diet. Quinoa may be introduced in your baby’s diet once he turns 8 months of age. Cooking Time Type Time (hh:mm:ss) Preparation Time 00:05:00 Cook Time 00:10:00 Total Time 00:15:00 Cooking Method Gas Stove Type of Meal Vegetarian Suitable For Any toddler above 15 months of age Meal Schedule Lunch/dinner Recipe Type Main course Ingredients Ingredients Quantity Quinoa 1.5 cup Moong dal 1 cup Ghee 4tbsp beetroot (chopped) ½ cup Carrot (chopped) ½ cup Spinach puree 1-2 cup Turmeric powder ½ tbsp Cumin seeds ½ tsp Water 3 cups Instructions If you are wondering how to make spinach quinoa khichadi, then check out the following step-by-step instructions. Firstly, wash and soak quinoa and moong dal in two separate bowls for about 30 minutes. Wash the spinach leaves, then blanch them. Let them cool then blend to make spinach puree. Heat some ghee in a pressure cooker. Once the ghee is hot, add in the veggies and cook until they turn soft. Next, add in the spinach puree and sauté for a minute. Add in the soaked moong dal, quinoa along with turmeric, salt, and water. And mix well. Pressure cook for three whistles on a medium flame. Once the air releases, mash the khichadi. Add ghee and serve the yummy khichadi to your baby. Recipe Tips Make sure you remember the below-mentioned points before you start preparing this healthy and simple spinach quinoa khichadi for your little one. You can add an extra ½ to 1 cup of water to make the khichadi soft and mushy. You can add other vegetables too such as sweet potato, pumpkin, potato, and green peas in this khichadi. You can use split moong dal without skin or with skin. If you don’t want to make spinach puree, you can make finely chopped spinach. Adjust the spices and vegetables according to your child’s preferences. Chilli powder or green chillies can be used to spice it up as per your taste. Nutrition Information per Serving Nutrient Values per Serving Energy 390cal Protein 18g Carbohydrates 55g Fibre 19g Fat 9g Cholesterol 19 mg Vitamin A 6665IU Vitamin B1 0 mg Vitamin B2 0 mg Vitamin B3 0.2 mg Vitamin C 25.8mg Folic Acid 7.7 mcg Calcium 86mg Iron 5.7 mg Magnesium 13.7 mg Phosphorus 25.9 mg Sodium 0.5 mg Potassium 19.6 mg Zinc 0.5 mg Health Benefits Khichadi is a wholesome meal that can offer a perfect balance of nutrients to babies and kids. This homemade spinach quinoa recipe is a nutritious dish for babies. The combination of quinoa, dal, and spinach will provide your baby with all the required vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, fibre, etc. Quinoa spinach khichadi is rich in several minerals, calcium and phosphorous which are necessary for healthy bones and tissues. Khichadi can help detoxify and cleanse the body. Spinach in khichadi enhances its nutrient value as spinach contains a high amount of insoluble fibres, that aid digestion and prevent constipation. Spinach is also rich in folic acid and vitamins and K1. As this khichadi does not contain spices, it is a perfect meal for babies. You baby will find it very easy to digest. Quinoa is a rich source of proteins, iron, dietary fibre, vitamins, and minerals. It has anti-inflammatory properties and helps lower cholesterol and sugar levels. Thus it is ideal for everyone. Buying Guide Make sure you buy the organic quinoa grains. While buying spinach, make sure the leaves are tender. You want to make sure that your baby eats healthy and nutritious food. And spinach quinoa khichadi is one healthy dish that your baby will like. Make this khichadi for your little one and serve him a bowl full of nutrition. Read more

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