We’re you that kid who was told to mouth the words at choir practice so you wouldn’t spoil the music? Or worse, told that you were tone deaf? Maybe you weren’t that bad, but still had trouble carrying a tune or keeping the beat?

But whether you think if yourself as musical or not, bringing up musical kids is easier than you think.
 
I am not tone deaf - quite the opposite.  I was born into a musical family and grew up listening, singing, playing and finally teaching music – in that order. And the order is important.

Listening is everything

Listening to music is the first step in musical development and luckily, it is the one everyone can do. It is never too early to start. Research has shown that even babies begin to respond to what they hear, including music, even before they are born.

Does it matter what kind? Probably not. But kids love all kinds of music and exposing them to a wide variety of music is exciting and fun for them. And research tells us that early brain stimulus, that is so crucial to brain growth, is enhanced by different and varied experiences.

Then there’s singing.

A wise professor of mine once pointed out to me that if you walk into a preschool class and there is no singing, something is wrong. Kids naturally hum as they play – spontaneously singing out what is going through their minds - as they work their way through their imaginary world.

We parents naturally sing to babies too. Crooning to soothe a fussy baby, or humming a lullaby as you rock a baby to sleep, is a staple of parenthood.

When do kids stop singing? When do we? Singing stops when we become self-conscious of our singing. When for whatever reason, we either start comparing or judging the sounds coming out of our mouths.

If you want your kids to keep singing, take your cue from them and do what they do. Put a little singsong into the things you say to them. Sing along with the radio in the car not just in the shower. Sing nursery rhymes with them. Join them in their songs when they sing things you both know. Show them by your actions what research has confirmed - that singing is as natural as talking, maybe more so.

Singing makes everything fun!

Your kids will love it and they won’t be judging you. They won’t even mind if you sing out of tune. We can’t all be the next American (or Canadian) Idol.

Of course there is much more to raising musical kids than listening and singing. And I will come back to this subject in future posts. And even if music isn’t the center of your life as it is mine, more and more research is showing us that developing musical ability in kids provides them with a great foundation for learning all kinds of other things in life.

And who doesn’t want that for their kids?

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Le grand ‘C’ : camping…caravane …camping-car!

L’envie de passer du temps en famille tout en vous rapprochant de la nature vous inspire : vous avez décidé de partir camper!

Vos préparatifs de vacances seront particulières : camper exige un maximum d’organisation (la première fois) pour un mode de vie minimaliste. L’espace et  la logistique nous poussent à réduire les effets et les accessoires nécessaires au quotidien du campeur : pas trop de casseroles ni de vaisselle…pas trop de jouets…Car en camping trop c’est trop, et pas assez…nous incite à nous débrouiller.

Évaluez vos besoins familiaux primaires : vous loger, manger, dormir et vous vêtir. Choisissez un mode de camping qui vous inspire et qui vous ne stressera pas. Demandez-vous si vous serez confortable dans une simple tente  ou vos nuits seraient-elles plus douillettes en roulotte?

Une affaire de famille

Que ce soit à la mer ou à la campagne ou dans le désert, toute la famille doit  participer! Petits et grands coopèrent dans le but ultime du confort de tous et chacun : on aide à la vaisselle, on fait les lits, on ramasse des brindilles etc. Et surtout on joue ensemble! Vivre dans l’intimité nous fait apprécier la complicité que chaque petite action peut établir.

L’appel de dame nature

En camping la nature nous interpelle du matin au soir : le chant des oiseaux dès l’aube, les coquillages sur la plage, le ciel étoilé. Laissez vos enfants devenir complices de la nature. Que leur curiosité grandissante les pousse à découvrir une façon nouvelle de se divertir naturellement. Construire des maisons de fées ou un feu de camp peut  s’avérer une tâche des plus artistiques!
Et quoi de plus agréable que d’observer les constellations allongés sur la plage un soir d’été…

C’est également une belle occasion de consigner leurs impressions dans un petit carnet de des photos, de commencer un herbier ou simplement de rêver!

Jouez dehors

Il faut aussi prendre un recul et considérer  la place de la nature dans la vie de nos enfants. Évitez les jouets électroniques et favorisez les activités physiques en plein air, les enfants ne peuvent pas y résister! Vous vivez l’occasion rêvée de réduire à zéro les heures passées devant un écran de télévision ou d’ordinateur.

Pour camper avec un grand ou un petit ‘C’, voici quelques suggestions pour vous inspirer avant, pendant et après la grande aventure, toutes disponibles sur www.learningtoys.ca

Projection ciel nocturne de 4M (Pour les astronomes) 16.99$

Kit de purification d’eau de 4M Clean (Pour amuser vos scientifiques) 16.99$

Ensemble de navigation de Thames & Kosmos  version Anglaise (Pour vos futurs scouts) 24.99$

Mini Aéroglisseur  -Wind powered land sailor - version Anglaise (Pour l’ingénieur de la famille)24.99$ 

Collection de jeux de cartes du Professeur  Caboche (Plusieurs thèmes intelligents et amusants)12.99$ chaque

Tente Calico Critters (adorable avec accessoires!) 24,99$

Caravane des Calico Critters (pour se pratiquer avant les vacances!!)79,99$

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We've put a lot of thought into this list. Some are new. Some have been best sellers for many summers. You could say tried and true. If you're looking for some long lasting, summertime fun, here it is. We hope it will help keep your kids busy, active and learning all summer.

Summer Energy Burners

Stomp Launcher  by Kidoozie  $14.99

The Stomp Launcher is an all time favourite with preschoolers. A great energy burner that lets them practice their running and jumping skills at the same time.  Soft foam rockets are safe indoor and out. The harder they  stomp, the higher it goes! Yeah!

Maze Balance Board  by WePlay  $39.99
Stepping onto this Maze Balance Board and learning to stay balanced is the first challenge. The next one is learning to control your body weight to run the ball through the maze. Easy enough to be fun. Just hard enough to keep kids working at it.  Great for kids from 4 yrs and up (even adults)

Marshmallow Stryker from the Marshmallow Fun Company $19.99
High-powered, soft-hitting fun! That's the Marshmallow Stryker and yes it really shoots mini marshmallows up to 20 feet! Easy to fire and reload, small enough to go stealth, making it perfect for quick attacks (or rapid defense). Sweet!

Stilts from Playwell Canada $29.99

Nothing like a pair of stilts to put you a head and shoulders above the crowd!  Mastering  this new skill might be a few practice sessions away but the sweet smell of success is a great motivator. Kids love to put their balance and coordination to the test. Adjust the foot height for more challenge.

Summer Science

Navigation Science from Thames & Kosmos $24.99
Summer is the time for exploring and walks in the woods and going on adventures. But you'll need to know how to navigate to find your way back. Make science real with this Navigation Science Kit that teaches kids all about navigation. Then help them put it to use.

Amphibian Rover from 4M $16.99
The Amphibian Rover uses 4 recycled plastic water/soda bottles to create a cool vehicle that  travels on both land and water!  Learn what makes a car an amphibian. Who uses amphibious vehicles? What can be made out of 25 plastic bottles? How does your rover operates electronically? And have fun!

Create a Night Sky from 4M $14.99
Summer night skies are fascinating but they can be hard to understand. The Night Sky projection kit that kids make themselves, comes with projection domes for the northern and southern hemispheres,  star charts to help them locate the constellations in the real sky. Light source included. Let's sleep outside!

Summer Imaginations at Play

Family Camper Caravan from Calico Critters $74.99

Real or imaginative, you and your family will have a wonderful vacation with this adorable Famiily Camper Van from Calico Critters. Complete with all the comforts of home, it has everything you need including hours of imaginative play. Includes  a well-stocked  kitchen, a spacious bathroom, plenty of storage and room for 4 to sleep plus more than 35 accessories.

Wilderness Camp Set from Might World $19.99
The Wilderness Set invites you to pitch a tent under the canopy of night with the all-stars of Adventure – Ken and Neil. Both figures come with their own cozy zip front sleeping bags and mess kit and a tent that sleeps two. Keep even warmer by saddling up to the roaring campfire in this deluxe cooking and camping set. Contains over 20 accessories including a tent, sleeping bags, campfire, telescope, food and more $19.99  

Summer Quiet Time

Perplexus from Plasmart $24.99

Perplexus is a maze game that will challenge and engage every member of the family. Players must maneuver a small marble around challenging barriers inside a transparent sphere. Not just one path but many to choose from - each with a variety of barriers that make  Perplexus an exhilarating three dimensional experience. Players must work with gravity and carefully shift, flip, and twist the sphere to guide the marble. Perplexus challenges eye-hand coordination and concentration. But we're warning you... it can be addictive!

BrainBox - Around the World from Green Board Games $21.99
Keep those brain cells working over the summer with this all round family game. BrainBox is a trivia game (sort of) that is based  - not on what you know before you start -  but on how much you can learn in 20 seconds (or more for younger kids) by studying the card in front of you. Then turn the card over and get ready to answer questions based on what you just learned. Remember that?  Play it with 2 or the whole family. Adapt the rules for all age groups.

Got some summer favourites of your own? We'd love to here about them. Drop us a line in the comments.

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Yes there is life beyond the remote but convincing your kids of it may be not be easy. If you are up for the challenge, there's no better time than now - before school lets out and summer boredom sets in.

Help is available. Check it out here: Weaning Kids from the TV and into L.I.F.E. by  Dr. Michele Borba.

Outdoor Play: The best replacement

Now that you have successfully separated your kids from their favourite plugged-in activities - they will have time on there hands. Time to spend outdoors in the sunshine (or rain). The benefits that kids get from spending time outdoors –especially in an unstructured way – are huge! And once they begin, you can be sure they will be fascinated by the natural world around them.

According to Richard Louv, author of the best selling book Last Child in the Woods, nature encourages children to develop all of their senses by providing multi-sensory experiences making direct experience of nature a prerequisite for learning and creativity.

What’s more, research has shown that kids who play outdoors are more social and play in more creative ways. Green play spaces, with their endless supply of rocks, sticks, leaves, flowers, water, sand etc. seem to inspire more innovative and imaginative play.  

Then there's calming effect that nature has on almost everyone – including adults.The attention span of even the antsiest of kids will improve by spending time outdoors where they lose themselves in something grand and mesmerizing.

Getting Started

If you are inspired to give it a try, but need some help, columnist Melissa Rayworth has some great suggestions to help overcome some of the most common obstacles.

Her simplest suggestion: Outdoor excursions don’t have to be long or elaborate. Children will benefit from even fifteen minutes outside. Starting small could be as simple as taking an indoor activity such as arts and crafts out to the backyard on a beautiful day.

Or have a sleep out in the backyard one night. The night sky might be all the entertainment you’ll need. After that your kids might want to have a sleepover with a friend in their very own tent in the backyard.

For some simple and fun ways to introduce your kids to nature right in your own backyard, you can visit Take a Child Outside.org. Or visit Activekidsclub.com to find an outdoor playgroup in your area. Toronto has quite a few. If there isn’t one on your area, they’ll help you start one.

If you and your kids are up for some adventure, you can try geocaching. This fascinating activity is like a high-tech treasure hunt, using handheld GPS units to find hidden "caches" in your neighborhood or out on the trails. Visit Geocaching.com for all the details.

More inspiration is readily available at Nature Activities for Kids and Families where you’ll also find a list of helpful books and links to get you off to a great start.

Whatever outdoor activity you choose to share with your kids, gardening, bicycling, or just plain walking - nature is closer than you think!

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The sidewalks are clear and it’s time to get out the bikes, trikes and ride on toys. But does last year’s tricycle still fit your 4 year old? Is your 5 year-old ready to move up to a bicycle? Is your littlest one ready for that very first set of wheels? Time to survey your family's wheel collection!

If a new set of wheels is on the horizon, here’s some solid info to help you make the right choice.

LearningToys.ca has them all in stock ready to ship. Shipping is always free.

My First Wheels!

She’s walking! Yeah! Now those wobbly little legs are looking for the next challenge – RIDING!

Toddlers are still mastering the art of balance and just learning to coordinate their little bodies. They may not be ready to pedal, but they sure want to go! So give them a ride-on that requires only steering and let them power it by pushing with their feet. A great example: our adorable little Wheely Bug or the Tiger Ride On. They’ll love it.

Important to know

• Toddlers need vehicles that are low enough and stable enough to be easily mounted and dismounted – toddler attention spans are short
• Pedals can be a hindrance to mobility and may get in the way of their ability to push and can cause accidents.
• Rubber wheels won’t hurt your floors and can be used indoor as well as out.

Tricycles: Tried and True for a reason!

Kids love the stability of a tricycle and you will too. Once they learn to pedal, they will tear around (given a safe space to do it in) and revel in using their whole body – developing muscles and confidence as they go.

Toddlers love to climb on a tricycle. And though it will be a while before they learn to pedal, with the addition of a seatbelt and a pushbar – available in all of our KETTLER tricycles – they will ride proudly to the park and back.

Way cooler than a stroller!

Important to Know

• Kids learn to pedal usually sometime between 2 and 3 years of age.
• It is easier to learn on a tricycle that is the right size so look for a tricycle frame that has multiple frame and seat adjustments to allow it to grow with your child
• Learning to pedal doesn’t happen overnight and it takes practice . You will be pushing for awhile! So you will want that push bar and Parental Control Lock and maybe the special Rear-Wheel Navigation and that KETTLER is famous for.

Balance bikes – the new way to learn to ride

Contrary to popular belief, little kids can learn to balance. They just can’t do it at the same time as they are learning to pedal.

If you are looking for an alternative to a tricycle, or a way to speed up the learning curve, the balance bike is a great choice. A balance bike is simply a two-wheeled bike with the pedals omitted. Simple and ingenious, it lets kids learn to balance without the complication of pedaling.

Important to know

• Kids as young as two, feel safe on a balance bike if they can put their feet solidly on the ground when sitting on the seat. Make sure to choose one with adjustable seat and handlebars
• Balance happens a little at a time. Kids will sit and push with their feet. When they gain a little confidence, they will start walking and then running to get up a bit of speed.
• Balance happens when they discover by accident that their feet are off the ground and they are still moving forward.
• It is actually easy and you can be sure that It will come naturally when they are ready.
• A child who has learned to balance will never need training wheels. When they are ready to transition to a two-wheeler, pedaling will come very quickly.

Ready for the big time?

We all remember the excitement of getting our first two-wheeler. It is a real rite of passage for kids- bringing with it a new found independence. If you've experienced a tried and true Kettler tricycle, you'll want to keep it in the family when your child is ready for a two-wheeled bicycle.

Check out their cool looking boy's El Toro or the pretty Violet 12" bikes with training wheels.

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