In past years there has been a tremendous spike in the purchase of a baby video series called Baby Einstein. The point of the videos is to have baby watch them from a  very young age and become as smart as Einstein of course. The problem is that not only don’t these videos make babies smart but, they could very possibly be a detriment to young children’s growth. There are many things that children need to grow and develop and sitting in front of a television or video screen is not one of them no matter what they are watching.

Children need to play and watching baby Einstein videos does not allow them to play. It makes them sit like vegetable being a spectator to the images flashing across the screen. Kids need to play with things like the kidkraft annabelle dollhouse playing all kinds of imaginative play with real things and pretend play food. When children are allowed the freedom of imaginative play then they get to play out many of the concerns, fears and anxieties that children often have. It is through play that they can work through many of the same issues that they see happening in real life all the  time.

Kids learn best by interacting with concrete materials. They will learn what things are soft and hard by touching them and feeling them. They will not learn those things by watching a video. If they have certain experiences and then watch videos that only repeat what they have learned then there can be some benefit to that. If they are only getting their experiences by watching these videos and television shows then it is a very two dimensional experience and it is not real. Parents that want their children to be smart need to take the children to the library, read to them and give them many experience that they can talk about, write about and read about. The children will then have broad experience with the world around them that will help them develop emotionally and intellectually.

The big day has arrived.  The precious new baby is here.  The baby shower gifts are neatly tucked away.  Family and friends now look for a unique baby gift with which to welcome the new bundle of joy to the world.  A quick search online will show some possibilities such as a few unique gift baskets.  Consider giving a truly special gift, the “On the Day You Were Born ” keepsake gift.

The gift consists of four parts.  First, purchase a book that welcomes baby to the world.  A perfect and suggested title is, On the Day You Were Born,  by Debra Fraser. The book has welcomed newborns for a while and is a staple in elementary school classrooms.  The delightful tale of the things that happen every day on earth deserves a spot on baby’s bookshelf.  Save the cost of a greeting card by just writing a welcome message to parents and baby on the inside cover.  No more perfect gift exists than a book.

The other three items in the box resemble time capsule type items.  Buy a local newspaper on the date of the birth as the second item.  Then, purchase a magazine publication for the month of the baby’s birth.  The purpose is to tell about the world on the day the baby was born.  An issues magazine such as Time Magazine works well given the intent.  Imagine the fun of  parents and child revisiting the newspaper and magazine yearly and seeing how times have changed! As the fourth item in the box, just snap a few pictures and make a picture pack.  Take shots that the new mom and dad might not get such as the street sign for the street where baby will first call home.  Taking a shot of a movie marquis and gasoline price board also make for good keepsakes. Again, the purpose is for the box to be a snapshot of the world the day the precious baby was born.

In terms of how the gift is packaged, a gift bag or gift box works.  Keep in mind that the book portion of the present will be used now while the other items from more of a time capsule and need to be housed in a vehicle for easy storage.

Enjoy!  Your unique gift to the sweet baby will be enjoyed and revisited for years to come.  That type of unique baby gift is indeed hard to find.    Always look for unique party and gift ideas.

When you attend a baby’s christening, most people know that they are expected to bring a gift for the baby to recognize the special occasion. Sometimes, however, deciding on that one perfect gift can be a little bit challenging. Christenings are filled with tradition and family expectations, and you don’t want your gift to disappoint. For this reason, many people start to shop for the most popular items to see what they should buy themselves. If you are just starting to shop, here are a few of the most popular christening gifts to give.

Clothes
You really can’t go wrong with getting clothes for any baby occasion or holiday, but clothes work especially well as a gift for a christening. Many people choose to look at getting christening gowns or outfits for the family. This can be a great idea if you are a Godparent or are very close with the family. Make sure to ask what they would like to have their baby wear and then shop accordingly. If you do not feel comfortable buying the christening gown, but still want to have to baby wear something from you during the service, you could any number of different christening accessories to go along with the christening outfit or gown. You can find booties, bibs, blankets, or even bonnets or hats. Sometimes getting something so formal does not feel right to some people. In this case, they opt to get christening or cross themed clothes that the baby can wear every day in more casual settings. Oftentimes, the parents will put the baby in these clothes during the celebration or gathering after the mass so the baby won’t get their formal clothes dirty.

Books
Christening and baptism books are also very popular gifts to give. They are easy to find and they help to explain the sacrament that the baby just went through to them. It is also a great way for parents to start to teach their baby about their religion and what a christening is all about in a more fun setting.