Caring Toddlers

I couldn't resist snapping this picture of Jude in "Prince Charming" mode. He was trying to persuade this lovely princess to put her glass slippers...I mean shoes... back on her feet, so she wouldn't get a splinter. Arden did just that, as Jude helped, and they played happily ever after that day!
Hugs, 
Bubbie and Jude
P.S. How do your little ones show they care?
Related Article:
Teaching Your Child To Care

Sitting at Seven Months

"If you're given ten toys, and all of them look good enough to eat, how do you know which one to grab first?" That's exactly what Katie must have been thinking as she balanced herself on her pillow in a big-girl sitting position, at just seven months old! Surrounded by sounds, textures, colors and shapes, it's understandable that choosing something to play with could be a problem! Fortunately for Katie, Bubbie came to the rescue! It was actually a no-brainer! I simply handed Katie one toy at a time. The toy that wasn't tossed back on the floor, but landed back in Katie's mouth was deemed the winner!
Happy playtime,
Bubbie and Katie, too!
Related Article:
7 Month Old Baby's Development
P.S. What toys did your little ones like to play with when they were under a year old?

Fitness For Children

Obviously, we exhausted all forms of play before I had the brilliant idea to work on headstands against the bedroom wall. It would have been fine had I not needed to demonstrate first. Fortunately, Jude caught on quickly, but insisted that I continue to hoist my aging legs right up next to his. After each successful stand (and there were many), Jude would turn his little, upside-down self towards me and ask, "Are you okay?"(Show-off!)
Keeping it fun,
Bubbie and Jude
Related Article
Fitness for Children
P.S. Please share your ideas for fitness fun with your little ones!

Grasping Skills for Babies

...and this little piggie didn't have to make a sound. Katie made enough ruckus for the two of them.  And boy did they have fun! This soft, plush was swung, pulled, thrown and chewed on. (Fortunately for the pig, teeth aren't an issue just yet!) After Katie exhausted all possibilities of play with her dear friend, they both went "wee, wee, wee," all the way to bed! 
Exploring everything new,
Bubbie and Katie, too!
P.S. What types of toys were your little ones first able to grasp with both hands?
Related articles:
Toys for 6-12 Months
Grasping Skills & Cognitive Ability Activities for Babies

Toddlers Learning to Cope

How does one play in bark, without getting any bark in ones shoes? And once the bark gets in your shoes, should you sit in that same pile of bark while trying to get it out? According to Jude, the answers to both of these questions are simply ..."Shoes off!" No discussion, no waiting, just off with the shoes! After several "shoes off" episodes, and giving the play area a try without shoes, Jude decided it is better to have played at the playground with bark in your shoes, then not to have played at the playground at all!
Learning to cope,
Bubbie and Jude
P.S. Please share your grandkids frustrations, and how they figured it out by themselves!

Related Articles:
Helping Young Children Cope with Frustration
Helping Children Learn Self-Regulation

Toddlers Mastering New Territory

Ta dah!!! Friday was a great day for Jude. You see, it was on this day that Jude mastered the one and only, playground Fire Pole. After months of observing other kids, he finally mustered up the nerve to take that first scary step off the treehouse's top floor, situate himself safely on the spiral pole, then slide down to the ground. Little did I know that I would learn first-hand how truly frightening this feat can be. Once Jude felt comfortable riding this baby, he decided that Bubbie should do it, too!  Yikes!  Little kids can be so persuasive! Next time I'll just stick with the Cheerleader-Photographer position! 

Happy  playing,

Bubbie and Jude

P.S. Please share with us your grandchildren's first major accomplishments and how it made them feel!

Related Articles:

The Value of Play

How To Help Children Feel Smart/3 minute Video

Sidewalk Chalk

Talk about time management! Jude figured out a way to draw twice as much, in just half the amount of time! (What a guy!)
So far, our favorite game to play with sidewalk chalk is, "Jumping to Ten!" I get to draw and number ten squares on top of one another. All the kids line up and wait their turns to jump from one square to the next, while reciting the numbers. (Our version of Hop-Scotch!)
Please share any sidewalk chalk games with us, that you find fun for the kids. We're always anxious to learn about new ones.
How To Make Sidewalk Chalk
Easy Sidewalk Chalk Games
Indoor Fun With Sidewalk Chalk
Best,
Bubbie and Jude