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Puzzles and Your Preschooler

I was often a little bit puzzled by my preschooler, but that’s not what this is about. No, I’m talking puzzles. Little wooden or cardboard doodads that your preschooler plays with, that’s what I’m talking about. Puzzles and building toys like Legos are important for your child’s spatial development, and recognizing the shapes of objects in space is an important pre-reading skill. My preschooler was never all that keen on puzzles. She is not a particularly spatially-oriented child. Yet we did play with puzzles a little, and at five years old she has now discovered that she enjoys playing them … Continue reading →

Start Looking for Those Games and Puzzles

Now is the time to take a look at the games and puzzles that you may like to buy for the holiday season or for upcoming birthdays. This is because starting now through the beginning of November, you should get the greatest bargains when you purchase certain toys. The stores are trying to get a jump start on the holiday season, so they are starting to test the waters with certain toys. You may find some particular character toys being testing in promotion, but you will really clean up if you focus mostly on the board games and the puzzles. … Continue reading →

Jello Box Puzzles

Don’t throw away those jello boxes! They make great puzzles and toys. Take the empty box and stuff it with a little newspaper. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it does help the puzzles last longer. Tape the box closed. For a puzzle, pick out your paper. You can make puzzles from scrapbook paper like I did here, or from an old calendar picture, an enlarged copy of a photograph, printed clip art, or even a child’s drawing. Cut the paper into rectangles. I find it helpful to arrange my jello boxes and lay the paper on the top of them. … Continue reading →

Photography Potpourri: The “S” Curve and Photo Puzzles

THE “S” CURVE In a previous blog I discussed the importance of proper composition and the use of the “Rule of Thirds.” Another helpful composition tip is the use of the “S” curve. For example, S-shaped roads, waterways, even train tracks can help spice up otherwise boring shots. “S” curves give a photo much welcome “depth.” And they are easy to capture provided you are willing to move around a bit. Don’t hesitate to bend down or climb an embankment (preferably one that is sturdy) in order to frame the “S” shape just right. Another way to add depth to … Continue reading →

Puzzles & Brainstorming Can Really Give You a Boost

Did you know that when you’re really dragging or finding it hard to pluck up the motivation to do anything that a sound session of brainstorming can not only boost your mood, it can enhance it – creating an environment where you are more mentally and physically alert? School Days I was reminiscing the other day about when I was in school. For five years, I was in a program that started every morning with a series of logic problems that grew increasingly complex along with two-minute mysteries and more. During my recovery from surgery, various friends and family members … Continue reading →

Toys ‘R Us 3 Big Puzzles for $19.98 Shipped

I love puzzles. Always have. Their tactile nature makes them a must-have for kinesthetic learners. Spatial learners can be just as quick, especially with puzzles that have a smaller number of pieces. The only time I hated puzzles was putting together a 1000 piece one only to find there were only 998 pieces! That’s why, while I purchase a lot of things second hand, I prefer to get puzzles new. Right now, Toys ‘R Us has a couple of deals going on, and they’re combinable. First, there is free shipping on all Melissa & Doug toys. If you’re familiar with … Continue reading →

Puzzles, Puzzles, Puzzles

We like puzzles in this family. When I was growing up, I remember vividly sitting at a table with my grandmother working on the latest 5,000-piece masterpiece. She loved doing puzzles, any kind of puzzles. We did puzzles that featured works by Monet, Matisse and even Picasso. Once or twice we did some crazy twisting puzzles by abstract artists. We also did puzzles on the sea, on horses, on dogs and in the early 1980s, I remember doing puzzles that included the engagement pictures of Charles and Diana and one of a photograph of their wedding. 10 Piece Puzzles When … Continue reading →

Study: Intrusive Parenting Can Be Harmful to Children

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There is a wide variety of parenting styles to choose from. Ultimately, each parent is going to select one that they feel works best for them. It is worth considering that not every parenting style is a healthy choice for children. A study found that intrusive parenting can be harmful to children. The study was titled “Developmental Trajectories of Maladaptive Perfectionism in Middle School Children”. It was led by Ryan Y. Hong, and was published in the Journal of Personality. The researchers focuses on a sample size of 263 of Singaporean children – and their parents. The study began when … Continue reading →

Don’t Make These Garage Sale Mistakes

Will your garage sale be a success or a flop. Sometimes it depends on avoiding the common garage sale mistakes. If you are planning a garage sale, make sure that you don’t get caught up in any of the following. Pricing Too High Sure, you may be able to get $5 a piece for clothing at an outgrown sale or $30 for that great toy on eBay, but garage sale shoppers are looking for a bargain. They won’t pay book prices, ever. Price your items low and make up the difference in volume. Many times we price items high because … Continue reading →

Body, Mind and Spirit

Fitness is most often equated with exercise.  But it’s so important that when striving for overall health, we look at not only the body but the mind and spirit as well. I like to think of this as a wheel with three spokes.  One spoke represents the body, one the mind and the other spirit.  When one spoke is broken or missing, everything is thrown off balance. Body is the part where we focus on exercise and eating right.  The type of exercise and eating plan will be different for each person.  It’s going to depend on where you live, … Continue reading →