The Importance Of Play - Educational Toys Make A Difference

Playtime is one of the most vital parts of childhood development. Research has proven that all areas of development are enhanced through a child’s play activities. Healthy growth and development is stimulated through play as early as birth and on into the school age years. Children play in a variety of ways with a number of different toys. Each activity has a different affect on development. Newborns and infants enjoy a social play style that builds their trust as they prepare to explore the rest of the world. Babies interact with their parents and caregivers as they learn to bond with people and develop a basic understanding of emotions. Social games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake are common play activities for older babies and toddlers. As young children grow, playtime is the biggest contributor to the healthy development of large muscles. Crawling, walking, and running all develop gross motor skills. Preschool and school age children develop socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically through outside play. Childhood games of tag, Red Rover, and hide and seek are great activities to encourage healthy development. The most beneficial play is initiated by the child. During free play is when most learning takes place in young children. A child’s natural curiosity leads him to explore possibilities and test each one. A child playing with blocks will begin to stack them. Through this simple activity, the child is learning basic problem solving skills while discovering the effects of gravity and exploring sizes and shapes. The earliest forms of play in childhood are functional play. A child will use an object for the same purpose over and over again. Through this repetition the child gains confidence in his abilities which will encourage him to do new things. Filling a bucket with sand and then dumping it out and filling it again is an example of functional play. During this type of play, children typically strengthen fine and/or gross motor skills as well as logic thinking. Constructive play is common in preschool age children. A child playing constructively will create something through his play. This would include things like playing with blocks, doing art, or staging a puppet show. Galt’s line of giant floor puzzles will initiate hours of constructive play to develop cognitive thinking, problem solving skills, and creativity. Group constructive play encourages team work and healthy social emotional development as well. Pretend play is a very important part of healthy development. Most children pretend and role play from their preschool years through early elementary school. This type of play has a number of benefits to the growth and development of a child. Pretend play helps children process the things they see and hear each day. It invited children to be creative and to expand their imaginations. Playing make-believe strengthens language skills and aids in proper social development. Children gain a strong foundation for learning through play. Playtime is fun. Young children love to explore and discover new things about the world around them and about themselves. Solitary play fosters independent thinking and problem solving while group play encourages cooperation and understanding. For healthy growth and development, children should spend most of their days in free play. Allow your child to play his way and encourage him to solve problems during playtime. About the Author: For more tips and information about Baby Einstein Discovering Water Play Gym, check out http: www.thekidstoystore.com. Read more articles by: Nicole Munoz Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Super-Premium Cigars—A Father’s Day Gift He Really Wants

Got a cigar-smoking father or husband? Stuck for a gift for Father’s Day? Relax, we can tell you everything you need to know to select the perfect “super-premium” gift for any hard-to-shop-for dad. Choosing a cigar may seem like an overwhelming task but read this short article and you will become a quasi-expert on cigars with respectable bragging rights AND, you’ll be able to tell him exactly why you thought he’d like the Dominican-grown Robusto with a Maduro wrapper. Type of Cigar Based on Size There are several ways of categorizing cigars: size, shape, strength, their country of origin, and the way they are made (hand-rolled vs. machine). The most common way to categorize a cigar is by size, which is the cigar’s length in inches and ring size (cigar diameter) measured in 64ths of an inch. There is actually a name associated with each length and ring size and these are the cigar names that you may be familiar with. Corona, Panatela, Torpedo, Toro, Churchill, Perfecto, Cigarillo, Lonsdale, Robusto, and the largest of them all, Giant. The Giant style of cigar is 9 inches in length with a ring size of 52! Colors, Shapes, and Hand-Rolled After choosing a cigar based on size, you can start to whittle down your choices by choosing the color of the exterior wrapper color (there are more than 100 different wrapper shades!) and the shape of the cigar. Flared, tapered, pyramid are the basic shapes. And don’t buy the cheapest cigar -- hand-rolled cigars should be your only choice. No one can ever appreciate the true joy of cigar smoking with a machine-made cigar. Don’t even spend the money. Start with Mild-Flavored Cigars If your gift is for an aspiring cigar connoisseur, start by buying one of several different sizes/styles of cigars at your local tobacconist. Choose mild cigars at first and work your way up to stronger flavors. Here are the benefits of starting with mild cigars: they generally cost less than stronger cigars and you won’t lose as much money as your beloved learns how to cut the ends appropriately, learns the best way to light them, and learns the best way to store them at home. You will be surprised at how quickly they dry out if not properly contained. It’s a learned art! Get the Most Out of Your Cigars Here is what long-time cigar enthusiasts recommend about smoking and enjoying cigars. This is also useful stuff to relate to the profoundly happy recipient of your gift: • There are many types of cigars. Experiment with new sizes and flavors. • Don't inhale cigar smoke when puffing and keep the smoke in your mouth for the shortest length of time. • Unless you buy your cigars in single sticks that were stored in a humidor, age your cigars by stripping off all packaging and placing them in a humidor for a few months before smoking. Do not store your cigars in the refrigerator because it will dry them out. • Throw away partially smoked cigars—do not put a stinky used cigar in your humidor! • To really enjoy your cigar smoking experience, choose the right drink to go with your carefully chosen indulgence. Try some strong-flavored drinks to enhance the flavor of your cigar, such as scotch, port wine, and Kahlua drinks. • Biting the tip off a premium cigar should only be done by gangsters in movies. Don’t do it. Use a sharp cigar cutter. • Do not use paper matches to light your cigar. Use a butane lighter for best results. Wooden matches are OK but make sure you let the sulfur burn off first. • When you are finished with your cigar, let it burn itself out in the ashtray. Snuffing your cigar out leaves an unpleasant smell. Get That Man a Cigar for Father’s Day! If the thought of choosing a cigar for a Father’s Day gift is overwhelming, never fear. Cigar accessories, such as cutters, humidors, lighters, cigar cases, and ashtrays, will also make a cigar smoker happy. You need not travel to your local tobacconist to find the best Father’s Day gift. Find the right cigar and purchase online at Heroes and Legacies at http://www.heroesandlegacies.com/index.shtml. Their easy-to-use online Cigar Finder will help you find just the right cigar. About the Author: Jayne Miller is a freelance writer and marketing consultant from Austin, Texas. She has been associated with Heroes and Legacies for several years. Visit their website at http://www.heroesandlegacies.com/index.shtml. Read more articles by: Jayne Miller Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Beat A Speeding Ticket By Going To Driving School

I know we all speed - well almost all - from time to time, but we all know speeding is illegal. We may not thinks the speed limits are right - after all, most were introduced when cars didn't have ABS or the good tires and systems we have now. Even so, speeding is illegal and get you into hot water if you keep doing it. But here is a way of getting out of trouble. You see, you can't always beat the speeding ticket, but you may be able to reduce the consequences. But remember this: If you keep getting tickets in some territories you will lose your license for 3 or 6 months, a year or even longer. In places where they take speeding very seriously, repeated offenders can even go to jail. The risk of going to jail for just going too fast several times should be enough to stop you speeding on the road - if you must speed then you need to do it on a track. But that won't help with your speeding ticket. Don't go to jail - beat the speeding ticket by going to school One secret way of avoiding the speeding ticket is to attend a driving school - or a speed awareness course as they call it in the UK. When you get your ticket you plead “not guilty” and appear in court. If this is not your first offense, consult a specialist first, and you may want to be represented by a lawyer. Lawyers who specialize in the area of traffic offenses understand the importance of a driver's license and will work hard to not only make certain that you keep your license but will also work hard to keep you out of jail. In this case, the lawyer will explain that you want to improve your driving skills so that you can drive safely without speeding. To do so, you are willing to attend a special driving school. The judge will see this as a sign of good faith on behalf of the motorist. It shows you understand that your driving skills are lacking and time with a certified driving instructor explaining the basics of driving will work towards improving your speeding problem. Because you will spend time not just in the classroom absorbing the basics of driving and time driving with an instructor, the judge might be convinced that you are trying to reform your bad habits. If the judge agrees, you will spend several hours studying in a classroom with others. Then, you will take part in in-car training with a qualified instruction. There you will be given the skills you need to safely operate a motor vehicle including instruction on maintaining the legal and safe speed. After you have completed a written and a practical test your results are sent to the court. If you fail any part of the course, you will have to appear again in court to face sentencing. If you pass, their lawyer may request that the last ticket be dismissed. That will improve your record and reduce your car insurance premiums. You will then be expected to continue driving as you did with the instructor, which is safe and below the legal speed limit. Make sure you pass the tests, and do not take them lightly, as this is a good way of beating a speeding ticket. About the Author: John Hartley is editor of http://www.endspeedingtickets.com, a website designed ti help you avoid speeding tickets. He has written from many of the world's top auto magazines, and has written many books about cars and the auto industry, including 'Suspension and Steering Q&A'. Read more articles by: John Hartley Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit