Several weeks ago I wanted to let my toddler paint, but all of the paper we have around the house gets too wet and tears when she uses paint on it. I decided to cut some shapes out of cardboard for her to paint. I figured the cardboard wouldn’t tear and we could talk about the shapes to help solidify her ability to identify them. It … [Read more...] about 3 Toddler Activities Using Cardboard Shape Cutouts
Raising an Inheritance
Cleanup Songs for Young Children
It’s critical that we teach our young children how to pick up after themselves. Not only does this help us keep our homes clean, but it provides our kids with a solid foundation for other important life skills. As you’ve likely discovered, keeping kids on task while they clean up isn’t easy. One way to help them remain focused is to use … [Read more...] about Cleanup Songs for Young Children
FUNtastic Tools for Teaching Toddlers About Colors
I love it when my 23-month-old toddler walks up to me and identifies an object using both an adjective and a noun. Currently, a lot of the adjectives she uses are colors: purple car, black bear, orange ball, etc. Though I’ve always mentioned colors when talking with her about the things around us, it wasn’t until about 10 weeks ago that … [Read more...] about FUNtastic Tools for Teaching Toddlers About Colors
Instilling Good Dental Health Habits in Toddlers
My toddler has a bit of a love-hate relationship with her toothbrush. She enjoys chewing on it and sucking training toothpaste off of it, but she’s generally displeased with it when I use it to scrub her teeth. Though brushing her teeth can be an ordeal, I do it twice each day because I want her to have healthy teeth. What must we do … [Read more...] about Instilling Good Dental Health Habits in Toddlers
8 Indoor Activities that Get Toddlers Moving
By the time evening rolls around, you can tell from my toddler’s behavior if we were able to go outside and play that day or not. She’s full of energy, quick to roughhouse, and sometimes irritable on days when the weather or a busy schedule keeps us indoors. On the other hand, she’s generally calm and easygoing on days when we are able … [Read more...] about 8 Indoor Activities that Get Toddlers Moving
How to Keep Your Cool When Your Baby Won’t Stop Crying
If you’ve ever had a newborn, then it doesn’t surprise you to hear that babies cry. Sometimes they cry quite a bit. In fact, sometimes they cry inconsolably for hours with no apparent reason for the crying. There are many great articles out there that suggest strategies to calm fussy newborns (see a couple examples here and here). That … [Read more...] about How to Keep Your Cool When Your Baby Won’t Stop Crying
Another Blessing Has Arrived!
Though I still have posts publishing regularly, Of The Hearth’s social media pages have been pretty quiet this past week because I’ve been a little busy with this precious one: We welcomed our second daughter, Nitara Irene, on June 24th. Nitara means “deeply rooted” and Irene means “peace.” She weighed 8 lbs 7 oz and was 19 in … [Read more...] about Another Blessing Has Arrived!
Things to Consider When Deciding Whether or Not to Cloth Diaper (Part 2)
Last week we began looking at factors that parents should consider when deciding if disposable or cloth diapers are best for their families. We discussed the financial implications of cloth diapering, if cloth diapers are “greener” than disposables, and what it takes to wash cloth diapers. Let’s examine two additional factors today: … [Read more...] about Things to Consider When Deciding Whether or Not to Cloth Diaper (Part 2)
