Fun Foods Toddlers Love to Eat

Mothers all over know that toddlers are into new things.  They’re curious and adventurous, which translates to the foods and snacks they’re eating.  No longer are they sitting passively while being fed.  They’re more involved in the process and want to use their hands to make new discoveries.  Give them treats that not only bring a smile to their face, but will provide nutritional value and add to developing healthy eating habits that will last a life time.

Here are some fun foods that toddlers love to eat.

- Cereal is always an obvious option for toddlers.  Especially Cheerios.  They’re made of whole grain and are easy for a toddler to pick up, hold, and eat.  Cereals can be put in small cups or containers and carried around by your child.  Avoid overly sugary cereals that provide less nutritional value.

- Scrambled eggs provide an excellent source of protein and are delicious for your kids to eat.  They’re easy on the mouth and can be eaten by hand once they cool off a little.  Just watch the temperature before serving.

- Miniature vanilla wafer can accompany yogurt or peanut butter (watch food allergies) and, while sweet, aren’t overly sugary.

- Cut up bananas into pieces that your tot can use their fingers to pick up and eat.  By cutting the banana into smaller pieces, it cuts down on possibly choking.  The fruit is soft and easy to chew.

- Sandwiches made with cookie cutters make eating more fun and interesting when the look and shape is different.  Visit a discount or kitchen store for cookie cutters of all shapes like hearts, dinosaurs, animals, etc.

- Use the cookie cutters on cheese slices, as well.  Assemble a kiddie cheese and fruit tray with apple and banana slices and cheese either cut in small chunks or in animal shapes.  This is sure to be a big hit at any house.

- Sweet potatoes are filled with vitamins and every so good for your tot.  Make them some “healthy fries” by peeling a sweet potato and cutting into small matchsticks.  Spray with cooking spray and bake in the oven until soft and golden brown.  Delicious!

- Cut up broccoli florets and call them “trees.”  Serve with Ranch dressing.

- Cut up pineapple and serve with yogurt for dipping.

- Remove skin from a cooked hot dog and cut into small slices for ease of eating.  Or serve Vienna sausages from the can in the same manner.

- Popcorn—without all the salt and butter—makes for a healthy and fun snack.  Serve in a bowl or paper bag to mix things up.

- Jell-O is a great snack in many fruity flavors.  Purchase the pre-made small cups in the store or make a large tray yourself and use the aforementioned cookie cutters for fun shapes or animals.

- Goldfish crackers are perfect.  They’re already in an animal form and shape and they’re crunchy and yummy.  They can be carried around in a small container for little fingers to delve into.

- Grapes offer nutrition, flavor, and fun.  Serve a variety of green and red seedless grapes and watch little hands go to work.  Or, cut the grapes in half to make them last longer.

- Applesauce is a winner at all ages.  It’s soft, cool, and sweet.  Smaller packages found in stores are easy to carry around for emergency snacking purposes.

- Freeze your toddler’s favorite juice for a exciting frozen treat.  You can also add small chunks of fruit to the juice as it’s freezing for more variety.

Not only are these great foods for toddler and kid meals day to day, but they are great party foods for birthdays or baby showers.

Criss White writes about family, pregnancy, and baby topics. To check out some baby shower food ideas, visit Baby Shower Ideas.

Party Games on a Budget

You’ve put all of the money for your party budget into the food and beverages. There’s still the entertainment to think about. You don’t have to spend a fortune to keep your guests happy and enjoying themselves. And you don’t have to.

Here are some ideas for party games on a budget.

Charades
It’s a traditional favorite, but charades never fails to entertain. Young and old alike can participate in this classic guessing game. Guests play the game by acting out or miming the secret clue to their team for them to guess what it is. Either way, plan ahead by writing down a variety of clues and having them available in a bowl or a box for guests to choose randomly. Clues can be from: movies, televisions shows, songs, quotes, sayings, food, sports, poem, animal, location, event, etc. Just make sure everyone knows your house rules before the game gets started.

Twister
Twister is another fun party game where people will get to interact with others. You can play this with kids or make it an all-adult game. It’s a great way to get singles out of the corner and participating. The game is played on a mat that you place on the floor. You can make one with a plain white sheet and colored magic markets. There are four rows of colored circles in yellow, red, blue, and green. A spinner comes with the game to give you action and direction for your left and right foot, as well as your left and right hand. It also has the four colors on it. A player spins and acts out what is directed by the spinner, for example: “left foot blue.” The more people on the board, the funnier and crazier the results. There’s no limit to how many people can play. You’re the host…you make the rules.

Win, Lose, or Draw
This game is very much like a mix of Charades and Pictionary, only it’s a do-it-yourself home version. A secret clue is given to each team for them to guess. Just have an easel, an oversized pad of paper (from local office supply store), and several magic markers. However, this game is all about drawing out the clue, which can make for some raw hilarity. Have an egg time handy so that each team has the same fair amount of time to guess their clues. Topics should come from the following categories: people/places/animals, object, action, difficult words. You can write these out ahead of time and keep them in separate bowls for your teams to choose from. Set a limit to how long you’ll play the game and the team with the most correct answers win.

Balderdash
If you’re good at bluffing and using your imagination, then this is the game for you. You can also construct a homemade version, as well, which is explained here. Before your guests arrive, use your dictionary to formulate uncommon or hard to spell words. Have the correct definition written out for each one. To play, all players roll a die and the highest roll gets to be the “dasher.” The dasher chooses a word and reads it out loud to everyone. Players write down what they believe the definition is of the word. This is your chance to get creative if you don’t know what the word means. Everyone passes their definition to the dasher who then reads all of the definitions, including the real one. Players vote on what they think is the real meaning. Anyone who submits the correct answer gets three points. If a player guesses the correct definition, it’s two points. Players get one point for each player who chooses the wrong definition that they wrote. The dasher gets three points if no one gets the correct answer at all. Think of the side-splitting laughs you’ll get from this fun game.





Criss White writes about entertainment and party topics. To check out some more party games and baby shower game ideas, visit Baby Shower Ideas.

Board Games that are Good for Playing at Parties

You’re having a party and you want everyone to interact. What’s better than pulling out a board game so everyone can have fun together? Sure, you could stick to traditional favorites like Yahtzee, Monopoly, or Sorry, but why not mix things up with some modern board games made especially for party crowds. These games not only enhance socialization, but they’re entertaining, fun, and can have your guests laughing long after the party is over.

Here are some board games that are great for playing at parties.

Scene It
This is actually a series of games on DVDs that you plan on your television that offers visual and challenging trivia questions for your guests to answer on television shows, movies, sports, music, and other pop-culture related issues. Fun for all ages.

Apples to Apples
This popular card-based—Mensa approved—game is best for four to ten players and can last up to an hour. It is all about word matches and comparisons. The board game comes in many varieties from Kids edition, to Disney edition, to Bible and Spanish editions. Watch out, though, because Apples to Apples can pit grandmother against grandchild, husband against wife and even best friends against neighbors.

Pictionary
This game has been around since the mid 80s and is perfect party pleaser. Much like Charades, Pictionary is based on a secret clue that each team has to guess. However, this game is all about drawing out the clue, which can make for some unabashed hilarity.

Family Feud
This board game is based on the long-running television game show that pits families against each others for the top answers to a question. Divide your guests into competing teams for this family fun.

Trivial Pursuit
This game always proves to be a crowd pleaser. Available in several versions, pick the one most appropriate to your audiences, whether it includes the kids or is for adults-only. This is perfect for guests to show off their “useless” knowledge of pop culture and other categories.

Balderdash
This board game is all about trivial knowledge and the ability to bluff your way out of a situation. Guests guess the definition of obscure words and then try to get points for either knowing the right answer, or convincing others that their incorrect answer is the best.

Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?
Just like the television show, this board games gives you the chance to prove if you are or aren’t indeed able to answer fifth grade level trivia questions. Play this one with your younger guests or simply make it all-adult to see who’s the smartest in the bunch

Dirty Minds
For your all-adult crowd, this game is a revealing look at what people will or won’t tell. Questions are asked and you’re asked for the answer. The dirtier your mind, the funnier the game will be as this board game is billed to be “the cleanest dirty game."

Twister
If you’re looking for an ice breaker, there’s nothing better than the classic game of Twister to get people out of their seats and meeting each other. This game guarantees laughter and even a little exercise and is appropriate for all ages.





Criss White writes about entertainment and party topics. To check out some more party games and baby shower game ideas, visit Baby Shower Ideas.

Suggestions for Your Wedding Reception Entertainment

Weddings are always romantic, fun, and exciting. However, if you have attended many weddings sometimes they all start to feel the same. The last thing you want during your reception is for people to feel bored. There are fun and exciting ways on how to spice up your wedding reception. Your wedding will truly be memorable with these entertainment suggestions that can make all your guests truly smile.

If your budget will allow it, hire a live singer, band or an up and coming artist to entertain guests during your wedding reception. Nothing sets up a full party feel more than live music. You need not pay hefty talent fees by hiring famous singers or professional bands. There are a lot of other good artists and professionals that can accommodate wedding receptions.

Tickle the sweet tooth of your guests and get a chocolate fountain. Put a lot of marshmallows, cookies, and fruits on the side for truly entertaining food. People will talk about it, talk around it, and have fun eating your chocolate covered treats. There is no need for any other explanation or entertainment, just leave the guests and the chocolate alone and everything will turn out to be just fine. If you have the budget, you can even get a small chocolate fountain for every table.

Photo booths nowadays can have a customized backdrop, use different funny props such as colorful wigs or silly hats that the guests can use. They can have the photos printed right there and then, or for some suppliers, they give out a website address where the photos can be viewed.

Additionally, you can make your reception venue a conversational piece. Have elaborate designs, intricate flower setups, elegant wedding place cards, and exquisite china and silverware that your guests will truly marvel at.

Finally, wedding favors can also be a great conversation piece. You can get candle wedding favors in many cute designs that your guests will enjoy and talk about. Or place your favors in a puzzle box and let your guests try to open them. In any case, don’t forget to have favors available as they are a great way to say thanks to your guests.

An elegant reception venue setup will be enough to keep your guests entertained. Instead of drab designs, a well decorated and comfortable venue will often be enough to get your guests mingling with each other. These wedding reception ideas can indeed transform your wedding from a simple and boring one to something elegant and truly fun and memorable. Invest your time and creative juices into making a wedding that not just the newlyweds, but also the guests can truly remember for a long time.

Have Fun with Your Toddler Outdoors

The toddler years are important in developing a child’s motor and social skills. This is then the time where you are needed to guide him and spend a lot of time with him for him to develop his confidence this early.

Spring is a great time to spend outdoors, and for you to be able this season with your toddler on the great outdoors will spell not just fun, but learning and quality bonding time together. Listed below are some activities that you can enjoy with your toddler.

You can visit a local zoo, and for a minimal fee, you can be able to show your little one and make him learn at the same time about the different animals. Stay away from the big zoos (almost safari like) where animals like lions and liger are free to run around. Opt for the small zoos as your child may be interested only in the colorful fishes and birds. Bigger and wild animals may be an off-limits zone as well because chances are he might be scared of them and may end up crying.

Planting saplings in the backyard can also spell fun for your child. As he plays with the soil or water, he knows he is helping mom at the same time. This is the opportunity where he can play with soil and not get yelled at for it. Since it is your backyard, you know which areas might be a little too dangerous for him (being near ants or beehives).

You can go near the beach and collect seashells. You can both collect them and decorate your little sand space with it. Get colorful ones with different shapes (be careful with jellies and sharp edges of the shells though) and create houses or sand castles with them. Make them into necklaces or small mementos that can be used for decorating the house, spring wedding favors, or beach themed gifts. These little keepsakes will remind you of the great time you two have had together.

No matter what outdoor activity you choose, remember that what is most important is that you both get to enjoy and maybe even capture them in photographs so when he gets older, you can always look back at the wonderful spring outdoor activities you have had. As any parent would know, there are only a few short years where your child gets to be amused and spend time with you. So make the most out of it and make his toddler years with you as special as it can be.

Five Exciting Activities at the Beach

The beach is the favorite place, if not all, but of most people – and for very obvious reasons. Just lazing out on the beach or running and doing some activities is really fun especially when you get to enjoy it with loved ones.

While swimming is of course one of the primary reason for visiting the beach, there are other ways to have fun and exciting things to do at the beach apart from swimming. You can read a book, listen to your favorite music, write poetry, and sunbathe. But listed below are the five favorite fun things that you can do while at the beach.

- A classic favorite, building sandcastles tickles everyone’s fancy. Whether a kid or a kid at heart, everyone loves to just be around and help build either a simple castle or an elaborate one. You will not notice how time flies or how time passes and soon enough you’ll find you’ve already spent the whole day not just building sandcastles but more importantly, share quality bonding moments with your family or friends.

- Have bonfire parties where everyone can just be themselves and have fun while drinking and dancing. For a more subdued party, make it a simple get-together where everyone can share their stories while roasting marshmallows. Bonfire parties are great because it allows everyone to just be natural and not be conscious of themselves as compared to being in a club or a bar. It is no wonder of course that some even have their elaborate wedding – complete with the ceremony, reception, and even beach wedding favors – held at the beach.

- Throwing frisbees is something you can do in your neighborhood but to be able to do it in a beach means more fun as you have more space and feel the sand under your feet. You can make it a sport initially and really play, or eventually (especially when people get tired already), you can simply have light throws while having small talk.

- Picnics are always fun to have and when you have a picnic along the beach, with cool breeze, the sound of waves crashing, and laughter of people; it really is a lot better than the usual picnic at the park.

- You can play different water sports throughout the day. Get to bond with your family as you all get physical exercise at the same time. Windsurfing, jet skiing, and parasailing are just some things you and your family can enjoy. Just remember that safety always comes first so always listen to and follow the instructions given by the experts.

The beach will always be a special place for everyone. Whether it’s for some quiet time or to hold some party, the beach will always bring and create wonderful memories that everyone will cherish for the rest of their lives.